What a sad detective story. The theme of the loss of moral guidelines in the work B
While in the Caucasus, Tolstoy began to create a novel about the formation of human personality, intending to title it generally: “Four Epochs of Development.” An aspiring writer harbors an extensive and interesting idea for a narrative about childhood, adolescence, adolescence and youth. The fourth part of the planned work was not written, and it formed into a trilogy, which became Tolstoy’s first significant creation and his artistic masterpiece.
Analysis of "Childhood"
Trilogy “Childhood. Adolescence. Youth,” which we will analyze, opens with “Childhood.” Tolstoy experienced a real creative fever while working on it. It seemed to him that before him, no one had ever felt this way and depicted all the charm and poetry of childhood. The little hero, Nikolenka Irtenyev, living in the atmosphere of patriarchal-landowner life, perceives the world around him in its serenity, as a happy, idyllic and joyful existence. There are many reasons for this: everyone loves him, warmth and humanity reigns around the child in relationships between people, a growing person lives in harmony with himself and the world opening before him; he experiences a feeling of harmony, which the writer extremely values. One cannot help but admire such characters in the book as teacher Karl Ivanovich and nanny Natalya Savishna. Tolstoy shows an amazing ability to trace the smallest movements human soul, change in the child’s experiences and feelings. N. G. Chernyshevsky called this feature of the writer “dialectics of the soul.” It also appears when young hero knows himself, and when he discovers the reality around him. These are the scenes of children's games, hunting, balls, classes in the classroom, the death of the mother and Natalya Savishna, circumstances when the complexity of human relationships is revealed, injustice, people's disagreement with each other, when bitter truths are revealed. Often a child displays aristocratic prejudices, but he learns to overcome them. Sincerity is being formed little hero, his trust in the world, natural behavior. In the story “Childhood” there is a very noticeable autobiographical element: many episodes are reminiscent of Tolstoy’s childhood, a number of the child’s discoveries reflect the views and quests of the writer himself. At the same time, the author strives for generalization in revealing the time of childhood, and therefore was very upset by the title - “The Story of My Childhood” - which was given to the story by the publishers of the Sovremennik magazine, where it was published. “Who cares about the story of my childhood? “- he wrote to Nekrasov, defending the typicality of what was depicted.
Analysis of "Boyhood"
The second part of the trilogy, “Adolescence,” continues many of the motifs of the previous work, but at the same time differs significantly from “Childhood.” Nikolenka Irtenyev’s analytical thinking is increasing. He reads F. Schelling, and he has a need to comprehend the world philosophically. Disturbing questions arise about where the soul goes after death, what symmetry is, whether objects exist outside of our relationship to them. Chapters “Long Ride”, “Thunderstorm”, “ A New Look"reflect a new phase of the hero's spiritual development. A new idea of the world appears: the boy realizes many other people’s lives, which he had not seen before, “...not all interests,” argues Irtenyev, “revolve around us... there is another life that has nothing in common with us.. .” This is a reflection on the broad and diverse world becomes important milestone in the spiritual development of adolescents. He sees social inequality quite keenly; Katenka helps him understand the existence of the rich and the poor, Karl Ivanovich reveals to him the extent of his misfortunes and the degree of his alienation from the world. Nikolenka’s separation from the people around him is growing, especially since he is clearly aware of his “I”. Irtenyev’s misadventures are becoming more frequent (chapters “The Unit”, “The Traitor”), which further aggravates the discord with the world, disappointment in it, and conflict with other people. Existence is likened to life in the desert, the gloominess of the narrative's coloring and the tension of its plot intensify, although there are still few external events in the narrative. But overcoming the mental crisis is also planned: important role Friendship with Nekhlyudov, who professes the idea of internal improvement, plays into this. Critic S. Dudyshkin noted the high artistic merit story “Adolescence” and called the author “a true poet.”
Analysis of "Youth"
“Youth” - the third part of the trilogy, published in Sovremennik in 1857 - tells about the strengthening of a new outlook on life, about the hero’s desire for “moral improvement”. The dreams conveyed in the chapter of the same name strengthen the young man in this endeavor, although they are quite divorced from real life, and the hero's inability to carry out his intentions is soon revealed. High ideas about life are replaced by a secular ideal comme il faut (good manners). However, Irtenyev’s sincere confession testifies to his attraction to truthfulness, nobility, and his desire to become more perfect externally and internally. And the story in the last chapters about the young man’s admission to university speaks of the hero’s attraction to new people, commoners, whom he meets here, and of the recognition of their superiority in knowledge. Irtenyev finds connections with people, and this is a significant milestone in the history of his maturation. However final chapter The story is called “I’m Failing.” This frank confession in the collapse of previous morality and philosophy, disappointment in the adopted way of life and at the same time - the key to the further maturation of the hero’s personality. It is no coincidence that the critic P. Annenkov wrote about the “heroism of inner honesty” shown by Tolstoy in “Youth”.
