Ural State Pedagogical University

Test

on Russian literature of the 19th (2nd) century

IV year correspondence students

IFC and MK

Agapova Anastasia Anatolyevna

Ekaterinburg

2011

Subject: The image of the city of Kalinov in “The Thunderstorm” by A. N. Ostrovsky.

Plan:

1. Brief biography of the writer
2. Image of the city of Kalinova
3. Conclusion
4. Bibliography

1. Brief biography of the writer

Nikolai Alekseevich Ostrovsky was born on September 29 in the village of Viliya, Volyn province, into a working-class family. He worked as an assistant electrician, and from 1923 - in a leading Komsomol job. In 1927, progressive paralysis confined Ostrovsky to bed, and a year later the future writer became blind, but, “continuing to fight for the ideas of communism,” he decided to take up literature. In the early 30s it was written autobiographical novel“How the Steel Was Tempered” (1935) - one of the textbook works Soviet literature. In 1936, the novel “Born of the Storm” was published, which the author did not have time to finish. Nikolai Ostrovsky died on December 22, 1936.

1. The history of the creation of the story "The Thunderstorm"

The play was begun by Alexander Ostrovsky in July and completed on October 9, 1859. The manuscript is kept inRussian State Library.

The writing of the play “The Thunderstorm” is also associated with the writer’s personal drama. In the manuscript of the play, next to Katerina’s famous monologue: “And what dreams I had, Varenka, what dreams! Or golden temples, or some extraordinary gardens, and everyone is singing invisible voices...” (5), there is Ostrovsky’s entry: “I heard from L.P. about the same dream...”. L.P. is an actressLyubov Pavlovna Kositskaya, with whom the young playwright had a very difficult personal relationship: both had families. The actress's husband was an artist of the Maly TheaterI. M. Nikulin. And Alexander Nikolaevich also had a family: he lived in a civil marriage with the commoner Agafya Ivanovna, with whom he had common children - they all died as children. Ostrovsky lived with Agafya Ivanovna for almost twenty years.

It was Lyubov Pavlovna Kositskaya who served as the prototype for the image of the heroine of the play, Katerina, and she also became the first performer of the role.

In 1848, Alexander Ostrovsky went with his family to Kostroma, to the Shchelykovo estate. The natural beauty of the Volga region amazed the playwright, and then he thought about the play. For a long time it was believed that the plot of the drama “The Thunderstorm” was taken by Ostrovsky from the life of the Kostroma merchants. At the beginning of the 20th century, Kostroma residents could accurately indicate the place of Katerina’s suicide.

In his play, Ostrovsky raises the problem of fracture public life which occurred in the 1850s, the problem of changing social foundations.

5 Ostrovsky A. N. Thunderstorm. State Publishing House Fiction. Moscow, 1959.

3. Image of the city of Kalinov

“The Thunderstorm” is rightfully considered one of the masterpieces of Ostrovsky and all Russian drama. “Thunderstorm” is, without a doubt, the most decisive work Ostrovsky.

Ostrovsky's play "The Thunderstorm" shows the ordinary provincial life of the provincial merchant town of Kalinov. It is located on the high bank of the Russian Volga River. The Volga is a great Russian river, a natural parallel to Russian destiny, Russian soul, Russian character, which means that everything that happens on its banks is understandable and easily recognizable to every Russian person. The view from the shore is divine. The Volga appears here in all its glory. The town itself is no different from others: merchant houses in abundance, a church, a boulevard.

Residents lead their own special way of life. Life is changing quickly in the capital, but here everything is the same as before. Monotonous and slow passage of time. The elders teach the younger ones in everything, but the younger ones are afraid to stick their nose out. There are few visitors to the city, so everyone is mistaken for a stranger, like an overseas curiosity.

The heroes of "The Thunderstorm" live without even suspecting how ugly and dark their existence is. For some, their city is “paradise”, and if it is not ideal, then at least it represents the traditional structure of society of that time. Others do not accept either the situation or the city itself that gave birth to this situation. And yet they constitute an unenviable minority, while others maintain complete neutrality.

Residents of the city, without realizing it, fear that just a story about another city, about other people, can dispel the illusion of prosperity in their “promised land.” In the remark preceding the text, the author determines the place and time of the drama. This is no longer Zamoskvorechye, so characteristic of many of Ostrovsky’s plays, but the city of Kalinov on the banks of the Volga. The city is fictional, in it you can see the features of a variety of Russian cities. The landscape background of “Thunderstorms” also gives a certain emotional mood, allowing, by contrast, to more acutely feel the stuffy atmosphere of life in Kalinovsky.

