What is the ideal of Oblomov’s existence. The essay “The Social Ideals of Stolz in the Novel “Oblomov”

Luka is a character from Maxim Gorky's play “At the Lower Depths”.

Luke is sixty years old in the play. He was bald and walked with a kettle at his belt, leaning on a stick. Like all the inhabitants of the shelter, he did not have own home. This old man was a wanderer.

The name Luke has two meanings: the first – as “the evil one”, and the second – as the Gospel apostle Luke. This name is closely related to the character's character. There is still debate about his significance in the play: some believe that Luke negative character, and someone says it’s positive. The author himself claimed that the old man turned out to be more positive and wiser than he had planned.

Luka served as a watchman near Tomsk for an engineer. One can guess that he appeared in the shelter after he escaped from Siberia from hard labor, where he ended up for some crime. He loved to sing and thought that he sang well, but that was not the case. Luka was soft man, because, according to him, he experienced a lot in this life. He believed that he became bald because of women, because of difficulties in relationships with them. He had more women than hairs on his head. But he was very smart person. Luke did not always tell the truth, because he believed that the truth destroys a person and takes away faith in himself.

Natasha brought him to Kostylev’s shelter. The old man immediately began to be considered kind, sweet and compassionate. Luke believed that all people should be pitied and supported with a kind word, as Christ himself commanded. He began to console everyone in the shelter, even if it was not true. I thought that a person should have faith in something that will help him live on and achieve something better for himself. So he told the actor that there is a clinic that treats alcoholics for free. The actor then stopped drinking and began saving money to go to this clinic. To Dying Anna Luke said that after death she would be free from all pain and torment. He advised Vaska Peplu to go to Siberia and said that he would find liberation there together with Natasha.

Luka sincerely tried to help everyone, but he did not expect that this, on the contrary, could take someone’s life. For example, an actor committed suicide after the unexpected departure of an old man. Ash, trying to take Natasha and go to Siberia, lost everything.

After the murder of Pepel, the owner of Kostylev’s flophouse, Luka went to Ukraine. His departure had a mixed effect on the inhabitants. They tried to condemn the old man, but Satin began to stand up for him, who spoke in the words of Gorky himself, and who was at first skeptical of Luke.

These people have no future. The old man knew this very well. But he wanted them to have at least some hope, so that they could move on with something warm in their souls.

Essay about Luke

Maxim Gorky's play "At the Depths" touches on important issues, for example, philosophical or social. This play presents the most different heroes, but undoubtedly the most important of them is Luke. His views on the world cause constant controversy and questions. Luke talks about the truth, whether it is necessary to tell it if a person becomes ill after learning it, or whether it is better to show compassion, which will make a person’s life a little easier.

Luke is a preacher, he wanders around the country, he does not have his own home. He is trying to spread his views, his worldview. His appearance in the shelter has a strong influence on its inhabitants. The people gathered in the shelter are very different, some love life and enjoy every moment, others, on the contrary, want to die, because life does not bring them pleasure.

Luke appears in the play at the very important point when Anna dies. After her death, the residents of the shelter argue about conscience and honor. Many, being in the shelter, completely forgot about them. Luka helps everyone survive grief, he consoles, instills faith in good things, and tries to inspire that all problems can be solved. Thanks to the fact that Luke can find mutual language with every person, he understands at a glance what the person is silent about.

Luke believes that life is about dreams and hope. Before Anna's death, Luke talks with her, helping her accept her fate. Luka helps the Actor realize what is happening, Luka assures him that he will be able to overcome his alcohol addiction, thanks to the hospital.

The author tries to show Luke in the image of a righteous man, he brings wisdom and truth to people. This is proven by the situation that happened to him - thieves broke into the house, but main character feeds these people, responding to evil with good.

As soon as Luka appears in the shelter, you can mark him positive traits- responsiveness, the desire to help others without demanding something in return, the ability not only to listen, but also to hear others.

