Folk character in Russian literature of the 19th century. Ways to Create a Heroic Character

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Introduction

1. Reflection of the features of the Russian mentality in the fiction of the 19th century

2. Russian artistic culture of the second half of the 19th century

Conclusion

Bibliography

Introduction

Fiction actively participates in modern life, influencing the souls of people, their culture and ideology. And at the same time, she is a mirror: on her pages, in the images and paintings she created, spiritual development society for many decades, the feelings, aspirations and aspirations of the masses are expressed different stages the historical past of the country, embodies the mentality of the Russian people.

Since the task of our research is to trace how the features of the character and culture of the Russian people are reflected in Russian literature, we will try to find in the works fiction manifestations of the above traits.

However, little scientific literature is devoted to this issue, only a few scientists have seriously worked on this topic, although by analyzing our past and present and identifying the direction of our character and culture, it is possible to determine the right path along which Russia should move in the future.

The object of our research is the culture and character of the Russian people, its characteristics and distinctive features.

When writing this work, three main methods were used: analysis and synthesis of philosophical literature on this issue, analysis and synthesis of 19th century fiction and analysis historical events Russia.

The purpose of this work is to study the characteristics and distinctive features of the character and culture of the Russian people through works of philosophical and artistic literature and historical events.

The purpose of this study is to trace how the features of Russian character and culture are reflected in Russian literature.

1. Reflection of the features of the Russian mentality in fiction of the 19th century

If we turn to N.V. Gogol, then in his poem “Dead Souls” one can observe the manifestation of all that scope and ignorance of proportion that is so characteristic of the Russian people. The composition of the work is based on the journey of the main character Chichikov across the endless Russian expanses. Chichikov's britzka, a Russian troika, "equipped" by the "Yaroslavl efficient man", turns into symbolic image the rapid, “wonderful movement of Rus' into an unknown distance.”

The writer did not know where the Rus' Troika was rushing, because Rus' is wide and vast. In chapters V and IX we observe landscapes of endless fields and forests: “...And the mighty space threateningly embraces me, with terrible force reflected in my depths; My eyes lit up with unnatural power: oh! what a sparkling, wonderful, unknown distance to the earth! Rus'!..” But even in the images created by Gogol we see scope, breadth, and prowess. Manilov is extremely sentimental and dreamy, which prevents him from effectively managing the earth.

Nozdryov clearly expressed irrepressible energy in real life, daring and a destructive tendency to participate in all sorts of “stories,” fights, drinking bouts: “Nozdryov was in some respects historical person. Not a single meeting he attended was complete without a story. Some kind of story would certainly happen: either the gendarmes would lead him out of the hall by the arm, or his own friends would be forced to push him out. If this doesn’t happen, then something will happen that won’t happen to anyone else: either he will be cut up at the buffet in such a way that he only laughs, or he will break out in the most cruel way...” Gogol speaks about Plyushkina as a phenomenon unusual for Russia: “I must say that such a phenomenon rarely comes across in Russia, where everything likes to unfold rather than shrink.” Plyushkin is distinguished by greed, incredible stinginess, stinginess to the extreme, so he seems to “shrink.” Nozdrev, “ reveling in the full breadth of the Russian prowess of the nobility, burning through life, as they say,” “loves to turn around.” The desire to cross the boundaries of decency, the rules of the game, any norms of behavior is the basis of Nozdryov’s character. He says such words when he goes to show Chichikov the boundaries of his estates: “This is the border! Everything you see on this side is all mine, and even on this side, all this forest that turns blue over there, and everything beyond the forest, it’s all mine.” One gets a rather vague idea of what is real here, and what not. For him, there are no boundaries in anything - the clearest example of such a trait of the Russian mentality as the desire for scope. His generosity even goes beyond all boundaries: he is ready to give Chichikov all the dead souls that he has, just to find out why he needs them .

Plyushkin goes to the other extreme: a liqueur, carefully cleaned of dust and boogers, and a cake brought by his daughter, somewhat spoiled and turned into crackers, he offers to Chichikov. And if we talk about landowners in general, then their inhumanity knows no bounds, just as Nozdryov knows no bounds in his revelry. Breadth, going beyond limits, scope can be seen in everything; the poem is literally saturated with all this.

The record of the Russian people found its clearest reflection in Saltykov-Shchedrin’s “History of a City.” The tribe of bunglers, in order to achieve some kind of order, decided to gather all the other tribes living in the surrounding area, and “it started with kneading the Volga with oatmeal, then dragging the calf to the bathhouse, then boiling porridge in a purse”... But nothing came of it. Boiling porridge in the purse did not lead to order, and head scratching also did not produce results. Therefore, the bunglers decided to look for a prince. There is a phenomenon of searching for a defender, intercessor, and ruler, which is so characteristic of the Russian people. The bunglers cannot solve their problems on their own, they can only throw hats at the Kosobryukhs. The desire for revelry prevailed and led to complete disorder in the tribe. They need a leader who will do everything for everyone. The wisest in the tribe say this: “He will provide us with everything in an instant, he will make soldiers for us, and he will build the proper prison” (the breadth of space still puts pressure on the residents of Foolov, and they want to somehow isolate themselves, as evidenced by this detail, like a prison). The Foolovites, who are the personification of the Russian people, relaxed in the presence of Mayor Brudasty, and then, “as soon as the Foolovites found out that they were left completely without a mayor, driven by the power of love for the authorities, they immediately fell into anarchy,” which was manifested in the smashing of windows in a fashionable establishment of a French woman, in throwing Ivashki from the roll and drowning the innocent Porfishki. fiction gogol mentality

However, the intensification of administrative activity in Foolov led to the fact that the residents “overgrown with hair and sucked their paws.” And they even somehow got used to it! This is already happiness: “We live like this without having a real life.” The woman of the city, Foolov, is the force that brings movement to the life of the city. Strelchikha Domashka - “she was the type of woman-khalda, swearing casually,” “she had extraordinary courage,” “from morning to evening her voice rang throughout the settlement.” Mayor Ferdyshchenko even forgot why he came to the field, what he wanted to tell the Foolovites when he saw Domashka, “acting in one shirt, in front of everyone, with a pitchfork in her hands.”

If we pay attention to the contenders for the position of mayor, we see from the description that each of them has a masculine trait: Iraidka, “of an unyielding character, courageous build,” Klemantinka “had a tall stature, loved to drink vodka and rode horseback like a man,” and Amalia , a strong, lively German woman. It should also be noted that in the tale of the six mayors, for some time the government was in the hands of Clemantine de Bourbon, due to some kind of family relationship connected with France; from the German Amalia Karlovna Shtokfisch, from the Pole Aneli Aloizievna Lyadokhovskaya. In the novel "Oblomov" I.A. Goncharov we also find a manifestation of the traits of the Russian mentality. The clearest example of a passive person is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov. And the point is not whether he is just a slacker and a lazy person, who has nothing sacred, just sitting in his place, or whether he is a person of high developed culture, wise and spiritually rich, he nevertheless does not show activity. Throughout almost the entire novel we see him lying on the sofa. He can’t even put on boots and a shirt himself, because he’s used to relying on his servant Zakhar. Oblomov was brought out of his state of “immobility and boredom” by his friend Andrei Stolz (again, a German). The passivity of the Russian people, called “eternally feminine” by Berdyaev, finds an outlet in Goncharov’s description of Ilya Ilyich: “in general, his body, judging by its matte finish, is too white color neck, small plump arms, soft shoulders, it seemed too pampered for a man." His lying on the sofa was occasionally diluted by the appearance of fellow revelers, for example, the ardent reveler and robber Tarantiev, in whom one can hear a echo of Gogol's Nozdryov. Immersion in the depths of thought and spirituality life, distracting Oblomov from external life, presupposes a leader who will always guide the hero who Stolz becomes.Oblomov's passivity is also manifested in his love for Olga Ilyinskaya.

The letter that was written to her began with the fact that it was very strange for such a letter to appear, since Olga and Ilya Ilyich see each other a lot and an explanation could have been completed long ago. This indicates some timidity, passivity even in such a matter as love!.. It is from Ilyinskaya that the initiative comes. It is Olga who always brings Oblomov into conversations, she is some kind of engine of these relationships (like a real Russian woman, brave, strong and persistent), offering some meetings, walks, evenings, and in this we see an illustration of that feature of the mentality of the Russian people , which characterizes the position of women and men.

