The conflict between the individual and the state in the poem The Bronze Horseman. Which works of Russian literature depict the confrontation between the individual and the state?

The poem “The Bronze Horseman” was written by A. S. Pushkin in 1833. It reflected a contemporary event for Pushkin - the flood of 1824. In the poem there is no traditional division of heroes into main and secondary ones, and next to the heroic theme of Peter there is another theme - the theme of “little people”, the urban poor, their joys and sufferings. This mixture of characters contains an important ideological meaning: the fate of an ordinary person is assessed from a historical perspective.

Peter I is the hero of the poem. This is the sovereign-transformer, he symbolizes the new Russia. In the poem, his image and the image of the Bronze Horseman coincide. The rearing horse is ready to carry its proud rider across the dark waters of the rebellious Neva. This image conveys the character of the reformer king and his reforms. Peter I does not raise his horse, but the whole of Russia. In his impulse, he forgets about everything, he looks only far ahead and does not notice what is here, next to him.

And next to the Great King are ordinary mortal people who, by his will and desire, became hostages of the elements. Another hero of the poem is Eugene, a petty official from an impoverished noble family. His life is simple and uncomplicated. Only simple everyday joys brighten up the days of his life, where each next day is similar to the previous one. And there is only one dream, one bright spot in the series of these days - his beloved Parasha, who lives on Vasilyevsky Island in a small house with her mother. But the flood of 1824 destroys not only houses and embankments, the raging elements destroy Eugene’s dream world. A terrible flood finds the hero on the banks of the Neva. To protect himself from the streams of water that wash away everything in its path, Evgeniy looks for a high place and does not remember how he ends up in the square next to the monument to Peter I. Now they are side by side and together they are equally equal in the face of the forces of raging water. Eugene watches what is happening with horror and delight; probably, the creator of the great city could have experienced the same feelings. The water gradually subsides, and Evgeny’s first thoughts are about Parasha, he strives to the other side, to the island to a cute house. But horror seizes the hero at the sight of the picture of destruction - there is no small house on the shore, the water did not spare it, it was washed away, the water took both Parasha and her mother.

Grief and despair are replaced by bitterness. Not remembering himself, Eugene returns to the place where he waited out the flood, that is, to the monument to Peter. But now completely different feelings fill the hero’s soul. He was almost mad with grief. Only the pain of loss and the horror of what he experienced live in him. He is looking for the culprit of what happened. He looks up and sees the Great Peter above him, proud and strong. And Eugene suddenly realizes that it is the tsar who is to blame for everything that happened. Terrible words of accusation and threats escape from the hero’s lips, and he addresses these words to the king.

The clash of two unequal forces is presented by Pushkin in the poem: on the one hand, the forces of nature. And akin to these elemental forces is the power of the Tsar, who managed to subjugate all of Russia, forcing other countries and states to reckon with Russia. And on the other hand, the strength of the feelings of a “little man” who has nothing in life, or even if he has something - a beloved, hope for simple, ordinary human happiness - then it can all be destroyed in an instant by the forces of nature or an autocrat because no one will ever think about a common man.

Compared to Peter's grandiose plans and ideas, Eugene's dreams are insignificant. But Pushkin is far from the idea that his hero is wretched and spiritually poor. On the contrary, the desire for personal happiness is quite natural and logical. In Pushkin’s portrayal, Evgeny is honest, striving for independence, he dreams of “providing himself with both independence and honor.” Moreover, it should be noted that Evgeniy is a thinking person. He understands that the culprit in the death of his happiness is the “idol on a bronze horse.”

After the flood, Eugene’s attitude towards Peter changes, and the very image of the Great Transformer also changes:

He is terrible in the surrounding darkness!

What a thought on the brow!

What power is hidden in it!..

Eugene sees before him a terrible, menacing, merciless king. The statue seems to come to life. Eugene rebels against the Bronze Horseman, who now personifies the stronghold of autocratic power:

Already for you!

The Bronze Horseman and Eugene embody the tragic contradictions of history, in which state and personal interests coexist in opposition.