Although Luka lies to other heroes, he does this to console, to restore hope and the desire to live. But the most important thing is that after Luka leaves, no one condemns or reproaches him, on the contrary, they are grateful to him, the author himself calls Luka a swindler, negative hero of your work.

Option 3

The play “At the Bottom” was published in 1902. It tells about those who could not stay afloat and, having crossed the line, found themselves at the very bottom. Their familiar world collapsed, they lost faith in the future, the callousness of harsh everyday life overwhelmed them. The play takes place in a rooming house.

The elderly wanderer Luke is one of the main characters works. He is as poor as the rest of the inhabitants of the shelter, but has not lost his humanity. With a kind word and gives advice to everyone who needs it. Ingenuously, with intelligible words, he finds an approach to the other inhabitants of the rooming house. For everyone, there is compassion and mercy in his heart. His words confirm that by nature he is very good-natured and sympathetic.

The old man’s attentive attitude towards people, his ability to listen and support the dream of his interlocutor gives them hope for a bright future. Luke's ability to reach everyone individual approach forces his “neighbors in misfortune” to listen to his words. Only the Baron does not lose his cynicism and hatred of people, he makes an attempt to expose the wanderer. But Luke’s recent opponent Satin unexpectedly stands up for the old man.

To Anna, who is on her deathbed, Luke describes a heavenly life without earthly torment. He tells a drinker, an Actor, about a non-existent clinic where they can help get rid of alcohol addiction. Recommendations for the thief Vaska to start new life increase the self-esteem of overnight shelters. Most of them begin to believe that not everything is lost, and it is still possible to improve everything in life. Some even make an attempt to gain human dignity. Luke managed to warm their souls with his sympathetic attitude. His main intention to awaken hope in people has been achieved.

Luke's eloquence divides the residents of the shelter into 2 camps: dreamers and skeptics. His speeches excite some and embitter others. At the end of the story, the inhabitants of the lodging house attempt to judge Luka. The actions they take after listening to him do not always lead to the expected result. In most cases, the outcome is sad, for example, the death of an Actor. Of course, the night shelters themselves are to blame for this, but the consequences of Luke’s speeches become fatal.

Critics for a long time rated Luka's image as negative. They blamed the old wanderer for lying and for showing indifference to the deceived inhabitants of the shelter. His disappearance is not interpreted in his favor either, but more criticism concerns his position towards people. He brings empathy and compassion to the masses, which at that time was regarded as something suspicious and unnecessary.

IN school years many probably had the opportunity to become acquainted with the work of the respected Russian writer Maxim Gorky - the play “At the Lower Depths”, which without embellishment describes the familiar archetypes of people living in Russian realities to all of us.

Despite the fact that more than a century has passed since the publication of the drama, the situations that it touches on remain relevant today.

In this article we will analyze in detail the image of the character Luke from this play, get acquainted with his statements and talk about the attitude of other heroes of the work towards him.

Where did the wanderer come from?

doesn't reveal the secret Luke's origins, only a passing reference is made to his wandering life. The wanderer has neither a homeland nor any specific place of residence. He himself talks about it this way: “To the old man – Where it’s warm, there’s homeland.”

The residents of the shelter are also not interested in the old man’s past; they are preoccupied with their problems and attempts “go out into the public”, and not drag out an existence “at the bottom” for the rest of your life.

Character Characteristics Analysis

Luke appears before us in the form a kind-hearted old man, preaching goodness, love, pity and the will of man to create his life as his heart dictates.

The hero really emanates an aura of peacefulness and understanding, which, of course, endears him to the characters in the play, making them believe that the future is not hopeless and there is a chance to correct their social status, fulfill dreams and desires.

To everyone who, willy-nilly, ended up in a shelter, Luka picks up the right words , gives everyone hope and encourages them to believe in their dreams, no matter how funny they may seem to themselves and others.

But no matter how sweet and comforting the stranger’s words sounded, they were only empty sounds, distracting homeless people from everyday troubles, and not real support that gives strength to get out of poverty and ignominy.

