Vera, or The Nihilists

Roles

• Czar - Adult (36-50), Senior (>50), Male

About this piece

The Czar expresses his fear of being assassinated and his desire to capture Vera

Summary

Vera works as a barmaid in her father's tavern, along the way to the prison camps of Siberia. One day she recognizes her brother Dmitri as one of the prisoners on their way to Siberia. Dmitri urges her to move to Moscow and join a group of rebels, the Nihilists, that are plotting to assassinate the Czar of Russia. She moves to Moscow with her servant Michael and after a few years she becomes one of the most wanted assassins of the terrorist group. She also falls in love with Alexis, a fellow Nihilist, who turns out to be the Czar's son, Tsarevich. Tsarevich is arrested and punished by being imprisoned in a dungeon of his father's palace. This monologue is delivered by the Czar in the second act of the play. A council meeting is taking place between the Czar, his minister, several princes and his son. His son has just been released from imprisonment and they all criticize his political inclinations. In the monologue the Czar, scolds his son for betraying him, expresses his frustrating constant fear of being assassinated and his strong desire of revenge towards Vera that he wants to capture and torture.

Tone

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