Minor characters in the drama "The Thunderstorm"
A.N. Ostrovsky, the author of numerous plays about the merchants, is rightfully considered a “singer merchant life"and the father of the Russian national theater. He created about 60 plays, the most famous of which are “Dowry”, “Forest”, “We Will Be Numbered”, “Thunderstorm” and many others.
The most striking and decisive, according to A. N. Dobrolyubov, was the play “The Thunderstorm”. In it, “the mutual relations of tyranny and combativeness are brought to tragic consequences... There is something refreshing and encouraging in The Thunderstorm. This something is, in our opinion, the background of the play.” The background or background of the play is made up of minor characters.
The most striking of them is the daughter of the mistress of the Kabanov house - “Varvara. She is Katerina's confidant and constant companion -the main character plays. Varvara is a smart, cunning, and mischievous girl. She is young and strives to be everywhere before she gets married, to try everything, because she knows that “girls go out as they please, father and mother don’t care. Only women sit locked up.” Adapting to the “Dark Kingdom”, Varvara learned its laws and rules. She became the embodiment of the morality of this kingdom: “Do what you want, as long as everything is sewn and covered.” For her, lying is the norm of life: “Our whole house rests on this,” it’s impossible without deception. Seeing nothing seditious in her lifestyle, Varvara strives to teach Katerina to be cunning and deceive. But honest, sincere Katerina cannot live in this oppressive atmosphere of lies and violence.
But Varvara’s friend, Kudryash, completely shares her views, because he is a typical inhabitant of the “dark kingdom”. Already now the features of the future Wild are visible in him. He is impudent, bold and free in conversation, boasts of his prowess, red tape, and knowledge of the “merchant establishment.” He is no stranger to ambition and the desire for power over people: “I am considered a brute; why are they keeping me? Therefore, he needs me. Well, that means I’m not afraid of him, let him be afraid of me...” Varvara and Kudryash, It would seem that they are leaving the “dark kingdom”, but not in order to give birth to new and honest laws of life, but, most likely, to live in the same “dark kingdom”, but as masters in it.
The true victim of the morals that reigned in the city of Kalinov is Katerina’s husband Tikhon Kabanov. This is a weak-willed, spineless creature. He obeys his mother in everything and obeys her. He doesn't have a clear life position, courage, boldness. His image fully corresponds to the name given to him - Tikhon (quiet). Young Kabanov not only does not respect himself, but also allows his mother to shamelessly treat his wife. This is especially evident in the farewell scene before leaving for the fair. Tikhon repeats all his mother’s instructions and moral teachings word for word. Tikhon could not resist his mother in anything, he slowly became an alcoholic and, thereby, became even more weak-willed and quiet.
Of course, Katerina cannot love and respect such a husband, but her soul yearns for love. She falls in love with Dikiy's nephew, Boris. But Katkrina fell in love with him, in Dobrolyubov’s apt expression, “in the wilderness,” because in essence, Boris is not much different from Tikhon. Perhaps a little more uneducated than him. Boris's servility to his uncle and the desire to receive his share of the inheritance turned out to be stronger than love.
Minor characters of wanderers and praying mantises also help create the necessary background for the play. With their fantastic fables they emphasize the ignorance and denseness of the inhabitants of the “dark kingdom”. Feklushi's stories about the lands where people with dog heads live are perceived by them as immutable facts about the universe. .
The only living and thinking soul in the city of Kalinov is the self-taught mechanic Kuligin, who is looking for perpetual motion machine. He is kind and active, obsessed with a constant desire to help people, to create something necessary and useful. But everything is his good intentions encounter a thick wall of misunderstanding and indifference. So, when he tries to install lightning rods on houses, he receives a furious rebuff from the Wild: “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.” Kuligin gives a vivid and true description of the “dark kingdom”: “Cruel, sir, the morals in our city are cruel... Whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor so that his labors will be free more money make money..."
Condemning and disagreeing with the laws of Kalinov’s life, Kuligin does not fight them. He reconciled and adjusted to her.
All the minor characters in the play created the background against which Katerina’s tragedy unfolds. Every face, every image in the play was a step in the ladder that led the heroine to her own death.
D.I. Fonvizin, by writing his comedy “The Minor,” opened an important milestone in the history of the development of Russian literature, and in particular classicism. The play describes the life of not only the main characters. To develop the plot, minor characters are also introduced in the work. They are represented as servants. Such characters include Trishka and Eremeevna, teachers Tsyfirkin, Vralman and Kuteikin, as well as Skotinin and Prostakov, who rarely appear in action.
