The drama of A. N. Ostrovsky "Dowry" is a remarkable play of the late period of the writer's work. It was conceived in 1874, completed in 1878 and staged in Moscow and St. Petersburg the same year. M. Ermolova, M. Savina, and later V. Komissarzhevskaya - the best actors of the capital's theaters - took on the role of Larisa Ogudalova. What captivated them so this wonderful heroine?

Larisa Ogudalova is distinguished by her truthfulness, sincerity, directness of character, thus reminiscent of Katerina from Thunderstorm. According to Vozhevaty, there is no "cunning" in Larisa Dmitrievna. With the heroine of "Thunderstorm" brings her high poetry. Larisa is attracted by the trans-Volga distance, the forests across the river, the beauty itself is beckoning - the Volga with its spaciousness. "Earthly, this worldly is not" - notes Knurov. And in fact: it is all as if raised above the dirt of reality, above the vulgarity and baseness of life. In the depths of her soul, like a bird, which she herself looks like, the dream of a beautiful and noble, honest and quiet life is beating. Translated from Greek, Larisa means "seagull", and this is not accidental.

Shouldn't you prefer your mother's lifestyle? Harita Ignatievna, left a widow with three daughters, is constantly cunning and cunning, flattering and fawning, begging from the rich and accepting their handouts. She set up a real noisy "gypsy camp" in her house to create the appearance of beauty and brilliance of life. And all this in order to trade as living goods under the cover of this tinsel. She had already ruined two daughters, now it was the turn of the third to trade. But Larisa cannot accept this way of life of her mother, it is alien to her. The mother tells her daughter to smile, but she wants to cry. And she asks her fiancé to tear her out of this "bazaar" surrounding her, where there are a lot of "all sorts of rabble", to take her away, beyond the Volga.

However, Larisa is a dowry, a poor, penniless bride. She has to put up with it. In addition, she herself managed to catch a craving for external brilliance. Larisa is devoid of integrity of character, her mental life pretty controversial. She not only does not want to see the vulgarity and cynicism of the people around her, but - for quite a long time - she cannot see. All this distinguishes her from Katerina. Abandoning her mother's lifestyle, she exists among vulgar admirers.

Larisa Ogudalova had to experience the indifference and cruelty of those around her, endure a love drama, and as a result she dies, just like the heroine of Thunderstorm. But with a seeming similarity, Larisa Ogudalova is the owner of a completely different character than Katerina Kabanova. The girl received an excellent education, she is smart, sophisticated, educated, dreams of beautiful love, but initially her life is completely different. She is a dowry. Larisa's mother is very mercenary. She trades in the beauty and youth of her daughters.

First, an old man with gout appeared in the house. Larisa clearly does not want this unequal marriage, but "it was necessary to be amiable: mother orders." Then the wealthy manager of some prince, always drunk, would "run in". Larisa is not up to him, but in the house they accept him: "her position is unenviable." Then a certain cashier "appeared" who bombarded Kharita Ignatievna with money. This one repulsed everyone, but did not show off for long. Circumstances helped the bride here: in their house he was arrested with a scandal.

Larisa Ogudalova falls in love with the "brilliant gentleman" Sergei Sergeevich Paratov. She sincerely considers him the ideal of a man. The master has a fortune, he fully corresponds to the idea of a noble and educated person. Its inner essence is revealed later. Larisa is young and inexperienced, so she falls into Paratov's trap and destroys herself. She does not have a strong character and becomes a toy in the hands of others. It comes to the fact that the girl is played in a toss. People around her consider her a thing, expensive and beautiful fun, and her sublime soul, beauty and talent are not important. Karandyshev says to Larisa: "They do not look at you as a woman, as a person ... they look at you as a thing."

She herself agrees with this: "Thing ... yes, a thing! They are right, I am a thing, I am not a person ...".

Larisa has an ardent heart, she is sincere and emotional. She generously gives her love, but what does she get in return? For her loved one, Larisa is another entertainment, fun. Out of desperation, she even agrees to accept Knurov's conditions.

Death is a kind of salvation for Larisa, spiritual salvation, of course. Such a tragic ending saves her from the difficult choice she is trying to make, saves her from moral death and falling into the abyss called depravity.

The only way out that Larisa finds is to leave this world. Larisa at first wanted to commit suicide herself. She went to the cliff and looked down, but unlike Katerina, she did not have the determination and strength to accomplish her plan. Nevertheless, the death of Larisa is a foregone conclusion and prepared by the whole play. Suddenly a shot is heard from the pier (this is what Larisa is frightened of). Then the ax in the hands of Karandyshev is mentioned. He calls certain death falling off a cliff. Larisa talks about Paratov's "indifferent shot" at the coin she was holding. She herself thinks that here on any knot "you can hang yourself", but on the Volga "it's easy to drown yourself everywhere." Robinson anticipates a possible murder. Finally, Larisa dreams: "What if someone killed me now?"

The death of the heroine becomes inevitable, and it comes. In an insane fit of the owner, doing a great good deed for her, Karandyshev kills her. This is the last and involuntary choice of the dowry. Thus ends the tragedy of the main character of Ostrovsky's play.

"Dowry" is a drama about the catastrophe of the individual in an inhuman world. This is a work about the tragedy of an ordinary Russian woman, a dowry with a warm loving heart.

1. What is the essence of Ostrovsky's play?
2. Acquaintance with the heroine.
3. The moral character of merchants.

4. The tragedy of the heroine.

essence dramatic work A. N. Ostrovsky "Dowry" is to show the contradictions of the surrounding reality through the fate of the characters. The writer, penetrating into the life of the described estates, depicts his heroes in action, revealing them character traits. The main theme of Ostrovsky's work is the drama of the individual in society. All lines of the play are devoted to the disclosure of this theme. Speaking of a woman in bourgeois society, the playwright reveals to the reader the true state of affairs.

In a quiet town on the Volga, there lives a girl of marriageable age, Larisa Ogudalova. There are many enviable suitors around, but Larisa is a dowry. Therefore, despite her spiritual qualities, she is at a disadvantage. These men claim Larisa only as a beautiful thing, talking about her as about another business. The lyrical nature of Larisa at first does not understand this, she is looking for love. If not mutual, then at least self-love. Therefore, in the absence of other candidates, she agrees to become the wife of Karandyshev, who loves her. With this decision, she crosses out a year of empty suffering for another person - Sergei Paratov, deciding that family responsibilities will help to forget about him. But Paratov reappears in her life. He decided to say goodbye to a free single life, maybe he hardly remembers Ogudalova, but Larisa is sure that Sergey Sergeevich came for her sake.

Larisa's mother, Harita Ignatievna, knows what her daughter expects, and her attitude towards her does not differ from the attitude of merchants - she also wants to profitably sell Larisa off her hands. She speaks with disdain to the poor Karandyshev, behaves a little familiarly with Paratov, she agrees with Knurov in everything, understands that he is ready to take his daughter as a kept woman and is glad of this, having received a wardrobe for her daughter and three hundred rubles.

Larisa has self-esteem, and she believes that the lack of a dowry will not stigmatize her. The conflict of the drama is in the contradiction between the girl's expectations and the harsh reality. When Larisa comes face to face with her, she rushes about, trying to maintain her dignity and pride. “Everyone loves themselves. When will someone love me? You will bring me to death ... ”, she says to her fiancé Karandyshev. Larisa cannot change her fate in any way - everything is decided in advance for her by others.

It is regrettable to realize this, but Karandyshev. even though he is in love with Larisa, he also treats her as a beautiful soulless thing. For Larisa, this is terrible. After all, she considers love the main advantage of her fiancé. He rejoices that she will become his wife, perceives this event as a profitable deal for himself. He now has something to boast about in front of these rich people! There is something to hurt them! But he is jealous and also hurt, because Larisa does not even hide that she loves Paratov! Because she believes that she waited for her love, having gone through suffering.

Karandyshev has one difference from other male heroes - he acts at the behest of his heart. He tells Larisa that for her sake he is ready for humiliation. How do others behave? What is experiencing for Larisa Paratov? Does she mean more to him than to others, or does he enjoy his power over a girl in love, as well as dexterity in deceiving the groom? How honest are those around her towards Larisa?

Judging by their actions, the main "moral" quality in merchant environment is business acumen. They talk about everything from the point of view of profitability, and feelings have no place where there should be only calculation. Merchants keep their distance from the rest of the population, and they are quite distrustful even towards each other. We learn their moral character in relations with Larisa. The imperious and prudent Knurov is emphatically friendly with her, says that he is obliged to take part in her fate. In fact, this means that he will take advantage of the hopeless situation of the girl.

Paratov is ready for anything for the sake of money, and his relationship with Larisa is like gambling, because he believes that in life you need to try everything. Unfortunately, the girl in love does not see his selfishness. The moral image of Sergei Sergeevich Paratov manifests itself for Larisa only when he, having seduced the girl, tells her about his impossibility to marry her. What did he choose? A more financially advantageous marriage to millions. Everyone learns about this event at the very beginning of the play. But, seeing how Larisa rushes about, no one tells her about it, including her childhood friend Vasya Vozhevatov. Vozhevatov is a soulless egoist who is not touched by Larisa's fate. He cannot even offer her help in a critical situation, because he is bound by an honest merchant's word. He plays Larisa in a toss with Knurov.

Knurov is a cynical businessman, he can only say to Ogudalova for the sake of a red word that “I didn’t think for a single minute to offer my hand,” but he is married, so he is ready to give her such satisfaction that all critics of morality will be forced to shut up. That is, there are no immoral acts - there is little money.

