Kuligin. This is the kind of town we have, sir! They made the boulevard, but they don’t walk. They only go out on holidays, and then they only pretend to be out for a walk, but they themselves go there to show off their outfits. The only thing you will see is a drunken clerk, trudged home from the tavern. The poor, sir, have no time to walk, they work day and night. And they sleep only three hours a day. What do the rich do? Well, so that, it seems, they don’t walk, don’t breathe fresh air? So no. Everyone's gates, sir, have been locked for a long time, and the dogs have been let loose... Do you think they are doing business or praying to God? No, sir. And they don’t lock themselves away from thieves, but so that people don’t see them eating their own family and tyrannizing their family. And what tears flow behind these constipations, invisible and inaudible! What can I tell you, sir! You can judge for yourself. And what, sir, behind these castles is dark debauchery and drunkenness! And everything is sewn and covered - no one sees or knows anything, only God sees! You, he says, look, I’m among people and on the street, but you don’t care about my family; for this, he says, I have locks, and constipations, and angry dogs. The family says it’s a secret, secret matter! We know these secrets! Because of these secrets, sir, only he is having fun, while the rest are howling like a wolf. And what's the secret? Who doesn't know him! Rob orphans, relatives, nephews, beat up his family so that they don’t dare make a peep about anything he does there. That's the whole secret. Well, God bless them! Do you know, sir, who is hanging out with us? Young boys and girls. So these people steal from sleep for an hour or two, and then walk in pairs. Yes, here's a couple!
A. N. Ostrovsky. Storm. Play. Episode 1
(Ostrovsky “The Thunderstorm”, act 3, scene 1, phenomenon 3. See on our website a summary of “The Thunderstorm”, its full text and an analysis of this play made by the great Russian writer
Life in small towns tends to be challenging. First of all, they are indicated by the fact that most people know each other very well, in which case it is very difficult to comply with the rules of personal life; as a rule, events of any importance become a reason for public discussion. The second difficulty is that life in such towns is devoid of diverse events - discussion of gossip and speculation is the main form of entertainment.
Kuligin's monologue:
« Cruel morals, sir, in our city, they are cruel! In philistinism, sir, you will see nothing but rudeness and stark poverty. And we, sir, will never escape this crust! Because honest work will never earn us more than our daily bread. And whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor so that his labors will be free more money make money Do you know what your uncle, Savel Prokofich, answered to the mayor? The peasants came to the mayor to complain that he would not disrespect any of them.
The mayor began to tell him: “Listen,” he says, Savel Prokofich, pay the men well! Every day they come to me with complaints!” Your uncle patted the mayor on the shoulder and said: “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 per person, but I make thousands out of this, so that’s good for me!”
That's it, sir! 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; they get drunken clerks into their high mansions, such, sir, clerks that there is no human appearance on him, his human appearance is hysterical.
And they, for small acts of kindness, scribble malicious slander against their neighbors on stamped sheets. And for them, sir, a trial and a case will begin, and there will be no end to the torment. They sue and sue here, but they go to the province, and there they are waiting for them and splashing their hands with joy. Soon the fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done; they drive them, they drive them, they drag them, they drag them; and they are also happy about this dragging, that’s all they need. “I’ll spend it, he says, and it won’t cost him a penny.” I wanted to depict all this in poetry..."
We invite you to familiarize yourself with the play “The Thunderstorm” by Ostrovsky.
Result: The city of Kalinov, in which the main events take place, has a dual nature - on the one hand natural landscape sets up a positive perception and attitude among visitors, but the true state of affairs is far from this truth. Residents of Kalinov lack tolerance and humanity. And therefore life in this city is complex and specific. The description of the nature of the city contrasts vividly with the essence of its inhabitants. Greed and love of squabbling destroy all natural beauty.
Kuligin. Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel! In philistinism, sir, you will see nothing but rudeness and stark poverty. And we, sir, will never escape this crust! Because honest work will never earn us more than our daily bread. And whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor so that he can make even more money from his free labors. Do you know what your uncle, Savel Prokofich, answered to the mayor? The peasants came to the mayor to complain that he would not disrespect any of them. The mayor began to tell him: “Listen,” he says, Savel Prokofich, pay the men well! Every day they come to me with complaints!” Your uncle patted the mayor on the shoulder and said: “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 per person, but I make thousands out of this, so that’s good for me!” That's it, sir! 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; they get drunken clerks into their high mansions, such, sir, clerks that there is no human appearance on him, his human appearance is hysterical. And they, for small acts of kindness, scribble malicious slander against their neighbors on stamped sheets. And for them, sir, a trial and a case will begin, and there will be no end to the torment. They sue and sue here, but they go to the province, and there they are waiting for them and splashing their hands with joy. Soon the fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done; they drive them, they drive them, they drag them, they drag them; and they are also happy about this dragging, that’s all they need. “I’ll spend it, he says, and it won’t cost him a penny.” I wanted to depict all this in poetry...
