All about the story of the captain's daughter. Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin

"The Captain's Daughter" is a historical novel (in some sources - a story), written by A.S. Pushkin. The author tells us about the origin and development of a great and strong feeling between a young noble officer and the daughter of the commandant of the fortress. All this happens against the backdrop of the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev and creates additional barriers and threats to life for the lovers. The novel is written in the form of a memoir. Such an interweaving of historical and family chronicles gives it additional charm and charm, and also makes you believe in the reality of everything that happens.

History of creation

In the mid-1830s, translated novels were gaining popularity in Russia. Society ladies were read by Walter Scott. Domestic writers, and among them Alexander Sergeevich, could not stand aside and responded with their own works, among which were The Captain's Daughter.

Researchers of Pushkin's work claim that at first he worked on a historical chronicle, wanting to tell readers about the course of the Pugachev rebellion. Approaching the matter responsibly and wanting to be truthful, the author met with the direct participants in those events, having specially left for the South Urals.

Pushkin doubted for a long time who to make the main character of his work. First, he settled on Mikhail Shvanvich, an officer who, during the uprising, went over to the side of Pugachev. What made Alexander Sergeevich abandon such a plan is unknown, but as a result he turned to the format of memoirs, and put an officer-nobleman at the center of the novel. At the same time, the main character had every chance to go over to the side of Pugachev, but the duty to the Fatherland turned out to be higher. Shvanvich turned from a positive character into a negative Shvabrin.

For the first time, the novel appeared before the audience in the Sovremennik magazine in the last issue of 1836, and Pushkin's authorship was not mentioned there. It was said that these notes were written by the late Pyotr Grinev. However, in this novel, for reasons of censorship, an article about the peasants' revolt on the estate of Grinev himself was not published. The lack of authorship led to the absence of any printed reviews, however, many noted the "overall effect" that The Captain's Daughter had on those who read the novel. A month after publication, the real author of the novel died in a duel.

Analysis

Description of the artwork

The work is written in the form of memoirs - the landowner Pyotr Grinev talks about the times of his youth, when his father ordered him to be sent to serve in the army (albeit under the supervision of Uncle Savelich). On the road, one meeting happens to them, which radically influenced their future fate and the fate of Russia - Pyotr Grinev meets Emelyan Pugachev.

Having reached his destination (and it turned out to be the Belogorsk fortress), Grinev immediately falls in love with the commandant's daughter. However, he has a rival - officer Shvabrin. A duel takes place between young people, as a result of which Grinev is wounded. His father, having learned about this, does not give his consent to marry the girl.

All this is happening against the background of the developing Pugachev rebellion. When it comes to the fortress, Pugachev's accomplices first take the life of Masha's parents, after which they offer Shvabrin and Grinev to swear allegiance to Emelyan. Shvabrin agrees, but Grinev, for reasons of honor, does not. His life is saved by Savelich, who reminds Pugachev of their chance meeting.

Grinev fights against Pugachev, but this does not prevent him from calling the latter as an ally to save Masha, who turned out to be Shvabrin's hostage. On the denunciation of a rival, Grinev ends up in prison, and now Masha is doing everything to save him. A chance meeting with the Empress helps the girl achieve the release of her lover. To the delight of all the ladies, the case ends with the wedding of the young in Grinev's parental home.

As already mentioned, the background for the love story was a great historical event - the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev.

Main characters

There are several main characters in the novel. Among them:

Emelyan Pugachev

Pugachev - according to many critics, the brightest main figure in the work due to his coloring. Marina Tsvetaeva once claimed that Pugachev obscures the colorless and faded Grinev. In Pushkin, Pugachev looks like a sort of charming villain.

Peter Grinev, who at the time of the story was only 17 years old. According to the literary critic Vissarion Grigoryevich Belinsky, this character was needed for an impartial assessment of the behavior of another character - Emelyan Pugachev.

Aleksey Shvabrin is a young officer serving in the fortress. A freethinker, smart and educated (it is mentioned in the story that he knows French and understands literature). Literary critic Dmitry Mirsky called Shvabrin a "purely romantic scoundrel" because of his betrayal of the oath and defection to the rebels. However, since the image is written in a shallow way, it is difficult to say about the reasons that prompted him to such an act. Obviously, Pushkin's sympathies were not on Shvabrin's side.

At the time of the story, Mary was only 18 years old. A real Russian beauty, at the same time simple and sweet. Capable of an act - in order to save her beloved, she goes to the capital to meet with the Empress. According to Vyazemsky, she decorates the novel in the same way that Tatyana Larina decorated Eugene Onegin. But Tchaikovsky, who at one time wanted to stage an opera based on this work, complained that it did not have enough character, but only kindness and honesty. Marina Tsvetaeva was of the same opinion.

From the age of five he was assigned to Grinev as an uncle, the Russian analogue of a tutor. The only one who communicates with a 17-year-old officer like a small child. Pushkin calls him a "faithful serf", but Savelich allows himself to express uncomfortable thoughts to both the master and his ward.

Analysis of the work

Colleagues of Alexander Sergeevich, to whom he personally read the novel, made small remarks about non-observance of historical facts, while generally speaking positively about the novel. Prince VF Odoevsky, for example, noted that the images of Savelich and Pugachev were written out carefully and thought out to the smallest detail, but the image of Shvabrin was not finalized, and therefore it would be difficult for readers to understand the motives for his transition.

Literary critic Nikolai Strakhov noted that such a combination of family (partly love) and historical chronicles is typical for the works of Walter Scott, the answer to the popularity of which among the Russian nobility, in fact, was Pushkin's work.

Another Russian literary critic Dmitry Mirsky highly appreciated The Captain's Daughter, emphasizing the manner of narration - concise, accurate, economical, at the same time spacious and unhurried. His opinion was that this work played one of the main roles in the development of the genre of realism in Russian literature.

A few years after the publication of the work, the Russian writer and publisher Nikolai Grech admired how the author managed to express the character and tone of the time he tells about. The story turned out to be so realistic that one could really think that the author was an eyewitness of these events. Fyodor Dostoevsky and Nikolai Gogol also periodically left rave reviews about this work.

conclusions

According to Dmitry Mirsky, The Captain's Daughter can be considered the only full-fledged novel written by Alexander Sergeevich and published during his lifetime. Let us agree with the critic - everything is present in the novel in order to be successful: a romantic line that ended in marriage is a delight for beautiful ladies; a historical line that tells about such a complex and controversial historical event as the Pugachev uprising will be more interesting to men; clearly written main characters and set guidelines regarding the place of honor and dignity in the life of an officer. All this explains the popularity of the novel in the past and compels our contemporaries to read it today.