Ticket No. 12 1 question “The Thunderstorm” Ostrovsky’s most decisive work

After Ostrovsky’s drama “The Thunderstorm” was published and staged, contemporaries saw in it a call for renewal of life, for freedom, since it was written in 1860, when everyone was waiting for the abolition of serfdom in the country.
At the center of the play is a socio-political conflict: the conflict between the masters of life, representatives of the “dark kingdom”, and their victims.
Against the backdrop of a beautiful landscape, the unbearable life of ordinary people is depicted. But the picture of nature begins to gradually change: the sky is covered with clouds, thunderclaps are heard. A thunderstorm is approaching, but does this phenomenon only occur in nature? No. So what did the author mean by a thunderstorm?
There is a deep meaning hidden in this name. For the first time this word flashed in the scene of farewell to Tikhon. He says: “...For two weeks there will be no thunderstorm over me.” Tikhon wants to get rid of the feeling of fear and dependence, at least for a while. In the work, a thunderstorm means fear and liberation from it. This is fear driven by tyrants - fear of retribution for sins. “A thunderstorm is sent to us as punishment,” teaches Dikoy Kuligina. The power of this fear extends to many of the characters in the drama and does not even pass by Katerina. Katerina is religious and considers it a sin that she fell in love with Boris. “I didn’t know that you were so afraid of thunderstorms,” Varvara tells her. “How, girl, not to be afraid! - Katerina answers. - Everyone should be afraid. It’s not so scary that it will kill you, but that death will suddenly catch you as you are, with all your sins...” Only the self-taught mechanic Kuligin was not afraid of a thunderstorm, he saw in it a majestic and beautiful spectacle, but not at all dangerous for a person who can easily calm its destructive power with the help of a simple lightning rod pole. Addressing the crowd, overwhelmed with superstitious horror, Kuligin says: “Well, what are you afraid of, pray tell. Now every grass, every flower is rejoicing, but we are hiding, afraid, as if some misfortune is coming! Eh, people. I’m not afraid.”
If in nature a thunderstorm has already begun, then in life its approach is visible from subsequent events. The “dark kingdom” is undermined by Kuligin’s reason and common sense; Katerina expresses her protest: although her actions are unconscious, she does not want to come to terms with the painful living conditions and decides her own fate: she rushes into the Volga. In all this lies the main meaning of the realistic symbol, the symbol of a thunderstorm. However, it is ambiguous. There is something elemental and natural in Katerina’s love for Boris, just like in a thunderstorm. However, unlike a thunderstorm, love brings joy; however, this is not the case with Katerina, if only because she is a married woman. But Katerina is not afraid of this love, just as Kuligin is not afraid of thunderstorms. She says to Boris: “...If I was not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment?” The storm is hidden in the very character of the heroine; she herself says that even in childhood, offended by someone, she ran away from home and sailed alone in a boat along the Volga.
The play was perceived by contemporaries as a sharp denunciation of the existing order in the country. Dobrolyubov said this about Ostrovsky’s drama: “..."The Thunderstorm" is, without a doubt, Ostrovsky's most decisive work... There is something refreshing and encouraging in "The Thunderstorm." This “something” is, in our opinion, the background of the play, indicated by us and revealing the precariousness and the near end of tyranny...”
Both the playwright himself and his contemporaries believed in this.

FI__________________________________________________________________________________________

Educational research

Historical and “private” themes in the poem by A.S. Pushkin "The Bronze Horseman".

Conflict between the interests of the individual and the state. Image of the elements

Problem:

Target:

Tasks:

Main part

1. The history of the creation of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”:

2. Disputes surrounding the poem “The Bronze Horseman”:

3. The main characters of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. Their role in the story:

4. Historical theme in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”:

5. “Private” theme in the poem “The Bronze Horseman:

6. How does the poem present the conflict between the interests of the individual and the state?

7. How is the image of the elements shown?

Conclusion

How do you think, The rebellion of Eugene, who has gone crazy, threatening the idol on a bronze horse (“Oh, you!..”) can lead to any positive changes for the hero, or is this a senseless and punishable rebellion?

Give reasons for your answer.

Thematic area (underline):

"Reason and Feeling";

"Honor and Dishonor";

"Victory and defeat";

“Experience and mistakes”;

"Friendship and enmity."

Literature:

Didactic material.

Yu.V. Lebedev. Literature. Grade 10. Part 1. – M.: Education, 2007 (pp. 142-146).

Self-esteem:

Didactic material

A.S. Pushkin. Poem "The Bronze Horseman"

The poem “The Bronze Horseman” is one of Pushkin’s most capacious, mysterious and complex poems. He wrote it in the fall of 1833 in the famous Boldin. The idea of Pushkin’s “Bronze Horseman” clearly echoes the works of writers who lived much later and dedicated their works, firstly, to the theme of St. Petersburg, and secondly, to the theme of the clash between the great power idea and the interests of the “little man.” The poem has two opposing characters and an insoluble conflict between them.

Pushkin worked intensively on the poem and finished it very quickly - in just twenty-five October days. The history of the creation of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is closely connected not only with realistic motives and documents of the era, but also with the mythology that has developed around the great man and the city that arose according to his highest will.

Censorship restrictions and controversy surrounding the poem

“The Petersburg Tale,” as the author designated its genre, was censored by Emperor Nicholas I himself, who returned the manuscript with nine pencil marks. The disgruntled poet printed the text of the introduction to the poem “The Bronze Horseman” (the history of the creation of the poetic story is overshadowed by this fact) with eloquent voids in place of the king’s notes. Later, Pushkin nevertheless rewrote these passages, but in such a way that the meaning embedded in them did not change. Reluctantly, the sovereign allowed the publication of the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” The history of the creation of the work is also connected with the heated controversy that flared up around the poem after its publication.

