Shot from the film "Thunderstorm" (1977)

First half of the 19th century The fictional Volga town of Kalinov. Public garden on the high bank of the Volga. A local self-taught mechanic, Kuligin, talks with young people - Kudryash, the clerk of the rich merchant Dikiy, and the tradesman Shapkin - about the rough antics and tyranny of the Dykiy. Then Boris appears, Diky's nephew, who, in response to Kuligin's questions, says that his parents lived in Moscow, educated him at the Commercial Academy, and both died during the epidemic. He came to Dikoy, leaving his sister with his mother's relatives in order to receive part of his grandmother's inheritance, which Dikoy must give him according to his will, if Boris is respectful to him. Everyone assures him: on such conditions, Dikoy will never give him money. Boris complains to Kuligin that he can’t get used to life in the house of the Wild, Kuligin talks about Kalinov and ends his speech with the words: “Cruel manners, sir, in our city, cruel!”

Kalinovtsy disperse. Together with another woman, the wanderer Feklusha appears, praising the city for "blah-a-lepie", and the Kabanovs' house for its special generosity to wanderers. "Kabanovs?" - Boris asks: "Prude, sir, clothe the beggars, and ate the family altogether," explains Kuligin. Kabanova comes out, accompanied by his daughter Varvara and son Tikhon with his wife Katerina. She grumbles at them, but finally leaves, letting the children walk down the boulevard. Varvara lets Tikhon go secretly from his mother for a drink at a party and, left alone with Katerina, talks to her about domestic relationships, about Tikhon. Katerina talks about her happy childhood in her parents' home, about her fervent prayers, about what she is experiencing in the church, imagining angels in a sunbeam falling from the dome, dreams of spreading her arms and flying and, finally, admits that “something is wrong with her something". Varvara guesses that Katerina has fallen in love with someone, and promises to arrange a date upon Tikhon's departure. This proposal horrifies Katherine. A crazy lady appears, threatening that "beauty is leading to the very pool", and prophesies hellish torments. Katerina is terribly frightened, and then “the storm is coming”, she urges Varvara to pray home to the images.

The second action, which takes place in the Kabanovs' house, begins with Feklusha's conversation with the maid Glasha. The wanderer asks about the household chores of the Kabanovs and transmits fabulous stories about distant countries, where people with dog-headed heads "for infidelity," etc. Katerina and Varvara who appear, collecting Tikhon on the road, continue to talk about Katerina's hobby, Varvara calls bow from him and persuades Katerina to sleep with her in a gazebo in the garden after Tikhon's departure. Kabanikha and Tikhon come out, the mother tells her son to severely punish his wife how to live without him, Katerina is humiliated by these formal orders. But, left alone with her husband, she begs him to take her on a trip, after his refusal she tries to give him terrible oaths of allegiance, but Tikhon does not want to listen to them: "You never know what comes to mind ..." Returning Kabanikha orders Katerina to bow her husband's feet. Tikhon leaves. Varvara, leaving for a walk, informs Katerina that they will spend the night in the garden, and gives her the key to the gate. Katerina does not want to take it, then, after hesitation, hides it in her pocket.

The next action takes place on a bench at the gate of the Kabanovsky house. Feklusha and Kabanikha talk about “the last times,” Feklusha says that “for our sins,” “the time has begun to be belittled,” talks about the railway (“they began to harness the fiery serpent”), and the bustle of Moscow life as a devilish obsession. Both are waiting for even worse times. Dikoy appears with complaints about his family, Kabanikha reproaches him for his erratic behavior, he tries to be rude to her, but she quickly stops it and takes him to the house for a drink and a snack. While Dikoy is treating himself, Boris, sent by the Diky family, comes to find out where the head of the family is. After completing the assignment, he exclaims longingly about Katerina: "If only with one eye to look at her!" Returning Varvara tells him to come at night to the gate in the ravine behind the Kabanovsky garden.

