Setting
The action takes place in winter in the early 1830s in St. Petersburg, Russia, a port city on the Gulf of Finland in the Baltic Sea. St. Petersburg was Russia's capital from 1712 to 1918. Between 1914 and 1924, it was known as Petrograd. Between 1924 and 1991, it was known as Leningrad. In 1991, the Russian government restored its original name. Flashbacks involving Countess Anna Fedotovna takes place in two French locales, Paris and Versailles, in the 1770s.
Characters
Hermann: Russian military officer (an engineer) who is the son of a German immigrant. He refuses to gamble at cards for fear of jeopardizing the inheritance from his father. However, after learning that Countess Anna Fedotovna possesses a card secret that guarantees victory, he abandons all caution and dedicates himself to extracting the secret from the countess. Hermann's character, then, has a prudent German side and a daring Russian side.
Countess Anna Fedotovna: Eighty-seven-old aristocrat who knows a card secret that never fails. However, the secret works only for a limited time. The countess once used it to recoup huge gambling losses from the Duke of Orleans, then reposed on her winnings. The countess is somewhat dotty, forgetting faces of acquaintances and confusing the past with the present. She is also bossy and egotistical. She represents the old, dying Russia of the aristocrats. Pushkin is said to have used a real-life person, Princess Natalia Petrovna Golitsyna (1741-1837?), as the model for the countess. Princess Natalia, who came from a distinguished family, lived at 10 Malaya Morskaya in central St. Petersburg. Her husband was Vladimir Borisovich Golitsyn (1731-1798).
Lizaveta Ivanovna: Very pretty young lady who is the ward of the countess. In her dealings with Hermann, she vacillates between restraining her emotions and giving in to them.
Prince Paul Tomsky: Grandson of the countess. He tells his friends the remarkable story of how his grandmother used a secret card strategy to recoup her gambling losses. In presenting his story, Tomsky repeats what his uncle, Count Ivan Ilyitch, had earlier told him.
Count Ivan Ilyitch: Uncle of Tomsky and son of the countess.
Narumov: Cavalry officer who hosts a card game. He asks Tomsky to introduce him to the countess.
Surin: Losing player at Narumov's card game.
Count St. Germain: An old friend of the countess who reveals to her the card secret. Pushkin based this character on a real-life person with the same name. St. Germain (1710-1784) was a mysterious adventurer said to be gifted with extrasensory perception and other amazing powers, including the ability to pass through walls. He spoke many languages, exhibited a mastery of history and chemistry, composed music, and claimed to know how to turn base metals into gold. One story about him maintains that he was the founder of freemasonry. Scholars have not documented his national and ethnic origins, but reports during his time maintained that he was a Jew born in Portugal. He lived in various countries, including Germany and Russia, and is said to have served as a spy in England and France. Five years after his death in 1784, he was reportedly seen in Paris.
Duke of Orleans: Card player at Versailles in the 1770s. In a faro game, he won a huge sum from the countess. After she used the card secret against him, she won back her money.
Chaplitzky: Acquaintance of Countess Anna Fedotovna. After he goes into debt, the countess reveals to him the card secret. He uses it to win huge sums at the card table. The narrator points out, however, that he died in poverty.
Chekalinsky: Moscow gambler against whom Hermann gambles.
Messenger from the Milliner: Woman who delivers a letter from Hermann to Lizaveta.
Bishop: Clergyman who eulogizes the countess at her funeral.
Man in Uniform of Kammerherr (Chamberlain): At the countess's funeral, this man whispers to an Englishman that Hermann is the illegitimate son of the countess.
Englishman: Man to whom the Kammerherr whispers his secret.
Princess Pauline: Young woman whom Prince Paul Tomsky marries.
Steward: Servant of the countess.
Steward's Son: Man whom Lizaveta Ivanovna marries.
Woman Jester: Mourner at the countess's funeral.
Footmen, Porter,Servants, Maids, Street Watchman
Narration and Structure
Pushkin tells The Queen of Spades in third-person omniscient point of view with cold objectivity that admits no room for melodrama. The narration freely flashes backward and forward as the story unfolds during a winter month. There are six chapters, each preceded by an epigraph relating to the theme of the chapter, and a conclusion.
Chapter 1 (Topic: Gambling)
The Queen of Spades denotes secret ill-will.Chapter 2 (Topic: A Conversation)
(From the latest Fortune-Teller.) In the cold, rain, and sleet
They together would meet
To play.
Lord, forgive them their sin:
Gambling, late to win
They'd stay.
They won and they lost,
And put down the cost
In chalk.
So on cold autumn days
They wasted no time
In talk.
(K. Ryleev and A. Bestuzhev)
"II parait que monsieur est décidément pour les suivantes."Chapter 3 (Topic: Writing Letters)
"Que voulez-vous, madame? Elles sont plus fraîches."
–A Society Conversation. It appears, Monsieur, that you clearly prefer the maids.
Would you wish me otherwise, Madame? They are much fresher.
–A Society Conversation.
Vous m'ecrivez, mon ange, des lettres de quatre pagesChapter 4 (Topic: Morality and Religion)
plus vite que je ne puis les lire.
A Correspondence. My angel, you write me four-page letters
so fast that I am not able to read them.
