Russian writer Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev was the son of Varvara Petrovna, a domineering woman and a cruel serfdom. Having experienced the early departure of her mother and the hatred of her stepfather in childhood, she received an inheritance from her uncle after a quarrel with him, so the second half of her life is revenge for her irretrievably ruined youth, for the slavery she endured. Having become a sovereign mistress, she gave freedom to her whims and capricious actions.
The children were also afraid of their mother: Ivan recalled that rarely a day passed without being punished with rods. Subsequently younger son called his mother “Saltychikha” and made her the prototype of the old lady in the story "Mu Mu". The events underlying the plot of the story actually took place in the Turgenev family. Later, Varvara Zhitova’s younger sister (born out of wedlock with Ivan’s father and living in the house as a pupil) recalled that Varvara Petrovna saw a burly man in the field plowing the land and ordered him to be taken into her caretaker duties. It was Andrei, nicknamed Mute. He wore red shirts and was considered one of the mistress's favorites.
He really had a dog Mumu, which Andrei drowned. Zhitova claimed that Turgenev described Andrei in his work. The portrait resemblance is obvious, but the ending in her memories is strikingly different from the ending of the story of the janitor Gerasim from the story “Mumu”.
Andrei is a submissive and downtrodden creature, content with his slave existence. When the owner orders him to take the life of his beloved little dog, he not only does this, but also continues to live with his owner, having forgiven her for her moment of anger. Turgenev portrayed a man capable of strong and deep feelings, a man who did not want to humbly endure bullying and realized his human dignity.
It is very difficult for a free person living in the 21st century to imagine what it meant at that time to leave his master. A serf who was the property of the owner could be sold, given away, lost at cards, and for escaping he could be returned in the stocks and pinned to death. Gerasim's departure from his mistress meant that he realized that he was a human being and no longer felt like a dumb brute.
Why did Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev change the ending of his story? What idea did you want to convey to the reader?
So, his deaf-mute hero from the village, finding himself in the conditions of the city, endures his new existence very hard, which the author emphasizes with the help of detailed comparisons. He compares Gerasim either to a tree torn out of its usual habitat, or to a bull that was taken from free fields and put on a chain, or to a captured animal. It is no coincidence that all the furniture in Gerasim’s closet is distinguished by its durability and quality, designed for heroic strength.
The writer created Gerasim in the image of his ideas about the Russian people and their future. Turgenev endowed the mute serf with a sense of justice, a thirst for independence, a sense of self-worth - everything that, according to the writer, the Russian people possessed. He turned out to be a completely different person - not Andrei, meek, downtrodden, who meekly accepted the death of his beloved being. His hero had to rebel, which is what Gerasim does.
Deprived of his homeland, deprived of the right to love the meek and downtrodden washerwoman Tatyana, it would seem that Gerasim finally warms his heart near a tiny living bundle - a rescued puppy named Mumu. But an absurd accident, due to which everyone’s favorite becomes enemy number one for the capricious old lady, deprives Gerasim of his last opportunity to remain happy.
Realizing that his dog cannot live in the same house as his owner, Gerasim makes the difficult decision to get rid of his pet himself. This becomes something of a sacrifice for him. There is a festive caftan and a luxurious lunch for your beloved dog. Having drowned Mumu with his own hands, Gerasim crosses the line beyond which the feeling of dependence and fear ends. Having lost everything that was dear to him, the deaf-mute janitor gained freedom. He had nothing to lose, so, going back to the village, Gerasim experiences "invincible courage, desperate and joyful determination". But until he drowned Mumu, he did not cross this line and did not gain inner freedom.
The composition emphasizes how protest in Gerasim is steadily growing, how the hero is moving towards internal liberation from the bonds of serfdom, how a man awakens in him, living by his own will. In the finale, the author shows leaving the lady and returning to her homeland. However, the hero has changed: naive gullibility and simplicity left him, and the strength of human dignity defeated slavish devotion to his mistress. Only the taste of this victory is bitter: the hero continues his life alone - “stopped hanging out with women” And “doesn’t keep a single dog”.
