The image of Katerina and the figurative symbolism of the drama thunderstorm. The meaning of the name and figurative symbolism in the drama "The Thunderstorm" (not from the Internet)
The title of the play alone contains all the main motives for its understanding. The thunderstorm is the ideological symbol of Ostrovsky's work. In the first act, when Catherine made a hint to her mother-in-law about her secret love, a thunderstorm began to approach almost immediately. The approaching thunderstorm - this commemorates the tragedy in the play. But it breaks out only when main character tells her husband and mother-in-law about her sin.
The image of a thunderstorm-threat is closely related to the feeling of fear. “Well, what are you afraid of, pray tell! Now every grass, every flower is rejoicing, but we are hiding, afraid, as if some kind of misfortune is coming! The thunderstorm will kill! This is not a thunderstorm, but grace! Yes, grace! It's a storm for everyone!" - Kuligin shames his fellow citizens who tremble at the sounds of thunder. Indeed, a thunderstorm as a natural phenomenon is as necessary as sunny weather. Rain washes away dirt, cleanses the soil, and promotes better plant growth. A person who sees a thunderstorm as a natural phenomenon in the cycle of life, and not as a sign of divine wrath, does not experience fear. The attitude towards the thunderstorm in a certain way characterizes the heroes of the play. The fatalistic superstition associated with thunderstorms and widespread among the people is voiced by the tyrant Dikoy and the woman hiding from the thunderstorm: “The thunderstorm is sent to us as punishment, so that we feel...”; “No matter how you hide! If it’s destined for someone, you won’t go anywhere.” But in the perception of Dikiy, Kabanikha and many others, fear of a thunderstorm is something familiar and not a very vivid experience. “That’s it, you have to live in such a way that you are always ready for anything; “For fear this wouldn’t happen,” Kabanikha coolly notes. She has no doubt that the thunderstorm is a sign of God's wrath. But the heroine is so convinced that she is leading the right lifestyle that she does not experience any anxiety.
In the play, only Katerina experiences the most lively trepidation before a thunderstorm. We can say that this fear clearly demonstrates her mental discord. On the one hand, Katerina longs to challenge her hateful existence and meet her love halfway. On the other hand, she is not able to renounce the ideas instilled in the environment in which she grew up and continues to live. Fear, according to Katerina, is an integral element of life, and it is not so much the fear of death as such, but the fear of future punishment, of one’s spiritual failure: “Everyone should be afraid. It’s not so scary that it will kill you, but that death will suddenly find you as you are, with all your sins, with all your evil thoughts.”
In the play we also find a different attitude towards the thunderstorm, towards the fear that it supposedly must certainly evoke. “I’m not afraid,” say Varvara and the inventor Kuligin. The attitude towards a thunderstorm also characterizes the interaction of one or another character in the play with time. Dikoy, Kabanikha and those who share their view of the thunderstorm as a manifestation of heavenly displeasure are, of course, inextricably linked with the past. Internal conflict Katerina comes from the fact that she is neither able to break with ideas that are a thing of the past, nor to keep the precepts of “Domostroy” in inviolable purity. Thus, she is at the point of the present, in a contradictory, turning point time, when a person must choose what to do. Varvara and Kuligin are looking to the future. In the fate of Varvara, this is emphasized due to the fact that she leaves her home to an unknown destination, almost like heroes of folklore going in search of happiness, and Kuligin is constantly in scientific search.
M.Yu. Lermontov (Hero of our time)
The meaning of the title of A. Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm”
The purpose of the lesson :
Trace the implementation of the thunderstorm metaphor through its image (thunderstorm state of society,
thunderstorm in people's souls);
Help students prepare for a miniature essay “The meaning of the title...”;
Cultivate interest in the work of N. Ostrovsky
DURING THE CLASSES
How did you miss the thunderstorm in the poster? After all, she too actor.
We can't find names - what does that mean? This means that the idea of the play is not clear; that the plot is not properly covered... that the very existence of the play is not justified; Why was it written, what new does the author want to say?
(A.N. Ostrovsky)
I. Organizational moment. Subject message.
– Re-read the topic of the lesson. What are we going to talk about?
II. Working with epigraphs.
Name keywords in the formulation of the lesson topic? (The thunderstorm is a character.) So, we will talk about the thunderstorm as a character in the play. This is not enough. What new does the author want to say? (Thunderstorm - idea - plot).
III. Goal setting.
So, it is necessary to find out what the meaning of the title of the play is; learn to analyze dramatic text; prepare for the essay “The meaning of the title of A. Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm”.
– Where should we start the conversation? (From the definition of the word “thunderstorm”.)
IY. « Let's talk about meaning"
1. Personal message
– What is the meaning of the word “thunderstorm” according to V.I. Dahl’s dictionary? (Fear, noise, anxiety, disruption, crush, thunder, natural phenomenon, threat, threaten, tragedy, cleansing.)
– In what meaning does “thunderstorm” appear in the play? (In the first meaning - “threat”, “sarcasm”, “scold”.)
2 . “We draw conclusions.” Work in groups.
1 group
– What images is associated with the metaphor of a thunderstorm in the exhibition? (Almost all the characters.)
– What meaning of “thunderstorm” predominates in the exhibition? (Fear, threat, threaten.)
