Relations between Katerina and Boris. Why did Katerina decide to love Boris? lit. Ostrovsky "thunderstorm" urgently !!! The image and characterization of Katerina in the play "Thunderstorm" by Ostrovsky: a description of the character, life and death of Katerina Kabanova
Lesson topic: "Who is to blame for the death of Katerina?" (Katerina's love in A.N. Ostrovsky's play "Thunderstorm")
The purpose of the lesson:- analyze the image of the heroine; understand why she decided to love Boris, what this love led to.
Finding out Katerina's suicide is strength or weakness.
Find out the character traits of Katerina, why she cannot live according to the laws of the "dark kingdom".
Learn to do text research.
Learn to express your opinion.
Lesson Form: dispute.
Methodical methods: conversation with analysis of episodes, student reports, musical accompaniment, use of film and illustrations .
Equipment: A.N. Ostrovsky's play "Thunderstorm", illustrations for the play, portraits of actresses who played Katerina, film "Thunderstorm", musical accompaniment, poems by A. Dementiev and P. Vegin .
During the classes:
Organizing time.
Organization of the group to work, mark the absent.
Presentation of the topic and objectives of the lesson.
Love is stronger than death, stronger than fear of death.
(I.S. Turgenev)
Music sounds: romance "Under the caress of a plush blanket" - 2min 35 sec.
What kind of love is sung in the romance? (love is self-sacrifice that leads to death).
The main character of the play "Thunderstorm" love also led to death.
The topic of our lesson is “Do not tempt me by loving!” (Katerina's love in A.N. Ostrovsky's play "Thunderstorm")
The epigraph of the lesson: "Love is stronger than death, stronger than the fear of death."
How do you understand these words?
When a person loves, he is ready for anything, ready to sacrifice himself for the sake of his beloved, ready to perform a feat in the name of love. The main character of the play, Katerina, is ready to sacrifice a lot in the name of love, even her principles, she rushes into the pool, not being afraid of God's punishment.
We must figure out why Katerina decided to love Boris, why Katerina committed suicide, Katerina's death - victory or defeat, identify Katerina's character traits, why she cannot live according to the laws of the "dark kingdom", what are the origins of Katerina's character. We conduct the lesson in the form of a debate, in which you must express your opinion - Katerina's love - is it weakness or strength? Katerina's suicide - is it victory or defeat? Can this be called Katerina's protest against the "dark kingdom"? During the lesson, each of you should form your own opinion on this matter, which you will express during the debate.
Implementation of homework.
To better understand the image of Katerina and its incompatibility with the norm and morality of the "dark kingdom", let's recall the previous lesson, the life and customs of the city of Kalinov, having completed the tasks.
Assignments: “Do you know the play“ Thunderstorm ”(Handout)
Students read the question and answer it orally
Homework question: Which of the heroes of the play does not belong to either the "victims" or the "owners" of the city of Kalinov? (Katerina Kabanova). Why? (She does not subordinate anyone to herself and does not know how to obey herself)
new material.
1) Character traits of Katerina.
Katerina - the main character of Ostrovsky's play, does not obey the "masters" of life (Kabanikha and Diky), the laws of the dark kingdom are alien to her, she lives as her conscience tells her. The names of the heroes have a symbolic meaning: Katerina - Greek. "purity", "decency"; but the name of Kabanikhi - Martha - Greek. “mistress”, “mistress”, this is how she feels herself in the play; the daughter of Kabanikhi - Barbara - from the Greek "foreign", "rude". Such Katerina by virtue of her character.
What character traits appear from the very first remarks of Katerina? (read out remarks) - inability to be hypocritical, directness.
Already from the very first remarks of Katerina, a conflict is felt.
Where did such character traits of Katerina come from, if the city of Kalinov lives according to other principles? (upbringing in childhood, in the home)
Let's compare Katerina's life in the house of Kabanikh and in the house of her parents.
At the parents' house:
- “like a bird in the wild”
- "mother did not have a soul in her"
- "not forced to work"
- “Embroidered, went to church, walked”
In the house of her parents, Katerina felt the cordial attitude of her relatives, relative freedom, listened to the stories of wanderers, pilgrims, attended church. Hence Katerina's painful impressionability and romantic attitude to life.
In the Kabanikhi's house:
- "withered like a flower"
- "out of love they scold you"
- "everything is forced"
- "I will not be afraid, you and even more so"
In the house of Kabanova, Katerina experienced a cruel relationship with her mother-in-law, which caused a constant spiritual rebellion, and Tikhon did not understand Katerina. And he lived on the orders of Kabanikhi.
The influence of life at the Kabanovs on Katerina:
A) Awareness of one's doom
B) Closure, disappointment in family life.
C) Passionate desire for freedom, love, happiness.
Now let's find out the character traits of the main character and what is her conflict with others?
Katerina's character traits - the principles of life in the Kabanikh's house
Freedom - submission
Independence - giving up one's will
Self-esteem - humiliation by reproaches and suspicions
Dreaminess and poetry - lack of spiritual principles
Religiosity - religious hypocrisy
Decisiveness - not to let live according to one's own will (bondage)
Kindness, disinterestedness - rudeness and abuse
Honesty, spontaneity - deceit
Conclusion: For Katerina, the main thing is to live according to your soul, and for Kabanikha, the main thing is to subdue and not let you live in your own way. Here there is a sharp contrast - an irreconcilable conflict follows.
What is your opinion on the question: How does Katerina differ from the inhabitants of the city of Kalinov? (spontaneity, kindness, sincerity, honesty, etc.)
Is Katerina's striving for freedom a protest or a state of mind? (Students' opinions)
2) Is Katerina's love for Boris a protest or a sincere feeling?
