Characteristics of Bubnov based on the play "At the Lower Depths"
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B.'s position is skepticism, fatalism, he always belittles a person. He is cruel and does not want to retain any good qualities in himself. There is not a drop of compassion in him. To the request of the dying Anna to behave more quietly, he replies: “Noise is not a hindrance to death...”. He believes that “all people on earth are superfluous...”. From B.’s point of view, it is at the absolute bottom of life that the true essence of a person is revealed, the layers of civilized, cultural life: "...everything faded away, only one naked man remained." Apparently, by doing this he wants to talk about the animal essence of man. B. sees in him only the low, selfish, not wanting to take into account the development of social and cultural life. In this case, one can consider his following phrase significant: “It turns out that no matter how you paint yourself on the outside, everything will be erased... everything will be erased, yes!” Having sunk to the very bottom of life, B. no longer believes in man, he takes a passive position not only on the outside , but also an internal position. - Bubnov the cap-maker, one of the inhabitants of the shelter, where he lives on credit. He tells about his past that he once was the owner of a dyeing workshop, but his wife got along with the foreman, and B., in order to stay alive, chose to leave. The metaphor of faded paint in his speech denotes the current situation of the characters in the play. former people, deprived of any social role. Regarding Luke, B. states that people lie out of a desire to brighten up their souls, but one should tell the truth without hesitation. B. is characterized by wingless and somewhat cynical fatalism. He does not accept moral responsibility, claiming that he has no conscience because he is not rich.
- Kartuznik, one of the inhabitants of the shelter. We learn that in the past he was the owner of a dye shop. But circumstances changed, his wife got along with the master, and he had to leave in order to stay alive. Now this man has sunk to the very bottom.
B.'s position is skepticism, fatalism, he always belittles a person. He is cruel and does not want to retain any good qualities in himself. There is not a drop of compassion in him. To the request of the dying Anna to behave more quietly, he replies: “Noise is not a hindrance to death...”. He believes that “all people on earth are superfluous...”. From B.’s point of view, it is at the absolute bottom of life that the true essence of a person is exposed, the layers of civilized, cultural life fall away from him: “... everything faded away, only one naked man remained.” Apparently, by doing this he wants to talk about the animal essence of man. B. sees in him only the low, selfish, not wanting to take into account the development of social and cultural life. In this case, one can consider his following phrase significant: “It turns out that no matter how you paint yourself on the outside, everything will be erased... everything will be erased, yes!” Having sunk to the very bottom of life, B. no longer believes in man, he takes a passive position not only on the outside , but also an internal position.
IN social drama Gorky At the Bottom shows the life of people who find themselves at the very bottom. All the heroes of the work live among various rabble in a shelter. There are thieves, cripples, beggars and wanderers here. They became unnecessary, thrown out of society. Reading the play, you understand that there are no secondary or main characters. Every person here is important and his position is important. Bubnov, whom we will describe in our essay, belongs precisely to this type.
Image and characteristics of Bubnov
To understand the role of Bubnov in the play, you need to get acquainted with the work, where Gorky, in quotes, gives a description of the image he created. From the narrative we know that he was once a furrier, creating products from fur and leather. But his wife has taken a lover, and our hero runs away from sin. After all, at any moment the man could not stand it and kill them both. So Bubnov found himself among other characters in a small basement. For a long time he eked out his existence in this place. Now he is a cap-holder and often lives in debt, including not paying on time for lodging. He is a fatalist and is sure that a person is powerless in the face of circumstances. He can only do one thing, accept the circumstances as they are, which is what the hero of the drama follows. Kartuznik is sure that if fate has written one thing, then there is no point in changing anything, because you cannot avoid what is destined. And he floats with the flow, no matter where it takes him.
By his nature, Bubnov was cruel, without a sense of support and the slightest sympathy. So, in response to a sick neighbor’s request not to make noise, he, without a twinge of conscience, throws cruel words that no noise could prevent her death.
Bubnov is an ordinary, even standard “hero” of his time, of which there were many during the era of writing the play “At the Lower Depths”. Bubnov remained without a name, most likely because he does not position himself in any way in the future.
He calls himself a lazy person and an alcoholic. He realizes that he drinks everything to the last. Lives in the Kostylevs' basement out of charity from the landlady. Bubnov pays the due amount for the night's accommodation slowly, or even does not generate income at all for his existence.
Characteristics and image of the hero
Bubnov is described as a hostage of fate, who once entered into an unequal battle with her. Once having his own workshop for sewing furs, he earned good money, was married, and was self-sufficient. But his wife’s betrayal with a clever craftsman ruined his life. In addition, the workshop belonged to his wife and after a difficult struggle with assault, Bubnov had to drop everything and go to the basement. The man could not start everything from scratch, rise from his knees. Dropping lower, Bubnov took hold of the bottle. At 45, he saw no point in making life better. Binge drinking is his normal state. As they say in the work, it is when he is drunk that he still remains human.
