The moral content of the drama of the Ostrovsky thunderstorm. What is the moral meaning of the play Thunderstorm

Reflections on the moral edge of the problem of relationships between generations (based on the drama by A.N. Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm").

Morality is those rules that determine the behavior of people. Behavior (action) expresses internal state a person, manifested through his spirituality (intellect, development of thought) and the life of the soul (feeling).

Morality in the life of the older and younger generations is connected with the eternal law of continuity. The young learn from the old life experience and traditions, and the wise elders teach the young the rules of life - “mind-reason”. However, young people are characterized by boldness of thought, an unbiased view of things without reference to an established opinion. It is because of this that conflicts often arise between them, a lack of agreement of opinions.

The actions and life assessments of the heroes of the drama A.N. Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm" (1859) reflect their morality.

Representatives of the merchant class of Dikoy and Kabanov are those people whose wealth and significance among the inhabitants of the city of Kalinov determine their high position. Surrounding people feel the power of their influence, and this power is able to break the will of dependent people, humiliate the unfortunate, realize their own insignificance in comparison with " the mighty of the world this." Therefore, Savel Prokofievich Wild, “ significant person in the city”, does not meet any contradiction in anyone. He keeps the family in awe, which, in the days of his anger, hides “in attics and closets”; likes to catch fear on people who do not dare to “peep” about salaries; keeps his nephew Boris in a black body, having robbed them with his sister, brazenly appropriated their inheritance; denounce, insulting, meek Kuligin.

Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova, known in the city for her piety and wealth, also has her own ideas about morality. For her desire younger generation to the “will” is criminal, because why the good and the young wife of the son, and the daughter, the “girl”, will cease to be “afraid” of both Tikhon and herself, all-powerful and infallible. “They don’t know anything, there is no order,” the old woman is angry. “Order” and “old times” are the basis on which the Wild and Kabanovs rely. But their tyranny loses self-confidence, it is not able to stop the development of young forces. New concepts and attitudes inevitably come into life and crowd out the old forces, obsolete norms of life and established morality. So Kuligin, a naive person, wants to ennoble Kalinov by building a lightning rod and a sundial. And he dares, impudent, to read Derzhavin's poems, glorifying the "mind", in front of "his degree", the all-powerful merchant, who is on friendly footing with the mayor himself, the head of the city. And the young daughter-in-law of Marfa Ignatievna at parting "throws herself on her husband's neck." And it is supposed to bow at the feet. Yes, and does not want to "howl" on the porch - "to make people laugh." And the resigned Tikhon will blame his mother for the death of his wife.

Tyranny, as the critic Dobrolyubov claims, "is hostile to the natural demands of mankind ... because in their triumph he sees the approach of his inevitable death." “Wild and Kabanovs are shrinking and shrinking” - this is inevitable.

The younger generation is Tikhon, Katerina, Varvara Kabanova, this is the nephew of Wild Boris. Katerina and her mother-in-law have similar ideas about the morality of the younger members of the family: they must be God-fearing and honor the elders - this is in the traditions of the Russian family. But further on, the ideas of one and the other about life, in their moral assessments, differ sharply.

Brought up in the atmosphere of a patriarchal merchant's house, in the conditions parental love, care and prosperity, the young Kabanova has a character, "loving, creative, ideal." But in her husband's family, she faces a formidable prohibition "to live by her own will", which comes from a harsh and soulless mother-in-law. That's when the demands of "nature", a living, natural feeling, acquire an irresistible power over a young woman. “This is how I was born, hot,” she says of herself. According to Dobrolyubov, Katerina's morality is not guided by logic and reason. “She is strange, extravagant, from the point of view of others,” and, fortunately, the oppression of her mother-in-law with her despotic disposition did not kill the desire for “freedom” in the heroine.

Will is both an elemental impulse (“That’s how I would run up, raise my hands and fly”), and the desire to ride along the Volga with songs, embracing, and fervent prayers, if the soul asks for communion with God, and even the need “to throw myself out the window, into Volga to rush ", if she "gets cold" captivity.