Love is the driving force behind the story. What is love? Definition according to Ozhegov's dictionary (Love of children, parents, friends, high feeling)
1) all the characters talk about love, especially Katerina.
2) We are talking about different love (love of parents, friendship, sons
and about love as a high spiritual feeling.)
3) The first and last lines about love belong to Katerina.
4) In 4.D, where the scene of Katerina's repentance is described - there are no replicas with the word "love" at all
Is Katerina's tragedy a tragedy of love or conscience?
A. Dementiev's poem "The soul does not want change"
Love is not only uplifting.
Love sometimes destroys us.
Breaks destinies and hearts...
Beautiful in her desires
She can be so dangerous
Like an explosion, like nine grams of lead.
She bursts in suddenly.
And you can't tomorrow
Don't see a pretty face.
Love is not only uplifting.
Love rules and decides everything.
And we go into this captivity.
And we do not dream of freedom.
While the dawn in the soul rises,
The soul does not want change.
So Katerina's love is not only an exalted feeling, but a destructive feeling, which played a fatal role in her fate, led the heroine to death. Cases of suicide in the patriarchal merchant world were not isolated - we will see this from the history of the creation of the play "Thunderstorm" (student report)
“On the instructions of His Imperial Highness, General-Admiral, Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich, prominent Russian writers who already had travel experience and a taste for essay prose were sent around the country for new materials for the Marine Collection. They had to study and describe the folk crafts associated with the sea, lakes and rivers, the methods of local shipbuilding and navigation, the situation of domestic fisheries and the very state of Russia's waterways.
Ostrovsky got the Upper Volga from its source to Nizhny Novgorod. And he got down to business with passion.”
“In the old dispute of the Volga cities about which of them, by the will of Ostrovsky, was turned into Kalinov (the scene of the play “Thunderstorm”), arguments in favor of Kineshma, Tver, Kostroma are most often heard. The debaters seemed to forget about Rzhev, but meanwhile it was Rzhev who was clearly involved in the birth of the mysterious idea of \u200b\u200bthe Thunderstorm!
Where the Thunderstorm was written - at a dacha near Moscow or in Zavolzhsky Shchelykovo - is not exactly known, but it was created with amazing speed, truly by inspiration, in a few months of 1859.
For quite a long time, it was believed that Ostrovsky took the plot of The Thunderstorm from the life of the Kostroma merchants, that it was based on the Klykov case, which was sensational in Kostroma at the end of the summer of 1859. Until the beginning of the 20th century, Kostroma residents proudly pointed to the place of Katerina's suicide - a gazebo at the end of a small boulevard, in those years literally hanging over the Volga. They also showed the house where she lived - next to the Church of the Assumption. And the code "Thunderstorm" for the first time was on the stage of the Kostroma Theater, the artists made up "under the Klykovs".
Kostroma local historians then thoroughly examined the Klykovo case in the archive and, with documents in their hands, came to the conclusion that it was this story that Ostrovsky used in his work on Thunderstorm. The coincidences were almost literal. A.P. Klykova was extradited at the age of sixteen to a gloomy and unsociable merchant family, consisting of old parents, a son and an unmarried daughter. The mistress of the house, severe and obstinate, depersonalized her husband and children with her despotism. She forced her young daughter-in-law to do any menial work, refused her requests to see her relatives.
At the time of the drama, Klykova was 19 years old. In the past, she was brought up in love and the soul of a doting grandmother in her, she was cheerful, cheerful, lively. Now she was unkind and a stranger in the family. Her young husband, Klykov, a carefree and apathetic man, could not protect his wife from the harassment of his mother-in-law and treated her indifferently. The Klykovs had no children. And then another man stood in the way of the young woman, Maryin, who works in the post office. Began suspicions, scenes of jealousy. It ended with the fact that on November 10, 1859, the body of A.P. Klykova was found in the Volga. A long legal process began, which received wide publicity even outside the Kostroma province, and none of the Kostroma residents doubted that Ostrovsky had used the materials of this case in Groz.
Many decades passed before the researchers of Ostrovsky’s work established for sure that The Thunderstorm was written before the Kostroma merchant Klykova rushed into the Volga. Ostrovsky began work on The Thunderstorm in June-July 1859 and finished on October 9 of the same year.
It can be concluded that such cases in the merchant environment happened, so the patriarchal foundations of society did not allow them to live freely, independently, but subjugated, enslaved. A woman could not love the one she wants, they married not for love, and she had to come to terms with her fate.
Katerina Kabanova did not reconcile herself, as did A.P. Klykova.
Reading the dialogue of Katerina and Barbara (D.2, yavl. 2)
Who did Katerina love?
Why does Varvara guess about Katerina's love?
What can be said about the principles of the Kabanovs' house? How has Barbara adapted?
Katerina fell in love with Boris, but Katerina's conscience, her religiosity does not allow her to transgress the moral law - to cheat on her husband. Katerina's torment was noticed by Varvara, who adapted to the laws of the "dark kingdom", learned to deceive and, secretly from her mother, meets her beloved Curly. It is Varvara who arranges a meeting between Katerina and Boris when Tikhon leaves on business.
Analysis of the scene "Seeing Tikhon" D2, yavl.3,4,5.
(Reading by role)
How do the characters behave in this scene, how does this characterize them?
What is the significance of this scene in the development of events?
(In this scene, the despotism of Kabanikha is revealed to the extreme, Tikhon's complete inability to not only protect but also understand Katerina is revealed. This scene explains Katerina's decision to go on a date with Boris.)
How does Tikhon behave before leaving?