In the first appearances of the comedy, the viewer is shown the manner in which Mrs. Prostakova treats her own servants.
On her part, Trishka is addressed with abusive words due to the poor tailoring of the caftan, and this, despite his lack of training as a tailor. The lady scolds Eremeevna, who has been working diligently for the benefit of the Prostakov family for forty years, and who protects Mitrofan in every possible way. She carries out her own duties with great diligence and special devotion. Mrs. Prostakova thinks education is a luxury, so to Mitrofan the heroine hires teachers exclusively from the capital
fashion. She just wants to look no worse than the other landowners. A good person Mathematics teacher Tsyfirkin appears, but he fails to teach the teenager nothing, since the young man is too lazy. The grammar teacher Kuteikin can be described as greedy and cunning. Vralman, who teaches history and geography, was Starodum's former coachman. Now he teaches because he could not find a more suitable job. Mr. Prostakov is helpless and pitiful, since he lacks the strength to resist the words and actions of his wife. She dominates him, but this is the normal state of affairs for the character. Stupidity and ignorance characterize Skotinin, the brother of Mrs. Prostakova, since his circle of interests only includes breeding pigs. He plans to marry Sophia for money, which causes him to have a conflict with Mitrofan. Skotinin and his sister were given a bad upbringing, which is why both characters degenerated morally and morally.
In “Nedorosl,” Fonvizin denounced representatives of the noble class whose moral principles do not correspond to the principles of serving civil society.
Other works on this topic:
- Taras Skotinin, Prostakova’s brother, is a typical representative of small feudal landowners. Having grown up in a family that was extremely hostile to enlightenment, he is distinguished by ignorance and mental retardation, although he is naturally smart...
- Comedy “Minor” - main work the life of Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin and the first socio-political comedy in Russian literature. D. I. Fonvizin sharply satirically depicts the vices of his contemporary...
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- The action of the comedy “The Minor” takes place in the house of the landowners Prostakovs, who are distinguished by their dense ignorance and savage morals. The dominant figure in the family is Mrs. Prostakova - a powerful, self-willed, cruel woman...
- D. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” tells about the events that took place in the Prostakovs’ house. Their main participants are Mitrofan, the son of the owner of the house, his mother, Mrs. Prostakova, and...
- The comedy “Nedorosl” is recognized as the best work of the outstanding Russian playwright D. I. Fonvizin. In it, the writer truthfully depicted Russian feudal reality, exposed it, according to V. G....
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- In D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “Minor”, along with negative heroes There are also positive ones. Vivid images negative characters undoubtedly had a great influence on readers, but...
In addition to the main characters, it also includes secondary characters who play an equally important role in the play.
With the replicas of the minor characters, Ostrovsky draws a background that speaks about the state of the main characters and draws the reality around them. From their words you can learn a lot about the morals of Kalinov, its past and aggressive rejection of everything new, about the requirements that are presented to the residents of Kalinov, their way of life, dramas and characters.
In the remarks that lead us to the image of Katerina and her monologue-characterization, a modest young beautiful woman, about which no one can say anything bad. Only the attentive Varvara discerned her reaction to Boris and pushed her to betray her, not seeing anything bad in it and not at all tormented by a feeling of guilt towards her brother. Most likely, Katerina would never have decided to cheat, but her daughter-in-law simply hands her the key, knowing that she will not be able to resist. In the person of Varvara, we have proof that there is no love between loved ones in Kabanikha’s house, and everyone is only interested in his personal life, his benefits.
Her lover, Ivan Kudryash, also does not experience love. He can cheat on Varvara simply out of a desire to spoil the Dikiy, and would do this if his daughters were older. For Varvara and Kudryash, their meetings are an opportunity to satisfy bodily needs, to mutual pleasure. Animal lust is the obvious norm of the night Kalinov. The example of their couple shows the bulk of Kalinov’s youth, the same generation that is not interested in anything other than their personal needs.
TO to the younger generation The married Tikhon and the unmarried Boris also apply, but they are different. This is rather an exception to the general rule.
Tikhon represents that part of the youth that is suppressed by their elders and is completely dependent on them. It is unlikely that he has ever behaved like his sister; he is more decent - and therefore unhappy. He cannot pretend to be subdued like his sister - he is truly subdued, his mother broke him. For him, it’s a pleasure to get drunk to death when there is no constant control in the person of his mother.
