In Ostrovsky's drama "The Thunderstorm" the problems of morality are widely raised. Using the example of the provincial town of Kalinov, the playwright showed the truly cruel customs reigning there. The embodiment of these morals is the Kabanovs' house.
Let's meet its representatives.
Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova is a champion of the old world. The name itself paints a picture of an overweight woman with a difficult character, and the nickname “Kabanikha” complements this unpleasant picture. Kabanikha lives the old fashioned way, in accordance with strict order. But she only observes the appearance of this order, which she supports in public: a kind son, an obedient daughter-in-law. He even complains: “They don’t know anything, no order... What will happen, how the old people will die, how the light will stay on, I don’t even know. Well, at least it’s good that I won’t see anything.” There is real arbitrariness in the house. The boar is despotic, rude to the peasants, “eats” the family and does not tolerate objections. Her son is completely subordinate to her will, and she expects this from her daughter-in-law.
Next to Kabanikha, who day after day “sharpenes all her household like rusting iron,” stands the merchant Dikoy, whose name is associated with wild power. Dikoy not only “sharpenes and saws” his family members.
The men whom he deceives during payments suffer from it, and, of course, the customers, as well as his clerk Kudryash, a rebellious and impudent guy, ready to teach a “scold” a lesson in a dark alley with his fists.
Ostrovsky described the character of the Wild One very accurately. For the Wild, the main thing is money, in which he sees everything: power, glory, worship. This is especially noticeable in the small town where he lives. He can easily “pat on the shoulder” the mayor himself.
The images of Tikhon and Boris are slightly developed. Dobrolyubov, in a famous article, says that Boris can be attributed more to the setting than to the heroes. In the remark, Boris stands out only by his clothes: “All faces, except Boris, are dressed in Russian.” This is the first difference between him and the residents of Kalinov. The second difference is that he studied at a commercial academy in Moscow. But Ostrovsky made him Dikiy’s nephew, and this suggests that, despite some differences, he belongs to the people of the “dark kingdom.” This is also confirmed by the fact that he is not able to fight this kingdom. Instead of lending a helping hand to Katerina, he advises her to submit to her fate. Tikhon is the same. Already in the list of characters it is said about him that he is “her son,” that is, the son of Kabanikha. He really is more likely just Kabanikha’s son than a person. Tikhon has no willpower. This person’s only desire is to escape from his mother’s care so that he can take a break for the whole year. Tikhon is also unable to help Katerina. Both Boris and Tikhon leave her alone with their inner experiences.
If Kabanikha and Dikoy belong to the old way of life, Kuligin carries the ideas of enlightenment, then Katerina is at a crossroads. Having grown up and brought up in a patriarchal spirit, Katerina fully follows this way of life. Cheating here is considered unforgivable, and having cheated on her husband, Katerina sees this as a sin before God. But her character is naturally proud, independent and free. Her dream of flying means breaking free from the power of her oppressive mother-in-law and from the stuffy world of the Kabanovs' house. As a child, she once, offended by something, went to the Volga in the evening. The same protest can be heard in her words addressed to Varya: “And if I’m really tired of being here, they won’t hold me back by any force. I’ll throw myself out the window, throw myself into the Volga. I don’t want to live here, I won’t do this, even if you cut me!” In Katerina’s soul there is a struggle between the pangs of conscience and the desire for freedom. She does not know how to adapt to life, to be a hypocrite and pretend, as Kabanikha does, she does not know how to look at the world as easily as Varya.
The morals of the Kabanov house drive Katerina to suicide.
Kabanikha in the play "The Thunderstorm" is the antagonist of the main character, Katerina. The contrast of characters in a work is of decisive importance, revealing its meaning. The heroines are representatives of opposite poles of the patriarchal world. If Katerina is spirituality, poetry, kindness, mercy, then Marfa Ignatievna is earthiness, love of money, pettiness.