Nevertheless, Luka is not a liar, he just sincerely feels sorry for those around him and encourages them, even if it is absolutely pointless and useless.

Luka’s relationship with other characters in the play “At the Lower Depths”

The characters relate to the old man in two ways:

• alone ( thief Vaska Ash, Actor, Anna, Nastya, Natasha) with relief they tell him about their life, confess and receive in response the necessary pity, sympathy and soothing statements;
• other ( card cap Bubnov, Satin, Baron, Klesch) do not trust a stranger too much and talk to him briefly and skeptically.

One thing is certain - no one remained indifferent to the appearance of such an extraordinary personality in such a dirty and doomed place.

After sudden disappearance During the journey of the wanderer, the fate of some characters changed dramatically. The locksmith Kleshch's wife, Anna, died of tuberculosis, the Actor could not come to terms with the hopelessness of his life and hanged himself, Vaska Ash went to hard labor in Siberia because of an accidental murder, his dreams of an honest life with Natasha came to an end. The remaining heroes continued to while away their time in the shelter, but at the same time started to think about the meaning of one’s existence, one’s actions and the problems of others.

Parable of the Righteous Land

Luke's parable tells us about a man who endured all the hardships and suffering of earthly life, believing that there is a righteous land, where people live in excellent relationships, help each other and never lie. One day he went to a local scientist friend and asked him to show the righteous land on geographical map. He tried to find what he was looking for, but could not. Then the man got angry, hit the scientist, and then went home and hanged himself.

This parable seems to have predetermined fatal fate several characters - the death of Anna and Actor, the imprisonment of the thief Vaska. They believed that their own righteous land would be found for them, that it was possible to get out of the bottom, poverty, but this did not happen. Luke soon left, and with him the hope that warmed the characters in the play went away.

Quotes

The play “At the Bottom” is rich thoughtful phrases and the statements of the characters, but, perhaps, the most significant of them are the words of Elder Luke.

Here are a few of his quotes that everyone who has read Gorky’s play “At the Lower Depths” should analyze and reflect on:

“And everyone is people! No matter how you pretend, no matter how you wobble, if you were born a man, you will die a man...”

"I don't care! I respect swindlers too, in my opinion, not a single flea is bad: all are black, all jump...”

“You, girl, don’t be offended... nothing! Where is it, where are we supposed to feel sorry for the dead? Eh, honey! We don’t feel sorry for the living... we can’t feel sorry for ourselves... where is it!”

“So, you’ll die, and you’ll be at peace... you won’t need anything else, and there’s nothing to be afraid of!”

“...it’s not the word that matters, but why the word is said? - that's the problem!"

Bottom line

Maxim Gorky's image of the wanderer Luke turned out to be very multifaceted and reflective main philosophical questions about life, love, principles and priorities of a person.

And not only Luke - all the characters in one way or another reflect those who we meet in real life.

The writer managed to reflect in his work entertaining philosophical and psychological ideas:

All of the above is important for a correct understanding of the work and simply situations happening to people around us, it teaches us to sympathize and correctly place life priorities.

Russian writers have always shown interest in philosophical problems, that is, to problems human existence and the meaning of life. The work of M. Gorky was no exception, and the play “At the Lower Depths” is rightfully considered the first Russian socio-philosophical drama. One of the most complex in the play is the image of Luke. It is with him that the main philosophical question: “Which is better: truth or compassion?”

Luke is a traveling preacher. He appears in the shelter in the midst of disputes between its inhabitants about conscience and honor. Do people at the very bottom of their lives need them?

Luke's mission as a comforter falls to his lot. He calms everyone down and promises everyone relief from suffering. Moreover, Luka doesn’t invent anything. Knowing how to surprisingly subtly feel the dreams and desires of people, he only convinces them of what they themselves hope for deep down in their souls. At the core life position Luke’s own phrase lies in his own words: “What you believe is what you believe.” He advises the dying Anna not to be afraid of death, because death will free her from pain and torment. He talks to the actor about the possibility of recovery from alcohol in a special hospital. After Luka’s words, Ash begins to believe that he will find his happiness with Natasha on the “golden side” of Siberia.