Points of view of literary scholars

The controversy continues to this day. It is traditional to talk about three groups of interpreters of the poem. The first includes researchers who affirm the “state” aspect that shines in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. This group of literary scholars, led by Vissarion Belinsky, put forward the version that Pushkin in the poem substantiated the right to carry out fateful deeds for the country, sacrificing the interests and the very life of a simple, inconspicuous person.

Humanistic interpretation

Representatives of another group, led by the poet Valery Bryusov, Professor Makagonenko and other authors, completely took the side of another character - Eugene, arguing that the death of even the most insignificant person from the point of view of the idea of power cannot be justified by great achievements. This point of view is called humanistic.

Eternal conflict

Representatives of the third group of researchers express a system of views about the tragic intractability of this conflict. They believe that Pushkin gave an objective picture in the story “The Bronze Horseman”. History itself has resolved the eternal conflict between the “miraculous builder” Peter the Great and “poor” Eugene, an ordinary city dweller with his modest needs and dreams. The two truths - that of the common man and that of the statesman - remain equal, and neither is inferior to the other.

Terrible events and the poem “The Bronze Horseman”

The history of the creation of the poem, of course, fits firmly into the cultural and historical context of the time when it was created. Those were the times of debate about the place of personality in history and the influence of great transformations on the destinies of ordinary people. This topic worried Pushkin since the late 1820s. Taking as a basis the documentary information about the flood that happened in St. Petersburg on November 7, 1824, about which newspapers published, the brilliant poet and thinker comes to major philosophical and social generalizations. The personality of the great and brilliant reformer Peter, who “put Russia on its hind legs,” appears in the context of the personal tragedy of the insignificant official Eugene with his narrow-philistine dreams of his little happiness, which is not so unconditionally great and worthy of praise. Therefore, Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman” is not limited to odic praise of the transformer who opened the “window to Europe.”

Contrasting Petersburg

The northern capital arose thanks to the strong-willed decision of Tsar Peter the Great after the victory over the Swedes. Its foundation was intended to confirm this victory, to show the strength and power of Russia, and also to open the paths of free cultural and trade exchange with European countries. The city, in which the greatness of the human spirit was felt, manifested in a strict and harmonious architectural appearance, the telling symbolism of sculptures and monuments, appears before us in the story “The Bronze Horseman”. The history of the creation of St. Petersburg is based, however, not only on greatness. Built on topi blat, which contained the bones of thousands of unknown builders, the city is engulfed in an ominous and mysterious atmosphere. Oppressive poverty, high mortality, superiority in diseases and the number of suicides - this is the other side of the magnificent crowned capital in the times about which Alexander Pushkin wrote. The two faces of the city, appearing one through the other, enhance the mythological component of the poem. The “transparent twilight” of pale city lighting gives the inhabitants the feeling that they live in some mysteriously symbolic place in which monuments and statues can come to life and move with ominous determination. And the history of the creation of the “Bronze Horseman” is also to a large extent connected with this. Pushkin, as a poet, could not help but be interested in such a transformation, which became the culmination of the plot. In the artistic space of the story, a cold bronze monument, echoing along the deserted pavement, came to life, pursuing Eugene, distraught with grief after the loss of his beloved and the collapse of all his hopes.

Introduction idea

But before we hear how the earth shakes under the hoof of an iron horse, we have to experience the sad and cruel events that happened in the life of the unfortunate Eugene, who will blame the great Builder for building the city on lands prone to destructive floods, and also realize the bright and the majestic introduction with which the poem “The Bronze Horseman” opens. Peter stands on the bank of a wild river, on the waves of which a frail boat sways, and dense gloomy forests rustle around, and here and there wretched huts of the “Chukhons” stick out. But in his mind’s eye, the founder of the northern capital already sees a “wonderful city”, rising “proudly” and “magnificently” above the granite-clad Neva, a city associated with future state successes and great achievements. Pushkin does not name Peter - the emperor is mentioned here using the pronoun “he”, and this emphasizes the ambiguity of the odic structure of the introduction. Reflecting on how Russia will someday “threaten the Swede” from here, the great figure does not at all see today’s “Finnish fisherman” who threw his “decrepit” net into the water. The Emperor sees a future in which ships are heading to rich marinas from all over the world, but does not notice those who sail in a lonely canoe and huddle in rare huts on the shore. When creating a state, the ruler forgets about those for whose sake it is created. And this painful discrepancy fuels the idea of the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” Pushkin, for whom history was not just a collection of archival documents, but a bridge thrown into the present and future, feels especially keenly and expressively conveys this conflict.

Why did the bronze horseman turn out to be copper in the poet’s mouth?