- “Mumu”, a summary of Turgenev’s story
- “Fathers and Sons”, a summary of the chapters of Turgenev’s novel
Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev was a brave author, whose works often came under careful review by censorship authorities. The story “Mumu,” known to every schoolchild today, was banned for publication for a long time. And if it weren’t for the author’s diplomatic skills, the world would never have known about this touching and tragic story.
History of creation
In the mid-50s of the XIX century. Turgenev was under house arrest, and then sent into exile for writing an obituary on the death of Gogol. While under the supervision of private bailiffs, in the spring of 1855 Turgenev wrote the story “Mumu”. He shares this thing with the family of the publisher Aksakov, who react positively to the work, but cannot publish it due to censorship protests. A year later, “Mumu” still appears in the Sovremennik magazine, which becomes the reason for the report of the official and the official reviewer of the magazine. Representatives of the censorship authorities are unhappy that the audience can be imbued with compassion for the characters, and therefore do not allow the story to be distributed to other publications. And only in the spring of 1956, in the main department of censorship, after numerous petitions from Turgenev’s friends, a decision was made to include the decision to include “Muma” in the collected works of Ivan Sergeevich.
Analysis of the work
Story line
The story is based on real events that took place in the house of Turgenev’s mother in Moscow. The author tells about the life of a lady in whose service is the deaf-mute janitor Gerasim. The servant begins to court the washerwoman Tatyana, but the lady decides to marry her to her shoemaker. To resolve the situation, the lady’s butler invites Tatyana to appear drunk before Gerasim in order to turn him away from her. And this trick works.
A year later, the washerwoman and shoemaker leave for the village on the orders of the lady. Gerasim brings with him a puppy caught from the water and gives him the nickname Mumu. The lady is one of the last to learn about the presence of a dog in the yard and cannot establish a relationship with the animal. Having received an order to get rid of the dog, the butler tries to secretly sell Mumu, but she runs back to Gerasim. When the janitor receives information that the lady is unhappy, he goes to the pond, where he drowns the dog, and he decides to return to his village, and not to the lady’s house in the capital.
Main characters
The real prototype of the character was Varvara Turgeneva's servant Andrei Nemoy. The author paints an image of a reserved person who is unusually hardworking and has a fairly positive attitude towards people. This village peasant was capable of the most real feelings. Despite his external power and gloominess, Gerasim retained the ability to love and keep his word.
Tatiana
This portrait of a young servant includes all the features of a typical woman from a 19th century Russian estate. Downtrodden, unhappy, without her own opinion, this heroine receives protection only during the period of Gerasim’s love. Having no moral right and no real opportunity to contradict her mistress, Tatyana with her own hands ruins her chances for a happy destiny.
Gavrila
(The butler Gavrila on the right in the illustration)
The butler in the story appears as a simple-minded and stupid little man who, through ingratiation, strives to stay in the black and find benefits for himself. It cannot be said that Turgenev portrays Gavrila’s character as evil, but his direct role in the death of the dog and the destruction of the lives of Tatyana and Gerasim leaves a significant negative imprint on the perception of him as a person.
Kapiton
(The footman Kapiton in the illustration stands on the left next to the seated Gavrila)
The image of a shoemaker can be described as a portrait of an educated lackey. This person considers himself smart, but at the same time does not have the proper willpower and high life aspirations. Ultimately, he turns into a drunkard and a slacker, whom even marriage cannot change.
Of all the characters in Mumu, the elderly lady is the main negative character. It is her actions and decisions that lead to a series of suffering and irreversible tragedies. Turgenev describes this heroine as a capricious and hot-tempered woman who is stubborn and capricious in her desire to decide the destinies of other people. The only ones positive features The lady can be considered her thriftiness and ability to manage the house.
