Ostrovsky's play The Thunderstorm was written a year before the abolition of serfdom, in 1859. This work stands out from the rest of the playwright's plays due to the character of the main character. In The Thunderstorm, Katerina is the main character through whom the conflict of the play is shown. Katerina is not like other residents of Kalinov, she is distinguished by a special perception of life, strength of character and self-esteem. The image of Katerina from the play "The Thunderstorm" is formed due to a combination of many factors. For example, words, thoughts, surroundings, actions.

Childhood

Katya is about 19 years old, she was married early. From Katerina's monologue in the first act, we learn about Katya's childhood. Mamma "doted on her" in her. Together with her parents, the girl went to church, walked, and then did some work. Katerina Kabanova recalls all this with bright sadness. An interesting phrase of Barbara that "we have the same thing." But now Katya doesn't feel light, now “everything is done under duress”. In fact, life before marriage practically did not differ from life after: the same actions, the same events. But now Katya treats everything differently. Then she felt support, felt alive, she dreamed amazing dreams about flights. "And they are dreaming now," but much less often. Before marriage, Katerina felt the movement of life, the presence of certain higher powers in this world, she was devout: “how she loved to go to church!

»From early childhood, Katerina had everything she needed: mother's love and freedom. Now, by the will of circumstances, she is cut off from her loved one and deprived of freedom.

Environment

Katerina lives in the same house with her husband, her husband's sister and mother-in-law. This circumstance alone no longer contributes to a happy family life. However, the situation is aggravated by the fact that Kabanikha, Katya's mother-in-law, is a cruel and greedy person. Greed here should be understood as passionate, bordering on madness, desire for something. The boar wants to subordinate everyone and everything to his will. One experience with Tikhon went well with her, the next victim was Katerina. Despite the fact that Marfa Ignatievna was waiting for her son's wedding, she is unhappy with her daughter-in-law. Kabanikha did not expect that Katerina would be so strong in character that she could silently resist her influence. The old woman understands that Katya can turn Tikhon against her mother, she is afraid of this, so she tries in every possible way to break Katya in order to avoid such a development of events. Kabanikha says that Tikhon's wife has long become dearer to her mother.

“Kabanikha: Al's wife, or something, takes you away from me, I really don't know.
Kabanov: No, mamma!

What are you, have mercy!
Katerina: For me, mamma, everything is the same as my own mother, that you, and Tikhon loves you too.
Kabanova: You, it seems, could have kept quiet if they didn’t ask you. Why did you jump out in your eyes to sing! To see, perhaps, how you love your husband? So we know, we know, in the eyes you prove it to everyone.
Katerina: You mean me, mamma, you are in vain to say this. With people, that without people, I am all alone, I don’t prove anything from myself ”

Katerina's answer is interesting enough for several reasons. She, unlike Tikhon, turns to Marfa Ignatievna on you, as if putting herself on a par with her. Katya draws Kabanikha's attention to the fact that she does not pretend and does not try to appear as someone she is not. Despite the fact that Katya fulfills the humiliating request to kneel in front of Tikhon, this does not mean her humility. Katerina is insulted by false words: "Who likes to endure in vain?" - with this answer Katya not only defends herself, but also reproaches Kabanikha for lying and backbiting.

Katerina's husband in "The Thunderstorm" appears to be a gray man. Tikhon looks like an over-aged child who is tired of the care of his mother, but at the same time does not try to change the situation, but only complains about life. Even his sister, Varvara, reproaches Tikhon with the fact that he cannot protect Katya from the attacks of Marfa Ignatievna. Varvara is the only person who is even slightly interested in Katya, but still she persuades the girl to the fact that she will have to lie and wriggle in order to survive in this family.

Relationship with Boris

In The Thunderstorm, the image of Katerina is revealed through the love line. Boris came from Moscow on business related to inheritance. Feelings for Katya flare up suddenly, as do the girl's reciprocal feelings. This is love at first sight. Boris is worried that Katya is married, but he continues to look for meetings with her. Katya, realizing her feelings, tries to give them up. Treason is contrary to the laws of Christian morality and society. Varvara helps the lovers meet. For ten whole days Katya secretly meets with Boris (while Tikhon was away). Upon learning of Tikhon's arrival, Boris refuses to meet with Katya, he asks Varvara to persuade Katya to keep quiet about their secret meetings. But Katerina is not that kind of person: she needs to be honest with others and with herself. She is afraid of God's punishment for her sin, therefore she regards the raging thunderstorm as a sign from above and talks about treason. After that Katya decides to talk to Boris. It turns out that he is going to leave for Siberia for a few days, but cannot take the girl with him. Obviously, Boris doesn't really need Katya, that he didn't love her. But Katya did not like Boris either. More precisely, she loved, but not Boris. In The Thunderstorm, the Ostrovsky image of Katerina endowed with the ability to see good in everything, endowed the girl with a surprisingly strong imagination. Katya finished thinking of the image of Boris, she saw in him one of his features - the rejection of Kalinov's reality - and made it the main one, refusing to see other sides. After all, Boris came to ask for money from Dikiy, just as other Kalinovites did. Boris was for Katya a person from another world, from the world of freedom, the one the girl dreamed of. Therefore, Boris himself becomes a kind of embodiment of freedom for Katya. She does not fall in love with him, but with her ideas about him.

