Figurative and expressive means in the story of I.A. Bunin "Clean Monday"
Ivan Bunin always raised the problem of love in his stories, because he knew that this feeling is fleeting, eventually leading to tragedy, since it is not eternal.
The work that deserves the attention of readers is " Clean Monday", where shown wonderful feeling which ultimately leads to disaster.
Between the main character and his beloved there is a flash, a spark, emotions, a rush of tenderness. The character and the heroine are pierced by love, which, as Bunin says, cannot last long, because everything beautiful has the ability to end. Lyrical hero appreciates the girl for what she is, for her magnificent figure, facial features. However, all this is carnal, not sublime. The heroine, on the contrary, has different ideas about relationships, for her love is not so much affection, but rather enjoyment and pleasure from every minute that is spent together.
She is a student. The character sometimes believes that the girl does not understand the meaning of the concept of “love”, for him there is now, here she is in front of him, the whole world is turning upside down, he doesn’t want to think about anything, only about how to get closer to the girl as soon as possible, but true spiritual values the hero does not. He is too far from those ideas of great warm feelings that usually arise between lovers. The character, if you read the text, does not understand the girl who envelops consciousness with her own mystery young man.
Unfortunately, the story has a sad end, because Bunin does not want to give a continuation where it is impossible, where in the end everything leads to a crash, to a point of no return. There is a huge gulf between the character and the heroine: one shows interest in the girl's body, while the other brings to the fore spiritual values that are beyond the understanding of the character. And, when in the morning he opens his eyes and does not find the heroine nearby, he does not realize why she left. Why did the girl not get used to the hero? What prevented her? And she left him from the fact that she received her sight, she was convinced of the invalidity of the hero's feelings for her. Yes, there was love, but not in the direction she dreamed of.
Sometimes it happens that our desires do not coincide with real actions and deeds. It happens that a person finds his beloved, only later opening his eyes to what is really happening. But better late to understand everything than never. And Ivan Bunin makes it clear that love has such tragic ends, from which no one is immune. That's life!
Thus, the writer showed his point of view on the consequences of such a pure feeling as love. No one argues that it inspires, makes you live in a new way, but you should be prepared for the difficulties that love brings with it. The main thing is to accept as a fact that in life a person decides how to love and for what: for the beauty of the soul or body. If the first becomes important for the reader, then most likely he is on the right track. Fate favors him, because people with spiritual dreams are able not to be disappointed when the body that they once fell in love with began to crack. For them, the interest is the soul, which is mysterious and peculiar. Therefore, it is worth appreciating a lover not for appearance, but for the depth of his soul, despite how long love can last!
Analysis of the work Clean Monday for grade 11
1944 The Second World War, like never before, has a detrimental effect on families, love and feelings in general. Bunin, being on the territory modern Russia, perfectly understands the feelings of all soldiers, mothers and girls who are waiting for their beloved. At the same time, the theme of love is considered in his work and the author is zealously looking for answers to eternal questions.
The work "Clean Monday" is created at this time. It is noteworthy that the heroes are not given names - the author did not consider it necessary to give names, because such a story could happen many times to everyone. Instead, the man acts as a narrator, which makes it possible for the reader to hear the words first hand, feel the feelings, understand what the young man in love is guided by in his actions.
The characters are antagonists to each other: he is ardent, energetic and resembles an Italian in character, while she is more restrained in actions and words. The young lady is in the center of the universe, and the author, as it were, is attached to her. He himself writes that neither wealth nor Beautiful places, no dinners. The girl accepts all courtship, but remains cold.
During Lent, the hero notices that his companion is fascinated by monasteries. He could have noticed it sooner, however, it is quite possible that due to his focus on his feelings, he could not think about her happiness. And what can such a nature wish, which is spiritually rich, thinks about the essence of love and happiness? How much she slipped away when attempts to get closer crossed the line of decency so much that the hero no longer controlled himself!
It was not given to him to understand indirect signs that she did not want to connect her life with such a man. However, on the last night, the girl gives herself to him, which gives the illusion that they have finally become close. After that, she leaves for a monastery. In the projection on Bunin's modernity, such famous names like Stanislavsky, Andrey Bely, Moskvin. Appearing for a moment, they make tempting offers or help to have fun. beautiful couple. However, they are of no value.
After weeks of hard drinking and idleness without his beloved, the author comes to the monastery and meets the same one there, in the guise of a nun. Bunin thus shows that, despite tempting offers that do not carry spiritual value and temporary hardships (war), Russia will find itself. As the heroine suffered, trying to understand her role, so the state experienced bad times. However, there will be that Clean Monday, which will cleanse the country of the dirt that is now on it!
Composition of a reasoning based on the story Pure Monday Bunin
Bunin writes the story in 1944, during the Second World War. As you know, during the war years, the Soviet government opened many churches, flew around Moscow with icons in order to save the city. People could turn to faith again.
The action of the story is 1912-14, a period also difficult for Russia, the pre-revolutionary years, the proximity of the war. The period when the conversion to faith is relevant and very urgent.