So human relations, morality, love, friendship are crossed out for the sake of business relations, for the sake of profit. Here is how Larisa herself sums up her life: “I was looking for love and did not find it. They looked at me and look at me as if they were fun. No one ever tried to look into my soul, I did not see sympathy from anyone, I did not hear a warm, heartfelt word. But it's so cold to live. It's not my fault, I was looking for love and didn't find it... it doesn't exist in the world... there's nothing to look for. I did not find love, so I will look for gold. Larisa makes a choice - she is ready to become a beautiful thing for the rich man Knurov.

As usual, the truth comes from the mouth of the one whose words are not taken seriously. Robinson says to Paratov: merchants are ignorant. And this is the softest characterization that can be given. Karandyshev is the first to open the eyes of the bride to her surroundings, he tells her cruel, but truthful words about those whom she considers friends: “They do not look at you as a woman, as a person - a person controls his own destiny; they look at you like a thing." He believes that he is obliged to protect Larisa and punish her offenders. But a transformation also takes place with him - his love is defiled by jealousy and revenge. He envies merchants and also wants to feel like a master.

After everything that happened, Larisa remains to become a toy for Knurov or die. Therefore, she thanks Karandyshev for accidentally fulfilling her desire: “My dear, what a good deed you have done for me!” Perhaps she herself would not have dared to take her own life, and having become the kept woman of Mokiy Parmenych, she would have lost herself. She takes the blame for her death by covering up for Karandyshev, who spared her further disappointment and suffering.

The inevitability of the tragic ending was prepared by the fact that Larisa does not hold anything in life. Nobody needs her love, the girl is alone in this world. She has lost harmony in her soul and does not see compassion from anyone. The drama of Larisa is that she was born in a world in which only money and power matter.

Now the triumph of the bourgeoisie ... in the fullest sense, the golden age is coming.

A. Ostrovsky

Money, gold, material values at all times were of no small importance for man and society. But there are times in history when money begins to play a primary role. They crowd out all other values because everything becomes a commodity. And then "it's good for someone who has a lot of money," as Mokiy Parmenych Knurov says in "Dowry". Ostrovsky devoted this play to just one of these periods, when a new class of the bourgeoisie was being formed in Russia, capitalist relations were being formed. "Mean times", according to the playwright himself. But they are inevitable in the development of the economy and are repeated at every new turn of history. Today we live in the same time. Therefore, Ostrovsky's play is relevant and interesting for the modern reader.

The theme of money in "Dowry" is already in its very title. From the first pages of the play, money is the main subject of conversation. Their presence or absence determines a person's place in society, attitude towards him. The owner of a huge fortune, Mokiy Parmenych Knurov, has no one to talk to in the city. Even the barman Tavrilo understands that he can only speak with his equals. And there are two or three such rich people in the city. Among them is the young merchant Vozhevatov. Even on a holiday, during a walk, they talk about profitable deals, about new acquisitions. They speak with the same feelings about the brilliant four horses of the rich man Chirkov, and about Larisa Dmitrievna. After all, she is also a commodity, an “expensive diamond”, which is being looked at and asked the price. When you read the play, you get the feeling that you are in an unusual market where everything is sold and bought: Knurov and Vozhevatov buy pleasure - with small gifts they pay for the opportunity to be in the company of a charming girl, and her mother deftly and willingly sells her daughter's youth, talent and beauty . “You have to pay for pleasure” - this rule is accepted unconditionally, and non-compliance with it would be simply indecent. Paratov sells not only his beloved ship, but also his will. The steamer goes on the cheap, but the shipowner estimated his will at half a million. This is the dowry of the new bride. But he almost “didn’t make people laugh”, succumbing to feelings and marrying the dowry Larisa. But a business person should know that “every product has a price”, even if it is about love, beauty, happiness.

The poor official Karandyshev hates the rich and self-confident masters of the new life. But at the same time, he really wants to become his own person among them. And he finds a way: to marry the dowry Larisa with a good noble family. Only he is not going to pay for his purchase, believing that his act itself is worthy of the poor bride's eternal love and gratitude. Marrying Larisa for him is compensation for the moral damage caused to the pride, pride and vanity of a poor person who wanted to live like a rich man.

Even main character, desperate to find love and understanding, decides to look for money: “If you are a thing, then one consolation is to be expensive, very expensive.” But when Karandyshev's shot prevented her from carrying out her plan, she thanks him for the "good deed" he did for her.

There will always be people who can't fit in new ones public relations. They do not want to accept other people's rules, to live according to moral standards that are not characteristic of them. And they have a choice: to remain themselves or become like everyone else. And for this you need to “step over” your beliefs, give up your own life values, that is, make a deal with the time that dictates its conditions.

L. Tolstoy and F. Dostoevsky will write about the difficulties of choice. And the heroine of Ostrovsky leaves the stage, passes away. Now is not her time. The Golden Age is not for everyone.

Russian playwright Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky created a whole galaxy of Russian characters. Mostly they were merchants: sedate, with a bushy beard. And if in some plays of the playwright one can meet real "tyrants", then there are works where Ostrovsky continued the traditions of Turgenev in the image female characters. The "Turgenev" girl is resolute, she can be the first to confess her feelings and will never give up her words.

In Ostrovsky's plays "Hot Heart", "Thunderstorm", "Snow Maiden" images of such heroines are created - resolute and courageous, but with a tragic fate. Even among such bright girls with a “hot heart”, one can be singled out - Larisa Ogudalova, the main character of the play "Dowry". An outstanding personality, she stands out from her surroundings and is strikingly different from her mother, who is trying to find benefits in everything.

She, Kharita Ignatievna Ogudalova, can be understood: she alone raised three daughters. Yes, only the two elders, married, had an unfortunate fate: the first Caucasian husband stabbed to death out of jealousy, the second was at the mercy of a cheater. Larisa is her mother's last hope: she sings beautifully, performs Russian romances, plays music, and dances. And the mother hopes that she will be able to marry such a talented and beautiful daughter well, so that she lives like Christ in her bosom. Therefore, she teaches: "It is better to humiliate yourself from a young age, so that later you can live like a human being."

In the view of a woman with a gypsy name Harita, humanly, this is when there are many men in the house, wine flows like water, compliments sound. It is no coincidence that Larisa's current fiancé, a poor official, Julius Kapitonych Karandyshev, compares life in the Ogudalovs' house with a camp. Only all the tricks of the mother are in vain, because Larisa is a dowry. And in the society that surrounds the girl, there is only money. The new masters of life, unlike the heroes of "Thunderstorm", are no longer petty tyrants: their power is based on money. “I have nothing cherished; I will find a profit, so I will sell everything, ”says another hero of the play, Sergei Sergeyich Paratov,“ a brilliant gentleman, ”in the author’s assessment.

And this is true: Paratov, whom Larisa fell in love with so much that she “almost died of grief”, easily exchanged her for the “millionth” bride - the daughter of the owner of the gold mines. Having left her without explanation a year ago, now, when Larisa decides to marry the “first comer” Karandyshev, Paratov, having appeared again, accuses Larisa of treason. At a meeting, he reproachfully says that he would like to know “whether a passionately loved person is soon forgotten: on the next day after parting with him, in a week or a month ...”

And Larisa, who has already told her fiancé that "Sergei Sergeyich is the ideal of a man," loses her head again. She forgives her beloved, who disappeared unexpectedly a year ago, and "not a single letter." Larisa is a romantic person, so she does not notice obvious things. She proudly tells Karandyshev how a year ago Paratov shot in cold blood at the watch she was holding in her hand. But this fact, rather, suggests that Larisa does not mean anything to him. In addition, Paratov is vindictive: having barely met Karandyshev, he manages to hurt the pride of a poor official, but insists that it is Julius Kapitonich who apologizes to him, the master of life. And then, at a dinner party, he gets drunk on him in order to once again humiliate him in front of people who measure everything with money.

It just so happened in Ostrovsky's plays: against the backdrop of resolute and courageous heroines, men turn out to be lethargic and lifeless. In the play "Thunderstorm", the husband of Katerina Kabanova depends on her mother in everything, which as a result leads to tragedy: his young wife voluntarily passes away.

In "Dowry" the situation is similar: out of desperation, agreeing to marry Karandyshev, she begs him to leave for the village to start a new life, little reminiscent of the former camp. But the petty official, who endured ridicule in the hope of waiting for reciprocity from Larisa, is now "spreading his wings." He wants to wipe out the representatives of the upper class, and he gives a dinner in honor of Larisa Dmitrievna to say: she chose the most worthy person for her suitors - him, Yuli Kapitonych. This is his revenge for the envy that he had to experience every time he saw Larisa's beautiful and successful fans.

But by this act, he even more causes contempt from those who are used to drinking champagne in the morning and having lunch in a restaurant. After all, he, a poor official, has enough money only for cheap liquor, the bottles from which are carefully sealed with labels from expensive wine. And if Larisa, in response to accusations of treason by Paratov, says that her fiancé has the most important advantage - he loves her, then in the final she is disappointed in him. She disgustedly tells her ex-fiance, who is kneeling before her: “You are too insignificant for me,” and then bitterly admits: “I was looking for love and did not find it.”

It is difficult to find love in a society where everything is just bought and sold. Paratov is selling his favorite ship, the Lastochka, because he found a profit - a bride with a million dollar dowry. But he commits a much more vile act: having humiliated her fiancé in the eyes of Larisa, he gives hope for the future and, taking advantage of the situation, seduces the poor girl, and then confesses that he is engaged - he has “golden chains”. That's when the epiphany comes to the heroine. She understands that everyone around her, even her own mother, looks at her as a thing, for fun.

She does not have the courage to commit suicide, as Katerina did in The Thunderstorm, but she finds the strength to admit that no one has ever tried to look into her soul, she has not seen sympathy from anyone, has not heard a warm word. Larisa passes a terrible sentence to herself: "I did not find love, so I will look for gold." And she is really ready to ride to an exhibition in Paris with the middle-aged merchant Knurov, who won her in the "toss" from a younger rival, she is ready to become his kept woman, that is, to sell herself at a higher price, because for her there is only one consolation: if you are to be a thing, then very expensive.