The events take place in the summer, with 10 days passing between acts 3 and 4. The playwright does not say in what year the events take place; any year can be staged - so typical is what is described in the play for Russian life in the provinces. Ostrovsky especially stipulates that everyone is dressed in Russian, only Boris’s costume corresponds to European standards, which have already penetrated into the life of the Russian capital. This is how new touches appear in depicting the way of life in the city of Kalinov. Time seemed to have stopped here, and life turned out to be closed, impenetrable to new trends.

The main people of the city are tyrant merchants who try to “enslave the poor so that his labors will be free.” more money make money." They keep in complete subordination not only the employees, but also the household, who are entirely dependent on them and therefore unresponsive. Considering themselves to be right in everything, they are sure that it is on them that the light rests, and therefore they force all households to strictly follow house-building orders and rituals. Their religiosity is distinguished by the same ritualism: they go to church, observe fasts, receive strangers, generously give them gifts and at the same time tyrannize their family “And what tears flow behind these constipations, invisible and inaudible!.” The internal, moral side of religion is completely alien to Wild and Kabanova, representatives of the “Dark Kingdom” of the City of Kalinov.

The playwright creates a closed patriarchal world: the Kalinovites do not know about the existence of other lands and simply believe the stories of the townspeople:

What is Lithuania? – So it is Lithuania. - And they say, my brother, it fell on us from the sky... I don’t know how to tell you, from the sky, from the sky...

Feklushi:

I...haven’t walked far, but I’ve heard – I’ve heard a lot...

And then there is also a land where all the people have dog heads...For infidelity.

That there are distant countries where “Saltan Maxnut the Turkish” and “Saltan Makhnut the Persian” rule.

Here you have...rarely does anyone come out of the gate to sit...but in Moscow there are carousals and games along the streets, sometimes there is a groan... Why, they began to harness a fiery serpent...

The world of the city is motionless and closed: its residents have a vague idea of ​​their past and know nothing about what is happening outside Kalinov. The absurd stories of Feklushi and the townspeople create distorted ideas about the world among the Kalinovites and instill fear in their souls. She brings darkness and ignorance into society, mourns the end of the good old days, and condemns the new order. The new is powerfully entering life, undermining the foundations of the Domostroev order. Feklusha’s words about “ the last times" She strives to win over those around her, so the tone of her speech is insinuating and flattering.

The life of the city of Kalinov is reproduced in volume, with detailed details. The city appears on the stage, with its streets, houses, beautiful nature, and citizens. The reader seems to see with his own eyes the beauty of Russian nature. Here, on the banks of the free river, glorified by the people, the tragedy that shocked Kalinov will occur. And the first words in “The Thunderstorm” are the words of a familiar song of freedom, sung by Kuligin, a man who deeply feels beauty:

Among the flat valley, at a smooth height, a tall oak blossoms and grows. In mighty beauty.

Silence, excellent air, the smell of flowers from the meadows from across the Volga, the sky is clear... An abyss of stars has opened up and is full...
Miracles, truly it must be said, miracles!... For fifty years I have been looking across the Volga every day and I can’t get enough of it!
The view is extraordinary! Beauty! The soul rejoices! Delight! Either you look closely or you don’t understand what beauty is spilled out in nature. -he says (5). However, next to poetry there is a completely different, unsightly, repulsive side of Kalinov’s reality. It is revealed in Kuligin’s assessments, felt in the conversations of the characters, and sounds in the prophecies of the half-crazy lady.

The only enlightened person in the play, Kuligin, looks like an eccentric in the eyes of the townspeople. Naive, kind, honest, he does not oppose Kalinov’s world, humbly endures not only ridicule, but also rudeness and insult. However, it is he who the author instructs to characterize the “dark kingdom”.

It seems as if Kalinov is fenced off from the whole world and lives some kind of special, closed life. But can we really say that life is completely different in other places? No, it's typical picture Russian province and the wild customs of patriarchal life. Stagnation.

There is no clear description of the city of Kalinov in the play.But as you read it, you can vividly imagine the outlines of the town and its inner life.