The point, of course, is not only that the writers of the 19th century did not see a significant semantic difference between bronze and copper. It is deeply symbolic that this is the Bronze Horseman. The history of writing the poem in this case merges with the biblical allegory. It is no coincidence that the poet calls the statue of Peter a “graven” and an “idol” - the authors of the Bible use exactly the same words when talking about the golden calves, which the Jews worshiped instead of the Living God. Here the idol is not even gold, but only copper - this is how the author reduces the brilliance and grandeur of the image, sparkling with external dazzling luxury, but hiding inside it is not at all precious content. These are the subtexts behind the creation of The Bronze Horseman.

Pushkin cannot be suspected of unconditional sympathy for the sovereign idea. However, his attitude towards the fictional idyll constructed in Eugene’s dreams is ambiguous. The hopes and plans of the “little man” are far from deep spiritual quests, and in this Pushkin sees their limitations.

Climax and resolution of the plot

After a colorful introduction and a declaration of love for the city, Pushkin warns that what follows will be about “terrible” events. A hundred years after what happened on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, St. Petersburg official Evgeniy returns home after serving and dreams of his bride Parasha. He is no longer destined to see her, since she, like her modest house, will be carried away by the “frenzied” waters of the “enraged” Neva. When the elements fall silent, Eugene will rush to search for his beloved and make sure that she is no longer alive. His consciousness cannot withstand the blow, and the young man goes crazy. He wanders around the unpleasant city, becomes a target for ridicule from the local children, and completely forgets the way home. For his troubles, Eugene blames Peter, who built the city in an inappropriate place and thereby exposed people to mortal danger. In despair, the madman threatens the bronze idol: “Too bad for you!..” Following that inflamed consciousness, he hears a heavy and ringing “jumping” on the stones of the pavement and sees a Horseman rushing after him with an outstretched hand. After some time, Evgeniy is found dead at the threshold of his house and buried. This is how the poem ends.

Poem and monument

The opening of the monument to Peter the Great on Senate Square in St. Petersburg took place at the end of the summer of 1782. The monument, impressive with grace and grandeur, was erected by Catherine the Second. The French sculptors Etienne Falconet, Marie Anne Collot and the Russian master Fyodor Gordeev, who sculpted a bronze snake under the frantic hoof of Petrov's horse, worked on the creation of the equestrian statue. A monolith, nicknamed the thunder stone, was installed at the foot of the statue; its weight was slightly less than two and a half tons (the entire monument weighs about 22 tons). From the place where the block was discovered and found suitable for the monument, the stone was carefully transported for about four months.

After the publication of Alexander Pushkin’s poem, the hero of which the poet made this particular monument, the sculpture was named the Bronze Horseman. Residents and guests of St. Petersburg have an excellent opportunity to contemplate this monument, which, without exaggeration, can be called a symbol of the city, almost in its original architectural ensemble.

Russia, it seems, is the only state whose history knows the existence of two capitals at once - Moscow and St. Petersburg. Officially, the title of capital was borne, of course, by only one city at different times, but in terms of its power and significance for the state, the second could rightly be called by this honorable name. In this they are twins, but there is a significant difference: Moscow is an old city, it grew out of ancient Slavic settlements, and the first mention of it (that is, its appearance in chronicles, which does not at all mean its birth at this time - it happened much earlier ) date back to 1147. Petersburg is the creation of the hands of Peter I, it was erected by the will of the emperor, it cannot in any way be called spontaneously appeared, Petersburg is a “synthetic” city. Even its names are not of Russian origin and sound unusual to Russian ears, unlike Moscow, whose name is somehow connected with Ancient Russia. Petersburg was built on a geographically inconvenient and even dangerous place for the population (the city was often subject to natural disasters - floods); however, on a national scale, its location was much more advantageous: the proximity of neighboring developed countries, the shore of the Gulf of Finland, the opportunity to “open a window to Europe” - all this contributed to the strengthening of Russia in the international arena. Nevertheless, for many Russian people, St. Petersburg remained a “non-Russian”, a cold city, the personification of evil, the brainchild of Satan (who, accordingly, was Peter I). Any human tragedy within its borders could be imagined as a sacrifice to this merciless monster - St. Petersburg.

For Russian classics, the city became somewhat akin to a living creature that could control human lives. Works with this image are also present among writers of the 19th century. - Gogol, Dostoevsky, and even among the symbolists belonging to the 20th century - Merezhkovsky, A. Bely. The image of “living” Petersburg is also found in Pushkin – in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. In general, this image here is ambiguous: it is both a symbol of the entire era of Peter I, and simply a city suffering a flood, and a huge monument to its founder, and the personification of the entire state.

On November 7, 1824, a flood occurred in St. Petersburg. Many residents died. The main character of the poem, Eugene, mentally connected the raging elements that brought him misfortune with the city itself where it happened, and the city with its founder Peter I. Thus, drawing a parallel, he placed all the blame on the emperor. The flood turned into a tragedy for him: although he himself escaped the sad fate, his bride Parasha was not saved. The house where she lived was washed away, as if it had never existed. Evgeny goes crazy from despair.

