The story of Gerasim, a deaf and mute serf whose life of poverty is brought into sharp relief by his connection with Mumu, a dog he rescued, brought greater national attention to the cruelties of serfdom, and received praise for its brutal portrayal of this institution in Russian society.

Originally published in 1854, "Mumu" was written by Turgenev in 1852 while he was in custody for writing an obituary for fellow writer Nikolai Gogol.

[1] From a good family,[2] Turgenev was well-read, and had spent extensive time in the West (he was fluent in German, French, and English).

[4] This was reflected in his first work, A Sportsman's Sketches, which was both a condemnation of his mother's treatment of serfs, and the beginnings of his sympathetic portrayals of the peasantry.

Gerasim, the main character, is meant to represent the Russian peasant at his most raw: strong but mute, submissive yet resistant.

[3] His work and situation is a direct tie to the peasantry, including his portrayal as a Russian folk hero.

After being taken from his village, he eventually settles into life in the city, and, while his presence inspires fear in the other servants, he is able to remain on at least cordial terms with them.

Gavrila, aware of Gerasim's affections but unable to disagree with his master, relates this to Kapiton, who reacts with fear but ultimately agrees.

Gavrila comes up with a plan, and, noting Gerasim's hatred of drunkards, has Tatiana pretend to be drunk in his presence.

The following day, Gavrila is ordered to get rid of Mumu, whose barking disturbs the widow, and he has the footman, Stepan, ambush the dog behind Gerasim's back and sell her in the market.

He brings her to a cookshop, giving her a final treat before travelling to the river where he found her, commandeering a rowboat, and eventually drowns her—bringing his rescue of her full circle.

That marriage turned out well, although the mistress demanded that all babies be put away, but they were kept at home secretly, so one day one of them had to have her mouth shut to hide her presence.

[7] While some critics, notably Briggs, have called Turgenev's use of this device as clumsy, and even “egregious,"[6] it is less pronounced in this particular work than some of his others.

[3] At the beginning, this lack of affection seems like an insurmountable barrier: In Gerasim's love with Tatiana he is unable to overcome his muteness, to express his feelings and bridge this gap.

[8] Due to his sensory failings, the author is unable to accurately represent his consciousness, or to infer his inner thoughts and feelings.

[8] Textual evidence implies that Gerasim did not plan his escape prior to the killing, because he had to return home to gather his things before breaking away.

Several film and media adaptations have been created since its publication, as this work was extremely influential for many Russian-speaking children.