Conclusion No. 1. All exposition associated with the meaning of the word “thunderstorm”. Ostrovsky universally implements the metaphor of a thunderstorm.
2nd group
– What drama images symbolize the thunderstorm from below? (Dikoy, Kabanova.)
– What is the threat of the Wild? (Money – power – fear.)
– What is Kabanova's threat? (Money is power under the guise of godliness - fear.)
Conclusion No. 2. For Kalinovites, the storm is “from above” and “from below.” Above is God’s punishment, below is the power and money of the possessor.
3 group
– Why do they need fear in society? (Keep power.)
– Are only Dikoy and Kabanova experiencing the intoxication of power? (Analyze the monologue
Kuligin in the 1st act.)
Conclusion No. 3. The goal of the “warrior” Wild is the lawless rapture of power. Kabanova is a more complex version of tyranny: her goal is the legitimate intoxication of power (under the guise of piety).
4 group
– When does a thunderstorm appear as a natural phenomenon? (At the end of the 1st act.)
– Consider the meaning of this scene. Why did Ostrovsky introduce the half-crazy lady? Who is she talking to? What does he prophesy? What is her prophecy based on? (“I’ve sinned all my life from a young age.”)
– What is Varvara’s reaction to her hysteria? (Smiles.)
– What is Katerina's reaction? (“I’m scared to death…”)
Conclusion No. 4. Ostrovsky, in a detailed composition, needed to show that the order of the merchant town, whose roots were Old Believer, rests on fear.
Kabanikha’s siege war, just like the wild attacks of the Wild One, comes from uncertainty and anxiety. The Wild One’s anxiety is vague and unconscious, Kabanikha’s fear is conscious and far-sighted: something is not going well, something is broken in the mechanism of power and subordination.
Thus, the metaphor of a thunderstorm - fear, intoxication with power, threat, threaten - runs through the entire exhibition.
Group 5
– What scares Katerina? (Death will find you with sinful and evil thoughts.)
– How can you confirm that the author defined this scene as the beginning? (Rolls of thunder sound twice. Katerina’s fear intensifies.)
Thus, in beginning The action involves a thunderstorm.
Conclusion No. 5. Varvara has common sense, she accepts with irony centuries-old traditions. This is her protection. Varvara needs calculation and common sense against fear. Katerina has a complete lack of calculation and common sense, increased emotionality.
3. “Troubles, but not from the barrel.”
1 block of questions.
– What a shock Katerina experienced in the scene of Tikhon’s farewell before leaving for
Moscow? (Shocked by the humiliation.)
– Prove it with text. Pay attention to the stage directions. (D.2, appearance 3,4.)
– “ To foretell a bad outcome” is another meaning of the word “thunderstorm”. How is this meaning
played out in this scene?
– “ Tisha, don’t leave...” - “Well, take me with you...” - “Fathers, I’m dying...” - “... take me
oath..." (D. 2, appearance 4.)
– Is Tikhon capable of protecting Katerina? What Domostroy norms does Katerina violate?
(Throws himself on Tikhon’s neck. – Doesn’t howl: “Why make people laugh.”)
2 block of questions.
– How does the metaphor of a thunderstorm break into Katerina’s monologue after the farewell scene?
(“...she crushed me...”) Analyze Katerina’s monologue (D.2, appearance 4).
– How does Kudryash warn Boris about Katerina’s possible death? (“Only women
they are locked up.” - “So you want to ruin her completely.” - “They’ll eat them, they’ll hammer them into the coffin.”)
The theme of the coffin, the grave, bursts in, and from that moment on it sounds stronger.
– Is Boris able to protect Katerina? Who is trying to protect the heroine? (Kuligin.)
– How? (He suggests installing a lightning rod.)
– Why do you think Dikoy was so angry in his conversation with Kuligin about
lightning rod? (“A thunderstorm is being sent to us as punishment...”)
Lightning rod against the Wild One himself. They feel the fear of God before the Wild One himself, they are afraid of punishment from the Wild One himself. Kabanikha has the same role; Having escaped from her, Tikhon rejoices that “there will be no thunderstorm over him for two weeks.” Tyranny is associated with fear for one’s power, so it requires constant confirmation and testing.
3 block of questions.
– When is the second time a thunderstorm as a natural phenomenon breaks into a play? Analyze this
stage. Find frightening, warning phrases of those present (“thunderstorm
it won’t go in vain”, “...crawls, covered with a cap”).
– Why does Katerina hide screaming when the lady appears?
– Who is the crazy lady turning to? Find frightening, key phrases in the lady’s speech (“...I don’t want to die...” - “...Beauty is death after all...” - “...into the pool with beauty...” - “...you can’t escape from God...”).
– Name the combination of circumstances that intensify the tragedy in Katerina’s soul and lead to recognition. (Conversations of those present, a crazy lady with her prophecy, a fiery hyena.)
And Katerina’s confession sounds like a clap of thunder.
For Katerina, a thunderstorm (as for the Kalinovites) is not a stupid fear, but a reminder to a person of responsibility to higher powers goodness and truth. “... the heavenly thunderstorm... only harmonizes with the moral thunderstorm even more terrible. And the mother-in-law is a thunderstorm, and the consciousness of a crime is a thunderstorm.” (M. Pisarev.)