5 Ostrovsky A. N. Thunderstorm. State Publishing House of Fiction. Moscow, 1959.

The central position in the play is occupied by the image main character Katerina Kabanova. For her, the city is a cage from which she is not destined to escape. The main reason for Katerina’s attitude towards the city is that she has learned the contrast. Her happy childhood and serene youth passed, above all, under the sign of freedom. Having gotten married and finding herself in Kalinov, Katerina felt like she was in prison. The city and the prevailing situation in it (traditionality and patriarchy) only aggravate the situation of the heroine. Her suicide is a challenge given to the city, - was committed on the basis of Katerina’s internal state and surrounding reality.
Boris, a hero who also came “from outside,” develops a similar point of view. Probably, their love was due precisely to this. In addition, he, like Katerina, plays the main role in the family " domestic tyrant"Dikoy, which is a direct product of the city and is a direct part of it.
The above can be fully applied to Kabanikha. But for her the city is not ideal; before her eyes, old traditions and foundations are crumbling. Kabanikha is one of those who is trying to preserve them, but only “Chinese ceremonies” remain.
It is on the basis of the differences between the heroes that the main conflict arises - the struggle between the old, the patriarchal and the new, reason and ignorance. The city gave birth to people like Dikoy and Kabanikha, they (and wealthy merchants like them) rule the roost. And all the city’s shortcomings are fueled by morals and environment, which in turn support Kabanikh and Dikoy with all their might.
Art space The play is closed, it is confined exclusively to the city of Kalinov, the more difficult it is to find a way for those who are trying to escape from the city. In addition, the city is static, like its main inhabitants. That is why the stormy Volga contrasts so sharply with the stillness of the city. The river embodies movement. The city perceives any movement as extremely painful.
At the very beginning of the play, Kuligin, who is in some respects similar to Katerina, talks about the surrounding landscape. He sincerely admires the beauty of the natural world, although Kuligin has a very good idea of ​​the internal structure of the city of Kalinov. Not many characters are given the ability to see and admire the world around them, especially in the setting of the “dark kingdom.” For example, Kudryash does not notice anything, just as he tries not to notice the cruel morals reigning around him. The natural phenomenon shown in Ostrovsky's work - a thunderstorm - is also viewed differently by city residents (by the way, according to one of the heroes, thunderstorms are a frequent occurrence in Kalinov, this makes it possible to classify it as part of the city's landscape). For Wild thunderstorm - given to people an event tested by God, for Katerina it is a symbol of the near end of her drama, a symbol of fear. Only Kuligin perceives the thunderstorm as ordinary a natural phenomenon, which you can even rejoice at.

The town is small, so high point the banks where the public garden is located, the fields of nearby villages are visible. The houses in the city are wooden, and there is a flower garden near each house. This was the case almost everywhere in Russia. This is the house Katerina used to live in. She recalls: “I used to get up early; If it’s summer, I’ll go to the spring, wash myself, bring some water with me, and that’s it, I’ll water all the flowers in the house. I had many, many flowers. Then we’ll go to church with mommy...”
The church is the main place in any village in Russia. The people were very pious, and the church was given the most beautiful part of the city. It was built on a hill and should have been visible from everywhere in the city. Kalinov was no exception, and the church there was a meeting place for all residents, the source of all conversations and gossip. Walking near the church, Kuligin tells Boris about the order of life here: “ Cruel morals in our city,” he says, “In the philistinism, sir, you won’t see anything except rudeness and basic poverty” (4). Money makes everything happen - that’s the motto of that life. And yet, the writer’s love for cities like Kalinov is felt in the discreet but warm descriptions of local landscapes.

"It's quiet, the air is great, because...

The Volga of servants smells of flowers, unclean..."

I just want to find myself in that place, to walk along the boulevard with the residents. After all, the boulevard is also one of the main places in small and large cities. The whole class goes out to the boulevard for a walk in the evening.
Previously, when there were no museums, cinemas, or television, the boulevard was the main place of entertainment. Mothers took their daughters there, as if to a viewing party, married couples they proved the strength of their union, and young people looked for future wives. But nevertheless, the life of ordinary people is boring and monotonous. For people with a lively and sensitive nature, such as Katerina, this life is a burden. It sucks you in like a quagmire, and there is no way to get out of it or change anything. In this high note tragedy and the life of the main character of the play, Katerina, ends. “It’s better in the grave,” she says. She was able to get out of monotony and boredom only in this way. Concluding her “protest, driven to despair,” Katerina draws attention to the same despair of other residents of the city of Kalinov. This despair is expressed in different ways. It is, according to

Dobrolyubov’s designation fits into various types of social clashes: younger with older, unrequited with self-willed, poor with rich. After all, Ostrovsky, bringing the residents of Kalinov onto the stage, draws a panorama of the morals of not just one city, but the entire society, where a person depends only on wealth, which gives strength, whether he is a fool or a smart one, a nobleman or a commoner.

The title of the play itself has symbolic meaning. Thunderstorms in nature are perceived differently characters of the play: for Kuligin she is “grace”, with which “every... grass, every flower rejoices”, while the Kalinovites are hiding from her as if from “some kind of misfortune”. The thunderstorm intensifies emotional drama Katerina, her tension, influencing the very outcome of this drama. The thunderstorm gives the play not only emotional tension, but also a pronounced tragic flavor. At the same time, N.A. Dobrolyubov saw something “refreshing and encouraging” in the finale of the drama. It is known that Ostrovsky himself, who gave great importance title of the play, wrote to playwright N. Ya. Solovyov that if he cannot find a title for the work, it means that “the idea of ​​the play is not clear to him

In “The Thunderstorm,” the playwright often uses the techniques of parallelism and antithesis in the system of images and directly in the plot itself, in the depiction of pictures of nature. The technique of antithesis is especially clearly manifested: in the opposition of the two main characters- Katerina and Kabanikha; in the composition of the third act, the first scene (at the gates of Kabanova’s house) and the second (night meeting in the ravine) differ sharply from each other; in the depiction of scenes of nature and, in particular, the approach of a thunderstorm in the first and fourth acts.