The main character is like a reflection of the era, she has fun, but she is not seduced and not carried away by these entertainments, she seems to see the ephemeral nature of all existence and feels the unsteady nature of her time. At the same time, Bunin specifically introduces genuine historical figures: Stanislavsky, Moskvin, Sulerzhitsky, Bely, Kachalov - to some extent they are the face of their time. The main characters are also included in this world, moreover, they attract admiring glances, often find themselves in the spotlight, attract with their own beauty and independence.
So, she is not alien to entertainment, but when she has a free evening or morning, she visits cathedrals and temples. She studies history, and in this Bunin emphasizes the desire for roots, for the search for the true face and essence of the people. Also main character understands the Orthodox tradition, but does not call himself religious. This is interesting detail, the main character appears to be more of a seeker and analyst than just a believer. She has warm feelings about religious topics, but also has deep feelings.
The same deep, but slightly peculiar feelings for the main character, to whom she allows caresses, but does not give herself completely. This manifests a certain chastity, which is not something pretense, because he is “the first and last” for her and she has no one else. Therefore, here we see to a greater extent the aspiration to save our own soul and the soul of our beloved. He often asks if she loves him and demands confirmation, doubts. However, in the final scene of the story, we see how she recognizes her lover in complete darkness, already being a nun.
Bunin describes the connection of these people as incredibly strong and rising above the everyday life of the world. The protagonist is passionate and literally sings of every detail of the heroine, admired by everything down to the footprints in the snow from her boots. The main character is more silent and thoughtful, she reflects on books and on this world. As a result, the only way out that she chooses is to go to the monastery as a search for something real, something authentic in this world.
Option 4
Bunin writes about feelings between two people. They - characteristic representatives of his time, the author does not even name names and at the same time achieves an amazing effect. Many readers do not notice the absence of the names of the main characters at all.
The girl is rich and beautiful, as the narrator describes her, possessing some Indian beauty. The young man has beauty and manners, also southern, but more "Persian". He is also an accomplished person, attracting admiring glances.
The relationship between them remains almost platonic, more precisely, they allow for some physical intimacy that never reaches its logical conclusion. The heroine always tactfully pushes him away, after which they go for a walk in restaurants and theaters and so many days, or rather, nights in a row.
Nevertheless, as the reader will find out later, the heroine is not alien to Orthodox culture and even understands the subject of faith, although she never shows excessive religiosity and piety. At the same time, she can make very precise remarks that emphasize her certain detachment from this world “books, theaters and the rest” she does not seem to need at all. This fact is emphasized by the narrator himself when he describes the heroine, but one gets the impression that he is somewhat mocking the heroine.
For example, he talks about her phrase “I don’t understand how people don’t get tired of always having lunch and dinner” and after that he describes in some detail the dishes that the heroine herself liked to kiss. She had a "Moscow" taste, did not shy away from simple earthly pleasures.
When the heroine speaks of her intention to end up in a monastery, the hero also perceives such an attack as not serious and even wants to say in response that if this happens, then he himself will do so in order to recover from hard labor or something similar.
As a result, it is the heroine's intentions that turn out to be completely serious. She also takes seriously the stories about Prince Pavel of Murom and his wife.
For the heroine, the history of her country is part of her own being, Bunin mentions this “history interests her”. Moreover, in the image of the heroine, that holiness, that originality of Rus', which is now hidden under pretense and mundane, shines through. It is not surprising that when a girl eventually leaves for a monastery, she sees in these pre-revolutionary years the only way out is to turn to something real, higher than earthly and idleness.
However, she remembers her "first and last" lover. It is she who finds out in pitch darkness, being a nun.
A distinctive feature of the writer's works is the use in them of an artistic allegorical language, called by the author himself Aesopian, after the famous fabulist Aesop.
How I envied my girlfriend that she had a little sister! We sometimes walked with her, took her from the kindergarten. I really wanted to have a younger sister too.
In wonderful winter fairy tale S. Marshak tells about a miracle that happened to a little girl at the end of the year. This magic story allows you to feel the charm winter forest and feel the New Year atmosphere
Ivan Bunin is known to many readers as a brilliant writer and poet. For my creative career the writer created a huge number of poems, short stories, novels and novels. All of them are infused deep meaning and have an interesting and exciting storyline. The collection of short stories "Dark Alleys" gained particular popularity. All his works are about love. For the writer himself, this feeling causes conflicting emotions - happy and sad at the same time. To talk in more detail about love, Bunin wrote "Clean Monday". shows how ambiguous and deep it is.
The strangeness of love between the characters of the story
Love is not only the joy of meeting, but also the pain of parting, this is also shown by analysis. "Clean Monday" Bunin wrote to show the depth of feelings of his characters. The writer did not even give them names, because the hero himself tells the story, and the image of the heroine is so complex, multifaceted and mysterious that she does not need a name. Even at the beginning of the work, it becomes clear that the lovers will not have a future. This is a beautiful, young, full of strength and energy couple, but they are too different.