The drama "The Thunderstorm" ends tragically. Katya rushes into the Volga, realizing that she cannot live in such a world. And there is no other world. The girl, despite her religiosity, commits one of the worst sins of the Christian paradigm. To decide on such an act requires tremendous willpower. Unfortunately, the girl had no other choice in those circumstances. Surprisingly, Katya keeps her inner purity even after committing suicide.

A detailed disclosure of the image of the main character and a description of her relationship with other characters in the play will be useful for 10 classes in preparation for the essay on the theme "The image of Katerina in the play" The Thunderstorm ".

Product test

In the drama The Thunderstorm, Ostrovsky created a psychologically very complex image - the image of Katerina Kabanova. This young woman disposes of the viewer with her huge, pure soul, childish sincerity and kindness. But she lives in the musty atmosphere of the "dark kingdom" of merchant customs. Ostrovsky managed to create a light and poetic image of a Russian woman from the people. The main plot line of the play is a tragic conflict between the living, feeling soul of Katerina and the dead way of life of the “dark kingdom”. Honest and touching Katerina turned out to be a powerless victim of the cruel orders of the merchant environment. No wonder Dobrolyubov called Katerina "a ray of light in the dark kingdom." Katerina did not reconcile herself to despotism and tyranny; driven to despair, she challenges the "dark kingdom" and dies. Only in this way can she keep her inner world from rough pressure. According to critics, for Katerina “death is not desirable, but life is unbearable. To live for her is to be herself. Not being herself means not living for her. "

The image of Katerina is built on a folk-poetic basis. Her pure soul is merged with nature. She presents herself as a bird, whose image in folklore is closely related to the concept of will. "I lived, did not grieve about anything, like a bird in the wild." Katerina, who ended up in Kabanova's house, like in a terrible prison, often recalls the parental home, where she was treated with love and understanding. Talking to Varvara, the heroine asks: “... Why don't people fly like birds? You know, sometimes it seems to me that I am a bird. " Katerina breaks free from the cage, where she is forced to remain until the end of her days.

Religion evoked high feelings, a surge of joy and reverence in her. The beauty and fullness of the heroine's soul was expressed in prayers to God. “On a sunny day, such a light pillar goes down from the dome, and smoke flows in this pillar, like clouds, and I see it as if the angels in this pillar were flying and singing. And then, it happened ... at night I get up ... but somewhere in the corner and pray until morning. Or I'll go to the garden early in the morning, as soon as the sun is rising, I will fall on my knees, I pray and cry. "

Katerina expresses her thoughts and feelings in a poetic folk language. The melodic speech of the heroine is colored with love for the world, the use of many diminutive forms characterizes her soul. She says "the sun", "voditsa", "grave", often resorts to repetitions, as in songs: "on the top three", "and people are disgusting to me, and the house is disgusting to me, and the walls are disgusting." Trying to throw out the feelings boiling in her, Katerina exclaims: "The violent winds, you will transfer my sadness and longing to him!"

The tragedy of Katerina is that she does not know how and does not want to lie. And in the "dark kingdom" lies are the basis of life and relationships. Boris tells her: "No one will know about our love ...", to which Katerina replies: "Let everyone know, let everyone see what I am doing!" In these words, the courageous, whole nature of this woman is manifested, who risks challenging the philistine morality, alone to resist society.

But, having fallen in love with Boris, Katerina enters into a struggle with herself, with her convictions. She, a married woman, feels like a great sinner. Her faith in God is not the hypocrisy of Kabanikha, who covers up her malice and misanthropy with God. Awareness of his own sinfulness, pangs of conscience pursue Katerina. She complains to Varya: “Oh, Varya, a sin is on my mind! How much I, poor, cried, what I really did not do on myself! I cannot get away from this sin. Can't go anywhere. It's not good, it's a terrible sin, Varenka, that I love someone else? " Katerina does not think that it was violence committed against her, having married her unloved. Her husband, Tikhon, is happy to leave home and does not want to protect his wife from her mother-in-law. Her heart tells her that her love is the greatest happiness, in which there is nothing wrong, but the morality of society and the church does not forgive the free expression of feelings. Katerina struggles amid unsolvable questions.

