We Live Again

Dmitri Nekhlyudov seduces Katusha Maslova and they spend the night together in a greenhouse. The next morning he leaves without leaving a note for her, offering only money, which outrages Katusha and foreshadows the social consequences of their affair.

Katusha discovers she is pregnant as a result of the affair and is fired from her position by Dmitri's aunts. The scandal jeopardizes her life, and the baby is born, dies, and is buried unbaptized, deepening her rejection by society.

To survive, Katusha travels to Moscow where poverty and degradation push her into prostitution. She loses her former dignity as she navigates a harsh urban life and precarious circumstances. The city becomes a symbol of her fallen status.

Dmitri Nekhlyudov is now engaged to Missy, the daughter of a wealthy judge, Prince Kortchagin. He is called for jury duty in Kortchagin's court, which sets the stage for the trial that will bring Katusha back into his life.

Katusha Maslova is one of the defendants in the murder case. The jury finds her guilty of giving powder to the merchant Smerkov without intent to rob, a verdict that ignores the nuance of intent and stirs debate about justice.

Because the jury's intention to free her could not be reconciled with the lack of a stated intent to kill, the judge sentences Katusha to five years of hard labor in Siberia. The sentence marks a harsh separation from her past life.

Feeling guilty about abandoning Katusha years earlier, Dmitri resolves to redeem both himself and her. He begins to plan a way to secure her release and repair the damage of his past actions.

Dmitri returns to the prison to request Katusha's pardon and to propose marriage as a path to freeing her. His efforts are met with resistance, and Katusha's feelings are stirred as she confronts renewed emotion.

Katusha refuses Dmitri's plea for forgiveness and marriage, furious that he has unsettled her feelings again. Her friends register concern, thinking she is foolish to hope for his return.

Dmitri frees his serfs, breaks his engagement, and follows Katusha to the border of Siberia. He signals a new commitment to stand by her and join her on the path to rebuilding their lives.

At the border, Dmitri and Katusha resolve to live again together and face a new life beyond society's judgments. Their shared decision marks a turning point toward a possible future.

Katusha waits for the transport day, hoping Dmitri will arrive. When he does not appear as scheduled, her hope wavers, but the narrative hints at an imminent reunion that defies the odds.

On the border where prisoners are processed, Dmitri finally appears, having divided his land among his servants. He declares his intention to live again with Katusha, offering forgiveness, support and love as they prepare to start anew in Siberia.