Another feature of the Russian mentality - Russian love - can be seen in this work. Oblomov, realizing that “they don’t like people like that,” did not demand from Olga reciprocal feelings for his love, he even tries to warn her against the mistaken choice of a groom in his person: “You are mistaken, look around!” This is the sacrifice of Russian love. You can also note another feature of the Russian mentality - duality, since Oblomov does not want to admit what is so unpleasant for him - the erroneous, false love of Olga Ilyinskaya - and can marry her to himself while she thinks that she loves, but we immediately encounter a characteristic of the Russian people inconsistency: he is afraid of hurting Olga by marrying her to him forever, and at the same time hurting himself because he loves the heroine and breaks off relations with her. The image of Agafya Pshenitsina also illustrates the passivity and sacrifice of Russian love: she does not want to disturb Oblomov with her feeling: “Agafya Matveevna makes no urgings, no demands.” Thus, using the example of Goncharov’s novel “Oblomov,” we traced how the following traits manifest themselves in literature: sacrifice and cruelty in love, intelligence and passivity, fear of suffering and inconsistency. The stories of Nikolai Semenovich Leskov “Chertogon” and “The Enchanted Wanderer” very clearly illustrate the above-mentioned features of the mentality of the Russian people.

In the first story "Chertogon" we can observe a ritual "that can only be seen in Moscow alone." Over the course of one day, a number of events happen to the hero of the story, Ilya Fedoseevich, which are narrated to the reader by his nephew, who saw his uncle for the first time and spent all this time with him. In the image of Ilya Fedoseevich, that Russian prowess is represented, that Russian scope, which is expressed by the proverb to walk like that. He goes to the restaurant (where he is always a welcome guest), and on his orders, all visitors are kicked out of the restaurant and they begin to prepare every single dish indicated on the menu for a hundred people, they order two orchestras and invite all the most eminent persons of Moscow.

The author lets the reader know that Ilya Fedoseevich sometimes forgets about moderation and can plunge into revelry by assigning to his hero the “half-grey, massive giant” Ryabyk, who “was in a special position” - to protect his uncle, in order to have someone to pay . The party was in full swing all evening. There was also forest cutting: my uncle cut down exotic trees displayed in the restaurant, since the gypsies from the choir were hiding behind them; “they were taken prisoner”: dishes were flying, the rumble and cracking of trees was heard. “Finally, the stronghold was taken: the gypsies were grabbed, hugged, kissed, each one stuck a hundred rubles for the “corsage”, and the matter was over...” The theme of the worship of beauty can be traced, as the uncle was fascinated by the gypsy charm. Ilya Fedoseevich and all the guests did not skimp on money, as they threw expensive dishes at each other and paid a hundred rubles here and there. At the end of the evening, Ryabyka paid for all this revelry instead of his uncle with a huge amount of money - as much as seventeen thousand, and his uncle just without any concern, “with a calmed and rejuvenated soul,” said to pay. The whole breadth of the Russian soul is evident, ready to live life through and not be limited by anything: for example, the requirement to lubricate the wheels with honey, which “is more interesting in the mouth.”

But also in this story there is a “combination of the difficult to combine” and that special Russian holiness, which requires only humility, even in sin: after such a revelry, the uncle cleans himself up in the hairdresser and visits the baths. Such a message as the death of a neighbor with whom Ilya Fedoseevich had been drinking tea for forty years in a row was not surprising. The uncle replied that “we will all die,” which was only confirmed by the fact that he walked like the last time, without denying anything and without limiting himself in anything. And then he sent to take the stroller to Vsepeta (!) - he wanted to “fall before Vsepeta and cry about his sins.”

And in his repentance, the Russian knows no limits - he prays so that it is as if the hand of God is lifting him by the tuft. Ilya Fedoseevich is both from God and from the demon: “his spirit is burning towards heaven, but his legs are still in hell.” In Leskov's story "The Enchanted Wanderer" we see a hero who, throughout the entire story, is a combination of mutually exclusive properties. Ivan Flyagin overcomes a difficult path, which is a circle in which we can observe all the above-mentioned features of the Russian mentality, the defining of which is duality. The entire work is built on a complete antithesis and the connecting link of the opposing elements is Flyagin himself. Let's turn to the plot. He, a praying son, protected by the Lord (which in itself contradicts the commission of some kind of sin), saves the count and countess, feels compassion for the murdered missionaries, but the death of the monk and Tatar is on his conscience; whatever the reason, he killed Grusha. Also, the inconsistency of the image lies in the fact that he loves a gypsy, whom he barely knows, Grushenka, and does not recognize his Tatar wives, although he lived with them for eleven years; he cares for someone else's child, but does not love his own legitimate children because they are not baptized. When Flyagin lived in the count's house, he kept pigeons, and the count's cat ate the eggs laid by the dove, so the hero decided to take revenge on her and cut off her tail with an ax.

This speaks to the inconsistency of his character - love for a bird (or a horse, since Flyagin’s work was connected with them) coexists with such cruelty towards a cat. Flyagin cannot resist making an “exit”, implying that he will not be there for a certain amount of time, since any such exit is not complete without visiting a tavern, if this is not the main reason at all... Here is an example of Russian ignorance of proportions: Flyagin is going with five thousand rubles from his master to a tavern, where, under the influence of some kind of magnetizer (which, by the way, says in French words, which puts emphasis on the knowledge of a Russian person under the influence of foreign influence) is treated for drunkenness with vodka (!), as a result of which he gets drunk to hell in the literal sense of the word and wanders into a tavern (again, the story contains gypsies, who are a symbol in Russian fiction prowess, scope, revelry, drunken fun and revelry), where the gypsies sing.

With all his broad Russian soul, he begins to throw the lord’s “swans” at the gypsy’s feet, like the rest of the guests (it is no coincidence that “other guests” are used in the stories - Ilya Fedoseevich cut down trees with a late general, and Flyagin was constantly trying to outdo the hussar - so as these heroes are not isolated phenomena, they constitute the whole Russian people), infected with this captivating carefree fun of the gypsy tavern, first one at a time, and then a whole fan: “Why should I torture myself like this in vain! I’ll let my soul walk to its heart’s content.” It is interesting that on the way to the tavern, Flyagin goes into the church to pray so that the master’s money does not disappear, as if anticipating a loss of control over himself, and, by the way, manages to show the demon a figurine in the temple. Here also such features of the Russian mentality as leadership and worship of beauty are manifested: Flyagin no longer controls, power over him belongs to the beautiful gypsy Grushenka, who captivated the hero with her unprecedented beauty. Flyagin says the following words about this: “I can’t even answer her: she did this to me right away! Right away, that is, when she bent over the tray in front of me and I saw how it was between the black hairs on her head, as if silver, the parting curls and falls behind my back, so I went crazy, and all my mind was taken away from me... “Here it is,” I think, “where the real beauty is, what nature calls perfection...” There is also Russian love in this story, which manifested itself in the murder of Grusha, who would forever be tormented by feelings for the prince and his betrayal: “I trembled all over, and told her to pray, and did not stab her, but took her and pushed her off the steep slope into the river...” Despite all those sins that the hero accomplished in his life, during the narration of this story he became a church minister. Flyagin follows the path of sin, but prays and repents of his sins, for which he becomes a righteous man. Using this image as an example, we see that in a Russian person the angelic and the demonic can coexist , how great is the amplitude of fluctuation - from committing a murder to becoming God's servant.

