The Golovlyov Family

The Golovlyov Family () is a novel by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, written in the course of five years, first published in 1880 by Alexey Suvorin's publishing house, and generally regarded as the author's magnum opus.
The novel is divided into 7 chapters. The first five were initially published as a series of short stories, part of a cycle called "The Well-Meant Speeches" (Благонамеренные речи, 1875–1876) in "Otechestvennye Zapiski". In 1876 Saltykov-Shchedrin united all the parts into one novel and added two more chapters to it, which appeared in the same magazine. The revised version of the novel came out as a separate edition in 1881.
Synopsis.
In the mid-19th century old-fashioned estate based on serfdom laws and traditions, tough and shrewd Arina Petrovna tries her best to make her realm prosper and even expand – despite unwillingness of her husband and three of her four children to lend helping hands... Ten years on, serfdom abolished, and now Porfiry-Yudishka, the epitome of a corrupt, cruel hypocrite, becomes the heir to the estate. Dullness and horrors of life, spent in destroying everybody around him, finally makes him to slowly realize things went somehow wrong. Half-mad, apparently, he goes to the cemetery to "ask for forgiveness" from his mother Arina Petrovna, and dies somewhere along his way, his frozen corpse found the next day.
Chapter 1: Family Tribunal
Arina Petrova, matriarch of the Golovlyov family, runs a large estate (4,000 serfs) in Russia. She learns that her first born son, Stephan/Styopka/The Dolt has squandered the land and house she gave to him. She was a practical and strict noblewoman, and she banished her drunk husband Vladmir Mihailitch to his room for several decades while she ran the estate. Arina sent Stephan to college, where he was the class clown. He worked a series of government jobs, but lost them all due to laziness. He returns home after losing his estate. Arina’s second child is Anna, who ran off and married a musician named Ulanov. Anna has twin girls Anninka and Lubinka. Ulanov abandons his family soon, and Anna dies of a sickness 3 months later. Arina hoped to be rid of her children by giving them estates. She was very upset when Anna died (“throwing her two brats on to my shoulders”) and when Stephan returned. Her third son is Porphyry/Iudushka/Bloodsucker; he was an obsequious, scheming son. Her fourth son is Pavel; he is normal and unremarkable in any way. She keeps her family on a very tight financial leash, and they live at a poverty level despite their wealth. 
Stephan, having nowhere to go, sadly travels back home. Arina declares that she “hates him, and he has been nothing but a worry and a disgrace to me all his life.” She wonders who she is saving her money for. Stephan is let back into the estate, but becomes depressed and runs away one winter evening. He is found alive but never speaks again; he dies shortly thereafter. 
Chapter 2: Good Relatives
Serfdom is abolished by the Tsar. Vladimir Mihailitch dies and Arina divides her estate between her 2 remaining children. Pavel dies from alcoholism and refused to make a will. This gives everything to Porphyry. Arina leaves the big house and moves in with her orphaned twin granddaughters to the Pogorelka estate. Porphyry gets married and has 2 sons. He becomes very religious, but it is for show. 
Chapter 3: Casting Up
While Arina is very strict with the girls, her energy for managing an estate is waning. The girls demand to leave, and she lets them. Arina becomes depressed living in an empty house in rural Russia. She begins visiting her son for good food and conversation. Porphyry’s wife dies, and he takes a lover, Yevpraxeya. The twins write back that they have both become successful provincial actresses and can support themselves. Porphyry’s first son, Volodya, kills himself. Porphyry’s second son, Pyotr/Petenka, arrives unexpectedly to beg for money. He was an infantry treasurer that has gambled the unit’s money away. Pyotr explains that Volodya killed himself because Porphyry refused to support him and his new wife (Volodya informed, but didn’t ask permission for the marriage). Porphyry refuses to pay the debt, sending Pyotr away to await trial. 
Chapter 4 The Niece
Arina falls ill. Porphyry calls for the twins as Arina dies. Prophyry’s son Pyotr is banished to Siberia and he dies on the way there. Anninka arrives to settle some paperwork since Arina died. The twins want to continue their acting careers, and have no interest in moving back. Porphyry has become a compulsive talker. Anninka’s visit with Porphyry is awful and she leaves as soon as the papers are signed. 
Chapter 5 Illicit Family Joys
Yevpraxeya becomes pregnant with Porphyry’s child. He is afraid of a scandal, so he ignores the pregnancy and denies any involvement. She gives birth to a boy; Porphyry feels guilty for having a child out of wedlock, so he sends the baby to the orphanage without Yevpraxeya’s knowledge. 
Chapter 6 The Derelict
Yevpraxeya, deprived of her child, decides to ruin Porphyry’s life. She begins to complain incessantly and refuses to listen to Porphyry’s constant babbling. She takes several lovers. Porphyry becomes a recluse and begins to lose his mind.
Chapter 7 The Reckoning
The twins’ middling acting careers eventually turn them into prostitutes. They both are with 2 municipal treasurers, who embezzle funds to fuel their relationships. When everything is discovered, the twins decide to commit suicide together. Only Lubinka drinks the poison and dies. 
A depleted Anninka arrives at Golovlyov in the winter. Anninka and Porphyry begin drinking heavily together each night. While reminiscing, they get into awful screaming fights. Porphyry slowly realizes that he has been awful to everybody his entire life. He wonders who he was saving all of his money for. As Holy Week approaches, Porphyry’s guilt overcomes him. He leaves in the night to ask for forgiveness at his mother’s grave. He is found frozen to death the next day. Anninka is unconscious on her death bed. A messenger goes to inform a distant relative (Nadya Galkin) about being the new heir to the Golovlyov estate and capital. 