The Possessed, Part 3, Chapter 1 summary
Part 3, Chapter 1 of 23 · 46 min to read the chapter
In Chapter 1, Yulia Mihailovna’s charity fête opens amid public resentment, disappointed expectations of food, and disturbances encouraged by some stewards. Liputin reads an insulting poem about governesses, prompting the narrator to accuse him of deliberately organizing a scandal against Yulia Mihailovna, while Karmazinov’s arrival briefly interrupts the audience’s mounting outrage.
What happens
- The town eagerly subscribes to the fête, while resentment grows over costly clothes and jokes at families’ expense.
- The committee removes free food from the program, but the public continues expecting a lavish meal.
- At noon, crowds force their way inside, and some unticketed guests angrily demand refreshments.
- The Lembkes arrive late, and Lyamshin’s arranged musical greeting and scattered cheers embarrass them.
- After the drunken Captain Lebyadkin is removed from the platform, Liputin reads a poem insulting the governesses.
- Karmazinov appears as offended guests begin leaving, while the narrator confronts Liputin about deliberate sabotage.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The narrator connects the disturbances to deliberate sabotage rather than ordinary incompetence. His accusation makes the conflict with Liputin explicit.
Quick check
Why does the committee abandon plans for a banquet?
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