The heroine's relationship with her family
An ignorant person, rude, superstitious, a guardian of old laws, despotic, loves to teach and keep everyone in fear - this is a brief description of Kabanikha. This is a rich merchant's wife, widow, mother of Varvara and Tikhon, mother-in-law of Katerina. A woman appears to her family, her relatives, she constantly nags, lectures, tries to preserve the old ways at home and gets angry when young people do not listen to her. Kabanova Marfa Ignatievna firmly believes that order can only be restored if you keep everyone in fear.
The characterization of Kabanikha allows the reader to understand the attitude of the Old Believers to the new world. The merchant's wife raised her children in fear, and she wants to extend her power to her daughter-in-law. She constantly lectures her son, forces him to punish his wife, to keep her on a short leash. When Tikhon wonders why it is necessary to make Katerina afraid of him, because she loves him, his mother shouts at him. After all, if the daughter-in-law is not afraid of her husband, then she will not be afraid of her mother-in-law.
The merchant's relationship with others
Kabanikha regularly goes to church, surrounds herself with cliques, and regularly gives alms to the poor. The merchant's wife speaks with her godfather Dikiy as equals. Although these two belong to the same world and support the old order, Kabanikha’s characterization shows that the woman still treats the landowner’s tyranny with contempt. Marfa Ignatieva does keep her family in fear, but she does this to maintain order in the house, and not because of her violent nature. In addition, the merchant’s wife will never complain in public about problems in her family, as Dikiy does.
The last guardian of order
The image of Kabanikha is the embodiment of Old Belief, some medieval foundations. The merchant's wife suffers from the fact that her world is slowly collapsing. She sees that young people do not support her, do not respect old laws, and think in new ways. The woman is filled with some kind of apocalyptic expectations; she does not understand what will happen when all the old-timers die out, and there is no one to resist everything modern. The Kabanov House is almost the last stronghold where the dogmas of antiquity are revered.
The characterization of Kabanikha does not evoke pity for this heroine, although at the end of the play not only Katerina, but also her mother-in-law suffered. For the merchant's wife, the public confession of her daughter-in-law, her son's rebellion and her daughter's escape from home were a terrible blow. But this woman did not understand that by her non-acceptance of the modern world she led to the death of Katerina, ruined Varvara’s life and pushed Tikhon to drunkenness. No one got better from Kabanikha’s rule. But she doesn’t understand this, because the merchant’s wife, even after so many misfortunes, continues to insist on her own.
Enmity between loved ones
it happens especially
irreconcilable
P. Tacitus
There is no worse retribution
for madness and delusion,
than to see as your own
children suffer because of them
W. Sumner
Play by A.N. Ostrovsky's "The Thunderstorm" tells about the life of provincial Russia in the 19th century. The events take place in the city of Kalinov, located on the high Volga bank. Against the backdrop of the magnificent beauty of nature and royal tranquility, a tragedy occurs that disrupts the calm life of this city. Not all is well in Kalinov. Here, behind high fences, domestic despotism reigns, and invisible tears are shed. The play centers on the life of one of the merchant families. But there are hundreds of such families in the city, and millions throughout Russia. However, life is structured in such a way that everyone observes certain laws, rules of behavior, and any deviation from them is a shame, a sin.
The main character in the Kabanov family is the mother, the rich widow Marfa Ignatievna. It is she who dictates her own rules in the family and commands the household members. It is no coincidence that her last name is Kabanova. There is something animalistic about this woman: she is uneducated, but powerful, cruel and stubborn, demanding that everyone obey her, honor the foundations of the house-building and observe its traditions. Marfa Ignatievna is a strong woman. She considers the family to be the most important thing, the basis of social order, and demands the uncomplaining obedience of her children and daughter-in-law. However, she sincerely loves her son and daughter, and her remarks speak about this: “After all, it’s out of love that your parents are strict with you, everyone thinks to teach you good.” Kabanikha is lenient towards Varvara and lets her go out with the young people, realizing how hard it will be for her to be married. But Katerina constantly reproaches her daughter-in-law, controls her every step, forces Katerina to live the way she considers right. Perhaps she is jealous of her daughter-in-law for her son, which is why she is so unkind to her. “Ever since I got married, I don’t see the same love from you,” she says, turning to Tikhon. But he is unable to object to his mother, since he is a weak-willed person, brought up in obedience, and respects his mother’s opinion. Let us pay attention to Tikhon’s remarks: “How can I, Mama, disobey you!”; “I, Mama, am not one step out of your control,” etc. However, this is only the external side of his behavior. He doesn’t want to live according to the laws of house-building, he doesn’t want to make his wife his slave, a thing: “But why be afraid? It’s enough for me that she loves me.” Tikhon believes that relationships between a man and a woman in a family should be built on the principles of love and mutual understanding, and not on the subordination of one to the other. And yet he cannot disobey his domineering mother and stand up for the woman he loves. That's why Tikhon seeks solace in drunkenness. The mother, with her domineering character, suppresses the man in him, making him weak and defenseless. Tikhon is not ready to play the role of husband, protector, or take care of family well-being. Therefore, in Katerina’s eyes he is a nonentity, not a husband. She doesn’t love him, but only feels sorry for him and tolerates him.