The second scene represents the young people 's night walk, Varvara comes out on a date to Kudryash and tells Boris to wait - "you will wait for something." There is a meeting between Katerina and Boris. After hesitations, thoughts of sin, Katerina is unable to resist the awakened love. “Why pity me - no one is to blame,” she went for it herself. Do not regret, ruin me! Let everyone know, let everyone see what I am doing (hugs Boris). If I was not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment? "

All the fourth action taking place on the streets of Kalinov - on the gallery of a dilapidated building with the remains of a fresco representing fiery hell, and on the boulevard - takes place against the backdrop of a gathering and finally breaking out of a thunderstorm. It starts to rain, and Dikoy and Kuligin enter the gallery, who begins to persuade Dikiy to give money to install a sundial on the boulevard. In response, Dikoy scolds him in every possible way and even threatens to declare him a robber. Having endured the abuse, Kuligin begins to ask for money for a lightning rod. At this point Dikoy confidently declares that it is a sin to defend against the thunderstorm sent as punishment "with poles and rods of some sort, God forgive me. The stage is empty, then Varvara and Boris meet in the gallery. She informs about the return of Tikhon, Katerina's tears, Kabanikha's suspicions and expresses fear that Katerina will confess to her husband of treason. Boris begs to dissuade Katerina from confessing and disappears. Enter the rest of the KABANOVS. Katerina awaits with horror that she, who has not repented of her sin, will be killed by lightning, a crazy lady appears, threatening with hellish flames, Katerina can no longer hold on and publicly confesses to her husband and mother-in-law that she “walked” with Boris. Kabanikha gloatingly declares: “What, son! Where will the will lead; So I waited! "

The last action is again on the high bank of the Volga. Tikhon complains to Kuligin about his family grief, about what his mother says about Katerina: “She must be buried alive in the ground so that she could be executed!” "And I love her, I'm sorry to touch her with a finger." Kuligin advises to forgive Katerina, but Tikhon explains that under Kabanikh this is impossible. He speaks not without pity about Boris, whom his uncle sends to Kyakhta. The maid Glasha enters and reports that Katerina has disappeared from the house. Tikhon is afraid that “out of melancholy she might lay hands on herself!” And together with Glasha and Kuligin leaves to look for a wife.

Katerina appears, she complains about her desperate situation in the house, and most importantly, her terrible longing for Boris. Her monologue ends with a passionate spell: “My joy! My life, my soul, I love you! Respond! " Boris enters. She asks him to take her with him to Siberia, but realizes that Boris's refusal is caused by the complete impossibility of leaving with her. She blesses him on his way, complains about the oppressive life in the house, about her disgust for her husband. Having said goodbye to Boris forever, Katerina alone begins to dream of death, of a grave with flowers and birds that "will fly to the tree, sing, and take children." "Live again?" she exclaims in horror. Approaching the cliff, she says goodbye to the departed Boris: “My friend! My joy! Goodbye!" and leaves.

The stage is filled with alarmed people, in the crowd and Tikhon with his mother. A shout is heard behind the stage: "The woman threw herself into the water!" Tikhon tries to run to her, but his mother will not let him in with the words: "I will curse if you go!" Tikhon falls to his knees. After a while, Kuligin brings in Katerina's body. “Here's your Katerina. Do what you want with her! Her body is here, take it; and the soul is not yours now; she is now before a judge who is more merciful than you! "

Rushing to Katerina, Tikhon accuses his mother: "Mamma, you ruined her!" and, not paying attention to the menacing shouts of Kabanikha, falls on the corpse of his wife. “Good for you, Katya! Why am I left to live and suffer! " - with these words of Tikhon the play ends.

Retold

The play "Thunderstorm", written by Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky in 1859, is the only one of the cycle "Nights on the Volga" planned by the writer. The main theme of the drama is the conflict in the merchant family, first of all, the despotic attitude of the representatives of the older generation (Kabanikha, Dikiy) to the younger generation subordinate to him. Thus, the drama "The Thunderstorm" is based on the description of the life, foundations, customs of a merchant family.
The owners of life in the city of Kalinovo - wealthy merchants - defend their views on family norms and rules. The conservative morals prevailing in the Kabanov family and which are common for a family living in a small provincial town, prescribe a “good wife,” “having seen her husband off,” howl lying on the porch; the husband regularly beat his wife, and they both unquestioningly obey the will of the elders in the house. The model that Marfa Kabanova chose for herself is the old Russian family, which is characterized by the complete lack of rights of the younger generation, especially women. It is not for nothing that “all faces, except for Boris, are dressed in Russian”. The fact that the appearance of the inhabitants of Kalinov is far from the appearance of modern (of course, for that time) people, Ostrovsky emphasizes the reluctance of provincial Russian residents and, above all, the merchant class to move forward on their own, or at least not to interfere with the younger, more energetic generation to do so.
Ostrovsky, describing the merchant's life and customs, draws attention to nattte not only to the shortcomings of relationships in one or two separate families. We have the opportunity to notice that most of the inhabitants of Kalinov cannot boast of practically no education. Suffice it to recall the arguments of the townspeople about the “Lithuanian ruin” at the painted walls of the gallery. The situation in the Kabanov family, the relationship between Katerina and her mother-in-law do not cause any reaction from society. This suggests that such situations are common, typical for this circle, it is not for nothing that the story of the conflict in the Kabanov family is taken from life by the writer.
Another important aspect of the life of the merchants, described by Ostrovsky, is everyday life. It is a calm, measured existence, poor in events. The news about life in the capital or distant countries is conveyed to the inhabitants of Kalinov by "feklushi", even darker, ignorant wanderers, mistrustful of everything new and unusual, like Kabanikha, who will not get into the car, "even if you showered her with gold."
But time takes its toll, and the older generation is forced to reluctantly give way to the young. And even the cruel old Kabanova feels this, and the wanderer Feklusha agrees with her: “The last times, Matushka Marfa Ignatievna, the last, by all signs are the last”.
Thus, Ostrovsky in his play describes the crisis of the provincial merchant class, the impossibility of its further existence while maintaining the old ideology.