The inhabitants of the shelter have different attitudes towards the old man. So, Nastya, for example, after Luka left, says: “He was a good old man!” The tick especially emphasizes that Luka is compassionate. And even Luke’s antagonist Satin notes that Luke “was like crumbs for the toothless,” that he affected him “like acid on a rusty coin.” But the Baron calls him a charlatan, and the same Kleshch says that the old man did not like the truth. And again, oddly enough, Satin rushes to Luka’s defense. He interrupts the Baron with the words: “Be silent!.. be silent about the old man!” How should we evaluate Luka?

A number of researchers associate the name of Luke with the evil one, with the tempter. But still this is not entirely true. He does not seduce or tempt anyone. However, his name is apparently connected with the word “crafty” in the meaning of “cunning”. Luka is not as simple as it seems at first glance: he is an extraordinary person with great life experience. He quickly navigates the situation and finds an approach to almost everyone. In addition, the hero’s name is also associated with the Evangelical Apostle Luke. Before us is a certain bearer of wisdom, an exponent of his truth, connected in a significant way with Christian commandments. Luke’s story about how he took pity on two robbers who were plotting murder and fed them (that is, responded to evil with good), precisely confirms this.

Still, with all the complexity and ambiguity, Luke deserves respect. This person is above all kind and sympathetic. He is sincere in his attitude towards people at the bottom. In addition, he does not force his views on anyone. And most importantly, he himself has no personal benefit from this lie. According to Luke, a person lives “for what is best.” This means that his dreams, hopes, and self-esteem should be strengthened, which he does, driven by pity and mercy.

The question of the author's attitude towards Luke is very complex. It is known that the writer more than once called him a swindler, a saint and a scoundrel. Yes, indeed, Luke expresses his compassion in a peculiar form - in the form of a lie, beautiful fairy tale. But his lies are not everyday, they can sometimes even be called lofty. This is a type of Christian white lie. He believes that the truth is too scary for people, and therefore wants to embellish their existence by introducing a “golden dream” into it.

No matter how Gorky opposed his hero, nevertheless, the writer turned out to be better, wiser and kinder than he originally intended. When, at the end of the play, the night shelters try to “judge” Luka, the author refuses them to do so: Satin immediately and irrevocably stops all conversations.

Thus, in the play “At the Lower Depths” M. Gorky creates a very interesting and controversial image. On the one hand, Luke is kind and helps people not to lose heart. On the other hand, his lies lead to the fact that the weakest people in spirit cannot stand it, and their return from the land of dreams to horror Everyday life It's too hard for them to bear. So, for example, loss of faith leads the Actor to suicide.

Gorky, of course, stands in the position of Satin and condemns Luke. However, there is no such direct condemnation in the play. The reader and viewer will have to decide for themselves what is better: Satin’s truth or a lie to save Luke. Or maybe the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

So, Luke takes part in the destinies of people thrown to the bottom of life. In his speeches and actions, he tries to distract people from their joyless life, although he knows the sad outcome of each of the shelters. Luke's humanity is necessary for people, because he awakens in people empathy, compassion, those main values ​​without which one cannot be called a human being. But, of course, pity itself is not able to save people from suffering. Drastic changes to reality are needed. Therefore, Luka and Satin are not antagonists, but rather allies. Luka, like a doctor, patiently and wearily treats tormented souls, and Satin is a dreamer, endowed with the gift of bold creative thought, able to see far and vigilantly. But, unlike Luke, Satin is not a worker in the field of human suffering, but a contemplator. People themselves do not interest him. He is far from their suffering. He is only interested in his own thoughts, which escape far beyond the walls of the shelter.

Regardless literary direction where the writer works, everyone at least once paid attention to the philosophical topic of the meaning of life and the problems that people overcome throughout their lives. Gorky's play “At the Lower Depths” fully touches on socio-philosophical themes. Luke's characterization from the play about degenerate people will help you find answers to important questions about the meaning of existence.