1. Conclusion

Ostrovsky in his play showed a fictional city, but it looks extremely authentic. The author saw with pain how backward Russia was politically, economically, and culturally, how dark the population of the country was, especially in the provinces.

Ostrovsky not only recreates the panorama of city life in detail, specifically and in many ways, but also, using various dramatic means and techniques, introduces art world The plays contain elements of the natural world and the world of distant cities and countries. The peculiarity of seeing the surrounding environment, inherent in the townspeople, creates the effect of a fantastic, incredible “lostness” of Kalinovsky life.

A special role in the play is played by the landscape, described not only in the stage directions, but also in the dialogues of the characters. Some people can understand its beauty, others have taken a closer look at it and are completely indifferent. The Kalinovites not only “fenced off, isolated” themselves from other cities, countries, lands, they made their souls, their consciousness immune to the influence of the natural world, a world full of life, harmony, and higher meaning.

People who perceive their surroundings in this way are ready to believe in anything, even the most incredible, as long as it does not threaten to destroy their “quiet, heavenly life" This position is based on fear. psychological unpreparedness change something in your life. So the playwright creates not only an external, but also an internal, psychological background for tragic story Katerina.

“The Thunderstorm” is a drama with a tragic ending, the author uses satirical devices, on the basis of which readers develop a negative attitude towards Kalinov and his typical representatives. He especially introduces satire to show the ignorance and lack of education of the Kalinovites.

Thus, Ostrovsky creates an image of a city traditional for the first half of the 19th century. The author shows through the eyes of his heroes. The image of Kalinov is collective; the author knew the merchants well and the environment in which they developed. So with the help different points from the perspective of the characters in the play "The Thunderstorm" Ostrovsky creates full picture district merchant town of Kalinov.

1. Bibliography

1. Anastasyev A. “The Thunderstorm” by Ostrovsky. “Fiction” Moscow, 1975.
2. Kachurin M. G., Motolskaya D. K. Russian literature. Moscow, Education, 1986.
3. Lobanov P. P. Ostrovsky. Moscow, 1989.
4. Ostrovsky A. N. Selected works. Moscow, Children's literature, 1965.

5. Ostrovsky A. N. Thunderstorm. State Publishing House of Fiction. Moscow, 1959.

6. http://referati.vladbazar.com

7. http://www.litra.ru/com

Only ideas, not words, have lasting power over society.
(V. G. Belinsky)

The literature of the 19th century is qualitatively different from the literature of the previous “golden age”. In 1955–1956 freedom-loving and freedom-realizing tendencies in literature are beginning to manifest themselves more and more actively. Piece of art is endowed with a special function: it must change the system of reference points, reshape consciousness. Sociality becomes important initial stage, and one of the main problems becomes the question of how society distorts a person. Of course, many writers in their works tried to solve the problem posed. For example, Dostoevsky writes “Poor People,” in which he shows the poverty and hopelessness of the lower strata of the population. This aspect was also the focus of playwrights. N.A. Ostrovsky in “The Thunderstorm” showed the cruel morals of the city of Kalinov quite clearly. The audience had to think about social problems, which were characteristic of the entire patriarchal Russia.

The situation in the city of Kalinov is completely typical for all provincial cities of Russia. half of the 19th century century. In Kalinov you can find out and Nizhny Novgorod, and the cities of the Volga region, and even Moscow. The phrase “cruel morals, sir” is pronounced in the first act by one of the main characters of the play and becomes the main motif that is associated with the theme of the city. Ostrovsky in “The Thunderstorm” makes Kuligin’s monologue about cruel morals quite interesting in the context of Kuligin’s other phrases in previous phenomena.