The finale of this psychological play is a foregone conclusion. Sobered up, but rejected, Karandyshev shoots at Larisa, and for her this becomes a salvation. Now she cannot be bought or sold - she remains free and truly happy. She dies with words of forgiveness on her lips. Thus, the author shows that death is a tragic way out of the insoluble moral contradictions of time, a sentence to a society that is not able to preserve the treasure of a spiritual personality, beauty and talent.

Larisa Ogudalova is the main character of A. N. Ostrovsky's play "The Dowry", which was first published in "Notes of the Fatherland" in 1879. In the dramaturgy of Ostrovsky in the 1970s and 1980s, the theme of the power of money, property, wealth in the era of the “triumph of the bourgeoisie” becomes the main one. The playwright continues to look for forces in Russian life that could withstand the elements of unbridled predation, humiliation of human dignity, cold calculation and selfishness. The writer's anxiety is especially felt for the fate of a person "with a warm heart", who, even at this prudent time, continues to live with feeling, looking for love, understanding, happiness. Such is the heroine of the play "Dowry".

Larisa has everything - intelligence, talent, beauty, sensitivity. She is pure in heart and selfless. She reaches out to people, trusts them, hopes for understanding and a reciprocal feeling. But Larisa is a dowry, and this predetermines her tragic fate.

Larisa's mother seeks to marry off her daughter more profitably, she tries to teach Larisa to live by the rules dictated by time, forcing her daughter to lie, to be nice to richer young people. But the heroine of the play cannot act according to calculation. She gives her heart to Sergey Sergeevich Paratov, handsome, smart and strong. But Paratov is a man of his time, living by the principle: "There is a price for every product." Larisa is also a commodity for him. And he is not ready to pay with his material well-being for love and happiness. Paratov marries a rich bride, or rather, in gold mines, which are given to her as a dowry.

Not finding love, Larisa tries to live "like everyone else." She decides to marry the poor Official Yuli Kapitonovich Karandyshev. In her chosen one, Larisa is looking for traits worthy of respect: “I should at least respect my husband,” she says. But it is difficult to respect Karandyshev. In his vain attempts to compare with Knurov and Vozhevatov, he looks ridiculous and pathetic. He does not hear Larisa's plea to leave for the village, where she hopes to find at least peace of mind. It is more important for Julius Kapitonovich to “in turn laugh” at those whose humiliations he endured for three years. He is not up to the torment of Larisa!

After breaking up with Karandyshev, after deceiving Paratov, Larisa is looking for simple human sympathy, turning to her childhood friend Vozhevatov: “Well, at least cry with me,” she asks him. However, Vozhevatov has already lost to Knurov the opportunity to influence the fate of Larisa. “I can’t, I can’t do anything,” is Vozhevatov’s answer to Larisa. material from the site

Finding no love, no respect, no simple compassion and understanding, Larisa loses the meaning of life. She says bitterly: “They looked at me and look at me as if they were fun. No one ever tried to look into my soul, I did not see sympathy from anyone, I did not hear a warm, heartfelt word. But it’s cold to live like that.”

Karandyshev's shot becomes for her deliverance from mental anguish, from the vulgar life of a "thing", a toy in the hands of those who can pay for it. “To die while there is nothing to reproach yourself with yet” is the best thing that remains for a “hot heart” in the world of calculation and vanity.

This is Larisa's personal tragedy. But this is also the tragedy of a society where money rules and a person's happiness is measured only by their quantity.

Didn't find what you were looking for? Use the search

On this page, material on the topics:

the tragedy of Larisa the dowry
than the tragedy of the fate of Larisa Ogudalova
a message on the topic of what is the tragedy of Larisa
Ostrovsky dowry What is the tragedy of Ogudalova
what could be the fate of Larisa in a dowry

Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky's play "The Dowry" is considered to be a true masterpiece of Russian dramaturgy. It compares favorably with deep psychologism, colorful images, and the acuteness of social and personal issues. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the literary analysis of the work according to the plan, which will be useful to students in grade 10 in preparation for a lesson in literature.

Brief analysis

Year of writing- 1874-1878 years.

History of creation- As the basis of the plot, Ostrovsky, who held the honorary position of a justice of the peace, took the real story of the death of a young woman who died at the hands of her own husband. The author worked on the play for four years, from 1874 to 1878. At first, the work did not receive recognition, but after a while it became a resounding success.

Topic- Distorted relationships in a society in which the principles of "purchase and sale" reign. Any person, any act can be bought, the only question is the price.

Composition– A work consisting of four acts is characterized by a linear composition. The first act is the exposition and application (Arrival of Paratov), the second act is the development of the plot (Larisa's strong love for Paratov, for which she is ready for great sacrifices), the third act is the culmination (lunch at Karandyshev's), the fourth act is the denouement (Larisa's death) .

Genre- A play. Socio-psychological drama.

Direction- Realism.

History of writing

In the 70s of the 19th century, Alexander Nikolayevich served as a magistrate of the Kineshma district. On duty, he took part in high-profile court hearings and was well acquainted with the criminal chronicle of that time. All this gave Ostrovsky, as a writer, a rich literary material which he often used in his works.

Presumably, the plot of "Dowry" was based on real history, which shook the entire Kineshma district, when a local resident Ivan Konovalov killed his own young beautiful wife.

Ostrovsky began writing the play in the autumn of 1874. However, parallel work on other works delayed her writing for four long years. Having successfully passed the censorship, "Dowry" was published in 1879 in the literary magazine "Domestic Notes".

The first performances were a failure and caused sharp criticism in their address. Such rejection was due to the fact that the author managed to open painful ulcers on the body of society. Such courage was not to everyone's taste, and was received with hostility by both theater critics and ordinary readers.

And only in the 90s of the 19th century, almost 10 years after the death of the writer, the well-deserved success came to the play.

Topic

The essence of Ostrovsky's drama fully reflects the meaning of the title- "Dowry". Previously, this was the name of poor girls who did not have a penny for their souls. Their position was very humiliating and difficult - rarely did anyone want to create a family with a dependent, who had to be fully supported all his life. Only beauty, upbringing and inner qualities could attract the attention of a worthy groom, ready to turn a blind eye to the lack of a dowry from the bride.

Thus, the author draws one of the serious problems of a society in which a person appears as a commodity that can be bought or sold. Few people are interested in the personality of a person, his emotional experiences, since everyone pursues only one goal - not to sell too cheap.

Larisa Ogudalova is a sensitive, kind and vulnerable girl, a real beauty, who, nevertheless, has one significant drawback - the lack of a dowry. They see the meaning of their lives in the search true love, and soon finds her in the face of Sergei Paratov. She sees his image in a kind of halo, endowing him with virtues that do not exist in reality.

However, soon the romantic veil falls from the eyes of the heroine, and she sensibly assesses the current situation. The people around her, including her own mother, see in her only luxurious fun, an expensive toy that can be boasted in society. Even in close circle, no one seeks to look into her soul, to show sincere participation in her.

Larisa comes to the sad conclusion that she is a thing that should be sold at a higher price. The collision of a pure soul with a vicious material world invariably leads to a tragic denouement - the death of the main character. However, Larisa finds consolation in her death, as it gives her long-awaited freedom.

Composition

In The Dowry, the analysis includes a description compositional structure works. The composition of the play is sustained according to all classical laws, and consists of four acts:

first act contains an exposition and a plot (a description of the life of Larisa and her family, the arrival of Paratov);
in the second act a development of events takes place (Larisa is becoming more and more convinced that her personal happiness is possible only with Paratov, and for his sake she is ready to sacrifice a lot);
third act- climax (lunch at Karandyshev's, Larisa's singing, which, in fact, is a pure and sincere declaration of love for Paratov);
fourth act- denouement (the death of Larisa, who, at the moment of her death, from the bottom of her heart forgives all those who, one way or another, are guilty of her death).

All events take place during the day, which further enhances the drama of the story. Linear composition allows the author to accurately convey the motives of the behavior of the main actors. It becomes clear that their actions are largely determined not only by character traits, but also by the environment in which they live.

main characters

Genre

The play "Dowry" is fully consistent with the genre of drama, since it presents the difficult fate of the main character, forced to live in a constant conflict of her soul and society.

The purpose of the socio-psychological drama, to which "Dowry" belongs, is to reveal to the reader all the hardships that a person has to face in an alien environment. As a rule, the main characters of the drama expect internal contradictions, spiritual suffering, and, as a result, a tragic fate. But at the same time, the drama fully reflects the realities of life around, making you think about many important problems that prevail in any society.

Ostrovsky "Dowry" - composition "The tragic fate of Larisa in the "dark kingdom" (based on the play by A. N. Ostrovsky "Dowry")"

The heroes of Ostrovsky's plays are most often women. Of course, these women are extraordinary and extraordinary personalities. Suffice it to recall the heroine of the drama "Thunderstorm" Katerina. She is so emotional, impressionable that she stands apart from other heroes of the play. The fate of Katerina is somewhat similar to the fate of another heroine of Ostrovsky. In this case, we are talking about the play "Dowry".
Larisa Ogudalova had to experience the indifference and cruelty of those around her, endure a love drama, and as a result she dies, just like the heroine of Thunderstorm. But with a seeming similarity, Larisa Ogudalova is the owner of a completely different character than Katerina Kabanova. The girl received an excellent education. She is smart, sophisticated, educated, dreams of beautiful love, but initially her life is very different. She is a dowry. Larisa's mother is very mercenary. She trades in the beauty and youth of her daughters. Larisa's older sisters have already been “attached” thanks to the cares of a resourceful parent, but, unfortunately, their life is very, very tragic.
Larisa Ogudalova falls in love with the "brilliant gentleman" Sergei Sergeevich Paratov. She sincerely considers him the ideal of a man. The master has a fortune, he fully corresponds to the idea of a noble and educated person. Its inner essence is revealed later. Larisa is young and inexperienced, so she falls into Paratov's trap and destroys herself. She does not have a strong character and becomes a toy in the hands of others. It comes to the fact that the girl is played in a toss. People around her consider her a thing, expensive and beautiful fun, and her sublime soul, beauty and talent are not important. Karandyshev says to Larisa: "They don't look at you like a woman, like a person... they look at you like a thing."
She herself agrees with this: “Thing ... yes, thing! They are right, I am a thing, I am not a man...”.
Larisa has an ardent heart, she is sincere and emotional. She generously gives her love, but what does she get in return? For her loved one, Larisa is another entertainment, fun. Out of desperation, she even agrees to accept Knurov's conditions.
Death is a kind of salvation for Larisa, spiritual salvation, of course. Such a tragic ending saves her from the difficult choice that she is trying to make, saves her from moral death and falling into the abyss called depravity.