He has many works in which he touches on burning topics that are close to every person. But a particularly outstanding creation is the play “At the Bottom,” which intrigues the reader. The play takes place in a flophouse owned by the Kostylev couple. People who found themselves at the very bottom of society found refuge here. Each character has their own life story, which subsequently brought them together under one roof.

Residents of the shelter:

• Anna;
• Vaska Ash;
• Actor;
• Satin;
• Nastya;
• Baron;
• Mite;
• Bubnov;
• Luke, etc.

Until Luka appeared in the house, all the inhabitants coexisted next to each other in squabbles and swearing. A wandering old man, finding himself in a shelter, shows a keen interest in its inhabitants.

Residents of the Kostylevo house have developed hostile relationships. Callousness and cruelty are manifested in the bullying of Nastya, who, by selling her body, believes in the future true love. The inhabitants of the shelter do not allow Anna, who is seriously ill, to die in peace. They laugh at her husband Kleshch’s desire to get out of poverty, considering it vain and unrealizable. The hard life and surrounding society made these characters callous and evil. With the appearance of Luka in the shelter, a lot changes.

Luke's influence on the night shelters

The wandering old man found his own approach to each lodging house and chose the words that he wanted to hear. Thus, to Anna, who was dying of consumption and who was very afraid of death, the elder promised a heavenly afterlife without deprivation and pain.

The woman no longer feared the inevitable end of her life. Luka treated the prostitute Nastya without condemnation, who naively believed in the possibility of a sincere love story In my life.

ABOUT high probability he told Vaska Peplu of the beginning of a new life, who suffered a bad attitude towards himself from Kostylev’s wife. Luke suggested that he go to Siberia and start living there according to a new way of life. The elder sincerely believed that every person is worthy, if not better life, then the good participation of your neighbor.

Former stage worker Actor Luka assured that in one city, the name of which he does not remember, there is a free hospital for drinking people. Perked up, veteran creative profession I stopped drinking, wanting to save money for a trip to this city.

The preacher forced the inhabitants of the shelter to think about human nature, about truth and lies, justice and the right to dreams and happiness. Everyone began to think about vicissitudes own destiny and the possibility of changing it for the better, despite the “evil truth of life.”

People who find themselves on the sidelines of life hear conciliatory, compassionate and sympathetic statements addressed to them from the lips of the wanderer.

Lie or truth?

At one time, the work caused a resonance of opinion in society based on the image of Luke in Gorky’s play. What's better, the bitter truth or the sweet lie? There is still no answer to this age-old question. The residents of the shelter also disagreed. Strong character Satin preferred the harsh truth.

He did not need false promises, but unfortunate Anna was afraid to die without them. Luke turned out to be a perceptive old man who could feel the needs of his neighbor and predict his innermost desires. He walked through life with his faith, which put dreams and fantasies first. He advised the alcoholic Actor to quit his addiction and go to a hospital that would cure his addiction forever.

Realizing how important it was for Nastya to deceive herself that one student was deeply in love with her, the wanderer began to calm the girl down when others began to mock and question her words.

The controversial image of Luke

A philosophical debate always arises around how a person should behave and act in the face of everyday difficulties.

The character of the wanderer often evokes conflicting feelings in the reader. On the one hand, the elder, along with parables, was able to instill in people faith in a better future. But the main problem was that in most cases the words were false.

Throughout the entire work, even the author himself changes his attitude towards this bright character. If initially the wanderer is presented in a joyful tone, then closer to the end the reader understands that all his admonitions did not bring the desired result. Not a single hero was ever able to get out of the bottom of society.

Moreover, the Actor, deprived of spiritual support and realizing that he was not destined to be cured of addiction for free, committed suicide. Perhaps, if the preacher’s words had not opened his wounds and given him false hope, the man would not have decided on such a desperate act.

Important! A white lie - this is how one can interpret the intentions of a compassionate wanderer.

The philosophical question of the play is to determine what is better for a person, a comforting lie or the truth.

