What are the realities of Kalinovskaya life. Essay “The city of Kalinov and its inhabitants in the “Thunderstorm”

"The Thunderstorm" - drama AN. Ostrovsky. Written in July-October 1859. First publication: the magazine “Library for Reading” (1860, vol. 158, January). The first acquaintance of the Russian public with the play caused a whole “critical storm”. Prominent representatives of all directions of Russian thought considered it necessary to speak out about the “Thunderstorm”. It was obvious that the content of this folk drama reveals “the deepest recesses of non-Europeanized Russian life” (A.I. Herzen). The dispute about it resulted in a debate about the basic principles of national existence. Dobrolyubov’s concept of the “dark kingdom” emphasized the social content of the drama. And A. Grigoriev considered the play as an “organic” expression of the poetry of folk life. Later, in the 20th century, a point of view arose on the “dark kingdom” as the spiritual element of the Russian person (A.A. Blok), and a symbolic interpretation of the drama was proposed (F.A. Stepun).

Image of the city of Kalinova

The city of Kalinov appears in the play “The Thunderstorm” by Ostrovsky as a kingdom of “captivity”, in which living life is regulated by a strict system of rituals and prohibitions. This is a world of cruel morals: envy and self-interest, “dark debauchery and drunkenness,” quiet complaints and invisible tears. The flow of life here has remained the same as one hundred and two hundred years ago: with the languor of a hot summer day, decorous Compline, festive revelry, and nightly dates of couples in love. The completeness, originality and self-sufficiency of the life of the Kalinovites does not need any going beyond its limits - to where everything is “wrong” and “in their opinion everything is the opposite”: the law is “unrighteous”, and the judges “are also all unrighteous”, and “ people with dog heads." Rumors about the long-standing “Lithuanian ruin” and that Lithuania “fell from the sky on us” reveal the “historiosophy of the laity”; simple-minded reasoning about the picture of the Last Judgment - “theology of the simple,” primitive eschatology. “Closedness”, distance from “big time” (M.M. Bakhtin’s term) is a characteristic feature of the city of Kalinov.

Universal sinfulness (“It is impossible, mother, without sin: we live in the world”) is an essential, ontological characteristic of Kalinov’s world. The only way to fight sin and curb self-will is seen by the Kalinovites in the “law of life and custom” (P.A. Markov). The “law” has burdened, simplified, and crushed living life in its free impulses, aspirations and desires. “The predatory wisdom of this world” (the expression of G. Florovsky) comes through in the spiritual cruelty of Kabanikha, the dense obstinacy of the Kalinovites, the predatory spirit of Kudryash, the resourceful sharpness of Varvara, the flabby compliance of Tikhon. The stamp of social outcast marks the appearance of the “non-covetous” and silver-free Kuligin. Unrepentant sin wanders around the city of Kalinov in the guise of a crazy old woman. The graceless world languishes under the oppressive weight of the “Law”, and only the distant rumbles of a thunderstorm remind of the “final end”. The all-encompassing image of a thunderstorm appears in action, as breakthroughs of higher reality into the local, otherworldly reality. Under the onslaught of an unknown and formidable “will,” the life of the Kalinovites “began to decline”: the “last times” of the patriarchal world are approaching. Against their background, the time of action of the play can be read as the “axial time” of the breakdown of the integral way of Russian life.

The image of Katerina in “The Thunderstorm”

For the heroine of the play, the disintegration of the “Russian cosmos” becomes a “personal” time of experiencing tragedy. Katerina is the last heroine of the Russian Middle Ages, through whose heart the crack of the “Axial Time” passed and revealed the formidable depth of the conflict between the human world and the Divine heights. In the eyes of the Kalinovites, Katerina is “somehow strange,” “somehow tricky,” incomprehensible even to those close to her. The “otherworldliness” of the heroine is emphasized even by her name: Katerina (Greek - ever-pure, eternally pure). Not in the world, but in the church, in prayerful communication with God, the true depth of her personality is revealed. “Oh, Curly, how she prays, if only you would look! What an angelic smile she has on her face, and her face seems to glow.” These words of Boris contain the key to the mystery of Katerina’s image in “The Thunderstorm”, an explanation of the illumination and luminosity of her appearance.