A man is obsessed with his feelings, and this prevents him from getting to know spiritual world his beloved. They spend a lot of time together, have a picnic, go to restaurants, go to the theater, but the girl seems too distant. The heroine is in search of her true destiny - this is exactly what the analysis shows. Bunin composed “Clean Monday” to tell that sooner or later each person will have to decide what to do next, to determine whether he has chosen the right path. The girl does not want to talk about the future, categorically denies the possibility of marriage, says that she is not ready to become a wife. The man understands that this is not normal, but still agrees with the oddities of his beloved.
Finding your place in this world
The heroine cannot find herself - this is also shown by the analysis. "Clean Monday" Bunin wrote to show soul feelings girls. She did everything that was accepted in society: she studied, dressed beautifully, attended the theater, met with her loved one. But deep down, the woman realized that all this was not what she needed. This explains the detachment of the main character, her unwillingness to talk about a joint future with her lover. She always did everything the way everyone else did, but this did not suit her.
Painful parting
Contradictory feelings are increasingly arising in the soul of a girl, she can no longer live simply and carefree, like most young people. The decision to radically change her life has long been brewing for the heroine, this is also evidenced by the analysis. It was not in vain that Bunin chose Pure Monday for a turning point in the fate of the characters. On the first day of Lent, the girl decides to devote herself to serving God. The heroine makes a man suffer from parting, but she herself suffers from this.
The story "Clean Monday" is mainly devoted to strong personality a girl who was not afraid to do something different, to drastically change her life and find the meaning of her existence.
Class- 11
Lesson Objectives:
- to acquaint students with the life and work of I.A. Bunin, the book “Dark Alleys”;
- analyze the story “Clean Monday”: reveal the problem of love, find out the reasons tragic fate heroes;
- to acquaint with the spiritual heritage of Russia;
- develop analytical reading skills epic work, the ability to make micro-inferences and with their help - general conclusion; develop critical thinking, stage ability;
- to cultivate spiritual culture, responsibility for one's actions and the fate of the country;
- to carry out interdisciplinary connections - to draw a parallel: literature-painting, music, religion.
Equipment: exhibition “Who wants to know Russia, visit Moscow”, portrait of I.A. Bunin, music by L.-V. Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata", Verdi's opera "Aida", "Red Ringing" of bells, candles, texts of the work and prayer by E. Sirin, Kustodiev's painting "Maslenitsa", magazine "LSh" - No. 2, 3, 1996, No. 3 , 1997, projector.
During the classes
I. Org. moment.
II. Preparation for the main stage.
Teacher's word.
Today we will get acquainted with the work of I.A. Bunin; let's find out what problems the author touches on in the story “Clean Monday” and how the characters solve them.
III. Assimilation of new knowledge and ways of action.
1. Presentation about I.A. Bunin. Speech by the student.
2. Reading the epigraph.
Is there an unhappy love?
Doesn't the mournful music in the world give happiness?
Every love is a great happiness,
even if it is not divided.
I. Bunin
3. Analysis of the epigraph. Teacher's word.
In these words - the meaning of the entire book "Dark Alleys". Encyclopedia love dramas you can call it a book of 38 love stories, created during the years of World War II (1937-1944). I. Bunin in 1947 I appreciated my work this way: “She talks about the tragic and about a lot of tender and beautiful things - I think that this is the best and most original thing that I wrote in my life ...”
Bunin's love strikes not only with the power of artistic representation, but also with its subordination to some internal, unknown laws. It's a secret. And not everyone, in his opinion, is given to touch it. The state of love is not fruitless for the writer's heroes, it elevates their souls. However, love is not only happiness, but also a tragedy. It cannot end in marriage. Bunin's heroes part forever.
4. The history of writing the story “Clean Monday”.
The story "Clean Monday" was written on 05/12/1944.
Why is the date of writing specific, and the events described in the work refer to 1914? 1944 In the years of difficult trials for the country, I. Bunin reminded people of love as the most beautiful feeling that exists in life. Thus, Bunin rejected fascism and glorified Russia.
5. The meaning of the title of the story.
1) Historical basis holiday. Reading textbook article.
Maslenitsa - Forgiveness Sunday - Great Lent - Clean Monday - Easter
2) Description of Pure Monday by I. Shmelev in the novel “Summer of the Lord”.
(Against the background of Beethoven's music)
“Today we have a Clean Monday, and everyone in our house is being cleaned ... Dripping outside the window - like crying. So she cried - drip ... drip ... drip ... And something joyful swarms in the heart: everything is new now, different. Now the soul will begin...”, “the soul must be prepared”. To eat, to fast, to prepare for the Bright Day... A special day today, strict... Yesterday was a forgiveness day... Read - "Lord - the Lord of my stomach...". The rooms are quiet and deserted, smelling of a sacred smell. In the hallway, in front of the reddish icon of the Crucifixion... they lit a Lenten... lamp, and now it will burn unquenchably until Pascha. When my father lights, - on Saturdays he himself lights the lamps - he always sings pleasantly sadly: “We bow to Your Cross, Vladyka,” and I sing after him, wonderful:
And holy ... Your Resurrection
Glory-a-wim!..