The play "The Thunderstorm" by the famous Russian writer of the 19th century Alexander Ostrovsky, was written in 1859 on the wave of social upsurge on the eve of social reforms. It became one of the author's best works, opening the eyes of the whole world to the mores and moral values \u200b\u200bof the then merchant class. It was first published in the journal "Library for Reading" in 1860 and due to the novelty of its subject matter (descriptions of the struggle of new progressive ideas and aspirations against old, conservative foundations) immediately after publication caused a wide public response. She became the topic for writing a large number of critical articles of that time ("A ray of light in the dark kingdom" by Dobrolyubov, "Motives of the Russian Drama" by Pisarev, criticism of Apollo Grigoriev).

Writing history

Inspired by the beauty of the Volga region and its endless expanses during a trip with his family to Kostroma in 1848, Ostrovsky began writing the play in July 1859, after three months he finished it and sent it to the court of St. Petersburg censorship.

Having worked for several years in the office of the Moscow Conscientious Court, he knew very well what the merchants were in Zamoskvorechye (the historical district of the capital, on the right bank of the Moskva River), more than once on duty with what was happening behind the high fences of the merchants' choir , namely with cruelty, tyranny, ignorance and various superstitions, illegal transactions and scams, tears and suffering of others. The plot of the play was based on the tragic fate of the daughter-in-law in the wealthy merchant family of the Klykovs, which happened in reality: a young woman threw herself into the Volga and drowned, unable to withstand the oppression of the imperious mother-in-law, tired of her husband's spinelessness and secret passion for the postal worker. Many believed that it was the stories from the life of the Kostroma merchants that became the prototype for the plot of the play written by Ostrovsky.

In November 1859, the play was performed on the stage of the Maly Academic Theater in Moscow, in December of the same year at the Alexandrinsky Drama Theater in St. Petersburg.

Analysis of the work

Story line

At the center of the events described in the play is the well-to-do merchant family of the Kabanovs living in the fictional Volga city of Kalinov, a kind of peculiar and closed world symbolizing the general structure of the entire patriarchal Russian state. The Kabanov family consists of an imperious and cruel tyrant woman, and in fact the head of the family, a wealthy merchant and widow of Marfa Ignatievna, her son, Tikhon Ivanovich, weak-willed and spineless against the background of the heavy temper of his mother, daughter Varvara, who learned to resist the despotism of her mother by deceit and cunning , as well as Katerina's daughter-in-law. A young woman who grew up in a family where she was loved and pitied, suffers in the house of an unloved husband from his weakness and claims of his mother-in-law, in fact, having lost her will and becoming a victim of the cruelty and tyranny of Kabanikha, left to the mercy of fate by her rag-husband.

Out of hopelessness and despair, Katerina seeks consolation in love for Boris the Diky, who also loves her, but is afraid to disobey his uncle, the wealthy merchant Savyol Prokofich Diky, because his and his sister's financial situation depends on him. Secretly, he meets with Katerina, but at the last moment betrays her and escapes, then at the direction of his uncle he leaves for Siberia.

Katerina, being brought up in obedience and submission to her husband, tormented by her own sin, confesses everything to her husband in the presence of his mother. She makes her daughter-in-law's life completely unbearable, and Katerina, suffering from unhappy love, reproaches of conscience and cruel persecution of the tyrant and despot Kabanikha, decides to end her torment, the only way in which she sees salvation is suicide. She throws herself off a cliff into the Volga and tragically dies.