The tension in the play grows, Katerina is afraid of a thunderstorm, hears the terrible prophecies of a mad lady, sees a picture on the wall depicting the Last Judgment. In the darkening of her mind, she repent of her sin. Repentance from a pure heart according to religious laws necessarily requires forgiveness. But people have forgotten the kind, forgiving and loving God, they have a punishing and punishing God. Katerina is not forgiven. She does not want to live and suffer, she has nowhere to go, her beloved turned out to be as weak and dependent as her husband. Everyone betrayed her. The church considers suicide to be a terrible sin, but for Katerina it is an act of despair. It is better to be in hell than to live in a "dark kingdom". The heroine cannot harm anyone, so she decides to die herself. Throwing herself off the cliff into the Volga, Katerina at the last moment thinks not about her sin, but about love, which has illuminated her life with great happiness. Katerina's last words are addressed to Boris: “My friend! My joy! Goodbye!" One can only hope that God will be more merciful to Katherine than people.

• In The Thunderstorm, Ostrovsky shows the life of a Russian merchant family and the position of a woman in it. The character of Katerina was formed in a simple merchant family, where love reigned and her daughter was given complete freedom. She acquired and retained all the beautiful features of the Russian character. This is a pure, open soul who cannot lie. “I don’t know how to deceive; I can’t hide anything, ”she says to Varvara. In religion, Katerina found the highest truth and beauty. Her desire for the beautiful, the good was expressed in prayers. Coming out [...]
• Whole, honest, sincere, she is not capable of lies and falsehood, therefore, in a cruel world where wild and wild boars reign, her life is so tragic. Katerina's protest against the despotism of Kabanikha is a struggle of the light, pure, human against the darkness, lies and cruelty of the "dark kingdom" It is not without reason that Ostrovsky, who paid great attention to the selection of the names and surnames of the characters, gave such a name to the heroine of "The Thunderstorm": translated from Greek, "Ekaterina" means "eternally pure." Katerina is a poetic nature. AT […]
• Katerina Varvara Personality Sincere, sociable, kind, honest, pious, but superstitious. Gentle, soft, at the same time, determined. Rough, cheerful, but taciturn: "... I don't like to talk a lot." Determined, can fight back. Temperament Passionate, freedom-loving, bold, impetuous and unpredictable. She says about herself, "I was born so hot!" Free-loving, intelligent, calculating, brave and rebellious, she is not afraid of either parental or heavenly punishment. Education, [...]
• "The Thunderstorm" was published in 1859 (on the eve of the revolutionary situation in Russia, in the "pre-storm" era). Its historicism lies in the conflict itself, the irreconcilable contradictions reflected in the play. She meets the spirit of the times. "Thunderstorm" is the idyll of the "dark kingdom". Petty tyranny and speechlessness are brought to the limit in her. A real heroine from the folk environment appears in the play and it is the description of her character that is given the main attention, and the world of the city of Kalinov and the conflict itself are described in a more generalized way. "Their life […]
• A strong and deep impression was made by Alexander Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm" on his contemporaries. Many critics were inspired by this work. However, in our time it has not ceased to be interesting and topical. Raised into the category of classical drama, it still awakens interest. The arbitrariness of the "older" generation lasts for many years, but some event must take place that could break the patriarchal tyranny. Such an event is the protest and death of Katerina, which awakened others [...]
• The play by Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky "The Thunderstorm" is historical for us, as it shows the life of the bourgeoisie. The Thunderstorm was written in 1859. It is the only work of the cycle "Nights on the Volga" conceived but not realized by the writer. The main theme of the work is a description of the conflict that arose between two generations. The Kabanikha family is typical. The merchants cling to their old morals, not wanting to understand the younger generation. And since the young do not want to follow traditions, they are suppressed. I'm sure, […]
• In The Thunderstorm, Ostrovsky, operating with an insignificant number of characters, managed to reveal several problems at once. First, it is, of course, a social conflict, a clash of "fathers" and "children", their points of view (and if we resort to generalization, then two historical eras). The older generation, actively expressing their opinion, belong to Kabanova and Dikoy, to the younger - Katerina, Tikhon, Varvara, Kudryash and Boris. Kabanova is sure that order in the house, control over everything that happens in it is the guarantee of a right life. Correct [...]
• Let's start with Katerina. In the play "The Thunderstorm" this lady is the main character. What are the problems of this work? Problems are the main question that the author asks in his creation. So the question here is who will win? The dark kingdom, which is represented by the bureaucrats of the county town, or the light beginning, which is represented by our heroine. Katerina is pure in soul, she has a gentle, sensitive, loving heart. The heroine herself is deeply hostile to this dark swamp, but does not fully realize it. Katerina was born [...]
• The critical story of The Thunderstorm begins even before its appearance. To argue about the "ray of light in the dark kingdom", it was necessary to open the "Dark kingdom". An article under this title appeared in the July and September issues of Sovremennik for 1859. It was signed by the usual pseudonym of NA Dobrolyubov - N. - bov. The reason for this work was extremely significant. In 1859 Ostrovsky summed up the intermediate results of his literary activity: his two-volume collected works appeared. "We consider it the most [...]