Her monologues in the first act expand the boundaries of the plot action and take us beyond the boundaries of the “small world” designated by the playwright. They reveal the free, joyful and easy soaring of the heroine’s soul to her “heavenly homeland.” Outside the church fence, Katerina faces “captivity” and complete spiritual loneliness. Her soul passionately strives to find a kindred spirit in the world, and the heroine’s gaze stops on the face of Boris, alien to Kalinov’s world not only due to his European upbringing and education, but also spiritually: “I understand that all this is our Russian, native, and all- I still can’t get used to it.” The motive of voluntary sacrifice for his sister - “I feel sorry for the sister” - is central to the image of Boris. Doomed “to be a sacrifice,” he is forced to meekly wait for the drying up of the Wild’s tyrant will.

Only in appearance, the humble, hidden Boris and the passionate, decisive Katerina are opposites. Internally, in a spiritual sense, they are equally alien to this world. Having seen each other only a few times, without ever speaking, they “recognized” each other in the crowd and could no longer live as before. Boris calls his passion “foolish” and recognizes its hopelessness, but Katerina “cannot be removed” from his mind. Katerina's heart rushes to Boris against her will and desire. She wants to love her husband - but cannot; seeks salvation in prayer - “there is no way to pray”; in the scene of her husband’s departure, she tries to curse fate (“I will die without repentance if I ...”) - but Tikhon does not want to understand her (“... and I don’t want to listen!”).

Going on a date with Boris, Katerina commits an irreversible, “fatal” act: “After all, what am I preparing for myself. Where do I belong..." Exactly according to Aristotle, the heroine guesses about the consequences, foresees the coming suffering, but commits a fatal act, not knowing all the horror of it: “Why feel sorry for me, no one is to blame - she did it herself.<...>They say it’s even easier when you suffer for some sin here on earth.” But the “unquenchable fire”, “fiery Gehenna”, predicted by the crazy lady, overtake the heroine during her lifetime - with pangs of conscience. The consciousness and feeling of sin (tragic guilt), as experienced by the heroine, leads to the etymology of this word: sin - to warm (Greek - heat, pain).

Katerina’s public confession of what she has done is an attempt to extinguish the fire burning her from within, to return to God and find her lost spiritual peace. The climactic events of Act IV, both formally, semantically, meaningfully, and figuratively, are symbolically connected with the feast of Elijah the Prophet, the “formidable” saint, all of whose miracles in folk legends are associated with the bringing down of heavenly fire to the earth and the intimidation of sinners. The thunderstorm that had previously rumbled in the distance broke out right above Katerina’s head. In combination with the image of a painting of the Last Judgment on the wall of a dilapidated gallery, with the shouts of the lady: “You can’t escape from God!”, with Dikiy’s phrase that the thunderstorm is “sent as punishment,” and with the remarks of the Kalinovites (“this thunderstorm will not pass in vain” ), it forms the tragic climax of the action.

In Kuligin’s last words about the “merciful judge” one hears not only a reproach to the sinful world for the “cruelty of morals,” but also Ostrovsky’s belief that the Supreme Being is unthinkable without mercy and love. The space of Russian tragedy is revealed in “The Thunderstorm” as a religious space of passions and suffering.

The protagonist of the tragedy dies, and the Pharisee triumphs in her rightness (“I understand, son, where the will leads!..”). With Old Testament severity, Kabanikha continues to uphold the foundations of Kalinov’s world: “escape into ritual” is the only conceivable salvation for her from the chaos of will. The escape of Varvara and Kudryash into the open air, the rebellion of the previously unrequited Tikhon (“Mama, it was you who ruined her! You, you, you...”), the cry for the deceased Katerina - foreshadow the onset of a new time. The “milestone”, “turning point” of the content of “The Thunderstorm” allows us to speak of it as “Ostrovsky’s most decisive work” (N.A. Dobrolyubov).