Main characters

All the characters in the play are divided into two opposing camps, some (Kabanikha, her son and daughter, the merchant Dikoy and his nephew Boris, the servants of Feklusha and Glasha) are representatives of the old, patriarchal way of life, others (Katerina, a self-taught mechanic Kuligin) are new, progressive.

A young woman, Katerina, the wife of Tikhon Kabanov, is the central heroine of the play. She was brought up in strict patriarchal rules, in accordance with the laws of the Old Russian Domostroi: a wife must obey her husband in everything, respect him, fulfill all his requirements. At first, Katerina tried with all her might to love her husband, to become a submissive and good wife for him, however, due to his complete spinelessness and weakness of character, she can only feel pity for him.

Outwardly, she looks weak and silent, but in the depths of her soul there is enough willpower and perseverance to resist the tyranny of her mother-in-law, who is afraid that her daughter-in-law may change her son Tikhon and he will stop obeying the will of his mother. Katerina is cramped and stuffy in the dark kingdom of life in Kalinov, she literally suffocates there and in dreams she flies away like a bird away from this terrible place for her.

Boris

Falling in love with the visiting young man Boris, the nephew of a wealthy merchant and businessman, she creates in her head the image of an ideal lover and a real man, which is completely untrue, breaks her heart and leads to a tragic ending.

In the play, the character of Katerina is not opposed to a specific person, her mother-in-law, but to the entire patriarchal order of the time.

Kabanikha

Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova (Kabanikha), like the tyrant merchant Dikoy, who tortures and insults his relatives, does not pay wages and deceives his workers, are bright representatives of the old, bourgeois way of life. They are distinguished by stupidity and ignorance, unjustified cruelty, rudeness and rudeness, complete rejection of any progressive changes in the ossified patriarchal way of life.

Tikhon

(Tikhon, in the illustration near Kabanikha - Marfa Ignatievna)

Throughout the play, Tikhon Kabanov is characterized as a quiet and weak-willed person who is under the full influence of a despotic mother. Distinguished by a gentle nature, he makes no attempt to protect his wife from the attacks of his mother.

At the end of the play, he finally does not stand up and the author shows his rebellion against tyranny and despotism, it is his phrase at the end of the play that leads readers to a definite conclusion about the depth and tragedy of the situation.

Features of compositional construction

(Fragment from a dramatic production)

The work begins with a description of Kalinov, a city on the Volga, whose image is a collective image of all Russian cities of that time. The landscape of the Volga expanses depicted in the play contrasts with the musty, dull and gloomy atmosphere of life in this city, which is emphasized by the dead isolation of the life of its inhabitants, their underdevelopment, dullness and wild ignorance. The author described the general state of city life as if before a thunderstorm, when the old, dilapidated way of life is shaken, and new and progressive trends, like a gust of a furious thunderstorm wind, will carry away the obsolete rules and prejudices that prevent people from living normally. The period in the life of the inhabitants of the city of Kalinov described in the play is just in a state when outwardly everything looks calm, but this is only a calm before the coming storm.

The genre of the play can be interpreted as a social drama, as well as a tragedy. The first is characterized by the use of a thorough description of living conditions, the maximum transfer of its "density", as well as the alignment of characters. Readers' attention should be distributed among all participants in the production. The interpretation of the play as a tragedy suggests its deeper meaning and thoroughness. If we see in the death of Katerina as a consequence of her conflict with her mother-in-law, then she looks like a victim of a family conflict, and all the unfolding action in the play for a real tragedy seems small and insignificant. But if we consider the death of the main character as a conflict of a new, progressive time with a dying, old era, then her act is interpreted in the best possible way in the heroic key characteristic of a tragic story.

The talented playwright Alexander Ostrovsky gradually creates a real tragedy from the social and everyday drama about the life of the merchant class, in which, with the help of a love-everyday conflict, he showed the onset of an epochal turning point in the minds of the people. Ordinary people realize the awakening self-esteem, begin to relate to the world around them in a new way, want to decide their own destinies and fearlessly express their will. This nascent desire enters into irreconcilable contradiction with the real patriarchal order. The fate of Katerina acquires a social historical meaning, expressing the state of popular consciousness at the turning point of two eras.