These are the main events of the poem, which, not coincidentally, has the subtitle “The Petersburg Tale.” Having carefully read the work, we see Eugene in two roles. Firstly, he is a specific hero, with his own experiences and biography, to which Pushkin does not pay much attention, but still one fact related to his family history takes place: Pushkin hints that Evgeny may belong to the previously famous , but to an impoverished family:

We don't need his nickname.

Although in times gone by

Perhaps it shone

And under the pen of Karamzin

In native legends it sounded;

But now with light and rumor

It's forgotten.

Only this fact sets him apart from the general mass of the population of St. Petersburg. In general, Evgeniy is every resident of the city; his life is like two drops of water similar to the lives of others. That is why we only know about him that he “serves somewhere,” is poor, but full of strength and desire to work, dreams of marrying Parasha and living a long, quiet life:

Perhaps a year or two will pass -

I’ll get a place - Parashe

I will entrust our farm

And raising children...

And we will live, and so on until the grave

We'll both get there hand in hand

And our grandchildren will bury us...

The dream is the most ordinary one. Therefore, Eugene, with all his independent features and biographical facts, should be classified as a class of so-called “little” people.

Nevertheless, he is a separate representative of this group of people, and it is in this capacity that he is opposed to the stormy elements - the Neva, which overflowed its banks. This river in Pushkin is to some extent correlated with the state: it also controls human lives.

Basically, Pushkin’s depiction of St. Petersburg is built on contrast: at the beginning of the poem, “the city of Petrov” is seen as a “window to Europe,” a formidable personification of the power of the state, its “strict, slender appearance” inspires awe; during a flood, the northern capital is no less formidable, but already helpless: the Neva, part of itself, is tearing the city apart from the inside, breaking out of its granite shackles. Petersburg, which at the beginning of the work creates the impression of a somewhat mythical and even mysterious city, subsequently reveals its essence, the river lifts all the dirt from its bottom, carrying “coffins from a washed-out cemetery” through the streets. After the flood, the “sovereign” city reveals another side of itself - indifference, coldness towards its residents. In the image of St. Petersburg, both “evil children” appear, throwing stones at the mad Eugene, and coachmen lashing him with whips.

The state has enormous power, and its symbol is the statue of Peter I. On horseback, the Bronze Horseman climbs a stone block and extends his hand, protecting the city and at the same time asserting his power and authority. Against the backdrop of such power, people seem like puppets. Indeed, Pushkin presents Petersburg in such a way that the reader becomes clear: in this city a person is not an independent person, but only a doll controlled “from above” (by the city). And in such a situation, only the insane Eugene has the courage to “threaten” the mighty ruler, even if he turns to the Bronze Horseman. Although he is out of his mind, for him the statue is alive, so in this situation, dissatisfaction expressed to the monument is tantamount to an accusation thrown in the face of the emperor.

“Welcome, miraculous builder! –

He whispered, trembling angrily, -

Already for you!..”

But the power of influence of the state on the minds is great, and even the insane Eugene seems as if the Bronze Horseman is tearing off his pedestal and rushing after him in order to punish him for his insolence.

Such a conflict cannot end with a determination of which of them - Eugene (one of the characteristic representatives of the “little” people) or the Bronze Horseman (who represents state power) - will be the winner and who will be the defeated. There is fundamentally no answer to such a question, which is what Pushkin shows: the chase ends in nothing, it is meaningless and ineffective. By this the poet wanted to say that the confrontation between man and power will never stop; he repeatedly developed this theme in other works. His point of view is this: the conflict will exist, each side is confident that it is right, but at the same time, both of them are mistaken in their own way, pursuing only their own benefit. Man and power are interconnected, and this connection is sometimes tragic. The legendary “He” mentioned in the Preface is the personification of the state and cares only about state interests, about the fate of Russia; undoubtedly, this is important, but this is like a bird’s eye view, which does not take into account the simple, everyday interests of all people and each individual. At first glance, the state is stronger than man, its authority is unshakable (after his “threat” Evgeniy, passing by the monument, shrinks in fear every time), but using the example of Peter I, who was unable to bind people with an “iron bridle” (or rather, his statue ), it is clearly noticeable how a person, with the power of his heart and memory, evokes the terrible, but powerless anger of the “idol”.

Conflict in A. S. Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”

In 1833, the poet turned to the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. In it he declares the sacrifices on which the progressive cause was built.

The conflict is based on the clash between the glorious monarch and the pitiful, but in his own right, Eugene.

Pushkin outlines the conclusion: the very nature of the autocratic state, and not the cruel character of the tsar, is the reason that the interests of the common man have to be neglected.

The work, which is small in volume, is distinguished by its thoughtfulness and harmonious composition. The exhibition depicts the era of Peter. The poet gives historical justification for the monarch’s plan:

Here on new waves
All the flags will visit us,
And we’ll record it in the open air.