Productions

The first performance of “The Thunderstorm” took place on November 16, 1859 at the Maly Theater (Moscow). In the role of Katerina - L.P. Nikulina-Kositskaya, who inspired Ostrovsky to create the image of the main character of the play. Since 1863, G.N. acted as Katerina. Fedotov, from 1873 - M.N. Ermolova. The premiere took place at the Alexandrinsky Theater (St. Petersburg) on ​​December 2, 1859 (in the role of Katerina - F.A. Snetkova, the role of Tikhon was brilliantly performed by A.E. Martynov). In the 20th century, “The Thunderstorm” was staged by directors: V.E. Meyerhold (Alexandrinsky Theatre, 1916); AND I. Tairov (Chamber Theatre, Moscow, 1924); IN AND. Nemirovich-Danchenko and I.Ya. Sudakov (Moscow Art Theater, 1934); N.N. Okhlopkov (Moscow Theater named after Vl. Mayakovsky, 1953); G.N. Yanovskaya (Moscow Youth Theater, 1997).

Essay on literature.

Cruel morals in our city, cruel...
A.N. Ostrovsky, "The Thunderstorm".

The city of Kalinov, in which the action of “The Thunderstorm” takes place, is outlined by the author very vaguely. Such a place could be any town in any corner of vast Russia. This immediately increases and generalizes the scale of the events described.

Preparations for the reform to abolish serfdom are in full swing, which affects the life of all of Russia. Outdated orders give way to new ones, previously unknown phenomena and concepts arise. Therefore, even in remote towns like Kalinov, ordinary people are worried when they hear the steps of a new life.

What is this “city on the banks of the Volga”? What kind of people live there? The stage nature of the work does not allow the writer to directly answer these questions with his thoughts, but it is still possible to get a general idea about them.

Externally, the city of Kalinov is a “blessed place.” It stands on the banks of the Volga, from the steepness of the river an “extraordinary view” opens. But most local residents “have either taken a closer look or don’t understand” this beauty and speak disdainfully about it. Kalinov seems to be separated by a wall from the rest of the world. They don’t know anything here about what’s going on in the world. Residents of Kalinov are forced to draw all information about the world around them from the stories of “wanderers” who “they themselves have not walked far, but have heard a lot.” This satisfaction of curiosity leads to ignorance of the majority of citizens. They talk quite seriously about the lands “where people have dog heads” and that “Lithuania fell from the sky.” Among the residents of Kalinov there are people who “don’t give an account to anyone” for their actions; ordinary people, accustomed to such lack of accountability, lose the ability to see logic in anything.

Kabanova and Dikoy, living according to the old order, are forced to give up their positions. This embitters them and makes them even more furious. Dikoy attacks everyone he meets with abuse and “doesn’t want to know anyone.” Aware internally that there is nothing to respect him for, he, however, reserves the right to deal with the “little people” like this:

If I want, I will have mercy, if I want, I will crush.

Kabanova relentlessly pesters her family with ridiculous demands that contradict common sense. She is scary because she reads instructions “under the guise of piety,” but she herself cannot be called pious. This can be seen from Kuligin’s conversation with Kabanov:

Kuligin: We must forgive our enemies, sir!
Kabanov: Go and talk to your mother, what will she say to you about this.

Dikoy and Kabanova still seem strong, but they begin to realize that their strength is coming to an end. They have “nowhere to rush,” but life moves forward without asking their permission. That’s why Kabanova is so gloomy, she can’t imagine “how the light will stand” when her ways are forgotten. But those around, not yet feeling the powerlessness of these tyrants, are forced to adapt to them,

Tikhon, a good man at heart, came to terms with his situation. He lives and acts as “mama ordered,” having finally lost the ability to “live with his own mind.”

His sister Varvara is not like that. Tyrant oppression did not break her will, she is bolder and much more independent than Tikhon, but her conviction “if only everything was sewn and covered” suggests that Varvara was unable to fight her oppressors, but only adapted to them.

Vanya Kudryash, a daring and strong character, has become accustomed to tyrants and is not afraid of them. The Wild One needs him and knows this, he will not “slave in front of him.” But the use of rudeness as a weapon of struggle means that Kudryash can only “take an example” from the Wild One, defending himself from him with his own techniques. His reckless daring reaches the point of self-will, and this already borders on tyranny.