Boris is different because he did not grow up in Kalinov, and his late mother is a noblewoman. His father left Kalinov and was happy until he died, leaving the children orphans. Boris saw a different life. However, because of his younger sister, he is ready for self-sacrifice - he is in the service of his uncle, dreaming that someday Dikoy will give them part of the inheritance left by his grandmother. In Kalinov there is no entertainment, no outlet - and he fell in love. This is really falling in love, not animal lust. His example shows Kalinov’s poor relatives forced to live with rich merchants.
Using the example of Kuligin, a self-taught mechanic trying to create a perpetuum mobile, inventors of small towns are shown who are forced to constantly ask for money to develop inventions, and receive insults and humiliating refusals, and even swearing. He's trying to bring progress to the city, but he's the only one doing it. The rest are happy with everything, or they have resigned themselves to fate. This is the only positive minor character plays, but he too resigned himself to fate. He is unable to fight the Wild One. The desire to create and create for the people is not even paid. But it is with his help that Ostrovsky condemns “ dark kingdom" He sees the beauty of the Volga, Kalinov, nature, the approaching thunderstorm - which no one but him sees. And it is he who, giving Katerina’s corpse, utters words of condemnation to the “dark kingdom.”
In contrast, the “professional” wanderer Feklusha settled down well. She doesn’t bring anything new, but she knows very well what those with whom she expects to have a delicious meal want to hear. Change is from the devil, who trades in big cities, confusing people. All new creations are also from the devil - exactly what fully corresponds to Kabanikha’s personal opinion. In Kalinov, assenting to Kabanikha, Feklusha will always be full, and food and comfort are the only things she is not indifferent to.
Not last role Also playing is a half-crazy lady, about whom it was known that she had sinned a lot in her youth, and in her old age she became fixated on this topic. “Sin” and “beauty” are two inseparable concepts for her. Beauty has disappeared - and the meaning of life has disappeared; this, of course, becomes God's punishment for sins. On this basis, the lady goes crazy and immediately begins to denounce him when she sees the beautiful face. But on the impressionable Katerina she gives the impression of an angel of retribution, although most of God’s terrible punishment for her act was invented by him herself.
Without the secondary characters, “The Thunderstorm” could not have been so emotionally and meaningfully rich. With thoughtful remarks, like brushstrokes, the author creates full picture the hopeless life of the dark, patriarchal Kalinov, which can lead to death of any soul who dreams of flight. That’s why people “don’t fly” there. Or they fly, but for a matter of seconds, in free fall.
To complete the assignment, choose only ONE of the four proposed essay topics (17.1-17.4). Write an essay on this topic in a volume of at least 200 words (if the volume is less than 150 words, the essay is scored 0 points).
Explanation.
Comments on essays.
17.1. What is the role of minor characters in D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor”?
The secondary characters in the play “The Minor” are Skotinin, Prostakova’s brother, Eremeevna, Mitrofanushka’s nanny, Mitrofan’s home teachers: Tsyfirkin, Kuteikin, Vralman. Despite the fact that these heroes play secondary roles in the comedy, the revelation of the characters of the main characters depends on them. With their help, both Prostakova and Mitrofanushka appear before the reader in all their unsightly appearance.
17.2. What are the reasons for the author's rejection of Napoleon? (Based on the novel by L.N. Tolstoy “War and Peace.”)
Tolstoy's diary entries during the period of work on War and Peace show that he followed a conscious intention - to tear away from Napoleon the aura of false greatness. Napoleon's idol is glory, greatness, that is, other people's opinion of him. For Tolstoy, Napoleon is not a great man, but an inferior, flawed person. Napoleon is the “executioner of nations.” According to Tolstoy, evil is brought to people by an unhappy person who does not know the joys of true life. The writer wants to instill in his readers the idea that only a person who has lost the true idea of himself and the world can justify all the cruelties and crimes of war.
17.3. What themes and images of modern poetry are closest to you? (Based on the work of one or two poets.)
Here we can talk about poets who earned a name for themselves already in the 60s. These are Oleg Chukhontsev, Evgeny Rein, Dmitry Sukharev, Inna Lisnyanskaya, Alexander Kushner. Of these, only Alexander Kushner and, to a lesser extent, Inna Lisnyanskaya were published in Soviet times; for the rest, the last decade was marked not only by new publications, but also, above all, by a full-fledged publication of all their work. All of them are characterized by an interest in the details of life to a greater extent than in new phenomena.