Her feelings for Boris are unrestrained. Katerina is ruled by love (he is not like everyone else, he is the best!) and passion (“If I am not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human court?”). But the heroine, a woman with a solid, strong character, does not accept lies, and she considers split feelings, pretense, even a greater sin than her own fall.

The purity of her moral sense and pangs of conscience lead her to repentance, public recognition and, as a result, to suicide.

The conflict between generations due to different moral assessments is becoming tragic features if it ends in death.

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The problematics of a work in literary criticism is a range of problems that are somehow touched upon in the text. This may be one or more aspects that the author focuses on. In this work, we will focus on the problems of Ostrovsky's Thunderstorm. A. N. Ostrovsky received a literary vocation after the first published play. “Poverty is not a vice”, “Dowry”, “ Plum”- these and many other works are devoted to social and everyday topics, however, the issue of the problems of the play“ Thunderstorm ”must be considered separately.

The play received mixed reviews from critics. Dobrolyubov saw in Katerina hope for new life, Ap. Grigoriev noticed the emerging protest against the existing order, and L. Tolstoy did not accept the play at all. The plot of "Thunderstorm", at first glance, is quite simple: everything is based on a love conflict. Katerina secretly meets with a young man, while her husband has gone to another city on business. Unable to cope with the pangs of conscience, the girl confesses to treason, after which she rushes into the Volga. However, behind all this everyday, domestic, lies much larger things that threaten to grow to the scale of space. Dobrolyubov calls the “dark kingdom” the situation that is described in the text. An atmosphere of lies and betrayal. In Kalinovo, people are so accustomed to moral dirt that their uncomplaining consent only exacerbates the situation. It becomes scary from the realization that this place did not make people like this, it was people who independently turned the city into a kind of accumulation of vices. And now the "dark kingdom" begins to influence the inhabitants. After a detailed acquaintance with the text, one can notice how widely developed the problems of the work "Thunderstorm".

The problems in Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm" are diverse, but at the same time they do not have a hierarchy. Each individual problem is important in itself.

The problem of fathers and children

Here we are not talking about misunderstanding, but about total control, about patriarchal orders. The play shows the life of the Kabanov family. At that time, the opinion of the eldest man in the family was undeniable, and wives and daughters were practically deprived of rights. The head of the family is Marfa Ignatievna, a widow. She took over the male functions. This is a powerful and prudent woman. Kabanikha believes that she takes care of her children, ordering them to do as she wants. This behavior led to quite logical consequences. Her son, Tikhon, is a weak and spineless person. Mother, it seems, wanted to see him like that, because in this case it is easier to control a person. Tikhon is afraid to say anything, to express his opinion; in one of the scenes, he admits that he does not have his own point of view at all. Tikhon cannot protect either himself or his wife from the tantrums and cruelty of his mother. The daughter of Kabanikhi, Varvara, on the contrary, managed to adapt to this way of life. She easily lies to her mother, the girl even changed the lock on the gate in the garden in order to freely go on dates with Curly. Tikhon is not capable of any rebellion, while Varvara escapes from parental home with a lover.

The problem of self-realization

When talking about the problems of the "Thunderstorm" one cannot fail to mention this aspect. The problem is realized in the image of Kuligin. This self-taught inventor dreams of making something useful for all the inhabitants of the city. His plans include assembling a perpetu mobile, building a lightning rod, and getting electricity. But this whole dark, semi-pagan world needs neither light nor enlightenment. Dikoy laughs at Kuligin's plans to find an honest income, openly mocks him. Boris, after talking with Kuligin, understands that the inventor will never invent a single thing. Perhaps Kuligin himself understands this. He could be called naive, but he knows what morals reign in Kalinov, what happens behind closed doors, what are those in whose hands power is concentrated. Kuligin learned to live in this world without losing himself. But he is not able to feel the conflict between reality and dreams as keenly as Katerina did.