Despite the fact that Luke was the only person who sincerely showed interest in the inhabitants of the shelter, did he bring any benefit with his unrealizable consolations?

Satin, for example, believed that everyone could be divided into two categories:

• People;
• "people".

People, in his opinion, will always need someone’s support and approval of their actions, and “people” are already endowed with fortitude.

It is not difficult to determine at first glance how Luka affects all the inhabitants of the shelter. With all his appearance and behavior, the elder calls on those around him to Christian humility and participation in his neighbor. When he was asked whether God exists, the wanderer replied that if you believe in him, he exists, and if you don’t believe in him, he does not exist.

The old man has his own individual concept about truth as such. The author of the play does not hide his own attitude towards Luke, does not justify his hero and does not condemn him. Gorky believed that the salvation of humanity lies in the correct understanding of the significance of compassion and truth.

Maxim Gorky, even at the end of the play, does not allow the residents of the poor house to judge Luka’s actions and behavior. He leaves this fate to the reader.

Useful video: the role of Luka in M. Gorky’s drama “At the Lower Depths”

Description of the wanderer Luke

Let us remember the description of Luke given by the author of the play. He is an old man about 60 years old. His whole appearance corresponds to a vagabond lifestyle. He has a knapsack and a stick, and a kettle and a pot are attached to his belt. His head is bald, and his disposition is affectionate and soft. He had the opportunity to wander around the world a lot and gain life experience. He says about himself: “...They crumpled a lot, that’s why he’s soft...”

This quotation form of the work allows you to accurately and accurately characterize the characters.

Based on his other statements, it can be assumed that he once escaped from hard labor or a settlement in Siberia. Hence the confidence that prison cannot better side to correct human nature. Relationships with the female sex did not work out, although I knew a lot of them. He believes that he became bald from a variety of women who met on his way.

It also became known that he once served as a watchman and guarded an engineer’s dacha. It was there that he happened to meet escaped convicts who entered the dacha, wanting to profit from other people's goods, and stayed to live for a while.

Important! The old man did not respect the truth too much. Perhaps because for common man she's too bitter. So Kleshch put it this way about Luka and his desire to embellish everything: “That’s right - what’s the truth here? And without her, I can’t breathe..."

When a fight broke out in the shelter and the owner Kostylev died, the wanderer found it necessary to disappear. Earlier, Luke spoke about his desire to go “to the crests” to Ukraine to look at the new faith.

A brief summary of the subsequent events that happened to the inhabitants of the shelter can be summarized as follows:

• Ash ends up in prison as a result of the fight and subsequent death of Kostylev;
• Natalya, beaten by her sister Vasilisa, disappears from home;
• The actor, getting drunk again, commits suicide;
• Anna dies of consumption;
• The tick drinks away all the money and has nothing to bury his wife with.

Taking into account all the positive qualities of Luke, his image is ambiguous and complex. Even towards people at the bottom of society, he shows kindness, participation and responsiveness. In his desire to embellish reality there is no desire for material gain. According to the wanderer, man was created for the best, and for this best to happen to him, he must strengthen his faith, hope and allow him to dream.

Although the author himself more than once called Luka a scoundrel and a swindler, the image of the old man cannot be called negative and repulsive. Maxim Gorky expressed his attitude towards the elder through the mouth of Satin, who at the end of the story stopped everything negative reviews about Luke.

The old man's songs, parables and quotes are intended to distract the slum dwellers from their bleak lives. Humanity comes first in the play “At the Bottom” personal qualities Luke, his compassion conveys to the night shelters that they are people first and foremost, and not thieves, alcoholics and prostitutes.

Useful video: Luka’s departure in M. Gorky’s drama “At the Depths”

Conclusion

Luke, like a healer, patiently and compassionately tried to heal the tormented souls of these people. After analyzing the actions of the elder, it is impossible to draw a definite conclusion whether he acted correctly or recklessly. Each person will have his own personal answer to this question, which will depend on his degree of self-sufficiency, success and self-confidence.