Tolstoy’s work “Adolescence” and its analysis is one of the parts autobiographical trilogy Tolstoy “Childhood. Adolescence. Youth". Here we see the continuation of the life of the narrator Nikolenka Irtenyev. Unlike “Childhood,” the work touches on the period of adolescence and begins at the age of fourteen. Now Nikolai lives in Moscow, in his grandmother’s house, where he and his family moved after the death of his mother.
The grandmother suffers greatly after the loss of her daughter and does not take care of her grandchildren, nor does the father, who is frivolous by nature and is also a gambler, not take care of the children. Analyzing Tolstoy's story "Adolescence", we see that the children are raised by the tutor Karl-Ivanovich, who, at the request of the grandmother, was fired, and in his place they took a sophisticated French valet, with whom Nikolenka did not have a good relationship.
In the work we see that main character he was alone in his grandmother’s house and every day his loneliness increased. It seemed to him that he was not his own, that no one loved him. On my own in adolescence the guy is timid, insecure, considers himself ugly. He often spends time alone with himself, observes those around him from the outside and often thinks about life. In its own way kindness he contributed to the marriage of the maid Masha and the servant Vasily, although Nikolai himself was in love with Masha, but was afraid to admit his feelings.
After the death of his grandmother, Nikolai and his family continue to live in her house, which was inherited by his sister. Nikolai is preparing to enter college and finds a friend in the form of Nekhlyudov, who often came to Volodka, Nikolenka’s brother.
In the work we see how not only external changes occur with the move to Moscow, but also internal ones. He the world perceives differently, thinks about the meaning of what is happening. Shown here difficult relationships hero with adults.
Thanks to the chapter-by-chapter analysis of Tolstoy’s “Adolescence,” we see that the author, through the image of Nikolenka, showed us the subtle world and psychology of teenagers, because many of us recognize ourselves in the main character. Many of us in adolescence considered ourselves unnecessary, unloved, it seemed to us all that we were strangers, not family, at this age many people develop complexes, the first real friendship, Love. For these reasons this work was relevant then, remains relevant today.
Plan:
1. Road to Moscow
2. Life in grandma's house
3. The game with gunpowder and the story of Karl Ivanovich
4. Lyubochka’s birthday and the broken key
5. Punishment
6. Love of Masha and Vasily
7. Grandma's death
8. Friendship with Nekhlyudov
9. Preparation for admission.
Trilogy L.N. Tolstoy “Childhood. Adolescence. Youth"
Tolstoy thought through this trilogy very carefully. It was important for him to express his thoughts about Russian life, Russian society, and literature. Therefore, in these works everything is very important, nothing is unnecessary - Tolstoy thought through every detail, every scene, every word. Its task is to show the development of a person’s personality, the formation of his character and beliefs. We see the main character, Nikolenka Irtenyev, in different periods his life. This is childhood, adolescence and youth. Tolstoy chose these periods because they are the most important in a person’s life. In childhood, the child is aware of his connection with the family and the world, he is very sincere and naive; in adolescence, the world expands, new acquaintances occur, a person learns to interact with other people; in youth there is an awareness of oneself as a unique personality, separation from the surrounding world. Nikolenka also goes through all these stages.
The writer built the scene so that it coincides with his main idea. The action of the first book takes place in the Irtenev estate - home boy; in the second book the hero visits many other places; Finally, in the third book, the hero’s relationship with the outside world comes to the fore. And the theme of family is very important here.
The theme of family is the leading theme of the trilogy. It is the connection with family, with home that greatly influences the main character. Tolstoy deliberately shows in each part some sad event in the Irtenyev family: in the first part, Nikolenka’s mother dies, and this destroys the harmony; in the second part, the grandmother dies, who was Nikolenka’s support; in the third part the stepmother appears, new wife father. So gradually, but inevitably, Nikolenka enters the world of adult relationships. It seems to me that he is becoming bitter.
The story in the trilogy is told in the first person. But this is not written by Nikolenka himself, but by the already adult Nikolai Irtenev, who recalls his childhood. In Tolstoy's time, all memoirs were written in the first person. In addition, the first-person narrative brings the author and the hero closer together, so the trilogy can be called autobiographical. In many ways, in this book Tolstoy writes about himself, about the maturation of his soul. After the release of the entire trilogy, the writer admitted that he had moved away from his initial plan.
In the trilogy, six years from Irtenyev’s life pass before us, but they are not described day by day. Tolstoy shows the most important points the boy's fate. Each chapter carries an idea. They follow each other in such a way as to convey the development of the hero, his emotions and feelings. Tolstoy selects circumstances so that they show the character of the hero clearly and strongly. So, Nikolenka finds herself facing death, and here conventions don’t matter.