The Problem of Power

In the city of Kalinov, power is not in the hands of the relevant authorities, but in those who have money. Proof of this is the dialogue between the merchant Wild and the mayor. The mayor tells the merchant that complaints are being received against the latter. To this Savl Prokofievich replies rudely. Dikoi does not hide the fact that he cheats ordinary peasants, he speaks of deceit as a normal phenomenon: if merchants steal from each other, then you can steal from ordinary residents. In Kalinov, nominal power decides absolutely nothing, and this is fundamentally wrong. After all, it turns out that without money in such a city it is simply impossible to live. Dikoy fancies himself almost a father-king, deciding who to lend money to and who not. “So know that you are a worm. If I want to, I'll have mercy, if I want to, I'll crush it, ”this is how Dikoy Kuligin answers.

The problem of love

In "Thunderstorm" the problem of love is realized in pairs Katerina - Tikhon and Katerina - Boris. The girl is forced to live with her husband, although she does not feel any feelings other than pity for him. Katya rushes from one extreme to another: she thinks between the option of staying with her husband and learning to love him or leaving Tikhon. Katya's feelings for Boris flare up instantly. This passion pushes the girl to take a decisive step: Katya goes against the grain public opinion and Christian morality. Her feelings were mutual, but for Boris this love meant much less. Katya believed that Boris, just like her, was incapable of living in a frozen city and lying for profit. Katerina often compared herself to a bird, she wanted to fly away, to escape from that metaphorical cage, and in Boris Katya saw that air, that freedom that she lacked so much. Unfortunately, the girl made a mistake in Boris. The young man turned out to be the same as the inhabitants of Kalinov. He wanted to improve relations with Wild for the sake of getting money, he spoke with Varvara that it was better to keep feelings for Katya secret for as long as possible.

Conflict of old and new

It is about resisting the patriarchal way of life with the new order, which implies equality and freedom. This topic was very relevant. Recall that the play was written in 1859, and serfdom was abolished in 1861. Social contradictions reached their apogee. The author wanted to show what the absence of reforms and decisive action can lead to. Confirmation of this are the final words of Tikhon. “Good for you, Katya! Why am I left to live in the world and suffer!” In such a world, the living envy the dead.

Most of all, this contradiction was reflected in the main character of the play. Katerina cannot understand how one can live in lies and animal humility. The girl was suffocating in the atmosphere that was created by the inhabitants of Kalinov for a long time. She is honest and pure, so her only desire was so small and so great at the same time. Katya just wanted to be herself, to live the way she was raised. Katerina sees that everything is not at all the way she imagined before marriage. She cannot even afford a sincere impulse - to hug her husband - Kabanikha controlled and prevented any attempts by Katya to be sincere. Varvara supports Katya, but cannot understand her. Katerina is left alone in this world of deceit and dirt. The girl could not endure such pressure, she finds salvation in death. Death frees Katya from the burden of earthly life, turning her soul into something light, capable of flying away from the "dark kingdom".

It can be concluded that the problems in the drama "Thunderstorm" are significant and relevant to this day. These are unresolved issues of human existence, which will worry a person at all times. It is thanks to this formulation of the question that the play "Thunderstorm" can be called a work out of time.