Ostrovsky's drama "Dowry" is built on the classical naturalness and simplicity of the characters' images, but at the same time on the complexity of their characters and actions. that they are simpler, easy to understand.

Goncharov, discussing the basis of Ostrovsky's drama, said that the playwright "as if he does not want to resort to the plot - this artificiality is below him: he must sacrifice to it part of the truthfulness, integrity of character, precious touches of morals, details of everyday life - and he more willingly lengthens the action, cools the viewer , if only to carefully preserve what he sees and smells alive and true in nature.

Ostrovsky's work does not fit into any of the classical genre forms, this gave Dobrolyubov a reason to speak of it as a "play of life". In "Dowry" Ostrovsky comes to the disclosure of complex, subtle, psychologically polyphonic human characters. He shows us a life conflict, the reader lives this short period of life as a resident of the same city of Bryakhimov, or, even more interesting, like any hero of the drama.

Larisa Ogudalova is the main character of the drama, all the action is around her, intrigues "roam".

Larisa is a girl, even more fragile, unprotected than it seems at first glance. In my opinion, it can be compared with a white noble rose. The girl is just as gentle and beautiful, it is not for nothing that she is called the "decoration of the city." But on the other hand, they say about Larisa that she is "an expensive piece of jewelry that requires a good jeweler." Maybe it would be nice, but here, in the play, these words sounded impudent and vulgar. After all, here Larisa is evaluated as a thing, in this case, as a precious stone. Of course, precious is flattering, but a stone is something cold, inanimate, insensitive, not at all suitable for Larisa's romantic nature.

Her soul is refined, bright, musical, sensitive and melodic. Larisa is like a spark in this city, like the heroine of one of the Russian romances that she loves to sing so much. After listening to romances in her own performance, she begins to dream of pure love, a strong family, a loving wife.

But things don't work out the way the girl wants. At the core of the drama social theme. Larisa is poor, she is a girl without a material dowry, but at the same time she has a rich inner world, which we will not find in any other of the heroes of the drama. Larisa lives in a world where everything is bought and sold, even girlish beauty and love. But, getting lost in her dreams, in her rainbow world, she does not notice the most disgusting sides in people, she does not notice an ugly attitude towards herself, Larisa sees only good everywhere and in everyone and believes that people are like that.

This is how Larisa made a mistake in Paratov. He leaves the girl in love for the sake of profit, destroys at his own will. After, Larisa is preparing to marry Karandyshev. The girl perceives him as a kind poor man who is not understood by others. But the heroine does not understand and does not feel the envious, proud nature of Karandyshev. Indeed, in his attitude towards Larisa, there is more complacency for owning such precious stone like Larisa.

At the end of the drama, Larisa comes to a realization. She realizes with horror and bitterness that everyone around perceives her as a thing or, even worse, wants to make her a kept woman, such as Knurov and Vozhevatov.

And then the heroine utters the words: "Thing ... yes thing. They are right, I am a thing, not a person." Larisa, in desperation, tries to rush into the Volga, but she cannot, she is afraid to part with her life, no matter how useless and unhappy it may seem to her.

The frustrated girl finally understands that in this world everything is evaluated by "the rustle of banknotes", and then she decides: "If it is to be a thing, then one consolation is to be expensive."

Karandyshev's shot is salvation in Larisa's eyes, she is glad that she belongs only to herself again, they cannot sell or buy her, she is free. Larisa Karandysheva finds a shadow of nobility and living human feeling, and her emotional drama and the end ends, for the first time the heroine feels truly happy and free.

Larisa Ogudalova is the main character of A. N. Ostrovsky's play "The Dowry", which was first published in Otechestvennye Zapiski in 1879. In the dramaturgy of Ostrovsky in the 1970s and 1980s, the theme of the power of money, property, wealth in the era of the "triumph of the bourgeoisie" becomes the main theme. The playwright continues to look for forces in Russian life that could withstand the elements of unbridled predation, humiliation of human dignity, cold calculation and selfishness. The writer's anxiety is especially felt for the fate of a person "with a warm heart", who, even at this prudent time, continues to live with feeling, looking for love, understanding, happiness. Such is the heroine of the play "Dowry".

Not finding love, Larisa tries to live "like everyone else." She decides to marry the poor Official Yuli Kapitonovich Karandyshev. In her chosen one, Larisa is looking for features worthy of respect: “I should at least respect my husband,” she says. But it is difficult to respect Karandyshev. In his vain attempts to compare with Knurov and Vozhevatov, he looks ridiculous and pathetic. He does not hear Larisa's plea to leave for the village, where she hopes to find at least peace of mind. It is more important for Julius Kapitonovich to “in turn laugh” at those whose humiliations he endured for three years. He is not up to the torment of Larisa!

Karandyshev's shot becomes for her deliverance from mental anguish, from the vulgar life of a "thing", a toy in the hands of those who can pay for it. “To die while there is nothing to reproach yourself with yet” is the best that remains for a “hot heart” in the world of calculation and vanity.

This is Larisa's personal tragedy. But this is also the tragedy of a society where money rules and a person's happiness is measured only by their quantity.

Didn't find what you were looking for? Use the search

On this page, material on the topics:

what is the tragedy of larisa in the drama dowry
what could be the fate of Larisa in a dowry
karandyshev july kapitonovich
What is the tragedy of Larisa Ogudalova
essay about larisa ogudalova

Larisa Ogudalova is the main character of the drama, all the action is around her, intrigues "roam".

But things don't work out the way the girl wants. The drama is based on a social theme. Larisa is poor, she is a girl without a material dowry, but at the same time she has a rich inner world, which we will not find in any of the heroes of the drama. Larisa lives in a world where everything is bought and sold, even girlish beauty and love. But, getting lost in her dreams, in her rainbow world, she does not notice the most disgusting sides in people, she does not notice an ugly attitude towards herself, Larisa sees only good everywhere and in everyone and believes that people are like that.

Karandyshev's shot is salvation in Larisa's eyes, she is glad that she belongs only to herself again, they cannot sell or buy her, she is free. Larisa Karandysheva finds a shadow of nobility and a living human feeling in a careless accidental act, and her emotional drama finally ends, for the first time the heroine feels truly happy and free.

1. What is the essence of Ostrovsky's play?
2. Acquaintance with the heroine.
3. The moral character of merchants.

4. The tragedy of the heroine.

The essence of the dramatic work of A. N. Ostrovsky "Dowry" is to show the contradictions of the surrounding reality through the fate of the characters. The writer, penetrating into the life of the described estates, depicts his heroes in action, revealing their characteristic features. The main theme of Ostrovsky's work is the drama of the individual in society. All lines of the play are devoted to the disclosure of this theme. Speaking of a woman in bourgeois society, the playwright reveals to the reader the true state of affairs.

Judging by their actions, the main "moral" quality in the merchant environment is business acumen. They talk about everything from the point of view of profitability, and feelings have no place where there should be only calculation. Merchants keep their distance from the rest of the population, and they are quite distrustful even towards each other. We learn their moral character in relations with Larisa. The imperious and prudent Knurov is emphatically friendly with her, says that he is obliged to take part in her fate. In fact, this means that he will take advantage of the hopeless situation of the girl.

Paratov is ready for anything for the sake of money, and his relationship with Larisa is like a game of chance, because he believes that everything should be tried in life. Unfortunately, the girl in love does not see his selfishness. The moral image of Sergei Sergeevich Paratov manifests itself for Larisa only when he, having seduced the girl, tells her about his impossibility to marry her. What did he choose? A more financially advantageous marriage to millions. Everyone learns about this event at the very beginning of the play. But, seeing how Larisa rushes about, no one tells her about it, including her childhood friend Vasya Vozhevatov. Vozhevatov is a soulless egoist who is not touched by Larisa's fate. He cannot even offer her help in a critical situation, because he is bound by an honest merchant's word. He plays Larisa in a toss with Knurov.

Ostrovsky's psychological drama The Dowry, like the play The Thunderstorm, is one of Ostrovsky's dramatic masterpieces. She is sharp public issues, colorfulness and brightness of characters, refined psychologism, the rarest in its expressiveness of the interweaving of social and individual-personal.

Almost twenty years separate "Dowry" (1978) from "Thunderstorm" (1859). Intensive changes in Russian life led to increased capitalization, "the triumph of the bourgeoisie." The action of the play takes place in the Volga city of Bryakhimov in the "present days" (that is, in the late 70s of the XIX century). The heroes of the play are Europeanized merchants who, in the words of one of the servants, go to talk "to Moscow, St. Petersburg and abroad."