(In order to understand Tikhon’s state of mind before leaving, one must clearly understand his position in his mother’s house, his desire to be freed from guardianship for at least two weeks. With a sense of relief, Tikhon utters his line: “Yes, sir, it’s time.” But it turns out that not yet everything.Mother demands that he instruct Katerina how to live without him.Tikhon realizes that by doing his mother's will, he humiliates his wife.
When Kabanikh's instructions become completely offensive, Tikhon tries to object to the bullying of Katerina, but his mother is adamant, and he quietly, embarrassed, as if apologizing to his wife, says: "Don't look at the guys!" The goal of the Kabanikha is to bring to the complete obedience of the household and, above all, the wayward Katerina)
Analysis of a monologue with a key. D 2, yavl.10.
Let's try to understand why Katerina fell in love with Boris?
We will find the answer in Dobrolyubov's article: “In this passion lies her whole life; all the strength of her nature, all her living aspirations merge here. She is attracted to Boris not only by the fact that she likes him, that he does not look like the rest of those around her, but her need for love, which has not found a response in her husband, and the offended feeling of his wife and woman, and the mortal anguish of her monotonous life, and the desire for freedom, space, hot, unrestricted freedom.
Reading a monologue. (student reads)
What feelings does Katerina experience, how are these feelings reflected in her speech? What is the meaning of the scene?
(Here, the victory of Katerina’s natural feeling over the dogmas of house building is revealed. Katerina’s speech is full of short, abrupt interrogative and exclamatory sentences, repetitions, comparisons that convey the tension of Katerina’s feelings.
After an excited introduction, Katerina's bitter thoughts about life in captivity follow. Speech becomes more restrained, balanced. Katerina disputes the original decision to throw the key: “What a sin if I look at it once, at least from afar! Yes, at least I’ll talk about it! .. But he himself didn’t want to. ” This part of the monologue is accompanied by remarks: after thinking, silence, reflects, looks thoughtfully at the key, characterizing the state of Katerina.
The monologue ends with a strong outburst of feelings: “I should even die, but see him…”
A love choice dooms Katerina to torment. She is dating Boris.
An excerpt from the movie "Thunderstorm" (scene "Date")
What is the complexity of Katerina's internal state?
(Katerina deceives and stands on a par with Varvara, this is not typical of Katerina's nature. The author shows the evolution of the heroine's state of mind - from confusion to the assertion of the right to love. Katerina "quietly descends the path, .. with her eyes downcast on the ground", addresses to Boris “with fright, but without raising his eyes”, “raises his eyes and looks at Boris”, “throws himself on his neck.”)
How is Katerina's struggle with herself shown in these monologues? (her monologues are tense, emotional, it is not the mind that speaks in them, but the heart.)
What is Katherine's determination expressed in? (decided on love with Boris, acted at the behest of the heart, not the law)
Conclusion: Katerina's love is a sincere feeling, she is not capable of hypocrisy and pretending, she acts at the behest of her heart, violating the moral and religious law - she cheats on her husband, and Tikhon did not seek to win Katerina's love, but lived on the orders and orders of his "mother", therefore Katerina did not find support and love in him, so she is looking for it on the side.
So. Is Katerina's love a sincere feeling or a protest? (students' opinions )
Repentance of Katerina (D.4, Yavl 6)
After the arrival of her husband, Katerina “simply became on her own ... She is trembling all over, as if she were having a fever; so pale, rushing about the house, just what she was looking for. Eyes like a lunatic."
Why has there been a change in Katerina? (Katerina was religious, cheating on her husband, she committed a grave sin, she went to deceit, which is contrary to her nature, so Katerina is hard on her soul, it is easier for her to confess, repent)
Since the drama is called "Thunderstorm", the motive of the thunderstorm is present throughout the play. Let's try to figure out how the title of the play determines the actions of the main character.
What do you think the meaning of the title is?
(Thunderstorm - in nature - the motive of an impending thunderstorm is constantly heard.
A thunderstorm in Katerina's soul - disagreement with the morality of the "dark kingdom", the desire to live according to her own heart, love for Boris, leads to confusion in the soul.
A thunderstorm in society - a conflict is brewing, the unwillingness of many to live according to the norms and
house building rules, free feelings awaken in an unfree society.)
Thunderstorm in nature - refreshing
Thunderstorm in the soul - cleanses
Thunderstorm in society - enlightens.
How the inhabitants of Kalinovo perceived a thunderstorm (as a divine phenomenon. As a punishment of God, Katerina is no exception, she is afraid of a thunderstorm, following religious motives)
How is the scene of repentance motivated? (read an excerpt from the play)
(A thunderstorm is approaching, which, according to the Kalinovites, “is sent to us as a punishment.” The gloomy color is enhanced by the scene of action - instead of the panorama of the Volga - a narrow gallery with oppressive vaults. Katerina is now “unarmed.” She is hurt both by Kabanikha’s hints and Tikhon’s affectionate joke. Weasel husband, before whom she is guilty - for her torture)
What is the difference in Katerina's state of mind in D.1 and D.4?
(The difference in Katerina’s state of mind is also expressed in her exclamations after the mistress’s departure in D.1 “Oh, how she frightened me, I’m trembling all over, as if she was prophesying something to me; D.4.: “Oh, I’m dying!” Katerina waiting for God's punishment. She seeks protection from God, kneels down and sees the image of hell in front of her. Thus Ostrovsky leads to the climax of the play - the scene of repentance.)
D.4.yavl.6. - Read the passage. How does Katerina feel now?
(If the victory of love in Katerina's soul is revealed in the monologue with the key and in the meeting scene, then in the scene of repentance, the power of the norms of religious morality gravitating over Katerina is clearly revealed.)