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The play "Thunderstorm" was written in the second half of the 50s of the 19th century, when the country was on the verge of socio-political and social changes. Naturally, Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky could not but react to these shifts. In The Thunderstorm, A. N. Ostrovsky raises not so much social as moral problems. The playwright shows us how feelings that were not known before suddenly awaken in a person and how her attitude to the surrounding reality changes. The conflict between Katerina and the “dark kingdom”, shown by the playwright, is the opposition of the laws of Domostroy and the desire for freedom and happiness. Thunderstorm in the play is not just a natural phenomenon, but a symbol state of mind heroines. Katerina grew up and formed as a person in the terrible conditions of Domostroy, but this did not stop her from resisting the Kalinovsky society. It was important for Ostrovsky to show that where any manifestation of freedom is destroyed, the appearance of strong character striving for his own happiness. Katerina strives for freedom with all her heart. This is especially evident thanks to her story to Varvara about her childhood, when she lived in an atmosphere of love and understanding. But Katerina still does not fully understand that new attitude to the world, which will lead her to a tragic end: “Something in me is so unusual. It’s like I’m starting to live again.” Having fallen in love with Boris, she considers her feelings sinful. Katerina sees this as a moral crime and says that she has "already ruined" her soul. But somewhere inside, she understands that there is nothing immoral in the pursuit of happiness and love. However, Kabanikha, Dikoi and others like them consider Katerina’s act to be exactly this: after all, she, married woman, violated moral standards, falling in love with Boris and starting to secretly meet with him. But what prompted her to do this? From childhood, Katerina was an independent, freedom-loving nature. She lived in her mother's house like a bird in the wild. But then she ends up in her husband's house, where a completely different atmosphere reigns. She says: “Yes, everything here seems to be from captivity.” In words, the mother-in-law seeks to observe moral principles, but in fact, “she ate at home completely.” The boar does not recognize anything new, does not allow Tikhon to live with his mind, and oppresses his daughter-in-law. It doesn’t matter to her what is in Katerina’s soul, customs would be observed. “She is strange, extravagant, from the point of view of others, but this is because she cannot accept their views and inclinations,” Dobrolyubov wrote about Katerina in his article “A Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom.” Tikhon also does not understand Katerina's soul. This is a weak-willed person who is in complete submission to his mother. His only joy is to break out of the house and take a walk for several days. Kabanova's daughter Varvara does not argue with her mother, but deceives her, running away at night to walk with Kudryash.
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Thus, cruelty, lies, immorality are hidden behind external piety. And not only the Kabanovs live like that. “Cruel morals in our city,” says Kuligin. Katerina strives for freedom and happiness. She could love her husband, but he is completely indifferent to her spiritual needs, her feelings. He loves her in his own way, but he cannot understand. He does not see the full depth of Katerina's despair when, having fallen in love with Boris, she rushes to him, to Tikhon, asking him to take her with him. Tikhon pushes his wife away, dreaming of walking free, and Katerina is left alone. A painful moral struggle takes place in it. Brought up in religious family, she considers it a great sin to cheat on her husband. But the will to live full life, the desire to decide your own fate, to be happy take over moral principles. However, with the arrival of Tikhon, Katerina's moral suffering begins. No, she does not regret that she fell in love, she suffers that she is forced to lie. Lies are contrary to her honest, sincere nature. Even earlier, she confesses to Varvara: “I don’t know how to deceive, I can’t hide anything.” That is why she confesses to Kabanikha and Tikhon her love for Boris. But the moral problem is not solved. Katerina remains in her husband's house, but for her it is tantamount to death: "What goes home, what goes to the grave, it doesn't matter ... It's better in the grave." Boris, who turned out to be a weak man, subordinate to his uncle Diky, refuses to take her with him to Siberia. Her life becomes unbearable.

A.N. Ostrovsky is not just a writer-playwright. He is rightfully considered the father of Russian drama. After all, before him in the literature of the 19th century theatrical art developed very poorly. Ostrovsky's plays were new, fresh and interesting. It was thanks to this author that people again reached out to theaters. One of the most famous plays- "Storm".

History of creation

A.N. Ostrovsky was sent on a special mission to central Russia. Here the writer was able to see provincial life in all its glory. Like any other writer, in the first place, Ostrovsky paid attention to the life and life of the Russian merchants, petty bourgeois, noble people of the province. He was looking for characters and plots. As a result of the trip, the play "Thunderstorm" was written. And a little while later, a similar incident occurred in one of them. Ostrovsky was able to predict the events that took place in the future. Characteristics of the play "Thunderstorm" as a holistic work shows that the author is not just an insightful person, but also a talented writer-playwright.