In the poem by N.A. Nekrasov can trace the features of the Russian mentality. The scope of the Russian soul is clearly presented here: “In the village of Bosovo, Yakim Nagoy lives, he works until he’s dead, he drinks half to death!..” Accustomed to turning around in everything, the Russian man forgets to pause here too. We can observe in the poem a manifestation of such a feature of the Russian mentality as admiration for beauty. During the fire, Yakim Nagoy ran first to save pictures from beautiful images , bought for my son. We also note that people see their happiness in suffering! Although this contradicts another feature of the mentality - the fear of any suffering in general. Perhaps the people would like to avoid some “single” griefs, but when their whole life consists of only sad things, they learn to live with it and even find in it some kind of happiness that is understandable, probably only to the Russian people... in suffering, in agony! In the poem it is written like this: “Hey, peasant happiness! Leaky with patches, hunchbacked with calluses...” in the poem there are a lot of songs that reflect the mood of the people, which express the above-mentioned feature of the Russian mentality: “- Eat the prison, Yasha! Milk- then no! “Where is our cow?” - They took away my light! The master took her home for the offspring. It’s a glorious life for the people in Saint Russia!” This song is called cheerful. In the chapter about Savely, the Bogatyr of Svyatorus, we meet a peasant who suffered torture every year for non-payment of tribute, but was even proud of it, because he was a hero and protected others with his chest: “The arms are twisted with chains, the legs are forged with iron, the back... the dense forests have passed along it - they broke. And the chest? Elijah the prophet thunders along it and rides on a chariot of fire... The hero endures everything! " There is a Russian woman, strong, hardy, courageous - Matryona Timofeevna: “Matryona Timofeevna, a dignified woman, broad and dense, about thirty-eight years old. Beautiful; gray hair, large, stern eyes, rich eyelashes, stern and dark-skinned. She is wearing a white shirt , and a short sundress, and a sickle over the shoulder." She endures all the hardships of life, cruelty from her father-in-law and mother-in-law, from her sister-in-law. Matryona Timofeevna sacrifices herself for the sake of her beloved husband and tolerates his family: “The family was huge, grumpy... I ended up in hell from my maiden holiday! redeem." And her husband Philip, the intercessor (the leading Russian follower; the governor and the governor’s wife, to whom Matryona Timofeevna went to resolve her trouble), act as a leader, in the role of intercessor in the poem, hit her, albeit only once: “Philip Ilyich I got angry, waited until I put the pot on the pole, and hit me on the temple!.. Filyushka also added... And that’s it!” Belief in omens and superstition, in fate in this poem is reflected in the fact that Matryona Timofeevna’s mother-in-law was always offended if someone acted, forgetting about omens; Even famine in the village happened because Matryona put on a clean shirt on Christmas Day. Savely said the following words: “no matter how you fight, stupid, what is written in your family cannot be avoided! Men have three paths: a tavern, a prison and hard labor, and women in Russia have three nooses: white silk, the second - red silk, and the third - black silk, choose any!.." Another feature of the Russian mentality - holiness - is reflected in the following episodes of the poem. Grandfather Savely goes to the monastery after neglecting Demushka, in search of remission of sins. In the story of two great sinners, we again see Russian holiness. In Kudeyar, the robber chieftain, “God awakened his conscience.” For repentance of sins, “God took pity.” The murder of the sinful Pan Glukhovsky is a manifestation of full awareness of the sins once committed by Kudeyar, the murder of a sinner atones for sins, therefore the tree that Kudeyar had to cut with a knife fell itself as a sign of forgiveness: “Just now the bloody master fell with his head on the saddle, a huge tree collapsed , the echo shook the whole forest." It is no coincidence that we noted precisely the external manifestations of the Russian mentality. What explains this behavior of the heroes of the above-mentioned works can be found in Tyutchev’s lyrics and when considering the connection between the hero of Dostoevsky’s novel Mitya Karamazov and Apollo Grigoriev.

In Tyutchev’s lyrics one can observe how the features of the mentality of the Russian people manifest themselves. In many poems, the poet talks about contradictions, about absolutely opposite things that coexist simultaneously in the Russian soul.

For example, in the poem “O my prophetic soul!” illustrates the duality of the soul of the Russian person: “Let the suffering chest be agitated by fatal passions - the soul is ready, like Mary, to cling to the feet of Christ forever.” That is, again, the soul is a “dweller of two worlds” - the sinful world and the holy world. We again see a contradiction in the words of the lyrical hero: “Oh, how you are beating on the threshold of a kind of double existence!..” in the poem “Our Century” we note the combination of unbelief and faith in one person: “Let me in! - I believe, my God ! Come to the aid of my unbelief!.." The hero turns to God, therefore, the desire to believe and the desire to deny everything coexist in him at the same time, his soul constantly fluctuates between these two opposite sides. In the poem “Day and Night” we see confirmation that at the heart of the Russian soul there is always something darkly elemental, chaotic, wild, drunken: “and the abyss is exposed to us with its fears and darkness, and there are no barriers between us ..." We observe the cruelty and sacrifice of Russian love in the poem "Oh, how murderously we love...":

"Fate is a terrible sentence

your love was for her,

and undeserved shame

she laid down her life!

And what about the long torment?

like ashes, did she manage to save them?

Pain, the evil pain of bitterness,

pain without joy and without tears!

Oh, how murderously we love!

As in the violent blindness of passions

we are most likely to destroy,

what is dearer to our hearts!.."

Speaking about the Russian mentality, one cannot speak about such a person as Apollo Grigoriev. A parallel can be drawn between him and the hero of Dostoevsky’s novel Mitya Karamazov. Grigoriev was not, of course, in in every sense the prototype of Dmitry Karamazov, but, nevertheless, we see in the latter many characteristic Grigorievsky features and the connection between them seems quite close.

Mitya Karamazov is a man of nature. The minute dominates his life, dragging him along with it and constantly revealing two abysses. Delight and fall, Schiller and debauchery, noble impulses and base deeds alternately, or even together, burst into his life. Already these fairly obvious features indicate a mental situation very close to Grigoriev’s. It is the collision of the ideal and the earthly, the need for a higher existence with a passionate thirst to live that can be seen in the fate of Grigoriev and in the fate of Mitya. If we take as an example the attitude towards a woman and love, then for both of them it is like some point in life at which contradictions converge. For Mitya, the ideal of the Madonna somehow came into contact with the ideal of Sodom (two extremes), and he was unable to separate them. Grigoriev had that “ideal of Madonna” seen on painting by Murillo. In the Louvre, he prays to the Venus de Milo to send him “a woman - a priestess, not a merchant.” The frenzied Karamazov feeling can be heard in his letters almost as clearly as in Mitya’s hymns to Queen Grushenka. “To be frank: what I haven’t done to myself over the past four years. What meannesses I haven’t allowed myself in relation to women, as if taking it out on them all for the damned puritanical purity of one - and nothing helped... I sometimes love her to the point of baseness , to the point of self-humiliation, although she was the only thing that could raise me. But there will be...” Such duality, the incompatibility of the two sides of existence, tears at the soul of Apollo Grigoriev in its Karamazov way. Submission to the unconscious elements does not yet bring internal integrity. He realized that he was releasing “wild and unbridled” forces, and already, while these forces were taking more and more power over him, he felt more and more acutely that he was not living as he should. Here are examples from his letters: “A whole period of dissolute and ugly life lay here in a layer, I escaped from it as the same wild gentleman who is known to you from all his good and bad sides... how I lived in Paris, it’s better not to ask about this "Poisonous blues, crazy - bad hobbies, drunkenness to the point of visions - this is life."

The two abysses of Apollo Grigoriev’s life became more and more clearly visible. He wrote about the duality of the Russian soul and tried to justify with it everything that happened to him. But the duality with his keen critical consciousness also turned out to be unbearable. From the end of his stay in Italy, there was a struggle in his soul, a struggle between life and death. He wrote: “For me, for example, no human efforts can either save or correct me. For me there are no experiences - I fall into eternal spontaneous aspirations... I thirst for nothing more than death... Neither of me nor of us has anything at all comes out and can’t come out.” He still continued to believe in life with an impenetrable Russian faith, which, in fact, is difficult to define as a life phenomenon - what is Russian faith? Grigoriev felt himself captured by the vortex principle and, in the name of his faith, surrendered to it to the end with the feeling that later Alexander Blok called love for destruction. A terrible monument to his last wandering was the poem “Up the Volga,” ending with a groan: “Vodka or what?..” up the Volga Grigoriev was returning to St. Petersburg, where a debtor’s prison and a quick death awaited him, a forty-year-old man, almost under the fence.

The rhythm of vortex movement is equally present in the lives of Apollo Grigoriev and Dmitry Karamazov. In Dostoevsky's novel this rhythm plays an almost decisive role. Despite the stops and turns in Mitya’s fate, the speed of movement is increasing, and life is rapidly carrying Mitya towards disaster. This rhythm finds its highest expression in the scene of desperate driving in the wet, when the passion for a woman fights in him with the passion of renunciation and shame for what was done depicts the only way out for the confused mind - suicide. “And yet, despite all the determination he had made, his soul was vague, vague to the point of suffering, and the determination did not give him peace... There was one moment on the way that he suddenly wanted... to take out his loaded pistol and end everything without waiting and dawn. But that moment flew by like a spark. And the trio flew, “devouring space,” and as they approached the goal, again the thought of her, of her alone, more and more captured his breath..."

And in the fall, Grigoriev finds delight and beauty, if there is no other way out, and finds the only true and beautiful solution to fall to the end, as the Russian scale allows. Just like Mitya: “Because if I’m going to fly into the abyss, I’ll do it straight, head down and heels up, and I’m even pleased that it’s in this humiliating position that I fall and consider it beauty for myself.” Apollo Grigoriev also traces the theme of gypsies in the cycle “Struggle” - a Hungarian gypsy woman. In him we finally see an accurate and comprehensive definition of the gypsy theme: “It’s you, the dashing spree, you are the fusion of evil sadness with the voluptuousness of the Badeyarka - you, the motive of the Hungarian!”