Joyful prayer! She shines with a gentle light in these sad days of Lent!”
6. Acquaintance with the Great Lenten Prayer of Ephraim the Syrian.
Efrem Sirin - prominent figure Christian church of the 4th century, illustrious author of many theological works.
“Lord and Master of my life, the spirit of idleness, arrogance and idle talk, do not give me. Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to me, your servant! Yes, Lord the King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for you are blessed forever and ever. Amen".
7. Composition of the story.
The composition is consistent.
Winter at the beginning and at the end of the story is syntactic parallelism.
8. Conversation on content.
What is interesting about the plot?
What emotions did the story evoke in you?
What ending did you expect?
Why didn't your hopes come true?
How would you complete the story of this unquenched love?
Where is the action taking place?
Name the holy places of Moscow mentioned in the story. (Temple of Christ the Savior, Novodevichy Convent, Conception Monastery, Archangel Cathedral, Marfo-Mariinsky Convent) (To the sound of bells, excerpts from poems about Moscow sound)
Here, as it was, so now -
Holy heart of all Rus'.
Here stand her shrines
Behind the Kremlin wall!
(V. Bryusov)
Wonderful city ancient city,
You fit into your ends
And towns and villages,
And chambers and palaces!
Belted with a ribbon of arable land,
You are full of colors in the gardens:
How many temples, how many towers
On your seven hills!
Prosper with eternal glory,
City of temples and chambers!
City of the middle, city of the heart,
Indigenous Russia hail!
(F. Glinka)
“Here is the Russia that we lost,” I. Shmelev laments. And I. Bunin echoes him.
The story is built on contrasts.
Artistic detail plays a huge role. This is a color.
| black | yellow | red |
| Black hair | Shoes with gold clasps | pomegranate shoes |
| Black as coal eyes | golden dome | Garnet velvet dress |
| tar bangs | golden brocade | Brick and bloody walls of the monastery |
| Dark eyes | sunset golden enamel | red gate |
| Charcoal velvet eyes | Amber of bare hands | |
| Black board icons | Golden cross on the forehead | |
| Black kid glove | amber face | |
| Black felt boots ChangeClear | Book " Fire Angel” | |
| Black velvet dress | Yellow-haired Rus | |
| Black shiny pigtails | Amber cheeks | |
| Smolny hair | fire pancakes | |
| indian persian beauty | Iconostasis Gold | |
| Eyebrows like black sable fur | ||
| Black leather sofa |
What is their function?
Yellow and red are the traditional colors of iconography.
Yellow symbolizes the Kingdom of Heaven.
Red - fire, i.e. life.
Black - humility, humility.
What does SHE do?
(Listening to Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata)
Subject " moonlight sonata" - that's her.
He is the theme of the march from Aida. Prove it.
(Listening to Verdi's music)
“... all human life is under the power of a woman,” Maupassant remarked.
Let's listen to their dialogue.
(There are two armchairs nearby. She reads silently.)
She: - You are terribly talkative and restless, let me finish reading the chapter.
He: - If I had not been talkative and restless, perhaps I would never have recognized you.
She: - Everything is so, but still be silent for a while, read something, smoke ...
He: - I can not be silent! You can't imagine the power of my love for you! You don't love me!
She: - I represent. As for my love, you know very well, apart from my father and you, I have no one in the world. In any case, you are my first and last. Is this not enough for you? But enough about that.
He (to himself): -Strange love.
She : - I'm not fit for a wife. I'm not good, I'm not good.
He (to himself): -We'll see!
(out loud) No, this is beyond me! And why, why do you torture me and yourself so cruelly! “Yeah, it’s not love, it’s not love…”
She: - May be. Who knows what love is?
He : - I, I know! (exclaimed) And I will wait until you know what love, happiness is!
What do his internal remarks say?
Do you think they loved each other? Prove it.
Did he recognize her? Why?
And again the whole evening they talked about strangers.
This is how January and February passed... Maslenitsa.
On Forgiveness Sunday, she ordered him to come in the evening.
What is this day?
He arrived. She met him, all in black.
Read their dialogue. (Reading dialogue)
Why does she want to go to a convent?
Why didn't he know about her religiosity? What was blinded by?
(Sounds like "Moonlight Sonata")
At 10 o'clock On the evening of the next day (it was Clean Monday), he opened the door with his key. Everything was lit: chandeliers, candelabra, a lamp...and the Moonlight Sonata sounded. She was standing near the piano in a black velvet dress.
They went to the "kapustnik".
What is this entertainment?
How did she behave? Why cheeky? What is the strangeness of her character?
What was the weather like that evening? (Blizzard)
What role does the blizzard play?
Why, after the “skit”, did she leave him with her, which she had not done before?
Why did she take off all the black and remain in the same swan shoes?
What role does white play?
Why, when he left her, the blizzard was gone?
Why is she leaving for Tver?
What letter did she write? Read.
Why did she go to a convent?
