M. Gorky, "The Legend of Danko": a summary

Romanticism, strength of spirit and an incredible love for freedom - this is a legend about Danko. The summary of Maxim Gorky's story "Old Woman Izergil" most often contains a retelling of the freedom-loving Danko, although there are other interesting characters in this work.

Romance and love of freedom

All the works of Maxim Gorky, which were written in the early period of his work, contain a lot of reflection on the meaning of life. The author appears before us an exalted romantic who is in love with strong people. A beautiful and instructive story - such is the legend of Danko, which is summarized below.

Structure of the story

Gorky wrote this amazing story-parable in 1895. It consists of three separate parts. In the work there are two main characters - the author himself, on whose behalf the story is being conducted, and the old woman Izergil, who told him stories on the beach. The legend of Danko, the brief content of which every educated person needs to know, structurally consists of three parts. This is a story about Larry, the son of an eagle, who does not have an inner core, cold and full of pride. This is the legend of Danko, who is ready to sacrifice his life for the sake of freedom. And the third part is a story about the hard life of the very oldest Izergil.

Arrogance and pride

Analysis of the legend of Danko from the story of M. Gorky will not be complete, if at first not to tell about the first hero of the story - Larry. He is very freedom-loving and proud, but he thinks only of his own benefits and comforts. He wants to enjoy all the benefits, but do not give anything back to anyone. He is extremely selfish, he is overwhelmed by unbridled desires, he does not know compassion and does not know what true love is.

The daughter of one of the elders rejected his feelings, and he kills her in a fit of anger. People punished him - expelled from their society away, doomed to eternal wandering and loneliness. He begins to yearn, the only thing he craves with all his heart is to find death. He is even ready to kill himself - but fate has doomed him to immortality. People leave him alone in the steppe, soon there is only a shadow on the ground from him.

Life of an old woman

The ability to empathize, to find in the most ordinary things an element of romance and sublime feelings-this is how Gorky appears to the readers. Danko, this beautiful legend, is preceded by a story about the life of the very oldest Izergil. The second part of this remarkable story is somewhat autobiographical. Old woman Izergil led a rather stormy life, she traveled a lot and saw many people. She herself possessed mad pride and loved to play on the feelings of people, to use them to achieve their goals. When she loved a man, she gave herself up to this passion finally and irrevocably, she was ready for everything for the sake of this man. She could even kill a man to release her lover from captivity. But her feelings quickly faded away, then she turned her back on someone who had recently been so dear to her.

And only at the end of life the old woman realized that happiness is not in passions, not in strong feelings, but in quiet seed life, when there is a beloved husband and long-awaited children nearby. Alas, life has passed, but this is not the case with the old woman.

To live for someone

And yet the most important, the key place in this story is the legend of Danko. A.M. Gorky was able to describe this story in such a piercing and sincere manner that it has forever become part of the world literature as an example of style.

Once upon a time, evil enemies decided to expel people from their native lands and sent them to live in dense forests. No one dared to murmur. And only the young brave Danko, courageous and unconquered, decided to lead people out of the forest. With his energy, he inspired people and led them into a difficult journey. At first, people walked energetically and confidently. But their strength was exhausted, a thunderstorm began, and a murmur of louder and louder voices arose - why did we set out on this difficult path? In their troubles they accused Danko, who persuaded them to go on the road. And in order not to go further, they decided to kill the brave man. What should we do in this situation? Persuade? Urge? Do you want to continue to go forward? No. Danko, this brave and handsome man, tore his heart from his chest, raised it above his head. He illuminated people's way. And it was so amazing that people followed him. The forest is over, the goal is reached, here it is, freedom!

But people immediately forgot about Danko, as if there was not his merit in the fact that they obtained the long-awaited freedom.

Moral and inference

This is just a small retelling of a beautiful romantic story, a brief summary. Gorky, the legend of Danko became very popular and turned into a parable, very delicately and beautifully describes all aspects of the human soul. Its dark corners, where there is a place of pride, narcissism, fears, and bright sides of the human character, when for the sake of a high goal the hero is ready to sacrifice his life.

In this amazing story is the most important thing - the wisdom of life, the destiny of man, the good that does not always win, and the evil that ranks in decent clothes. Live not for yourself, but for others - this is the main message of this literary work. And even if this is not appreciated by the people around you right away. But it is the will of your soul to sacrifice yourself in order to gain freedom.

After all, in essence, the three heroes - and the old woman Izergil, and Larry, and Danko - are very similar to each other in their spiritual qualities. All of them are proud, purposeful, all live with great passions. But much depends on where to direct your energy, how to dispose of your gift, how to apply your makings leader.

Larry decided to devote his life only to himself, did not accept refusal. As a result, he was expelled from society and received the most terrible punishment - total loneliness.
Old woman Izergil, overwhelmed with passions, was ready to make sacrifices, but too quickly she cooled to her beloved. And in search of her second half, she never found love, no rest.

And only Danko, this brave daredevil, was not afraid to give his life for others. Freedom and independence for him stood in the first place. And in the sacrifice of these predominant concepts he was ready to give the most precious - his life.

That's why the legend about Danko became very popular. The summary of the story "Old Woman Isergil" does not convey all the beauty and sophistication of the style. And it should be noted that in this work Maxim Gorky appears before us as a virtuosic master of possession of the word.

A beautiful, touching, sad and at the same time life-affirming story has lifted Maxim Gorky to the literary Olympus and became a real classic of Russian literature.