(wr. 1868, prod. 1898)
Tragedy depicting a segment of sixteenth-century Russian history.
Prince Ivan Petrovich Shuysky rallies the clergy and merchants of Moscow in an effort to curb the arbitrary and evil power of Boris Godunov. Godunov frustrates Shuysky by feigning friendship in the presence of Fyodor, but immediately thereafter he arrests Shuysky's supporters. Fyodor, weak and naïve, devoted more to the Holy Spirit than to the rule of Russia, chooses to trust Godunov in this action despite oblique warnings from Tsarina Irina, Godunov's sister.
Shuysky then resolves to arouse the people against Fyodor himself in order to rid Russia of Godunov. Obtaining evidence of Shuysky's plans, Godunov demands that Fyodor sign a warrant for his arrest, but Fyodor refuses. Meanwhile, Shuysky's followers, ignorant of recent developments, plan to set aside Fyodor's marriage to Irina and to marry him to one of their clan, Princess Mstislayskaya, despite her engagement to Prince Shakhovskoy. The outraged Princess protests to Fyodor, who, able to forgive anything but a plot to separate him from his beloved wife, signs a warrant for the arrest of all the Shuyskys.
Irina, Princess Mstislayskaya, and the people petition Fyodor to pardon Shuysky. Kindhearted Fyodor orders his release but, to his horror, learns that Shuysky has hanged himself, while Shakhovskoy, leading the crowd toward the prison to free Shuysky, has been shot. At this moment a messenger brings word that Prince Dmitry has died "in an accident." Fyodor now knows that Russia belongs to Godunov.