Truth is Good, but Happiness is Better

Brief Overview

The play «Truth is Good, but Happiness is Better» by Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky delves into the lives and relationships within a Russian village. The main characters are the elderly Martyn Protasov and his granddaughter Polyxena. Martyn is a man who has adhered to truth and justice all his life, but in his old age, he realizes that truth does not always bring happiness. Polyxena, on the other hand, seeks personal happiness and love. The conflict between truth and happiness becomes the central theme of the play. Ultimately, the characters come to understand that sometimes happiness is more important than strict truth, and that human emotions and well-being cannot always be subjected to rigid principles.