The king does not appear as a character anymore in the poem. He “erected an immortal monument to himself” - St. Petersburg, the apotheosis of which the entire second part sounds like. The first is devoted to a description of the flood that befell the city on November 7, 1824. The king himself is powerless in the face of the elements:

To the balcony
He came out sad and confused
And he said: “With God's element.
Kings cannot control.” He sat down
And in the Duma with sorrowful eyes
I looked at the evil disaster.

Evgeniy, a small worker of St. Petersburg, a descendant of a once noble but impoverished noble family, “cannot cope” with the Neva.

Before us is a poor man who has not remembered his “deceased relatives” for a long time. He knows that only through labor can he “give himself both independence and honor,” he understands “that God could add intelligence and money to him.” Evgeniy doesn’t ask much from fate:

“Perhaps a year or two will pass -
I'll get a place. Parashe
I will entrust our family
And raising children..."

The hero's ideal of life is simple and modest, like himself. However, the flood takes away the only happiness from life, Parasha. Evgeniy is looking for the culprit of the tragic fate. The victorious Bronze Horseman (monument to Peter I by Falcone) personifies the one who caused the poor man’s misfortune. Mad Eugene shouts to the Tsar with insolence:

“Welcome, miraculous builder! -
He whispered, trembling angrily, -
Already for you!..”

This episode is the culmination of the poem. It is noteworthy that the Bronze Horseman comes into conflict not only with our hero. “Finnish waves” disturb “Peter’s eternal sleep.” Both the elements and the grief-stricken person have common features, which include the meaninglessness of rebellion against the cause of Peter. It is interesting that the epithet “mad” is often used by Pushkin to describe Evgeniy. The poet apparently wants to show that both the rebellion of nature and the rebellion of man are vain and useless. The “brazen riot” of the Neva crashed against the granite of Peter’s brainchild. Petersburg remained unshaken. The poet seems to call on the forces of nature to submit to the will of man:

Enmity and ancient captivity
Let the Finnish waves forget
And they will not be vain malice
Disturb Peter's eternal sleep!

Evgeniy’s protest is also meaningless. However, the poet poses another problem - the problem of just rebellion, the right of a poor person to happiness. His rage is insane because it is unfair. The hero hates Peter's cause and opposes his actions, which the poet glorifies in the introduction.

The scene of Eugene's flight, when a revived horseman pursues him, confirms the injustice of the rebellion. Having uttered his words: “Too bad for you!..” - he feels their blasphemy. Confusion, conveyed by the word “suddenly” (“And, frightened, suddenly set off headlong”), covers the soul of the indignant hero.

The king’s face (Eugene’s vision) lights up with a feeling of righteous anger:

It seemed
He is like a formidable king,
Instantly ignited with anger,
The face quietly turned...

The hero realizes the injustice of his evil threat, because a guilty person can feel “embarrassed”. From then on, whenever Evgeniy passed through the square, he “did not raise his eyes in embarrassment...”

Pushkin understands that only endless mental pain could push his hero to an unjust protest. Therefore, the poet is unable to blame the common man; he admits that he is right. According to A.S. Pushkin, when solving public affairs, it is impossible to sacrifice individual people or neglect them. Therefore, the last lines are imbued with great melancholy:

At the threshold
They found my madman,
And the same cold corpse of him
Buried for God's sake.

The conflict between the tsar and the “little man” eliminates the possibility of idealizing the image of Peter I. Probably because of this, “The Bronze Horseman” was not published during the poet’s lifetime.

For the first time in his poem, A.S. Pushkin showed the other side of the tsar’s transformations, carried out by barbaric methods.

The conflict between the individual and the state in the poem The Bronze Horseman (2 version)

At all times, the relationship between the individual and the authorities has worried people. Sophocles was one of the first to raise the topic of conflict between the individual and the state in literature back in the 5th century BC. This conflict was inevitable, this problem remained relevant in the 19th century, during the time of Pushkin, and it is still relevant to this day.

The poem "The Bronze Horseman" occupies a special place in Pushkin's work. This peculiarity lies in the fact that the current reader can see in it predictions that have come true in contemporary history. The conflict between the state and the individual still occurs today. As before, the individual risks his freedom and life, and the state, its authority.

The poem begins with a wonderful picture of St. Petersburg, presented to the reader as “midnight lands of beauty and wonder.” Petersburg appears completely different to us in the poem “The Bronze Horseman,” written by Pushkin in 1833. This is the capital of a strong European state, brilliant, rich, magnificent, but cold and hostile for the “little man”. The sight of an incredible city, which, by human will, stood “on the banks of the Neva” is amazing. It seems that it is full of harmony and high, almost divine, meaning. Nevertheless, it was built by people who carried out human will. This man, to whose will millions are obedient, who embodied the idea of the state, is Peter. Undoubtedly, Pushkin treats Peter as a great man. That is why, in the first lines of the poem, he appears as such. Having squeezed out the meager nature, dressed the banks of the Neva in granite, creating a city that has never existed before, it is truly majestic. But Peter here is also a creator, and therefore a man. Peter stands on the shore “full of great thoughts.” Thoughts, thoughts are another feature of his human appearance.

