Mikhail Sholokhov, the book "Quiet Flows the Don": reviews, description and characterization of the characters

"Quiet Don" is the most significant work of those dedicated to the Don Cossacks. In terms of its scale, it is compared with Tolstoy's War and Peace. Reflects a huge piece of life of the inhabitants of the Cossack village and the tragedy of the entire Russian people, the epic novel "Quiet Flows the Don." Critics' comments agree on one thing: the book is one of the greatest in the literature. Opinions about the writer are not so flattering. The article is devoted to the disputes about the authorship of the famous novel and the characterization of the main characters.

History of creation

The novel was conceived in the early twenties of the last century. His writing was preceded by the creation of Don stories. The characters of the Cossack village inspired the author for a long work on a large-scale artwork. And in 1940 the fourth volume of the novel Quiet Flows the Don was completed. Reviews of the researchers, and among them was Alexander Solzhenitsyn, point to a lot of controversy. The author "In the First Circle" stated that the material of the book is extremely superior to Sholokhov's life experience and educational level. Such work, according to Solzhenitsyn, can only be created by a master, and only after numerous attempts. Mikhail Sholokhov was twenty at the time when he wrote the first volume. Behind him there were only four classes of the gymnasium.

Perhaps, one of the geniuses who are born once in two hundred years, was the author of the novel "Quiet Flows the Don"? Reviews of critics and readers about the subsequent works of Sholokhov show that in his work the writer has never exhibited such a grandiose talent.

The main images in the novel

Long communication with representatives of the pre-revolutionary Cossacks should have preceded the work on such an outstanding work as the Quiet Flows the Don. Comments of the adherents of the idea of plagiarism are based on the fact that Sholokhov could not have such an experience due to age. In the novel, above all, the reliability of the image of everyday life and the psychological makeup of heroes is striking.

In the center of the narrative are people who have bright individual characters and complex fates. The life of Grigory Melekhov is shown most deeply. This hero is a reflection of the entire Don Cossacks. His life quest - the fate of all representatives of this social culture. Peasant labor was the most important in the life of each of them. And the example of the protagonist shows how difficult it was to give up the habitual way of life, from the closeness to the land and peasant labor to the simple Don Cossack. The novel is full of picturesque landscapes. The beauty and colors of nature occupy an important place in the whole narrative of the novel Quiet Flows the Don.

M. Sholokhov reviewed the writer's work as follows: "This writer is bad, who is able to embellish reality, trying to spare the reader's feelings." And in the great novel-epic, in order to prove these words there are not only the beauties of the Don nature and the noble sentiments of the main characters, but also monstrous mores bordering on savagery.

Grigory Melekhov

Heroes of the novel - images are complex, multifaceted. The main one is Grigory Melekhov. At the beginning of the work he is shown as a man accustomed to peaceful peasant labor. It should be said about the author's style, filled with bright live colors and specific color. "Grigory's feet are accustomed to trample on the ground" - these words complement the image of Gregory and create a portrait of a man intended for work and family life. However, youth and southern blood become decisive in his destiny. He fell in love with a married woman. The strength of his feelings is confirmed by his determined deeds, one of which is leaving the family and serving as a groom.

One of the plot lines is the story of the extraordinary love of Gregory and Aksinya. Reviews of the book "Quiet Flows the Don" left in large numbers FG Biryukov. The Soviet literary critic, who rejected the opinion of Sholokhov's plagiarism, in particular, said that the author was far from idyllic in creating the novel. In the great work there is also patriarchalism, antediluvian morals, and domestic backwardness. But the dark side of human life is especially penetrating in the chapters on the war. The protagonist sees the dirt of human life, and he is overcome by confusion and great doubts.

Gregory in the war

The horror of military morals, witnessed by Melekhov, leads to the fact that he does not know which side he should go to. He sees fratricide, death. Gregory meets with the "red" Cossack, who influences his worldview. But later he sees his terrible violent death and turns to the side of the "whites". But even here he is not left unsure of the correctness of the choice made. Countless wanderings through the Russian land, engulfed by war, robbery and poverty, result in returning to their home, once a crowded and noisy one. Only the son and sister of Gregory survived - the civil war did not regret anybody.

"Quiet Flows the Don" is a novel, the review of which is left almost every outstanding personality in the literature of the 20th century. The Lithuanian writer J. Avižius said that the author of this great work was not constrained by any rules and canons. And because the novel is written powerfully, and it lives the scorching truth of life. "In its form, the novel has a rare integrity, as if cut from a single clay", - wrote J. Avigius.

The subject of research of many outstanding historians and literary critics became the Quiet Flows the Don. Criticism, reviews about the novel - the topic of a great many critical articles. The opinion of VV Petelin about the main character of the work is reduced to the notion of the typical character of this character. In the opinion of the literary critic, Gregory is the symbol of the whole people, the collective image of all those who survived the tragedy during the years of the revolution. And there were millions.