Cross-cutting in the play, in many respects determining its conflict, is the motive of the omnipotence of capital. A significant part of the exposition of the drama "Dowry", the analysis of which we are interested in, is occupied by the dialogue of the millionaire Knurov with the representative of a wealthy trading company Vozhevatov. Both merchants, like most of Ostrovsky's characters, have significant surnames: "knur" - boar, wild boar, "chewed" - polite, courteous. Merchants are discussing sensational news: the consent of the first beauty of the city, charming and artistic Larisa Ogudalova, to marry a poor official Karandyshev, who is completely insignificant in the eyes of successful merchants. “Well, what is Karandyshev!” - Contemptuously declares Knurov (d. 1, yavl. 2).

From the dialogue of the merchants, we learn about Larisa's relationship with her beloved Paratov, who, according to Vozhevatov, "recaptured all the suitors, and his trace caught a cold, disappeared to no one knows where" (d. 1, yavl. 2). Larisa is in a hopeless situation, she is a dowry, and this main reason her personal misfortunes. The interlocutors also evaluate their own chances in competition for Larisa. The struggle for it, conducted almost according to the laws of the stock market game, reveals in each of the rivals all the immensity of their personal ambitions, the desire to establish themselves as the “hero of the day”. Whatever the merchants talk about, even about the most personal, intimate, the motive of buying and selling comes first everywhere.

Each of the characters in the play "Dowry" (Ostrovsky), the analysis of which interests us, in accordance with his ideas, strives to master the "art of life". Among the hierarchy of life values of merchants and nobles, wealth, luxury, and refined pleasures come to the fore. Knurov, who has a huge fortune, behaves like a person for whom "impossible is not enough." “Paratov lives with chic” - this is how merchants evaluate the lifestyle of the “brilliant gentleman”. “She loves to live happily herself,” says the young, lucky Vasya Vozhevatov, a regular in her house, about the mother of the heroine Kharita Ignatievna Ogudalova. The poor official Karandyshev, "a proud and envious man", striving for success and comfort, appears as a parodic double of Paratov. Karandyshev cannot assimilate the alien, inorganic style of behavior for him and goes astray. According to A. I. Zhuravleva's apt expression, he cannot "get into the image." And only the mentally refined Larisa, as it were, exists “above everyday life”, craves a spiritual and moral life, dreams of sublimely romantic relationships. Naturally, with such different ideas about life, they speak different languages with Karandyshev.

The question naturally arises: is Karandyshev sincere in his feelings for Larisa? Without a doubt, this petty official with great ambitions loves her in his own way. But this feeling is inseparable from his hysterical ambition, the desire to magnify himself, to present his “capital” to his rivals. M. V. Otradin correctly notes that the relationship between Larisa and Karandyshev "immediately manifests itself as mutual claims." Karandyshev, having barely become a groom, begins with accusations, behaves ignoblely, reminds his bride of life "in the camp". Larisa answers him with devastating, merciless frankness: “If I didn’t look for silence, solitude, if I didn’t want to run away from people, would I go for you?” (d. 1, yavl. 4). Romantically inclined Larisa does not hide from Karandyshev that her ideal man is Sergey Sergeyich Paratov. She perceives Paratov in the halo of high romance associations (M. V. Otradin), sees in him a bold, generous, exceptional person in everything. By agreeing to marry Karandyshev, Larisa changes her ideas about love and true happiness. However, Larisa's consent to marriage with an unloved person allows for different interpretations. Having lost, it would seem, the newfound happiness (Paratov left and forgot about Larisa), she does not lose hope for a decent and moral life. And that is why he chooses the path of marriage. “At least for Karandyshev, but marry,” Vozhevatov says, not without annoyance. It is noteworthy that Larisa's mother, Harita Ignatievna Ogudalova, is much less picky about the means of achieving well-being in life. She does not exclude "warm participation" in the life of the daughter of a rich man, as evidenced by her conversation with Knurov. “Well, how will this participation be found,” she agrees with Knurov (d. 2, yavl. 2). In the eyes of the eldest Ogudalova, the daughter is a commodity, therefore the marriage of Larisa or the “patronage” of a sympathetic rich man for her - her mother - are worth each other.

The main event in the first act is Paratov's return to Bryakhimov. His arrival is important not only for the influential people of the city. Both tavern servants and gypsies welcome him. Paratov is everyone's favorite. When he talks about the mechanics from “Swallows”: “He is a foreigner, he is a Dutchman, his soul is short; they have arithmetic instead of a soul ”(d. 1, yavl. 6), - the reader (viewer) has the right to expect that Paratov himself is a truly Russian person with a broad soul. Paratov strives to be perceived in this way. But here it is revealed that it is not difficult for him to find with merchants mutual language: “I, Moky Parmenych,” he turns to Knurov, “have nothing cherished; I will find a profit, so I will sell everything, anything ”(case 1, yavl. 6). This very frank self-confession is followed by a message about his marriage to a girl with a very rich dowry. Ostrovsky shows that in Russian society there is a process of erasing the differences between the estates. The big gentleman talks and acts quite like a merchant. The fact that Paratov, with his education and intelligence, his ability to feel the beautiful, serves the same idols as the merchants, dramatically sharpens the conflict, inevitably brings the catastrophe closer.

It is noteworthy that, compared to the mighty of the world this comic actor Arkady Schastlivtsev (in the plot his role is secondary) appears to be a more natural person. His reactions to the world are more direct, but this only aggravates his position as a jester, with whom the enlightened Russian tyrants of the newest formation “take their souls”. Larisa's fiancé finds himself in a similar buffoonish position, to whom rival men are constantly trying to point out his true place. Larisa herself correlates with Robinson, whom the "medics" look at as a thing.

During the meeting with Larisa (d. 2, yavl. 8) Paratov behaves like a director and an actor at the same time. His appeal to Shakespeare's Hamlet can be explained by the desire to play, change roles, masks. Paratov is an extremely egocentric person, accustomed to excel in everything and, above all, in love. His male pride is flattered that Larisa is still in the grip of passionate feelings. Undoubtedly, he belongs to the "predatory" type of heroes ("paraty" - strong, predatory beast). In response to Larisa's request not to abuse her frankness, Paratov hypocritically declares: "I, Larisa Dmitrievna, am a person with rules, marriage for me is a sacred matter" (case 2, phenomen 8). The truth of these words is refuted by all his subsequent behavior, the whole course of events. For him, marriage is a profitable deal, he sells both his freedom, and his attraction to Larisa, and the possible prospect of happiness with her for a large dowry of an unloved metropolitan bride.

Without exaggeration, we can say that self-love is the "Archimedean lever" that moves the action. “Everyone loves themselves,” Larisa says bitterly.

Karandyshev, planning a dinner party, cherishes a secret desire to laugh at the rich "buffoons" and take revenge on them. At dinner, he raises a toast to his bride Larisa - and utters a commendable word to himself. Karandyshev feels himself at the zenith of greatness, and his guests see only how ridiculous he is. In the struggle of ambition, the strong and successful win. Paratov, mocking the host of the dinner, achieves his goal: in the eyes of Larisa, Karandyshev is humiliated, and therefore destroyed. Larisa is released from internal obligations to her fiancé.

Karandyshev does not even think about the fact that for Larisa marriage with him is a compromise, that in the family she hopes to find solitude and peace. For him, to intermarry with the noble family of the Ogudalovs, to get a beautiful wife - "to play for a raise." Therefore, he dreams of a ceremonial magnificent wedding, which disgusts Larisa.

In the center of the drama is the fate of a charming and talented homeless woman, around whom frank and cynical bargaining is being carried out. In the process of developing the action, the “torture of feelings” (B. Eikhenbaum’s term) of the heroine drags on as much as possible. Paratov, who decided to destroy Karandyshev, does not think about how much pain he will cause Larisa.

The dominant motifs of the play are formed and supported by the musical romance element. Larisa sings a romance to the verses of Baratynsky "Do not tempt me without need." This elegy is dominated by disappointment, fatigue of the soul, inability to seduce love. The romance can be seen as the key to the heroine's drama. Larisa's singing is the voice of a suffering soul. The girl of the play, having a high romantic feeling for Paratov, tried, but could not come to terms with the role of the bride of an unloved person, whom her mother kept in the house "just in case".

In the analyzed play "Dowry" by Ostrovsky, as in romances, there are many internal paradoxes. Larisa's suffering, it would seem, reached the last line. And suddenly she heard in the words of the admiring Paratov what she had been waiting for and wanted to hear, in her own way she perceived and interpreted his unsteady, but passionate confessions. Her soul instantly responds to the loving, excited voice of her beloved. To live for Larisa means to love. Therefore, without hesitation, she agrees to go beyond the Volga with a man in whom she had already lost faith (case 3, appearance 12). Paratov's remark - "She will go" - addressed to Knurov and Vozhevatov, as if crosses out the entire previous situation (Karandyshev's matchmaking, consent to Larisa's marriage). Paratov always feels himself the master of the situation.

For Karandyshev, the flight of the guests and the bride is a terrible blow. His monologue: "Yes, it's funny... I'm a funny person..." (case 3, appearance 14) is full of pathetic intonations. And the reader (viewer) - perhaps for the first time - begins to sympathize with him. The psychological characteristics of this character become noticeably more complicated, his position is dramatized. Karandyshev is going to take revenge on his offenders, and this rebellion against them: “I will take revenge on each of them, each one, until they kill me myself” (d. 3, yavl. 14) is completely natural.

In Ostrovsky's "Dowry" a significant place is given to the motive of the game, which is multifaceted by the author both in the action of the play, and in the characters, and in the relations of the characters. This is also a cruel joke with the actor Schastlivtsev, whom Paratov passes off as a foreigner Robinson and promises to send him to Paris. But "Paris", where Schastlivtsev ends up, is a Brakhimov restaurant. This is a game of feelings and pride of the central characters.