So, the play begins with a dialogue between Kudryash and Kuligin. Men talk about the beauty of nature. Kudryash does not consider the landscape to be anything special; external scenery means little to him. Kuligin, on the contrary, admires the beauty of the Volga: “Miracles, truly it must be said that miracles! Curly! Here, my brother, for fifty years I have been looking across the Volga every day and I still can’t get enough of it”; “The view is extraordinary! Beauty! The soul rejoices." Then other characters appear on the stage, and the topic of conversation changes. Kuligin talks to Boris about life in Kalinov. It turns out that there is, in fact, no life here. Stagnation and stuffiness. This can be confirmed by the phrases of Boris and Katya that you can suffocate in Kalinov. People seem deaf to expressions of dissatisfaction, and there are many reasons for dissatisfaction. They are mainly related to social inequality. All the power of the city is concentrated only in the hands of those who have money. Kuligin talks about Dikiy. This is a rude and petty person. Wealth has given him a free hand, so the merchant believes that he has the right to decide who can live and who cannot. After all, many in the city ask for a loan from Dikoy at huge interest rates, while they know that Dikoy most likely will not give this money. People tried to complain about the merchant to the mayor, but this also led to nothing - the mayor actually has absolutely no power. Savl Prokofievich allows himself offensive comments and swearing. More precisely, his speech amounts to only this. He can be called marginal in highest degree: Dikoy drinks often and is devoid of culture. The author's irony is that the merchant is rich materially and completely poor spiritually. It’s as if he doesn’t have those qualities that make a person human. At the same time, there are those who laugh at him. For example, a certain hussar who refused to fulfill the request of the Wild. And Kudryash says that he is not afraid of this tyrant and can answer Diky’s insult.

Kuligin also talks about Marfa Kabanova. This rich widow does cruel things “under the guise of piety.” Her manipulations and treatment of her family can terrify anyone. Kuligin characterizes her as follows: “she gives money to the poor, but completely eats up her family.” The characterization turns out to be quite accurate. Kabanikha seems much more terrible than Dikoya. Her moral violence against loved ones never stops. And these are her children. With her upbringing, Kabanikha turned Tikhon into an adult, infantile drunkard, who would be glad to escape from his mother’s care, but is afraid of her anger. With her hysterics and humiliations, Kabanikha drives Katerina to suicide. At Kabanikha's a strong character. The author's bitter irony is that the patriarchal world is led by a powerful and cruel woman.

It is in the first act that cruel morals are most clearly depicted dark kingdom in "The Thunderstorm". Frightening pictures social life contrastingly opposed picturesque landscapes on the Volga. Space and freedom are contrasted with a social swamp and fences. Fences and bolts, behind which residents fenced themselves off from the rest of the world, are sealed in a bank, and, carrying out lynching, are rotting without permission from lack of air.

In "The Thunderstorm" the cruel morals of the city of Kalinov are shown not only in the pair of characters Kabanikh - Dikaya. In addition, the author introduces several more significant characters. Glasha, the Kabanovs' maid, and Feklusha, identified by Ostrovsky as a wanderer, discuss the life of the city. It seems to women that only here the old house-building traditions are still preserved, and the Kabanovs’ house is the last paradise on earth. The wanderer talks about the customs of other countries, calling them incorrect, because there is no Christian faith there. People like Feklusha and Glasha deserve “bestial” treatment from merchants and townsfolk. After all, these people are hopelessly limited. They refuse to understand and accept anything if it diverges from the familiar world. They feel good in the “blah-a-adati” that they have built for themselves. The point is not that they refuse to see reality, but that reality is considered the norm.

Of course, the cruel morals of the city of Kalinov in The Thunderstorm, characteristic of society as a whole, are shown somewhat grotesquely. But thanks to such hyperbole and concentration of negativity, the author wanted to get a reaction from the public: people should realize that change and reform are inevitable. We need to participate in the changes ourselves, otherwise this quagmire will grow to incredible proportions, when outdated orders will subjugate everything, finally eliminating even the possibility of development.

The given description of the morals of the residents of the city of Kalinov can be useful for 10th graders when preparing materials for an essay on the topic “Cruel morals of the city of Kalinov.”

Work test

The theater season of 1859 was marked by a bright event - the premiere of the work “The Thunderstorm” by playwright Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky. Against the background of the rise of the democratic movement for the abolition of serfdom, his play was more than relevant. As soon as it was written, it was literally torn from the author’s hands: the production of the play, completed in July, was on the St. Petersburg stage already in August!

A fresh look at Russian reality

A clear innovation was the image shown to the viewer in Ostrovsky’s drama “The Thunderstorm”. The playwright, born in a merchant district of Moscow, thoroughly knew the world he presented to the audience, inhabited by philistines and merchants. The tyranny of the merchants and the poverty of the townspeople reached completely ugly forms, which, of course, was facilitated by the notorious serfdom.

Realistic, as if written off from life, the production (initially in St. Petersburg) made it possible for people buried in everyday affairs to suddenly see the world in which they live from the outside. It's no secret - mercilessly ugly. Hopeless. Indeed, it is a “dark kingdom”. What they saw was a shock to the people.

