The image and characteristics of Ermil Girin in the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'”: description in quotations. Quotes What Ermil Girin denies in the peasant way of life

Girin Ermil Ilyich (Ermila)- one of the most likely candidates for the title of lucky. The real prototype of this character is the peasant A. D. Potanin (1797-1853), who managed by proxy the estate of Countess Orlova, which was called Odoevshchina (after the surnames of the former owners - the Odoevsky princes), and the peasants were baptized into Adovshchina. Potanin became famous for his extraordinary justice. Nekrasovsky Girin became known to his fellow villagers for his honesty even in those five years that he served as a clerk in the office (“A bad conscience is necessary - / A peasant should extort a penny from a peasant”). Under the old Prince Yurlov, he was fired, but then, under the young Prince, he was unanimously elected mayor of Adovshchina. During the seven years of his “reign”, he only once betrayed his soul: “... from the recruiting / He shielded his younger brother Mitri.” But repentance for this offense almost led him to suicide. Only thanks to the intervention of a strong master was it possible to restore justice, and instead of Nenila Vlasyevna’s son, Mitriy went to serve, and “the prince himself takes care of him.” Girin quit his job, rented a mill, “and he became more powerful than ever / Loved by all the people.” When they decided to sell the mill, Girin won the auction, but he did not have the money with him to make a deposit. And then “a miracle happened”: Girin was rescued by the peasants to whom he turned for help, and in half an hour he managed to collect a thousand rubles in the market square.

Girin is driven not by mercantile interest, but by a rebellious spirit: “The mill is not dear to me, / The resentment is great.” And although “he had everything he needed / For happiness: peace, / And money, and honor,” at the moment when the peasants start talking about him (chapter “Happy”), Girin, in connection with the peasant uprising, is in prison. The speech of the narrator, a gray-haired priest, from whom it becomes known about the arrest of the hero, is unexpectedly interrupted by outside interference, and later he himself refuses to continue the story. But behind this omission one can easily guess both the reason for the riot and Girin’s refusal to help in pacifying it.

Saveliy, Holy Russian hero(Part III, Chapter 3).

Savely- the Holy Russian hero, “with a huge gray mane, / Tea, not cut for twenty years, / With a huge beard, / Grandfather looked like a bear.” Once in a fight with a bear, he injured his back, and in his old age it bent. Saveliy’s native village, Korezhina, is located in the wilderness, and therefore the peasants live relatively freely (“The zemstvo police / Haven’t come to us for a year”), although they endure the atrocities of the landowner. The heroism of the Russian peasant lies in patience, but there is a limit to any patience. Savely ends up in Siberia for burying a hated German manager alive. Twenty years of hard labor, an unsuccessful attempt to escape, twenty years of settlement did not shake the rebellious spirit in the hero. Having returned home after the amnesty, he lives with the family of his son, Matryona’s father-in-law. Despite his venerable age (according to revision tales, his grandfather is a hundred years old), he leads an independent life: “He didn’t like families, / didn’t let them into his corner.” When they reproach him for his convict past, he cheerfully replies: “Branded, but not a slave!” Tempered by harsh trades and human cruelty, Savely’s petrified heart could only be melted by Dema’s great-grandson. An accident makes the grandfather the culprit of Demushka's death. His grief is inconsolable, he goes to repentance at the Sand Monastery, tries to beg for forgiveness from the “angry mother.” Having lived one hundred and seven years, before his death he pronounces a terrible sentence on the Russian peasantry: “For men there are three roads: / Tavern, prison and penal servitude, / And for women in Rus' / Three nooses... Climb into any one.” The image of Savely, in addition to folklore, has social and polemical roots. O. I. Komissarov, who saved Alexander II from the assassination attempt on April 4, 1866, was a Kostroma resident, a fellow countryman of I. Susanin. Monarchists saw this parallel as proof of the thesis about the love of the Russian people for kings. To refute this point of view, Nekrasov settled the rebel Savely in the Kostroma province, the original patrimony of the Romanovs, and Matryona catches the similarity between him and the monument to Susanin.