Tolstoy characterizes his heroes through descriptions of appearance, manners, behavior, because this is how inner world heroes. Even foreign language serves to characterize the hero: the aristocrats speak French, the teacher Karl Ivanovich speaks broken Russian and German, simple people speak Russian.
All this allowed L.N. Tolstoy to carry out an analysis of the psychology of children and adolescents. The trilogy constantly compares the inner world of man and the external environment.
Characteristics of the characters in Leo Tolstoy’s trilogy “Childhood. Adolescence. Youth"
Characteristics of the image of Irtenev Nikolenka (Nikolai Petrovich)
Irtenev Nikolenka (Nikolai Petrovich)- the main character on whose behalf the story is told. Nobleman, count. From noble aristocratic family. The image is autobiographical. The trilogy shows the process of internal growth and development of N.’s personality, his relationships with people around him and the world, the process of comprehending reality and himself, the search peace of mind and the meaning of life. N. appears before the reader through his perception different people, with which his life one way or another confronts him.
« Childhood " In the story N. is ten years old. Among his dominant traits are shyness, which causes the hero a lot of suffering, the desire to be loved and introspection. The hero knows that he does not shine with his appearance and even moments of despair come over him: it seems to him “that there is no happiness on earth for a man with such a wide nose, thick lips and small gray eyes.” The acquaintance with the hero occurs at the moment of his awakening, when his tutor Karl Ivanovich wakes him up. Already here, in the first scene of the story, one of the main features of Tolstoy’s writing appears - psychological analysis, the famous “dialectics of the soul”, which N. G. Chernyshevsky wrote about in an article dedicated to the trilogy and war stories of Tolstoy and which will be developed in his future works. Several large (mother's death, moving to Moscow and the village) and small (grandmother's birthday, guests, games, first loves and friendships, etc.) events take place in the story, thanks to which the writer manages to look deeper into the soul of the hero.
Perfectly conveying child psychology, Tolstoy portrays little N. as acutely perceiving not only surrounding nature, but also childishly alive and directly responding to the troubles of people close to him. So, he sympathizes with the tutor Karl Ivanovich, whom his father decided to fire. Tolstoy in more detail describes states of mind hero. “After prayer, you used to wrap yourself in a blanket; the soul is light, bright and joyful; Some dreams drive others, but what are they about? they are elusive, but fulfilled pure love and hope for bright happiness." N.'s childhood - a time of maximum vitality and harmony, carelessness and strength of faith, innocent gaiety and the boundless need for love - is depicted by the writer with a feeling of undisguised tenderness.
« Boyhood " Adolescence, according to the narrator, begins for him with the death of his mother. He speaks of it as a “desert” where there are rarely “minutes of true warm feeling that so brightly and constantly illuminated the beginning of my life.” As N. grows up, he begins to be visited by questions that had not previously bothered him at all - about the lives of other people. Until now, the world revolved around him alone, but now his view is gradually beginning to change. The impetus for this is a conversation with the daughter of Mimi’s mother’s friend Katenka, who is being brought up together with the Irtenyevs, who talks about the difference between them: the Irtenyevs are rich, but they and their mother are poor. The hero is now wondering how others live, “if they don’t care about us at all?.., how and how do they live, how do they raise their children, do they teach them, do they let them play, how do they punish them? etc.". For the writer, it is extremely important, both from a psychological and moral point of view, this process of gradually opening the individualistic isolation on oneself alone, although in the story he does not evaluate it as a sin, since children's egoism, in his opinion, is a, so to speak, natural phenomenon, as well as the social one - a consequence of upbringing in aristocratic families. N.’s relationships with other people also become more complicated, primarily with his brother Volodya, who is only a year and a few months older than him, but this gap seems much larger: his brother uncontrollably moves away from N., causing him to bitter feeling loss, jealousy and a constant desire to look into his world (the scene of N.’s destruction of his brother’s collection of jewelry, which he overturns along with the table). His likes and dislikes become sharper and more contradictory (the episode with the tutor St.-Jerome(oM), his sense of self, analyzed in detail by the author. “I was shy by nature, but my shyness was further increased by the conviction of my ugliness. And I am convinced that nothing does not have such a striking influence on a person’s direction as his appearance, and not so much his appearance as the conviction of its attractiveness or unattractiveness." The hero describes his appearance this way: "I am much shorter than Volodya, broad-shouldered and fleshy, still ugly and "I'm still tormented by this. I try to seem original. One thing consoles me: this is what my dad once said about me, that I have a smart face, and I fully believe in it."
It was during this period that the hero’s “favorite and constant subjects” of reflection became “abstract questions about the purpose of man, about future life, about the immortality of the soul..." Tolstoy emphasizes that in solving them N. comprehends the powerlessness of the mind, falls into a hopeless circle of analysis of his thoughts, at the same time losing willpower, freshness of feeling and clarity of mind (which will subsequently be reflected in the general concept of the writer’s personality). At the same time, N.’s first real friendship began with Dmitry Nekhlyudov, under whose influence N. came to “an enthusiastic adoration of the ideal of virtue and the conviction that man’s destiny is to constantly improve.”