Conclusion
The story “Mumu” by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev cannot be considered a simple work about the hardship of peasant life. This is a philosophical text that helps the reader understand the issues of good and evil, hatred and love, unity and separation. The writer pays great attention the issue of human attachment and the importance of the presence of loved ones, both in the lives of the rich and in the lives of the poor.
Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev wrote his work “Mumu” under the impression of the events that worried him at that time. After all, everything that worries a writer is reflected in his work. After analyzing the story “Mumu”, it is not difficult to find confirmation of this. Turgenev was a true patriot, he was worried about future fate Russia. Therefore, the plot described in his work is a challenge to the era of that time, a challenge to serfdom. The story “Mumu” is not only a narration about the events that took place in the Russian village, it is a work that instructs us to reflect and think.
The image of Gerasim is a symbol of the Russian people. In his hero, Turgenev shows the best features of the Russian man: heroic strength, hard work, kindness, sensitivity to loved ones, sympathy for the unfortunate and offended.
Turgenev calls Gerasim “the most remarkable person” among all the servants. The author sees him as a hero. Gerasim was gifted with “extraordinary strength, he worked for four people - the work was in his hands, and it was fun to watch him.” Turgenev seems to admire his hero, his strength and greed for work. He compares Gerasim to a young bull and a huge tree that grew on fertile land. Gerasim is distinguished by accuracy and responsibility for the assigned work. He keeps his closet and yard clean. Detailed description the closets of the mute slightly emphasize his unsociability. “He didn’t like people to visit him,” and therefore he always locked his closet. But despite his formidable appearance and heroic strength, Gerasim had kind heart capable of love and sympathy.
Many of the servants were afraid of the formidable janitor, knowing his strict and serious disposition. However, the uncommunicative Gerasim evokes not only fear, but also respect from the servants for his conscientious work, patience and kindness. “He understood them, carried out all orders exactly, but he also knew his rights, and no one dared to sit in his place at the capital.” And the lady Gerasim evokes not only fear, but also respect. “She favored him as a faithful and strong watchman.” The mute, like all the servants, is afraid of the old lady and tries to please her, exactly following her orders. But while remaining a faithful servant, he does not lose his self-esteem.
It is difficult for a village peasant to live in the city. He is deprived of communication with Russian nature. Mute, unsociable Gerasim is lonely. People avoid him. Tatyana, who fell in love with him, is married off to someone else. He is deeply unhappy. And here in his dark life a small light ray appears. Gerasim rescues a poor puppy from the river, feeds it and becomes attached to it with all his soul. He names the dog Mumu. She loves Gerasim and is always with him, she wakes him up in the morning, and guards the house at night. They become close friends. Love for Mumu makes Gerasim's life joyful.
The lady finds out about Mumu and orders her to be brought to her in order to relieve boredom. But the little dog refuses to obey her. The obstinate lady, not understanding how one can disobey her order, forces him to get rid of the dog. Gerasim tries to save Mumu and locks her in a closet. But Mumu gives himself away by barking. The unfortunate serf is forced to kill the only one, sincerely loving friend. The evil mistress takes away Gerasim's most precious possessions, but cannot break his fortitude and self-esteem.
In the fate of Gerasim, Turgenev reflected the fate of many serfs. He protests against the serfdom of the landowners. The author expresses hope that the “dumb” people will be able to fight back against the oppressors.
This article is devoted to the work of I.S. Turgenev. It will carefully analyze the motives of behavior of the main character of the story “Mumu” - the janitor Gerasim. Probably, those who read, but did not have sufficient psychological insight, were tormented since school by the question of why Gerasim drowned Mumu. During the “investigation” the answer will be given.
Personality of Gerasim
The mighty mute Gerasim was uprooted from his native hut in the village and transplanted into the alien urban soil of Moscow. He was two meters tall. He had an abundance of natural power. A Moscow lady took an eye on him and ordered him to be transported from the village to her home. She identified him as a janitor, for he was a noble worker.
No matter how far this information may seem to the reader from answering the question of why Gerasim drowned Mumu, it is very important and is directly related to him. This is the foundation for understanding inner world hero.