Alexander Ostrovsky, who in time noticed the doom of decaying patriarchal foundations, wrote the play "The Thunderstorm" and opened the eyes of the entire Russian public to what was happening. He depicted the destruction of the usual, outdated way of life, with the help of the multivalued and figurative concept of a thunderstorm, which, gradually increasing, will sweep everything from its path and open the way for a new, better life.

On June 16 and 17, the Tovstonogov Bolshoi Drama Theater will host the premiere of Andrei Moguchy's performance "The Thunderstorm" based on the play of the same name by Alexander Ostrovsky.

First production

Ostrovsky's "The Thunderstorm" was staged for the first time on the stage of the Maly Theater on November 16, 1859. The premiere coincided with the benefit performance of actor Sergei Vasiliev, who got the role of Tikhon. Some heroes were played by people for whom the playwright wrote roles. For example, actress Lyubov Nikulina-Kositskaya reincarnated in Katerina, Nadezhda Rykalova played Kabanikha, and Varvara Borozdina even gave the name to the heroine of the play.

The audience was delighted, the press was full of laudatory reviews. Dudyshkin, the author of Otechestvennye zapiski, wrote: “In a town where people know how to get rich, in which there must certainly be one big, dirty street and on it something like a guest house, and honorary merchants, about whom Mr. Turgenev said they were“ they usually rub near their shops and pretend to be selling "- in a sort of town, which we have seen a lot, and passed without seeing, even more, that touching drama took place that struck us so much."

"Thunderstorm" in St. Petersburg

The second premiere of "The Thunderstorm" took place on December 2, 1859 in St. Petersburg. This time the Alexandrinsky Theater opened its doors for the audience. The audience received the performance favorably. Critics especially noted Alexander Martynov, who revealed his talent in the role of Tikhon. Evdokia Panaeva, the wife of the writer Ivan Panaev, writes in her memoirs: “I was at the first performance of Ostrovsky's The Storm. Martynov played his role in such a way that the spirit froze at his every word in the last scene, when he rushed to the corpse of his wife, pulled out of the water. All spectators were shocked by his performance. In The Storm, Martynov showed that he also possesses a remarkable tragic talent. " Unfortunately, the fate of the actor turned out to be tragic: in the summer of 1860, he died of consumption.

Actor Alexander Martynov became famous for playing the role of Tikhon

Glyceria Fedotova as Katerina, Maly Theater, 1866

A year after the St. Petersburg premiere, the play entered the repertoire of the Mariinsky Theater, and from there - to the provincial stages. In 1860, The Thunderstorm was published: first it appeared in the Library for Reading magazine, and then as a separate edition.

Dark kingdom

Many famous critics considered it their duty to write a review of Ostrovsky's drama. In three critical articles published in Sovremennik in 1859-1860, Nikolai Dobrolyubov views the city of Kalinov as a "dark kingdom." He defines the main rules of the drama and then finds out that in Ostrovsky's play most of them are violated. Nevertheless, the author believes that The Thunderstorm is “Ostrovsky's most decisive work”. About the playwright Dobrolyubov writes: "Ostrovsky possesses a deep understanding of Russian life and a great ability to depict its most essential aspects sharply and vividly."

Scenery sketches by Golovin for "The Storm", 1916

Pisarev vs. Dobrolyubov

Dmitry Pisarev argues with Dobrolyubov in the article "Motives of Russian Drama". What the first critic majestically calls the "dark kingdom", the second simply calls the "family chicken coop", recalling the well-known saying "eggs do not teach a chicken." Moreover, Pisarev does not consider Katerina a "ray of light". With his characteristic skepticism, the critic succinctly describes the behavior of the heroine and the essence of the play: “Katerina's whole life consists of constant internal contradictions; she rushes from one extreme to another every minute; today she regrets what she did yesterday, and yet she herself does not know what she will do tomorrow; at every step she confuses her own life and the lives of other people; finally, confusing everything that was at her fingertips, she cuts the tight knots with the most stupid means, suicide, and even such a suicide, which is completely unexpected for her.

Ivan Goncharov, who served as a censor, left a flattering comment about the "Storm"

"Thunderstorm" on the stage of the Maly Theater, 1962

Censor Goncharov

A flattering review can be found in a short article by Ivan Goncharov, who at the time of the premiere was serving as a censor. The writer notes: “Without fear of being accused of exaggeration, I can honestly say that there was no such work as a drama in our literature. She undoubtedly occupies and, probably for a long time, will occupy first place in high classical beauties. " Goncharov draws special attention to the language of the characters - "artistically correct, taken from reality, like the very people who speak to them."