Pushkin's interest in the history of Russia has always manifested itself very clearly, most of all the poet was attracted by the theme of popular uprisings, led by Emelyan Pugachev and Stenka Razin. The result of the poet's reworking of folk songs about Stepan Razin was his lyrical songs about this folk hero. The poet devoted a lot of time to collecting and processing information concerning the personality of Pugachev. Such interest was due to the fact that at the same time a wave of peasant uprisings passed through Russia. The personality of Pugachev was ambiguous, collecting and analyzing historical facts about him, Pushkin tried to figure out what this “villain” and “rebel” was after all. The result of painstaking and many years of work on the "History of Pugachev" was Pushkin's story "The Captain's Daughter", in which the author vividly depicted the events of the time of "Pugachevshchina". On our website, you can read the story "The Captain's Daughter" in full, without abbreviations, and prepare for the analysis of this work.

A painstaking study of historical materials helped Pushkin to reliably recreate the pictures of a bloody war and a peasant revolt, terrible in its ruthlessness (“God forbid to see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless!”). The main character of the story "The Captain's Daughter" is Pyotr Grinev, a young man who is sent to serve in the Belogorsk fortress. On the way, he meets Emelyan Pugachev, not knowing that in front of him is the very robber about whom there are so many rumors, in gratitude for his help during a snowstorm, Grinev gives him a rabbit coat. Pyotr, having arrived at the fortress, falls in love with Masha, the commandant's daughter, she reciprocates, but Grinev's parents refuse to accept their son's choice. As a result of a duel with Shvabrin, Peter is wounded. At this time, the flames of rebellion flare up. Pugachev with his army captures the fortress, and executes the nobles who refused to swear allegiance to him. Peter's colleague, Shvabrin, goes over to the side of the rebels. Masha's parents become victims of the invaders. Grinev is saved from execution by Pugachev himself, who recognizes in him the one who gave him a sheepskin coat. He is released, as he honestly explains to Pugachev that he cannot break the oath and go over to his side. He goes to Orenburg and fights on the side of the government. Later, he has to return to the fortress in order to save Masha from the claims of Shvabrin, he succeeds with the help of Pugachev. A former colleague denounces Grinev to government troops, he is arrested. But thanks to Masha, who goes for pardon to the Empress herself, the conclusion did not last long. Young people return to the Grinev estate and play a wedding.

After reading the novel by Alexander Pushkin, the reader remains fascinated by the image of the villain Pugachev, who on the pages of the story sometimes looks fair, wise and sincere. This bloody time in the history of Russia is described in great detail by the writer, there is a terrible hopelessness from the futility of this terrible rebellion. Even the most noble goals do not justify such robbery, as a result of which many innocent people suffered. "The Captain's Daughter", according to most literature programs, is included in the list of works that are studied in the 8th grade. The result of work with the story should be the implementation of creative work on the development of speech. For a superficial acquaintance with the work, it is enough to read the summary. But in order to appreciate the book at its true worth, you need to read it in its entirety. On our site you can download and read all the chapters of the story. And also there is an opportunity to read the text of the work of A.S. Pushkin online, it does not require registration and payment.

Previously, schoolchildren did not have questions about what prose genre "The Captain's Daughter" belongs to. Is this a novel or a short story? "Of course, the second one!" - so would have answered any teenager ten years ago. Indeed, in the old textbooks on literature, the genre of "The Captain's Daughter" (story or novel) was not questioned.

In modern literary criticism

Today, most researchers believe that the story of Captain Grinev is a novel. But what is the difference between these two genres? "The Captain's Daughter" - a story or a novel? Why did Pushkin himself call his work a story, and modern researchers refuted his statement? In order to answer these questions, it is necessary, first of all, to understand the features of both the story and the novel. Let's start with the largest form a prose work can have.

Novel

Today, this genre is the most common type of epic literature. The novel describes a significant period in the life of the characters. There are many characters in it. Moreover, completely unexpected images often appear in the plot and, it would seem, have no effect on the overall course of events. In reality, there can be nothing superfluous in real literature. And one who reads "War and Peace" and "Quiet Flows the Don" makes a rather gross mistake, skipping the chapters devoted to the war. But back to The Captain's Daughter.

Is this a novel or a short story? This question often arises, and not only when it comes to "The Captain's Daughter". The fact is that there are no clear genre boundaries. But there are features, the presence of which indicates belonging to one or another type of prose. Recall the plot of Pushkin's work. A considerable period of time covers "The Captain's Daughter". "Is this a novel or a short story?" - answering such a question, one should remember how the main character appeared before the readers at the beginning of the work.

The story of the life of an officer

Landowner Pyotr Grinev recalls his early years. In his youth, he was naive and even somewhat frivolous. But the events that he had to go through - meeting with the robber Pugachev, meeting Masha Mironova and her parents, Shvabrin's betrayal - changed him. He knew that honor must be preserved from a young age. But he understood the true value of these words only at the end of his misadventures. The personality of the protagonist has undergone significant changes. Before us is a characteristic feature of the novel. But why, then, was the work "The Captain's Daughter" attributed to another genre for so long?

Story or novel?

There are not many differences between these genres. The story is a kind of intermediate link between the novel and the short story. There are several characters in the work of short prose, the events cover a small time period. There are more characters in the story, there are also minor ones that do not play an important role in the main storyline. In such a work, the author does not show the hero in different periods of his life (in childhood, adolescence, youth). So, "The Captain's Daughter" - is it a novel or a story "? Perhaps the second.

The story is told on behalf of the protagonist, who is already at an advanced age. But almost nothing is said about the life of the landowner Pyotr Andreevich (only that he was widowed). The protagonist is a young officer, but not the middle-aged nobleman who acts as the narrator.

Events in the work cover only a few years. So this is a story? Not at all. As mentioned above, a characteristic feature of the novel is the development of the protagonist's personality. And this is not just present in The Captain's Daughter. This is the main theme. After all, it is no coincidence that Pushkin used a wise Russian proverb as an epigraph.

"Is the captain's daughter a novel or a story? To give the most accurate answer to this question, you should know the basic facts from the history of writing this work.

Book about Pugachev

In the thirties of the 19th century, the novels of Walter Scott were very popular in Russia. Inspired by the work of the English writer, Pushkin decided to write a work that would reflect events from the history of Russia. The theme of rebellion has long attracted Alexander Sergeevich, as evidenced by the story "Dubrovsky". However, the story of Pugachev is a completely different matter.