Cruel, sir, morals in our city
Quote from the play by A.N. Ostrovsky. "Storm". These words are pronounced by Kuligin (act. 1, appearance 3).
“Boris. Eh, Kuligin, it’s painfully difficult for me here, without a habit. Everyone looks at me somehow wildly, as if I’m superfluous here, as if I’m disturbing them. I don’t know the customs here. I understand that all this is our Russian, dear, but I still can’t get used to it.
Kuligin. And you will never get used to it, sir.
Boris. Why?
Kuligin. Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel! In philistinism, sir, you will see nothing but rudeness and stark poverty. And we, sir, will never escape this crust!
Because honest work will never earn us more than our daily bread. And whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor so that he can make even more money from his free labors.
Do you know what your uncle, Savel Prokofich, answered to the mayor? The peasants came to the mayor to complain that he would not disrespect any of them. The mayor began to say to him:
“Listen,” he says, “Savel Prokofich, pay the men well! They come to me with complaints every day!”
Your uncle patted the mayor on the shoulder and said: “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.” , I make thousands from this, so it’s good for me!”
That's it, sir! 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; they get drunken clerks into their high mansions, such, sir, clerks that there is no human appearance on them, the human appearance is lost.
And for small acts of kindness they write malicious slander against their neighbors on stamped sheets. And for them, sir, a trial and a case will begin, and there will be no end to the torment. They sue, sue here and go to the province, and there they are expected and splash their hands with joy. Soon the fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done; They lead them, they lead them, they drag them, they drag them, and they are also happy about this dragging, that’s all they need.
“I’ll spend it,” he says, “and it won’t cost him a penny.” I wanted to depict all this in poetry..."
Ray of light in dark kingdom
Quote from the article “A Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom” by publicist Nikolai Aleksandrovich Dobrolyubov (1860), dedicated to the drama of A.N. Ostrovsky. "Thunderstorm" (1859)
In the article main character In the play, Katerina, who committed suicide, was compared to a “ray of light” in the “dark kingdom” of ignorant tyrant merchants.
One loves watermelon, the other loves pork cartilage
Quote from Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky's play "Dowry" (1878), words by Paratov:
“Larisa. We, Sergei Sergeich, are going to the village soon.
Paratov. From the beautiful places here?
Karandyshev. What do you find beautiful here?
Paratov. After all, it’s like anyone; There is no sample for taste or color.
Ogudalova. True, true. Some people like the city, others like the countryside.
Paratov. Auntie, everyone has their own taste: one likes watermelon, another likes pork cartilage.
Ogudalova. Ah, the prankster! How do you know so many proverbs?
Paratov. You hang out with barge haulers, auntie, so you’ll learn the Russian language.
Apparently this phrase was known before Ostrovsky wrote the play “Dowry”.
For example, Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin in “Abroad”, 3 writes: “The idea of a commission is inevitably associated with the idea of wrangling. One likes a watermelon, another likes pork cartilage.”
Kuligin. Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel! In philistinism, sir, you will see nothing but rudeness and naked poverty. And we, sir, will never escape this crust! Because honest work will never earn us more than our daily bread. And whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor so that he can make even more money from his free labors. Do you know what your uncle, Savel Prokofich, answered to the mayor? The peasants came to the mayor to complain that he would not disrespect any of them. The mayor began to tell him: “Listen,” he said, “Savel Prokofich, pay the men well! Every day they come to me with complaints!” Your uncle patted the mayor on the shoulder and said: “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, I make thousands out of this, that’s how it is; I feel good!” That's it, sir! 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; they get drunken clerks into their high mansions, such, sir, clerks that there is no human appearance on them, the human appearance is lost. And for small acts of kindness they write malicious slander against their neighbors on stamped sheets. And for them, sir, a trial and a case will begin, and there will be no end to the torment. They sue and sue here and go to the province, and there they are waiting for them and splashing their hands with joy. Soon the fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done; They lead them, they lead them, they drag them, they drag them, and they are also happy about this dragging, that’s all they need. “I’ll spend it,” he says, “and it won’t cost him a penny.” I wanted to depict all this in poetry...
A. N. Ostrovsky. Storm. Play. Episode 1
Boris. Can you write poetry?
Kuligin. In the old-fashioned way, sir. I read a lot about Lomonosov, Derzhavin... Lomonosov was a sage, an explorer of nature... But he was also from ours, from a simple rank.
Boris. You would have written it. That would be interesting.
Kuligin. How is it possible, sir! They will eat you, swallow you alive. I already get enough, sir, for my chatter; I can’t, I like to spoil the conversation! Here's more about family life I wanted to tell you, sir; yes some other time. And there is also something to listen to.
(Ostrovsky “The Thunderstorm”, act 1, phenomenon 3. See on our website