"The Power of Darkness" is a play by Leo Tolstoy that depicts the destructive consequences of lust and greed on a peasant family in 19th century Russia. The story follows the tragic fate of a young peasant woman, Anisya, who succumbs to the temptations of her stepson and leads her family into a spiral of deceit, betrayal, and violence. Through the characters' struggles, Tolstoy critiques the moral decay of Russian society and the corrosive effects of materialism and egoism on human relationships. While "The Power of Darkness" was controversial in its time for its frank portrayal of sexual and domestic violence, it is now recognized as a powerful work of social criticism and psychological insight.
Translated by Louise Maude & Aylmer Maude