Pushkin created a controversial image. Pugachev in his book is not only an impostor and a criminal, but also a man who is not without nobility. One day he meets a young officer, and he presents him with a sheepskin coat. The point, of course, is not in the gift, but in relation to Emelyan, the offspring of a noble family. Pyotr Grinev did not show the arrogance characteristic of the representatives of his class. And then, during the capture of the fortress, he acted like a true nobleman.

As is often the case with writers, in the process of working on a work, Pushkin somewhat departed from the original plan. Initially, he planned to make Pugachev the main character. Then - an officer who went over to the side of the impostor. The writer scrupulously collected information about the Pugachev era. He traveled to the Southern Urals, where the main events of this period took place, and talked with eyewitnesses. But later the writer decided to give his work a memoir form, and introduced the image of a noble young nobleman as the main character. So the work "The Captain's Daughter" was born.

Historical novel or historical novel?

So after all, what genre does Pushkin's work belong to? In the nineteenth century, a story was called what is called a story today. The concept of "novel" by that time, of course, was known to Russian writers. But Pushkin nevertheless called his work a story. If you do not analyze the work "The Captain's Daughter", it really can hardly be called a novel. After all, this genre is associated for many with the famous books of Tolstoy, Dostoevsky. And everything that is less in volume than the novels "War and Peace", "The Idiot", "Anna Karenina", according to the generally accepted opinion, is a story or a story.

But it is worth mentioning one more feature of the novel. In a work of this genre, the narrative cannot be focused on one hero. In The Captain's Daughter, the author paid great attention to Pugachev. In addition, he introduced another historical figure into the plot - Empress Catherine II. So, "The Captain's Daughter" is a historical novel.

Pushkin called a "novel" a certain historical action developed on the fate of individual people. He went to write the novel "The Captain's Daughter" for many years. Somewhere in the mid-twenties, he thought about how to write a novel, and even predicted to one of his friends that he would outdo Walter Scott himself.

But, nevertheless, this was postponed from year to year, and Pushkin began writing the work, which would later be called The Captain's Daughter, in 1832. So this work went in parallel with the "History of Peter" with the "History of Pugachev" and other works.

The first edition of The Captain's Daughter was completed in the summer of 1936. And, having completed his manuscript, Pushkin immediately began to redo it. Why? In order to understand this, perhaps it would be worth starting from the beginning - from the epigraph. The epigraph to "The Captain's Daughter" is known to all: "Take care of honor from a young age." This, so to speak, is the main meaning, the main consideration, which is contained in this novel.

Another thing is also known - that, in fact, the proverb itself, Russian, it is contained in the collection of Russian proverbs in the Pushkin library, is known to everyone, but, as always, the situation is not so simple. It turns out that Pushkin could have known this proverb as Latin. Here, everyone knows Onegin's lines: “In those days, when in the gardens of the Lyceum / I serenely blossomed, I read Apuleius willingly, / But I didn’t read Cicero ...” Apuleius is a Roman writer of the 2nd century AD. His work “The Golden Ass” is known, but in addition, he also wrote something called “Apology” - a speech in defense of himself from accusations of magic. In this work, he quotes this proverb in approximately the following edition: “Honor is like a dress: the more it is worn, the less you care about it.” And therefore, honor must be preserved from a young age. By the way, in 1835 this Apology was published in Russian, and Pushkin could remember it or read it again while working on The Captain's Daughter.

But one way or another, the novel was devoted to the most acute, the most important problems of morality of that era, and not only that. The moral potential of The Captain's Daughter has reached our days and even deepened, it has become much more subtle and better understood. It is only important to understand that, together with the Latin proverb, The Captain's Daughter includes what Dostoevsky in Pushkin called "universal responsiveness." That is, we are talking about the fact that the thing was written in line with not only Russian culture, but also world culture.

The author's path to the novel

The path of the author to the novel begins very early. It turns out that much of the novel is based on the author's own experience, personal experience. For example, he finds the name Grinev in 1830 in a bulletin about cholera in Moscow. There was such a periodical, which he read back in Boldino with concern for his loved ones - how are they doing in the cholera city. So Petr Grinev is listed as one of the donors of money to help the victims. That is, some positive associations with this name begin very early for him.

Or another example. When leaving Boldino, Pushkin was stopped by cholera quarantines. And, describing this detention, this forced stop, he draws the situation that we find in the missing chapter of The Captain's Daughter, which will be discussed later when the main character Petrusha arrives in his native village. He is also not allowed in by the Pugachev outposts, just as Pushkin himself was not allowed in cholera quarantines. That is, personal experience is always present in the text of the novel.

The same thing happens with heroes. For example, when Petrusha Grinev arrives at the Belogorsk fortress, he meets there with an officer exiled there, Shvabrin. And it is curious to note that the portrait of this very Shvabrin: a man of short stature, somewhat swarthy, ugly, completely coincides with the description of Pushkin himself by memoirists, very many. Why did Pushkin suddenly give his appearance to the main negative character?

Probably, here there was a moment, as it were, of parting with youth, with the sinful encroachments of the young Pushkin. And, apparently, this is such a "scapegoat", that is, he puts his sins into the biography and character of the hero and, thereby, parting with the violent beginning of his life.

One way or another, this is a novel from Russian life. And Pushkin's life experience is presented all the time. Well, for example, father Gerasim is the rector of the church in the Belogorsk fortress. And, in fact, why is this person named so? Because this is Pushkin's memory of his lyceum teacher, Gerasim Petrovich Pavsky, who taught him the law of God and instructed him in the moral life. Then he will be mentioned in Pushkin's diary as one of our smartest and kindest priests. That is, we see how the life experience of Pushkin himself is reflected in the pages of The Captain's Daughter.

Pushkin's personal experience comes to the surface in the most unexpected places. Here we remember well how Masha, having arrived in St. Petersburg, does not, in fact, reach the capital, but stops in Tsarskoe Selo, in Sofia, and lives there in the house of the postal station superintendent. And it is from there that she goes out into the park in the morning, meets with Catherine ... But all this is historically impossible, because the postal station in Sofia, near Tsarskoye Selo, was created many years later than the possible meeting of Catherine II with Masha. Pushkin describes the lyceum Tsarskoe Selo, Tsarskoe Selo of the 19th century. Sophia is there, and all this is happening there, which is historically completely impossible. But when Pushkin needs to express character through historical circumstances, he distorts them rather easily.

