Inside the story
Meet Alexandra Zubina
Nikolai Zubin's second wife and Sofya's stepmother. Hard and unfeeling, she resents Sofya's place in her father's affections and subjects her to degrading work, coarse clothing, beatings, and other humiliations. Before her death, she confesses her wrongdoing and asks Sofya's forgiveness.
On the page
A woman in middle age, beautiful and intelligent-looking, with a still-strong, healthy appearance. She wears refined fashionable noblewoman's dress.