Average image of a provincial town

The image of the “lost” city in Ostrovsky’s drama “The Thunderstorm” was not only associated with the capital. The author, while working on material for his play, purposefully visited whole line settlements of Russia, creating standard, collective images: Kostroma, Tver, Yaroslavl, Kineshma, Kalyazin. Thus, the city dweller saw from the stage a broad picture of life middle zone Russia. In Kalinov, the Russian city dweller learned about the world in which he lived. It was like a revelation that needed to be seen, realized...

It would be unfair not to note that Alexander Ostrovsky decorated his work with one of the most remarkable female images in Russian classical literature. The author used the actress Lyubov Pavlovna Kositskaya as a prototype for creating the image of Katerina. Ostrovsky simply inserted her type, manner of speaking, and lines into the plot.

The radical protest against the “dark kingdom” chosen by the heroine - suicide - was also not original. After all, there was no shortage of stories when merchant environment the person was “eaten alive” behind “high fences” (expressions taken from Savel Prokofich’s story to the mayor). Reports of such suicides periodically appeared in Ostrovsky's contemporary press.

Kalinov as a kingdom of unhappy people

The image of the “lost” city in Ostrovsky’s drama “The Thunderstorm” was indeed similar to the fairy-tale “dark kingdom”. Very few people actually lived in it. happy people. If ordinary people worked hopelessly, leaving only three hours a day for sleep, then employers tried to enslave them even in to a greater extent in order to enrich themselves even more from the labor of the unfortunate.

Prosperous townspeople - merchants - fenced themselves off from their fellow citizens with tall fences and gates. However, according to the same merchant Dikiy, there is no happiness behind these constipations, because they fenced themselves off “not from thieves,” but so that it would not be seen how “the rich... eat their household.” And behind these fences they “rob relatives, nephews...”. They beat the family members so much that they “don’t dare make a murmur.”

Apologists of the “dark kingdom”

Obviously, the image of the “lost” city in Ostrovsky’s drama “The Thunderstorm” is not at all independent. The richest townsman is the merchant Dikoy Savel Prokofich. This is the type of person who is unscrupulous and accustomed to humiliating ordinary people, underpay them for their work. So, in particular, he himself talks about an episode when a peasant turns to him with a request to borrow money. Savel Prokofich himself cannot explain why he went into a rage then: he cursed and then almost killed the unfortunate man...

He is also a real tyrant for his relatives. His wife daily begs visitors not to anger the merchant. His domestic violence forces his family to hide from this tyrant in closets and attics.

The negative images in the drama “The Thunderstorm” are also complemented by the rich widow of the merchant Kabanov, Marfa Ignatievna. She, unlike Wild, “eats” her family. Moreover, Kabanikha (this is her street nickname) tries to completely subjugate her household to her will. Her son Tikhon is completely deprived of independence and is a pitiful semblance of a man. Daughter Varvara “didn’t break,” but she changed radically internally. Her principles of life were deception and secrecy. “So that everything is covered up,” as Varenka herself claims.

Kabanikha drives his daughter-in-law Katerina to suicide, extorting compliance with the far-fetched Old Testament order: bowing to her husband as he enters, “howling in public,” seeing off her husband. Critic Dobrolyubov in the article “A Ray of Light in dark kingdom” writes about this mockery like this: “It gnaws for a long time and relentlessly.”

Ostrovsky - Columbus of merchant life

Characteristics of the drama “The Thunderstorm” were given in the press early XIX century. Ostrovsky was called “Columbus of the patriarchal merchants.” His childhood and youth were spent in a region of Moscow populated by merchants, and as a court official, he more than once encountered “ dark side» life of various “Wild” and “Boars”. What was previously hidden from society behind the high fences of mansions has become obvious. The play caused a significant resonance in society. Contemporaries recognized that the dramatic masterpiece raises a large layer of problems of Russian society.

Conclusion

The reader, getting acquainted with the work of Alexander Ostrovsky, certainly discovers a special, non-personified character - the city in the drama “The Thunderstorm”. This city created real monsters that oppress people: Wild and Kabanikha. They are an integral part of the “dark kingdom”.

It is noteworthy that it is these characters who with all their might support the dark patriarchal meaninglessness of house-building in the city of Kalinov, and personally instill misanthropic morals in it. The city as a character is static. It was as if he had frozen in his development. At the same time, it is noticeable that the “dark kingdom” in the drama “The Thunderstorm” is living out its days. Kabanikha’s family is collapsing... Dikaya expresses concerns about her mental health... The townspeople understand that the natural beauty of the Volga region is discordant with the heavy moral atmosphere of the city.