Tikhon's sister Varvara is much stronger and braver than her brother. She has adapted to life in her mother’s house, where everything is based on deception, and now lives by the principle: “Doing whatever you want, as long as everything is sewn and covered.” Varvara meets her lover Kudryash secretly from her mother, and does not report to Kabanikha for her every step. However, it is easier for her to live - an unmarried girl is free, and therefore she is not kept under lock and key, like Katerina. Varvara tries to explain to Katerina that it is impossible to live in their house without deception. But her brother’s wife is incapable of this: “I don’t know how to deceive, I can’t hide anything.”
Katerina is a stranger in the Kabanovs’ house, everything here is “as if from under captivity” for her. In her parents' house she was surrounded by love and affection, she was free: “...whatever I want, it happened, that’s what I do.” Her soul is like a bird, she must live in free flight. And in her mother-in-law’s house, Katerina is like a bird in a cage: she yearns in captivity, endures undeserved reproaches from her mother-in-law and the drunkenness of her unloved husband. She doesn’t even have children to give them her affection, love, attention.
Fleeing from family despotism, Katerina is looking for support in life, a person she could rely on and truly love. And therefore, Dikiy’s weak and weak-willed nephew Boris becomes in her eyes an ideal man, unlike her husband. She doesn't seem to notice his shortcomings. But Boris turned out to be a man incapable of understanding Katerina and loving her just as selflessly. After all, he throws her to the mercy of her mother-in-law. And Tikhon looks much more noble than Boris: he forgives Katerina everything because he truly loves her.
Therefore, Katerina’s suicide is a pattern. She cannot live under the yoke of Kabanikha and forgive the betrayal of Boris. This tragedy shook up the quiet life of the provincial town, and even the timid, weak-willed Tikhon begins to protest against his mother: “Mama, you ruined her! You, you, you..."
Using the example of the Kabanov family, we see that relationships in the family cannot be built on the principle of subordination of the weak to the strong, the foundations of Domostroev are being destroyed, and the power of the autocrats is passing. And even a weak woman can challenge this wild world with her death. And yet I believe that suicide is not the best way out of this situation. Katerina could have acted differently. For example, go to a monastery and devote your life to serving God, because she is a very religious woman. But the heroine chooses death, and this is both her strength and her weakness.
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Ostrovsky A. N.
An essay based on the work on the topic: The morals of the Kabanovs’ house in the drama “The Thunderstorm” by A. N. Ostrovsky.
Enmity between loved ones
it happens especially
irreconcilable
P. Tacitus
There is no worse retribution
for madness and delusion,
than to see as your own
children suffer because of them
W. Sumner
A. N. Ostrovsky's play “The Thunderstorm” tells about the life of provincial Russia in the 19th century. The events take place in the city of Kalinov, located on the high Volga bank. Against the backdrop of the magnificent beauty of nature and royal tranquility, a tragedy occurs that disrupts the calm life of this city. Not all is well in Kalinov. Here, behind high fences, domestic despotism reigns, and invisible tears are shed. The play centers on the life of one of the merchant families. But there are hundreds of such families in the city, and millions throughout Russia. However, life is structured in such a way that everyone observes certain laws, rules of behavior, and any deviation from them is a shame, a sin.