Yakim Nagoy, Ermil Girin, Matryona Timofeevna, Savely - one feels that Nekrasov is looking for a positive hero among the peasants. Of course, Savely deserves special attention, who is able to express his protest and fight against serfdom.. It is important for Nekrasov to show that popular self-awareness is growing, that the death of the “slave” system is inevitable. It is no coincidence that along with the image of Savely the poem presents other rebel heroes: each in their own way rebels against their “masters” Agap Petrov, ataman Kudeyar, a whole fiefdom, which Yermil Girin had to pacify - because of this he ended up in prison.

At the same time, Nekrasov does not simplify or schematize what is happening in real life. No reform could change people's consciousness in just a few years. The author truthfully shows how strong the habit of serfdom is among a certain part of the peasants, who can be called people of the “servile rank”. These images are presented satirically by Nekrasov. The author is both annoyed and funny that slave of Prince Peremetyev licks the plates behind the master, saying that he has a “noble” disease, gout. It's tragicomic that peasant Sidor, sitting in prison, he sends his master a quitrent of alms. By means of satire, Nekrasov expresses his attitude towards people of the “servile rank”, as well as to the main “enemy” of the peasants - the landowners.

“About the exemplary slave - Yakov the Faithful” says in the chapter “A Feast for the Whole World”: “People of the servile rank are / Real dogs sometimes: / The more severe the punishment, / The dearer the Lord is to them.” Yakov was like that until Mr. Polivanov, having coveted his nephew’s bride, forced him into recruiting. The exemplary slave took to drinking, but returned two weeks later, taking pity on the helpless master. However, his enemy was already “torturing him.” Yakov takes Polivanov to visit his sister, halfway turns into the Devil's Ravine, unharnesses the horses and, contrary to the master's fears, does not kill him, but hangs himself, leaving the owner alone with his conscience for the whole night. This method of revenge (“to drag dry misfortune” - to hang oneself in the domain of the offender in order to make him suffer for the rest of his life) was indeed known, especially among the eastern peoples. Nekrasov, creating the image of Yakov, turns to the story that A.F. told him. Koni (who, in turn, heard it from the watchman of the volost government), and only slightly modifies it. This tragedy is another illustration of the destructiveness of serfdom. Through the mouth of Grisha Dobrosklonov, Nekrasov summarizes: “No support - no landowner, / Drives a zealous slave to the noose, / No support - no servant, / Taking revenge on his villain by suicide.”

Each of the depicted peasants went through a chain of trials and tribulations in life, but they did not break the integrity of his character. The peasants of post-reform Russia understand that they live unhappily and who is to blame for their plight, but this does not prevent them from maintaining their inner dignity, honesty, sense of humor and their inner rightness. The fate of women in Rus' has always been especially difficult, so the chapter “Peasant Woman” is given a special place in the poem. All the heroes protest against the current way of life, they are capable of fighting, they have the will and energy. The character of Yakim Nagov shows spontaneous protest, while other characters are capable of conscious struggle. The strength of Yermil Girin lies in his connections with the people's community, in his inner freedom and unbrokenness - the charm of Savely's appearance, which even hard labor did not force him to resign himself to.

Among the images of Russian peasants created by Nekrasov, the image of Ermila Girin especially stands out. He, as they say in the work, “is not a prince, not an illustrious count, but a simple peasant,” but, nevertheless, he enjoys great respect among the peasants. Using the example of the image of Ermila Girin in the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'” by Nekrasov, we can analyze what character traits were considered important for the Russian people, how the people saw their heroes.

“Both young and smart” - with these words the description of Yermil Girin begins in the poem. Then the peasant, who started talking about Ermil, tells the peasant wanderers a story that testifies to the boundless trust of the people in him. Yermil owned a mill, which the merchant Altynnikov was going to buy for his debts. Yermil won the trial, but the attorneys rigged the case in such a way that he did not have money with him to pay. Then he rushed to the square, to the people, and told them his misfortune. Yermil’s request: “If you know Yermil, / If you believe Yermil, / So help out, or something!..” is the best evidence of his love and trust in his compatriots. In this episode, Nekrasov perfectly noted the psychology of the Russian peasant, who prefers to experience troubles and make decisions “with the whole world”

Yermil opens up to the crowd - and receives help; everyone who was in the square brought him at least a nickel. This was enough to buy out the mill.