In general, Mitya and Apollo Grigoriev were always attracted by beauty, and perhaps because “beauty is a terrible and terrible thing,” a mysterious thing, a “divine riddle,” to guess which means to say goodbye to this light; “When you look into the abyss, you don’t want to go back, and it’s impossible.” But the desire to give an accurate, almost mathematical definition is not inherent in the poet... Yes, Grigoriev the scientist was not completely defeated by Grigoriev the poet and Grigoriev the scientist did not completely defeat Grigoriev the poet, leaving Apollo Grigoriev in a state bifurcation. Grigoriev the man, the Russian, the truly Russian man, won. Before us are different works by different authors, but they are united by some common features that can be traced here and there: breadth, scope, an uncontrollable desire to look into the abyss, to fall into it, and the desire of the soul for the light, for the divine, for the temple, which has just left she's a tavern. Flyagin, Ilya Fedoseevich, Oblomov, Yakim Nagoy, Tarantiev, Nozdrev - this is a whole gallery of images illustrating the features of the Russian mentality. Oscillation from one extreme to another - from the tavern to the temple for Ilya Fedoseevich, from the temple to the tavern for Ivan Flyagin - closes the path of the Russian person in an endless circle, in which other features of the mentality of the Russian people, such as knowledge, passivity, worship, manage to manifest themselves. beauty, holiness, etc. The interaction of all these traits confirms that we have not listed some independent and isolated traits that appear among the Russian people, we have named the traits of the mentality, which by definition is a combination of these traits and something holistic, unified, where each element is in close connection with another.

2. Russian artistic culture of the second half of the 19th centuryA

Russian literature second half of the 19th century century continues the traditions of Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol. There is a strong influence of criticism on the literary process, especially the master's thesis of N.G. Chernyshevsky "Aesthetic relations of art to reality." His thesis that beauty is life underlies many literary works of the second half of the 19th century.

This is where the desire to reveal the causes of social evil comes from. The main theme of works of literature and, more broadly, works of Russian artistic culture At this time, the theme of the people, its acute social and political meaning, becomes.

In literary works, images of men appear - righteous people, rebels and altruistic philosophers.

Works by I.S. Turgeneva, N.A. Nekrasova, L.N. Tolstoy, F.M. Dostoevsky's works are distinguished by a variety of genres and forms, and stylistic richness. The special role of the novel in literary process as phenomena in the history of world culture, in artistic development of all humanity.

"Dialectics of the soul" became important discovery Russian literature of this period.

Along with the appearance of the “great novel,” small narrative forms of great Russian writers appear in Russian literature (please look at the literature program). I would also like to note dramatic works A.N. Ostrovsky and A.P. Chekhov. In poetry, high civil position ON THE. Nekrasov, soulful lyrics by F.I. Tyutchev and A.A. Feta.

Conclusion

Solving the assigned tasks, studying materials on this topic, we came to the conclusion that the Russian mentality has the following features and distinctive features: ignorance of proportion, breadth and scope (illustrations are such heroes of works of fiction as the “wasting life” reveler Nozdryov from Gogol’s poem , the reveler and robber Tarantyev from Oblomov, Ilya Fedoseevich, ordering dinner from the most expensive dishes for a hundred people and arranging the cutting of exotic trees in a restaurant, Ivan Flyagin, getting drunk in a tavern and squandering five thousand rubles in a night in a lordly tavern); knowledge and irresistible faith (this trait is clearly reflected in the “History of a City” by Saltykov-Shchedrin: without the prince there was no order, and the residents of the city of Foolov threw off Ivashki and drowned the innocent Porfishek, believing that a new city chief would come and will arrange their life, bring order); passivity (an example of a passive person is Ilya Ilyich Oblomov, who cannot deal with economic affairs, and even cannot be active in love); a Russian man is a generator of ideas, a Russian woman is the engine of Russian life (Olga Ilyinskaya orders Oblomov to read books and then talk about them, calls him for walks and invites him to visit, she feels love when Ilya Ilyich is already thinking about what she will do in the future meet your true other half); cruelty and sacrifice in Russian love (In the story “The Enchanted Wanderer,” Ivan Flyagin kills Grushenka, the one he loves, and Ilya Ilyich Oblomov breaks up with Olga, although he loves); admiration for beauty (Yakim Naga in Nekrasov’s poem “Who Lives Well in Russia?” During a fire, he ran to save the pictures that he had once bought for his son, since they depicted something very beautiful. The reader does not know what exactly was in the pictures, but the author makes it clear that people are drawn to beauty with irresistible force, they are attracted by beauty); holiness (Ilya Fedoseevich from Leskov’s story “Chertogon” allows himself to drunkenly cut down trees, break dishes in a restaurant and chase gypsy girls from the choir and at the same time repent for all this in the temple, where, by the way, as in the restaurant, he is a regular) ; duality, inconsistency, combination of the difficult to combine (Mitya Karamazov and Apollon Grigoriev constantly fluctuate between delight and fall, find happiness in grief, rush between a tavern and a temple, want to die from love, and when dying, they talk about love, look for an ideal and immediately surrender earthly hobbies, desire a higher heavenly existence and combine this with an irresistible thirst to live).

Bibliography

1. Gachev G.D. Mentality of the peoples of the world. M., Eksmo, 2003.

2. Likhachev D.S. Thoughts about Russia: St. Petersburg: LOGOS Publishing House, 2001.

3. Ozhegov S.I., Shvedova N.Yu. Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. M., 1997.

4. Likhachev D.S. Three foundations of European culture and Russian historical experience// Likhachev D.S. Selected works on Russian and world culture. St. Petersburg, 2006. P. 365.

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What is character

Psychologists, speaking about character, mean a certain combination of individual traits that are persistent in their expression. These traits have the maximum impact on the behavioral line of the individual in diverse relationships:

among people;
in the work team;
to one's own personality;
to the surrounding reality;
to physical and mental labor.

The word "character" Greek origin, it means “to mint.” This definition was introduced into everyday use by the natural scientist Ancient Greece, philosopher Theophrastus. Such a word really, very accurately defines the nature of an individual.

Theophrastus was the first to coin the term "character"

The character seems to be drawn as a unique drawing; it gives birth to a unique stamp, which is worn by the individual in a single copy.

To put it simply, character is a set, a combination of stable individual mental characteristics.

How to understand nature

To understand what kind of nature an individual has, you need to analyze all his actions. It is behavioral reactions that determine examples of character and characterize personality.

But such a judgment is often subjective. A person does not always react the way his intuition tells him. Actions are influenced by upbringing, life experience, and customs of the environment where the person lives.

But you can understand what kind of character a person has. Observing and analyzing for a long time actions of a certain person, it is possible to identify individual, especially stable traits. If a person behaves the same way in completely different situations, showing similar reactions, makes the same decision, this indicates the presence of a certain nature.

Knowing which character traits are manifested and predominant in an individual, one can predict how he will manifest himself in a given situation.

Character and its traits

A character trait is an important part of a personality; it is a stable quality that determines the interaction between a person and the surrounding reality. This is the defining method of resolving emerging situations, therefore psychologists consider a personality trait as a predictable personal behavior.

Variety of characters

A person acquires characteristics of character throughout his entire life; it is impossible to classify individual traits of nature as innate and characterological. To analyze and assess a personality, a psychologist does not simply determine the totality individual characteristics, but also highlights their distinctive features.

It is character traits that are defined as primary in the study and compilation of psychological characteristics of a person.

But, defining, evaluating a person, studying behavioral traits in socially, the psychologist also uses knowledge of the content orientation of nature. It is defined in:

strength-weakness;
breadth-narrowness;
static-dynamic;
integrity-contradiction;
integrity-fragmentation.

Such nuances constitute a general, complete characteristic of a particular person.

List of personality traits

Human nature is a complex combination of unique traits that forms a unique system. This order includes the most striking, stable personal qualities, revealed in gradations of human-society relationships:

Relationship system	Inherent Traits of an Individual
Relationship system	Pros	Cons
To self	Pickiness	Condescension
	Self-criticism	Narcissism
	Meekness	Boastfulness
	Altruism	Egocentrism
To the people around you	Sociability	Closedness
	Complacency	Callousness
	Sincerity	Deceit
	Justice	Injustice
	Community	Individualism
	Sensitivity	Callousness
	Courtesy	Shamelessness
To work	Organization	Laxity
	Mandatory	Cluelessness
	Performance	Sloppiness
	Enterprise	Inertia
	Hard work	Laziness
To items	Economy	Wastefulness
	Thoroughness	Negligence
	Neatness	Negligence

In addition to the character traits included by psychologists in the gradation of relationships (as a separate category), manifestations of nature in the moral, temperamental, cognitive and sthenic spheres were highlighted:

moral: humanity, toughness, sincerity, good nature, patriotism, impartiality, responsiveness;
temperamental: passion, sensuality, romance, liveliness, receptivity; passion, frivolity;
intellectual (cognitive): analytical, flexible, inquisitive, resourceful, efficient, critical, thoughtful;
sthenic (volitional): categoricalness, persistence, obstinacy, stubbornness, determination, timidity, courage, independence.