Artistic originality of drama

The play has a number artistic features. It should be said that Ostrovsky was at the same time a novelist in dramaturgy and supported the tradition. To understand, it is necessary to analyze the genre, the main characters, the conflict and the meaning of the title of the play "Thunderstorm".

Genre

There are three dramatic tragedy and drama. Of these, the oldest - then comedy follows, but drama as a genre appears only in the 19th century. Its founder in Russia was A.N. Ostrovsky. The play "Thunderstorm" is fully consistent with its canons. In the center of the image - ordinary people, Not historical figures, not These are people with their own shortcomings and virtues, in whose souls feelings, affections, likes and dislikes develop. The situation is also common. However, it contains a sharp life conflict, most often undecidable. Katerina (the main character of the drama) falls into such life situation from which there is no way out. The meaning of the name of the play "Thunderstorm" is multifaceted (this will be discussed below), one of the interpretation options is the inevitability of something, the predestination and tragedy of the situation.

Main characters

The main characters of the play: Kabanikha, her son Tikhon, Katerina (Kabanova's daughter-in-law), Boris (her lover), Varvara (Tikhon's sister), Wild, Kuligin. There are other characters, each of which has its own semantic load.

Kabanikha and Wild personify everything negative that is in the city of Kalinov. malice, tyranny, the desire to lead everyone, greed. Tikhon Kabanov is an example of resigned worship of his mother, he is spineless and stupid. Barbara is not like that. She understands that her mother is wrong in many ways. She, too, wants to free herself from her pressure, and she does it in her own way: she simply deceives her. But such a path is impossible for Katerina. She cannot lie to her husband, cheating for her is a big sin. Katerina, against the background of others, looks more thinking, feeling and alive. Only one hero stands aside - Kuligin. He plays the role of a reasoning hero, that is, a character into whose mouth the author puts his attitude to the situation.

The meaning of the title of the play "Thunderstorm"

The symbolic name is one way to express ideological concept works. One word has a huge meaning, it is multilayered.

Firstly, a thunderstorm occurs twice in the city of Kalinov. Each character reacts differently. Kuligin, for example, sees physical phenomena in a thunderstorm, so it does not cause much fear in him. Of course, the meaning of the title of the play "Thunderstorm" is not only that this phenomenon is present in the text. The thunderstorm symbol is closely related to main character- Katerina. For the first time, this natural phenomenon catches the heroine on the street when she is talking to Varvara. Katerina was very frightened, but not of death. Her horror is justified by the fact that lightning can kill suddenly, and she will suddenly appear before God with all her sins. But she has one gravest sin - falling in love with Boris. Education, conscience do not allow Katerina to completely surrender to this feeling. Going on a date, she begins to experience great torment. The heroine also makes a confession during a thunderstorm. Hearing a thunderclap, she can't stand it.

Depends on the level of interpretation. On a formal level, this is the beginning and climax of the drama. But on a symbolic level, this is the fear of the punishment of the Lord, retribution.

We can say that the "thunderstorm" hung over all the inhabitants of the city. Outwardly, these are the attacks of Kabanikh and Dikiy, but on the existential level, this is the fear of answering for one's sins. Perhaps that is why she causes horror not only in Katerina. Even the word "thunderstorm" is pronounced in the text not only as the name of a natural phenomenon. Tikhon leaves home, rejoicing that his mother will no longer bother him, that she will no longer order him. Katerina is not able to get away from this "thunderstorm". She was cornered.

The image of Katerina

The heroine commits suicide, and because of this, her image is very contradictory. She is pious, she is afraid of "gehena fiery", but at the same time she commits such a grave sin. Why? Apparently, moral suffering, moral torment is stronger than her thoughts about hell. Most likely, she simply stopped thinking about suicide as a sin, seeing it as a punishment for her sin (betrayal to her husband). Some of the critics see her exclusively strong personality, who challenged society, the "dark kingdom" (Dobrolyubov). Others believe that voluntary death is not a challenge, but, on the contrary, a sign of weakness.