In the article "Motives of the Russian Drama" Pisarev polemicizes with Dobrolyubov

After the "Thunderstorm"

The article "After the Thunderstorm" contains letters from the critic Apollo Grigoriev to Ivan Turgenev. Grigoriev views the play as a work of a national poet. About Ostrovsky, he writes: “Ostrovsky is primarily a playwright: after all, he creates his types not for Mr. Bov ( Dobrolyubov, approx. "Dilettante"), the author of articles on the "Dark Kingdom" - not for you, not for me, not for anyone, but for the masses, for which he, perhaps, as her poet, a folk poet, is a teacher, but a teacher from those the highest points of view that are accessible to her, the masses, and not to you, not me, not Mr. God, from the points of view, by her, by the masses, understood, shared by her. "

Ostrovsky's play "The Thunderstorm" was written in 1859. The idea of \u200b\u200bthe work came to the writer in the middle of summer, and on October 9, 1859, the work was already completed. This is not a classic but a realistic play. Conflict is the collision of the "dark kingdom" with the need for a new life. The work caused a great resonance not only in theatrical, but also in the literary environment. The prototype of the main character was the theater actress Lyubov Kositskaya, who later played the role of Katerina.

The plot of the play is an episode from the life of the Kabanov family, namely, the meeting and the subsequent betrayal of his wife with a young man who came to the city. This event becomes fatal not only for Katerina herself, but also for the whole family. For a better understanding of the conflict and storylines, you can read the chapter-by-chapter summary of The Thunderstorm below.

main characters

Katerina - a young girl, wife of Tikhon Kabanov. Modest, clean, correct. She acutely feels the injustice of the world around her.

Boris - a young man, "decently educated", came to his uncle, Savl Prokofievich Diky. In love with Katerina.

Kabanikha (Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova) - a rich merchant's wife, a widow. Powerful and oppressive woman, subordinates people to her will.

Tikhon Kabanov - Kabanikha's son and Katerina's husband. He acts as his mother wishes, has no opinion.

Other characters

Barbara - daughter of Kabanikha. A willful girl who is not afraid of her mother.

Curly - the beloved of Barbara.

Dikoy Savel Prokofievich - a merchant, an important person in the city. A rude and ill-mannered person.

Kuligin - a tradesman, obsessed with the ideas of progress.

Lady - half crazy.

Feklusha - a wanderer.

Glasha - the Kabanovs' servant.

Step 1

Kudryash and Kuligin talk about the beauty of nature, but their opinions are different. For Kudryash, landscapes are nothing, but they delight Kuligin. From afar, men see Boris and Dikiy, who is actively waving his arms. They start to gossip about Savl Prokofievich. Dikoy approaches them. He is dissatisfied with the appearance in the city of his nephew, Boris, and does not want to talk to him. From the conversation between Boris and Savl Prokofievich, it becomes clear that besides Dikiy, Boris and his sister have no one else from their relatives.

To receive an inheritance after the death of his grandmother, Boris is forced to establish good relations with his uncle, but he does not want to give the money that Boris's grandmother bequeathed to her grandson.

Boris, Kudryash and Kuligin discuss the heavy nature of the Wild. Boris admits that it is difficult for him to be in the city of Kalinovo, because he does not know the local customs. Kuligin believes that one cannot earn money here by honest labor. But if Kuligin had money, the man would spend it for the good of mankind, collecting perpeta-mobile. Feklusha appears, praising the merchants and life in general, saying: "We live on the promised land ...".

Boris feels sorry for Kuligin, he understands that the dreams of the inventor about creating mechanisms useful for society will forever remain only dreams. Boris himself does not want to ruin his youth in this backwater: "driven out, downtrodden, and even foolishly decided to fall in love ..." with the one with whom it was not possible to talk. This girl turns out to be Katerina Kabanova.

On stage Kabanova, Kabanov, Katerina and Varvara.

Kabanov speaks to his mother. This dialogue is shown as a typical conversation in this family. Tikhon is tired of his mother's lectures, but he still fawns at her. Kabanikha asks his son to acknowledge that his wife has become more important to him than his mother, as if Tikhon will soon cease to respect his mother altogether. Katerina, being present, denies the words of Marfa Ignatievna. Kabanova, with a vengeance, begins to slander herself so that those around her convince her otherwise. Kabanova calls herself a hindrance to married life, but there is no sincerity in her words. In a moment, she takes control of the situation, accusing her son of being too soft: “Look at you! Will your wife be afraid of you after that? "

In this phrase, one can see not only her imperious character, but also her attitude towards her daughter-in-law and family life in general.