Many leading psychologists are inclined to believe that some personality traits should be divided into two categories:

Productive (motivational). Such traits push a person to perform certain actions and actions. These are goal-traits.
Instrumental. Giving personality during any activity individuality and method (manner) of action. These are methods-traits.

Gradation of character traits according to Allport

Allport's theory

The famous American psychologist Gordon Allport, an expert and developer of gradations of an individual’s personal characteristics, divided personality traits into three classes:

Dominant. Such traits most clearly reveal the behavioral form: actions, activities of a certain person. These include: kindness, selfishness, greed, secrecy, gentleness, modesty, greed.

Ordinary. They manifest themselves equally in all numerous areas of human life. These are: humanity, honesty, generosity, arrogance, altruism, egocentrism, cordiality, openness.

Secondary. These nuances do not have a particular impact on behavioral reactions. These are not dominant behaviors. These include musicality, poetry, diligence, and diligence.

A strong relationship is formed between a person’s existing personality traits. This pattern forms the final character of the individual.

But any existing structure has its own hierarchy. The human warehouse was no exception. This nuance is traced in Allport's proposed gradation structure, where minor traits can be suppressed by dominant ones. But in order to predict an individual’s actions, it is necessary to focus on the entire set of personality traits.

What is typicality and individuality?

The manifestation of the nature of each person always reflects the individual and typical. This is a harmonious union personal qualities, because the typical serves as the basis for identifying the individual.

What's happened typical character . When a person has a certain set of traits that are the same (common) for specific group people - such a warehouse is called typical. It is like a mirror, reflecting the accepted and habitual conditions of existence of a particular group.

Also, typical features depend on the warehouse (a certain type of nature). They are also a condition for the emergence of a behavioral type of character into the category of which a person is “recorded.”

Having understood exactly what characteristics are inherent in a given personality, a person can be drawn up an average (typical) psychological portrait and assigned a certain type of temperament. For example:

Positive	Negative
Choleric
Activity	Incontinence
Energy	Hot temper
Sociability	Aggressiveness
Determination	Irritability
Initiative	Rudeness in communication
Impulsiveness	Unstable behavior
Phlegmatic person
Perseverance	Low activity
Performance	Slowness
Calm	Inactivity
Consistency	Unsociability
Reliability	Individualism
Integrity	Laziness
Sanguine
Sociability	Aversion to monotony
Activity	Superficiality
Goodwill	Lack of persistence
Adaptability	Poor perseverance
Cheerfulness	frivolity
Courage	Recklessness in actions
Resourcefulness	Inability to concentrate
Melancholic
Sensitivity	Closedness
Impressionability	Low activity
Performance	Unsociability
Restraint	Vulnerability
Cordiality	Shyness
Accuracy	Poor performance

Such typical character traits, corresponding to a certain temperament, are observed in each (to one degree or another) representative of the group.

Individual manifestation. Relationships between individuals always have an evaluative characteristic; they are manifested in a rich variety of behavioral reactions. The manifestation of an individual's individual traits is influenced by big influence emerging circumstances, a formed worldview and a certain environment.

This characteristic is reflected in the vividness of the individual's various typical features. They vary in intensity and develop individually for each individual.

Some typical traits manifest themselves so powerfully in a person that they become not just individual, but unique.

In this case, typicality develops, by definition, into individuality. This personality classification helps to identify the negative characteristics of an individual that prevent them from expressing themselves and achieving a certain position in society.

By working on himself, analyzing and correcting shortcomings in his own character, each person creates the life he strives for.

The generalization that the character contains is usually called character (from Greek character - sign, distinguishing feature) or type (from Greek typos - imprint, imprint). By character we mean socially significant features, manifested with sufficient clarity in the behavior and state of mind of people; highest degree characteristics - type.

Creating literary hero, the writer usually endows it with one or another character: one-sided or multi-sided, integral or contradictory, static or developing, evoking respect or contempt, etc.

In the stories of A.P. Chekhov's "Death of an Official" and "The Thick and the Thin" Chervyakov and the "thin" as images are unique; we meet the first in the theater, "at the height of bliss", the second - at the station, "laden" with his luggage; the first is endowed with a surname and position, the second - name and rank; the plots of the works and their denouement are different. But the stories are interchangeable when discussing the theme of veneration in Chekhov, so similar are the characters of the characters: both act stereotypically, not noticing the comedy of their voluntary lackey, which only brings them harm. The characters are reduced to a comic discrepancy between behavior characters and an ethical norm unknown to them; as a result, Chervyakov’s death causes laughter: it is “the death of an official,” a comic hero.

Concepts character And type are close to each other and are often used interchangeably. However, there is still a difference: the type is associated with the significance of artistic generalization, a high degree of universal in character. Characters, especially in the work of one writer, are often variations, the development of one type. Writers return to the type they discovered, finding new facets in it, achieving aesthetic perfection of the image.

The type, first of all, expresses the generic mass principle. In character, the emphasis is, on the contrary, on individuality. The type expresses one quality or property; it is psychologically one-sided. Character is dialectical, contradictory, psychologically complex, multifaceted. The type is always static, devoid of mobility, and does not change. The character is dynamic, capable of self-development. For example, Tatyana Larina and Anna Karenina, who behave completely differently than the author intended. Type exists outside of time. The character is considered against the background of the historical era and interacts with it.

Character

Literary character is considered to be the image of a person, which is outlined with completeness and individual certainty. It is through character that a certain type of behavior is revealed, often one that is inherent in a certain historical time and social consciousness.

Also, through character, the author reveals his moral and aesthetic concept of human existence. Character is spoken of as organic unity general and individual, that is, character expresses both individual traits and those inherent to the public. In a broader sense, character is an artistically created personality, but one that reflects the actual human type.

To create a certain character in a literary work, there is a whole system of elements. These are external gestures and internal ones: speech and thoughts. The appearance, place and role of the hero in the development of the plot also forms a certain type of character. The character may also contain contradictions that are already embodied in artistic conflicts. The contradictions may be part of a certain nature.

Speech and action as ways to create character

Some of the main ways to create character in literary works are speech And act. The linguistic form of expression of the character of the hero is inherent in almost all literary works; it is thanks to this method that readers can fully understand the subtleties of the character of the literary hero and his inner world.

Without speech, it is quite difficult to create a certain character. For a genre such as drama, speech characters performs one of the most important characterological functions.

Deed is one of the brightest forms of expression of a literary character. The hero's actions, his decisions and choices tell us about his nature and the character that the author wanted to express in him. Actions sometimes have great importance, than speech for a final understanding of the character of a literary hero.

Since ancient times, the Russian people have surprised all the peoples of the world with the strength of their spirit and character. It is not for nothing that there were legends among many nations that it was almost impossible to defeat the Russian people, that Russian warriors were fearless and never retreated in the face of danger.

Let us at least remember the heroes of the monument of ancient Russian writing - “The Lay of Igor’s Campaign”. The author of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign” departs from the objective historical sequence of events and, like an artist, unfolds a vivid panorama of poetic paintings and images. He does not so much talk about individual facts of Igor’s campaign, but rather reflects on the fate native land, hovering over the past and future - “from old Vladimir to present-day Igor.” The central images of the “Lay” are the Russian land and the Russian people. No matter what the author writes about or which prince he remembers, he does not forget his fatherland. Walking behind Igor’s army, he proclaims several times: “O Russian land, you are already behind the curtain!” Thus, the author tries to emphasize that it is the native land that is for Russian soldiers main value, it is for her that they are ready to give their lives, and she, in turn, protects them from harm. Perhaps it is precisely in this holy attitude towards the native land that the strength of the Russian character lies? But let’s try to follow the author further in search of an answer to our question.

After the tragic battle on the Kayala River, “the black earth under the hooves was strewn with bones and watered with blood: the entire Russian land was overcome with anguish!”, and the brave Russians “perished for the Russian land.” After this, according to the author, “longing poured out for the Russian land, an inescapable sadness flowed through the middle of the Russian land.” Having learned of the defeat, the Kiev prince Svyatoslav, in his “golden word” mixed with tears, several times implores his compatriots to stand up “for the Russian land, for Igor’s wounds.” Thus, we are once again convinced of the value and significance for the Russians of protecting Rus' from adversity, of unity in this struggle.

At the same time, the image of the Russian people appears in the poem: a people-warrior, a people-warrior, a people-defender of their native land. Prince Vsevolod proudly speaks of his warriors that they were “swaddled” under pipes, “grown” under helmets, and fed from the tip of a spear. They do not go out on a campaign as conquerors. For them, Polovtsian wealth is worthless; they treat trophies with disdain. Warriors fearlessly die for the Russian land. The author speaks about this with sadness, complaining about princely discord, which entails death and ruin.

The Word contains vivid images ancient Russian princes. The images of the courageous warrior brothers Igor and Vsevolod are most clearly depicted. The author speaks about them with sympathy, admires their courage, but at the same time criticizes their self-will and love of glory, the inconsistency of their actions with the policies of other princes, Prince of Kyiv.