Thus, there is also a thunderstorm in the climax scene.
The thunderstorm brings cleansing. Katerina's death, like a thunderclap, a lightning discharge, brings purification: an awakening sense of personality and a new attitude towards the world.
4 block of questions.
– In which of the heroes does the personality awaken under the influence of Katerina’s death? (Varvara and Kudryash ran away. - Tikhon accuses his mother publicly for the first time: “you ruined her.” - Kuligin: “... the soul is not yours now, it is before a judge who is more merciful than you!”)
So, A.N. Ostrovsky universally implemented the metaphor of a thunderstorm in the play. The title of the play is an image that symbolizes not only the elemental power of nature, but also the stormy state of society, the storm in the souls of people. The thunderstorm passes through all the elements of the composition (everything is connected with the image of the thunderstorm important points plot). Ostrovsky used all the meanings of the word “thunderstorm” indicated in V. Dahl’s dictionary.
- Why were we looking for the meaning of the title of Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm?”
Y. Making a plan.
Joint formulation of the introduction, thesis, conclusion, and the children work on the main part at home.
Rough plan.
I. The meaning of the word “thunderstorm” according to V. Dahl’s dictionary.
II. Ostrovsky universally implements the metaphor of a thunderstorm in his drama.
1. Dikoy and Kabanikha are a “thunderstorm” for the Kalinovites, an example of tyranny.
2. Katerina’s premonition of misfortune and fear after the first thunderclap.
3. Katerina is shocked by the humiliation in the scene of Tikhon’s farewell before leaving for Moscow.
4. Kuligin suggests installing a lightning rod.
5. Against the background of a thunderstorm, Katerina admits to treason.
6. Katerina is a victim of an “internal thunderstorm,” a “thunderstorm of conscience.”
III. Katerina's death, like a thunderstorm, brings purification.
VI. Homework: learn by heart an excerpt of your choice (Kuligin “We have cruel morals, sir...” 1 act., scene 3,
Katerina “I say: why don’t people fly...” 1 act., yavl. 7).
Katerina’s emotional drama from Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm” consists of the discrepancy between real life and desires, the collapse of hopes and illusions, the awareness of the hopelessness and immutability of the situation. Katerina could not live in a world of ignoramuses and deceivers; the girl was torn by the contradiction of duty and feelings. This conflict turned out to be tragic.
The meaning of the name and symbolism of the play “The Thunderstorm”
The realistic method of writing enriched literature with images and symbols. Griboedov used this technique in the comedy “Woe from Wit.” The point is that objects are endowed with a certain symbolic meaning. Symbolic images can be end-to-end, that is, repeated several times throughout the text. In this case, the meaning of the symbol becomes significant for the plot. Particular attention should be paid to those images-symbols that are included in the title of the work. That is why emphasis should be placed on the meaning of the name and figurative symbolism of the drama “The Thunderstorm”.
To answer the question of what the symbolism of the title of the play “The Thunderstorm” contains, it is important to know why and why the playwright used this particular image. The thunderstorm in the drama appears in several forms. The first is a natural phenomenon. Kalinov and its inhabitants seem to live in anticipation of thunderstorms and rain. The events that unfold in the play take place over approximately 14 days. All this time, phrases are heard from passers-by or from the main characters that a thunderstorm is approaching. The violence of the elements is the culmination of the play: it is the thunderstorm and the clap of thunder that force the heroine to admit to treason. Moreover, thunderclaps accompany almost the entire fourth act. With each blow the sound becomes louder: Ostrovsky seems to be preparing readers for the highest point of conflict.
The symbolism of a thunderstorm includes another meaning. "Thunderstorm" is understood different heroes differently. Kuligin is not afraid of a thunderstorm, because he does not see anything mystical in it. Dikoy considers the thunderstorm a punishment and a reason to remember the existence of God. Katerina sees in a thunderstorm a symbol of rock and fate - after the loudest thunderclap, the girl confesses her feelings for Boris. Katerina is afraid of thunderstorms, because for her it is equivalent Last Judgment. At the same time, the thunderstorm helps the girl decide to desperate step, after which she became honest with herself. For Kabanov, Katerina’s husband, the thunderstorm has its own meaning. He talks about this at the beginning of the story: Tikhon needs to leave for a while, which means he will lose his mother’s control and orders. “For two weeks there will be no thunderstorm over me, there are no shackles on my legs...” Tikhon compares the riot of nature with the incessant hysterics and whims of Marfa Ignatievna.
One of the main symbols in Ostrovsky’s “The Thunderstorm” can be called the Volga River. It seems to separate two worlds: the city of Kalinov, the “dark kingdom” and that perfect world, which each of the characters came up with for themselves. The words of Barynya are indicative in this regard. Twice the woman said that the river is a whirlpool that draws in beauty. From a symbol of supposed freedom, the river turns into a symbol of death.
Katerina often compares herself to a bird. She dreams of flying away, breaking out of this addictive space. “I say: why don’t people fly like birds? You know, sometimes I feel like I'm a bird. When you stand on a mountain, you feel the urge to fly,” says Katya to Varvara. Birds symbolize freedom and lightness, which the girl is deprived of.