(If Katerina hid her sin, learned to pretend and deceive, continued to go on dates with Boris, then this would mean that Katerina adapted to the surrounding society, reconciled with its moral principles, despotism)
What explains Katherine's remorse?
(Katerina’s repentance is explained not only by the fear of God’s punishment, but also by the fact that her high morality rebels against the deceit that entered her life. She said about herself: “I don’t know how to deceive, I can’t hide anything.” For Katerina's moral assessment of one's actions and thoughts is an important aspect of spiritual life, and in Katerina's public recognition one can see an attempt to atone for her guilt, severely punish herself, an attempt at moral purification.)
Could Katherine have found a way to save her soul? Why? (students' opinions)
Farewell to Boris. (D.5, Yavl 3.4)
(Reading an excerpt)
The romance "And in the end I will say" sounds
Katerina rushes into the Volga, not reconciled with the laws of the "dark kingdom".
Why Boris couldn’t save Katerina (He was a “victim” of the “dark kingdom”, lived under the influence of the Wild, and could not disobey him, obeyed him and could not, like Katerina, oppose captivity because of the fear of the “victim”)
What can be the conclusion?
Conclusion: Katerina never betrayed herself, she decided on love at the behest of her heart, she confessed to treason from an inner sense of freedom (a lie is not freedom), she says goodbye to Boris not only because of a feeling of love, but also because he suffered because of her, rushed into the Volga at the request of a free soul.
Prove that Katerina's death is a protest.
(The timid Tikhon blames his mother for the death of his wife, Varvara runs away from home)
Who will pray for the heroines who died for love?
P. Vegin's poem "Keeper of the Hearth"
You are destroying the hearth.
Blue fire is boiling
In desperate eyes
Warrior in love
What is drama to you, what is shame?
And you destroy the house
To build a temple.
The heroine of the play, destroying her family, went to love, experienced moments of happiness, built a temple of love, probably the goddess of love will pray for her soul.
Will the city of Kalinov be able to live as before after Katerina's death? (students' opinions)
Work according to the textbook (Reserve)
The role of Katerina was played by many actresses, all of them approached the interpretation of this image in different ways.
"Performers of the roles of Katerina"
1- Kositskaya
2-Fedotova
3-Strepetova
4-Yermolova
5-Tarasova
6-Kozyreva
Textbook work: How did the actresses embody the image of Katerina?
Conclusion: Diverse stage incarnations are a continuation of the controversy: is it strength or weakness? Protest or humility?
6. Critics about the play.
What is a critic to do here?
Student Message
Dobrolyubov "A Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom"
- "Thunderstorm" is the revolutionary forces ripening in the depths of Russia
The critic noted strong, rebellious motives in the character of Katerina
In Katerina we see a protest against Kaban's notions of morality.
Katerina is a healthy person. Which found in itself the determination to end this rotten life at all costs.
D. Pisarev "Motives of Russian drama"
Katerina is a "crazy dreamer
Katerina's whole life consists of internal contradictions.
She constantly goes from one extreme to the other.
She confuses her life and the lives of others at every step.
She confuses everything, cuts the protracted knots by the most stupid means - suicide.
Apollon Grigoriev
I saw in Katerina the poetry of folk life
He noted the beauty of nature, the Volga, against which the action unfolds: “As if not an artist, but a whole people created here!”
7. Fixing.
T test task.
Lesson summary.
So, we examined in the lesson the image of the main character of Ostrovsky's play "Thunderstorm", what conclusion can be drawn about her? (strong, decisive, able to love, defend her feelings, but not able to lie, deceive, afraid of God - all this led the heroine to death)
Disassemble the diagram. (Met Zolotareva p.196) - draw a conclusion of the lesson
Submit ratings.
Lesson conclusion: Katerina is a strong personality who knew how to love, is ready to sacrifice herself in the name of love, but she is honest, sincere and therefore she is not able to pretend, deceive, i.e. live according to the laws of the "dark kingdom", she chose a way out - suicide, in order to save herself and her soul from remorse and get away from the norms and rules of the city of Kalinov.
Sounds of the romance "Love is a magical land"
9. D / s
Make a characterization of the literary hero - Katerina according to the plan (see the stand)
Alexander Nikolayevich covered the most important and especially topical problem of human dignity at that time. The arguments that allow us to consider it as such are very convincing. The author proves that his play is really important, if only by the fact that the issues raised in it continue to excite many years later and the current generation. Drama is being addressed, studied and analyzed, and interest in it has not weakened to this day.
In the 50-60s of the 19th century, the following three topics attracted special attention of writers and poets: the emergence of a raznochintsy intelligentsia, serfdom, and the position of women in society and the family. In addition, there was another topic - the tyranny of money, tyranny and old Testament authority among the merchants, under the yoke of which were all family members, and especially women. A. N. Ostrovsky in his drama "Thunderstorm" set the task of exposing the spiritual and economic tyranny in the so-called "dark kingdom".
Who can be considered the bearer of human dignity?
The problem of human dignity in the drama "Thunderstorm" is the most important in this work. It should be noted that there are very few characters in the play that one could talk about: “The majority of the characters are either unconditionally negative characters, or inexpressive, neutral. Wild and Kabanikha are idols, devoid of elementary human feelings; Boris and Tikhon are spineless, beings capable of only obeying; Curly and Barbara are reckless people, reaching for momentary pleasures, incapable of serious feelings and reflections. Only Kuligin, an eccentric inventor, and the main character Katerina stand out from this series. The problem of human dignity in the drama "Thunderstorm" can briefly be described as the opposition of these two heroes to society.