Why was he not surprised by this finale of their meetings? (Did not look into the soul)
Read the end of the story.
When it was?
What brought him to the monastery?
What did he understand?
Why did he turn and quietly walk out of the gate?
Why is the story being told in 1st person?
IV. Systematization and generalization of knowledge.
Lesson conclusions.
Any real love- great happiness, even if it ends in separation, death, tragedy. To such a conclusion, albeit late, Bunin's heroes come, who have lost, overlooked or destroyed their love themselves. In that late regret, late spiritual resurrection of heroes, we see real people, their imperfection, inability to cherish what is nearby, and we also see the imperfection of life itself, social conditions, circumstances that often interfere with truly human relationships.
The story, which tells about tragic collisions, does not carry pessimism. He is like music, like anything great art, cleanses, elevates the soul, affirming the truly high, beautiful.
V. Summing up the lesson.
VI. Reflection.
VII. Information about homework.
How would you complete the story? Write a love story.
The story of I. A. Bunin "Clean Monday" was written on May 12, 1944, when it was already clear to the whole world. What Soviet army wins over Nazi Germany. It was then that Bunin reconsiders his attitude towards Soviet Russia which he did not accept after October revolution as a result, he went abroad.
The writer had a desire to turn to the origins, the beginning of all the disasters that befell Russia.
The story is included in the collection Dark alleys", but differs in its originality. Bunin himself considered this story to be the best of all that he wrote. An entry from 1944 on the night of May 8-9 was preserved in the author's diary: "One o'clock in the morning. I got up from the table - it remains to finish a few pages of Clean Monday. He turned off the light, opened the window to ventilate the room - not the slightest movement of air ... ". He asks the Lord to give him the strength to complete the story. This means that the writer attached great importance to this work. And already on May 12 he makes an entry in his diary, where he thanks God for allowing him to write Clean Monday.
Before us is a poetic portrait of the era Silver Age with its ideological confusion and spiritual quest. Let's try to follow the author step by step in order to understand what is the uniqueness of this work.
The story opens with a city sketch.
"The Moscow gray winter day was getting dark, the gas in the lanterns was coldly lit, the shop windows were warmly lit - and the evening Moscow life, freed from daytime affairs, flared up ..." Already in one sentence there are epithets: "warmth" - "cold", perhaps indicating on complex and contradictory phenomena and characters. The Moscow evening bustle is emphasized by many details and comparisons: “cab sledges rushed thicker and more cheerfully, crowded diving trams rattled harder”, “green stars hissed from the wires”. .. Before us is life - vanity, life - temptation and temptation, not without reason, when describing sparks falling from the wires of a tram, the author uses not only the metaphor "green stars", but also the epithet "with a hiss", which associatively evokes the image of a serpent - a tempter in biblical garden. The motives of vanity and temptation are leading in the story.
The narration comes from the point of view of the hero, not the heroine, which is very important. It is mysterious, mysterious and incomprehensible, complex and contradictory, and remains so until the end of the story - not fully explained. He is simple, understandable, easy to communicate, does not have the reflection of the heroine. There are no names, perhaps because young people personify the pre-revolutionary era and their images carry some kind of symbolic overtones, which we will try to identify.
The text is saturated with many historical and cultural details that require special commentary. The young man lives at the Red Gate. This is a monument of the Elizabethan Baroque. At the beginning of the 18th century - triumphal gate for the solemn entry of Peter the Great. For their beauty, they began to be called Red. In 1927, the gate was dismantled to streamline traffic. The name of the metro station "Red Gate" has been preserved. I think the place of residence of the hero is associated with a celebration, a holiday. And the heroine lives near the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, which was conceived by Alexander the First as gratitude to God for intercession for Russia and a monument to the glorious deeds of the Russian people in Patriotic war 1812. The main throne is dedicated to the Nativity of Christ - December 25 - on this day the enemy was expelled from Russia. The temple was destroyed by the Bolsheviks on December 5, 1931, and at present it has been restored. For a long time on the site of the temple was the pool "Moscow".
Every evening the hero races on a stretching trotter from the Red Gate to the Cathedral of Christ the Savior. He has his own coachman, who alone in the story has a name: his name is Fyodor. But the text is saturated with the names of writers and cultural figures of the Silver Age, which accurately and in detail recreates the atmosphere of that time. Every evening, the hero takes his beloved to dine in fashionable and expensive restaurants: in Prague, in the Hermitage, in the Metropol, then young people attend theaters, concerts, after the events they again go to restaurants: in Yar (a restaurant on the corner Kuznetsky Most and Neglinnaya Street), to "Strelna" - a country restaurant in Moscow with a huge winter garden.
The young man calls his relationship with the heroine strange: the girl averted all talk about the future, was mysterious and incomprehensible to him, they were not close to the end, and this kept the hero "in unresolved tension, in painful expectation", but the young man was "indescribably happy every hour spent with her."
