Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia

Summary

«Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia» is a socially critical poem by the Russian poet Nikolai Nekrasov, created between 1863 and 1877. The work consists of a frame story and a series of diverse episodes that depict the life and customs of various groups in 19th-century Russia. The poem highlights themes of social inequality, cruelty, and the exploitation of peasants. Through tales of the harsh fate of ordinary people, the author raises questions of justice and the possibility of finding happiness across different social strata. At the heart of the work is the quest to answer the question of who exactly can live happily in Russia, expressed through the experiences and reflections of several characters.