The city of Kalinov and its inhabitants (based on the play “The Thunderstorm” by A. N. Ostrovsky)

The action of the play begins with the remark: “A public garden on the high bank of the Volga; beyond the Volga there is a rural view.” Behind these lines lies the extraordinary beauty of the Volga expanses, which only Kuligin, a self-taught mechanic, notices: “... Miracles, truly it must be said that miracles! Curly! Here you are, my brother, for fifty years I’ve been looking across the Volga every day and I can’t get enough of it.” All other residents of the city of Kalinov do not pay attention to the beauty of nature, this is evidenced by Kudryash’s casual remark in response to Kuligin’s enthusiastic words: “Neshto!” And then, to the side, Kuligin sees Dikiy, the “scolder,” waving his arms, scolding Boris, his nephew.

The landscape background of “Thunderstorms” allows you to more clearly feel the stuffy atmosphere of life in Kalinov residents. In the play, the playwright truthfully reflected social relations mid-19th century: he characterized the material and legal situation of the merchant-philistine environment, the level of cultural demands, family life, and outlined the position of women in the family. “The Thunderstorm”... presents us with the idyll of the “dark kingdom”... Residents... sometimes walk along the boulevard above the river..., in the evening they sit on the rubble at the gate and engage in pious conversations; but they spend more time at home, doing housework, eating, sleeping - they go to bed very early, so that it is difficult for an unaccustomed person to endure such a sleepy night as they imagine for themselves... Their life flows smoothly and peacefully, no interests the world does not disturb them because it does not reach them; kingdoms may fall, new countries may open, the face of the earth may change as it pleases, the world may begin new life on a new basis - the inhabitants of the town of Kalinov will continue to exist in complete ignorance of the rest of the world...

It is scary and difficult for every newcomer to try to go against the demands and beliefs of this dark mass, terrible in its naivety and sincerity. After all, she will curse us, will run around like people with the plague - not out of malice, not out of calculations, but out of a deep conviction that we are akin to the Antichrist... A wife, according to prevailing concepts, is connected with him (with her husband ) inextricably, spiritually, through the sacrament; no matter what her husband does, she must obey him and share it with him meaningless life...And in general opinion the most main difference the wife's bast shoes is that she brings with her a whole burden of worries, which the husband cannot get rid of, while the bast shoes only give convenience, and if it is inconvenient, it can easily be thrown off... Being in such a situation -position, a woman, of course, must forget that she is the same person, with the same rights as a man,” wrote N. A. Dobrolyubov in the article “A Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom.” Continuing to reflect on the position of a woman, the critic says that she, having decided to “go to the end in her rebellion against the oppression and tyranny of her elders in the Russian family, must be filled with heroic self-sacrifice, must decide on everything and be ready for everything -va”, because “at the first attempt they will make her feel that she is nothing, that they can crush her”, “they will kill her, leave her to repent, on bread and water, deprive her of daylight, try all the home remedies good old times and will still lead to humility.”

Kuligin, one of the heroes of the drama, gives a characterization of the city of Kalinov: “Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel! In philistinism, sir, you will see nothing but rudeness and stark poverty. And never, sir, get out of this bark! Because honest work will never earn us more than our daily bread. And whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor in order to make even more money from his free labors... And among themselves, sir, how they live! They undermine each other's trade, and not so much out of self-interest as out of envy. They are at enmity with each other...” Kuligin also notes that there is no work for the philistines in the city: “The philistines must be given work. Otherwise, he has hands, but nothing to work with,” and dreams of inventing a “perpeta mobile” in order to use the money for the benefit of society.

The tyranny of the Wild and others like him is based on the material and moral dependence of other people. And even the mayor cannot call the Wild One to order, who “will not disrespect any of his men.” He has his own philosophy: “Is it worth it, your honor, for us to talk about such trifles! I have a lot of people every year; You understand: I won’t pay them a penny extra per person, but I make thousands out of this, so it’s good for me!” And the fact that these guys count every penny doesn’t bother him.

And what are Feklusha’s stories about overseas lands worth! (“They say that there are such countries, dear girl, where there are no Orthodox kings, and the Saltans rule the earth... And then there is also a land where all the people have dog heads.” But what about distant countries! The narrow-mindedness of the wanderer’s views is especially clearly manifested in the story of the “vision” in Moscow, when Feklusha mistakes an ordinary chimney sweep for an unclean person who “spreads chaff on the roof, but the people invisibly pick it up during the day in their bustle.”

The rest of the city's residents are a match for Feklusha, all you have to do is listen to the conversation local residents on the gallery:

1st: And this, my brother, what is it?

2nd: And this is the Lithuanian ruin. Battle! Do you see? How ours fought with Lithuania.

1st: What is Lithuania?

2nd: So it is Lithuania.

1st: And they say, my brother, it fell on us from the sky.

2nd: I don’t know how to tell you. From the sky, from the sky.