An important role in the characterization of the heroine is played by the interior, which combines both eastern and western details. For example, a wide Turkish sofa (East) and an expensive piano (West). The girl was learning “the slow, somnambulistically beautiful beginning of the Moonlight Sonata.” The heroine herself is only at the beginning of her journey, she is at a crossroads, she can’t decide where to go, what to strive for. And the hero doesn’t ask himself any questions, he just lives and enjoys every moment, rejoices at every moment. It would seem, what is there to be sad about? Both are rich, healthy, young and so good-looking that they are followed everywhere with envious glances.
It is no coincidence that a portrait of barefoot Tolstoy hangs over the heroine's sofa. At the end of his life, the great old man left home to start new life striving for moral self-improvement. Therefore, the departure of the heroine from worldly life to obedience to a monastery at the end of the story does not seem so unexpected.
The portraits of the characters play an important role in the story. He, originally from the Penza province, is handsome for some reason with a southern, hot beauty. "Some kind of Sicilian." Yes, and the character of the young man is southern, lively, constantly ready for a happy smile, for a good joke. In general, he personifies the West with its focus on success and personal happiness. the girl has "some kind of Indian, Persian beauty: a swarthy amber face. magnificent and somewhat sinister in its thick black hair; eyebrows softly shining like black sable fur; eyes black as velvet coal; mouth captivating with velvety crimson lips was shaded by a dark fluff ... "The obvious weakness of the heroine was good clothes, velvet, silk, expensive fur. Most often, she wore a pomegranate velvet dress and the same shoes with gold clasps. But she went to the courses as a modest student and had breakfast in a vegetarian canteen on the Arbat for 30 kopecks. the heroine seems to choose between luxury and simplicity, she constantly thinks about something, reads a lot, sometimes does not leave the house for three or four days.
An interesting history of dating young people. In December 1912 they got into Art circle to a lecture by Andrei Bely. Here Bunin deliberately violates chronological accuracy. The fact is that in 1912-1913 Bely was not in Moscow, but in Germany. But it is more important for the author to recreate the very spirit of the era, its diversity. Others are also mentioned cultural figures Silver Age. In particular, Valery Bryusov's story "The Fiery Angel" is mentioned, which the heroine did not finish reading because of her arrogance. She also left the Chaliapin concert, believing that famous singer"didn't get it right." She has her own opinion on everything, her likes and dislikes. At the beginning of the story, fashionable writers of that time are mentioned, whom the girl reads: Hoffmansthal, Pshebyshevsky. Schnitzler, Tetmeier.
It is worth paying attention to the description of Moscow, visible from the window of the heroine. She settled on the fifth floor of the corner room opposite the Cathedral of Christ the Savior solely for the sake of the view from the window: "...behind one window lay low in the distance a huge picture of the snowy-gray Moscow behind the river, to the other, to the left, part of the Kremlin was visible, on the contrary somehow not moderately close, too white was the bulk of Christ the Savior, in the golden dome of which the jackdaws eternally curled around him were reflected in bluish spots .... "" Strange city!" - the hero thinks. What strange thing did he see in Moscow? Two beginnings: east and west. "Basil the Blessed and Savior - on - Bor, Italian cathedrals- and something Kyrgyz in the tips of the towers on the Kremlin walls ... "- this is how the young man thinks.
Another "talking" detail in the characterization of the heroine is her silk arkhaluk - the legacy of the Astrakhan grandmother, again an oriental motif.
Love and happiness... In solving these philosophical questions the heroes disperse. For him, love is happiness. She claims that she is not suitable for marriage, and in response to his phrase: "Yes, after all, this is not love, not love ..." - she responds from the darkness: "Maybe. Who knows what happiness is?" She quotes the words of Platon Karataev from L. N. Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace": "Our happiness, my friend, is like water in a delusion: you pull - it puffed up, but you pull it out - there is nothing." The hero calls these words Eastern wisdom.
Two days in the life of the heroes are described in detail. The first is Forgiveness Sunday. On this day, the young man learned a lot about his beloved. She quotes a line from Yefim the Sirin's Lenten prayer: "Lord, master of my belly ..." - and invites the hero to the Novodevichy Convent, and also reports that she was at the Rogozhsky cemetery - famous, schismatic, attended the funeral of the archbishop. knows such words as "ripids", "trikirias". The young man is amazed: he did not know that she was so religious. But the girl objects: "This is not religiosity." She doesn't even know what it is. The girl admires the church service in the Kremlin cathedrals, the deacons and singers of the church choir, compares them with the heroes of the Battle of Kulikovo, the monks sent by St. Sergius of Radonezh to help Dmitry Donskoy in the confrontation with the Golden Horde. Think. the names of Peresvet and Oslyaby have a symbolic connotation. Former warriors - heroes go to the monastery, and then again perform a military feat. After all, the girl is also preparing for a spiritual feat.
Consider the landscape given at the time of the heroes' visit to the Novodevichy Convent. Some details emphasize the beauty of this "peaceful, sunny" evening: hoarfrost on the trees, the creak of steps in the silence in the snow, the golden enamel of the sunset, gray corals of branches in hoarfrost. Everything is filled with peace, silence and harmony, some kind of warm sadness. The feeling of anxiety is caused by "the bloody brick walls of the monastery, chatty jackdaws, similar to nuns. For some reason, the heroes went to Ordynka, looking for Griboyedov's house, but they never found it. Griboedov's name is not mentioned by chance. Westerner in his views, he died in embassy in the East in Persia at the hands of an angry, fanatical mob.