The symbol of the court is not difficult to trace: it appears several times throughout the work. Kuligin, in conversations with Boris, mentions the court in the context of “ cruel morals cities". The court appears to be a bureaucratic apparatus that is not called upon to seek the truth and punish violations. All he can do is waste time and money. Feklusha talks about refereeing in other countries. From her point of view, only the Christian court and the court according to the laws of the economy can judge righteously, while the rest are mired in sin.
Katerina talks about the Almighty and about human judgment when she tells Boris about her feelings. For her, Christian laws, and not public opinion, come first: “if I was not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment?”
On the walls of the dilapidated gallery, past which residents of Kalinov walk, scenes from the Holy Letter are depicted. In particular, pictures of fiery Gehenna. Katerina herself remembers this mythical place. Hell becomes synonymous with mustiness and stagnation, which Katya fears. She chooses death, knowing that this is one of the most terrible Christian sins. But at the same time, through death, the girl gains freedom.
The image of a thunderstorm in Ostrovsky's play
The image of a thunderstorm in Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm” is symbolic and multi-valued. It includes several meanings that combine and complement each other, allowing you to show several facets of the problem. First you need to separate the concept of image-symbol from the concept of metaphor. The image-symbol is polysemantic, like a metaphor, but, unlike the latter, it implies that the reader can have many different associations that are not limited to the author’s interpretation of the text. That is, the text of the work does not indicate exactly how one or another image-symbol should be deciphered and understood. The interpretation of metaphorical transfer is usually indicated by the author himself. It is the latter option that is implemented in the play under consideration by Alexander Nikolaevich.
The image of a thunderstorm in Ostrovsky's drama includes several author's interpretations. A thunderstorm is understood in the literal sense, that is, as a natural phenomenon. The thunderstorm begins already in the first act and, by the fourth, periodically stopping, it gains strength. The city of Kalinov literally lives in anticipation of a thunderstorm. The inhabitants' fear of thunder and rain is comparable to pagan fears of the elements. The only one who is not afraid of thunderstorms is the self-taught inventor Kuligin. He is the only one who leads a righteous life in the city, strives to earn money by honest labor and thinks about the good of society. For him, there is nothing mysterious or mystical in a thunderstorm. Kuligin is shocked by the reaction to the thunderstorm: “after all, it’s not the thunderstorm that kills, it’s grace that kills!” A man does not understand that primal fear to which everyone submits. Dikoy even believes that God sends the thunderstorm so that sinners do not forget about him. This is a pagan, not a Christian understanding. Katerina, the main character of the play, is frightened by the thunderstorm for other reasons. Katya herself is a calm and quiet girl, so any burst of energy makes her feel anxious. From the first appearances of the play, the reader learns that Katerina is terribly afraid of thunderstorms, and therefore strives in every possible way to hide from it as soon as possible. Even Varvara’s remark “Why are you afraid: the thunderstorm is still far away,” which can be regarded as prophetic, cannot calm the girl down. Katya explains her fear from a philosophical point of view (quite in the spirit of Woland from “The Master and Margarita”): “it’s not so scary that it will kill you, but that death will suddenly find you as you are, with all your sins, with all evil thoughts." So it becomes clear that the image of a thunderstorm in Ostrovsky’s drama is associated with the motive of death. The power of the elements reaches its apogee in the fourth act - the culmination of the work. At first, as usual before a thunderstorm, it was quiet. Townspeople walked along the embankment, talked, and admired the scenery. But as soon as the weather began to deteriorate, many took refuge in the gallery, on the walls of which one could discern the remains of a drawing of fiery Gehenna, that is, hell. Negative symbolism is again added to the image of a thunderstorm.
At the same time, the image of a thunderstorm in the play cannot be perceived as unambiguously negative. Of course, Katerina is frightened by the violent weather. The thunder is getting louder, and the fear of getting bogged down in lies is getting stronger. Katya saw a symbol in the thunderstorm Supreme Court, God's punishment for those who do not live a righteous life. That is why the onset of a thunderstorm can be considered a catalyst for admitting treason. On the embankment, in front of everyone, despite the entreaties of Tikhon and Varvara, Katerina says that all the time Tikhon was away, she secretly met with Boris. This is becoming a real thunderstorm. Katya's confession turned the life of the whole family upside down and made them think about life. A thunderstorm becomes not only an external manifestation, but also an internal conflict. There was a thunderstorm in Katya's soul. She was going for a long time, the clouds became blacker with each mother-in-law’s reproach. The gap between real life and the girl’s ideas was too great. Katya could not avoid the inner storm: she was brought up differently. She was taught to live honestly and righteously. And in the Kabanov family they want to teach you to lie and pretend. Feelings for Boris can also be compared to a thunderstorm. They develop rapidly and spontaneously. But unfortunately, they are a priori doomed to a quick and sad ending.
