Paulinka (Belarusian: Паўлінка) is a comedy play in two parts by a Belarusian poet and writer Yanka Kupala.[1]) Written in 1912, it was printed first time in 1913 in St. Petersburg by the publisher The Sun Will Peek into Our Window As Well (be:Загляне сонца і ў наша аконца) [2][3]

First edition

Plot

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Paulinka is a daughter of a petty nobleman ("village szlachtic") Sciapan Krynicki. She falls in love with the local teacher Yakim Saroka. The father disapproves this planning her marriage with a wealthier szlachcic Bykovsky. Paulinka and Saroka are planning to run away, but Yakim is arrested for his revolutionary views, ratted out by Bykovsky.

Play directors often replace the finale with a more optimistic one: the pair does run away.[3]

History

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The play grew out of the short story And the Willows Rustled (А вербы шумелі) started by the author.[3] It is suggested[by whom?] that the prototype of Paulinka was Kupala's lyrical friend Paulina Myadzyolka [be], but in later years she denied this.[4] Some also claim that Myadzyolka was first one to play Paulinka, which is not true: the first amateur play of Paulinka, starring Софья Маркевич, was in Vilnius in January 13, while Maydzyolka played next month in an amateur play in St.Petersburg.[4]

In film

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In 1952 a Russian-language TV play was released directed by Aleksandr Zarkhi and starring Lyudmila Senchina. In 1972 Belarusfilm released a full-feature musical film After the Fair [ru] starring Lyudmila Senchina, screenplay by Andrey Makayonak [be], directed by Yuri Tsvetkov [ru].

References

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  1. ^ "Паўлінка". Янка Купала. Беларуская Палічка. Retrieved 2013-02-28.
  2. ^ Паўлінка. Живая библиотека. Retrieved 2013-02-28. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ a b c "«Паўлінка» восьмы дзясятак на купалаўскай сцэне"
  4. ^ a b "Первая Павлинка Купаловского театра получила роль 19-летней барышни, когда ей было уже 40, а играть в спектакле продолжала до 60!"