« Youth " N. - almost seventeen. He is reluctant to prepare for university. His main passion is the desire for moral improvement, which now gives food not only to the mind, awakening new thoughts, but also to feelings, encouraging its active implementation. The hero, however, is soberly aware of the sharp contradiction between the wonderful plans for an active moral life and its current “petty, confused and idle order.” Dreams are still replacing reality. They are based, as the hero reports, on four feelings: love for an imaginary woman; love of love, that is, the desire to be loved; hope for extraordinary, vain happiness and the expectation as a result of this of something magically happy; self-loathing and repentance, consisting of hatred of the past and a passionate desire for perfection. The hero makes up life rules and tries to follow them. His whole life during this period passes in a series of falls and rebirths.
The hero enters the mathematics department of the university, his father gives him a droshky with a horse, and he goes through the first temptations of the consciousness of his own adulthood and independence, which, however, lead to disappointment. Reading novels (especially in the summer) and comparing himself with their heroes, N. begins to try to be “as comme il faut as possible” (he calls this concept “one of the most harmful, false concepts instilled in me by education and society”), that is meet a number of conditions: excellent knowledge French, especially reprimand, long and clean nails; “the ability to bow, dance and talk”; “indifference to everything and the constant expression of some elegant contemptuous boredom,” etc. It is this concept, as Tolstoy emphasizes, that is the reason for the hero’s false prejudice towards other people, primarily towards the students studying with him, who are not only no less smart, than he does, but they also know much more, although they far from meet the criteria he chose. The ending of the story is N.’s failure in the mathematics exam and expulsion from the university. The hero again decides to write the rules of life and never do anything bad.
Characteristics of the image of St.-Jerome
St. Jerome- Frenchman, tutor of the Irtenievs. His relationship with Nikolenka does not work out at first; it seems to the boy that he has “no other goal in life than the desire to punish” him. In the episode at grandma’s name day, the hero punishes the naughty Nikolenka, and Nikolenka, who first fought back and then was finally locked in the closet, imagines how and with what he could take revenge on the tormentor. The hero becomes the object of irreconcilable hatred on the part of the pupil. One of the methods of educating S. is that he, “straightening his chest and making a majestic gesture with his hand, shouted in a tragic voice: “A genoux, mauvais sujet!” Subsequently, their relationship gradually improves. “Having now discussed this man in cold blood, I find that he was a good Frenchman, but a Frenchman in highest degree. He was not stupid, he was quite well educated and conscientiously fulfilled his duties towards us, but he had common characteristics to all his fellow countrymen and were so contrary to the Russian character distinctive features frivolous selfishness, vanity, insolence and ignorant self-confidence.”
Characteristics of the image of Grandmother
Grandmother- Countess, one of the most important figures in the trilogy, as if representing a bygone majestic era (like Prince Ivan Ivanovich). Image B is covered with universal reverence and respect. She knows how to use a word or intonation to make clear her attitude towards a person, which for many others is a decisive criterion. The narrator portrays her not so much through static characteristics, but through a description of her interactions with other characters who arrive to congratulate her on her name day, her reactions and words. B. seems to feel his strength and power, his special significance. After the death of her daughter, Nikolenka's mother, she falls into despair. Nikolenka catches her at the moment when she is talking to the deceased as if she were alive. Despite the importance of the old woman, he considers her kind and cheerful, and her love for her grandchildren especially intensifies after the death of their mother. Nevertheless, the narrator compares her with a simple old woman, housekeeper Natalya Savishna, finding that the latter had a greater influence on his worldview.
Characteristics of the image of Valkhina Sonechka
Valakhina Sonechka- daughter of the Irtenyevs’ acquaintance, Mrs. Valakhina. Nikolenka meets her at her grandmother’s birthday and immediately falls in love. Here is his first impression: “...A wonderful twelve-year-old girl in a short open muslin dress, white pantaloons and tiny black shoes emerged from the shrouded person. There was a black velvet ribbon on the little white neck; her head was covered in dark brown curls, which in front went so well with her beautiful dark face, and in the back with her bare shoulders...” He dances a lot with S, makes her laugh in every possible way and is jealous of other boys. In “Youth,” Nikolenka, after a long separation, meets again with S, who has turned ugly, but “the lovely bulging eyes and the bright, good-naturedly cheerful smile were the same.” The matured Nikolenka, whose feelings require food, again becomes interested in her.