Love triangle: Gerasim, Tatiana and Kapiton
The lady had one simple girl in her employ - Tatyana (she worked as a laundress). Gerasim liked the young woman, although both the other servants and the mistress herself understood that such a marriage was hardly possible for obvious reasons. Nevertheless, Gerasim tenderly cherished within himself a timid hope, firstly, for reciprocity, and secondly, that the lady would consent to the marriage.
But, unfortunately, the hopes of the main character were not destined to come true. The quarrelsome and self-centered lady decided in her own way: the drunken shoemaker, who had gotten out of hand, was appointed Tatyana’s husband by the lord’s permission. He himself is not against it, but he was afraid of Gerasim’s reaction to this news. Then the master's servants resorted to a trick: knowing that the dumb janitor could not stand drunkards, the servants forced Tatyana to walk in front of Gerasim drunk. The trick was a success - the janitor himself pushed his sweetheart into Kapiton’s arms. True, the lady’s experiment did not end well. Her shoemaker drank himself to death even in the hands of a hardworking and, one might say, gentle to the point of slavery washerwoman. The unhappy couple's days passed joylessly in a remote village.
The love triangle is important in the context of answering the question of why Gerasim drowned Mumu, since it reveals the “chemistry” of the janitor’s future attachment to his dog.
Gerasim and Mumu
When Gerasim suffered from unspent love, he found a dog. She was only three weeks old. The janitor rescued the dog from the water, brought him to his closet, organized a rookery there for the dog (it turns out it was a girl), and fed it milk.
In other words, now the love of a simple Russian mute man, unclaimed by a woman, is completely invested in the creature who unexpectedly appeared in his life. He names the dog Mumu.
The ending of the story
The main character's problems arose when the lady, who had not seen the dog before, suddenly discovered it. Mumu has already lived with Gerasim like Christ in his bosom more than a year. The owner was delighted with the dog. She asked to be immediately brought to the master's chambers. When the dog was delivered, she behaved warily and aggressively in an unfamiliar environment. She didn’t drink the owner’s milk, but began barking at the lady.
Of course, the lady could not bear such an attitude and ordered the dog to be removed from her possession. And so they did. Gerasim looked and looked for her, but never found her. But Mumu returned to her owner one fine day with a chewed leash around her neck. Gerasim realized that the dog did not run away from him on its own, and began to hide it from prying eyes in his closet, and he only took it out into the street at night. But on one such walking night, a drunk lay down near the fence of the owner’s estate. Mumu did not like drunkards, just like her owner, and began to bark hysterically and shrilly at the drunkard. She woke up the whole house, including the lady.
As a result, the dog was ordered to be disposed of. The servants took this too literally and decided to take Mumu’s life. Gerasim volunteered to move his beloved pet to better world with his own hand. Then, unable to withstand the mental anguish, the janitor returned (actually fled) to his place. native land- to the village, again becoming an ordinary man. At first they looked for him, and when they found him, the lady said that “she doesn’t need such an ungrateful worker for nothing.”
Thus, if someone (most likely a schoolboy) decides to write an essay “Why Gerasim drowned Mumu,” he should answer this question in the context of the entire story, so that the author’s narrative acquires depth and richness.
Moral of the story
Turgenev specifically paints Gerasim so powerful in order to show in contrast his spiritual indecisiveness and timidity, one might say, slavery. The janitor drowned his dog not because he felt sorry for her: he imagined how she would wander around other people’s yards in search of food without him. He killed her because he could not resist the master's order and the pressure of other servants. And when the reader understands the whole essence of Gerasim’s inner world, he is shocked by two things: the skill of the writer and the deep tragedy of the story. After all, no one stopped Gerasim from escaping with the dog, in general, so to speak, from preparing the escape in advance when he realized that things were bad. But he didn’t do this, and all because of servile psychology.
Thus, to the question of why Gerasim drowned Mumu, the answers do not imply diversity. The key to understanding the work of I.S. Turgenev - in the slave psychology of Russian people, which the classic masterfully embodied in the image of a dumb janitor.