This is one of the forms of embodiment of the conflict. In the second act, Paratov is talking to Larisa's mother. He playfully remarks: “It’s not for us, frivolous gentlemen, to start new turns!” (Javl. 7). In fact, he is far from gentlemanly: a noble gloss is his mask, and behind it are the nature and interests of the businessman. Harita Ignatievna is trying to reveal Paratov's game, to discover his secret intentions: “I understand: do you want to get married profitably?” Marrying the dowry Larisa is impossible for Paratov - this is a game not worth the candle: “After all, I almost married Larisa - if only I would make people laugh! Yes, I played a fool” (case 1, appearance 7). Yes, and the very relationship with Larisa, which awakens the passion of the player in Paratov, is a cruel, dangerous game, a completely conscious risk: “I will abandon all calculations, and no force will snatch you from me; except together with my life” (case 3, appearance 12). In the scene of recognition, Paratov's ornate speeches are regarded by Larisa as a play on words: “No, no, Sergey Sergeyevich, you don’t say phrases to me! ..” (d. 4, yavl. 7). The concept of "game" is also realized in the play in a metaphorical sense: "life is a game". “I have lost more than a fortune, I have lost you; I myself suffer, and I made you suffer” (case 3, appearance 12). The last action begins with a card game scene, followed by an episode of Larisa's tossing, where Knurov and Vozhevatov rely on chance.

The “cruel game” of Paratov and Larisa ended with the fact that the true Paratov finally opens up to the heroine, for whom calculation and profit are above all. Disappointment in a loved one for Larisa is tantamount to a loss of the meaning of life. Suffering from the betrayal of Paratov, the dowry does not find sympathy in anyone, even in her childhood friend, Vozhevatov. The last dialogue in the play, between Larisa and Karandyshev, goes on strong emotional swings. The murderous word “thing”, which Karandyshev finds for the former bride, becomes one of the leitmotifs of this last conversation. “I take you, I am your master,” says Karandyshev (d. 4, yavl. 11). But further, shocked by Larisa's intention to go to Knurov, he softens: “Larisa Dmitrievna! Stop! I forgive you, I forgive everything. Karandyshev begs to make him happy, confesses his love. And then - in response to Larisa's categorical refusal and contempt - a new emotional drop follows: "So don't get to anyone!" The ex-fiance of Larisa, who decided to protect her and avenge her (one of all and one against all), is not kept at this height and kills his beloved, confirming the view of her as a thing (B. O. Kostelyanets).

Larisa regards Karandyshev's shot as a boon. There is no Katerina's integrity in her, so Larisa found herself on the verge of compromise and moral decline, although she has a passionate dream of the purity and beauty of human relations. Death allows her to maintain integrity and height, not to lose her own dignity. But, as A. I. Zhuravleva emphasizes, “the more softness and forgiveness the heroine has, the sharper the judgment of the viewer.”

The meaning of the title of the play "Dowry", the analysis of which we have carried out, is focused not only on the social and domestic, but also on the moral and psychological conflict. “You can’t call Katerina a dowry. It is rich: behind it is the power of tradition, the strength of the people's worldview and folk poetry. Larisa is beautiful, but she is by herself, ”N. N. Skatov rightly noted. The heroines of two dramaturgical masterpieces by Ostrovsky appear individually unique and are among the most charming female images Russian and world literature.

Ostrovsky "Dowry" - composition "The tragic fate of Larisa in the "dark kingdom" (based on the play by A. N. Ostrovsky "Dowry")"

Drama "Dowry" (1879) became one of the pinnacles in Ostrovsky's dramaturgy. Here, each character is revealed with the utmost authenticity and persuasiveness. The play consists of a series of large and significant scenes, which are arranged in accordance with the logic of situations and situations.

Ostrovsky puts the fate of a woman at the center of the work, showing life from the most emotional and expressive side, contrasting the cold and soulless calculation and selfishness with the sincerity, gullibility and inconsideration of "hot hearts".

In "B" a piece of Russian life at the end of the 19th century is presented. The impoverished nobles Ogudalovs, living in the provincial Volga city of Bryakhimov, with difficulty maintaining the appearance of well-being and secularism, wealthy businessmen Knurov and Vozhevatov, "a brilliant gentleman from the shipowners" Sergey Sergeich Paratov, a poor official, "little man" Karandyshev, a wandering actor Robinson, a barman, servants, gypsies - such is the composition of the actors in the drama. The composition is quite colorful, but accurately reflects the signs of Russian life at that time.

The play is unusual in composition.. In general, this is a culmination drama, because it captures the moment of the highest tension in the life of the main character Larisa Ogudalova. The painful experiences of the “dowry”, a mental crisis due to a long and incomprehensible separation from Paratov for her forced the girl to make a difficult decision for herself - to become the wife of an uninteresting and unattractive Karandyshev.

Larisa, clearly idealizing Paratov, does not see his egoism and callousness and recklessly follows him, not in the least doubting his nobility. The shock of deceit turns out to be so heavy, and the situation is so irreparable - honor is lost, faith in a loved one and in love itself is lost - that life loses all meaning for Larisa. But in order to leave it, she does not find the strength in herself and is forced to accept the law of bourgeois society, where beauty, being a commodity, is bought and sold. Larisa is ready to become Knurov's kept woman, and only Karandyshev's shot put an end to doubts, torment, moral hesitation, cutting off the life of Larisa Ogudalova.

The play is structured in such a way that the main action develops in two streams - on stage and off stage. Only the most acute events take place on the stage, situations are shown that reveal the psychological complexity of relationships and sharp turns in the development of the plot. Everything ordinary, everyday or worldly known remains outside the stage space. Thus, the playwright omits the scene of Larisa's first meeting with Paratov, does not show her experiences after his departure (the viewer learns about this from the characters' replicas), there is no scene of Larisa's trip across the Volga with gypsies. The basis of the drama is not only the action, but also the psychological process.

"B" is a play about a beautiful, outstanding girl who finds herself in an ordinary bourgeois environment that looks at her as a bright, attractive thing. The theme of buying and selling permeates the entire work, is the main one and is announced at the very beginning of the drama, when there is a conversation about the “Swallow”, which was profitably bought by Vozhevatov from Paratov, about the pleasures for which “you have to pay” (meaning the pleasure of being in the Ogudalovs’ house ), that it would be nice to take a ride to Paris with Larisa Dmitrievna to an exhibition, and that this woman was created for luxury and she, like an expensive diamond, needs an expensive setting. All remarks about Larisa are not thrown by chance, they develop, and in the finale their truly dramatic meaning is revealed: at the most difficult moment for Larisa, when she realizes that Paratov cruelly deceived her, Knurov makes her an offer to go to Paris with him to the exhibition.

Larisa does not have that wholeness and inner strength that was felt in Katerina. Her soul rushes about with a dream of pure love, of a noble groom, between the desire to love people, to live according to the laws of honor, according to the norms of morality adopted in the noble environment, and the ability to moral compromise.

The playwright emphasizes the loneliness of Larisa with an unexpected device: the heroine dies to the “loud choir of gypsies”. Before her death, she perceives Karandyshev's shot as a blessing, as a deliverance from suffering. To the sounds of a gypsy song, Larisa speaks of love for people and sends a farewell kiss. At the beginning of the play, the Ogudalovs' house was compared to a camp, and the play ends with a camp song. Beginnings and ends, causes and effects, temporal and eternal have united. Dying, Larisa realizes that she is a stranger to everyone, but at the same time she does not blame anyone: “Let them have fun, whoever has fun ... I don’t want to interfere with anyone! Live, live everyone! her death is not an accident, but an inevitable death due to the inconsistency of this woman with a practical and cruel world.

"B" is a drama, but it is seen by the tragic e-you. A number of keynotes:

Simplicity, which is set off by the motif of wealth

At the beginning of the play, the motive of the tragedy arises: Larisa all the time feels herself over the edge of the abyss

Like Katerina, she recklessly shows her feelings all the time. Simplicity and stupidity testify to this.

The motive of the “man of the thing” is not only in Larisa, but also in Paratov.

the motive of the game - acting is characteristic of everyone except Larisa.

Dramatic conflict: “to be a thing is expensive” => having lost love, she accepts what is offered to her.

Death is a manifestation of weakness, not strength, as was the case with Katerina.

Two contenders for the heart of Laris - Paratov and Karandyshev. Both Knurov and Vozhevatov are related to the death of Larisa. However, Paratov and Karandyshev occupy a central place in the system of images. It was these heroes who pushed Larisa to the moral abyss. Paratov cruelly deceives the girl, uses her gullibility and selfless love, and Karandyshev, having no power over Larisa's heart, kills her.

At first glance, these characters are antipodes. Paratov is handsome, rich, "a brilliant gentleman from the shipowners," and Karandyshev is a petty, poor official with an uninteresting appearance. Paratov appears everywhere with chic, every gesture, every step draws attention to himself. Paratov easily finds a common language with people, arouses their admiration. Harita Ignatievna, for example, speaks of Paratov like this: “Well done man ... What a falcon! Look at you and rejoice." Larisa will deeply and strongly love Paratov, a brave and passionate admirer. Karandyshev, on the contrary, the girl, even agreeing to become his wife, almost despises. He is a straw for her, “for the cat. a drowning man grabs." None of the characters speak of him with respect. “Ch-to proud, envious,” remarks Vozhevatov. “Well, what is Karandyshev!” - with contempt and bewilderment gov. Knurov, having learned about Larisa's decision to marry this man. The envy of Karandyshev, his anger, the desire to be in the chosen society at all costs are unpleasant to those around him. Karandyshev and Paratov are rivals. M\u hero-mi there is a social. abyss. Karandyshev - "little ch-k", and Paratov - "master of life." He has a rule - "do not forgive anyone, otherwise they will forget the fear, they will begin to forget." And this is not an empty phrase, but one of the main qualities of Paratov, cat. can be defined as the nobility. However, with a deep analysis of the characters and actions of Paratov and Karandyshev, we can conclude that the characters have a lot in common. Both he and others are extremely proud and vain, they like to impress, they achieve their goal by any means. Both Larisa is needed for self-affirmation. She is a toy for them, a THING. Para-tov ensured that Larisa fell in love with him passionately, and he himself "recaptured all the suitors, and the trace caught a cold ..."