The role of a thunderstorm in the play “The Thunderstorm” comes down to stirring up people and shaking up space. Dobrolyubov called Kalinov a “dark kingdom,” a kingdom of vices and stagnation. Here live narrow-minded people, who are made fools not by ignorance of the cultures of other countries, but by ignorance of their own culture, inability to be human. Merchant Dikoy, one of the most influential people in the city, does not know Derzhavin and Lomonosov; residents are accustomed to lying and stealing, pretending that nothing is happening, but at the same time cheating and terrorizing their families. There was nothing human left in the inhabitants. Kuligin, Tikhon, Boris and Katya call Kalinov differently, but the meaning is the same: this is a space from which it is impossible to get out. There's no fresh air, and it sucks in like a swamp. The thunderstorm, with its strength and energy, must break through the crust, break the trap, and allow something new to penetrate into the city of Kalinov. Unfortunately, one thunderstorm is not enough. Just like Katya’s death is not enough for people to remove the “dark kingdom” from their souls. Only Tikhon, incapable of decisive action, goes against the established rules for the first time. He blames his mother for the death of his wife, and he, mourning Katya, regrets that he cannot go with her to another world, where he can live according to the laws of conscience.
Characters
First you need to pay attention to the characters. The main character of the work is Katerina Kabanova. Dobrolyubov calls her “a ray of light in a dark kingdom.” The girl is different from the other characters. She does not want to subjugate everyone to her will, like Kabanikha, she does not want to teach the old orders. Katerina wants to live honestly and freely. She doesn’t want to humiliate herself and lie to her family, like her husband does. She doesn’t want to hide and deceive, like Varvara Kabanova did. Her desire to be honest with herself and with others leads to disaster. It seems that it is impossible to get out of the vicious circle into which Katya fell by force of circumstances. But Boris, Dikiy’s nephew, comes to the city. He, just like Katerina, does not want to suffocate “in this outback,” he does not accept the prevailing order in Kalinov, he does not want to have anything to do with the narrow-minded residents of the provincial town. Boris falls in love with Katerina, and the feeling turns out to be mutual. Thanks to Boris, Katerina understands that she has the strength to fight the tyrants who dictate the laws. She is thinking about a possible break with her husband, that she could leave with Boris, despite public opinion. But Boris turns out to be a little different from what Katya seems to be. He, of course, does not like the hypocrisy and lies that help the residents of Kalinov achieve their goals, but nevertheless Boris does the same thing: he tries to improve relations with the person he despises in order to receive an inheritance. Boris does not hide this, he speaks openly about his intentions (conversation with Kuligin).
Criticism
Analyzing the play “The Thunderstorm” by Ostrovsky, one cannot help but mention critical assessment works. Despite the fact that at that time the concept of “drama for reading” did not yet exist, many literary critics and the writers expressed their opinions about this play. Many writers turned to criticism of Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm". Some, for example, Apollon Grigoriev, considered the most significant folk life reflected in the work. Fyodor Dostoevsky entered into a debate with him, arguing that what is primarily important is not the national component, but the internal conflict of the main character. Dobrolyubov most of all appreciated the absence of the author's conclusions in the finale of the play. Thanks to this, the reader himself could “draw his own conclusion.” Unlike Dostoevsky, Dobrolyubov saw the conflict of the drama not in the personality of the heroine, but in Katerina’s opposition to the world of tyranny and stupidity. The critic appreciated the revolutionary ideas contained in the “thunderstorm”: claims to truth, respect for rights and respect for people.
Pisarev responded to this play by Ostrovsky only 4 years after it was written. In his article, he entered into a polemic with Dobrolyubov, because he did not accept the latter’s views on the work. Calling Katerina the “Russian Ophelia,” the critic puts her on a par with Bazarov, a hero who sought to break the existing order of things. Pisarev saw in Katerina’s character something that could serve as a catalyst for the abolition of serfdom. However, this was on the eve of 1861. Pisarev’s hopes for a revolution and for the people to achieve democracy were not justified. It was through this prism that Pisarev later viewed the death of Katerina - the death of hopes for improving the social situation.
Play by A.N. Ostrovsky's "The Thunderstorm" and its main character - Katerina Kabanova - caused and still causes a lot of controversy and discussion. Often the opinions of critics and literary scholars turn out to be radically opposite. We can observe this feature in the articles of two classics of Russian literary criticism - A.N. Dobrolyubov and D.I. Pisareva.
In his article “A Ray of Light in dark kingdom", dedicated to the image of Katerina Kabanova, Dobrolyubov examines the main conflict of the play from a revolutionary populist point of view. According to this critic, Katerina is completely new image in Russian literature of the 19th century, meeting the requirements of the time.
Dobrolyubov calls the environment in which the heroine exists a “dark kingdom” - the dominance of the conservative, ignorant, inert, and hindering progress. Life in the “dark kingdom” is hard for everyone, especially for freedom-loving, bright natures. The critic considers Katerina Kabanova just such a person, calling her “a strong Russian character.”
What are the signs of such a nature? Firstly, it is distinguished by “its opposition to all tyrant principles.” In addition, the Russian strong character is “focused and decisive, unswervingly faithful to the instinct of natural truth, filled with faith in new ideals and selfless, in the sense that it is better for him to die than to live under those principles that are disgusting to him.”
Dobrolyubov sees artistic logic in the fact that the protesting image is embodied in the play precisely in feminine character. According to the critic, the strongest protest is brewing in the weakest and most subservient souls. In Russian patriarchal society, women are such. Dobrolyubov writes: “A woman who wants to go to the end in her rebellion against the oppression and tyranny of her elders in the Russian family must be filled with heroic self-sacrifice, must decide on anything and be ready for anything.”