Ivan Turgenev wrote the story "Mumu", reflecting in it his experiences and concerns about Russian destinies and the future of the country. And this is completely understandable, because in order to write a work, its author must be impressed and inspired by something, then these feelings can be clearly expressed on paper. It is known that Ivan Turgenev, like true patriot, thought a lot about what awaited the country, and the events in Russia at that time were far from the most joyful for the people.
Analyzing Turgenev's "Mumu" and discussing the image of Gerasim, we will clearly see that the author built the plot around the problem of serfdom, which was very relevant in that era. We read about Turgenev's challenge to serfdom. Indeed, the action of the story "Mumu", the analysis of which certainly needs to be done in order to more fully understand Turgenev's idea, takes place in a Russian village, but all this encourages deep reflection and drawing important conclusions about the character of the Russian person and his soul.
The image of Gerasim in Turgenev's story "Mumu"
The image of Gerasim appears before the readers of the story “Mumu”. This image reveals great qualities. Turgenev shows kindness, strength, hard work and compassion. Gerasim possesses all these qualities, and his example shows how Turgenev would like to see a Russian person. For example, Gerasim has considerable physical strength, he wants and can work hard, things work out in his hands.
Gerasim is also neat and clean. He works as a janitor, and approaches his duties with responsibility, because thanks to him, the owner’s yard is always clean and tidy. When analyzing Turgenev's "Mumu", it is impossible to ignore the image of Gerasim. The author shows his somewhat reclusive character, since Gerasim is unsociable, and even on the doors of his closet there is always a lock. But this formidable appearance does not correspond to the kindness of his heart and generosity, because Gerasim is open-hearted and knows how to sympathize. Therefore it is clear: it is impossible appearance judge internal qualities person.
What else is visible in the image of Gerasim when analyzing “Mumu”? He was respected by all the servants, which was deserved - Gerasim worked hard, as if he carried out the orders of his mistress, without losing his sense of self-respect. Main character In the story, Gerasim never became happy, because he is a simple village man, and city life is built completely differently and flows according to its own laws. In the city there is no sense of unity with nature. So Gerasim, once in the city, realizes that he is being ignored. Having fallen in love with Tatyana, he is deeply unhappy because she becomes the wife of another.
A puppy in the life of the main character "Mumu"
At a difficult moment in life, when the main character is especially sad and hurt in his soul, a ray of light is suddenly visible. The image of Gerasim continues to unfold before the reader, and the analysis of “Mumu” is complemented by an important detail - here it is, hope for happy moments, a little cute puppy. Gerasim saves the puppy, and they become attached to each other. The puppy's name is Mumu, and the dog is always with his great friend. Mumu watches at night and wakes up his owner in the morning.
It seems that life is filled with meaning and becomes more joyful, but the lady becomes aware of the puppy. Having decided to subjugate Mumu, she experiences a strange disappointment - the puppy does not obey her, but the lady is not used to ordering twice. Is it possible to command love? But that's another question.
The lady, accustomed to seeing her instructions carried out at the same moment and without complaint, cannot bear the disobedience of the little creature, and she orders the dog to be taken out of sight. Gerasim, whose character is well revealed here, decides that Mumu can be hidden in his closet, especially since no one comes to him, but the puppy reveals himself with his barking. Then Gerasim realizes that he has no choice but to resort to drastic measures, and he kills the puppy who has become his only friend. We will answer the question “Why did Gerasim drown Mumu” in another article, but for now in the analysis of Turgenev’s “Mumu” we will emphasize that in the image of Gerasim the author showed an unfortunate serf. Serfs are “mute”, they cannot declare their rights, they simply submit to the regime, but in the soul of such a person there is hope that someday his oppression will come to an end.
We strongly recommend you read it full version works or at least for informational purposes a summary of the story. We hope you found this article useful, in which we showed an analysis of Turgenev’s “Mumu” and the image of Gerasim.