• The dramatic events of the play by A.N. Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm" is set in the city of Kalinov. This town is located on the picturesque bank of the Volga, from the high steep of which the immense Russian expanses and boundless distances open to the eyes. “The view is extraordinary! Beauty! The soul rejoices, ”the local self-taught mechanic Kuligin admires. Pictures of endless distances, echoed in a lyric song. Among the flat valley ”, which he sings, are of great importance for conveying the feeling of the immense possibilities of the Russian [...]
• Katerina is the main character in Ostrovsky's drama The Thunderstorm, Tikhon's wife, Kabanikha's daughter-in-law. The main idea of \u200b\u200bthe work is the conflict of this girl with the "dark kingdom", the kingdom of tyrants, despots and ignoramuses. You can find out why this conflict arose and why the end of the drama is so tragic by understanding Katerina's ideas about life. The author showed the origins of the character of the heroine. From the words of Katerina, we learn about her childhood and adolescence. Here is an ideal version of patriarchal relations and the patriarchal world in general: “I lived, not about [...]
• A conflict is a clash of two or more parties that do not coincide in views, attitudes. There are several conflicts in Ostrovsky's play "The Thunderstorm", but how to decide which one is the main one? In the era of sociologism in literary criticism, it was believed that social conflict was the most important in the play. Of course, if we see in the image of Katerina a reflection of the spontaneous protest of the masses against the shackling conditions of the “dark kingdom” and perceive the death of Katerina as a result of her collision with her petty mother-in-law, one should [...]
• In general, the history of the creation and the idea of \u200b\u200bthe play "The Thunderstorm" are very interesting. For some time, there was an assumption that this work was based on real events that occurred in the Russian city of Kostroma in 1859. “In the early morning of November 10, 1859, the Kostroma petty bourgeoisie Alexandra Pavlovna Klykova disappeared from her house and either threw herself into the Volga, or was strangled and thrown there. The investigation revealed a dull drama played out in an unsociable family living with narrowly commercial interests: [...]
• Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky was endowed with a great talent as a playwright. He is deservedly considered the founder of the Russian national theater. His plays, varied in themes, glorified Russian literature. Ostrovsky's work was democratic in nature. He created plays in which hatred of the autocratic serf regime was manifested. The writer called for the protection of the oppressed and humiliated citizens of Russia, longed for social change. Ostrovsky's great merit is that he discovered the enlightened [...]
• Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky was called "Columbus of Zamoskvorechye", a district of Moscow where people from the merchant class lived. He showed what a tense, dramatic life goes on behind high fences, what Shakespearean passions boil at times in the souls of representatives of the so-called "common class" - merchants, shopkeepers, small employees. The patriarchal laws of the world receding into the past seem unshakable, but a warm heart lives according to its own laws - the laws of love and goodness. Heroes of the play "Poverty is not a vice" [...]
• The love story of the clerk Mitya and Lyuba Tortsova unfolds against the background of the life of a merchant's house. Ostrovsky once again delighted his fans with a wonderful knowledge of the world and surprisingly bright language. Unlike the early plays, this comedy is not only about the soulless Korshunov manufacturer and the proud of his wealth and strength Gordey Tortsov. They are opposed to simple and sincere people, who are dear to the hearts of the native people - the kind and loving Mitya and the squandered drunkard Lyubim Tortsov, who remained, despite his fall, [...]
• The focus of the writers of the 19th century is a man with a rich spiritual life, a changeable inner world. The new hero reflects the state of the personality in the era of social transformations. The authors also do not ignore the complex conditionality of the development of the human psyche by the external material situation. The main feature of the depiction of the world of heroes of Russian literature is psychologism. , that is, the ability to show the change in the hero's soul In the center of different works we see "unnecessary [...]
• The drama takes place in the Volga town of Bryakhimov. And in it, as elsewhere, cruel rules reign. The society here is the same as in other cities. The main character of the play, Larisa Ogudalova, is a dowry. The Ogudalov family is not rich, but thanks to the perseverance of Kharita Ignatievna, it leads the acquaintance with the mighty of this world. Mother inspires Larisa that she, although she does not have a dowry, should marry a rich groom. And Larissa for the time being accepts these rules of the game, naively hoping that love and wealth [...]
• A special hero in Ostrovsky's world, adjoining the type of a poor official with a sense of his own dignity, is Karandyshev Yuliy Kapitonovich. At the same time, pride in him is hypertrophied so much that it becomes a substitute for other feelings. Larisa for him is not just a beloved girl, she is also a "prize" that gives him the opportunity to triumph over Paratov, a chic and rich rival. At the same time, Karandyshev feels like a benefactor who marries a homeless woman, partly compromised by relations [...]
• The theme of creativity is one of the main ones in the poetry of B.L. Pasternak. It appears in the earliest poems of the poet and runs through all of his work. Being a symbolist, futurist or just a poet, Pasternak always turns to this topic, defining his attitude to the problems of creativity, poet and poetry. The theme of creativity in Pasternak's poetry must be considered in connection with the stages of the poet's creative path and changes in his poetic ideals. Pasternak's entry into literature is associated with his participation [...]