So, in the first part of the poem we see the dual image of Peter. On the one hand, he is the personification of the state, almost God, creating a fairy-tale city from scratch with his sovereign will, on the other hand, he is a man, a creator. But, having once appeared like this at the beginning of the poem, Peter will later be completely different.

At the time when the action of the poem takes place, Peter’s human essence already becomes the property of history. What remains is the copper Peter - an idol, an object of worship, a symbol of sovereignty. The very material of the monument - copper - speaks volumes. This is the material of bells and coins. Religion and the church as the pillars of the state, finance, without which it is unthinkable, are all united in copper. Resonant, but dull and green-tinged metal, very suitable for a “state horseman”.

Unlike him, Evgeny is a living person. He is the complete antithesis of Peter in everything else. Evgeniy did not build cities; he can be called a philistine. He “does not remember his kinship,” although his surname, as the author clarifies, is one of the noble ones. Evgeniy's plans are simple:

"Well, I'm young and healthy,

Ready to work day and night,

I’ll arrange something for myself

Shelter humble and simple

And in it I will calm Parasha..."

To explain the essence of the conflict in the poem, it is necessary to talk about its third main character, the elements. Peter's force of will, which created the city, was not only a creative act, but also an act of violence. And this violence, having changed in a historical perspective, now, in the time of Eugene, returns in the form of a riot of elements. You can even see the opposite contrast between the images of Peter and the elements. Just as motionless, although majestic, Peter is, so unbridled and mobile is the element. An element that, ultimately, he himself gave birth to. Thus, Peter, as a generalized image, is opposed by the elements, and specifically by Eugene. It would seem, how can an insignificant man in the street even be compared with the bulk of a copper giant?

To explain this, it is necessary to see the development of the images of Eugene and Peter, which occurred at the time of their direct collision. Having long ceased to be a man, Peter is now a copper statue. But his metamorphoses do not stop there. A beautiful, magnificent horseman reveals the ability to become something that most closely resembles a watchdog. After all, it is in this capacity that he chases Eugene around the city. Evgeniy is also changing. From an indifferent philistine he turns into a frightened philistine (the riot of the elements!), and then desperate courage comes to him, allowing him to shout: “Already for you!” This is how two personalities meet in a conflict (for now Evgeniy is also a personality), each going their own way to it.

The first result of the conflict is Eugene's insanity. But is this madness? Perhaps we can say that there are truths, the full meaning of which cannot be sustained by the weak human mind. The great emperor, like a watchdog chasing after the smallest of his subjects, is a funny and terrible figure at the same time. Therefore, Eugene’s laughter is understandable, but his mental illness is also understandable: he came face to face with the state itself, with its copper, merciless face.

So, the conflict between the individual and the state: is it resolved in the poem? Yes and no. Of course, Eugene dies, the person who directly opposed the state in the form of the Bronze Horseman dies. The revolt is suppressed, but the image of the elements that runs through the entire poem remains a disturbing warning. The destruction in the city is enormous. The number of victims is high. Nothing can withstand the elements of flooding. The Bronze Horseman himself stands, washed by muddy waves. He, too, is powerless to stop their onslaught. All this suggests that any violence inevitably entails retribution. In a strong-willed, violent manner, Peter established a city among the wild nature, which will now forever be subject to attacks from the elements. And who knows whether Eugene, who was so in vain and casually destroyed, will not become a small drop of anger, the gigantic wave of which will one day sweep away the copper idol?

A state that endlessly suppresses its subjects in the name of its goals is impossible. They, the subjects, are more important and primary than the state itself. Figuratively speaking, the Finnish waves will forget “their enmity and their ancient captivity” when Evgenia, to be happy with her Parasha, does not need anyone’s permission. Otherwise, the element of popular revolt, no less terrible than the element of flood, will carry out its judgment, without distinguishing between right and wrong. This, in my opinion, is the essence of the conflict between man and the state.

There are a number of differing opinions as to what the main idea of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is. V. G. Belinsky, who argued that the main idea of the poem is the triumph of “the general over the particular,” with the author’s obvious sympathy for “the suffering of this particular,” was obviously right. A.S. Pushkin sings the anthem to the capital of the Russian state:

I love you, Petra's creation,

I love your strict, slender appearance,

Neva sovereign current,

Its coastal granite,

Your fences have a cast iron pattern...

“Pompously, proudly” the city rose “from the darkness of the forests and swamps of blat” and became the heart of a mighty state:

Show off, city Petrov, and stand

Unshakable, like Russia.