The main character in the Kabanov family is the mother, the rich widow Marfa Ignatievna. It is she who dictates her own rules in the family and commands the household members. It is no coincidence that her last name is Kabanova. There is something animalistic about this woman: she is uneducated, but powerful, cruel and stubborn, demanding that everyone obey her, honor the foundations of the house-building and observe its traditions. Marfa Ignatievna is a strong woman. She considers the family to be the most important thing, the basis of social order, and demands the uncomplaining obedience of her children and daughter-in-law. However, she sincerely loves her son and daughter, and her remarks speak about this: “After all, it’s out of love that your parents are strict with you, everyone thinks to teach you good.” Kabanikha is lenient towards Varvara and lets her go out with the young people, realizing how hard it will be for her to be married. But Katerina constantly reproaches her daughter-in-law, controls her every step, forces Katerina to live the way she considers right. Perhaps she is jealous of her daughter-in-law for her son, which is why she is so unkind to her. “Ever since I got married, I don’t see the same love from you,” she says, turning to Tikhon. But he is unable to object to his mother, since he is a weak-willed person, brought up in obedience, and respects his mother’s opinion. Let us pay attention to Tikhon’s remarks: “How can I, Mama, disobey you!”; “I, Mama, do not take a step out of your will,” etc. However, this is only the external side of his behavior. He doesn’t want to live according to the laws of house-building, he doesn’t want to make his wife his slave, a thing: “But why be afraid? It’s enough for me that she loves me.” Tikhon believes that relationships between a man and a woman in a family should be built on the principles of love and mutual understanding, and not on the subordination of one to the other. And yet he cannot disobey his domineering mother and stand up for the woman he loves. That's why Tikhon seeks solace in drunkenness. The mother, with her domineering character, suppresses the man in him, making him weak and defenseless. Tikhon is not ready to play the role of husband, protector, or take care of family well-being. Therefore, in Katerina’s eyes he is a nonentity, not a husband. She doesn’t love him, but only feels sorry for him and tolerates him.
Tikhon's sister Varvara is much stronger and braver than her brother. She has adapted to life in her mother’s house, where everything is based on deception, and now lives by the principle: “Doing whatever you want, as long as everything is sewn and covered.” Varvara meets her lover Kudryash secretly from her mother, and does not report to Kabanikha for her every step. However, it is easier for her to live - an unmarried girl is free, and therefore she is not kept under lock and key, like Katerina. Varvara tries to explain to Katerina that it is impossible to live in their house without deception. But her brother’s wife is incapable of this: “I don’t know how to deceive, I can’t hide anything.”
Katerina is a stranger in the Kabanovs’ house, everything here is “as if from under captivity” for her. In her parents' house she was surrounded by love and affection, she was free: “...whatever I want, it happened, that’s what I do.” Her soul is like a bird, she must live in free flight. And in her mother-in-law’s house, Katerina is like a bird in a cage: she yearns in captivity, endures undeserved reproaches from her mother-in-law and the drunkenness of her unloved husband. She doesn’t even have children to give them her affection, love, attention.
Fleeing from family despotism, Katerina is looking for support in life, a person she could rely on and truly love. And therefore, Dikiy’s weak and weak-willed nephew Boris becomes in her eyes an ideal man, unlike her husband. She doesn't seem to notice his shortcomings. But Boris turned out to be a man incapable of understanding Katerina and loving her just as selflessly. After all, he throws her to the mercy of her mother-in-law. And Tikhon looks much more noble than Boris: he forgives Katerina everything because he truly loves her.
Therefore, Katerina’s suicide is a pattern. She cannot live under the yoke of Kabanikha and forgive the betrayal of Boris. This tragedy shook up the quiet life of the provincial town, and even the timid, weak-willed Tikhon begins to protest against his mother: “Mama, you ruined her! You, you, you..."
Using the example of the Kabanov family, we see that relationships in the family cannot be built on the principle of subordination of the weak to the strong, the foundations of Domostroev are being destroyed, and the power of the autocrats is passing. And even a weak woman can challenge this wild world with her death. And yet I believe that suicide is not the best way out of this situation. Katerina could have acted differently. For example, go to a monastery and devote your life to serving God, because she is a very religious woman. But the heroine chooses death, and this is both her strength and her weakness.