The author deviates from historical truth, idealizing and glorifying the image of the great Kyiv prince Svyatoslav, but does this with a specific political purpose, since he considers Kiev as the center of the unification of Russian principalities into a single feudal state. The image of Svyatoslav - a wise, balanced ruler and commander, formidable for the Polovtsy, the saddened “father” of the defeated Russians - is revealed in his symbolic “dark” dream and “golden word”, “mixed with tears,” which is the central part of the poem. This one is traditional artistic technique gives the author the opportunity to evaluate the activities of Russian princes of the 11th-12th centuries.

Bright are also female images poems - Yaroslavna, mourning the defeat and captivity of her husband on the rampart in Putivl, gentle Glebovna, the wife of Vsevolod, who are the embodiment of fidelity and eternity of life, waiting, sanctified by love, the immutability of goodness on a blood-drenched land. And we can see that Russian women are as strong as warriors, but their strength lies in loyalty, devotion to their chosen ones, which gives them confidence in their struggle. In Russian classical literature, female characters have more than once become the embodiment of the best features of the national character. Among them are Katerina A. N. Ostrovsky, Daria and Matryona Timofeevna N. A. Nekrasova, Princess Marya Bolkonskaya and Natasha Rostova L. N. Tolstoy, Olga Ilyinskaya I. A. Goncharova, expressive images of the heroines of many works by I. S. Turgenev, I. A. Bunina. Despite the undeniable differences in life circumstances, all the heroines of the works of Russian writers undoubtedly have the main common feature. They are distinguished by the ability to love deeply and selflessly, revealing themselves as individuals with a deep inner world. And the first in this row are the heroic female images of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.”

The author of the ancient Russian monument managed to rise above the selfish interests of the princes, their selfish and ambitious policies and express the interests of the entire Russian people, their desire for unity and peace, the desire to preserve their integrity and culture.

The philological works of M. V. Lomonosov “Rhetoric”, “Grammar”, and the treatise “On the Use of Church Books in the Russian Language” became a new word in science. At the same time, his own literary heritage is quite diverse and covers all genres and trends. The majestic, solemn and deeply soulful poetry of Lomonosov was completely subordinated to the spiritual and material needs of the people.

Mikhail Lomonosov became the founder of the first Russian university. This university is located in Moscow and bears his name.

Thus, we see how the son of a simple fisherman, solely through the strength of his character, achieved the fulfillment of his dream. The educational role of his life and personality was noted at one time by the famous critic V. G. Belinsky: “Young people with special attention and special love should study his life, carry his majestic image in their souls,” because all their energy, knowledge and talent M V. Lomonosov directed the struggle for a new, enlightened, powerful and majestic homeland, glorifying Russian heroes “from the farmer to the tsar” in his works. His entire life and work are an excellent example of devoted service to the fatherland.

The biography of another person can serve as an example of the exceptional strength of Russian character.

Academician S.P. Korolev is a famous scientist and founder of practical cosmonautics. He was the chief designer of the first Earth satellites and spacecraft. In 1923, while still a boy, Sergei Korolev joined a glider club, where he learned to design gliders. In 1925, Korolev entered the Polytechnic Institute, where he studied aviation and mathematics, but in the evenings he needed to earn money. He was a builder, worked at the post office, and played small roles in films. Having moved to Moscow, Korolev worked at an aircraft factory during the day, studied at the Moscow Higher Technical School in the evenings, and after lectures worked at home, designing new aircraft. He made incredible efforts to achieve his goal, to fulfill his wonderful childhood dream and the dream of all mankind - to fly. At the Moscow Technical School, Korolev became acquainted with Tsiolkovsky’s space flight ideas and his rocket.

During the Great Patriotic War Korolev created a jet engine for airplanes and rockets, and on October 4, 1957, the first artificial Earth satellite was launched. This satellite was the result of thirty years of hard work by many people, and Korolev was its chief designer. Then the dogs flew into space. And only after many experiments did the first cosmonaut of the world, Yu. A. Gagarin, fly into space - on spaceship"East". It was April 12, 1961. Yu. A. Gagarin is also a wonderful example of the strength of the Russian national character, the desire to achieve goals, and service to one’s fatherland. People will always remember the names of those who discovered new era in the conquest of space.

Thus, the strength and beauty of the character of the Russian people is manifested primarily in devoted love for their land, in the desire to do everything possible for its sake, in faith in their strength and desire to constantly move forward, as well as in boundless courage and philanthropy.

Epics about Ilya Muromets

HeroIlya Muromets, son of Ivan Timofeevich and Efrosinya Yakovlevna, peasants of the village of Karacharova near Murom. Most popular character bylin, the second most powerful (after Svyatogor) Russian hero and the first domestic superman.

Sometimes a real person, the Venerable Ilya of Pechersk, nicknamed Chobotok, buried in the Kiev Pechersk Lavra and canonized in 1643, is identified with the epic Ilya of Muromets.

Years of creation. XII–XVI centuries

What's the point? Until the age of 33, Ilya lay, paralyzed, on a stove in parental home, until he was miraculously healed by wanderers (“walking kaliki”). Having gained strength, he equipped his father’s farm and went to Kyiv, along the way capturing the Nightingale the Robber, who was terrorizing the surrounding area. In Kyiv, Ilya Muromets joined the squad of Prince Vladimir and found the hero Svyatogor, who gave him a treasure sword and mystical “real power”. In this episode, he demonstrated not only physical strength, but also high moral qualities, without responding to the advances of Svyatogor’s wife. Later, Ilya Muromets defeated the “great force” near Chernigov, paved the direct road from Chernigov to Kiev, inspected the roads from the Alatyr-stone, tested the young hero Dobrynya Nikitich, saved the hero Mikhail Potyk from captivity in the Saracen kingdom, defeated Idolishche, and walked with his squad to Constantinople, one defeated the army of Tsar Kalin.

Ilya Muromets was not alien to simple human joys: in one of the epic episodes, he walks around Kyiv with “tavern heads,” and his son Sokolnik was born out of wedlock, which later leads to a fight between father and son.

What it looks like. Superman. Epics describe Ilya Muromets as “a remote, portly good fellow“, he fights with a club “ninety pounds” (1440 kilograms)!

What is he fighting for? Ilya Muromets and his squad very clearly formulate the purpose of their service:

“...to stand alone for the faith for the fatherland,

...to stand alone for Kyiv-grad,

...to stand alone for the churches for the cathedrals,

...he will take care of Prince and Vladimir.”

But Ilya Muromets is not only a statesman - he is at the same time one of the most democratic fighters against evil, as he is always ready to fight “for widows, for orphans, for poor people.”

Way of fighting. A duel with an enemy or a battle with superior enemy forces.

With what result? Despite the difficulties caused by the numerical superiority of the enemy or the disdainful attitude of Prince Vladimir and the boyars, he invariably wins.

What is it fighting against? Against internal and external enemies of Rus' and their allies, violators of law and order, illegal migrants, invaders and aggressors.

2. Archpriest Avvakum

"The Life of Archpriest Avvakum"

Hero. Archpriest Avvakum worked his way up from a village priest to the leader of the resistance to the church reform of Patriarch Nikon and became one of the leaders of the Old Believers, or schismatics. Avvakum is the first religious figure of such magnitude who not only suffered for his beliefs, but also described it himself.

Years of creation. Approximately 1672–1675.

What's the point? A native of a Volga village, Avvakum from his youth was distinguished by both piety and violent disposition. Having moved to Moscow, he took an active part in church educational activities, was close to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, but sharply opposed the church reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon. With his characteristic temperament, Avvakum led a fierce struggle against Nikon, advocating for the old order of church rites. Habakkuk, not at all shy in his expressions, conducted a public and journalistic activity, for which he was repeatedly imprisoned, was cursed and defrocked, and was exiled to Tobolsk, Transbaikalia, Mezen and Pustozersk. From the place of his last exile, he continued to write appeals, for which he was imprisoned in an “earth pit.” He had many followers. Church hierarchs tried to persuade Habakkuk to renounce his “delusions,” but he remained adamant and was eventually burned.

What it looks like. One can only guess: Avvakum did not describe himself. Maybe the way the priest looks in Surikov’s painting “Boyarina Morozova” - Feodosia Prokopyevna Morozova was a faithful follower of Avvakum.

What is he fighting for? For the purity of the Orthodox faith, for the preservation of tradition.

Way of fighting. Word and deed. Avvakum wrote accusatory pamphlets, but he could personally beat the buffoons who entered the village and break them musical instruments. He considered self-immolation a form of possible resistance.

With what result? Avvakum's passionate preaching against church reform made resistance to it widespread, but he himself, along with three of his comrades-in-arms, was executed in 1682 in Pustozersk.