Inventor Kuligin
Kuligin is a rather attractive person with considerable talents, a sharp mind, a poetic soul, and a desire to selflessly serve people. He is honest and kind. It is no coincidence that Ostrovsky trusts him with an assessment of the backward, limited, self-satisfied Kalinov society that does not recognize the rest of the world. However, Kuligin, although he evokes sympathy, is still unable to stand up for himself, therefore he calmly endures rudeness, endless ridicule and insults. This is an educated, enlightened person, but these best qualities in Kalinov are considered only a whim. The inventor is disparagingly referred to as an alchemist. He longs for the common good, he wants to install a lightning rod, a clock in the city, but a rigid society does not want to accept any innovations. The boar, who is the embodiment of the patriarchal world, will not take the train, even if the whole world has been using the railway for a long time. Wild will never understand that lightning is actually electricity. He doesn't even know that word. The problem of human dignity in the drama "Thunderstorm", the epigraph to which can be Kuligin's remark "Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel!", thanks to the introduction of this character, receives deeper coverage.
Kuligin, seeing all the vices of society, is silent. Only Katerina protests. Despite its weakness, it is still a strong nature. The plot of the play is based on the tragic conflict between the way of life and the real feeling of the main character. The problem of human dignity in the drama "Thunderstorm" is revealed in the contrast between the "dark kingdom" and the "ray" - Katerina.
"Dark Kingdom" and its victims
The inhabitants of Kalinov are divided into two groups. One of them is made up of representatives of the "dark kingdom", personifying power. This is Boar and Wild. The other group includes Kuligin, Katerina, Kudryash, Tikhon, Boris and Varvara. They are victims of the "dark kingdom", feeling its cruel power, but protesting against it in different ways. Through their actions or inaction, the problem of human dignity is revealed in the drama "Thunderstorm". Ostrovsky's plan was to show from different sides the influence of the "dark kingdom" with its suffocating atmosphere.
Katerina's character
Interests and strongly stands out against the background of the environment in which she unwittingly found herself. The reason for the drama of life lies precisely in its special, exceptional character.
This girl is a dreamy and poetic nature. She was raised by a mother who spoiled her and loved her. The daily activities of the heroine in her childhood were caring for flowers, visiting church, embroidery, walking, stories of praying women and wanderers. Under the influence of this way of life, the girls developed. Sometimes she fell into daydreams, dreamlike dreams. Katerina's speech is emotional, figurative. And this poetically minded and impressionable girl, after marriage, finds herself in Kabanova's house, in an atmosphere of importunate guardianship and hypocrisy. The atmosphere of this world is cold and soulless. Naturally, the conflict between the bright world of Katerina and the atmosphere of this "dark kingdom" ends tragically.
The relationship between Katerina and Tikhon
The situation is further complicated by the fact that she married a man whom she could not love and did not know, although she tried with all her might to become Tikhon's faithful and loving wife. The heroine's attempts to get closer to her husband are shattered by his narrow-mindedness, slavish humiliation and rudeness. Since childhood, he has been accustomed to obey his mother in everything, he is afraid to say a word across to her. Tikhon resignedly endures the tyranny of Kabanikh, not daring to object and protest to her. His only desire is to break out from under the care of this woman, at least for a while, to go on a spree, to drink. This weak-willed man, being one of the many victims of the "dark kingdom", not only could not help Katerina in any way, but simply could not understand her as a human being, since the heroine's inner world is too high, complex and inaccessible for him. He could not foresee the drama brewing in the heart of his wife.
Katerina and Boris
Dikiy's nephew, Boris, is also a victim of a sanctimonious, dark milieu. In terms of his inner qualities, he is much higher than the "benefactors" surrounding him. The education he received in the capital at a commercial academy developed his cultural needs and views, so it is difficult for this character to survive among the Wild and Kabanovs. The problem of human dignity in the play "Thunderstorm" also confronts this hero. However, he lacks the character to break free from their tyranny. He is the only one who managed to understand Katerina, but was unable to help her: he lacks the determination to fight for the girl’s love, so he advises her to humble herself, submit to fate and leaves her, anticipating the death of Katerina. The inability to fight for happiness doomed Boris and Tikhon not to live, but to suffer. Only Katherine was able to challenge this tyranny. The problem of human dignity in the play is thus also a problem of character. Only strong people can challenge the "dark kingdom". They were only the main character.
Dobrolyubov's opinion
The problem of human dignity in the drama "Thunderstorm" was revealed in an article by Dobrolyubov, who called Katerina "a ray of light in a dark kingdom." The death of a gifted young woman, of a strong, passionate nature, lit up the sleeping "kingdom" for a moment, like a ray of sunshine against the background of gloomy dark clouds. Dobrolyubov considers the suicide of Katerina Dobrolyubov as a challenge not only to the Wild and Kabanovs, but to the whole way of life in a gloomy, despotic feudal serf country.
inevitable ending
It was an inevitable ending, despite the fact that the main character so honored God. It was easier for Katerina Kabanova to leave this life than to endure the reproaches of her mother-in-law, gossip and remorse. She pleaded guilty in public, because she did not know how to lie. Suicide and public repentance should be regarded as actions that elevated her human dignity.
Katerina could be despised, humiliated, even beaten, but she never humiliated herself, did not commit unworthy, low deeds, they only went against the morality of this society. Although what kind of morality can such limited, stupid people have? The issue of human dignity in The Thunderstorm is the issue of the tragic choice between accepting or challenging society. The protest at the same time threatens with serious consequences, up to the need to lose one's life.
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The question of choosing a soulmate has always been problematic for young people. Now we have the right to choose a life partner (companion) ourselves, before the final decision in marriage was made by the parents. Naturally, the parents first of all looked at the well-being of the future son-in-law, his moral character. Such a choice promised a wonderful material and moral existence for children, but the intimate side of marriage often suffered. The spouses understand that they should treat each other favorably and respectfully, but the lack of passion does not affect in the best way. There are many examples in the literature of such dissatisfaction and the search for the realization of one's intimate life.
