V. Nabokov's novel "Luzhin's Defense", a summary of which we present to your attention, was published in 1930. According to many critics, this work brought the author to the forefront of the Russian literary community, who worked in emigration.
In bright, but somewhat gloomy colors, Nabokov describes the vicissitudes of life of a talented chess player, for whom the world around him has become a mirror image of a chess game.
Farewell to childhood
Every summer, little Sasha Luzhin spends with his parents in the country, and in the fall the family returns to St. Petersburg, to their city apartment. This year, in the life of the boy, who until now was in the care of a French governess, unexpected changes should occur: his father announced to Sasha that he had to go to school. This news scares the quiethome boy. His imagination draws the horrors of the future daily communication with peers. Thus begins the story about the fate of the future genius in the book, on the cover of which a laconic inscription is displayed: "V. Nabokov. "Luzhin's Defense"". The summary of the first few chapters tells about the childhood experiences of the young hero.
When the Luzhin family at the end of the summer season, having collected the necessary things, is preparing to go to the city, Sasha runs straight from the railway station into the forest. Drizzling rain drives the little stubborn to the village house. The boy hides in the attic in the hope that no one will find him there. Among the usual attic trash, Sasha notices an old chessboard, not yet suspecting what role this item will play in his later life. Soon, the adults discover the fugitive, and the black-bearded miller carries the boy in his arms to the road wagon. Parting with children's illusions could be called this part of the novel "Luzhin's Defense". A summary of the chapters of the entire work introduces the reader to the feelings of a vulnerable teenager, a focused young man and an adult man.
School grievances and parental misunderstandings
Relationships with classmates, which Sasha feared, are not working out for him. First, the boys tease him with Antosha by the name of a character in one of Luzhin Sr.'s stories, who wrote children's books. Sasha prefers not to notice sharp jokes addressed to him, he withdraws into himself. Soon everyone forgets about him, they look at him as emptyplace.
If we had to write a short essay on the topic: “V. Nabokov: "Luzhin's Defense", summary, analysis of the work and characterization of the protagonist", then one could say with confidence: the isolation and unsociableness of the teenager was the very protection against the encroachments of society on his inner world. It is easy to verify the validity of this statement by continuing to read the novel.
The father, who visited the gymnasium a month later to learn about his son's progress, hears from the teacher that the boy, although not without abilities, is too sluggish and lack of initiative. Sasha did not show success in studying school subjects, in conversations with his parents on the topic of study he preferred to remain silent, sometimes he had outbursts of unmotivated anger. The father begins to suspect that his only son has some kind of mental illness, but still hopes that the boy will have a great future.
Introduction to the world of chess
On the anniversary of the death of Sasha's maternal grandfather, a musical evening is organized in the Luzhins' house, since the deceased old man was considered a good composer. One of the invited musicians, whom Sasha accidentally ran into in his father's office, in a short conversation speaks enthusiastically about the game of chess, calling it "the hobby of the Gods." It is known that Vladimir Nabokov himself was fond of the art of composing chess studies. "Luzhin's Defense" is a summary of his views on this ancient game, its influence on human destinies.
The next day whenthe boy's mother starts a quarrel with his father, suspecting her husband of treason, Sasha again retires in the office. The second cousin of the mother, visiting the Luzhins' house, also turns out to be here. It was this woman who caused the scandal between the parents. The boy asks his aunt to teach him how to play chess. The girl refuses under the pretext that training may take too long. The boy insists on his own, and the aunt with a sigh shows how to arrange the pieces, explains the rules for their movement on the chessboard. At first glance, the events in the novel "Luzhin's Defense", the summary of which we are trying to convey, are developing slowly and quite ordinary.
Youth protest
One day Sasha is watching his classmates play chess. Unexpectedly for himself, the boy discovers that, not knowing how to play, he understands this magical action much more than his peers. At this moment, a plan is ripening in his head, Sasha starts to implement his plan the next morning. In the plot of the novel "Luzhin's Defense", the summary of which cannot contain many important details, one of the climaxes comes.
Pretending to go to school, the boy stops attending classes, spending days on end at the house of his second cousin's aunt. A young woman gives him his first chess lessons. Then an old man, who often visits his aunt, begins to train Sasha. Parents soon become aware of school absenteeism, scandals flare up again in the house. But Sasha is alreadydoes not worry, he enthusiastically studies magazines, playing chess games on them.
The first losses and the beginning of a chess career
A week later, young Luzhin learns about the death of the old man from whom he took playing lessons. This news is a heavy burden on the fragile psyche of the boy. Parents are forced to take Sasha abroad to provide treatment for a protracted nervous breakdown.