Characteristics of Semenov's image
Semenov- common student. I entered the university together with Nikolenka. He carefully went to lectures for a month, and then went on a spree and at the end of the course did not show up at the university at all. He enjoys special respect among students; they look at him “with some kind of horror.” The narrator describes the original end of his “revelry”: S, in order to pay off his debts, voluntarily sells himself as a recruit. From the barracks he sends Zukhin a debt and a note. Students go there to see him. Nikolenka describes his appearance this way: “It was him, with gray hair cut into a comb, a shaved blue forehead and with his always gloomy and energetic expression.” He behaves openly and simply, holding out a black big hand, and then tells Zukhin about his “strange, incomprehensible adventures.”
Characteristics of the image of Grapa Ilinka
Grap Ilinka- the son of a foreigner who once lived with the Irtenievs’ grandfather, owed him something and considered it his duty to send I. to them. “A boy of about thirteen, thin, tall, pale, with a bird’s face and a good-natured, submissive expression.” People pay attention to him only when they want to laugh at him. This character - a participant in one of the games of the Ivins and Irtenievs - suddenly becomes the object of general mockery, ending with him crying, and his hunted appearance painfully affects everyone. The narrator's memory of him is associated with remorse and is, according to him, the only dark spot childhood years. “How did I not come to him, protect him and comfort him?” - he asks himself. Later I., like the narrator, enters the university. Nikolenka admits that he is so used to looking down on him that he is somewhat unpleasant that he is the same student, and he refuses I.’s father’s request to allow his son to spend the day with the Irtenievs. From the moment I entered the university, I., however, leaves Nikolenka’s influence and behaves with constant defiance.
Characteristics of the image of Grisha
Grisha- wanderer, holy fool. “A man of about fifty, with a pale elongated face pitted with smallpox, long gray hair and a sparse reddish beard.” Very tall. “His voice was rough and hoarse, his movements were hasty and uneven, his speech was meaningless and incoherent (he never used pronouns), but the accents were so touching, and his yellow, ugly face sometimes took on such a frank expression. sad expression“that, listening to him, it was impossible to resist some kind of mixed feeling of regret, fear and sadness.” What is mainly known about him is that he walks barefoot in winter and summer, visits monasteries, gives icons to those he loves, and speaks mysterious words that are taken for predictions. To see the heavy chains that he wears on himself, the children spy on how he undresses before going to bed, they see how selflessly he prays, causing the narrator a feeling of tenderness: “Oh, great Christian Grisha! Your faith was so strong that you felt the closeness of God, your love was so great that the words flowed out of your mouth by themselves - you did not believe them with your mind...”
Characteristics of Dubkov's image
Dubkov- adjutant, friend of Volodya Irtenyev. “...A small, wiry brunette, no longer in his first youth and a little short-legged, but handsome and always cheerful. He was one of those limited people who are especially pleasant precisely because of their limitations, who are unable to see objects with various sides and who are always carried away. The judgments of these people can be one-sided and erroneous, but they are always sincere and fascinating.” A big fan of champagne, visiting women, playing cards and other entertainment.
Characteristics of the image of Avdotya Vasilievna Epifanova
Epifanova Avdotya Vasilievna- neighbor of the Irtenyevs, then the second wife of Pyotr Aleksandrovich Irtenyev, Nikolenka’s father. The narrator notes her passionate, devoted love for her husband, which, however, does not in the least prevent her from loving to dress beautifully and go out into society. Between her and the young Irtenevs (with the exception of Lyubochka, who fell in love with her stepmother, who reciprocates her feelings) a strange, playful relationship is established that hides the absence of any relationship. Nikolenka is surprised at the contrast between the young, healthy, cold, cheerful beauty that Y. appears before the guests, and the middle-aged, exhausted, melancholy woman, sloppy and bored without guests. It is her untidiness that deprives her of the narrator’s last respect. About her love for her father, he notes: “The only goal of her life was to acquire the love of her husband; but she seemed to do everything on purpose that could possibly be unpleasant to him, and all with the goal of proving to him the full power of her love and readiness to sacrifice herself.” E.’s relationship with her husband becomes the subject of special attention for the narrator, since the “thought of family” already occupied Tolstoy at the time of creating the autobiographical trilogy and will be developed in his subsequent works. He sees that in their relationship, “a feeling of quiet hatred, that restrained disgust for the object of affection, which is expressed by an unconscious desire to cause all possible minor moral troubles to this object,” begins to appear.
Characteristics of the image of Zukhin
Zukhin- Nikolenka’s university friend. He is eighteen years old. Ardent, receptive, active, wild nature, full of strength and energy wasted in revelry. He drinks from time to time. The narrator meets him at a meeting of a circle of students who decided to prepare for exams together. “...A small, dense brunette with a somewhat plump and always glossy, but extremely intelligent, lively and independent face. This expression was especially given to him by his low, but hunchbacked forehead over his deep black eyes, his bristly short hair and a thick black beard that always seemed unshaven. He never seemed to think about himself (which I always especially liked in people), but it was clear that his mind was never idle.” He does not respect or like science, although it comes to him with extreme ease.