The main feature of Yermil is his incorruptible honesty and love of truth. He served as a clerk for seven years, and during all this time “he did not squeeze a worldly penny under his fingernail.” Everyone could turn to Yermil for advice, knowing that he would never demand money or offend an innocent person. When Yermil left his post, it was difficult to get used to the new unscrupulous clerk. “It is necessary to have a bad conscience - / A peasant should extort a penny from a peasant /” - this is the verdict the people pass on “grabber officials.”

With his decency, Yermil earned the faith of the peasants, and they repaid him with kindness: they unanimously elected Yermil as mayor. Now he is Girin Ermil Ilyich, honestly reigning over the entire estate. But Yermil does not stand the test of power. This is the only time he renounces his conscience, sending another person to become a soldier instead of his brother. And although he soon repents and makes amends for the harm he caused, the peasants remember this act. It is difficult to restore one’s good name, which is considered the highest value among the people - this is the idea Nekrasov conveys in the image of Yermil.

Yermil Girin in N.A. Nekrasov’s poem is hidden among the minor characters. The author deliberately created difficulty for the reader. He himself needs to comprehend the entire plan of the brilliant poet.

The image and characterization of Yermil Girin in the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'” combines the traits that Nekrasov considered the most important; in him he saw one of the contenders for the title of a happy person.

Features of happiness

Ermil (Ermilo) Ilyich Girin is young and smart beyond his years. By social status, the hero is a simple man. He has neither princely nor count roots. His decisive character allowed him to become a respected person. An estate of 6 thousand souls unanimously chose him as mayor. It is difficult to gain trust from peasants, but Yermil was able to do so. What did Girin do to deserve such an attitude:

“...the strict truth”;

“intelligence and kindness”;

responsiveness and selflessness.

Yermil knew how to give advice and found out the necessary information for ordinary people. He did not demand gratitude and did not take money for help. According to the people, a man had everything to be happy: peace, honor, money.

Character of the hero

To understand a character's happiness, you need to consider his character traits. What is so special about a man, how does he differ from others? What character can claim to be truly lucky?

Smartness. The Russian man saw hidden cunning and knew how to quickly discern dishonest intentions. He assessed a person by his looks and behavior. Silently brought out honesty, did not create scandals, but walked away, leaving the cunning people with nothing.

Not the ability to flatter and bow down. Yermil did not succumb to the tricks of clerks and other rich merchants. He did not take sweet, deceitful speeches personally, and did not pay for flattery and pleasant lies.

Honesty. The peasant serves as mayor for seven years and does not take a single “worldly penny” into his own hands.

Justice. Yermil did not offend the weak, he defended the poor. On the other hand, if a person was guilty, he “did not allow” sin and bad deeds.

Respect. Girin treats all classes equally. He respects peasants, landowners, and merchants. The main thing for him is not status, rank, but the person himself.

Working at the mill, Yermil accepted strictly in turns and for the same price. The poorest people, managers, clerks did not argue with the miller, seeing a fair approach to everyone.

Sincerity. Having committed a bad deed, Yermil repents before all the people. He asks for a fair trial for himself; even the forgiveness of his fellow countrymen does not allow him to remain in the service. He finds his own punishment.

The fate of Girin

Ermila is chosen as mayor. He has served the people honestly and devotedly for seven years. When the time has come for the younger brother to join the recruits, the mayor from the people does not pass the test of his possession of power. He decides to take advantage of it. Instead of a relative, the son of a village peasant woman goes to serve. Girin's conscience begins to torment him, leading him to the point of deciding to hang himself, but the master corrects the situation. He returns the son to the offended mother. Yermil leaves his service and goes to the mill. The peasants never cease to respect the peasant. The proof is the episode with the collection of money to buy back the mill, which they decided to sell. Girin collected a thousand rubles, a huge sum at that time, in half an hour. No one spared the last penny for him. The help from the peasants is surprising. Girin wins the lawsuit with the merchants, returns every penny to those who gave him money. He has an extra ruble left. All day, Girin walks around the square in the hope of finding the one whose ruble it is, but he doesn’t find it. This scene shows how great the trust in the hero is. Nekrasov shows how the Russian people know how to make decisions as a whole. How strong is the spirit of the common people. Yermil revealed his misfortune, and every good person answered him. The Russian people are strong in their selflessness, their ability to support and unite. But even he is not destined to be happy in Rus'. There was a riot in the village, Yermil refused to pacify the peasants. He is arrested and sent to hard labor. The story of fate ends with sad news:

“...he is sitting in prison...”