After some time, the mother returns to Russia, Sasha stays with his father. Luzhin Sr. often appears in society with a young lady, in whom the boy recognizes his second cousin. Soon a telegram arrives from St. Petersburg announcing the death of Sasha's mother.
The father, imbued with his son's passion for chess, allows him to participate in various tournaments. The growing young man wins one victory after another, this occupation begins to bring not only fame, but also money. The organization of chess duels and simultaneous games is handled by a specially involved person - Mr. Valentinov.
Life in exile and marriage
The First World War and the October Revolution force the Luzhin family to finally settle abroad, they settle in Berlin. In 1928, Luzhin Sr. recalls his long-standing idea to write a book about a talented young man who died early. The details of the work are carefully thought out, but something prevents the realization of this plan. It soon turns out that the failed author himself does not have long to live: as a result of a severe cold, he developslung disease resulting in sudden death.
Young Luzhin, having turned into a gloomy man with a heavy hunched figure, continues his chess career. All his games end with an invariable victory, in the near future he hopes to win the championship title. While preparing for one of the most important tournaments, Alexander meets a Russian girl from an immigrant family. The young woman considers Luzhin a real genius and soon, despite the protests of her parents, she marries him.
Mixing game with reality
The invincible chess player manages to leave all opponents far behind. But this tournament should be decisive in a dispute with an old opponent - a grandmaster from Italy named Turati. The many-hour duel is interrupted, without revealing the winner, the position on the chessboard portends a draw.
This hard game completely wears out Luzhin's strength, which leads to another nervous breakdown and a long illness. On the recommendation of the doctor, his wife seeks to erase all memories of chess from Alexander's memory, tries to ensure that no attributes of the game come across his eyes. But in the inflamed brain of a chess player, episodes of real life are firmly intertwined with chess studies.
Valentinov, about whom nothing has been heard for the past few years, reminds of himself with a phone call, asking for a meeting with Luzhin. The wife, referring to Alexander's illness, refuses Valentinov hisrequest. The immediate plans of the spouses are to move to another city, and before that, visit the grave of their father. Here we begin to guess why Nabokov gave such a name to his work - "Luzhin's Defense". A summary of the chapters of this novel brings us closer to the denouement of the plot.
All the thoughts of the chess genius are busy analyzing the unfinished game. In his imagination, chess pieces take on the images of people he has ever met, and game moves are associated with the actions of others or his own actions. In Luzhin's head, plans for an impenetrable defense against an enemy attack are being built. The chess player is sure that only an unexpected, even an absurd move, can break the opponent's tactics. At the same time, the chess strategy is carried over to the events of the real world.
Troublesome search for the right move
One day, leaving the city, accompanied by his wife and mother-in-law, Luzhin leaves them under the pretext of the need to visit a dentist. He wanders the streets, enters various establishments, as if confusing his tracks. He understands that there is nothing new in all these actions, each of his moves is known to the chess opponent, so victory will not be achieved. Luzhin's defense is a summary of the life strategy that a person with an upset mentality associates with playing chess.
Approaching his house, Luzhin meets an old friend Valentinov at the entrance. He puts the man in the car and takes him to the film studio, where he now works. Valentinov is trying to persuade Luzhin to star infeature film featuring real chess players. Alexander feels that the shooting is just an excuse to drag him into a losing game, to make him make a wrong move.
An ingenious solution to a complex multi-move
Luzhin arrives home, climbs with difficulty to the top floor. He begins to walk quickly through the rooms of the apartment, despite the requests of the crying wife to stop and explain the essence of what is happening. Finally, Luzhin finishes his marathon, puts the contents of his pockets on the nightstand and kisses his wife's hands. “The only correct move has been found! You just need to leave the game, drop out of it!” - such a thought illuminates the inflamed imagination of a chess genius.
Guests are invited to the house this evening. The first doorbell rings, the maid runs to open it, the wife goes to greet the newcomer. Seizing the moment, Luzhin locks himself in the bathroom. On the shelves of the chest of drawers standing here, Alexander climbs onto the windowsill of a high window. Dangling his legs out into the street, he takes a deep breath of the frosty air. The door trembles under the onslaught of people, the worried voice of his wife is clearly audible. But the chess player has nothing to do with that. He prepared to make the last move leading to victory and unlimited freedom. A minute later, the door to the bathroom was still kicked out, but there was no one to save.
So ends the last chapter of the novel, the plot of which contains a description of a whole life, and the title is not particularly ornate (but the author, V. Nabokov, decided so) - "Luzhin's Defense". Reviews about this work can be summarized and expressed in just one phrase: the burden of geniusnot everyone can bear it. But this is not the fault, but the misfortune of people endowed with exceptional talents. Isn't it?
