Don Juan- The Echo of Freedom

   

I am reading Moli;re’s Don Juan and got interested in Pushkin’s version. Why did Pushkin decide to write this play after Moli;re? Pushkin clearly falls short; it’s even unclear what the play is about. Moli;re, from the very first lines of dialogue between the two servants, grabs the bull by the horns, describing who Don Juan is and what his lifestyle is like. The servant’s account sounds like an accusation. This is followed by Don Juan's monologue in his own defense—his fickleness and new marriages every month are explained by his constant infatuations. One beauty surpasses another, and he simply follows his new passion. He cannot remain faithful when the passion fades; for him, living merely to satisfy lust while thinking of another is not the way for a free man. He follows his heart wherever it leads him. He remains true only to himself—he is a seeker of happiness. That he leaves behind crying, unhappy women is, alas, either fate or not fate.
In Pushkin’s version, it’s not even clear who Don Juan is. Pushkin describes him as a duelist returning from exile, apparently punished for killing the commander. That is, he endows him with details somewhat reminiscent of his own biography. In Pushkin’s version, Don Juan courts Donna Elvira after the commander’s death; they meet in a cemetery where she continues to mourn her late husband. One can have deep feelings for the deceased and even passionately fall in love with them, just as I have with Moli;re. Pushkin’s Don Juan envies the dead man for having earned such love. Perhaps Pushkin also envied Moli;re, who had long since passed—Moli;re was born in France in 1622, and Pushkin in Russia in 1799, a significant gap. That’s likely why he took up this theme, especially since Moli;re’s play had not yet been translated into Russian, probably for political reasons—“so that nothing would come of it.” Moli;re uses Don Juan's monologues and dialogues to mock the outdated and ridiculous social norms of his time.
The difference between the two plays is similar to the difference between the two countries, and it remains: Moli;re is clearly more experienced and seductive in all matters, offering a broader picture of social decline. If French citizenship were offered to Russians with all its benefits, many would likely accept the French passport, though preferably secretly. But would the French accept a Russian passport? Perhaps only out of love for someone special. In short, Pushkin’s Don Juan tries to win the heart of a lady by taking her away from her late husband. In contrast, in Moli;re’s version, the lady follows Don Juan to a small town to reclaim her unfaithful lover, who is already infatuated with another beauty and has left to pursue her. After her rejection, the lady first threatens Don Juan with revenge—by her well-armed family. But upon seeing that Don Juan is not easily intimidated and has even defeated her former husband, the commander, in an honest duel, she falls even more in love with him for his courage. It is easy to love the brave and the dead.
Pushkin’s Don Juan is gloomy, fragmented, and unclear—clearly influenced by Hamlet. After Pushkin’s version of Don Juan, one is left either to drink champagne or to reread Moli;re from the first page, where the dialogue between the two servants immediately immerses one in the vibrant celebration of life. Vivid expression, gripping storyline, captivating plot. As Aristotle said, the plot is the most important aspect for a poet. Plato had a negative view of poets, believing they bring instability. Indeed, they bring progress to social life, quickly identifying outdated institutions and new ways of life. Cicero wrote about this, unlike Hegel, arguing that not everything that exists is reasonable. The poet is like the boy in the story of the emperor's new clothes, who simply states what he sees.
Let’s continue reading; with Moli;re, it’s fascinating, but with Pushkin, it’s dull and unclear—the conclusion is already obvious. Pushkin’s style is admirable. But it’s like a cold northern wind blowing into the unknown, leaving a feeling of sadness and discomfort. I paused at Don Juan’s remark about Donna Elvira, the widow of the commander who had recently become Don Juan’s wife but was already tiring him with her demands for fidelity: “She has completely lost her mind—she didn’t even change clothes and showed up here in her travel dress.” Perhaps she stopped taking care of herself after securing a new charming young husband. But are we only loved for our makeup and appearance? What about the mind and the heart? Are they really secondary? A smart, self-respecting woman would not pursue a man when he is infatuated with another; she would focus on something else. “But in love and war, there are no rules.” She is an aristocrat, of noble birth, and needs to do nothing. She is for love, for tenderness and fidelity—almost a monastic, solitary life, but only with her beloved.