The next episode of this evening takes place in the famous Yegorov tavern in Okhotny Ryad, where old Testament merchants washed down fiery pancakes with grainy caviar with frozen champagne (pancakes are a symbol of Russian Shrovetide, champagne is a symbol Western culture). Here the heroine draws attention to the icon of the Three-Handed Mother of God and says with admiration: "Good! There are wild men below, and here are pancakes with champagne and the Three-Handed Mother of God. Three hands! After all, this is India!" The heroine is wrong, of course. Three-handed has nothing to do with the Indian god Shiva, but the rapprochement with the East is symbolic. The girl quotes lines from Russian chronicles, recalls how she went last year to the Chudov Monastery on Strastnaya: “Oh, how good it was! There are puddles everywhere, the air is already soft, spring, in my soul somehow gently, sadly and all the time a feeling of homeland, her antiquity..." quiet light in her eyes she says "I am Russian annalistic, I love Russian legends so much that until then I re-read what I especially like until I memorize it." The heroine retells "The Tale of Peter and Fevronia". Bunin deliberately combines two episodes of this old Russian story. In one, a serpent "in human nature, very beautiful" began to appear to the wife of the autocratic noble prince of Murom, Pavel. Devilish temptation and temptation - this is how the girl perceives the young man. And the second episode is connected with the images of the holy faithful Peter and Fevronia, who went to the monastery and reposed on the same day and hour.
And now let's analyze the episode "On Clean Monday". The heroine invites a young man to "kapustnik" Art Theater. A young man, perceiving this invitation as yet another "Moscow whim". since the girl had previously considered these skits to be vulgar, she nevertheless answered cheerfully and in English: "Ol right!" I think that this is also a characteristic of a hero associated with the West. By the way, Bunin himself also did not favor skits and had never been there, so in a letter to B. Zaitsev he asked if he accurately recreated the atmosphere of skits, it was important for him to be accurate in all details.
The episode opens with a description of the heroine's apartment. The young man opened the door with his key, but did not immediately enter from the dark hallway. He was struck by a bright light, everything was lit: chandeliers, candelabra on the sides of the mirror and a tall lamp under a light lampshade behind the head of the sofa. The beginning of the "Moonlight Sonata" sounded - ever rising, sounding further, the more wearying, more inviting, in somnambulistic-blissful sadness.
One can draw a parallel with Margarita's gatherings at Bulgakov's for the Satan's Ball. All the lights were on in Margarita's bedroom. The tricuspid window glowed with mad electric fire. A mirror is also mentioned - a dressing table as a way to move from one world to another.
Recreated in detail appearance the heroines: a straight and somewhat theatrical pose, a black velvet dress that made her thinner, a festive dress of resinous hair, the swarthy amber of bare arms, shoulders, a tender and full beginning of breasts, the sparkle of diamond earrings along slightly powdered cheeks, velvety purple lips; glossy black pigtails curled up to her eyes in half rings, giving her the appearance of an oriental beauty from a popular print. The hero is struck by such a brilliant beauty of his beloved, he has a bewildered face, and she treats her appearance with slight irony: “Now, if I were a singer and sang on the stage ... I would answer the applause with a friendly smile and slight bows to the right and to the left, up and to the stalls, and she herself would imperceptibly, but carefully move the train away with her foot so as not to step on it ... "
"Kapustnik" is a ball of Satan, where the heroine succumbed to all temptations: she smoked a lot and sipped champagne all the time, watched intently how big Stanislavsky with white hair and black eyebrows and dense Moskvin in pince-nez on a trough-shaped face made a desperate cancan to the laughter of the public .. ." Kachalov called the heroine "the tsar-maiden, the Queen of Shamakhan", and this definition emphasizes both the Russian and oriental beauty of the heroine.
All this carnival action takes place on Clean Monday, the beginning of Lent. And this means that there was no Clean Monday in the religious sense. It is on this night that the heroine leaves the young man for the first time. And at dawn, quietly and evenly, she tells him that she is leaving for Tver for an indefinite time, but promises to write about the future.
The young man walked home through the sticky snow past the Iberian chapel. "whose insides burned hotly and shone with whole bonfires of candles. Here, too, a bright light, but this is a different light - the light of fasting and repentance, the light of prayers. He stood in the crowd of old women and the beggar, trampled on his knees, took off his hat. Some unfortunate old woman said to him, grimacing from pitiful tears: “Oh, don’t kill yourself like that! Sin! Sin!"
Two weeks later, he received a letter with an affectionate but firm request not to look for her. she decided to go to obedience and hopes to decide on tonsure.