Zukhin is a type of commoner, smart, knowledgeable, although not belonging to the category of people comme il faut, which at first evokes in the narrator “not only a feeling of contempt, but also some personal hatred that I felt for them for not being comme il faut, they seemed to consider me not only their equal, but even good-naturedly patronized me.” Despite the overwhelming disgust for their unkempt appearance and manners, the narrator feels something good in Z. and his comrades and is drawn to them. He is attracted by knowledge, simplicity, honesty, the poetry of youth and daring. In addition to the abyss of shades that make up the difference in their understanding of life, Nikolenka cannot get rid of the feeling of inequality between him, a wealthy man, and them, and therefore cannot “get on equal terms with them, sincere relationship" However, gradually he is drawn into their life and once again discovers for himself that the same Z., for example, judges literature better and more clearly than him and in general is not only in no way inferior to him, but even superior, so that the height, with which he, a young aristocrat, looks at Z. and his comrades - Operov, Ikonin and others - is imaginary.
Characteristics of the image of Ivin Serezha
Ivin Seryozha- a relative and peer of the Irtenievs, “a dark, curly-haired boy, with an upturned hard nose, very fresh red lips, which rarely completely covered a slightly prominent top row white teeth, dark blue beautiful eyes and an unusually lively expression on his face. He never smiled, but either looked completely seriously, or laughed heartily with his ringing, distinct and extremely entertaining laugh.” His original beauty amazes Nikolenka, and he falls in love with him like a child, but does not find any response in I., although he feels his power over him and unconsciously, but tyrannically uses it in their relationship.
Characteristics of the image of Irtenev Volodya
Irtenev Volodya (Vladimir Petrovich)- Nikolenka’s older brother (by a year and several months). The consciousness of his seniority and primacy constantly prompts him to actions that hurt his brother’s pride. Even the condescension and grin that he often bestows on his brother turns out to be a reason for resentment. The narrator characterizes V. as follows: “He was ardent, frank and fickle in his hobbies. Fascinated by the most varied subjects, he devoted himself to them with all his soul.” He emphasizes the “happy, noble and frank character” of V. However, despite occasional and short-lived disagreements or even quarrels, relations between the brothers remain good. Nikolenka involuntarily gets carried away by the same passions as V., but out of pride she tries not to imitate him. With admiration and a feeling of some envy, Nikolenka describes V.’s admission to the university and the general joy in the house on this occasion. V. makes new friends - Dubkov and Dmitry Nekhlyudov, with whom he soon breaks up. His favorite entertainment with Dubkov is champagne, balls, cards. V.’s relationship with the girls surprises his brother, because he “did not allow the idea that they could think or feel anything human, and even less allowed the possibility of talking with them about anything.”
Characteristics of the image of Irtenev Peter
Irtenev Petr Alexandrych (Father)- Count, head of the Irteniev family, Nikolenka’s father. “He was a man of the last century and had, common to the youth of that century, the elusive character of chivalry, enterprise, self-confidence, courtesy and revelry. On people this century he looked contemptuously, and this look came as much from innate pride as from secret annoyance that in our century he could not have either the influence or the success that he had in his own. His two main passions in life were cards and women...
Large, stately stature, a strange gait with small steps, a habit of twitching his shoulders, small eyes that are always smiling, a large aquiline nose, irregular lips that somehow awkwardly but pleasingly folded, a flaw in pronunciation - whispering, and a large bald spot all over his head.” The narrator realizes that his father’s appearance is not very happy, but at the same time he notes that even with her, everyone liked him without exception and was lucky. The main guide of his life and actions is happiness and pleasure. In the story “Youth” he marries a neighbor on the estate for the second time. The narrator admits that for him his father was a higher being, he loves him and ranks him highly, although he does not take much part in his son’s life.
Characteristics of the image of Irteneva Lyubochka
Irteneva Lyubochka- Nikolenka’s older sister. In the story “Childhood” she is eleven years old. The narrator calls her “little black” and describes her outfit: “a short canvas dress and white pantaloons trimmed with lace.” In "Boyhood" she is already given more detailed portrait: “Lyubochka is short and, due to an English disease, she has goose legs and a nasty waist. The only good thing about her whole figure is her eyes, and these eyes are truly beautiful - large, black, and with such an indefinably pleasant expression of importance and naivety that they cannot help but stop attention.” The narrator notes her family resemblance to her mother, consisting in something elusive: in her hands, in the manner of walking, especially in her voice and in some expressions, as well as in playing the piano and in all the techniques at the same time.
Characteristics of the image of Natalya Nikolaevna Irteneva
Irteneva Natalya Nikolaevna (Maman)- Nikolenka's mother. The narrator describes her as follows: “When I try to remember my mother as she was at that time, I can only imagine her brown eyes, always expressing the same kindness and love, a mole on her neck, a little lower than where the little hairs curl, embroidered white collar, a gentle dry hand that caressed me so often and which I kissed so often.” As noted, all the beauty of her face is in her smile. She dies early, and the grief of the loss then casts a shadow over much of the protagonist's childhood and adolescence.