But Don Juan craves adventure and variety. He is not interested in a monastic life; he is polyamorous and loves exploring new horizons and worlds. He clearly expresses this in his monologue: “Yes, but my passion for Donna Elvira has cooled, and I don’t want to bind myself with promises. In love, I value freedom, as you know, and I would never lock my heart within four walls. I’ve told you twenty times: I have an innate tendency to give myself fully to whatever attracts me. My heart belongs to all the beauties, and they can, one by one, win and keep it as long as they can.” Don Juan is not Donna Elvira’s property or her suitcase, forgotten somewhere and quickly retrieved before someone else takes it. In the end, she was happy with him for a month, and he disappeared—he didn’t die, so there’s no need to mourn him. It turns out that after the commander’s death, Donna Elvira was in a convent, and Don Juan took her away from there; she was happy for a month. But now Don Juan has a new love, and although she suggests he pretend to be busy and soon return home, as many prudent husbands do to justify the sin of hypocrisy that permeates society, especially the upper class, Don Juan remains honest, like a poet, and directly tells her he no longer loves her and does not intend to return. He even suggests she go back to where he took her from. Any woman in love would be saddened to hear such a confession, but unfortunately, it happens. Donna is filled with anger and a thirst for revenge for such honesty and curses Don Juan. But he does not control his heart. He follows its impulses and is sincere in his passions. He doesn’t care about a woman’s social status; he is attracted to a beautiful face and “eyes that look straight into the soul.” Outer beauty and inner charm intoxicate him, and sometimes it’s hard for him to choose whom to prefer, whom to marry—even if only for a short time.
Women, too, become infatuated with him. They understand that he is not a simpleton like Pierrot and that he knows how to appreciate them, charming not only with his appearance, voice, and ability to express admiration but also with his refined manners. He is responsive and unafraid to stand up for justice, as when he sees three robbers attacking a stranger in the forest. Without hesitation, he draws his sword and saves the stranger, who turns out to be Donna’s brother. Along with eleven other relatives, they seek Don Juan to avenge their abandoned sister. They are old-fashioned and see it as a matter of honor, believing marriage should be eternal—like Leo Tolstoy believed, as his wife, Sofia Tolstaya, writes in her diary. However, Don Juan views it differently. He is ahead of his time. He mocks other prejudices and outdated practices, such as duels, religious and social rituals; in his philosophy of life, Don Juan is ahead of his time. His monologue about hypocrisy is magnificent—it is a sin that permeates society and goes unpunished. On the contrary, if someone sincerely speaks the truth, the circle of accomplices attacks the one who spoke out. Don Juan’s death by the statue is symbolic. The inanimate destroys the living. Outdated, lifeless forms hold back progress. Pushkin likely read Moli;re’s Don Juan in French since it had not yet been translated into Russian. Pushkin was often in debt, but he was probably well paid for his literary works. That’s why he hastily created his version of Don Juan, omitting the most interesting parts and leaving only Donna, who regularly visits the commander’s grave, and Don Juan, who tries to win her love. The endings of both plays are almost identical. Both authors were also destroyed by outdated norms, symbolized by the statue.
Byron (1788–1824) was likely greatly influenced by Moli;re’s Don Juan. Don Juan is a freedom-loving and passionate character, similar to Carmen, but unlike the wild and uneducated Carmen, Don Juan is cultured and educated. Byron is inspired by his insatiable thirst for life, adventure, and refusal to be confined within four walls, even with the one he loves. He is a poet who enjoys conquering the hearts of beautiful women; he is observant and gives clear definitions and descriptions of the people, objects, and relationships he encounters. He is brave and decisive, never backing down from a challenge. Byron wrote a large book in which Don Juan displays his best human qualities and offers many definitions of the broader picture of life. Byron elevated Don Juan to extraordinary heights, affirming love and freedom as the greatest values.   
               
But what did Pushkin contribute to this theme ?