"Small tragedies" - a cycle of dramaticworks, which A.S. Pushkin wrote in the autumn of 1830, "locked" in the village of Boldino, Nizhny Novgorod province, when this part of Russia was swept through by the epidemic of cholera. One of the tragedies included in the cycle is the "Stone Guest" - a small but very capacious work written on the popular story about Don Juan. The legendary seducer of women's hearts, the duelist and the "hooligan" was a very popular character in literary works, beginning with the Renaissance. Pushkin used the famous story about the seduction of Donna Anna, the widow of the dueled Don Juan Commander, who came from the underworld to take revenge on his murderer.
There are four scenes in the tragedy.The first is the secret arrival of Don Juan with the servant Leporello from exile to Madrid. Waiting for the darkness near the monastery walls, he learns that Donna Anna is coming here to the grave of her husband, who was killed in a duel. João wants to get to know her, he is attracted by excitement, he dreams of new victories over women, and the inconsolable widow is a suitable goal. Darkness descends on Madrid, and the voluptuary hastens to his former beloved Laura.
Laura receives guests in her room.One of them is the brother of Don Juan killed by the commander Don Carlos. He is annoyed and annoyed, because Laura sings a song composed once by her windy lover Juan. Suddenly, he appears. There is a skirmish with Carlos, a quarrel, a duel, and he falls dead.
After spending the night at Laura, Don Juan the next dayReturns to the monastery and, disguised as a monk, awaits the arrival of Donna Anna. A young widow appears. She offers to pray with her, but the Spaniard confesses that he is not a monk, but a caballero in love with her. He tempts the woman with passionate speeches and asks for a secret meeting at her house. She agrees. Anticipating the next victory and triumphantly, Don Juan sends his servant to the grave to the commander, so that he invited him to a joint dinner with the widow. The servant who performs the order, it seems that the statue nodded in response. Frightened, he reports this to the owner. Don Juan, not believing, decides to repeat himself his invitation and with horror notices the nod of the statue.
In the evening in her house, Anna receives Anna,not knowing about that, the murderer of her husband. Don Juan, calling himself Diego, confesses to her in passionate love, trying to seduce a young widow. Seeing her favor, he decides to admit who he really is. Donna Anna, seeing and understanding who in front of her, in confusion. Footsteps are heard, the door swings open, a statue of the commander enters. All in horror. Don Juan, however, boldly welcomes him, holding out his hand. They fall together into the netherworld.