Characteristics of the image of Karl Ivanovich (Mauer)
Karl Ivanovich (Mauer)- German, teacher, tutor. He appears at the very beginning of the story “Childhood” swatting flies over the head of the sleeping Nikolenka Irtenyev, which displeases the awakened pupil. Tolstoy emphasizes K.I.’s eccentricity and kindness, but also the difference between the hero’s behavior in the nursery and in the classroom, where he no longer acts as a good-natured uncle, but as a mentor, with glasses on his nose and a book in his hand. Most K.I. spends time reading, and at this time there is a calm, majestic expression on his face. “How now I see in front of me a long figure in a cotton robe and a red cap, from under which one can see rare White hair" All of K.I.’s things are laid out in orderly order, neatly in their place.
K.I. considers himself unhappy from birth, or, as he himself says, distorting Russian words into the German way, “Isho in the womb of my mother.” His life is long rich story, which the hero tells the children: he is the illegitimate son of Count von Zomerblatt, out of generosity he went to military service instead of his brother, whom his father loved more than him, he fought with the French, was captured, escaped, and worked in a rope factory; Having returned home, he was almost arrested as a deserter, fled again, was hired into the service by the Russian general Sazin, and only then came to the Irtenyevs. The separation from their family, when Nikolenka’s father is going to take on a new French tutor, is experienced as a drama.
Characteristics of Katenka's image
Katenka- daughter of the governess Lyubochka Irteneva Mimi. Light blue eyes, a smiling look, a straight nose with strong nostrils and a mouth with bright smile, tiny dimples on pink transparent cheeks. Nikolenka feels something like first love for her. From her he first hears words about poverty and wealth (K. and her mother Mimi are poor, the Irtenyevs are rich), which made him think and became the reason for the “moral change” in him.
Characteristics of the image of Prince Ivan Ivanovich
Prince Ivan Ivanovich- a type of aristocrat of the last century, the embodiment of the chivalrous spirit of a bygone era, partly idealized by Tolstoy (cf. the story “Two Hussars”). “A man of about seventy, tall, in a military uniform with large epaulettes, from under the collar of which a large white cross was visible, and with a calm, open expression on his face. The freedom and simplicity of his movements amazed me. Despite the fact that a semicircle of thin hair remained on the back of his head and that the position of his upper lip clearly proved the lack of teeth, his face was still of remarkable beauty” - this is how Nikolya sees him for the first time, at a celebration in honor of her grandmother’s birthday. The narrator also notes his brilliant position in society and the general respect that the prince earned for his consistency and firmness, with which he always adhered to an elevated way of thinking, the basic rules of religion and morality. The hero is kind and sensitive, but cold and somewhat arrogant in his manner. He is, according to the narrator, of little intelligence, but he is, however, well educated and well read. The prince cannot live without society and, wherever he is, he lives widely and openly. Subsequently, paying the prince a visit after entering the university, Nikolenka is embarrassed, knowing that he is the prince’s heir.
Characteristics of Kolpikov's image
Kolpikov- “a short, stocky civilian gentleman with a red mustache.” Something like a quarrel occurs between him and Nikolenka, who is celebrating his entrance to university with friends in Yar. Dinner K. scolds Nikolenka, who is lighting a cigarette next to him, and he hangs out, partly confused, partly feeling guilty. The incident hurts the narrator’s pride especially because he seems to have chickened out, allowing himself to be treated this way and not being able to come up with a worthy answer. Having come to his senses, he no longer finds K. in place. Having then told Nekhlyudov about this incident, he learns that K. is “a well-known scoundrel, a sharper, and most importantly a coward, kicked out of the regiment by his comrades because he received a slap in the face and did not want to fight.”
Characteristics of the image of Lyubov Sergeevna
Lyubov Sergeevna- Nekhlyudov’s beloved, about whom he tells his friend Nikolenka with admiration as a woman who has a huge influence on him. Nikolenka meets her at Nekhlyudov’s dacha. “She was very ugly: red-haired, thin, short, a little lopsided.” She speaks in sayings that are not relevant. The narrator, no matter how hard he tries, cannot find a single one in it. beautiful features. He finds her mannered and uninteresting, although out of sympathy for his friend he does not want to admit this even to himself. She, in turn, is also not disposed towards him, considering him “the greatest egoist, atheist and mocker”, often argues with him and gets angry.
Characteristics of the image of Mimi (Marya Ivanovna)
Mimi (Marya Ivanovna)- governess of the Irtenievs, mother of Katenka. The narrator, calling her boring, complains that it was impossible to talk about anything in front of her, because she found everything indecent. Later, Nikolenka learns that his father was once fond of her and therefore she is hostile to his new marriage.