Disgraced and early married. Most of the marriages of that time were calculated to be profitable. If the chosen one was from a wealthy family, this could help to get a high rank. To marry, though not a beloved young man, but a wealthy and wealthy was in the order of things. There was no such thing as a divorce. Apparently, from such calculations, Katerina was married to a rich young man, a merchant's son. Married life did not bring her either happiness or love, but, on the contrary, became the embodiment of hell, filled with the despotism of her mother-in-law and the lies of the people around her.

In contact with

This image in Ostrovsky's play "The Thunderstorm" is the main and at the same time the most contradictory... It differs from the inhabitants of Kalinov by strength of character and self-esteem.

Katerina's life in the parental home

The formation of her personality was greatly influenced by her childhood, which Katya loves to remember. Her father was a wealthy merchant, she felt no need, motherly love and care surrounded her from birth. Her childhood was fun and carefree.

The main features of Katerina can be called:

• kindness;
• sincerity;
• openness.

Parents took her with them to church, and then she walked and devoted her days to her beloved work. His passion for the church began in childhood with attending church services. Later, it is in the church that Boris will pay attention to it.

When Katerina was nineteen years old, she was married off. And, although in the husband's house everything is the same: both walks and work, this no longer gives Katya such pleasure as in childhood.

The former ease is gone, only responsibilities remain. The mother's feeling of support and love helped her to believe in the existence of higher powers. The marriage, which separated her from her mother, deprived Katya of the main thing: love and freedom.

Essay on the theme "the image of Katerina in" The Storm " would be incomplete without familiarity with her environment. It:

• husband Tikhon;
• mother-in-law Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova;
• her husband's sister Varvara.

The person who causes her suffering in family life is the mother-in-law Marfa Ignatievna. Her cruelty, control over household members and submission to their will also concern her daughter-in-law. The long-awaited wedding of her son did not make her happy. But Katya manages to resist her influence thanks to the strength of her character. This scares Kabanikha. With all the power in the house, she cannot allow Katherine to influence her husband. And he reproaches his son for loving his wife more than his mother.

In conversations between Katerina Tikhon and Martha Ignatievna, when the latter openly provokes her daughter-in-law, Katya behaves extremely dignified and friendly, not allowing the conversation to develop into a skirmish, answers briefly and to the point. When Katya says that she loves her like her own mother, the mother-in-law does not believe her, calling it a pretense in front of others. Nevertheless, Katya's spirit cannot be broken. Even in communication with her mother-in-law, she turns to her on "You", showing by this that they are on the same level, while Tikhon addresses his mother exclusively on "You".

Katerina's husband can not be ranked as either positive or negative characters. In fact, he is a child tired of the parent's control. However, his behavior and actions are not aimed at changing the situation, all his words end with complaints about his existence. Sister Barbara reproaches him for not being able to stand up for his wife.
In communication with Varvara, Katya can be sincere. Varvara warns her that life in this house is impossible without lies, and helps to arrange a meeting with her lover.

The connection with Boris fully reveals the characterization of Katerina from the play "The Thunderstorm". Their relationship is developing rapidly. Arriving from Moscow, he fell in love with Katya, and the girl reciprocates. Although the status of a married woman worries him, he is unable to refuse dates with her. Katya struggles with her feelings, does not want to break the laws of Christianity, but when her husband leaves, she goes on dates secretly.

After the arrival of Tikhon, at the initiative of Boris, the meetings stop, he hopes to keep them a secret. But this is contrary to the principles of Katerina, she cannot lie to others or to herself. The thunderstorm that has begun pushes her to talk about treason, in this she sees a sign from above. Boris wants to go to Siberia, but refuses to take her with him at her request. Probably, he does not need her, there was no love on his part.

And for Katya, he was a breath of fresh air. Having appeared in Kalinov from an alien world, he brought with him a feeling of freedom, which she so lacked. The girl's rich imagination assigned him those traits that Boris never had. And she fell in love, but not with a person, but with her idea of \u200b\u200bhim.