It is not surprising that the Kalinovites perceive a thunderstorm as God’s punishment. Kuligin, understanding the physical nature of the thunderstorm, tries to secure the city by building a lightning rod, and asks Di-kogo for money for this purpose. Of course, he didn’t give anything, and even scolded the inventor: “What kind of elegance is that!” Well, what kind of robber are you? A thunderstorm is sent to us as punishment, so that we can feel it, but you want to defend yourself with poles and some kind of goads, God forgive me.” But Dikiy’s reaction does not surprise anyone: parting with ten rubles just like that, for the good of the city, is like death. The behavior of the townspeople, who did not even think of standing up for Kuligin, but only silently, from the sidelines, watched as Dikoy insulted the mechanic, is appalling. It is on this indifference, irresponsibility, ignorance that the power of tyrants wavers.

Essay on literature.

Cruel morals in our city, cruel...
A.N. Ostrovsky, "The Thunderstorm".

The city of Kalinov, in which the action of “The Thunderstorm” takes place, is outlined by the author very vaguely. Such a place could be any town in any corner of vast Russia. This immediately increases and generalizes the scale of the events described.

Preparations for the reform to abolish serfdom are in full swing, which affects the life of all of Russia. Outdated orders give way to new ones, previously unknown phenomena and concepts arise. Therefore, even in remote towns like Kalinov, ordinary people are worried when they hear the steps of a new life.

What is this “city on the banks of the Volga”? What kind of people live there? The stage nature of the work does not allow the writer to directly answer these questions with his thoughts, but general idea It is still possible to write about them.

Externally, the city of Kalinov is a “blessed place.” It stands on the banks of the Volga, from the steepness of the river an “extraordinary view” opens. But most local residents “have either taken a closer look or don’t understand” this beauty and speak disdainfully about it. Kalinov seems to be separated by a wall from the rest of the world. They don’t know anything here about what’s going on in the world. Residents of Kalinov are forced to draw all information about the world around them from the stories of “wanderers” who “they themselves have not walked far, but have heard a lot.” This satisfaction of curiosity leads to ignorance of the majority of citizens. They talk quite seriously about the lands “where people have dog heads” and that “Lithuania fell from the sky.” Among the residents of Kalinov there are people who “don’t give an account to anyone” for their actions; ordinary people, accustomed to such lack of accountability, lose the ability to see logic in anything.

Kabanova and Dikoy, living according to the old order, are forced to give up their positions. This embitters them and makes them even more furious. Dikoy attacks everyone he meets with abuse and “doesn’t want to know anyone.” Aware internally that there is nothing to respect him for, he, however, reserves the right to deal with the “little people” like this:

If I want, I will have mercy, if I want, I will crush.

Kabanova relentlessly pesters her family with ridiculous demands that contradict common sense. She is terrible because she reads instructions “under the guise of piety,” but she herself cannot be called pious. This can be seen from Kuligin’s conversation with Kabanov:

Kuligin: We need to forgive our enemies, sir!
Kabanov: Go talk to your mother, what will she say to you about this.

Dikoy and Kabanova still seem strong, but they begin to realize that their strength is coming to an end. They have “nowhere to rush,” but life moves forward without asking their permission. That is why Kabanova is so gloomy, she cannot imagine “how the light will stand” when her order is forgotten. But those around, not yet feeling the powerlessness of these tyrants, are forced to adapt to them,

Tikhon, deep down a kind person, came to terms with his situation. He lives and acts as “mama ordered,” having finally lost the ability to “live with his own mind.”

His sister Varvara is not like that. Tyrant oppression did not break her will, she is bolder and much more independent than Tikhon, but her conviction “if only everything was sewn and covered” suggests that Varvara was unable to fight her oppressors, but only adapted to them.

Vanya Kudryash, a daring and strong character, has become accustomed to tyrants and is not afraid of them. The Wild One needs him and knows this, he will not “slave in front of him.” But the use of rudeness as a weapon of struggle means that Kudryash can only “take an example” from the Wild, defending himself from him with his own techniques. His reckless daring reaches the point of self-will, and this already borders on tyranny.

Katerina is, as the critic Dobrolyubov put it, “a ray of light in a dark kingdom.” Original and lively, she is not like any of the characters in the play. Inner strength gives it to her folk character. But this strength is not enough to withstand Kabanova’s relentless attacks. Katerina is looking for support - and does not find it. Exhausted, unable to further resist oppression, Katerina still did not give up, but left the fight, committing suicide.

Kalinov can be located in any corner of the country, and this allows us to consider the action of the play on a scale throughout Russia. Everywhere tyrants are living out their days, weak people still suffer from their antics. But life moves forward tirelessly, no one can stop its rapid flow. A fresh and strong stream will sweep away the dam of tyranny... Characters freed from oppression will spill out in all their breadth - and the sun will break out in the “dark kingdom”!