In Inna Lisnyanskaya’s poems the themes of freedom, betrayal, fear and loneliness are often repeated. In her faith and her poetic existence, Lisnyanskaya seems to be fulfilled amazing power, helping her cope with her difficult fate: “they’ll send us away, we won’t leave, they’ll kill us, we won’t die.” Her poems reflect on life, short but rich in impressions:
Open your eyes and close your eyes
Forever, but in this period
The sun, the moon and the vine will fit,
And waves, and a swarm of forget-me-nots,
A special theme of I. Lisnyanskaya’s work is love. “Take me, Lord, instead of him...” - a real declaration of love, unusually strong, heartfelt and passionate:
I beg you, Lord, I beg you tearfully!
Stop my bleeding
At least because I love him
Stronger than Your love.
17.4. Satirical images in Russian prose of the 20-30s of the XX century.
Mikhail Mikhailovich Zoshchenko fell to fame, rare for a person in the literary profession. It only took him three or four years of work to one day suddenly feel famous not only in literary circles, but also among a completely incalculable mass of readers. The story “Bathhouse” brings a smile to every person. Isn’t it funny that people have to tie a number to their leg in the bathhouse? “The number plates are now slapping his legs,” complains the hero of the story. No less comical is the story about the hospital, where a poster hangs in front of the patients: “Issuing corpses from three to four.”
The heroes of Ilf and Petrov remain my favorite images. “The Twelve Chairs” and “The Golden Calf” combined the humor of the characters, the comical situations in which the heroes find themselves, and a witty manner of presenting the material.
The satire here is aimed at the passing world, represented by Ippolit Matveyevich, at the fact that people have no spiritual values left (let us remember, for example, Ellochka the Ogress).
Among satirical works this era can be called the works of Mayakovsky and Bulgakov.
There are no random or “useless” heroes in Chekhov’s play. Each of them is like a small puzzle of one large image. Perhaps someone can be discarded and considered superfluous, but then the picture of what is happening will become incomplete.
Footman Yasha, brought from Paris by Lyubov Ranevskaya, complements the image of his mistress. The man is completely spoiled. He is arrogant, self-confident and very well settled in life. Despite, not the most better times, continues to pay him decently, travel with him abroad, and even brings a lackey to the estate.
Yasha is irresponsible, has poor speech and a disgusting character. He is spoiled by the luxurious life of his mistress, and when trouble happens and the estate goes up for auction, the man plaintively asks to take him with him to Paris. Ranevskaya's kindness is mistaken by Yasha for weakness.
Yasha is the complete opposite of Firs. Even the ages of the characters are different. Yasha, young, full of strength and indifference to his owners. He is only interested in financial side and your own comfort. Firs, on the contrary, is an old man who is over eighty years old.
The old footman lived permanently on the estate. He remained with his masters, even after the abolition of serfdom. The man became practically a member of the family. He looked after Lyubov and Gaev when they were little, and he continued to care for them when they became adults. For the elder, “other people’s” finances were never important. He was more concerned about the comfort and order that reigned in the estate.
He is very responsible, pedantic, but at the same time, open-hearted. He literally suffers from new laws, and most importantly, he does not understand what awaits him in the future. When an old man, in the haste and bustle, is simply forgotten on the estate, he faithfully lies down on a bench and waits for someone to come back for him.
Dunyasha also serves on the estate. She is a reflection of Ranevskaya herself. The girl is very emotional, vulnerable and sensitive. Epikhodov is madly in love with Dunyasha. But she frivolously gives preference to Yasha. The girl is drawn to an intelligent, as it seemed to her, image of a foreign lackey. She will soon be greatly disappointed in her wrong hasty choice, since for Yasha, Dunyash is an empty place. Epikhodov will remain to look after the estate when he wins the auction.
The image of Epikhodov is both comical and tragic at the same time. The man is called “twenty-two misfortunes” because of his ability to get into various troubles, accidentally break things, and break dishes. It attracts bad luck like a magnet. So the man was clearly unlucky with his marriage to Dunyasha, because his chosen one preferred someone else. Epikhodov takes the “quarrel” very hard and does not even try to hide his emotions.
The image of Boris Semeon-Pishchik is also not accidental in the play. The man is very animated, as his life is full of different events. He is in constant search of money. A man, trying to borrow them even from the ruined Gaev and Ranevskaya.
Pischik is an optimist in life. He believes that even from the most difficult situation, you can find a way out. His faith in goodness models situations after which he, although partially, repays all his debts.
In his play, Chekhov endowed even minor characters with special “traits.” Each of them, one way or another, completes the images of the main characters, while remaining unique.