Katerina is, as the critic Dobrolyubov put it, “a ray of light in a dark kingdom.” Original and lively, she is not like any of the characters in the play. Her folk character gives her inner strength. But this strength is not enough to withstand Kabanova’s relentless attacks. Katerina is looking for support - and does not find it. Exhausted, unable to further resist oppression, Katerina still did not give up, but left the fight, committing suicide.

Kalinov can be located in any corner of the country, and this allows us to consider the action of the play on a scale throughout Russia. Tyrants are living out their days everywhere; weak people still suffer from their antics. But life moves tirelessly forward, no one can stop its rapid flow. A fresh and strong stream will sweep away the dam of tyranny... Characters freed from oppression will spill out in all their breadth - and the sun will break out in the “dark kingdom”!

In the merchant world of the city of Kalinov, where dramatic events unfold, “cruel morals” reign. Kuligin, a local self-taught mechanic, gives a detailed description of these morals. According to him, in Kalinov one cannot see anything except rudeness and unrequited humility, wealth and “stark poverty.” Those who have “tight money” try to “enslave the poor in order to make even more money from his free labors,” and they are at enmity with each other: they litigate, slander, “they undermine each other’s trade, and not so much out of self-interest, but out of envy."

A vivid figurative expression of the manifestations of rudeness and hostility that reign in the city is the merchant Savel Prokofich Dikoy, a “scold” and “shrill man,” as its residents characterize it. It is his appearance that gives Kuligin the opportunity to pronounce a monologue about Kalinov’s cruel morals. Dikoy is an ignorant tyrant, endowed with stubbornness and greed, a despot in his family and beyond. He also terrorizes his nephew Boris, who “got to be his sacrifice.” Swearing and swearing for any reason is not only the usual way of treating people, it is his nature, his character, the content of his entire life. “There’s no one to calm him down, so he’s fighting.”

Another personification of the “cruel morals” of the city of Kalinov is Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova - another despot. “A prude,” Kuligin characterizes her, “she gives favors to the poor, but completely eats up her family.” Kabanikha firmly stands guard over the patriarchal, house-building orders of antiquity, jealously guarding the life of her home from the fresh wind of change. Unlike the Wild One, she never swears, she has her own methods of intimidation: she is corrosive, like rusty iron, “sharpening” her loved ones. Dikoy and Kabanova openly or under the guise of piety have a destructive effect on those around them, poisoning their lives, destroying bright feelings in them,

Making them your slaves. Because for them, the loss of power is the loss of everything in which they see the meaning of existence.

It was no coincidence that Dobrolyubov called the life of Kalinov and similar cities in Russia at that time a “dark kingdom.” The bulk of the inhabitants of such towns lead a sleepy, calm, measured existence: “They go to bed very early, so it is difficult for an unaccustomed person to endure such a sleepy night.” On holidays, they walk decorously along the boulevard, but “they only pretend to be walking, but they themselves go there to show off their outfits.” The inhabitants are superstitious and submissive, they are not interested in new ideas and thoughts, and the sources of news are pilgrims and pilgrims who hide “all spiritual abomination” under their black scarves, such as Feklusha, who is willingly accepted in Kalinov’s houses. The owners of the city need her ridiculous stories to maintain their authority and power. The basis of relationships between people in Kalinov is material dependence, so Feklusha spreads her “news” not disinterestedly: here they will feed you, here they will give you something to drink, there they will give you gifts.

Another colorful exponent of the cruel morals of the “dark kingdom” is the half-crazy lady. She personifies the lost beauty, darkness and madness of the surrounding world and at the same time threatens the death of someone else's beauty, which is incompatible with the ugliness of the prevailing order.

Dikoy, Kabanova, Feklusha, the half-crazy lady - they all express the worst sides of a passing world, experiencing its last times. But these characters have nothing to do with our past with a distinctive culture. On the other hand, what in the present seems scary and ugly to Kuligin, seems beautiful to Feklusha: “Blaalepie, dear, blaalepie! Wonderful beauty!.. You live in the promised land!” And vice versa: what seems marvelous and magnificent to Kuligin, the lady sees as a disastrous whirlpool.