A person with such a bright character could not become truly happy.

Reality of the image

Literary scholars have found evidence that Girin has a real prototype. This is the manager of the Orlovs' count estates - A.D. Potanin. He came from the lower peasantry. Potanin is known in history for his unselfishness towards the residents of the estates, honesty of behavior and fairness of government. The poet introduces into the character’s speech thoughts close to facts from Potanin’s biography:

“You must...have a bad conscience in order...to extort a penny from a peasant”;

“...He became more loved than ever by all the people...”

Ermil and Grigory Dobrosklonov are two close characters. It can be assumed that Yermil Ilyich could become in the future a revolutionary, a fighter, a man whom Russia is waiting for. But hard labor, prisons and jails will break many similar men, deprive them of health and faith in the future. The wanderers are looking for the happy, but they pass by Yermil, although he is closest to their understanding of happiness.

Ermil Girin image and characteristics

1. General characteristics. Ermil Ilyich Girin - one of the minor characters of the poem N. A. Nekrasov A " Who can live well in Rus'? ".

This is a simple serf, another candidate for the title of a happy person.

Traveling men learn about Yermil from the stories of Fedosei and the old priest. Both consider his main virtues to be justice and kindness towards the common people. For this, Girin enjoys “enviable, true honor” among the peasants.

2. The story of Ermil. At the age of twenty, Yermil was appointed clerk to the chief manager of the estate of Prince Yurlov. An insignificant position could spoil a young man who received a certain amount of power over the peasants. However, Yermil tried with all his might to help the common people. Giving poor people advice and, as far as possible, helping them out of trouble, he never took payment for his services. Thanks to his selfless activities, Yermil earned the love of all the peasants on the estate.

On the other hand, his kindness most likely became the reason for his dismissal from his position. The peasants immediately appreciated the change, as the new clerk demanded a reward for his labors. The heir of the deceased prince kicked out the stealing manager and his entire staff. He invited the peasants to choose the headman (burgist) themselves. The entire estate unanimously announced the choice of Girin as the new manager. For seven years, Yermil honestly and fairly managed the princely estate, enjoying unquestioned authority.

3. Sin of Girin. In Tsarist Russia, peasants were drafted into the army according to a strict order. The headman monitored the observance of order. Girin took advantage of the situation and sent Nenila Vlasyevna’s son as a recruit instead of his brother Mitri. The abuse could have remained without consequences, but Yermil himself felt bitter remorse. He almost hanged himself and on his knees asked the recruit’s mother for forgiveness. Thanks to the intervention of the prince, Nenila’s son was returned, sending Mitrius instead. In the eyes of the peasants, Yermil atoned for his guilt. However, he himself continued to feel like a criminal and voluntarily resigned from the position of headman.

4. People's respect. Yermil rented a mill and became even more beloved by the peasants for his honesty in payments. Soon, the court decided to sell the mill at auction. Yermil was able to “outbid” his competitors, but the court demanded that he immediately provide a deposit in the amount of a thousand rubles. Girin did not have such a sum with him and he decided for the first time to turn to the “world” for help. Going out to the market square, Yermil told people about his misfortune. No one could refuse the national intercessor. In less than an hour, Yermil collected the necessary amount and was able to buy the mill. A week later, on the same square, Girin settled accounts with everyone and even gave the last ruble, which had no owner, to the beggars.

5. Misfortune Ermil. A long honest life allows us to call Ermil a lucky man. However, at the end of the story, the wanderers learn about his sad fate. Yermil is in prison, probably because he refused to persuade the rebel peasants to surrender.