Essay text:

The poem "The Bronze Horseman" occupies a special place in Pushkin's work. In my opinion, this feature lies in the fact that the current reader can see in it predictions that have come true in contemporary history. The conflict between the state and the individual still occurs today. As before, the individual risks his freedom and life, and the state its authority. The poem begins with a wonderful picture of St. Petersburg, which appears to the reader as "the beauty and wonder of the midnight lands." The sight of an incredible city, which, by human will, stood "on the banks of the Neva" is amazing. It seems that it is full of harmony and high, almost divine, meaning. Nevertheless, it was built by people who carried out human will. This man, whose will is obedient to millions, who embodied the idea of the state, Peter. Undoubtedly Pushkin's attitude towards Peter as a great man. And here, in the first lines of the poem, he appears as such. Having squeezed out the meager nature, dressed the banks of the Neva in borders, creating a city that has never existed before, it is truly majestic. But Peter here is also a creator, and therefore a man. Peter is standing on the shore, "full of great thoughts." Thoughts, thoughts are another feature of his human appearance. Thus, we see in the first part of the poem the dual image of Peter. On the one hand, he is the personification of the state, almost God, creating a fairy-tale city from scratch with his sovereign will; on the other hand, he is a man, a creator. But, having once appeared like this at the beginning of the poem, then Peter will be completely different. At the time when the action of the poem takes place, the human essence of Peter already becomes the property of history. What remains is the copper image of Peter, an object of worship, a symbol of sovereignty. The very material of the monument, copper, speaks volumes. This is the material of bells and coins. Religion and the church as the pillars of the state, finance, without which it is unthinkable, are all united in copper. The sonorous, but dull and greenish metal is very suitable for the “state horseman”. Unlike him, Evgeniy is a living person. He is a complete antithesis of Peter and in everything else. Evgeniy did not build cities; he can be called a philistine. He “doesn’t remember the relationship,” although his last name, as the author clarifies, is one of the noble ones. Evgeniy’s plans are simple: Well, I’m young and healthy, I’m ready to work day and night, I’ll somehow arrange a shelter for myself, humble and simple, and in it I’ll calm Parasha. To explain the essence of the conflict in the poem, it is necessary to talk about its third main character, the elements. The strong-willed pressure of Peter, who created the city, was not only a creative act, but also an act of violence. And this violence, having changed in a historical perspective, now, in the time of Eugene, returns in the form of a riot of elements. You can even see the opposite contrast between the images of Peter and the elements. Just as motionless, although majestic, Peter is, so unbridled and mobile is the element. Element, which, ultimately, he himself gave birth to. Thus, Peter, as a generalized image, is opposed by the elements, and specifically by Eugene. It would seem, how can an insignificant man in the street even be compared with the bulk of a copper giant? To explain this, it is necessary to see the development of the images of Eugene and Peter, which occurred at the time of their direct collision. Having long ceased to be a man, Peter is now a copper statue. But his metamorphosis does not stop there. A beautiful, magnificent horseman reveals the ability to become something that most closely resembles a watchdog. After all, it is in this capacity that he chases Eugene around the city. Evgeniy is also changing. From an indifferent philistine he turns into a frightened philistine (the rampage of the elements!), and then desperate courage comes to him, allowing him to shout: “Wow!” So two personalities meet in a conflict (for now Evgeny is also a personality), walking towards him , each, their own way. The first result of the conflict is Eugene's insanity. But is this madness? Perhaps we can say that there are truths, the full meaning of which cannot be sustained by the weak human mind. The great emperor, like a watchdog, chasing after the smallest of his subjects, is a funny and terrible figure at the same time. Therefore, Eugene’s laughter is understandable, but his mental illness is also understandable: he came face to face with the state itself, with its copper, merciless face. So, the conflict between the individual and the state: is it resolved in the poem? Yes and no. Of course, Eugene dies, the person who directly opposed the state in the form of the Bronze Horseman dies. Bunҭ is suppressed, but the image of the elements that runs through the entire poem remains a disturbing warning. The destruction in the city is enormous. The number of victims is large. Nothing can withstand the flood. The Bronze Horseman himself stands, washed by the torrential waves. He, too, is powerless to stop their onslaught. All this suggests that any violence inevitably entails retribution. In a strong-willed, violent manner, Peter established a city among the wild nature, which will forever now be subject to attacks from the elements. How can I know whether Eugene, who was so in vain and casually destroyed, will not become a small drop of anger, the gigantic wave of which will one day sweep away the copper idol? A state that endlessly suppresses its subjects in the name of its goals is impossible. They, the subjects, are more important and primary than the state itself. Figuratively speaking, I will forget “my ancient enmity and captivity” Finnish waves when Evgenia, to be happy with her Parasha, does not need anyone’s permission. Otherwise, the element of popular revolt, no less terrible than the element of flood, will carry out its judgment, without distinguishing between right and wrong. This, in my opinion, is the essence of the conflict between the individual and the state in Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman”.

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