Another episode is related to the same episode. Why is Masha dating Ekaterina? Was this meeting accidental? After all, the day before, the hostess of the apartment where Masha is staying takes her around Tsarskoye Selo, shows her the sights, tells about the daily routine of the empress, who gets up at such and such an hour, drinks coffee, walks in the park at such and such an hour, has lunch at such and such an hour and so on. An attentive reader should have understood that Masha did not just go to the park to walk in the early morning. Walking is bad for the health of a young girl, the old woman tells her. She goes to meet the empress and knows perfectly well who she met. They both pretend that an obscure provincial woman is meeting with an unknown court lady. In fact, both of them understand what is going on. Well, Ekaterina understands because Masha tells herself: who she is and what she is. But Masha knows with whom she is talking. And thus her audacity rises in importance. She does not contradict any lady at all, but the Empress herself.

The Captain's Daughter is, perhaps, not only the great beginning of Russian literature, Russian prose, but also a thing that has outlived the era. For example, Tvardovsky, the first poet of other times, of another era, said that perhaps there is nothing higher in Russian literature than The Captain's Daughter, and that here is the source of all that literature, which our fatherland is famous for.

One of the approaches to The Captain's Daughter, perhaps, is a sketch of Pushkin's plan, known as "The Son of the Executed Archer." This is also a kind of prototype of a future novel, unfortunately not written. The action there takes place during the time of Peter the Great. And here's what's interesting. The carrier of the main moral meaning of this thing is not the daughter of the executed captain, but the daughter of the executed archer - executed by Peter. That is, the main feature of one of the main characters is observed even in this sketch. But there is a complicated history of family relations, the substitution of one person for another. The reconstruction of this novel is possible, but for us the main thing is that the main, so to speak, spiritual motives of the thing that we know from The Captain's Daughter have already been stated there.

Something in the novel is explained by the fact that it is placed in Pushkin's magazine Sovremennik. The magazine was intended for non-serving patrimonial nobles and their families. And, it would seem, the estate life will not come to the surface in this magazine, which gives readers some kind of global perspective on life. There will be foreign publications and some scientific articles. And suddenly "The Captain's Daughter"! The reader is very familiar with the life of the estate, and therefore it seems like why?

Meanwhile, it turns out that the life of the estate is very deeply and truly reflected precisely in The Captain's Daughter. This is an estate of the pre-Pushkin era and in a sense is an image of an earthly paradise. In this earthly paradise, the hero's happy childhood flows. He plays with the yard kids, goes hunting with his father. They don't drink there, they don't spend nights playing cards, they only play nuts. This is the paradise that remains in the mind of the hero for the rest of his life, the paradise that he wants to reproduce later, becoming himself a free non-serving landowner.

Those. the landowner here appears not as a gentleman, but rather as the head of the old peasant community, for whom serfs, men and women, are the same family that he must take care of, and this is the meaning of his life, his existence. This is a world where receiving and sending a letter is an event. This is a world where the chronology is counted not from the general calendar, but from local incidents, for example, “the same year when Aunt Nastasya Gerasimovna went wrong.”

It's a narrow, remarkably beautiful world. The time and space of the manor house are cyclical, closed, everything is predictable here, if not for the subsequent sharp turns of the novel's plot. True, the attentive reader understands that in the description of the noble estate of the Grinevs, Pushkin uses his personal experience, which is not always applicable and correct in Catherine's time. A lot of details are rather given out in Grinev by Pushkin, i.e. a man of a different historical epoch.

This is especially evident when the Frenchman Monsieur Beaupré appears in the Grinev estate, for whom, in general, in the 60s of the 18th century there was still no place in the remote provincial Volga estate of the Simbirsk province. Those. theoretically, this is conceivable, but the influx of French tutors will come later, when the Great French Revolution occurs, when Napoleon is defeated and the mass of unfortunate French people go to Russia for a piece of bread, just to live. This is the Beaupré whom Pushkin knows, but whom, of course, Grinev did not know.

Here the difference of epochs is very clearly visible. It was in Griboedov-Pushkin's times that there was an influx of these so-called teachers "more in number, at a cheaper price." And yet such details are very common in The Captain's Daughter. For example, Grinev knows a lot of things that his real peer from a provincial estate could not know, including the French language, the details of Russian history, which were not yet known before the release of Karamzin's main work. This is all - Pushkin's personal experience in the estate life, which Petrusha Grinev does not yet have.

Conflict of justice and mercy

But let us return to the question: why did Pushkin suddenly begin to remake his novel, having just put the last point, just completed it. Apparently, because he was not satisfied with the moral potential that turned out to be there. After all, in the end, the potential of the "Captain's Daughter" can be described as a confrontation between two main principles - justice and mercy.

Here, the bearer of the idea of ​​justice, legality, state necessity is the old man Grinev. For him, the concept of state necessity, of noble honor is the meaning of life. And when he is convinced that his son Petrusha changed his oath, took the side of Pugachev, he does not take any steps to save him. Because he understands the correctness of the punishment that follows.

It seems that this was not the case in the first version. After all, Petrusha, the son of an old man, fought with the Pugachevites in front of his father's eyes - he shot at them. Well, the famous episode of the exit from the barn. And thus, the old man was convinced that he did not change any oath. And, therefore, it must be saved. Therefore, he is slandered. And, perhaps, in the first version, he was the main character saving his son.

And, apparently, this situation did not suit Pushkin. Because, as always, women became the bearers of mercy for him. The bride of the hero Masha and Catherine II. That's who the bearers of mercy were. And at the same time, Masha Mironova came to the fore - a direct continuation of Onegin's Tatyana, the bearer of not justice, not state rules, but precisely mercy, philanthropy. This is what made Pushkin, probably, immediately begin to remake the novel.

It was clear to him that in the conditions of state-legal relations, neither the plot nor even the plot of the novel could resist. In the omitted chapter, which was not included in the main text of the novel and remained from the first version, we find an extremely interesting difference between the first and second and version, between the first and second editions.

For example, the old man Grinev lets Masha go to Petersburg not at all because he hopes that she will bother for the groom. He took it out of his heart. He is not. He simply lets her go with parting words: “God grant you a good groom, and not a branded criminal.” And for some reason he lets Savelich go with her. This departure of Savelich from the estate, this gift from the old man Grinev to Masha - he gives his aspirant serf to the former bride of his former son - completely changes the situation. It turns out that Masha is in a conspiracy with Petrusha's mother, with the old man's wife, they both know that she is going to ask for the groom, but he does not know. He remains in his implacability towards his son, in his distance from the corrupt Catherine's court, which he does not consider a moral authority. That is, this is the character who was the main character in the first edition. But this is not the main thing in The Captain's Daughter.