This is exactly what Katerina does, according to the critic. And in her protest she goes to the end - even to suicide. From Dobrolyubov’s article we understand that it commands respect from the critic and, in his opinion, should command respect from readers as well.
DI. Pisarev looks at the image of Katerina Kabanova in a fundamentally different way. If Dobrolyubov’s worldview was based on revolutionary populist ideas, and he viewed the character of Katerina precisely in this vein, then Pisarev’s views were completely different. He based his concept on the image of a strong person, an individual. It is known that this critic considered Bazarov to be a true hero in Russian literature. It is precisely such people, according to Pisarev, who are capable of changing lives and doing something extraordinary.
Katerina, according to the critic, belongs to a completely different type of hero. She is just a hysterical woman, who herself is not aware of her actions.
Pisarev believes that the upbringing and environment in which this heroine was brought up could not develop in her a strong and persistent character. He writes: “In all Katerina’s actions and feelings, what is noticeable, first of all, is a sharp disproportion between causes and effects.” According to the critic, the heroine reacts inadequately to everyday little things that happen in the “family chicken coop.”
In general, Pisarev concludes that Katerina belongs to the category of “dwarfs and eternal children” who cannot produce anything new. Therefore, he extremely disagrees with the opinion of Dobrolyubov, who saw a heroic Russian character in Katerina.
Which critic's opinion is closest to me? One hundred percent, I don't think I can agree with any of them. But, despite this, to a greater extent I still agree with Pisarev. I don’t see in Katerina a heroic character resisting the “dark kingdom.” It seems to me that this woman committed suicide out of despair, not seeing any prospects for herself in the future.
And, indeed, how would her life have developed after the popular confession of treason? The pangs of conscience, Kabanikha’s cruel bullying, Tikhon’s helplessness and fear, the contempt of all the Kalinovites... I think Katerina just realized that she couldn’t stand it, she was scared to some extent...
Perhaps her action was impulsive, Katerina committed it under the influence of emotions. But it seems to me that this was the best solution for her.
Thus, the opinions of Dobrolyubov and Pisarev on the character of Katerina Kabanova are completely opposite. If revolutionary-democrat Dobrolyubov considers Ostrovsky’s heroine a “Russian strong character”, then the individualist Pisarev classified this character as “dwarfs and eternal children”, incapable of strong conscious actions.
I think the truth is still somewhere between these radical opinions. Katerina is a strong character, but her strength lies elsewhere - in moral purity and the strength of religious faith.
A. N. Ostrovsky's drama "The Thunderstorm" shows us life in the city of Kalinov, now and then disrupted by various manifestations of a thunderstorm. The image of this natural phenomenon in drama is very multifaceted: it is both the character of the play and its idea.
One of the most striking manifestations of the image of a thunderstorm is the characterization of the characters in the drama. For example, we can say with confidence that Kabanikha’s character is quite similar to the sound of thunder: she also frightens the people around her, and can even destroy her. Let us remember Tikhon’s words before leaving: “As I know now that there won’t be any thunderstorms over me for two weeks, there are no shackles on my legs, so what do I care about my wife?” Native son, speaking of a thunderstorm, means tyranny in the house. A similar situation reigned in Dikiy’s house. He got angry, swore, and sometimes even assaulted him over all sorts of little things. Curly said about him: “A shrill man!” - and for sure, the character of the Wild can pierce anyone, like an electric shock.
But the thunderstorm in the work characterizes not only the “cruel morals” in Kalinov. It is noticeable that the most striking moments of the bad weather coincide with Katerina’s mental torment. Let us remember when Katerina admitted to Varvara that she loved someone else, a thunderstorm began. But Katerina’s soul was also restless; her impulsiveness made itself felt: even without having done anything wrong, but only thinking not about her husband, Katerina began to talk about imminent death, running away from home and terrible sins. Upon Kabanov’s return, hurricanes raged in Katerina’s soul, and at the same time, peals of thunder were heard on the streets, frightening the townspeople.
Also, the image of a thunderstorm appears before readers as punishment for sins committed. Katerina said about the thunderstorm: “Everyone should be afraid. It’s not so scary that it will kill you, but that death will suddenly find you as you are, with all your sins, with all your evil thoughts.” We can understand that a thunderstorm for the townspeople is only suffering. This same idea is confirmed by the words of Dikiy: “A thunderstorm is sent to us as punishment, so that we can feel it, but you want to defend yourself, God forgive me, with poles and some kind of rods.” This fear of a thunderstorm-punishment characterizes the Wild as an adherent of old mores, if we consider the thunderstorm in its following image: a symbol of change.
The thunderstorm as a symbol of the new is clearly shown in Kuligin’s monologue: “This is not a thunderstorm, but grace!” Kuligin, being a hero-reasoner, reveals to readers the point of view of Ostrovsky himself: change is always for the better, one cannot be afraid of it.
Thus, it becomes obvious that A. N. Ostrovsky, skillfully wielding the image of a thunderstorm in its different manifestations, showed all sides of life in a typical Russian provincial town, starting with the tragedy of “cruel morals” and ending personal tragedy everyone.