We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the play by A. Ostrovsky “Thunderstorm”
This topic is not new in Russian literature. From time to time it is raised by writers. A. Ostrovsky in the play "Thunderstorm" portrayed the unique image of the woman Katerina, who, in search of personal happiness, under the influence of Orthodox morality and the arising love feeling, comes to a standstill.
Katerina's life story
The main character of Ostrovsky's play is Katerina Kabanova. From childhood she was brought up in love and affection. Her mother felt sorry for her daughter, and sometimes freed her from all work, leaving Katerina to do what she wanted. But the girl did not grow up lazy.
After the wedding with Tikhon Kabanov, the girl lives in the house of her husband's parents. Tikhon has no father. And the mother manages all the processes in the house. The mother-in-law has an authoritarian character, she suppresses all family members with her authority: her son Tikhon, her daughter Varya and her young daughter-in-law.
Katerina finds herself in a world completely unfamiliar to her - her mother-in-law often scolds her for no reason, her husband also does not differ in tenderness and care - sometimes he beats her. Katerina and Tikhon have no children. This fact is incredibly upsetting for a woman - she likes to babysit children.
At one point, a woman falls in love. She is married and understands perfectly well that her love has no right to life, but nevertheless, over time, she succumbs to her desire while her husband is in another city.
Upon the return of her husband, Katerina experiences pangs of conscience and confesses her act to her mother-in-law and husband, which causes a wave of indignation. Tikhon beats her. The mother-in-law says that the woman needs to be buried in the ground. The situation in the family, already unhappy and tense, escalates to the point of impossibility. Seeing no other way out, the woman commits suicide by drowning herself in the river. On the last pages of the play, we learn that Tikhon still loved his wife, and his behavior towards her was provoked by his mother.
Appearance of Katerina Kabanova
The author does not provide a detailed description of the appearance of Katerina Petrovna. We learn about the appearance of a woman from the lips of other heroes of the play - most of the characters consider her beautiful and delightful. We also know little about Katerina's age - the fact that she is in the prime of her life allows us to define her as a young woman. Before the wedding, she was full of aspirations, shone with happiness.
Life in the mother-in-law's house did not affect her in the best way: she noticeably withered, but she was still pretty. Her girlish gaiety and cheerfulness quickly disappeared - their place was taken by despondency and sadness.
Relationships in the family
Katerina's mother-in-law is a very complex person, she runs everything in the house. This applies not only to household chores, but to all relationships within the family. It is difficult for a woman to cope with her emotions - she is jealous of her son for Katerina, she wants Tikhon to pay attention not to his wife, but to her, his mother. Jealousy eats the mother-in-law and does not give her the opportunity to enjoy life - she is always unhappy with something, constantly finds fault with everyone, especially the young daughter-in-law. She does not even try to hide this fact - those around her make fun of the old Kabanikha, they say that she tortured everyone in the house.
Katerina respects the old Kabanikha, despite the fact that she literally does not give her a pass with her nit-picking. The same cannot be said for other family members.
Katerina's husband, Tikhon, also loves his mother. The authoritarianism and despotism of his mother broke him, like his wife. He is torn by a feeling of love for his mother and wife. Tikhon does not try to somehow resolve the difficult situation in his family and finds solace in drunkenness and spree. The youngest daughter of Kabanikha and sister of Tikhon, Varvara, is more pragmatic, she understands that it is impossible to break through the wall with her forehead, in this case it is necessary to act with cunning and intelligence. Her respect for her mother is ostentatious, she says what her mother wants to hear, but in reality she does everything in her own way. Unable to bear life at home, Barbara runs away.
Despite the dissimilarity of the girls, Varvara and Katerina become friends. They support each other in difficult situations. Varvara incites Katerina to secret meetings with Boris, helps lovers organize dates for lovers. In these actions, Varvara does not mean anything bad - the girl herself often resorts to such dates - this is her way not to go crazy, she wants to bring at least a piece of happiness into Katerina's life, but the result is the opposite.
Katerina also has a difficult relationship with her husband. First of all, this is due to the spinelessness of Tikhon. He does not know how to defend his position, even if the mother's desire is clearly contrary to his intentions. Her husband does not have his own opinion - he is a "sissy", unquestioningly fulfilling the will of the parent. He often, at the instigation of his mother, scolds his young wife, sometimes beats her. Naturally, such behavior does not bring joy and harmony to the relationship of the spouses.
Katerina's discontent grows from day to day. She feels miserable. The understanding that nit-picking against her is far-fetched still does not allow her to live fully.
From time to time, in Katerina's thoughts, intentions arise to change something in her life, but she cannot find a way out of the situation - the thought of suicide visits Katerina Petrovna more and more often.
Character traits
Katerina has a meek and kind disposition. She doesn't know how to take care of herself. Katerina Petrovna is a soft, romantic girl. She loves to indulge in dreams and fantasies.
She has an inquisitive mind. She is interested in the most unusual things, for example, why people cannot fly. Because of this, people around her consider her a little strange.
Katerina is by nature patient and non-confrontational. She forgives the unfair and cruel treatment of her husband and mother-in-law.
In general, those around, if you do not take into account Tikhon and Kabanikha, have a good opinion of Katerina, they think that she is a sweet and lovely girl.
The pursuit of freedom
Katerina Petrovna has a peculiar concept of freedom. At a time when most people understand freedom as a physical state in which they are free to carry out those actions and actions that they prefer, Katerina prefers moral freedom, devoid of psychological pressure, allowing her to control her own destiny.