The life of the hero turned into a pitch hell: he disappeared through the dirtiest taverns, drank himself, sank lower and lower. Then, little by little, he began to recover - indifferently, hopelessly. It's been two years since that Clean Monday. At 14 under New Year the hero goes to the Kremlin, drives into the empty Archangel Cathedral, stands for a long time, without praying, as if waiting for something. Driving along Ordynka, he recalled past happiness and wept, wept. .. The hero stopped at the gates of the Marfo-Mariinsky Convent, where they did not want to let him in because of the service, where Elizabeth Feodorovna was present. Throwing a ruble to the watchman, he entered the courtyard and saw how icons and banners were being carried from the church, and behind them all in white, long, thin-faced, tall, slowly, earnestly walking with lowered eyes, with a large candle in her hand, grand duchess, and behind it a white string of nuns. One of those walking in the middle suddenly raised her head, covered with a white kerchief, fixed her dark eyes on the darkness, as if she felt his presence. Thus ends this amazing story.
The tragic Bunin story about love is the basis of the story "Clean Monday". Two people suddenly meet, and beauty and beauty flare between them. pure feeling. Love brings not only joy, lovers experience great torment that torments their souls. The work of Ivan Bunin describes the meeting of a man and a woman, which made them forget about all the problems.
The author begins his story not from the very beginning of the novel, but immediately from its development, when the love of two people reaches its culmination. I. Bunin perfectly describes all the details of this day: the Moscow day was not only winter, but, according to the author's description, dark and gray. The lovers dined in different places: today it could be Prague, and tomorrow they ate at the Hermitage, then it could be the Metropol, or some other institution.
From the very beginning of Bunin's work, the premonition of some kind of misfortune does not leave, great tragedy. Main character tries not to think about what will happen tomorrow, about what this relationship can lead to in general. He understood that it was not worth talking about the future with the one that was so close to him. After all, she simply did not like these conversations and she did not answer any of his questions.
But why didn't the main character, like many girls, want to dream about the future, make plans? Maybe this is a momentary attraction that should end soon? Or does she already know everything that should happen to her soon in the future? Ivan Bunin describes his heroine as if she perfect woman, which cannot be compared with other beautiful female images.
The main character is studying at the courses, not understanding how she has to do it later in life. The Bunin girl is well educated, she has a sense of sophistication and intelligence. Everything in her house must be perfect. But the world she is not interested at all, she moves away from him. From her behavior it seemed that she was indifferent to theaters, and to flowers, and to books, and to dinners. And this indifference does not prevent her from completely immersing herself in life and enjoying it, reading books and getting impressions.
A wonderful couple seemed perfect for the people around them, they were even seen off with their eyes. And there was something to envy! Young, beautiful, rich - all these characteristics fit this couple. This happy idyll turns out to be strange, since the girl does not want to become the wife of the protagonist. This makes you think about the sincerity of the feelings of the beloved and the man. For all his questions, the girl finds only one explanation: she does not know how to be a wife.
It can be seen that the girl does not understand what her purpose in life is. Her soul rushes: luxurious life she is attracted to, but she wants something else. Therefore, it arrives constantly in thoughts and reflections. The feelings that the girl experiences are incomprehensible to herself, cannot and main character figure them out.
She is attracted by religion, the girl goes to church with pleasure, admires holiness. The heroine herself cannot understand why this attracts her so much. One day she decides to take an important step - cutting her hair as a nun. Without informing her lover, the girl leaves. After a while, the main character receives a letter from her, where a young woman reports her act, but she does not even try to explain.
The main character hardly survives the act of his beloved woman. Once he was able to see her by chance among the nuns. It is no coincidence that Bunin gives his work the name "Clean Monday". On the eve of this day, the lovers had a serious conversation about religion. The protagonist was first surprised by the thoughts of his bride, they were so new and interesting to him.
External contentment with life hid the depth of this nature, its subtlety and religiosity, its constant torment, which led the girl to the monastery of a nun. Deep inner searching helps to explain the indifference of the young woman, which she showed to secular life. She did not see herself among all that surrounded her. Happy and mutual love does not help her find harmony in her soul. In that Bunin's story love and tragedy are inseparable. Love is given to the heroes as a kind of test that they have to go through.
The love tragedy of the main characters lies in the fact that they could not fully understand each other and could not correctly assess the individuals who found their soul mate. Bunin, with his story "Clean Monday", affirms the idea that every person is a huge and richest world. Inner world a young woman is rich spiritually, but her thoughts and reflections do not find support in this world. Love for the main character is no longer salvation for her, and the girl sees this as a problem.
The strong will of the heroine helps to get away from love, to leave it, to abandon it forever. In the monastery, her spiritual search stops, the young woman has a new affection and love. The heroine finds the meaning of life in the love of God. Everything petty and vulgar now does not concern her, now no one disturbs her loneliness and peace.
Bunin's story is both tragic and sad. Moral Choice stands in front of every person and it needs to be done right. The heroine chooses life path, and the main character, continuing to love her, cannot find himself in this life. His fate is sad and tragic. The act of a young woman towards him is cruel. They both suffer: the hero because of the act of his beloved, and she of her own free will.
