Summary
Prince Andrew experiences the ultimate emotional whiplash as his wife gives birth to their son while dying in childbirth. The chapter opens with the little princess in labor, her eyes pleading for help that no one can give. Despite the medical team's efforts, she dies moments after delivering a healthy baby boy. Prince Andrew is devastated not just by her death, but by the haunting expression on her face that seems to ask 'What have you done to me?' - a question that fills him with crushing guilt. The old prince, despite his gruff exterior, breaks down completely when he sees his son's grief. At the funeral, both men are tormented by the same accusing expression on her face. Five days later, the baby is baptized as Prince Nicholas, with his grandfather serving as godfather despite his trembling hands. Prince Andrew watches anxiously, terrified something might happen to this child too. The chapter captures how life and death intertwine in the most brutal ways, and how guilt can poison even our memories of love. Tolstoy shows us that sometimes the people we think we've failed the most are the ones whose silent accusations follow us forever, even when we couldn't have changed the outcome.
Coming Up in Chapter 78
With a new baby to raise and overwhelming guilt to carry, Prince Andrew must figure out how to move forward. The weight of his wife's death will reshape everything he thought he knew about love, duty, and what it means to be a father.
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An excerpt from the original text.(~500 words)
The little princess lay supported by pillows, with a white cap on her head (the pains had just left her). Strands of her black hair lay round her inflamed and perspiring cheeks, her charming rosy mouth with its downy lip was open and she was smiling joyfully. Prince Andrew entered and paused facing her at the foot of the sofa on which she was lying. Her glittering eyes, filled with childlike fear and excitement, rested on him without changing their expression. “I love you all and have done no harm to anyone; why must I suffer so? Help me!” her look seemed to say. She saw her husband, but did not realize the significance of his appearance before her now. Prince Andrew went round the sofa and kissed her forehead. “My darling!” he said—a word he had never used to her before. “God is merciful....” She looked at him inquiringly and with childlike reproach. “I expected help from you and I get none, none from you either!” said her eyes. She was not surprised at his having come; she did not realize that he had come. His coming had nothing to do with her sufferings or with their relief. The pangs began again and Mary Bogdánovna advised Prince Andrew to leave the room. The doctor entered. Prince Andrew went out and, meeting Princess Mary, again joined her. They began talking in whispers, but their talk broke off at every moment. They waited and listened. “Go, dear,” said Princess Mary. Prince Andrew went again to his wife and sat waiting in the room next to hers. A woman came from the bedroom with a frightened face and became confused when she saw Prince Andrew. He covered his face with his hands and remained so for some minutes. Piteous, helpless, animal moans came through the door. Prince Andrew got up, went to the door, and tried to open it. Someone was holding it shut. “You can’t come in! You can’t!” said a terrified voice from within. He began pacing the room. The screaming ceased, and a few more seconds went by. Then suddenly a terrible shriek—it could not be hers, she could not scream like that—came from the bedroom. Prince Andrew ran to the door; the scream ceased and he heard the wail of an infant. “What have they taken a baby in there for?” thought Prince Andrew in the first second. “A baby? What baby...? Why is there a baby there? Or is the baby born?” Then suddenly he realized the joyful significance of that wail; tears choked him, and leaning his elbows on the window sill he began to cry, sobbing like a child. The door opened. The doctor with his shirt sleeves tucked up, without a coat, pale and with a trembling jaw, came out of the room. Prince Andrew turned to him, but the doctor gave him a bewildered look and passed by without a word. A woman rushed out and seeing Prince Andrew stopped, hesitating on the...
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Intelligence Amplifier™ Analysis
The Road of Survivor's Guilt
The psychological trap of feeling responsible for tragic outcomes beyond our actual control.
Why This Matters
Connect literature to life
This chapter teaches how to separate actual responsibility from the guilt that grief creates to make sense of senseless loss.
Practice This Today
This week, notice when you blame yourself for outcomes you couldn't control - ask 'What did I actually have power over in this situation?'
Now let's explore the literary elements.
Terms to Know
Childbed fever
A deadly infection that killed many women during or after childbirth in the 19th century. Before modern medicine understood germs, doctors and midwives unknowingly spread infections between patients. It was one of the leading causes of maternal death.
Modern Usage:
Today we see similar patterns when people suffer from preventable complications due to inadequate healthcare access or medical errors.
Lying-in period
The traditional recovery time after childbirth when women were expected to stay in bed for weeks. During this vulnerable time, family members took over household duties while the new mother regained strength.
Modern Usage:
Modern maternity leave serves a similar function, though many women today return to work much sooner than their bodies have fully recovered.
Arranged marriage consequences
Marriages arranged for social or economic reasons often lacked deep emotional connection. When tragedy struck these unions, spouses faced complicated grief mixed with guilt over not loving each other enough.
Modern Usage:
We see this in relationships where people stay together for practical reasons but struggle with emotional intimacy when crisis hits.
Patriarchal household structure
The father or eldest male held absolute authority over family decisions, property, and even emotional responses. Everyone else's needs came second to maintaining his position and the family's social standing.
Modern Usage:
Similar dynamics exist in families where one person's emotions or needs always take priority over everyone else's wellbeing.
Survivor's guilt
The crushing feeling that you should have done more to prevent someone's death, even when the outcome was beyond your control. This guilt can be especially intense when the relationship was complicated or distant.
Modern Usage:
Anyone who has lost someone unexpectedly knows this feeling - the endless 'what if' questions that haunt you afterward.
Orthodox baptism tradition
Russian Orthodox babies were baptized within days of birth, often with elaborate ceremonies involving godparents. This religious ritual was believed to protect the child's soul and secure their place in the community.