Katerina Kabanova is not so decisive as to put her mother-in-law in her place, but her desire for freedom does not allow her to live according to the rules within which she found herself - the thought of death as a way of gaining freedom appears in the text several times before Katerina's romantic relationship with Boris . The publication of information about Katerina's betrayal of her husband and the further reaction of a relative, in particular mother-in-law, become just a catalyst for her suicidal aspirations.
Religiosity of Katerina
The question of religiosity and the influence of religion on people's lives has always been quite controversial. This trend is especially open to doubt in times of active scientific and technological revolution and progress.
In relation to Katerina Kabanova, this trend does not work. A woman, not finding joy in everyday, worldly life, is imbued with a special love and reverence for religion. Strengthens her attachment to the church and the fact that her mother-in-law is religious. While the old Kabanikh's religiosity is only ostentatious (in fact, she does not adhere to the basic canons and postulates of the church that regulate human relations), Katerina's religiosity is true. She piously believes in the commandments of God, tries to always observe the laws of life.
During prayer, while in church, Katerina experiences special pleasure and relief. In those moments, she is like an angel.
However, the desire to experience happiness, true love takes precedence over religious vision. Knowing that adultery is a terrible sin, a woman still succumbs to temptation. For ten days of happiness, she pays with another, the most terrible sin in the eyes of a believing Christian - suicide.
Katerina Petrovna is aware of the gravity of her act, but the notion that her life will never change forces her to ignore this prohibition. It should be noted that the idea of such an end to her life path had already arisen, but, despite the hardships of her life, it was not carried out. Perhaps the fact that the pressure from the mother-in-law was painful for her played here, but the notion that it had no basis stopped the girl. After her relatives find out about the betrayal - reproaches against her become justified - she really tarnished her reputation and the reputation of the family. Another reason for this outcome of events could be the fact that Boris refuses a woman and does not take her with him. Katerina herself must somehow solve the current situation and she does not see a better option, how to throw herself into the river.
Katerina and Boris
Before Boris appeared in the fictitious city of Kalinovo, finding personal, intimate happiness for Katerina was not relevant. She did not try to make up for the lack of love from her husband on the side.
The image of Boris awakens in Katerina the extinguished feeling of passionate love. A woman is aware of the gravity of a love relationship with another man, so she languishes with the feeling that has arisen, but does not accept any prerequisites to turn her dreams into reality.
Varvara convinces Katerina that Kabanova needs to meet alone with her lover. The brother's sister is well aware that the feelings of young people are mutual, in addition, the coolness of the relationship between Tikhon and Katerina is not new to her, therefore she regards her act as an opportunity to show her sweet and kind daughter-in-law what true love is.
Katerina cannot make up her mind for a long time, but the water wears away the stone, the woman agrees to a meeting. Being captured by her desires, reinforced by a kindred feeling on the part of Boris, a woman cannot deny herself further meetings. The absence of her husband plays into her hands - for 10 days she lived like in paradise. Boris loves her more than life, he is affectionate and gentle with her. With him, Katerina feels like a real woman. She thinks she's finally found happiness. Everything changes with the arrival of Tikhon. No one knows about secret meetings, but Katerina is tormented by torment, she is seriously afraid of punishment from God, her psychological state reaches its climax and she confesses her sin.
After this event, the life of a woman turns into hell - the already pouring reproaches in her direction from her mother-in-law become unbearable, her husband beats her.
The woman still has hope for a successful outcome of the event - she believes that Boris will not leave her in trouble. However, her lover is in no hurry to help her - he is afraid of angering his uncle and being left without his inheritance, so he refuses to take Katerina with him to Siberia.
For a woman, this becomes a new blow, she is no longer able to survive it - death becomes her only way out.
Thus, Katerina Kabanova is the owner of the kindest and most gentle qualities of the human soul. A woman is especially sensitive to the feelings of other people. Her inability to give a sharp rebuff becomes the cause of constant ridicule and reproaches from her mother-in-law and husband, which further drives her into a dead end. Death in her case becomes an opportunity to find happiness and freedom. The realization of this fact causes the saddest feelings among readers.
Katerina and Boris in the play "Thunderstorm" are the characters at the level of which the love conflict of the work is realized. The feelings of young people were initially doomed, the love of Katerina and Boris was tragic: Katerina was married, cheating on her husband and escaping with another person was below her moral principles. The author does not talk about the first meeting of Katerina and Boris, the reader learns about it from the words of Boris: “And then I foolishly decided to fall in love. Yes, to whom? Into a woman with whom you will never even be able to talk! She goes with her husband, well, and the mother-in-law with them! Well, am I not a fool? Look around the corner and go home." It was not love, but rather falling in love at first sight. For Katya, feelings meant much more. In such a hobby, the girl saw the very real and sincere love that her heart dreamed of. Therefore, the girl, whose upbringing did not allow her husband to cheat, desperately tried to calm her heart. Katya's decision to go out to Boris's garden was fatal. After ten nights of secret rendezvous, Katerina confessed to her husband and mother-in-law that she felt for Boris. The last meeting between Katerina and Boris happened after Katya's conversation with Tikhon and Kabanikha.
Each of the characters is looking for a meeting with each other, each has a feeling that they have to say something to each other. But both are silent. And there's really nothing to talk about. I must say that before the meeting, Katya was in a kind of borderline state. Fragments of thoughts and phrases, as if Katya wants to confess something important. The idea of a terrible lynching seemed to be in the air, not yet taking clear forms, but after meeting with Boris, the decision was finally made. What happened during their conversation?