Kabanov admits that he has no will of his own. Marfa Ignatievna leaves. Tikhon complains about life, reproaching the despotic mother for everything. Barbara, his sister, replies that Tikhon himself is responsible for his life. After these words, Kabanov leaves for a drink to Dikiy.

Katerina and Varvara have a heart-to-heart talk. “Sometimes it seems to me that I am a bird” - this is how Katya describes herself. She completely wilted in this society. This can be seen especially well against the background of her life before marriage. Katerina spent a lot of time with her mother, helped her, walked: “I lived, I didn't grieve about anything, like a bird in the wild”. Katerina feels the approach of death; confesses that she no longer loves her husband. Varvara is worried about Katya's condition, and in order to improve her mood, Varvara decides to arrange a meeting with another person for Katerina.

The Barynya appears on the stage, she points to the Volga: “Here is beauty where it leads. Into the whirlpool ". Her words will turn out to be prophetic, although no one in the city believes her predictions. Katerina was frightened by the words spoken by the old woman, but Varvara was skeptical of them, since the Lady sees death in everything.

Kabanov returns. At that time, married women could not walk alone, so Katya had to wait for him to go home.

Step 2

Varvara sees the reason for Katerina's suffering in the fact that Katya's heart “has not left yet”, because the girl was married early. Katerina feels sorry for Tikhon, but she has no other feelings for him. Varvara noticed this long ago, but asks to hide the truth, because lie is the basis of the existence of the Kabanov family. Katerina is not used to living dishonestly, so she says that she will leave Kabanov if she can no longer be with him.

Kabanov urgently needs to leave for two weeks. The carriage is already ready, things are packed, all that remains is to say goodbye to the family. Tikhon orders Katerina to obey his mother, repeating the phrases after Kabanikha: "tell her mother-in-law not to be rude ... so that the mother-in-law reads like her own mother, ... so that she does not sit idly by ... so that she does not look at young guys!" This scene was humiliating for both Tikhon and his wife. The words about other men confuse Katya. She asks her husband to stay or take her with him. Kabanov refuses his wife and he is embarrassed for his mother's phrase about other men and Katerina. The girl has a presentiment of impending disaster.

Tikhon, saying goodbye, bows to his mother at the feet, doing her will. Kabanikha does not like that Katerina said goodbye to her husband with hugs, because the man in the family is in charge, and she has become on a par with him. The girl has to bow to Tikhon at the feet.

Marfa Ignatievna says that the current generation does not know the rules at all. Kabanikha is unhappy that Katerina does not cry after her husband's departure. It's good when there are elders in the house: they can teach. She hopes not to live to see the time when all the old people die: "I don't know what the light will stand on ..."

Katya is left alone. She likes the silence, but at the same time she scares her. Silence for Katerina becomes not a rest, but a boredom. Katya regrets that she has no children, because she could be a good mother. Katerina again thinks about flights and freedom. The girl imagines how her life could have developed: “I will start some work on a promise; I’ll go to the guest house, buy canvas, and I’ll sew linen, and then distribute it to the poor. They will pray to God for me. " Varvara goes for a walk, announcing that she has changed the lock on the gate in the garden. With the help of this little trick, Varvara wants to arrange a meeting with Boris for Katerina. Katerina blames Kabanikha for her misfortunes, but nevertheless does not want to succumb to the "sinful temptation" and secretly meet with Boris. She doesn't want to be led by her feelings and violate the sacred bonds of marriage.

Boris himself also does not want to go against the rules of morality, he is not sure that Katya has similar feelings for him, but he still wants to see the girl again.

Step 3

Feklusha and Glasha talk about moral principles. They are glad that Kabanikha's house is the last “paradise” on earth, because the rest of the city's residents have a real “sodom”. They also talk about Moscow. From the point of view of provincial women, Moscow is too hectic. Everything and everyone there seems to be in a fog, that's why the tired walk, and there is sadness in their faces.

A drunken Dikoy enters. He asks Martha Ignatievna to talk to him in order to relieve his soul. He is unhappy with the fact that everyone is constantly asking him for money. Dikiy is especially annoyed by his nephew. At this time, Boris passes by the Kabanovs' house, he is looking for his uncle. Boris regrets that, being so close to Katerina, he cannot see her. Kuligin invites Boris for a walk. Young people talk about rich and poor. From Kuligin's point of view, the rich are locked in their homes so that others do not see their violence against their relatives.