And so the two editions speak of two stages of Pushkin's consciousness. He went to a completely different prose, to prose, where the main characters were "heroes of the heart." This is his term, this is a line from his poem "Hero", written back in the 20s. And the fact that people who are extremely authoritarian and statesmen, such as Catherine II or the peasant Tsar Pugachev, show precisely the heroism of the heart, mercy, this is what becomes the basis. Here, perhaps, somewhere we find the features of Pushkin, what he would have been like in the 40s, 50s, if he had lived to this time. Here you can see the edge of a completely different Pushkin, opposing statehood in many of its manifestations. That is, he does not cease to be a lyric poet, and this must be taken into account.

"Naked prose" and the female gaze

When, already in his very mature years, Tolstoy re-read Pushkin's prose, he noticed that it was, of course, excellent prose, but it seemed to him somehow a little bit "naked", devoid of a mass of vital details. And apparently it's true. Because Pushkin, and this is clearly seen in The Captain's Daughter, saves the reader from landscapes, from describing clothes, appearance, and some kind of weather conditions. It gives only the meaning of what is happening and what reflects the character of the characters. This freedom of the reader, who is free to come up with the picture that is offered, is, perhaps, the main strength of Pushkin's prose.

The second feature of The Captain's Daughter is familiar to us from Eugene Onegin. The bearer of the author's view of life and circumstances is a woman. In the first case Tatyana, in the second case Masha, Maria Ivanovna. And it is she who at the end of the novel ceases to be a plaything of circumstances. She herself begins to fight for her happiness and for the happiness of her betrothed. Even to the point that she rejects the sentence of Catherine II, who says: “No, the empress cannot forgive Grinev, because he is a traitor.” “No,” Masha replies, and thus acts with such strength of independence, which, not only in the 18th century, but even much later - in Tatyana's, in Onegin's times, was not characteristic of Russian women. She insists on her own against the royal will. Which, in general, also expresses a certain understanding by Pushkin of the role of an adviser to the sovereign, which he invented for himself and which did not come true. Regardless of what we are talking about, this is a continuation of Karamzin's idea of ​​an adviser to the king - "the king's confidante, not a slave." Here is what Masha gives out.

Despite the fact that Pushkin himself understands that this is not historical truth, it is pure fiction. And, in parallel with The Captain's Daughter, he writes an article about Radishchev, where he gives the most important consideration about the 18th century. The fate of Radishchev, he writes, is a sign of "what harsh people still surrounded the throne of Catherine." They carried nothing but state concepts with them.

And now Masha, who is ahead of not only her age, but also the next century, becomes Pushkin's ideal, becomes, as it were, the prototype of those heroes and heroines who, perhaps, would inhabit Pushkin's poetry and prose - in the 40s, but God would give , and in the 50s.

A cloud, a blizzard and a challenge of fate

The description of the snowstorm in the second chapter of The Captain's Daughter is a textbook, at school it was necessary to memorize this episode, it is so textbook and very famous. The coachman, carrying Grinev across the steppe, says: “Barin, would you order me to return?” We have already noticed that a cloud on the horizon heralds a storm, but not only a storm. In line with the biblical tradition, the cloud that fell to the ground has a completely different meaning - the meaning of the sign that God bestows on the chosen people, letting them know where to go.

This is a very persistent tradition in Russian literature. For example, the same Akhmatova said that "Onegin is an aerial mass," and this also goes back to this biblical image of a cloud showing the way.

In The Captain's Daughter, a cloud on the horizon is like a challenge to fate. Here is Savelich, who says: "Master, let's go back, drink tea, go to bed and wait out the storm." And on the other hand, Grinev, who says: “I don’t see anything terrible, let’s go!” And they fall into this terrible blizzard, in which they almost die.

And the symbolic meaning of this blizzard, turning all the action, is obvious. Well, let's say they would come back. What would happen then? Then Grinev would not have met Pugachev and would normally have been executed after the capture of the Belogorsk fortress. That's the first thing the blizzard does. Acquaintance with Pugachev, avoiding execution - this is again a challenge to fate, which rewards a person who has gone towards danger. There is a lot of Pushkin in this. This idea of ​​calling fate runs through all his work, but this is a separate big topic, which can only be touched upon a little here. And now a cloud predetermines everything that will happen later: love, unhappy love, the capture of a fortress, execution, further difficulties and horrors of the hero's biography - it all begins with a cloud.

The motive for calling fate is heard further - in a duel with Shvabrin, in behavior before the execution, which, fortunately, did not take place, in noble silence in the Investigative Commission, where he does not name his beloved ... All this is defined as a response to the challenge of fate. The same thing happens with Masha, the bride, who avoids mortal danger, but is ready to sacrifice her life for the groom, for his parents in the denouement of the novel.

The biblical cloud leads to the fact that in the end evil is defeated, retreats, and good triumphs. And, as a matter of fact, traditionally this kindness is crowned by the narrative. However, human happiness, according to Pushkin, still remains within the limits of universal earthly exile, and here individual destinies clearly begin to border on the fate of the people, with its history.

"In the rank of a historical story"

At the end of the story, Pushkin puts an aphorism into the mouth of his hero, perhaps referring to the entire national life, as they say, from Gostomysl to our days. "God forbid to see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless." This maxim, perhaps, finally confirms Pushkin's novel in the rank of a historical story. Historical, not in the sense of material, but in the sense of the idea of ​​history, and especially Russian history, in its original and very typical form.

The historical on the pages of The Captain's Daughter sounds, I would say, in full voice. This is especially well heard where the author voluntarily or involuntarily deviates from the real, so to speak, documented history. For example, in one version of the story, Pugachev quite anecdotally offers Grinev to serve in his army, and for this he undertakes to reward him with the title of Prince Potemkin.

Clearly, the humor lies in the fact that Pugachev does not understand the difference between a generic title and a public position. Pushkin refuses this option, apparently because someone points out to him a historical error: by the time Pugachev was executed, Catherine, perhaps, does not even know about the existence of Potemkin, these are two different eras - the era of the uprising and the era of Potemkin favoritism. Therefore he refuses.

But in principle, Pushkin is still right, because favoritism flourishes in both states, both Catherine's and Pugachev's, which is especially evident in Peter's and post-Petrine's Russia. Pushkin may be historically wrong, but he is absolutely right in line with the philosophy of history. The logic of history triumphs over chronology, and this in no way detracts from the merits of a literary text.