Essay plan
1. Introduction. Variety of symbolism in the play.
2. Main part. Motives and themes of the play, artistic foreshadowing, symbolism of images, phenomena, details.
— Folklore motives as an artistic anticipation of the heroine’s situation.
— Katerina’s dreams and symbolism of images.
— A story about childhood as a compositional prelude.
— The motive of sin and retribution in the play. Kabanov and Dikoy.
— The motive of sin in the images of Feklusha and the half-crazy lady.
— The motive of sin in the images of Kudryash, Varvara and Tikhon.
— Katerina’s perception of sin.
— The idea of the play.
— The symbolic meaning of the images of the play.
— Symbolism of objects.
3. Conclusion. Philosophical and poetic subtext of the play.
Symbolism in the play by A.N. Ostrovsky is diverse. The very name of the play, the theme of a thunderstorm, the motives of sin and judgment are symbolic. Symbolic landscape paintings, objects, some images. Some motifs and themes take on an allegorical meaning folk songs.
At the very beginning of the play, the song “Among the Flat Valley...” (sung by Kuligin) sounds, which already at the very beginning introduces the motive of a thunderstorm and the motive of death. If we remember the entire lyrics of the song, then there are the following lines:
Where can I rest my heart?
When will the storm rise?
A gentle friend sleeps in damp earth,
He won't come to help.
The theme of loneliness, orphanhood, and life without love also arises in it. All these motives seem to precede life situation Katerina at the beginning of the play:
Oh, it's boring to be lonely
And the tree grows!
Oh, it’s bitter, it’s bitter for the fellow
Lead a life without a sweetheart!
The dreams of the heroine in “The Thunderstorm” also acquire a symbolic meaning. So, Katerina is sad because people don’t fly. “Why don’t people fly!.. I say: why don’t people fly like birds? You know, sometimes I feel like I'm a bird. When you stand on a mountain, you feel the urge to fly. That's how she would run up, raise her hands and fly. Is there anything I should try now?” she says to Varvara. IN parental home Katerina lived like a “bird in the wild.” She dreams about how she flies. Elsewhere in the play she dreams of becoming a butterfly. The theme of birds introduces the motif of captivity and cages into the narrative. Here we can recall the symbolic ritual of the Slavs releasing birds from cages, which is based on the Slavic belief in the ability of reincarnation human soul. As noted by Yu.V. Lebedev, “the Slavs believed that the human soul was capable of turning into a butterfly or a bird. In folk songs, a woman yearning on the wrong side of an unloved family turns into a cuckoo, flies into the garden to her beloved mother, and complains to her about her hard lot.” But the theme of birds also sets the motive for death here. Thus, in many cultures the Milky Way is called the “bird road” because the souls flying along this road to heaven were imagined as birds. Thus, already at the beginning of the play we notice the motives that precede the death of the heroine.
Peculiar artistic preview Katerina’s story about her childhood also becomes: “...I was born so hot! I was still six years old, no more, so I did it! They offended me with something at home, and it was late in the evening, it was already dark; I ran out to the Volga, got into the boat and pushed it away from the shore. The next morning they found it about ten miles away!” But Katerina’s story is also a compositional preview of the play’s finale. For her, the Volga is a symbol of will, space, and free choice. And in the end she makes her choice.
Final scenes“Thunderstorms” are also preceded by Kudryash’s song:
Like a Don Cossack, the Cossack led his horse to water,
Good fellow, he’s already standing at the gate.
Standing at the gate, he himself is thinking,
Dumu thinks about how he will ruin his wife.
How a wife prayed to her husband,
Soon she bowed to him:
You, father, are you a dear, dear friend!
Don't hit me, don't destroy me this evening!
You kill, ruin me from midnight!
Let my little children sleep
To little children, to all our close neighbors.
This song develops in the play the motif of sin and retribution, which runs through the entire narrative. Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova constantly remembers sin: “What a long time to sin! A conversation close to the heart will go well, and you will sin, you will get angry,” “Enough, come on, don’t be afraid! Sin!”, “What can I say to a fool! There’s only one sin!” Judging by these remarks, sin for Kabanova is irritation, anger, lies and deception. However, in this case, Marfa Ignatievna constantly sins. She often gets irritated and angry with her son and daughter-in-law. While preaching religious commandments, she forgets about love for her neighbor and therefore lies to others. “A prude... she lavishes on the poor, but completely eats up her family,” Kuligin says about her. Kabanova is far from true mercy, her faith is harsh and merciless. Dikoy also mentions sin in the play. Sin for him is his “swearing”, anger, nonsense of character. Dikoy “sins” often: he gets it from his family, his nephew, Kuligin, and the peasants.
The wanderer Feklusha thoughtfully reflects on sin in the play: “It’s impossible, mother, without sin: we live in the world,” she says to Glasha. For Feklusha, sin is anger, quarrel, absurdity of character, gluttony. She admits to herself only one of these sins - gluttony: “I have one sin, for sure; I myself know that there is. I love to eat sweets." However, at the same time, Feklusha is also prone to deception and suspicion; she tells Glasha to look after “the wretched one” so that she “doesn’t steal anything.” The motive of sin is also embodied in the image of a half-crazy lady who sinned a lot from her youth. Since then, she prophesies to everyone a “pool”, “fire... unquenchable.”