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The play “The Thunderstorm”, written by A.N. Ostrovsky, tells about people of the 19th century and talks about the life of provincial Russia at that time. The main actions in the work take place in the town of Kalinov, which is located on the high bank of the Volga. Against the backdrop of the dazzling attractiveness of the surrounding nature and tranquility, a tragedy occurred that disrupted the quiet life of this town.
Not everything is so wonderful in Kalinov. Here, in people's homes, there are frequent assaults and screams, and hard-hidden tears are shed. Approximately in the middle of the work, the life of one of the merchant families is told. Of course, there are a lot of such families in the city, and even more in the whole of Russia. But our life is structured in such a way that all people observe certain rules and laws, and any disobedience is considered either a shame or a sin.
The most authoritative person from the Kabanov family is Marfa Ignatievna, a mother and a rich widow. It is she who commands her relatives and introduces her own rules and procedures in the family. So the last name suits her - Kabanova. This woman is stupid and uneducated, but very powerful. Martha is very cruel and stubborn, demanding that everyone follow her rules. Marfa Ignatievna is a very strong woman. She believes that family is the most important thing and requires the submission of all household members. But the woman loves her children very much - her son and daughter. Kabanikha is lenient towards her daughter Varvara, often letting the girl hang out with young people, knowing how difficult it will be for her daughter to get married. But she very often reproaches her daughter-in-law Katerina, forces the girl to live the way she wants, and controls her every breath. Perhaps the woman is simply jealous of her daughter-in-law for her son! Her son's name is Tikhon. He is a weak-willed, obedient person and greatly respects the opinion of his mother. Due to his weak character, he cannot object to his mother, he was raised in obedience, his mother’s opinion is very important to him. According to Tikhon, every family should be built on love and mutual understanding, but he cannot disobey his domineering mother, nor can he stand up for himself and his wife, so he can only seek solace in alcohol. With her domineering character, the mother kills the man in him, making him a defenseless weakling. Tikhon cannot play the role of husband and protector of his family, and does not know how to take care of family well-being. In Katerina’s eyes, he looks like a complete nonentity, not a husband. She has no love for him, she only feels sorry for him and tolerates him.
Varvara, Tikhon’s sister, is much braver and stronger than her brother. The girl goes for walks with her beloved Curly, secretly from her mother, and does not report to Marfa for her every step. Undoubtedly, life is easier for her than for Katerina. Varvara is always trying to reach Katerina and explain to her that it is impossible to survive in their house without deception. But Katerina does not know how to lie.
Katerina has always been a stranger in this house, it’s like she’s in prison here, and everything happens against her will. In her home she was surrounded by the affection and love that she deserved. And in Kabanikha’s house, Katerina lives like a bird in a cage: in captivity she is sad, she patiently endures the drunkenness of her unloved husband and the undeserved reproaches of her mother-in-law. And she has no children, she has no one to give her love and affection.
Fleeing from this horror, Katerina is looking for a person who could become her support, her protector, she is looking for true love. And because of this, the weak-willed and weak Boris, Dikiy’s nephew, became in her eyes the best man, an ideal, unlike her husband. She doesn't seem to see his shortcomings. But Boris failed to love Katerina. And we see Tikhon much better and nobler than him. Tikhon allows Katerina everything because he loves her.
Because of this, Katerina’s suicide was to be expected. She can no longer survive under Kabanikha's rule. This tragedy shook up the calm life of this city, and even the cowardly Tikhon began to go against the will of his mother.
The example of the Kabanov family shows us that family relationships cannot be built on the principle of subordinating a weak person to a strong one. Domostroev's foundations are crumbling, the power of the autocrats is passing. A weak woman challenges the wild world with her death. However, suicide is not the best way out of this situation. Katerina could have made a different choice. For example, she could go to a monastery to devote her life to God, she was very devout. However, the heroine chooses death, which becomes her strength and at the same time her weakness.