The break with Boris and the inability to connect with Tikhon end tragically for Katerina. The realization of the impossibility of living in this world prompts her to throw herself into the river. In order to break one of the strictest Christian prohibitions, Katerina must have tremendous willpower, but the circumstances do not leave her a choice.

Homework for the lesson

1. Collect quotation material for the characterization of Katherine.
2. Read actions II and III. Note the phrases in Katerina's monologues that testify to the poetry of her nature.
3. What is Katherine's speech?
4. How is life in the parents' home different from living in the husband's home?
5. What is the inevitability of Katerina's conflict with the world of the "dark kingdom", with the world of Kabanova and the Wild?
6. Why next to Katerina Varvara?
7. Does Katerina love Tikhon?
8. Happiness or unhappiness in the life of Katerina Boris?
9. Can Katerina's suicide be considered a protest against the “dark kingdom?” Perhaps the protest is in love for Boris?

The task

Using homemade material, characterize Katherine. What traits of her character appear in the very first remarks?

Answer

D.I, yavl. V, p. 232: Failure to hypocrite, lie, directness. The conflict is outlined immediately: Kabanikha does not tolerate self-esteem and rebelliousness in people, Katerina does not know how to adapt and obey. In Katerina there is - along with spiritual softness, trepidation, songwriting - and hateful for Kabanikha firmness, strong-willed determination, which are heard in her story about sailing on a boat, and in her individual actions, and in her patronymic Petrovna, derived from Peter - “ a rock". D. II, yavl. II, pp. 242–243, 244.

Therefore, Katerina cannot be brought to her knees, and this greatly complicates the conflicting confrontation between the two women. A situation arises when, according to the proverb, the scythe has found on the stone.

Question

How else does Katerina differ from the inhabitants of the city of Kalinova? Find the places in the text that emphasize the poetry of Katerina's nature.

Answer

Katerina is a poetic nature. Unlike the rude Kalinovites, she feels the beauty of nature and loves it. Early in the morning I got up ... Oh, yes I lived with my mother like a flower bloomed ...

“I used to get up early; if in the summer, I go to the spring, wash, bring some water with me and that's it, water all the flowers in the house. I had many, many flowers,” she says about her childhood. (d.I, manifest. VII, p. 236)

Her soul is constantly striving for beauty. Her dreams were filled with wonderful, fabulous visions. She often dreamed that she was flying like a bird. She talks about the desire to fly several times. (d.I, jav. VII, p. 235). With these repetitions, the playwright emphasizes the romantic sublimity of Katerina's soul, her freedom-loving aspirations. Married early, she tries to get along with her mother-in-law, to fall in love with her husband, but in the Kabanovs' house, no one needs sincere feelings.

Katerina is religious. With her impressionability, the religious feelings instilled in her in childhood firmly took possession of her soul.

“Until my death, I loved to go to church! Precisely, I used to go into heaven, and I don’t see anyone, I don’t remember the time, and I don’t hear when the service is over,” she recalls. (d.I, jav. VII, p. 236)

Question

How would you characterize the heroine's speech?

Answer

All the richness of her inner world is reflected in Katerina's speech: the strength of feelings, human dignity, moral purity, the truthfulness of nature. The strength of feelings, the depth and sincerity of Katerina's experiences are also expressed in the syntactic structure of her speech: rhetorical questions, exclamations, unfinished sentences. And in especially tense moments, her speech takes on the features of a Russian folk song, becomes smooth, rhythmic, melodious. Her speech contains vernaculars, words of a church-religious nature (lives, angels, golden temples, images), expressive means of folk-poetic language ("Rampant winds, you will transfer my sadness to him"). Speech is rich in intonations - joyful, sad, enthusiastic, sad, alarming. Intonations express Katerina's attitude towards others.

Question

Where did these traits come from in the heroine? Tell us how Katerina lived before her marriage? How is life in the parents' home different from living in the husband's home?

In childhood "Like a bird at liberty", "my mother did not cherish the soul", "did not force to work." Katerina's activities: tended flowers, went to church, listened to pilgrims and praying mantis, embroidered on velvet with gold, walked in the garden Katerina's traits: love of freedom (bird image): independence; self-esteem; daydreaming and poetry (a story about going to church, about dreams); religiosity; decisiveness (the story of the act with the boat) For Katerina, the main thing is to live according to your soul

In the Kabanov family "I have wilted completely," "but everything here seems to be out of bondage." The atmosphere of the house is fear. “They won't be afraid of you, and even less so. What kind of order will it be in the house? " The principles of the Kabanovs' house: complete submission; giving up your will; humiliation with reproaches and suspicions; lack of spiritual principles; religious hypocrisy For Kabanikha, the main thing is to subdue. Don't let me live my way

Answer

P. 235, file I, yavl. VII ("Was I like that!")

Output

Outwardly, the living conditions in Kalinov are no different from those of Katerina's childhood. The same prayers, the same rituals, the same activities, but "here," the heroine notes, "everything seems to be out of bondage." And bondage is incompatible with her freedom-loving soul.

