King Lear of the Steppes

First published in 1870 ‘King Lear of the Steppes’ is a novella by Russian writer Ivan Turgenev, loosely based on Shakespeare’s tragedy. The story takes place in the Russian countryside, where a trusting father decides to retire and divide his property between his two daughters. The move proves to be a mistake however, and throughout the story Turgenev raises questions about love, life, and family. A captivating read for fans of Russian literature.



Ivan Turgenev (1818-1883) was a Russian novelist, playwright, poet, and short story writer. Born in Oryol, Turgenev spent time studying at the University of Moscow, the University of St. Petersburg, and the University of Berlin. His 1852 collection of short stories, ‘A Sportsman’s Sketches’ catapulted him into the literary limelight - a series of observations on nature and the evils of serfdom, Turgenev regarded it as one of his most important moral works. In 1854 amidst an oppressive atmosphere in Russia for writers and artists, Turgenev emigrated to Western Europe where he would spend a great deal of time throughout the latter part of his life, and which would lead to his belief in Russia’s need to westernise – an outlook which set him apart from his contemporaries Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. Some of Turgenev’s best-known works include ‘Rudin’, ‘A Nest of the Gentry’ and ‘Fathers and Sons’. He died in Paris in 1883.