The same applies to the details of the biography of Peter Grinev. Petrusha, in a conversation with the impostor, with Pugachev, reveals knowledge of the details of the fall of False Dmitry I at the beginning of the 17th century, i.e. details of the Time of Troubles. In general, catching a poet on factual inaccuracies is, as a rule, a meaningless exercise. It usually testifies to our misunderstanding of fiction or, to put it another way, misunderstanding of figurative fabric.

Sometimes one hears that one can study the history of Russia from The Captain's Daughter. Well, you can, of course, but you just need to understand the nature of the features of this study. We must be aware that the novel paints this story as a whole, in a highly artistic sense. The author often neglects the authenticity of a detail in the name of the authenticity of the artistic whole. Therefore, according to The Captain's Daughter, one can study the whole of Russian history as a whole, but just not the history of the Pugachev rebellion, because here the author neglects the historical truth of the episode in the name of the historical truth of the whole, all Russian history, taken as a great centuries-old unity.

It is on the pages of the novel, as well as in the scenes of Boris Godunov, by the way, that Pushkin often renounces facts in favor of the generalized historical truth of the entire past as a whole. He thinks that with this amendment it is necessary to accept the artistic fabric of The Captain's Daughter as the work of a great historian.

Neither in The Captain's Daughter, nor in his other works, Pushkin created an integral history of Russia. Yes, in fact, he probably did not aspire to this. But his great talent in the field of history is beyond doubt. Pushkin's thought highlights such dark corners of history, which, perhaps, are inaccessible to a professional historian, limited by known facts. And therefore, our best, mainstream historians have always recognized this ability in Pushkin, which, perhaps, they themselves did not fully possess. This was understood by such scientists as Sergei Mikhailovich Solovyov, Vasily Iosifovich Klyuchevsky, Sergei Fedorovich Platonov and many, many others.

A certain result of their considerations was summed up by their colleague, Evgeny Viktorovich Tarle, our famous academician. He used to say to his students that Dantes' shot deprived Russia not only of a brilliant writer, Pushkin had already managed to become one during his lifetime, but also of the greatest historian, who barely felt the taste of science.

In Apuleius: "Shame and honor are like a dress: the more shabby, the more careless you treat them." Cit. according to ed. Apuleius. Apology. Metamorphoses. Florida. M., 1956, S. 9.

Pushkin A.S. Alexander Radishchev.

Cool! 26

Pyotr Andreevich Grinev is the protagonist of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin's story "The Captain's Daughter".

While reading the book, we see a series of events that vividly characterize the personality of Pyotr Grinev, allowing us to see the formation and formation of his inner world, views and foundations.

Grinev's character was influenced by his mother's upbringing, he adopted her kindness, sensitivity and even some gentleness. Little Petrusha lived with his father on the estate, where he received the usual, for that time, home education. He was trained first by the stirrup Savelich, and then by the French teacher Beaupre. However, the concepts of justice, honor and devotion, he acquired, for the most part, not from his tutors, but in a noisy company of his friends - yard boys.

Peter developed a sense of reverence and respect for his parents. Therefore, when his father decided to send him to serve in Orenburg, and not in the long-desired Semenovsky regiment, Pyotr Grinev obediently fulfilled his will.

Thus, young Pyotr Andreevich ended up in the Belogorsk fortress, where instead of the full brilliance of Petersburg life, village silence awaited him behind a log fence. But Grinev did not have to be upset for long. Unexpectedly for himself, he finds here a simple charm in communicating with kind, unpretentious people living in the fortress. It is in conversations with them that the best qualities of Pyotr Grinev are finally strengthened and formed.

To such a young and open person as Grinev, a high feeling could not but come. Pyotr Andreevich fell in love with Masha Mironova, the lovely daughter of the commandant of the fortress. The subsequent duel with Shvabrin, who insulted Masha, ends with Grinev's injury and a ban on the marriage of lovers from the hero's father.

Lyrical events in the life of Peter Andreevich are interrupted by the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev. At this time, such qualities of Pyotr Grinev as honesty, straightforwardness and nobility, which used to seem like an unnecessary burden, now help to save the life of not only himself, but also Masha. Grinev's courage and courage make an indelible impression on Pugachev, causing sincere, genuine respect.

Everything that Grinev experienced made him think more and more about the meaning of human life, allowed him to grow up. Throughout the story, we see the continuous development and growth of Peter Grinev. From a frivolous boy, Grinev imperceptibly grows into a self-affirming, looking for the meaning of existence, a young man, and, in the end, a brave, determined and mature man appears before us.

I think that the heightened sense of justice that the author put into the image of his hero seems so sincere only because the nobility and defense of honor were very important for Pushkin himself. As well as his character, Alexander Sergeevich, subsequently defended the honor of his wife, challenging the offender to a duel. Therefore, the straightforwardness and inner dignity of Grinev does not seem to be a literary exaggeration. This is the quality of a real, adult person.

More essays on the topic: "The Captain's Daughter"

Pyotr Andreevich Grinev is the protagonist of the novel by Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter".

Peter lived on his father's estate and received the usual home education. He was brought up first by the stirrup Savelyich, and then by the Frenchman Beaupre, and in his free time, Peter spent with the yard boys.

Peter honored his parents and respected their wishes. When his father decided to send him to serve in Orenburg, Peter did not dare to disobey, although he really wanted to serve in St. Petersburg. Before the dear father ordered Peter to serve faithfully and remember the proverb: "take care of the dress again, and honor from a young age." Grinev remembered well the words of his father and faithfully served the empress.

Pyotr Grinev is very noble and honest. Having lost a hundred rubles to Zurin, he forces Savelich to repay the debt, considering it a debt of honor. And when Shvabrin insulted Masha, Peter did not hesitate to challenge him to a duel.

Grinev showed himself to be a brave, courageous and courageous person. When talking with Emelyan Pugachev, he did not lie to him, but directly said that he would not go over to his side, and if ordered, he would fight against Emelyan's gang. Peter was not afraid to go to save Masha from Shvabrin, although he knew that he could be caught and killed. He risked his life making his way into the fortress, showed courage and ingenuity.

Grinev's kindness and generosity were very useful to him, because Pugachev remembered the gift and that was the only reason he pardoned him.

In the story, Pyotr Grinev is shown in development: first, a frivolous boy, then a self-affirming young man, and finally, an adult and determined man.