All writers are interested in philosophical topics and problems, which is why thinking about the meaning of life becomes fundamental in many literary works. One of these works was the play by M. Gorky. “At the Lower Depths” is considered the first drama in Russian literature that touches on social and philosophical problems and issues.

In Gorky's play there are many heroes who are different in character. But still, most of the controversy arises because of the image of Luke and his perception of the world. It is with his appearance in the play that disagreements constantly begin to be heard about what will be best for a person: true, even it will be the most difficult, but it is true and real, or compassion, which can serve as a consolation.

So who is Luke? From the plot of the work, the reader learns that Luke is a preacher, but he just doesn’t have specific place residence and ministry of God. He wanders the earth and preaches the truths in which he himself believes. One day he appears in a rooming house, where people are devastated and thrown out of everyday life. They rejoice in every day they could live. And some are waiting for their death in order to somehow escape from this life, which has long ceased to bring them joy.

Luka suddenly stops at the shelter when poor Anna dies, and a dispute about conscience and honor arises between the other inhabitants of this basement. After all, being in such a place, many simply forgot about them. Luke becomes a comforter for them. So, first of all, he tries to calm and reconcile everyone. Luke promises everyone deliverance from the suffering that they now have in life and promises that their wishes will come true. He subtly feels people, predicts their desires, so he easily convinces them of what they do not say out loud, but somewhere in the depths of their soul they still hope for it.

Luke has his own position from which he lives and preaches among people. He believes that all fantasies and dreams are life. In the shelter he has a long conversation with Anna, who is dying, but is very afraid of death. Luka consoles her, saying that dying is not painful or scary, because it will help her become free, no longer feel pain, and she will never even suffer again. He also finds comforting words for the Actor, but only by believing Luka will the Actor soon understand that it is impossible to find a hospital to cure alcoholism. After all, he has no money for this at all.

The attitude of all the inhabitants of the basement towards this strange preacher is different for everyone. Someone, for example Nastya, considers him good, that he carries pity and compassion. But there are other opinions about the shelter: someone calls him a deceiver, and someone claims that he simply does not like the truth. Maybe they are right, because it is not for nothing that the author gives such a name to his hero: Luke is the crafty one, that is, cunning. And by his age you can easily determine that he has a lot of experience, because most he has already lived his life. And if he wanders, then there was probably a lot in his life different situations, that’s why he knows how to quickly find a way out of any situation and sees so well the psychology of each inhabitant of this shelter.

But if we consider this image through religion, there was such an apostle in the Gospel. This Gospel Luke is an image in which wisdom and truth are contained. And I remember the story of Gorky’s Luka, how he accidentally met robbers who wanted to kill him, but he was able to persuade them to eat. It’s like in the Bible when it says that any evil must be answered with good.

The image of Luka in the play by Maxim Gorky is a complex hero, to whom it is impossible to relate in any unambiguous way, and, probably, there is no need to. The main qualities of his character are kindness, responsiveness, the ability to listen and sympathize with another person, and not think only about himself. Another advantage of this hero is his sincerity; he knows how to communicate with people without imposing his opinions and views on them.

And if Luke tells a lie, then his lie is comforting, from which he himself has no benefit. He simply tries to lift a person’s spirits, strengthen his spirit, and instill hope. But it’s still impossible to answer unequivocally about how to relate to this character. Even the author himself could not answer this question, who suddenly finds himself on his side, justifying compassion, then suddenly Maxim Gorky himself calls him a swindler and even a scoundrel. At the end of the play, the author does not allow the other inhabitants of the shelter to judge their strange hero. The writer leaves it to the reader to do this so that he can think about Gorky’s controversial character, who has been causing controversy for many years.

The humanity that Luka carries is needed by people, but due to the fact that dreams cannot come true and hopes turn out to be empty, people suffer even more and then not every person can withstand it. For example, the Actor who simply hanged himself at the end of the play. Luka is trying to heal the tormented human souls, and the result, due to the reality in which these people find themselves, can be very different. Therefore, there is no point in judging or praising Luke.