Returning to Bryakhimov and inviting the girl for a ride on the "Swallow", Paratov calmly sacrifices her reputation to his whim. For him, the trip is a cheerful farewell to a bachelor life, and for Larisa, it is a hope for a happy marriage with a loved one.

Karandyshev stubbornly waited for Larisa to be left without contenders for her hand, and he also achieved his goal: he became the girl's fiancé. He can not wait to experience the triumph of the winner, and after her consent to marry him, he already looks at Larisa as his property.

Both Karandyshev and Paratov are not indifferent to Larisa, but at the same time they do not value the girl, do not listen to her words, do not want to understand what is happening to her. The heroes revel in their power over Larisa. At the dinner party, Karandyshev rejoices, he is already enjoying his position as future husband, the complete ruler of Larisa. For her, he decides whether she will sing for the guests or not: “No, no, and don’t ask, you can’t; I forbid..." Both heroes are to blame for the death of Larisa. Both the “little man” and the brilliant gentleman do not have true sensitivity and the ability to love unselfishly in their souls. They believe that in a world where everything is based on calculation, you can buy honor, love, and beauty. Larisa idealized both Paratov and Karandyshev. She perceived Karandysheva as a person with a good soul, poor and misunderstood by others, she sincerely wanted to love him. Paratov was the ideal man for Larisa. She considered a hundred noble and reliable, dreamed of uniting her fate with him. Too late, the girl realized that in the world of profit and self-interest there is no place for love.

The originality of the fate of Larisa and Katerina in the plays of A.N. Ostrovsky "Dowry" and "Thunderstorm"

It is probably no coincidence that in the center of two plays A.N. Ostrovsky, each of which is the pinnacle of a certain period of the playwright's work, are women's destinies.

"Dowry" is separated from "Thunderstorm" by almost two decades: time has changed, Russian life has become different, but the fate of Larisa is as tragic as that of Katerina. Moreover, if we ignore the particulars, it may seem that the same eternal drama is being played out before us. Indeed, the initial situations and the alignment of forces are largely similar.

Both Katerina and Larisa are sublime, poetic souls who “do not fit into their environment. “What an angelic smile she has on her face, but it seems to glow from her face,” says Boris about Katerina Ostrovsky A.N. "Dowry" - S. 31

And here is how one of the heroes of the play “Dowry” says about Larisa: “After all, in Larisa Dmitrievna there is no earthly, this worldly. Well, you understand, trivial ... After all, this is the ether, ”Knurov. “Ether, Moky Parmenych,” Ogudalova echoes him. "She's made to shine!" - “for shine, Moky Parmenych ...” Ibid., S. 32.

It is not surprising that Katerina and Larisa, who are cramped, stuffy in the vulgar world around them, fell in love with those who at least somehow stood out against this general gray background. And if the deeply believing Katerina was not afraid of sin, then how could Larisa not rush recklessly into “love, a beautiful country”? Both Katerina and Larisa are romantics in the true sense of the word. Love for them is the main thing in this life.

And in the conditions of the then Russia, it was also the only way to realize one's strong, outstanding personality. One should not be surprised - in the context of Russian literature - that both Boris and the “brilliant” Paratov turn out to be much lower and smaller than the women who love them.

Men, as always, are held in chains: one uncle sends, another marries in the gold mines, so there is no time for love! Katerina timidly asks her lover: “Take me from here with you!” Ostrovsky A.N. "Thunderstorm" - S. 17. Larisa, already living in a different era, is trying to fight for her love, but the result is equally tragic. Katerina: “But I don’t want to think about life. Live again? No, no, don't! To die now... Sin! Will they not pray? Whoever loves will pray” Ibid., p. 18 in parallel with Larisa’s words: “It’s a pitiful weakness: to live, at least somehow, but to live. When you can’t live, and you don’t need to ... Ostrovsky A.N. "Dowry" - S. 30

DI. Pisarev believed that in the article “A Ray of Light in dark kingdom" Dobrolyubov was carried away by sympathy for the character of Katerina and took her personality for a bright phenomenon ... Pisarev D.I. Motives of Russian drama - M., 1956, S. 231. According to Pisarev D.I., reading "Thunderstorm" or watching it on stage, you will never doubt that Katerina should have acted in reality exactly as she enters the drama. You will see and understand Katerina before you, but, of course, you will understand her one way or another, depending on the point of view from which you look at her. Every living phenomenon differs from dead abstraction precisely in that it can be viewed from different angles; and, starting from the same basic facts, one can come to different and even opposite conclusions.

Katerina experienced many different kinds of sentences; there were moralists who accused her of immorality, this was the easiest thing to do: one had only to compare each act of Katerina with the prescriptions of the positive law and take stock; for this work neither wit nor profundity was required, and therefore it was really performed with brilliant success by writers who do not differ in either of these virtues; then aestheticians appeared and decided that Katerina was a bright phenomenon; the aestheticians, of course, stood immeasurably higher than the inexorable champions of decency, and therefore the former were listened to with respect, while the latter were immediately ridiculed. At the head of the aestheticians was Dobrolyubov, who constantly pursued aesthetic critics with their well-aimed and fair ridicule. In the sentence against Katerina, he agreed with his constant opponents and agreed because, like them, he began to admire general impression instead of subjecting this impression to calm analysis.

In each of Katerina's actions one can find an attractive side; Dobrolyubov found these sides, put them together, made up an ideal image from them, as a result he saw “a ray of light in a dark kingdom” and, like a person full of love, rejoiced at this ray with the pure and holy joy of a citizen and poet. If he had not succumbed to this joy, if he had tried for one minute to look calmly and attentively at his precious find, then the simplest question would immediately arise in his mind, which would immediately lead to the complete destruction of the attractive illusion.

Dobrolyubov would have asked himself: how could this bright image have been formed? In order to answer this question for himself, he would trace Katerina's life from childhood, all the more so since Ostrovsky provides some materials for this; he would have seen that upbringing and life could not give Katerina either a firm character or a developed mind; then he would look again at those facts in which one attractive side caught his eye, and then the whole personality of Katerina would appear to him in a completely different light. It is sad to part with a bright illusion, but there is nothing to do; this time too, one would have to be satisfied with the dark reality. Ibid., p. 234.

Goncharov I.A. believed that the drama The Thunderstorm undoubtedly occupies and probably will for a long time occupy the first place in terms of high classical beauties. From whatever side it is taken, whether from the side of the plan of creation, or the dramatic movement, or, finally, the characters, it is everywhere imprinted by the power of creativity, the subtlety of observation and the elegance of decoration. First of all, she strikes with the courage of creating a plan: the infatuation of a nervous, passionate woman and the struggle with duty, the fall, remorse and heavy expiation of guilt - all this is filled with the liveliest dramatic interest and is introduced with extraordinary art and knowledge of the heart.

Next to this, the author created another typical face, a girl falling consciously and without a struggle, on whom the stupid strictness and absolute despotism of the family and social life in which she was born and raised, acted, as one should expect, wrongly, that is, they led her merry way of vice, with the only rule learned from this upbringing: if only everything was sewn and covered.

The masterful juxtaposition of these two main characters in the drama, the development of their natures, the completeness of their characters alone would give Mr. Ostrovsky's work the first place in dramatic literature. But the power of talent led the author further. In the same dramatic frame lay down a broad picture of national life and customs with unparalleled artistic fullness and fidelity. Every face in a drama is a typical character snatched straight from the midst of folk life, drenched in the bright colors of poetry and artistic decoration, starting with the rich widow Kabanova, who embodies blind despotism bequeathed by legends, an ugly understanding of duty and the absence of any humanity, to the bigot Feklusha. The author gave a whole, diverse world of living personalities existing at every step Goncharov I.A. Review of the play "Thunderstorm" - M., 1986. S. 231

Lakshin V.Ya. believed that Katerina was raised high above the boring regularity of life, Kalinov's rough morals. “I ended up in a town,” Boris mutters bitterly and helplessly. And the point here is not only in the faces of the “tyrants”: the wild one is even picturesque in his ugliness, unbridled arrogance and drunkenness; The boar is both formidable and pitiful in her almost animal jealousy for her daughter-in-law, c. attempts to force everyone to build a life on their own. But the main thing is the feeling of stuffiness, the terrible pre-storm stuffiness of the city, which is so beautifully spread out on the Volga coast.

Katerina's "ideality" is not the girlish ideality of a naive soul. Behind her is the bitter experience of forcing herself: life with an unloved husband, obedience to an evil mother-in-law, getting used to abuse, reproaches, high blank fences, locked gates, stuffy featherbeds, long family tea parties. But the sharper and more dazzling are the flashes of her natural elevated attitude to life - the craving for beauty, for the religious ideal, for what is still glimmering in childhood impressions and for which there is neither price nor name. We can say that this play is about fear and a hostile feeling of freedom. A sudden desire to fly like a bird, and the memory of a pillar of light in the church, as if the clouds were walking and angels were singing, and the memory of the serene time of youth, when she ran "on the key" and watered the flowers ... Lakshin V.Ya. Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky. M., 1976

Maybe not so broad and intelligible are those concepts of beauty that Katerina’s heart feeds on, but this very possibility of the soul, its unfilled volume, its secret “valence”, the unfulfilled ability to absorb a lot into itself and combine with a lot, is important. Her exalted religiosity, unquenched desire for spiritual life - some kind of marvel in dead city Kalinov, where everyone needs fear, where there is a “thunderstorm” for all people.

The storm in the play is not only an image of a spiritual upheaval, but also of fear; punishment, sin, parental authority, human judgment.