Characteristics of the image of Mikhailov Yakov
Mikhailov Yakov- clerk, serf of the Irtenievs. His face is always calm, expressing “awareness of his dignity and at the same time subordination, that is: I am right, but by the way, your will!” When he speaks, his fingers are in the greatest anxiety and desperately jump in different directions. The narrator is present at business conversation Yakov with his father and, already from the height of his adult consciousness, gives him the following, slightly ironic description: “Yakov was a serf, a very zealous and devoted person; he, like all good clerks, was extremely stingy for his master and had the strangest concepts about the master’s benefits.”
Characteristics of the image of Natalia Savishna
Natalya Savishna- housekeeper, formerly a maid, then maid and nanny of Nikolenka’s mother. A type of selflessly devoted servant who selflessly devotes her entire life to her owners (cf. Arina Rodionovna in A.S. Pushkin). Her story is this: after she was taken into the state house, she wanted to marry the young, lively waiter Foku, but the narrator’s grandfather considered this ingratitude on her part and sent her to a barnyard in a steppe village. However, no one could replace N.S., she was returned, and she, in turn, repented to the master and asked to forget her previous nonsense. Having received her freedom after faithful twenty years of service, she was deeply wounded. After the death of his mother, Nikolenka in N.S.’s room listens with bated breath to her simple-hearted explanations about the fact that the soul of the Righteous One, before going to heaven, suffers for another forty days. He is also struck by her sudden transition from talking about the sacred and mysterious to grumpiness and petty calculations, in which he subsequently sees the sincerity of grief, which does not want and cannot pretend. After the Irtenievs leave the village, she becomes bored with idleness; a year after the death of Nikolenka’s mother, she develops dropsy. She suffers from illness for two months, enduring torment with Christian patience, and accepts death as a blessing (a motive extremely important for Tolstoy - cf. “Three Deaths”), having previously asked everyone for forgiveness for the insults that she could have caused them, and thanked for favors shown to her. The narrator remembers this old woman as a “rare, wonderful creature” whose whole life was love and self-sacrifice and who had “such a strong and beneficial influence on my direction and development of sensitivity.”
Characteristics of the image of Dmitry Nekhlyudov
Nekhlyudov Dmitry- Prince, friend of Volodya Irtenyev, whom he meets at the university, and then best friend Nikolenki. He's not good-looking: small grey eyes, low, steep forehead, disproportionate length of arms and legs... The only good thing about him was extraordinary high growth, delicate complexion and beautiful teeth. But this face received such an original and energetic character from narrow, sparkling eyes and a changeable, sometimes stern, sometimes childishly vague expression of a smile that it was impossible not to notice it.” The hero, like Nikolenka, is very bashful and shy, although it is precisely in those moments when he involuntarily blushes that his face expresses the greatest determination, as if he is angry with himself. At first, Nikolenka does not like his quick glance, his proud appearance, and especially the indifference with which he treats him, but then they become closer, feeling a commonality of interests and direction, expressed mainly in the desire for perfection. N. shares with his friend the most intimate things - his love for Lyubov Sergeevna, plans for marriage, village life and working on oneself (see the story “The Landowner’s Morning”, where N. is the main character).
Characteristics of the image of Marya Ivanovna Nekhlyudova
Nekhlyudova Marya Ivanovna- Princess, mother of Dmitry Nekhlyudov. “...A tall, slender woman of about forty. She could have been given more, judging by the curls of half-gray hair openly exposed from under her cap, but by her fresh, extremely tender, almost wrinkle-free face, especially by her lively, cheerful shine big eyes it seemed much smaller to her. Her eyes were brown, very open; lips are too thin, a little strict; the nose is quite regular and slightly to the left side; her hand was without rings, large, almost masculine, with beautiful elongated fingers.” The narrator, who meets her at the Nekhlyudovs’ dacha, draws attention to her somewhat cold, open gaze, and a little later defines for himself the character and direction of the Nekhlyudov family as “logic and at the same time simplicity and grace,” which is set by M.I. Nikolenka also likes the fact that she treats him seriously and simply.
Characteristics of the image of Sofia Ivanovna Nekhlyudova
Nekhlyudova Sofya Ivanovna- Aunt Nekhlyudova, old girl, plump, short, with large, lively and calm blue eyes. At first, she seems very proud to Nikolenka, but soon he changes his mind and begins to understand her essence much better. “Sofya Ivanovna, as I later recognized her, was one of those rare middle-aged women born for family life, to whom fate denied this happiness and who, as a result of this refusal, all that reserve of love that had been stored for so long, grew and grew stronger in their hearts for their children and husband, suddenly decide to pour out on a few chosen ones. And this supply of old girls of this kind can be so inexhaustible that, despite the fact that there are many chosen ones, there is still a lot of love left, which they pour out on everyone around them...”