–A Correspondence
Homme sans moeurs et sans religion.Chapter 5 (Topic: A Vision)
–A Correspondence A man without morals or religion.
–A Correspondence
Comment: See Unscrupulous Behavior
That night the dead Baroness von W. appeared to me. She was all in white and said: ' How do you do, Mr. Councillor?'Chapter 6 (Topic: Angry Reaction)
–Swedenborg. Comment: This fabricated quotation appears at the beginning of the chapter in which Hermann has a vision of the old countess. For information about Swedenborg, click here.
“Attendez!”
“How dare you say ‘attendez’ to me?”
“Your excellency, I said ‘attendez, sir’ " Attendez: wait.
Comment: The reply of the important person appears to be one that Napoleon might have had made when addressed improperly by an underling. Hermann, of course, has become like Napoleon in his obsession to conquer the world of cards.
Generally accepted , as an almost perfect piece of writing[although there is no perfection in art!],
Pushkin's piece has some interesting figures..St Germain, I will explore a little later,but the QUEEN OF SPADES?
She can be seen to be ....
a, The Anima
b, A, 'Mother Goddess'[archetype]
c, A female warrior[Amazon]
d, An extension of the Psyche, ie 'Memory'
e, A symbol of Poetic, 'Beauty'
She is also.....MINERVA
Who Was Minerva?
...daughter of Jupiter, patroness of health, learning, and wisdom - Bulfinch's Mythology (Glossary)
The Roman goddess Minerva was based on the Greek Athena, who, in turn, was based on earlier Egyptian goddesses such as Isis and Neith. These goddesses were, in turn, based on earlier Western antetypes. They were described as "virginal" and were commonly depicted with fair complexions. They were the mothers of the various sun gods. Most of the Eastern goddesses who turn up in Greek and Roman pantheons were based on the Aryan goddesses Danu, Ana and Brigit. One perfect example is Hera, the supreme goddess of the Greeks. She was based on Eri, goddess of Ireland. (See Chapter Ten, The Disciples of Horus, for more on this subject.)
Minerva was the Roman name of Greek goddess Athena. She was considered to be the virgin goddess of warriors, poetry, medicine, wisdom, commerce, crafts, and the inventor of music - Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia (Entry on Minerva)
In Sais the statue of Athena whom they believe to be Isis, bore the mysterious inscription: "I am all that has been, and is, and shall be, and my robe no mortal has yet uncovered" - Plutarch
Minerva's Birth
Minerva (Pallas, Athene), the goddess of wisdom, was the offspring of Jupiter, without a mother. She sprang forth from his head completely armed. Her favorite bird was the owl, and the plant sacred to her the olive - Bulfinch's Mythology (pages 17-18)
Minerva and the Owl
Minerva was the first deity to build an enclosed house. She is therefore connected with building and architecture. One of her symbols was the butterfly. However, her main symbol was the owl.
Minerva was the first deity to build an enclosed house. She is therefore connected with building and architecture. One of her symbols was the butterfly. However, her main symbol was the owl.
Her name has the "mn-" stem, linked with memory. See Greek "Mnemosyne"...memory, remembrance, recollection. The Romans could have confused her foreign name with their word mens meaning "mind" since one of her aspects as goddess pertained not only to war but also to the intellectual. Minerva is the Roman name for Athena the goddess of Wisdom and Virginity. She is also depicted as an owl - Wikipedia Online Encyclopedia (Entry on Minerva)
The Queen of Spades
In regular playing decks Minerva is depicted as the Queen of Spades. The suit of Spades represents the warrior (knightly) class. The Hearts or Cups represent the clergy, the Clubs or Wands represent the peasant or worker class, and the diamonds or disks represent the merchant class. In the Tarot the Queen of Spades is equivalent with the Queen of Swords. In the Major Arcana, the card entitled Justice is assigned to the astrological sign of Libra. The esoteric symbolism of this both Libran cards (Queen of Swords and Justice) features prominently during the coronation of the Queen of England, Elizabeth Windsor.
In regular playing decks Minerva is depicted as the Queen of Spades. The suit of Spades represents the warrior (knightly) class. The Hearts or Cups represent the clergy, the Clubs or Wands represent the peasant or worker class, and the diamonds or disks represent the merchant class. In the Tarot the Queen of Spades is equivalent with the Queen of Swords. In the Major Arcana, the card entitled Justice is assigned to the astrological sign of Libra. The esoteric symbolism of this both Libran cards (Queen of Swords and Justice) features prominently during the coronation of the Queen of England, Elizabeth Windsor.
Liverpool connection?
Town Hall
Home to the Lord Mayor, Liverpool's Town Hall is one of the oldest historic buildings in Liverpool the Town Hall's beautiful interior provides a unique setting for a wide range of events and functions, such as weddings, parties and conferences.For more information and a virtual tour of the Town Hall visit Liverpool Civic Halls website.
History
The present Town Hall is the third to have been built on or near the site. The first was built in 1515, while the second was built in 1673.
The Town Hall as we know it today was built in 1754 based on a design by John Wood of Bath. It was gutted by fire in 1794, but was built and restored over the following years.
Further restoration work took place between 1993 and 1995.
Architectural design
The Town Hall features a 10 feet high statue of Minerva, the goddess of wisdom, which is mounted on the dome on the roof. The statue was designed by Felix Rossi, who was sculptor to George IV.
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