Ostrovsky in the play showed not only the customs of the city of Kalinov, but also recreated the atmosphere of Kalinov’s life, selecting appropriate details and colors for this. The feeling of an approaching thunderstorm, when “the whole sky has surrounded”, “covered with a cap,” is oppressive, as if conveying the eternal, unshakable laws of a terrible world, where man is a wolf to man. That’s why Kuligin exclaims: “We, sir, will never get out of this hole!.. There is no end to the torment.”

But representatives of the younger generation also live in these conditions, which break and paralyze the will. Someone, like Katerina, is closely connected with the way of the city and depends on it, lives and suffers, strives to escape from it, and someone, like Varvara, Kudryash, Boris and

Tikhon humbles himself, accepts his laws or finds ways to reconcile with them.

Tikhon is narrow-minded, spineless, not distinguished by any special intelligence, delicacy, or tenderness. He drowns his timid protest in wine and revelry, because he is not capable of more. Boris, “a young man of decent education,” is the only one who does not belong to the Kalinovsky world by birth and upbringing, does not understand local customs, but he is submissive, cowardly, unable to either defend himself from the insults of the Wild, or “resist the dirty tricks that other". Cheerful and cheerful Varvara adapted, learned to be cunning so as not to obey her mother. She runs with Kudryash, who is well acquainted with the customs of the merchant environment, but lives easily, without thinking.

Kuligin, who in the play acts as an “exposer of vices,” sympathizes with the poor, he is concerned with improving people’s lives, having received a reward for the discovery of a perpetual motion machine. He is an opponent of superstitions, a champion of knowledge, science, creativity, enlightenment, but his own knowledge is not enough. He doesn’t see an active way to resist tyrants, and therefore prefers to submit. It is clear that this is not the person who is able to bring novelty and fresh air into the life of the city of Kalinov.

Among the characters in the drama there is no one who does not belong to Kalinov’s world. Merchants, clerks, a lady with two footmen, a wanderer and a maid, lively and meek, powerful and subordinate - they all revolve in the sphere of concepts and ideas of a closed patriarchal environment. These persons are necessary for a better understanding of the situation that determines the meaning of the activities of the main characters. Of all the characters - residents of the city of Kalinova - only Katerina is completely focused on the future. According to academician N.N. Skatov, “Katerina was brought up not only in the narrow world of a merchant family, she was born not only by the patriarchal world, but by the entire world of national, people’s life, already spilling out beyond the boundaries of patriarchy, already looking for new horizons.”

The events of the play "" unfold in the city of Kalinov, which was created by the author. He summarized the life and customs of most Russian cities of that time. Many cities were similar to Kalinov. The author describes the beautiful landscapes of the city, which spread over vast expanses. But such harmony and beauty is opposed by the callousness and cruelty of the living people - merchants and their servants.

The play begins with a description of the city's landscape on behalf of one of Kuligin's heroes. He was perhaps one of the few who could enjoy the wonderful beauty of the surrounding forests, trees, and plants. The rest of the city residents - Dikoy, Kabanikha, Feklusha - are preoccupied with their everyday problems. Kuligin gives characteristics to the residents of the city. They are cruel and greedy, they are ready to do dirty tricks on their neighbor, interrupt trade, and then go to court and write complaints against each other.

He also talks about the family tradition of the residents of Kalinov. In the estate, all members of her family are oppressed and cannot say a word. The old woman is completely fed up with her family and doesn’t give them a peaceful life.

If we talk about moral laws, then the power and authority of money reigns in the city. The one who is rich is the lord of the city. Dikoy was such a person in Kalinov. He could treat everyone who was poorer and lower than him carelessly, he was rude, and constantly quarreled with everyone. Such a powerful man simply did not feel the ground under his feet, because everything in his position was decided by money. Although, his inner essence was weak.

Kabanikha strictly adheres to centuries-old traditions. In her family, everyone obeys the will and desire of their elders. She tells absolutely all the residents of her estate what to do and how to do it. Kabanikha terribly disliked Katerina for her free, free character. The young girl did not want to obey the old woman’s instructions, so swearing constantly arose between them.

In the city of Kalinov, material and monetary dependence prevails. Boris is afraid of his uncle Dikiy and does not dare to save Katerina from trouble. Tikhon faithfully obeys his mother and obeys her every whim.

