Lazarus (short story)
Lazarus is a short story by Russian author Leonid Andreyev, published in 1906. Instead of confirming the traditional interpretation of the Biblical story as the triumph of life over death, Andreyev’s “Lazarus” shows the opposite—the titular character infects those around him with a cosmic indifference to life.[1]
Plot Summary
[edit]The story begins with the miraculous return of Lazarus from the dead after three days in the grave. Initially, his friends and family celebrate his resurrection with joy and lavish attention, surrounding him with love and care. However, as time passes, they begin to notice the unsettling changes in Lazarus's appearance and demeanor. His once cheerful and carefree nature has been replaced by a grave silence, and he speaks only in simple, emotionless phrases.
During a festive gathering, a guest's innocent question about what Lazarus experienced in death disrupts the atmosphere, leading to an uncomfortable silence. Despite the guests' curiosity, Lazarus remains unresponsive, and his cold, heavy gaze begins to instill a sense of dread among those around him. As they observe his bluish complexion and bloated body, the festive mood dissipates, replaced by a growing unease.
Lazarus's presence becomes a source of terror, as those who meet his gaze experience a profound sense of despair and lethargy. Some are driven to madness, while others fade into a slow, colorless death. The once vibrant gathering turns into a scene of isolation and confusion, as the guests struggle to comprehend the significance of Lazarus's return and the darkness that now surrounds him.
The narrative then shifts to explore the profound isolation and neglect that Lazarus experiences after his resurrection. Abandoned by friends and family, including his sisters Mary and Martha, he becomes a figure of fear and indifference in the Holy City. The once-celebrated man is now shunned, with even children treating him with a mix of indifference and fear. His home falls into disrepair, and he wears the tattered wedding garments from his past, symbolizing his lost vitality and the passage of time.
As Lazarus sits in the sun, he is approached by curious visitors who, despite their initial bravado, are profoundly affected by his presence. Those who encounter him are left with a sense of emptiness and despair, as if the very essence of life has been drained from them. The narrative conveys that the gaze of Lazarus carries a weight of existential dread, leading to a transformation in those who look upon him. They perceive the world as empty and devoid of meaning, with time losing its significance.
In section IV, the story then introduces Aurelius, a renowned sculptor from Rome, who is drawn to Lazarus out of curiosity and a desire to understand the nature of life and death. Aurelius believes that he can help Lazarus reconnect with the beauty of life. When he meets Lazarus, he is struck by the man's appearance and the darkness that seems to envelop him. Despite the initial lightheartedness of their conversation, Aurelius soon realizes that the encounter has a profound impact on him.
Upon returning to Rome, Aurelius attempts to create a masterpiece that captures the essence of beauty he believes he has discovered in Lazarus. However, his artistic endeavors result in a grotesque creation that reflects his inner turmoil and the emptiness he now feels. The once-great sculptor is left in despair, unable to find inspiration or joy in his art, ultimately leading him to a state of indifference toward beauty and life itself.
In the final sections (V and VI) of Leonid Andreyev's Lazarus, the narrative follows Lazarus as he is summoned to Rome by Emperor Augustus. Dressed in lavish garments, he is paraded through the city, but instead of being celebrated, he is met with fear and disdain. The people of Rome, haunted by the knowledge of his resurrection, avoid him, and he becomes a figure of dread rather than admiration.
As Lazarus wanders through the vibrant streets of Rome, he remains indifferent to the beauty and life surrounding him. His presence brings a sense of gloom and despair to those he encounters, leading to a series of tragic transformations in their lives. A jovial drunkard, a young couple in love, and a proud sage all find their joy and vitality drained after coming into contact with Lazarus, illustrating the profound impact of his existence on the living.
Eventually, Augustus, intrigued yet apprehensive, demands to meet Lazarus. The Emperor, confident in his power, attempts to engage with Lazarus, but he quickly realizes the depth of despair and emptiness that Lazarus embodies. In a moment of confrontation, Augustus gazes into Lazarus's eyes and is overwhelmed by the horror of the Infinite, leading to a vision of the destruction of Rome and the futility of life. Despite this encounter, Augustus manages to reclaim his will to live, deciding to spare Lazarus's life but ordering his eyes to be burned out to prevent further harm.
Lazarus returns to the desert, now blind and abandoned, embodying the weight of his cursed knowledge. He sits alone, groping for the sun as it sets, his dark silhouette resembling a cross against the crimson sky. The story concludes with Lazarus's tragic existence, marked by isolation and the burden of understanding the depths of life and death.
Themes
[edit]Rather than focusing on the circumstances surrounding Jesus’s restoration of Lazarus to life, Andreyev creates a vivid and starkly pessimistic account of the consequences of an event usually cast as miraculous. Lazarus, it transpires, has been irrevocably altered by the experience of death.[2]
According to the Russian naturalist, Lazarus found only coldness and darkness in the tomb; death meant bodily decay and a cruel severance from life and the living. Such is the story of death as told by the physical senses. Holding tight to these material facts, Andreyev imagines the arisen Lazarus, under the handicap of partial decay, forced into an existence for which he is thus maladjusted. Not even his mental faculties have escaped injury: his interest in life and his awareness of it have withered — a sorrier state than that of death itself.[3]
The story delves into the complexities of life after death, questioning what it truly means to be resurrected. Lazarus's return is not a joyous occasion but rather a source of horror, suggesting that resurrection may come with profound psychological and existential consequences. The inquiry into Lazarus's experiences serves can be seen as a metaphor for humanity's desire to understand death. However, the knowledge that Lazarus possesses becomes a burden, leading to despair and madness for those who seek it
This theme suggests that some truths about existence may be too heavy for the living to bear, which is reminiscent of T. S. Eliot's quote in Burnt Norton: "Human kind cannot bear very much reality".
See also
[edit]External links
[edit]English translation by Avrahm Yarmolinsky
References
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- ^ Wise, Patrick (2019). "Smoothly Gliding Images": Leonid Andreyev's Verbal and Visual Imagery. https://doi.org/10.17615/6991-y520
- ^ Cardin, Cardin (2017). Horror Literature through History: An Encyclopedia of the Stories That Speak to Our Deepest Fears [2 volumes]. Greenwood; Unabridged edition. ISBN 978-1440842016.
- ^ Davidson, Levette J. "Lazarus in Modern Literature". The English Journal: 460. doi:10.2307/803511 – via JSTOR.