The fourth volume of Anton Hansen Tammsaare's classic Estonian pentalogy Truth and Justice (Tõde ja õigus) is now available in English. Entitled 'Karin', the fourth installment once again follows the life of Indrek Paas who is now an intellectual and lawyer living in Tallinn. Set in newly independent Estonia, Karin is a psychological drama about marriage, betrayal, social aspiration and competing emotional needs.
Tammsaare famously described the first volume of Truth and Justice as man's struggle with the land. By contrast, he defined Volume IV as a struggle with oneself and the happiness of one's life. It highlights how people's complex emotional needs (love, pride, and truth) clash with societal expectations.
Volume IV of Truth and Justice was translated by Matthew Hyde and published by Vagabond Voices. The English translation of the fifth and final volume of Tõde ja õigus will be available later this year. You can buy a copy of Karin here