Question

What is Catherine's protest against the "dark kingdom"? Why can't we call her either "victim" or "mistress"?

Answer

Katerina differs in character from all the characters in "The Groza". Whole, honest, sincere, she is incapable of lying and falsehood, therefore, in a cruel world where Wilds and Kabanovs reign, her life is tragic. She does not want to adapt to the world of the "dark kingdom", but she cannot be called a victim either. She protests. Her protest is love for Boris. This is freedom of choice.

Question

Does Katerina love Tikhon?

Answer

Married, apparently not of her own free will, she is at first ready to become an exemplary wife. D. II, yavl. II, p. 243. But such a rich nature as Katerina cannot love a primitive, limited person.

D. V, yavl. III, p. 279 "Yes, he was hateful to me, he was hateful, his caress is worse than beatings to me."

At the beginning of the play we learn about her love for Boris. D. I, yavl. VII, p. 237.

Question

Happiness or unhappiness in the life of Katerina Boris?

Answer

The very love for Boris is a tragedy. D.V, yavl. III, p. 280 "Unfortunately, I saw you." Even the dull-witted Kudryash understands this, warning with alarm: "Oh, Boris Grigorovich! (...) It means you want to ruin her completely, Boris Grigorovich! (...) But what kind of people are here! You know yourself. They will be driven into the coffin. (...) Only you look - don’t make any trouble for yourself, but don’t bring her into trouble! Suppose, even though her husband is a fool, but her mother-in-law hurts fiercely. ”

Question

What is the complexity of Katerina's inner state?

Answer

Love for Boris is: free choice dictated by the heart; a deception that puts Katerina on a par with Barbara; giving up love is submission to the world of Kabanikha. Love-choice dooms Katerina to torment.

Question

How is the heroine's torment, her struggle with herself, her strength shown in the scene with the key and the scenes of a date and farewell to Boris? Analyze vocabulary, sentence structure, folklore elements, connections with folk song.

Answer

D.III, scene II, yavl. III. pp. 261–262, 263

D.V, yavl. III, p. 279.

Scene with the key: “What am I saying, that I am deceiving myself? I should at least die and see him. " Date scene: “Let everyone know, let everyone see what I am doing! If I was not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment? " Farewell scene: “My friend! My joy! Goodbye!" All three scenes show the heroine's determination. She never betrayed herself anywhere: she decided on love at the behest of her heart, confessed to treason due to her inner feeling of freedom (a lie is always lack of freedom), she came to say goodbye to Boris not only because of a feeling of love, but also because of a feeling of guilt: he suffered because of for her. She threw herself into the Volga at the request of her free nature.

Question

So what is at the heart of Katherine's protest against the "dark kingdom"?

Answer

Katerina's protest against the oppression of the "dark kingdom" is based on a natural desire to defend the freedom of her personality. Bondage is the name of her main enemy. With all her being, Katerina felt that living in the "dark kingdom" was worse than death. And she chose death over captivity.

Question

Prove that Katherine's death is a protest.

Answer

Katherine's death is a protest, a riot, a call to action. Varvara ran away from home, Tikhon blamed his mother for the death of his wife. Kuligin threw a reproach of mercy.

Question

Will the city of Kalinov be able to live as before?

Answer

Most likely no.

The fate of Katerina takes on a symbolic meaning in the play. It is not only the heroine of the play that perishes, but patriarchal Russia and patriarchal morality perish and become a thing of the past. Ostrovsky's drama, as it were, captured people's Russia at a turning point, on the threshold of a new historical era.

For conclusion

The play asks many questions to this day. First of all, it is necessary to understand the genre nature, the main conflict of "Thunderstorms" and understand why N.A. Dobrolyubov wrote in his article "A Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom": "The Thunderstorm" is undoubtedly Ostrovsky's most decisive work. The author himself called his work a drama. Over time, researchers increasingly began to call the "Thunderstorm" a tragedy, based on the specifics of the conflict (clearly tragic) and the nature of Katerina, who raised the big questions that remained somewhere on the periphery of society's attention. Why did Katerina die? Because she got a cruel mother-in-law? Because she, being a husband's wife, committed a sin and could not bear the pangs of conscience? If we restrict ourselves to these problems, the content of the work is significantly impoverished, reduced to a separate, private episode from the life of such and such a family and loses its high tragic intensity.

At first glance, it seems that the main conflict of the play is the clash between Katerina and Kabanova. If Marfa Ignatievna were kinder, softer, more humane, the tragedy with Katerina would hardly have happened. But the tragedy might not have happened if Katerina knew how to lie, adapt, if she did not judge herself so severely, if she looked at life more simply and calmly. But Kabanikha remains Kabanikha, and Katerina remains Katerina. And each of them reflects a certain position in life, each of them acts in accordance with its own principles.