Katya still hopes that she can be happy with this person, she begins to make excuses for her actions, to apologize, to ask for forgiveness. Her question about whether he has forgotten her makes readers understand that there have been some changes in Katya's feelings. Boris answers all the remarks of the girl in a detached way, showing that he does not need anything. Katya finds out that Boris is going to Siberia. And now, the last thing the girl decides on: “will you take me with you?”
The remark once again proves Katya's strength of character, steadfastness and faith in this love. The girl desperately hopes for a positive answer. In fact, dozens of other, more important ones were focused on this issue. “Do you love me?”, “What do our feelings mean to you?”, “Am I wrong about you?” - and many others. Katya talks about herself, and Boris, at such an important moment for the girl, recalls her uncle: “I just asked my uncle for a minute, I wanted to at least say goodbye to the place where we met.”
Notice, say goodbye to the place, and not to Katya. At this moment, Katerina receives answers to all her unasked questions, finally deciding to commit suicide. It is after these words that such a sharp and painful insight comes, which the girl was so afraid of and at the same time was waiting for.
Despite this, the girl thinks about saying something important. Really important. But Boris hurries Katya, he does not have much time. The girl is silent about the fact that she has already decided to part with her life - this is a sacrifice not for Boris, but for herself. Death is not due to unhappy love (that would make everything vulgar), but because of the inability to live honestly.
There is one remarkable detail in Katerina's farewell to Boris: Boris begins to guess what Katya has in mind, wants to come closer, hug the girl. But Katherine pulls away. No, this is not an insult, not pride. Katya asks Boris to give alms to everyone who asks her to pray for her sinful soul. The girl finally releases Boris. And Boris leaves, not understanding the scale and significance of this conversation for Katya.
Wonderful and fair words were said about the play “Thunderstorm” in his letter to A.N. Ostrovsky V.P. Botkin: “You have never revealed your poetic powers as in this play ... "You took a plot that is full of poetry through and through, a plot that is impossible for someone who does not possess poetic creativity ... Katerina's love belongs to the same phenomena of a moral nature, to which world cataclysms belong in physical nature .. .".
So, Katerina is in love with Boris. After reading this line, one can only sigh: "Well, all ages are submissive to love ...", or you can think deeply, because love for Boris became a real tragedy for the heroine of "Thunderstorm", intensifying the drama that she experienced, being in the "dark realm".
Katerina is a thin, dreamy, ethical girl. This is a man of high morals, simply stuffy, artless in relations with people. She does not know how to lie, pretend, hide her feelings. She feels deeply, therefore, once she sees Boris and falls in love with him, she can no longer do anything with herself. “Do I want to think about him? she argues. I don’t think about anything, but he just stands before my eyes. For married Katerina, faithful to her husband and pious, this love becomes a real moral torture. “It’s as if I’m standing over an abyss and someone is pushing me there, but there’s nothing for me to hold on to,” she describes her condition.
Being kind, Katerina pities her husband, whom she never loved and does not love, with whom she can never be happy. He is a weak, weak-willed person who allows himself to be humiliated in front of his wife.
Boris and Katerina cannot see each other, because the married ladies are kept in Kalinovo under seven locks. Tikhon's sister, Varvara, for whom there have long been no moral barriers, is taken to solve the problem. “And I was not a liar,” she says about herself, “but I learned when it became necessary.” It is unlikely that Katerina would have been able to master this science.
At first resisting, Katerina nevertheless accepts Varvara's services. She can no longer be in a suffocating atmosphere of hypocrisy, lack of freedom, tyranny, and she cannot overcome her love. The heroine commits a great sin - she decides to meet with Boris. Fate favors this: Kabanikha sends his son out of the house. Katerina experiences the current situation painfully, but she cannot overcome it. Several meetings with Boris illuminate her life with rays of happiness, but not for long.
Boris is dependent on his uncle, the merchant Diky. He is an orphan, and his grandmother in her will ordered that Boris receive a share of the inheritance only after coming of age and only on condition of a respectful attitude towards his uncle, which is basically impossible. Not because Boris is not respectful of his elders, but because it is impossible to please a Wild, domineering, rude, shameless and cunning person. Nevertheless, Boris continues to live in his uncle's house, patiently enduring all insults. There is no strength in his character that would help him overcome circumstances.
Once in Kalinov, Boris, like Katerina, feels uncomfortable. “It hurts hard for me here, without a habit! he says. “Everyone looks at me somehow wildly, as if I’m superfluous here, as if I’m disturbing them.” Love becomes an unexpected misfortune for him. “Hunted, downtrodden,” he exclaims, “and then he foolishly decided to fall in love.”
Boris cannot overcome his feelings. “If I have fallen in love ...,” he says, revealing his secret to Kud-ryash, and does not finish the phrase, because everything is clear anyway. However, he cannot take the first step either. Barbara turns out to be much more agile than him. Boris accepts her service, but he does not know how to answer for what he has done. Punished by his uncle, he obediently goes to Siberia. At Katerina's request to take her with him, Boris refuses - he is wary of his uncle. Boris actually betrays Katerina by leaving her in this position.
The heroine is stronger than Boris. It is she, who does not know how to lie, who speaks publicly about her love. She challenges the "dark kingdom" by throwing herself into the abyss. Boris, of course, sympathizes with Katerina, but the only thing he can do to help her is to wish her death.
Ostrovsky showed Katerina as a woman who is "clogged down by the environment", but at the same time he endowed her with the positive qualities of a strong nature, capable of resisting despotism to the end. About Boris, the critic N. Dobrolyubov said that he was the same Tikhon, only "educated." "Education took away from him the strength to do dirty tricks ... but it did not give him the strength to resist the dirty tricks that others do ... ".