In a conversation with Boris, Kudryash also mentions sin. Noticing Boris Grigoryich near the Kabanovs’ garden and at first considering him a rival, Kudryash warns young man: “I love you, sir, and I’m ready for any service to you, but on this path you don’t meet me at night, so that, God forbid, some sin does not happen.” Knowing Kudryash’s character, we can guess what kind of “sins” he has. In the play, Varvara “sins” without discussing sin. This concept lives in her mind only in the usual everyday life, but she obviously does not consider herself a sinner. Tikhon also has his sins. He himself admits this in a conversation with Kuligin: “I went to Moscow, you know? On the way, my mother read, gave me instructions, but as soon as I left, I went on a spree. I’m very glad that I broke free. And he drank all the way, and in Moscow he drank everything, so it’s a lot, what the heck! So that you can take a break for the whole year. I never even remembered the house.” Kuligin advises him to forgive his wife: “You yourself, tea, are also not without sin!” Tikhon agrees unconditionally: “What can I say!”
Katerina often thinks about sin in the play. This is exactly how she evaluates her love for Boris. Already in the first conversation about this with Varya, she clearly indicates her feelings: “Oh, Varya, sin is on my mind! How much I, poor thing, cried, what I didn’t do to myself! I can't escape this sin. Can't go anywhere. It's not good, it's terrible sin“Varenka, why do I love someone else?” Moreover, for Katerina, a sin is not only the act as such, but also the thought about it: “I’m not afraid to die, but when I think that suddenly I will appear before God as I am here with you, then I’ll talk,” That's what's scary. What's on my mind! What a sin! It’s scary to say!” Katerina recognizes her sin the moment she meets Boris. “If I was not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment? They say it’s even easier when you suffer for some sin here on earth.” However, then the heroine begins to suffer from the consciousness of her own sin. Her own behavior is at odds with hers ideal ideas about the world, of which she herself is a particle. Katerina introduces into the narrative the motive of repentance, retribution for sins, and God's punishment.
And the theme of God's punishment is connected both with the title of the play and with the thunderstorm as a natural phenomenon. Ostrovsky’s theme is symbolic. However, what meaning does the playwright give to the concept of “thunderstorm”? If we remember the Bible, then the peals of thunder there are likened to the voice of the Lord. Almost all Kalinovites have an unambiguous attitude towards thunderstorms: it instills in them a mystical fear, reminds them of God’s wrath and moral responsibility. Dikoy says: “...a thunderstorm is sent to us as punishment, so that we feel...”. The prophecies of the crazy lady also hint at God’s punishment: “You’ll have to answer for everything... You can’t escape God.” Katerina perceives the thunderstorm in exactly the same way: she is convinced that this is nothing more than retribution for her sins. However, the Bible also has another meaning. this phenomenon. The Gospel sermon is compared to thunder here. And this, I think, true meaning given character in the play. The thunderstorm is “designed” to crush the stubbornness and cruelty of the Kalinovites, to remind them of love and forgiveness.
This is exactly what the Kalinovites should have done with Katerina. The heroine’s public repentance is an attempt at her reconciliation with the world, at reconciliation with herself. The subtext of the play contains biblical wisdom: “Judge not, lest ye be judged, for by whatever judgment you judge, so will you be judged...” Thus, the motifs of sin and judgment, intertwined, form a deep semantic subtext in “The Thunderstorm,” bringing us close to the biblical parable.
In addition to themes and motives, we note symbolic meaning some images of the play. Kuligin introduces ideas and themes of enlightenment thinking into the play, and this character also introduces the image of natural harmony and grace. Ostrovsky’s image of a half-crazy lady is a symbol of Katerina’s sick conscience, the image of Feklusha is a symbol of the old patriarchal world, whose foundations are crumbling.
Last times The “dark kingdom” is also symbolized by some objects in the play, in particular an ancient gallery and a key. In the fourth act, we see in the foreground a narrow gallery with an ancient building that is beginning to collapse. Its painting is reminiscent of very specific subjects - “fiery hell”, the battle between the Russians and Lithuania. However, now it has almost completely collapsed, everything is overgrown, and after the fire it was never repaired. A symbolic detail is the key that Varvara gives to Katerina. Key scene plays vital role in the development of the conflict of the play. There is an internal struggle going on in Katerina's soul. She perceives the key as a temptation, as a sign of impending doom. But the thirst for happiness wins: “Why am I saying that I’m deceiving myself? I could even die to see him. Who am I pretending to be!.. Throw in the key! No, not for anything in the world! He’s mine now... Whatever happens, I’ll see Boris! Oh, if only the night could come sooner!..” The key here becomes a symbol of freedom for the heroine, as if it unlocks her soul languishing in captivity.
Thus, Ostrovsky’s play has both poetic and philosophical overtones, expressed in motifs, images and details. The thunderstorm that swept over Kalinov becomes “a cleansing storm, sweeping away deeply rooted prejudices and clearing the way for other “mores.”
1. Lebedev Yu.V. Russian literature XIX century. Second half. Book for teachers. M., 1990, p. 169–170.
2. Lyon P.E., Lokhova N.M. Decree. cit., p.255.
3. Buslakova T.P. Russian literature of the 19th century. Minimum educational requirement for applicants. M., 2005, p. 531.