Source: sdamna5.ru

Pyotr Grinev is the main character of the story. He is 17 years old, he is a Russian nobleman who has just entered the military service. One of the main qualities of Grinev is sincerity. He is sincere with the characters of the novel and with the readers. Telling his own life, he did not seek to embellish it. On the eve of the duel with Shvabrin, he is excited and does not hide it: “I confess that I did not have that composure, which almost always boast of those who were in my position.” He also directly and simply speaks of his condition before the conversation with Pugachev on the day he captured the Belogorsk fortress: “The reader can easily imagine that I was not completely cold-blooded.” Grinev does not hide his negative actions either (an incident in a tavern, during a snowstorm, in a conversation with the Orenburg general). Gross mistakes are atoned for by his remorse (the case of Savelch).
Grinev's Duma has not yet hardened in military service, he kept some of them until the end of his life. He shuddered at the sight of the mutilated Bashkir, captured while distributing Pugachev's leaflets. The singing of the Pugachevtsy makes a strong impression on him: “It is impossible to tell what effect this simple song about the gallows, sung by people doomed to the gallows, had on me. Their formidable faces, slender voices, the dull expression that they gave to words that were already expressive - everything shook me with some kind of poetic horror.
Grinev was not a coward. He accepts the challenge to a duel without hesitation. He is one of the few defending the Belogorsk fortress, when, despite the command of the commandant, "the timid garrison does not move." He returns for the straggler Savelich.
These actions also characterize Grinev as a person capable of love. Grinev is not vindictive, he sincerely puts up with Shvabrin. He does not tend to be malicious. Leaving the Belogorsk fortress, with Masha freed by order of Pugachev, he sees Shvabrin and turns away, not wanting to "triumph over the humiliated enemy."
A distinctive feature of Grinev is the habit of paying good for good with the ability to be grateful. He gives Pugachev his sheepskin coat, thanks for saving Masha.

Source: litra.ru

Pyotr Grinev is the main character in A. S. Pushkin's story "The Captain's Daughter". The reader goes through the entire life path of the protagonist, the formation of his personality, reveals his attitude to the ongoing events, of which he is a participant.

The kindness of the mother and the simplicity of the life of the Grinev family developed softness and even sensitivity in Petrusha. He is eager to go to the Semyonovsky regiment, where he was assigned from birth, but his dreams of life in St. Petersburg are not destined to come true - his father decides to send his son to Orenburg.

And here is Grinev in the Belogorsk fortress. Instead of formidable, impregnable bastions, there is a village surrounded by a log fence, with thatched huts. Instead of a strict, angry boss, there is a commandant who went out for training in a cap and a dressing gown; Instead of a brave army, there are elderly invalids. Instead of a deadly weapon - an old cannon clogged with debris. Life in the Belogorsk fortress reveals to the young man the beauty of the life of simple kind people, gives rise to the joy of communicating with them. “There was no other society in the fortress; but I didn’t want anything else, ”recalls Grinev, the author of the notes. Not military service, not reviews and parades attract a young officer, but conversations with nice, simple people, literature studies, love experiences. It is here, in the “God-saved fortress”, in the atmosphere of a patriarchal life, that the best inclinations of Pyotr Grinev grow stronger. The young man fell in love with the daughter of the commandant of the fortress Masha Mironova. Faith in her feelings, sincerity and honesty caused a duel between Grinev and Shvabrin: Shvabrin dared to laugh at the feelings of Masha and Peter. The duel ended unsuccessfully for the main character. During the recovery, Masha looked after Peter and this served to bring the two young people closer. However, their desire to get married was opposed by Grinev's father, who was angry with his son's duel and did not give his blessing for the marriage.

The quiet and measured life of the inhabitants of the distant fortress was interrupted by the Pugachev uprising. Participation in hostilities shook Peter Grinev, made him think about the meaning of human existence. The son of a retired major turned out to be an honest, decent, noble man; Hatred and disgust for cruelty and inhumanity, Grinev's humanity and kindness allowed him not only to save his life and the life of Masha Mironova, but also to earn the respect of Emelyan Pugachev - the leader of the uprising, the rebel, the enemy.

Honesty, straightforwardness, loyalty to the oath, a sense of duty - these are the character traits that Peter Grinev acquired while serving in the Belogorsk fortress.

Source: answer.mail.ru

The story "The Captain's Daughter" is a unique and interesting work by A. S. Pushkin, in which the author describes pure and sincere love that suddenly flared up and warms the heart throughout the story.

Pyotr Grinev is the main character of the work. This is an honest, noble and kind person who was raised by his father.

Andrei Petrovich Grinev is a former military man with an open heart and a sincere soul. He does not want to be dependent on others and "beg for" ranks. That is why his service ended quickly. He devoted himself entirely to raising his son and raised a noble man

Adult Petya dreamed of a bright and interesting service in St. Petersburg, but a strict father chose a worthy place for him and sent him to serve near Orenburg. At parting, Andrei Petrovich said: "Take care of the dress again, and honor from a young age." Peter carried these cherished words throughout his life.

In Orenburg, young Grinev met his true love - a modest and shy girl Masha Mironova. The main character of the story lived in the family of the commandant, a brave and correct man, a loyal subject of Empress Catherine II.

The character of the father and the nobility of the nobleman with age are manifested in Pyotr Andreevich more and more. I was especially impressed by the duel between Grinev and Shvabrin, an evil and mean coeval of Peter. Shvabrin publicly insulted Masha, and Grinev defended the honor of the girl. As a result, Peter was wounded, and Shvabrin emerged victorious, but what! This unfortunate coward struck from behind.

In the story "The Captain's Daughter" the image of Pyotr Grinev is one of the most vivid and memorable. This guy is not distinguished by a dodgy mind and heroic strength, but he is open, sincere and naive. It is these qualities that make readers especially sympathetic. He does not hypocrite and does not pretend, even being on the verge of death. This is the expression of strength of character and true nobility.

Source: sochinenienatemu.com

Narration in "The Captain's Daughter" by Pyotr Andreevich Grinev, who talks about his youth, plunged into the cycle of historical events. Grinev appears in the novel, therefore, both as a narrator and as one of the main characters of the events described.

Petr Andreevich Grinev is a typical representative of the provincial Russian nobility of the second half of the 18th century. He was born and raised on the estate of his father, a landowner in the Simbirsk province. His childhood passed as it did for most of the poor provincial nobles of that time. From the age of five, he was given into the hands of a serf uncle Savelich. Having overcome the letter in the twelfth year under the guidance of his uncle, Grinev comes under the supervision of Monsieur Beaupre, a French tutor, discharged from Moscow "along with a year's supply of wine and Provencal oil" and who turned out to be a bitter drunkard.

Describing his student years with good-natured humor, Grinev says: "I lived underage, chasing pigeons and playing leapfrog with yard boys." It would be a mistake, however, to think that we have before us a minor like Mitrofanushka from Fonvizin's comedy. Grinev grew up as an intelligent and inquisitive teenager and subsequently, having entered the service, writes poetry, reads French books and tries his hand even in translations.