They see Varvara kissing Curly. She also informs Boris about the place and time of the upcoming meeting with Katya.

At night, in a ravine under the Kabanovs' garden, Curls sings a song about a Cossack. Boris tells him about his feelings for a married girl, Ekaterina Kabanova. Varvara and Kudryash go to the bank of the Volga, leaving Boris to wait for Katya.

Katerina is frightened by what is happening, the girl drives away Boris, but he calms her down. Katerina is terribly nervous, confesses that she has no will of her own, because "now the will is over her ..." of Boris. In a fit of feelings, she hugs the young man: "if I was not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment?" Young people confess their love to each other.

The hour of parting is close, as Kabanikha may wake up soon. The lovers agree to meet the next day. Kabanov unexpectedly returns.

Step 4

(events unfold 10 days after the third act)

Residents of the city walk along the gallery overlooking the Volga. It can be seen that a thunderstorm is approaching. On the walls of the destroyed gallery, one can discern the outlines of a picture of fiery hell, an image of the battle near Lithuania. Kuligin and Dikoy are talking in a raised voice. Kuligin enthusiastically talks about a good deed for everyone, asks Savl Prokofievich to help him. Dikoy refuses quite rudely: “so know that you are a worm. If I want - I will have mercy, if I want - I will crush ”. He does not understand the value of Kuligin's invention, namely a lightning rod, with which it will be possible to obtain electricity.
Everyone leaves, the stage is empty. Thunder is heard again.

Katerina has an increasing presentiment that she will soon die. Kabanov, noticing the strange behavior of his wife, asks her to repent of all sins, but this conversation is quickly ended by Barbara. Boris comes out of the crowd, greets Tikhon. Katerina turns pale even more. The boar may suspect something, so Varvara gives a signal to Boris to leave.

Kuligin urges not to be afraid of the elements, because it is not she who kills, but grace. Nevertheless, residents continue to discuss the impending storm, which "will not pass in vain." Katya tells her husband that a storm will kill her today. Neither Varvara nor Tikhon understands Katerina's inner torment. Varvara advises to calm down and pray, and Tikhon offers to go home.

The Lady appears, addresses Katya with the words: “Where are you hiding, stupid? You cannot leave God! ... in a whirlpool better with beauty! Yes, hurry up! " In a frenzy, Katerina confesses her sin to both her husband and mother-in-law. All those ten days when her husband was not at home, Katya secretly met with Boris.

Step 5

Kabanov and Kuligin discuss Katerina's recognition. Tikhon again shifts part of the blame to Kabanikha, who wants to bury Katya alive. Kabanov could forgive his wife, but he is afraid of his mother's anger. The Kabanov family fell apart completely: even Varvara fled with Kudryash.

Glasha reports that Katerina is missing. Everyone goes in search of the girl.

Katerina is alone on stage. She thinks that she has ruined both herself and Boris. Katya sees no reason to live on, asks for forgiveness and calls her beloved. Boris came to the call of the girl, he is gentle and affectionate with her. But Boris needs to go to Siberia, and he cannot take Katya with him. The girl asks him to give alms to the needy and pray for his soul, convincing that she has not planned anything bad. After parting with Boris, Katerina rushes into the river.

People shout that some girl threw herself from the shore into the water. Kabanov realizes that it was his wife, so he wants to jump after her. The boar stops her son. Kuligin brings Katerina's body. She is as beautiful as she was in life, there was only a small drop of blood on her temple. “Here's your Katerina. Do whatever you want with her! Her body is here, take it; but the soul is not yours now: it is now before a judge who is more merciful than you! "

The play ends with Tikhon's words: “Good for you, Katya! And for some reason I was left to live in the world and suffer! "

Conclusion

The work "The Thunderstorm" by AN Ostrovsky can be called one of the main plays among the entire creative path of the writer. Social and everyday topics, of course, were close to the viewer of that time, as they are today. However, against the background of all these details, a difficult drama unfolds, but a real tragedy that ends with the death of the main character. The plot, at first glance, is uncomplicated, but only Katerina's feelings for Boris, the novel "The Thunderstorm" is not limited. In parallel, several storylines can be traced, and, accordingly, several conflicts that are implemented at the level of secondary characters. This feature of the play is fully consistent with the realistic principles of generalization.

From the retelling of "The Storms" it is easy to draw a conclusion about the nature of the conflict and the content, but for a more detailed understanding of the text, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the full version of the work.

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