The main thing in the play is the inner life of the heroine, the emergence in her of something new, still unclear to herself. “Something in me is so extraordinary, as if I’m starting to live again, or ... I don’t know,” she confesses to her husband's sister Varvara.

The image of Katerina in the play "The Thunderstorm" contrasts perfectly with the gloomy realities of Russia in the pre-reform period. At the epicenter of the unfolding drama is the conflict between the heroine, striving to defend her human rights, and the world in which everything is run by strong, rich and powerful people.

Katerina as the embodiment of a pure, strong and bright folk soul

From the very first pages of the work, the image of Katerina in the play "The Thunderstorm" cannot fail to attract attention and make you feel sympathetic. Honesty, the ability to feel deeply, sincerity of nature and a penchant for poetry - these are the features that distinguish Katerina herself from the representatives of the "dark kingdom". In the main character, Ostrovsky tried to capture all the beauty of the people's simple soul. The girl expresses her emotions and feelings unpretentiously and does not use distorted words and expressions common in the merchant environment. It is not difficult to notice, the very speech of Katerina is more reminiscent of a melodic tune, she is replete with diminutive words and expressions: "sun", "grass", "rain". The heroine shows incredible sincerity when she talks about her free life in her father's house, among icons, calm prayers and flowers, where she lived "like a bird in freedom."

The image of a bird is an accurate reflection of the state of mind of the heroine

The image of Katerina in the play "The Thunderstorm" echoes in the best possible way with the image of a bird, which symbolizes freedom in folk poetry. Talking to Barbara, she repeatedly refers to this analogy and claims that she is "a free bird that fell into an iron cage." In captivity, she is sad and painful.

Katerina's life in the Kabanovs' house. Love of Katerina and Boris

In the Kabanovs' house, Katerina, who is inherent in dreaminess and romance, feels like a completely stranger. The humiliating reproaches of the mother-in-law, accustomed to keeping all household members at bay, the atmosphere of tyranny, lies and hypocrisy oppress the girl. However, Katerina herself, who is by nature a strong, whole person, knows that her patience has a limit: “I don’t want to live here, I won’t do that, even though you cut me!” Barbara's words that it is impossible to survive in this house without deception cause strong rejection in Katerina. The heroine opposes the "dark kingdom", his orders did not break her will to live, fortunately, did not force her to become like other residents of the Kabanovs' house and begin to be hypocritical and lie herself at every step.

The image of Katerina in the play "The Thunderstorm" is revealed in a new way, when the girl makes an attempt to escape from the "hateful" world. She does not know how and does not want to love the way the inhabitants of the “dark kingdom” do, freedom, openness, “honest” happiness are important to her. While Boris convinces her that their love will remain a secret, Katerina wants everyone to know about it, so that everyone can see. Tikhon, her husband, but the bright feeling awakened in her heart seems to her And just at this moment the reader comes face to face with the tragedy of her suffering and torment. From this moment, Katerina's conflict occurs not only with the outside world, but also with herself. It is difficult for her to make a choice between love and duty, she tries to forbid herself to love and be happy. However, the struggle with their own feelings is beyond the strength of the fragile Katerina.

The style and laws that reign in the world around the girl put pressure on her. She seeks to repent of what she has done, to purify her soul. Seeing the painting "The Last Judgment" on the wall in the church, Katerina can not stand it, falls to her knees and begins to publicly repent of her sin. However, even this does not bring the girl the desired relief. Other heroes of Ostrovsky's The Thunderstorm are not able to support her, even a loved one. Boris refuses to Katerina's requests to take her out of here. This person is not a hero, he is simply unable to protect himself or his beloved.

Death of Katerina - a ray of light that illuminated the "dark kingdom"

Evil falls on Katherine from all sides. Constant harassment by the mother-in-law, throwing between duty and love - all this ultimately leads the girl to a tragic ending. Having managed to learn happiness and love in her short life, she is simply not able to continue living in the Kabanovs' house, where such concepts do not exist at all. She sees the only way out in suicide: the future frightens Katerina, and the grave is perceived as salvation from the torment of the soul. However, the image of Katerina in the drama "The Thunderstorm", despite everything, remains strong - she did not choose a miserable existence in the "cage" and did not allow anyone to break her living soul.

Nevertheless, the death of the heroine was not in vain. The girl won a moral victory over the "dark kingdom", she managed to dispel a little darkness in the hearts of people, to induce them to action, to open their eyes. The life of the heroine herself became a "ray of light" that blazed in the darkness and for a long time left its glow over the world of madness and darkness.