Aksinya

The main character is an artistic embodiment of passion, impulse and instincts. Her fate is tragic and could not be different, given the events that took place in the father's house. Aksinya became a victim of domestic violence. This fact has become a shadow for the relationship with the young husband. But Aksinya's love changes in the course of the narrative. The heroine becomes older, but at the same time her feelings become mature. At the beginning of the novel, it is selfish, and at the end it resembles a mother's care, becomes sacrificial.

With subtle psychologism depicted the main images in the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" Mikhail Sholokhov. Reviews, opinions about the book, despite the incessant disputes about authorship, converge in one - this is a great work. Aleksey Tolstoy stressed that in this creation, although the life of the Don Cossacks is extremely picturesque, still universal and national themes come to the fore.

The image of the Don

Particular attention in the novel is given to the image of the Cossacks. Not far from the village of Veshenskaya, where the main characters live, the mighty mighty Don stretched. He is nothing but a symbol of the life of the whole people. The title of the book contrasts with the events that are set out in it. The life of the families of Melekhov, Astakhov and other characters is by no means filled with peace and quiet. But the image of the river symbolizes the aspirations and aspirations of the heroes, which Mikhail Sholokhov created in the novel The Quiet Flows the Don. Reviews of this book by Sergei Mikhalkov consist in comparing Don's role in the work of a Soviet writer with the Volga in Gorky's works.

Natalia

On the skill of Sholokhov, mainly Soviet literature representatives were left positive reviews and reviews. "Quiet Flows the Don," according to the writer Yu. V. Bondarev, is a book in which the fates of ordinary people were in the forefront. Representatives of the people later became favorite images in the works of pro-Soviet authors. But we must pay tribute to the artistic gift of the writer, who created portraits of heroines, which later became the most striking in the history of all literature. These are images of a passionate Aksinya, and a quiet loving Natalya, and frivolous Daria.

The wife of Grigory Melekhov is the embodiment of selfless love, tenderness, unlimited motherly love. In the first years of marriage, she is not capable of expressing feelings. Natalia is too young, and her temper is not at all hot. This pushes Gregory to incessant comparison of his wife with his beloved Aksinya.

Natalia's fate is sad, like the life of her rival. Grigory rushes between her and her mistress and can not find happiness anywhere. But, no matter what, she continues to love and be true. The death of Natalia Melekhova leads to the fact that the love triangle is broken. Nothing from now on hinders the happiness of Gregory and Aksinya. However, there is still a war that brings with it hardships, hardships and death. And there is nothing stronger than her.

Ilyinichna

Ilyinichna has an unseen force of maternal love and wisdom. She knows life and the order that reigns in her. The wisdom of this woman proves her attitude to her daughter-in-law. She again takes Natalia to her house and in brief conversations seeks to give her her experience. Ilinichna can restore peace in the house, as evidenced by her relationship with Pantelei Prokofievich. Only she alone can curb the wild, hot temper of this man. And she also knows that only love for children is able to connect parents.

Pantelei Prokofievich

The head of the Melekhov family is a hardworking man. It is too obvious features of an outdated patriarchal worldview. Melekhov-senior believes that he has the right to punish the unfaithful wife of the eldest son. And he independently finds the bride to the younger, which is too arbitrary action, even taking into account the mores of that time. But in the heart of Pantelei Prokofievich, kindness and tenderness live. These qualities are manifested, above all, in relation to Natalia. My father hurts because his daughter-in-law is not loved by his son. He seeks to achieve justice. And although the concept of it is rather peculiar, only good intentions drive his actions.

Petr Melekhov

In beauty and charm, the elder brother Gregory is inferior. But at the beginning of the novel, wisdom, tranquility, good-natured appear in it. Later in the chapters that tell of military service, a somewhat different Peter looms before the reader. This one is cunning and adaptable. There is no hot blood in it, which has a relationship with the father, younger brother and sister. And there is no noble desire for independence, uniting members of the Melekhov family.

Daria

Another interesting female image is the wife of Peter. Daria - attractive, slender. Family life did not deprive her of maiden beauty. But the burning desire to live, to be happy, pushes her to commit all sorts of misdemeanors. The most terrible of them is murder. However, having become infected with the "bad disease" due to random love connections, it consciously drowns in a deep river.

Reviews

About the novel "Quiet Flows the Don," Mikhail Sholokhov said as a work that was given to him is not easy. In it, he reflected the old and new Russia, and most importantly - a painful turning-point, which maimed the fate of people. The adversity and deprivation have also affected the character of the characters, which during the narrative essentially change.

The book "Quiet Flows the Don" is of national value. Mikhail Sholokhov was named by Yu. V. Bondarev a thorough historian, whose work was much more important than the works of those researchers who used to confuse more than clarify.

The question of who wrote Quiet Flows the Don is officially closed. The authorship of this novel is proved. The novel "Quiet Flows the Don" was created by Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov. Other opinions can be expressed by researchers who have done a long and serious job. But still the phrase "young author of the greatest novel in four volumes" sounds, at least, implausible. But, perhaps, everything is in an incomparable talent, which manifested itself only in one book.