The Kreutzer Sonata

Pozdnychev experienced an extreme sense of disillusion on the honeymoon. The “ennui” of the period was untenable. He now considers it inevitable that the honeymoon would be unpleasant given that he was acting immorally by corrupting his wife. He purports that, contrary to popular wisdom, sex isn’t actually a natural or blameless act, otherwise it would not seem so strange and frightening to young women and children.

Pozdnychev recalls his sister’s wedding night. She married a much older man and fled the wedding chamber upon discovering what he expected from her. Pozdnychev suggests that any form of procreation is immoral and that humans should look to achieve nirvana by annihilating the species through universal chastity.

Pozdnychev describes how there was no period of joy during the honeymoon. From the instant that he and his wife had sated their sensual appetites, they began to fight. On the third day of their honeymoon, they had their first quarrel, and although they soon reconciled, it wasn’t long before they argued again. Thus, the pattern for the relationship between Pozdnychev and his wife throughout their married lives was already laid out in the early days of their honeymoon.