However, the life he plunged into changes him, turning him into an insensitive person with notes of cruelty. When dying Anna asked for silence, he replied that noise was not an obstacle to death. Showing with all his appearance that he was a bad, soulless and callous person, Bubnov showed his protest to life, which took away from him everything that he had achieved himself. He did not hesitate to list his shortcomings, constantly reminding him that he was bad. Distrust of people, of everyone in society and personal fear of a new betrayal did not allow Bubnov to wake up and emerge from a state of aggression and despondency. As a result, man began to gradually and surely get used to existence, but not to life. It can be noted that this is not the only and far from fictional character in a series of “poor people” from different times and works of great Writers. 
People like Bubnov are far from rare. As far as the human factor is concerned, however, nothing changes from century to century. After a blow of fate, falling into depression, people who were once successful in life plunge to the bottom and degrade, although not dramatically. Initially, Bubnov rushes into battle, deciding that he can help the cause with his fists and physical violence. I thought about killing my wife, but changed my mind. He withdrew into himself and there was no support for his suffering. Binge drinking did not serve the person life lessons, did not give any idea to change his mind. As a result, going with the flow without a hint of struggle turned out to be much easier than getting out of the mud into which the hero, alas, gradually drove himself on his own.
M. Gorky's play “At the Lower Depths” introduces the reader to the fate of homeless poor people. The writer describes some characters in detail, others are depicted in a few strokes.
Fate
More recently, a man had a wife, was an owner, owned a dyeing factory, and sold leather and fur products. His wife's betrayal forced him to quit his business and leave home. At first I wanted to punish my wife and decided to get rid of her. Then he realized that he was taking a risk, resigned himself, and decided to retreat. Now he is a homeless beggar selling hats and caps. He has nothing to pay for even his miserable existence in Kostylev’s rooming house.
Inner world
A forty-five-year-old man blindly submits to the prevailing circumstances. He is a convinced fatalist, so he resigned himself and stopped looking for a way out. The hero considers the shelter his last refuge. Laughs at the hopes of others. However, he likes to imagine himself as a rich man.
Bubnov is cruel, selfish, heartless. He doesn't know the feeling of pity. He ignores a terminally ill woman's request for silence. Cynically he declares that he is not stopping her from dying. Indifferent to the death of neighbors. Laughs at romantic stories Nastya. He speaks skeptically about the “righteous” land where Luke calls to go.
The former furrier has a good sense of weaknesses and sees shortcomings. He has no compassion, so his harsh, truthful statements hurt those present. A lover of the cruel truth, Bubnov accepts a lie if it brings benefit.
The hero's speech is full of aphorisms, which speaks of his extraordinary intelligence and ingenuity. He argues with Satin, not accepting statements about the proud title of a person. Laughs at Luke's compassionate attitude.
The mask of indifference and cynicism hides the romantic nature. His soul is drawn to music. He dreams of opening a free tavern where any disadvantaged person can have a drink, listen to a song, and rest their soul. He is no stranger to impulses of unheard-of generosity. Gives the accumulated money to Satin.
Difficult life circumstances force us to hide best qualities, make a person weak and vulnerable. To survive, you must be cruel, indifferent, calm. A person is useless trash, a sliver floating with the flow, says the resigned hero.
In the system of images of M. Gorky’s drama “At the Lower Depths,” Bubnov occupies an important place. This is the image of another person at the “bottom” of life. A former furrier, Bubnov ends up in a shelter and turns into an unemployed drunkard.
Fate
Before finding himself at the “bottom” of life, Bubnov had his own workshop. The hero was a furrier - a master of making fur and leather products. Moreover, Bubnov not only worked himself, but also had an employee. Ultimately, Bubnov's wife fell in love with the master who worked for him. Bubnov decided that the best way will beat his wife. However, the master protected her. And then Bubnov decided to “kill” his wife, but, as the hero admits, he “came to his senses” in time and left. So the hero was left with nothing: alone, without money and without housing.
Bubnov began to live in a shelter for the poor. Now he works as a cap maker, making hats. The work shows that the hero has completely forgotten how to work. Instead of the yellow hands that Bubnov had when he worked as a furrier, he now simply had dirty hands. Now the hero has forgotten how to sew. Therefore, he is in a hole of debt and cannot return all the money that he owes to the hostess of the rooming house.
Attitude to life
In the play special attention is given to the characters' reasoning. Luka, who appears at the shelter, argues with Bubnov and Satin regarding truth and lies. Bubnov has a categorical opinion: you need to tell only the truth, even if it is difficult for a person. He believes that there is nothing to be ashamed of, that you need to “tell” the truth, no matter what. Bubnov himself says that he does not know how to lie.
Qualities
The characterization of Bubnov (“At the Depths”) is largely based on his internal and external qualities. The hero, finding himself at the “bottom”, ceased to look like a person. He doesn't try to keep himself positive traits. Bubnov says that he is poor, so there is no point in maintaining a conscience, he simply does not have one.
Bubnov is a drinker. The hero himself admits that he is a drunkard, that he really does not like to work, that he is very lazy. Therefore, he fails to make a hat. Alyoshka, another resident of the shelter, claims that Bubnov only becomes like a human when he drinks. Bubnov himself believes that being at the “bottom” of life demonstrates true face person. And he has already shown this face too.