Modern Usage:
Similar traditions exist today in many cultures where religious ceremonies mark important life transitions and provide community support.
Characters in This Chapter
Prince Andrew
Grieving husband and new father
He watches helplessly as his wife dies in childbirth, tormented by her accusing expression that seems to ask why he let this happen to her. His grief is complicated by guilt over their loveless marriage.
Modern Equivalent:
The spouse who feels responsible when their partner suffers, even from things beyond their control
The little princess
Dying mother
She dies giving birth to Prince Andrew's son, her final expression one of childlike reproach that haunts both her husband and father-in-law. Her death transforms from a person into a source of lifelong guilt.
Modern Equivalent:
The family member whose unexpected death leaves everyone feeling like they failed them somehow
The old prince
Devastated grandfather
Despite his usually gruff demeanor, he breaks down completely when confronted with his son's grief and his daughter-in-law's death. His emotional collapse shows how tragedy strips away our protective facades.
Modern Equivalent:
The tough family patriarch who falls apart when real crisis hits
Princess Mary
Supporting sister
She tries to comfort her brother while managing her own grief and fear. She represents the family members who hold things together when others fall apart.
Modern Equivalent:
The family member who becomes everyone's emotional support during a crisis
Mary Bogdánovna
Midwife and medical attendant
She manages the practical aspects of birth and death, representing the professionals who witness family tragedies but must maintain emotional distance to function.
Modern Equivalent:
The healthcare worker who sees families at their most vulnerable moments
Key Quotes & Analysis
"I love you all and have done no harm to anyone; why must I suffer so? Help me!"
Context: The little princess is dying in childbirth, her eyes pleading for help that no one can give
This captures the universal human confusion when bad things happen to good people. Her innocent question reveals how unprepared we are for life's random cruelties, especially when we've tried to do everything right.
In Today's Words:
I've been good - why is this happening to me? Someone please make it stop.
"My darling! - a word he had never used to her before"
Context: Prince Andrew speaks tenderly to his dying wife for the first time in their marriage
Tragedy often brings out the love we were too proud or afraid to show before. His first genuine endearment comes when it's too late, highlighting how we often withhold affection until crisis forces honesty.
In Today's Words:
All the sweet words he never said came pouring out when he was about to lose her forever.
"What have you done to me?"
Context: Her final look that haunts both Prince Andrew and the old prince after her death
This accusatory expression represents the guilt that survivors carry. Even though Prince Andrew couldn't prevent her death, he feels responsible for her suffering, showing how grief distorts our sense of responsibility.
In Today's Words:
This is your fault - you did this to me.
Thematic Threads
Guilt
In This Chapter
Prince Andrew tormented by his wife's dying expression, feeling responsible for her death despite having no control over childbirth complications
Development
Introduced here as a central psychological force that will shape Andrew's character
In Your Life:
You might recognize this when blaming yourself for outcomes you couldn't actually prevent or control.
Death
In This Chapter
The little princess dies in childbirth, her final expression haunting both her husband and father-in-law
Development
Death appears as an arbitrary force that destroys lives regardless of social status or preparation
In Your Life:
You see this when loss strikes suddenly, leaving you questioning everything you thought you knew about safety and control.
Fatherhood
In This Chapter
Prince Andrew becomes a father and loses his wife simultaneously, while the old prince grieves his daughter-in-law
Development
Explores how men process grief and responsibility across generations
In Your Life:
You might see this in how fathers carry guilt differently than mothers, often internalizing blame for family tragedies.
Legacy
In This Chapter
Baby Nicholas represents both hope and terror - new life shadowed by the cost of his existence
Development
Introduced as the complex burden of continuing life after loss
In Your Life:
You recognize this when new beginnings are forever marked by what was sacrificed to achieve them.
Helplessness
In This Chapter
Despite wealth and status, no one can save the little princess from childbirth complications
Development
Reinforces that some forces transcend social class and human control
In Your Life:
You feel this when money, connections, or effort can't solve the problem that matters most to you.
You now have the context. Time to form your own thoughts.
Discussion Questions
- 1
What specific expression on his wife's face haunts Prince Andrew, and why does it affect him so deeply?
analysis • surface - 2
Why does Prince Andrew feel guilty about his wife's death even though he didn't cause it?
analysis • medium - 3
Where do you see this kind of survivor's guilt in modern situations - when people blame themselves for outcomes they couldn't control?
application • medium - 4
How would you help someone distinguish between actual responsibility and misplaced guilt after a tragedy?
application • deep - 5
What does Prince Andrew's reaction teach us about how guilt can transform love into torment?
reflection • deep
Critical Thinking Exercise
Map Your Guilt vs. Responsibility
Think of a time when you felt guilty about something that went wrong. Draw two columns: 'What I Actually Controlled' and 'What I Couldn't Control.' Be brutally honest about which column each factor belongs in. This exercise helps you separate real responsibility from survivor's guilt.
Consider:
- •Consider whether you had the information, resources, or power to change the outcome
- •Think about whether a reasonable person in your position could have prevented it
- •Notice if you're holding yourself to impossible standards that you wouldn't apply to others
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you carried guilt that wasn't really yours to carry. How did that misplaced guilt affect your relationships and decisions? What would you tell your past self about that situation now?
Coming Up Next...
Chapter 78: When Mothers Make Excuses for Bad Men
What lies ahead teaches us to recognize when someone's family makes excuses for their bad behavior, and shows us trusting your gut about people matters more than their reputation. These patterns appear in literature and life alike.