Lies and deceit reign in the city. The main principle was lying. Only with her help did the girl learn to live in Kabanova’s estate. But the power and boundless will of tyrants are on the verge of destruction. The spirit of freedom is in the air. Therefore, the rich and merchants, sensing something is wrong, behave in the worst way.

Kalinov is a small Volga merchant town, where for generations they have been living according to Domostroevsky rules. They listen to wanderers, believe their fairy tales, are afraid to contradict their elders, life is unhurried and unhurried, like weakly flowing stagnant water. Here they resist innovation with all their might, especially those who have power over people. “Your own benefit is more important” and “Let your neighbor have a bad time” are the basic principles of philanthropy and good neighborliness that the residents profess. The rich make money from misfortune and underpayment; you won’t find the truth here; whoever is richer is right. The permissiveness of those in power has no boundaries and no control.

Wild has seven Fridays a week. He got off on the wrong foot - he mocks those who depend on him all day long. He is an important figure - rich, influential, even the head of the council does not order him, but asks: you should pay the peasants so that they don’t make a fuss. To which Dikoy answers without hesitation that kindness and decency are not profitable. “I won’t pay them a penny extra per person, but this makes up thousands for me.” And he gets rich by cheating, cheating, and on and on. Of course, he will not share the inheritance with his nephew and niece, Boris hopes in vain.

The wild one only needs a reason to take all the money for himself, and Boris provided the reason by entering into a relationship with a married woman. He is also impudent in conversations with petitioners - he looks at Kuligin as an annoying petitioner, although the scientist only wants to improve the city, without demanding anything for his services. The only thing Wild is afraid of is Kabanikha - an intelligent, cruel, hypocritical merchant's wife.

Kabanikha is an admirer of old traditions: the wife should be afraid of her husband, we are not even talking about love. When the husband leaves, he must give her an order in front of everyone, and she must “howl” when saying goodbye. A widowed mother-in-law should be even more important to her daughter-in-law than her husband - elders should be respected and feared. “Will” for her is equated to an obscene word, this is a violation of the meaning of her existence, the short leash on which she keeps everyone.

Kabanova's daughter-in-law, Katerina, having arrived at her husband's house, feels that the swamp is drawing her in, sucking out her vitality, and her tyrannical mother-in-law humiliates her with impunity, and there is no hope. The boar is healthy and will live a long time, but with the possible mention of her death she constantly torments her loved ones. And Katerina, out of despair, falls in love with the same dependent person, who, nevertheless, seems to her more worthy than her husband.

For a married woman in the city of Kalinov, getting married means becoming a silent slave in her husband’s house; the only possible consolation is children. Katerina’s betrayal of her husband is the only challenge possible for her to defend her daily humiliated honor and dignity.

The sons of Kalinov's merchants and merchant women belong least to themselves. Their fate is managed for their own benefit and enrichment; they are a commodity.

Of course, Dikoy and Kabanikha love children. In my own way. Trying to keep them in a constant consciousness of their insignificance, controlling and manipulating. Dikiy’s daughters are not yet adults, but he already wants to rob his nephews in their favor, and Kabanikha constantly reproaches her son for how much she suffered because of him.

Varvara Kabanova, on the other hand, is given complete freedom, and she walks with her lover at night, accustomed to being a hypocrite and agreeing with her mother outwardly and putting her foot down in practice. “Shito-covered” is one of Kalinov’s basic rules. Do whatever you want, just so people don't find out. Hide your true feelings, if you have them, don’t show them. But Katerina, by confessing, doomed Varvara to escape, although Varvara did not plan to escape. She had freedom among the girls, and she didn’t think about tomorrow, everything suited her. But the ban on a free life forced her to go against her mother - Varvara’s character is the same as that of her parent. She runs away with Kudryash, whom Dikoy himself is afraid of, and perhaps some good will come out of this connection.

For the believer Katerina there is no such option. Now she would live forever in a situation that offended the family of the disobedient woman. She has no one to ask for help - she knew what she was doing, but honesty does not allow her to remain silent. And she also “escaps”, in her own way.

Kalinov will no longer be the same - too many secrets have become apparent. And soon, not only Kuligin will see the beauty of his native expanses - only a cleansing thunderstorm will pour in...