A decisive influence on Grinev's spiritual warehouse had a healthy atmosphere of family life, simple and modest. Grinev's father, a retired prime minister who had gone through a harsh school of life, was a man of firm and honest views. Seeing off his son to the army, he gives such instructions: “Serve faithfully to whom you swear allegiance; do not ask for service, do not refuse service; do not chase after the caress of the boss; take care of the dress again, and honor from a young age. Grinev inherited a sense of honor and a sense of duty from his father.
The first life steps of young Grinev reveal his youthful frivolity and inexperience. But the young man proved with his life that he had learned the basic rule of his father's morality: "take care of honor from a young age." For two years, Grinev experiences many events: acquaintance with Pugachev, love for Marya Ivanovna, duel with Shvabrin, illness; he almost dies when the fortress is taken by the troops of Pugachev, etc. Before our eyes, the character of the young man develops and grows stronger, and Grinev turns into a mature young man. A sense of honor and courage save him in life's adversities. With intrepid courage, he looks into the eyes of death when Pugachev orders him to be hanged. All the positive aspects of his character are revealed: simplicity and not depravity of nature, kindness, honesty, fidelity in love, etc. These properties of nature captivate Marya Ivanovna and arouse sympathy from Pugachev. Grinev comes out of life's trials with honor.

Grinev is not a hero in the usual sense of the word. This is an ordinary person, an average nobleman. This is a typical representative of those army officers who, in the words of the historian V. O. Klyuchevsky, “made our military history of the 18th century.” Pushkin does not idealize him, does not put him in beautiful poses. Grinev remains a modest ordinary person, retaining all the features of a realistic image.

Source: biblioman.org

Initially, Pushkin wanted to write a novel dedicated only to the Pugachev movement, but the censorship would hardly have let him through. Therefore, the main storyline of the story is the service of a young nobleman for the good of the fatherland and his love for the daughter of the captain of the Belogorod fortress. In parallel, another topic of Pugachevism that interested the author is given. The second topic, of course, Pushkin devotes much less pages, but enough to reveal the essence of the peasant revolt and acquaint the reader with the leader of the peasants, Emelyan Pugachev. In order for his image to be more reliable, the author needed a hero who personally knew Pugachev and would subsequently speak out about what he saw. Such a hero was Pyotr Grinev, a nobleman, an honest, noble young man. A nobleman was needed, and precisely a noble one, in order to make what he told look plausible and be believed.

The childhood of Petrusha Grinev was no different from the childhood of other children of the local nobles. Through the mouth of the hero himself, Pushkin ironically speaks of the customs of the old local nobility: “Mother was still my belly, as I was already enrolled in the Semenovsky regiment as a sergeant ... If, more than any expectation, mother gave birth to a daughter, then the father would have announced where it should be about the death of the sergeant who did not appear, and that would be the end of the matter."

The author also makes fun of Pyotr Grinev's studies: at the age of five, Savelich was assigned to the boy as an uncle - a courtyard man, to whom such trust was given "for sober behavior." Thanks to Savelich, Petrusha learned to read and write by the age of twelve and "could very sensibly judge the properties of a greyhound dog." The next step in the training was the Frenchman Monsieur Beaupre, who was supposed to teach the boy "all sciences," discharged from Moscow "together with a year's supply of wine and Provence oil." However, due to the fact that the Frenchman was very fond of wine and the fair sex, Petrusha was left to his own devices. When the son reaches the age of seventeen, the father, filled with a sense of duty, sends Peter to serve for the good of the motherland.

Descriptions of the independent life of Pyotr Grinev are already devoid of irony. From the young man left to himself and to the simple Russian peasant Savelich, a noble nobleman turned out. Having lost at cards due to inexperience, Peter never succumbed to Savelich's persuasion to fall at the feet of the winner with a request to forgive the debt. He is guided by honor: lost - give it back. The young man understands that he must be responsible for his actions.

The meeting with the “counselor” reveals in Pyotr Grinev such a purely Russian quality as generosity. Finding themselves in the steppe during a blizzard, Grinev and Savelich accidentally stumbled upon a man who knew the way. Then, already at the inn, Pyotr Grinev really wanted to thank this stranger. And he offered him his hare coat, which, according to Savelich, cost a lot of money. At first glance, Grinev's act is a manifestation of youthful carelessness, but in fact it is a manifestation of the nobility of the soul, compassion for man.

Arriving at the service in the Belogorod fortress, Pyotr Grinev fell in love with the daughter of the captain of the fortress, Masha Mironova. Nobility and honor do not allow him to ignore the slander directed at his beloved by another nobleman, Alexei Shvabrin. The result of this is a duel that could cost Peter Grinev his life.

It is not in vain that the author introduces into the story the clever, well-read and at the same time vile and dishonorable Shvabrin, and also a nobleman. Comparing two young officers, Pushkin argues that high morality is not the lot of people of a separate class, and even more so, it has nothing to do with education: nobles can be scoundrels, and nobility can be a hallmark of a simple person, Pugachev for example.

The possibility of execution did not force the Pushkin hero to change the ideals of morality. He does not go into the enemy camp to save his life, he learned all too well.

the words spoken by the father as parting words: "Take care of the dress again, and honor from a young age." Honest Grinev and in a conversation with Pugachev: “I am a natural nobleman; I swore allegiance to the empress: I can’t serve you.” Moreover, to Pugachev’s question whether Grinev could make a promise not to go against him if ordered, the young man answered with the same sincerity and directness: “How can I promise you this ... You know, it’s not my will: they tell me to go against you - I’ll go , nothing to do. You are now the boss yourself; you yourself demand obedience from your own. What will it be like if I refuse the service when my service is needed?

Grinev's sincerity struck Pugachev. Imbued with respect for the young man, he lets him go. Pugachev's conversation with Grinev is very important. On the one hand, he shows the nobility of a nobleman, on the other hand, the same quality of his opponent: only an equal can appreciate another person.

All the same nobility, as well as love and tender affection, do not allow Grinev to name Masha Mironova at the trial, and this could explain a lot in the story with Pugachev, save him from imprisonment.

The events in the story are presented on behalf of Grinev, who, many years later, talks about two years of his life, about a meeting with Pugachev. The narrator strives to tell everything without exaggeration, objectively. Pugachev in his eyes does not look like a real beast. And we believe him, we cannot but believe: we know this man too well - noble, honest, just. And we think: who is this Pugachev really and what is it - Pugachevism?