Poor Liza

Poor Liza is a sentimental novella by Russian author Nikolai Karamzin, published in 1792. It is considered a seminal work of Russian sentimentalism, influencing generations of writers and readers. The story revolves around a young peasant girl, Liza, who falls in love with a nobleman, Erast.

The narrative is told by an unnamed narrator who, years later, revisits the locations where the tragic events unfolded. The story follows Liza's life as she supports her widowed mother by selling flowers in Moscow. Her innocent and virtuous nature is contrasted with Erast, a wealthy and disillusioned nobleman who seeks solace from the superficiality of high society.

Their love affair blossoms, but Erast eventually tires of Liza and becomes engaged to a wealthy widow to resolve his financial difficulties. Devastated by Erast's betrayal, Liza drowns herself in a pond. The narrator emphasizes the tragedy of Liza's fate and implicitly criticizes the social inequalities that contribute to her downfall.

Poor Liza is significant for its focus on the emotions and experiences of a peasant woman, challenging the traditional portrayal of peasants in literature. It contributed to a greater interest in rural life and the lives of ordinary people. The story’s exploration of themes such as social class, love, betrayal, and suicide resonated deeply with readers and helped establish sentimentalism as a major literary movement in Russia. The ending, with its emphasis on the narrator’s profound grief and sympathy for Liza, solidifies the work's sentimental tone. The novella also contributed to the development of the Russian literary language by employing a more accessible and emotional style.