What is it fighting against? Against the desecration of Orthodoxy by “heretical novelties”, against everything alien, “external wisdom”, that is, scientific knowledge, against entertainment. Suspects the imminent coming of the Antichrist and the reign of the devil.

3. Taras Bulba

"Taras Bulba"

Hero.“Taras was one of the indigenous, old colonels: he was all about scolding anxiety and was distinguished by the brutal directness of his character. Then the influence of Poland was already beginning to exert itself on the Russian nobility. Many had already adopted Polish customs, had luxury, magnificent servants, falcons, hunters, dinners, courtyards. Taras did not like this. He loved the simple life of the Cossacks and quarreled with those of his comrades who were inclined to the Warsaw side, calling them slaves of the Polish lords. Always restless, he considered himself the legitimate defender of Orthodoxy. He arbitrarily entered villages where they only complained about the harassment of tenants and the increase in new duties on smoke. He himself carried out reprisals against them with his Cossacks and made it a rule that in three cases one should always take up the saber, namely: when the commissars did not respect the elders in any way and stood before them in their caps, when they mocked Orthodoxy and did not respect the ancestral law and, finally, when the enemies were the Busurmans and the Turks, against whom he considered in any case permissible to raise arms for the glory of Christianity.”

Year of creation. The story was first published in 1835 in the collection “Mirgorod”. The 1842 edition, in which, in fact, we all read Taras Bulba, differs significantly from the original version.

What's the point? All his life, the dashing Cossack Taras Bulba has been fighting for the liberation of Ukraine from its oppressors. He, the glorious chieftain, cannot bear the thought that his own children, flesh of his flesh, may not follow his example. Therefore, Taras kills Andria’s son, who betrayed the sacred cause, without hesitation. When another son, Ostap, is captured, our hero deliberately penetrates into the heart of the enemy camp - but not in order to try to save his son. His only goal is to make sure that Ostap, under torture, does not show cowardice and does not renounce high ideals. Taras himself dies like Joan of Arc, having previously given Russian culture the immortal phrase: “There is no bond holier than comradeship!”

What it looks like. He is extremely heavy and fat (20 pounds, equivalent to 320 kg), gloomy eyes, very white eyebrows, mustache and forelock.

What is he fighting for? For the liberation of the Zaporozhye Sich, for independence.

Way of fighting. Hostilities.

With what result? With deplorable. Everyone died.

What is it fighting against? Against the oppressor Poles, the foreign yoke, police despotism, old-world landowners and court satraps.

4. Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov

“Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, a young guardsman and swashbuckling merchant Kalashnikov"

Hero. Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov, merchant class. Trades silks - with varying success. Moskvich. Orthodox. Has two younger brothers. He is married to the beautiful Alena Dmitrievna, because of whom the whole story came out.

Year of creation. 1838

What's the point? Lermontov was not keen on the theme of Russian heroism. He wrote romantic poems about nobles, officers, Chechens and Jews. But he was one of the first to find out that the 19th century was rich only in the heroes of its time, but heroes for all times should be sought in the deep past. There, in Moscow, Ivan the Terrible was found (or rather, invented) a hero with the now common name Kalashnikov. The young guardsman Kiribeevich falls in love with his wife and attacks her at night, persuading her to surrender. The next day, the offended husband challenges the guardsman to a fist fight and kills him with one blow. For the murder of his beloved guardsman and for the fact that Kalashnikov refuses to name the reason for his action, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich orders the execution of the young merchant, but does not leave his widow and children with mercy and care. Such is royal justice.

What it looks like.

“His falcon eyes are burning,

He looks intently at the guardsman.

He becomes opposite to him,

He pulls on his combat gloves,

He straightens his mighty shoulders.”

What is he fighting for? For the honor of his woman and family. Neighbors saw Kiribeevich's attack on Alena Dmitrievna, and now she cannot appear in front of honest people. Although, going into battle with the oprichnik, Kalashnikov solemnly declares that he is fighting “for the holy mother truth.” But the heroes sometimes distort.

Way of fighting. Fatal fist fight. Essentially a murder in broad daylight in front of thousands of witnesses.

With what result?

“And they executed Stepan Kalashnikov

A cruel, shameful death;

And the little head is mediocre

She rolled onto the chopping block covered in blood.”

But they buried Kiribeevich too.

What is it fighting against? Evil in the poem is personified by the guardsman with the foreign patronymic Kiribeevich, and also a relative of Malyuta Skuratov, that is, the enemy squared. Kalashnikov calls him “son of Basurman,” hinting at his enemy’s lack of Moscow registration. And this person of Eastern nationality delivers the first (aka the last) blow not to the merchant’s face, but to the Orthodox cross with relics from Kyiv, which hangs on the brave chest. He says to Alena Dmitrievna: “I am not some kind of thief, a forest murderer, / I am a servant of the Tsar, the terrible Tsar...” - that is, he hides behind the highest mercy. So Kalashnikov’s heroic act is nothing more than a deliberate murder motivated by national hatred. Lermontov, who himself participated in the Caucasian campaigns and wrote a lot about the wars with the Chechens, was close to the theme of “Moscow for Muscovites” in its anti-Basurman context.

5. Danko “Old Woman Izergil”

Hero Danko. Biography unknown.

“In the old days, there lived only people in the world; impenetrable forests surrounded the camps of these people on three sides, and on the fourth there was the steppe. These were cheerful, strong and brave people... Danko is one of those people..."

Year of creation. The short story “Old Woman Izergil” was first published in Samara Gazeta in 1895.

What's the point? Danko is the fruit of the uncontrollable imagination of the same old woman Izergil, after whom Gorky’s short story is named. A sultry Bessarabian old woman with a rich past tells a beautiful legend: during her time there was a redistribution of property - there was a showdown between two tribes. Not wanting to stay in the occupied territory, one of the tribes went into the forest, but there the people experienced mass depression, because “nothing - neither work nor women, exhausts the bodies and souls of people as much as sad thoughts exhaust.” At a critical moment, Danko did not allow his people to bow to the conquerors, but instead offered to follow him - in an unknown direction.

What it looks like.“Danko... a handsome young man. Beautiful people are always brave.”

What is he fighting for? Go figure. In order to get out of the forest and thereby ensure freedom for his people. It is unclear where the guarantee is that freedom is exactly where the forest ends.

Way of fighting. An unpleasant physiological operation, indicating a masochistic personality. Self-dismemberment.

With what result? With duality. He got out of the forest, but died immediately. Sophisticated abuse of one’s own body is not in vain. The hero did not receive gratitude for his feat: his heart, torn out of his chest with his own hands, was trampled under someone’s heartless heel.

What is it fighting against? Against collaboration, conciliation and sycophancy before conquerors.

6. Colonel Isaev (Stirlitz)

A body of texts, from “Diamonds for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat” to “Bombs for the Chairman,” the most important of the novels is “Seventeen Moments of Spring”

Hero. Vsevolod Vladimirovich Vladimirov, aka Maxim Maksimovich Isaev, aka Max Otto von Stirlitz, aka Estilitz, Bolzen, Brunn. An employee of the press service of the Kolchak government, an underground security officer, an intelligence officer, a history professor, exposing a conspiracy of Nazi followers.

Years of creation. Novels about Colonel Isaev were created over 24 years - from 1965 to 1989.

What's the point? In 1921, the security officer Vladimirov liberated the Far East from the remnants of the White Army. In 1927, they decided to send him to Europe - it was then that the legend of the German aristocrat Max Otto von Stirlitz was born. In 1944, he saves Krakow from destruction by helping the group of Major Whirlwind. At the very end of the war, he was entrusted with the most important mission - to disrupt separate negotiations between Germany and the West. In Berlin, the hero carries out his difficult task, simultaneously saving the radio operator Kat, the end of the war is already close, and the Third Reich is collapsing to the song “Seventeen Moments of April” by Marika Rekk. In 1945, Stirlitz was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

What it looks like. From the party characteristics of von Stirlitz, a member of the NSDAP since 1933, SS Standartenführer (VI Department of the RSHA): “ True Aryan. Character - Nordic, seasoned. Maintains good relationships with workmates. Fulfills his official duty impeccably. Merciless towards the enemies of the Reich. An excellent athlete: Berlin tennis champion. Single; he was not noticed in any connections that discredited him. Recognized with awards from the Fuhrer and commendations from the Reichsfuhrer SS..."

What is he fighting for? For the victory of communism. It’s unpleasant to admit this to yourself, but in some situations - for the homeland, for Stalin.

Way of fighting. Intelligence and espionage, sometimes the deductive method, ingenuity, dexterity and camouflage.

