at the wedding celebrations sobakin tells lykov that he will have to wait before his marriage to marfa can be confirmed. the tsar himself is looking for a girl to marry and has asked to see sobakin’s daughters. griaznoy realizes he needs to use the love potion quickly so he asks to be invited to the wedding. at the celebration he puts the potion in marfa’s drink. a messenger comes with the news that the tsar has chosen marfa to be his wife. everyone is horrified and sobakin collapses.