The Shot (Pushkin)

The Shot details events at a military outpost in a Russian province, and then several years later, on a country estate.

Pushkin discusses themes of honor, revenge and death, and places them within the broader context of Russian society.

The Shot tells the story of a retired soldier named Silvio, who harbors a grudge for many years following an argument in which he was disrespected in front of his peers.

Told from the perspective of an unnamed narrator, the story concludes with Silvio returning to seek his revenge against the man who wronged him, the Count.

Although a shorter work, The Shot served as an influence to later Russian literature, including Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s Notes from Underground.

The setting allows the reader to focus on the conflict between the characters rather than the significance of its placement in Russia and how that may affect the symbolism behind its location.

[9] In The Shot, the Count begins to eat a hatful of cherries in the middle of the duel, angering Silvio.

Silvio eventually explains his situation privately to the narrator: years ago he was an extremely popular soldier, but was overcome with jealousy after the arrival of a new officer.

If he had now engaged the officer in a duel over the card game, he would almost certainly have killed him, but also taken the risk of dying before being able to exact revenge on the Count.

We learn later that Silvio was killed leading a regiment in battle in the Greek Revolution, in combat against Ottoman forces.

[3][16] The first and most obvious genre that influences Pushkin's writing style is his “Romantic” one, which is apparent in the characters and their sense of tradition.

[17] However, this doesn’t make up the bulk of his story, as he takes a traditional character like Silvio and pits him against the rest of society with his lack of honor that is displayed in the first duel he has.

[3] The narrative behind Silvio shows that he was once an honorable man who later fell to his own selfishness, brushing aside the history of his ancestors and therefore transcending the Romantic nature of Pushkin's writing.

He lives in a military outpost in the rural village of N. He is an infantry officer, and often spent time with Silvio, either having dinner or gambling.

After Silvio announces his departure, the narrator stays after dinner to hear his explanation for not dueling the other officer.

He later in the story is put in the same position as Silvio once was but ends up being allowed to live because his wife, the Countess, begs for him.

He grew extremely angry at this, and due to his alcohol consumption and embarrassment at his colleagues’ laughter, he threw a brass candleholder at Silvio.

When Silvio does not challenge the offending officer to a duel, many soldiers assume that he is lacking courage, and regard him negatively for this.

The narrator states that “a lack of courage is something the young can least forgive; they consider valor the height of human virtue and an excuse for all possible vices.” The idea of courage was extremely important to young men in Russian society at this time, and so to refuse to duel someone was strongly looked down upon.

In 1722, Peter the Great introduced the Table of Ranks into Russian society, cementing a strict societal hierarchy that lasted for over 150 years.

The Count is victorious in a duel because of his lack of care for life over honor, but Silvio is changed so much by this experience that he must continue to fight his way back for it.

Honor is balanced throughout this tale in various different forms and is weighed constantly against the value of life which ends up being the greatest contrast of all.

This is why Pushkin's story is indeed a parody, because despite each character being primarily motivated by personal interest and honor, their desire for life supersedes all in the end.

Anything from disagreements in business, settling disputes over women, trivial insults, or broader social class conflicts were the source of many duels.

Dueling was a highly ritualized event, and despite many attempts from the state to outlaw the practice, it persisted for centuries.