With what result? On the one hand, he saves everyone who needs it and successfully carries out subversive activities; reveals secret intelligence networks and defeats the main enemy - Gestapo chief Müller. However, the Soviet country, for whose honor and victory he is fighting, thanks its hero in its own way: in 1947, he, who had just arrived in the Union on a Soviet ship, was arrested, and by order of Stalin, his wife and son were shot. Stirlitz leaves prison only after Beria's death.

What is it fighting against? Against whites, Spanish fascists, German Nazis and all enemies of the USSR.

7. Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilyov “Look into the eyes of monsters”

Hero Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilev, symbolist poet, superman, conquistador, member of the Order of the Fifth Rome, maker of Soviet history and fearless dragon slayer.

Year of creation. 1997

What's the point? Nikolai Gumilyov was not shot in 1921 in the dungeons of the Cheka. He was saved from execution by Yakov Wilhelmovich (or James William Bruce), a representative of the secret order of the Fifth Rome, created in the 13th century. Having acquired the gift of immortality and power, Gumilyov strides through the history of the 20th century, generously leaving his traces in it. Puts Marilyn Monroe to bed, simultaneously building chickens for Agatha Christie, gives valuable advice Ian Fleming, due to his absurd character, starts a duel with Mayakovsky and, abandoning his cold corpse in Lubyansky Proezd, runs away, leaving the police and literary scholars to compose a version of suicide. He takes part in a writers' convention and becomes addicted to xerion, a magical drug based on dragon blood that gives immortality to members of the order. Everything would be fine - the problems begin later, when evil dragon forces begin to threaten not only the world in general, but the Gumilyov family: his wife Annushka and son Styopa.

What is he fighting for? First for goodness and beauty, then he no longer has time for lofty ideas - he simply saves his wife and son.

Way of fighting. Gumilyov participates in an unimaginable number of battles and battles, masters hand-to-hand combat techniques and all types of firearms. True, to achieve special sleight of hand, fearlessness, omnipotence, invulnerability and even immortality, he has to throw in xerion.

With what result? Nobody knows this. The novel “Look into the Eyes of Monsters” ends without giving an answer to this burning question. All the continuations of the novel (both “The Hyperborean Plague” and “The March of the Ecclesiastes”), firstly, where in to a lesser extent are recognized as fans of Lazarchuk - Uspensky, and secondly, and this is the most important thing, they also do not offer the reader a solution.

What is it fighting against? Having learned about the real causes of the disasters that befell the world in the 20th century, he struggles primarily with these misfortunes. In other words, with a civilization of evil lizards.

8. Vasily Terkin

"Vasily Terkin"

Hero. Vasily Terkin, reserve private, infantryman. Originally from near Smolensk. Single, no children. He has an award for the totality of his feats.

Years of creation. 1941–1945

What's the point? Contrary to popular belief, the need for such a hero appeared even before the Great Patriotic War. Tvardovsky came up with Terkin during the Finnish campaign, where he, together with the Pulkins, Mushkins, Protirkins and other characters in newspaper feuilletons, fought with the White Finns for the Motherland. So Terkin entered 1941 as an experienced fighter. By 1943, Tvardovsky was tired of his unsinkable hero and wanted to send him into retirement due to injury, but letters from readers returned Terkin to the front, where he spent another two years, was shell-shocked and was surrounded three times, conquered high and low heights, led battles in the swamps, liberated villages, took Berlin and even spoke with Death. His rustic but sparkling wit invariably saved him from enemies and censors, but it definitely did not attract girls. Tvardovsky even appealed to his readers to love his hero - just like that, from the heart. Still don't have Soviet heroes the dexterity of James Bond.

What it looks like. Endowed with beauty He was not excellent, Not tall, not that small, But a hero - a hero.

What is he fighting for? For the cause of peace for the sake of life on earth, that is, his task, like that of any liberator soldier, is global. Terkin himself is sure that he is fighting “for Russia, for the people / And for everything in the world,” but sometimes, just in case, he mentions the Soviet government - no matter what happens.

Way of fighting. In war, as you know, any means are good, so everything is used: a tank, a machine gun, a knife, a wooden spoon, fists, teeth, vodka, the power of persuasion, a joke, a song, an accordion...

With what result?. He came close to death several times. He was supposed to receive a medal, but due to a typo in the list, the hero never received the award.

But imitators found it: by the end of the war, almost every company already had its own Terkin, and some had two.

What is it fighting against? First against the Finns, then against the Nazis, and sometimes also against Death. In fact, Terkin was called upon to fight depressive moods at the front, which he did with success.

9. Anastasia Kamenskaya

A series of detective stories about Anastasia Kamenskaya

Heroine. Nastya Kamenskaya, Major of the Moscow Criminal Investigation Department, Petrovka’s best analyst, a brilliant operative, investigating serious crimes in the manner of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot.

Years of creation. 1992–2006

What's the point? The work of an operative involves difficult everyday life (the first evidence of this is the television series “Streets of Broken Lights”). But Nastya Kamenskaya finds it difficult to rush around the city and catch bandits in dark alleys: she is lazy, in poor health and loves peace more than anything else. Because of this, she periodically has difficulties in relations with management. Only her first boss and teacher, nicknamed Kolobok, had unlimited faith in her analytical abilities; to others, she has to prove that she best investigates bloody crimes by sitting in her office, drinking coffee and analyzing, analyzing.

What it looks like. Tall, thin blonde, expressionless facial features. He never wears cosmetics and prefers discreet, comfortable clothes.

What is he fighting for? Definitely not for a modest police salary: knowing five foreign languages and having some connections, Nastya could leave Petrovka at any moment, but she does not. It turns out that he is fighting for the triumph of law and order.

Way of fighting. First of all, analytics. But sometimes Nastya has to change her habits and go out on the warpath on her own. In this case, acting skills, the art of transformation and feminine charm are used.

With what result? Most often - with brilliant results: criminals are exposed, caught, punished. But in rare cases, some of them manage to escape, and then Nastya does not sleep at night, smokes one cigarette after another, goes crazy and tries to come to terms with the injustice of life. However, there are clearly more successful endings so far.

What is it fighting against? Against crime.

10. Erast Fandorin

A series of novels about Erast Fandorin

Hero. Erast Petrovich Fandorin, a nobleman, the son of a small landowner who lost his family fortune at cards. He began his career in the detective police with the rank of collegiate registrar, managed to visit the Russian-Turkish War of 1877–1878, serve in the diplomatic corps in Japan and displease Nicholas II. He rose to the rank of state councilor and resigned. Private detective and consultant to various influential people since 1892. Phenomenally lucky in everything, especially in gambling. Single. Has a number of children and other descendants.

Years of creation. 1998–2006

What's the point? The turn of the 20th–21st centuries once again turned out to be an era that is looking for heroes in the past. Akunin found his defender of the weak and oppressed in the gallant XIX century, but in that professional field that is becoming especially popular right now - in the intelligence services. Of all Akunin's stylizing endeavors, Fandorin is the most charming and therefore enduring. His biography begins in 1856, the action of the last novel dates back to 1905, and the end of the story has not yet been written, so you can always expect new achievements from Erast Petrovich. Although Akunin, like Tvardovsky before, since 2000 everyone has been trying to do away with his hero and write about him last novel. "Coronation" is subtitled "The Last of the Romances"; “Death's Lover” and “Death's Mistress,” written after it, were published as a bonus, but then it became clear that Fandorin’s readers would not let go so easily. The people need, the people need, an elegant detective, knowledgeable of languages and is wildly popular with women. Not all “Cops”, indeed!

What it looks like.“He was a very handsome young man, with black hair (of which he was secretly proud) and blue eyes (alas, it would have been better if they were black too) tall, with white skin and a damned, ineradicable blush on his cheeks.” After the misfortune he experienced, his appearance acquired an intriguing detail for ladies - gray temples.

What is he fighting for? For an enlightened monarchy, order and legality. Fandorin dreams of a new Russia - ennobled in the Japanese style, with firmly and reasonably established laws and their scrupulous implementation. About Russia, which did not go through the Russian-Japanese and First world war, revolution and civil war. That is, about Russia, which could be if we had enough luck and common sense build it.

Way of fighting. A combination of the deductive method, meditation techniques and Japanese martial arts with almost mystical luck. By the way, there is also female love, which Fandorin uses in every sense.

With what result? As we know, the Russia that Fandorin dreams of did not happen. So globally he suffers a crushing defeat. And in small things too: those whom he tries to save most often die, and the criminals never end up behind bars (they die, or pay off the trial, or simply disappear). However, Fandorin himself invariably remains alive, as does the hope for the final triumph of justice.

What is it fighting against? Against the unenlightened monarchy, bombing revolutionaries, nihilists and socio-political chaos, which can occur in Russia at any moment. Along the way, he has to fight bureaucracy, corruption in the highest echelons of power, fools, roads and ordinary criminals.

Illustrations: Maria Sosnina