“There will be no thunderstorm over me for two weeks,” Tikhon rejoices, leaving for Moscow. Of course, this is only one facet of the image, and the thunderstorm in the play lives with all the naturalness of a natural diva: it moves in heavy clouds, thickens with motionless stuffiness, bursts into thunder and lightning and refreshing rain - and with all this, a state of depression, moments of horror of public recognition and then the tragic release, relief in the soul of Katerina Ostrovsky A.N. "Thunderstorm", S. 15.

Such spiritual talent and such integrity, like Katerina, one reward is death. And love for Boris, honest, respectable, but not able to respond to this strength and brightness of feeling, the path to her death. and it cannot be otherwise: free feeling is doomed, retribution is already being prepared for it. What is to blame for this: tyrannical living conditions, traditional notions of "sin" or an existential sense of guilt? One way or another, the tragedy of The Thunderstorm is deep and genuine. Ostrovsky the comedian proved his right to be considered a dramatic poet. Ibid., p. 17.

This is something ... - the background of the play, revealing the precariousness and the near end of tyranny. Then the very character of Katerina, drawn against this background, also blows on us. new life, which is revealed to us in her very death ... Ibid, p. 18 In Katerina we see a protest against Kabanov's concepts of morality - a protest carried to the end, proclaimed both under domestic torture and over the abyss into which the poor woman threw herself ... Ibid , S. 22

If in The Thunderstorm, in the image of Katerina, the soul of Russian patriarchal antiquity perished, then in The Dowry, the gentle, sublime, poetic, truly incomparable (i.e., having no similarities, repetitions) Larisa was killed by the spirit of huckstering.

According to the critic K. Kostelyanets, A.N. Ostrovsky in Larisa draws the image of a girl who has no resemblance to herself, the incomparable Kostelyants B. O. “Dowry” A.N. Ostrovsky. -- L., 1982, p.56.

The drama The Thunderstorm (1859), written at the time of public upsurge on the eve of the Peasant Reform, crowned the first decade of the writer's activity, the cycle of his plays about petty tyrants, begun by "His people ...". The artist's imagination takes us to the small Volga town of Kalinov - with merchants' storehouses on the main street, old church, where pious parishioners go to pray, with a public garden over the river, where on holidays the townsfolk walk decorously, with gatherings on benches at the boarded gate, behind which watchdogs bark furiously. The rhythm of life is slow, sleepy, boring, a match for that languidly stuffy summer day, which begins the action of the play.

Watching the drama that gradually begins on this ordinary, meager background of vibrant colors, listening to the replicas of the characters, we will soon notice that two impressions, two motives in the play argue, are at enmity with one another, creating a sharp contrast. Together with Kuligin, we admire the beauty of the view that opens from the high bank of the Volga, breathe in the fresh air from the river and distinguish the faint aroma of wild flowers flying from the Volga meadows ... Somewhere very close there is a world of nature, space, freedom. And here, in the city houses, there is semi-darkness, the musty spirit of merchants' rooms, and tyranny, intoxicated with unlimited self-will, power over dependent and "junior" Ostrovsky A.N. Thunderstorm, p. 18

A.N. Ostrovsky - "bytovik" carefully paints the whole way of the patriarchal-merchant life, closed in four walls. A.N. Ostrovsky - a dramatic poet - makes you feel the beauty and attraction of another world - naturalness, the expanse of life, primordial freedom. The touchstone in the play is again love. Four heroes, one way or another, compete, hoping to find the favor of Larisa Ogudalova. But in the play, oddly enough, there is least of all love, and one can speak of rivalry only conditionally.

They talk about Larisa, admire her, claim her attention, decide her future for her, and she herself - in a strange way - all the time seems to be on the sidelines: her desires, her feelings are of no interest to anyone. Larisa must recognize the correctness of Karandyshev's insulting, like a slap in the face, words: “They do not look at you as a woman, as a person - a person himself controls his own destiny; they look at you as a thing” Ostrovsky A.N. "Dowry" - S. 24. Yes, and the fiance of Larisa - Karandysheva - seems to think the same way. Like Dostoevsky's heroes, small people with painfully inflated "ambition" and hurt by their addiction, Karandyshev is obsessed with petty-bourgeois envy of wealth and success. He stretches with all his might to be level with the others. Ridiculous are his attempts to gather a “chosen society” around Larisa, his plebeian snobbery is pathetic, forcing him to start at least a poor carriage with a horse, which Vozhevatov mockingly calls a “camel”. And his attempt to arrange a dinner party is completely absurd and ridiculous, started for the sake of the desire to “make himself big” in front of Larisa’s former admirers and ending so shamefully Ibid, p. 26.

In this world of vanity and lovelessness, the impressionable Larisa feels cold and uncomfortable from the very beginning. Here she silently sits down in the first act at the railing of the fence and looks through binoculars over the Volga, deeply lost in her thoughts. Penny passions boil around, the struggle of vanities, petty lusts, and Larisa is alone, alone with her thoughts and dreams. Reluctantly, with difficulty, as if waking up, she returns to the world around her ... Ibid., p. 28

According to the complex picture of the hidden spiritual experiences, "Dowry" represents, but the first word in the work of Ostrovsky and in this capacity anticipates Chekhov's psychological drama. Ostrovsky himself, probably, was aware of its unusualness and wrote this way, sending the drama to St. Petersburg: "This play begins a new kind of my works." Larisa accepts Karandyshev's shot as a mercy, a beneficence: death will not allow her to sink further and die morally. She thanks Karandyshev and dies to the loud chorus of gypsies, sending her tormentors a farewell kiss. In all this - and in death in the midst of a gypsy revelry, there is some kind of sacrilege. From this scene, amazing in its tragic depth, one breathes with grave cold indifference, complete disappointment in life and good ... Ostrovsky A.N. "Dowry" - S. 24

The feat of A.N. Ostrovsky the playwright, who created the Russian folk theater, is supplemented and reinforced by his feat as the guardian and co-creator of the living Great Russian speech, as it developed by the middle of the 19th century.

From his plays, we learn how Russian people spoke, quarreled, reconciled, declared their love, mocked, confessed, denounced, swore, met and said goodbye a hundred and fifty years ago. What made his word luminous was not an exact copy from nature, but the creation of a lively, characteristic intonation and phraseology. We know, say, the expression: "the heart is not in the right place." But Ostrovsky also has something else: “the heart of the house”, that is, the soul is good, calm. “To understand one’s heart,” according to Ostrovsky, means to clarify one’s feelings, etc. This depth and variety of meanings, the richness of verbal overtones, give an idea of what can be called the philosophy of language of the playwright.

While there is an abundance of shades of living speech, while the process of expanding the lexical universe, enriching and rethinking concepts, while the language pleases with sudden discoveries and sharp inventions for the native mind, while it retains historical memory about the word of the ancestors, we can assume that the people - its bearer - is on the rise, the people's soul does not dry out, but straightens out and is full of life. This means that in everyday life, relationships of people, in their work and trading activities there is still enough real, not alienated from life, and this is clearly manifested in the images of Katerina and Larisa. Ostrovsky A.N. "Dowry" - S. 26

The aspirations and desires of the people around her are aimed precisely at likening her to other women, imposing on her a way of life that is alien to her desires, but corresponding to the real laws of the world around her Ostrovsky A.N. "Dowry" - S. 28.

Larisa cannot and does not want to obey these laws, therefore the play, which begins with “chatter in a coffee shop”, ends in a disaster, but Larisa’s soul flies away cleansed and enlightened by suffering, forgiving everyone and blessing - life. The merchants in The Dowry (1878) bear little resemblance to those with whom the playwright introduced us in The Thunderstorm.

There is not even a trace of patriarchal rudeness, Domostroevskoy hardiness in them. The owners of trading firms and shipping companies, and not shops and storehouses, they wear European suits instead of merchant undercoats, they no longer live in the fables of the wanderer Feklusha, but breaking news Parisian newspapers.

Russia enters civilization in a bizarre way, in its own way. The millionaire Knurov is so important that he is silent almost all the time, not finding worthy interlocutors for himself - he travels to St. Petersburg and abroad to talk. Vozhevatov’s “Europeanization” is expressed in the fact that instead of the traditional merchant’s tea from a samovar, he drinks champagne poured into teapots in a coffee shop in the morning, “so that people don’t say anything bad” Ostrovsky A.N. "Dowry" - S. 30. With these new merchants, whom the nobles had previously despised as miserable "altynniks", Paratov, the "brilliant gentleman", does not find it shameful to make friends. The strife of the estates is gradually being erased, a tight wallet begins to completely determine the wearing, and only a special chic, metropolitan elegance and “breadth of nature”, or, more simply, a propensity for extravagance, still distinguish Paratov from the Bryakhimov merchants Ostrovsky A.N. "Dowry" - S. 32.

It is no longer the power of authority and established traditions, as in The Thunderstorm, nor the fear of the "seniors" that decide the matter in this environment. Frank cynicism, cold prudence, which does not consider it necessary to disguise itself, brazenly going on the offensive, confident in the irresistibility of the arguments of banknotes and checkbooks - this is what determines the psychology of the heroes of "Dowry".

Thus, the main characters of two, probably, the most popular plays by A.N. Ostrovsky differ significantly in their social position, but they are very similar in their tragic destinies. Katerina in The Thunderstorm is the wife of a wealthy but weak-willed merchant who is completely under the influence of a despotic mother. Larisa in "Dowry" is a beautiful unmarried girl who lost her father early and was raised by her mother, a poor woman, very energetic, to tyranny, in contrast to her mother-in-law who terrorizes Katerina, who is not inclined. The boar cares about the happiness of her son Tikhon, as she understands him. In both cases, the heroines are destined to die, although relatives and friends seem to wish them only good. However, much more important is not the similarity of situations, but the deep difference in the characters of Katerina and Larisa.