How to regard this act of the heroine, it is impossible to say unambiguously. The meaning of the title of the play "Thunderstorm" emphasizes that in the society that has developed in Kalinovo, such cases are not surprising, because it is a ossified, backward city, it is ruled by petty tyrants, such as Dikoi and Kabanikha. As a result, sensitive natures (Katerina) suffer without feeling support from anyone.

Conclusions. Features and meaning of the name of the play "Thunderstorm" (briefly)

1. Drama has become a prime example life of provincial cities, exposing one of the main problems of Russia - tyranny.

2. Drama complies with the canons of the genre (there is a reasoning hero, there is negative characters), but at the same time it is innovative (it is symbolic).

3. The "thunderstorm" in the title of the play is not just a compositional element, it is a symbol of God's punishment, repentance. The meaning of the title of the play "Thunderstorm" by Ostrovsky brings the play to a symbolic level.

A.N. Ostrovsky raises the moral problems of the small provincial town of Kalinov, where people live according to the law of "Domostroy", where tyranny and domestic lawlessness rage.

"Domostroy" is a set of rules for the spiritual, worldly and family life. There is nothing wrong with the rulebook itself. According to his laws, family relationships should be based on love and mutual assistance. The family should be a place where a person can rest, there is no place for evil. But this was not the case everywhere and not always.

In his play, Ostrovsky shows us that in a small town the moral principles are determined by the old-timers, they rule not only in the city, but also in their families. Such negative characters in the play are Wild and Boar. At their core, these are cruel and ignorant petty tyrants, and life under the leadership of such people cannot be called respectable. Kabanikh's daughter-in-law Katerina is cheating on her husband with Boris, daughter Varvara secretly meets with Kudryash, native son Tikhon drinks. And in public, everything should look respectable. This is the most important rule for the inhabitants of the town of Kalinov. The cruelty and tyranny of the Wild and Boar brings these people to sin. But being old-timers and champions of Domostroy, Dikoy and Kabanikha do not notice the decline of the patriarchal way of life due to the isolation of a small town, where there are no progressive trends, where hypocrisy has replaced true morality.

The morality of the heroes of the drama is shown in their actions. Savel Prokofievich Wild and Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova possess because of their wealth high position. Residents of the city feel the power of their influence. Wild does not meet with any contradiction. Even his family he holds in front of him in awe. His wife asks those around him not to make him angry. He also brazenly robbed his nephew Boris, embezzling the inheritance.

For Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova, the desire of her children and daughter-in-law for freedom seemed criminal, because they could stop being afraid of her, and she could not allow this. She has her own concept of morality, she considers herself infallible.

The Wild and Kabanovs rely on "orders" and "old times", but they can no longer stop the developing young forces that come into life and supplant the old obsolete norms and morality.

The younger generation of the play is Boris. Kabanikha and her daughter-in-law have general concepts about morality - this is the veneration of the elders by the younger, which was traditional for Russian families. But everyone else's idea of ​​their morality is very different.

Katherine was raised in merchant family in love and care for each other. She has a loving and creative personality. And having met the harsh soullessness of her mother-in-law in her husband's family, Katerina finds herself in " dark kingdom”, which oppresses and torments her, but the temper of the despotic Kabanikh does not kill her desire for will.

Her feelings for Boris were unrestrained. Love and passion rule a young woman. She thought that Boris was not like everyone else. She saw him the way she imagined. But, since she could not accept lies and pretense, being a decent person, she could not forgive herself for her sin, betrayal, albeit unloved, but her husband. Pangs of conscience led her to public recognition.

A.N. Ostrovsky, with the help of the play, showed people that they should not cling to the old, but should think about a better future.