Creativity of Alexander Ostrovsky stands at the origins of our national drama. Fonvizin, Griboedov and Gogol began the creation of the great Russian theater. With the advent of Ostrovsky's plays, with the flowering of his talent and skill, dramatic art rose to new heights. No wonder the critic Odoevsky noted that before Ostrovsky in the domestic literature there were only 3 dramas: "Incomprehensible", "Woe from Wit" and "Inspector". He called the play "Bankrupt" the fourth, stressing that it is the last missing cornerstone on which the grand "building" of the Russian theater will be erected.
From "Bankrupt" to "Thunderstorms"
Yes, it is with the comedy "Your People - We'll Be Considered" (the second name of "Bankrupt") that Alexander Ostrovsky, the playwright, who combines and masterfully reworked the best traditions of the "natural" school - socio-psychological and satirical - begins. Becoming "Columbus Zamoskvorechye", he opened the world to the previously unknown stratum of Russian life - the middle and small merchants and philistinism, reflected his uniqueness, showed how bright strong, pure characters, and gloomy harsh reality of the world of haggling, hypocrisy, the lack of high impulses and ideals . It happened in 1849. And already in his first significant play the writer outlines a special type of personality that he will appear again and again: from Samson Silych the Great to Tit Titych Bruskov from "In another's feast of a hangover" and further, to Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova and Savel Prokopievich Dikoy from "Thunderstorms" - a type of tyrant, named very accurately and capaciously and entered, thanks to the playwright, into our speech habit. This category is suitable for people who completely violate the logical and moral, ethical , ethical standards of human community. "Samodours of Russian life" are called the critic Dobrolyubov Wild and Cabanich, representing the "dark kingdom" in the play Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm."
Homicide as a socio-typological phenomenon
Let us examine this phenomenon in more detail. Why do tyrants appear in society? First of all, from the awareness of one's own complete and absolute power, the complete leveling of the interests and opinions of others in comparison with one's own, a sense of impunity and lack of resistance on the part of the victims. This is how the "dark kingdom" in Ostrovsky's play "The Storm" is shown. Wild and Kabanov - the richest inhabitants of the small provincial town of Kalinov, located along the banks of the Volga. Money allows them to feel personal importance and significance. They also give them power - over their home, on strangers, in something dependent on them people, and more - on public opinion in the city. "The Dark Kingdom" in Ostrovsky's play "The Storm" is terrible because it destroys or mutes the slightest manifestations of protest, any trends of freedom and independence. Self-indulgence is the reverse side of slavery. It equally corrupts both the "owners of life" themselves and those who are dependent on them, poisoning all the spheres of Russian social life with their pernicious breath. That is why, according to Dobrolyubov, the "dark kingdom" in Ostrovsky's play "The Storm" is a synonym for tyranny.
Conflict of drama
Possessing a deep understanding of reality, the writer was able to depict the most significant and significant aspects of it. In the pre-reform year 1859 he was impressed by the journey through the Volga in 1856-1857. Creates a play that was later recognized as one of his best creations - the drama "Thunderstorm". What is interesting: literally a month after the play was over, events took place in Kostroma, both reproducing the literary work according to the script. What does this mean? About how accurately perceived and guessed by Alexander Nikolayevich conflict and how realistically reflected "dark kingdom" in the play "Storm".
Ostrovsky did not for a reason choose the main contradiction of Russian life as the main conflict - the clash between the conservative beginning, based on patriarchal traditions formed by the centuries and based on indisputable authority, moral principles and prohibitions, on the one hand, and on the other - the beginning of rebellious, creative and living , The need for the person to break stereotypes, to go ahead in spiritual development. Therefore, not only Wild and Kabanikha embody the "dark kingdom" in the play "Storm". Ostrovsky makes it clear that the slightest concession to him, connivance and non-resistance automatically translates a person into the rank of accomplices.
Philosophy of the "Dark Kingdom"
From the very first lines of the play, two elements break into our consciousness: the free Volga expanse, wonderful distances, wide horizons, and the stuffy, condensed atmosphere of the pre-threat, the agonizing expectation of some upheavals and the thirst for renewal. Representatives of the "dark kingdom" in the play "Storm" are horrified by the cataclysms of nature, seeing in them a manifestation of the wrath of God and the coming punishment for sins - obvious and imaginary. This is confirmed all the time by Marfa Ignatyevna, echoing her and Dika. At the request of Kuligin to donate money for the construction of a lightning rod for citizens, he reproaches: "The storm is given in punishment, and you, such and such, from the Lord want to defend the sixth." This replica clearly shows the philosophy held by the representatives of the "dark kingdom" in the play "Groza": one can not resist what has prevailed for centuries, one can not go against will or punishment from above, humility and obedience must remain ethical norms of the present. What is interesting: the very same Kalinov's self-tyrants not only sincerely believe in such an order of things, but also recognize it as the only correct one.
Hanja under the guise of virtue
"The Dark Kingdom" in the play by AN Ostrovsky "Storm" is many. But the pillars of it are primarily Dikaya and Kabanova. Marfa Ignatyevna, the burly merchant woman, the mistress of the house, behind whose high fence invisible tears flow and everyday humiliation of human dignity and free will occur, is named in the play unambiguously - a prude. It is said about it: "Beggars beggars, goes to church, earnestly baptized, but eats home eating, grinds, as if rusting iron." The external laws of antiquity, she tries to observe in everything, while not particularly caring about their inner content. Kabanikha knows that the younger must obey the elders and requires blind obedience in everything. When Katerina and Tikhon parted before he left, she makes her bow to her husband's feet, and her son - to give his wife a strict order, how to behave. There, "mother does not contradict," and "do not look at the guys" and many other "wishes." And all present well understand the farcical nature of the situation, its falsity. And only Marfa Ignatievna revels in her mission. The decisive role in the tragedy of Katerina was played by her too, distorting the character of her son, spoiling his family life, abusing Katerina's soul and forcing her to make a fatal step from the Volga to the abyss.
Lies in the rank of the law
"The Dark Kingdom" in the drama of AN Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm" - tyranny in its highest manifestation. Katerina, comparing life in her own family and in her husband's family, notices the most important difference: everything here seems to be "out of captivity". And it is true. Either you obey the inhuman rules of the game, or you will be wiped out in powder. Kuligin directly declares that the mores in the city are "cruel." Who is rich, he tries to enslave the poor, in order to increase their wealth on their pennies. The same Wild looks at Boris, dependent on him: "If you please me, I will give you the inheritance!" But it's impossible to please a tyrant, and the fate of the unfortunate Boris and his sister is predetermined. They will remain humiliated and offended, disenfranchised and defenseless. Is there a way out? There is: lie, dodge, as long as possible. This is what Tikhon's sister Varvara is doing. Its moral principles are simple: do what you want, if only no one noticed anything, everything was "shit and yes" was. And when Katerina objects that she does not know how to dissemble, she can not lie, Varvara tells her simply: "And I did not know how, but it became necessary - I had learned!"
Curly, Barbara and others
And what are the victims of the "dark kingdom" in the drama of A. Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm" in general? They are people with a broken fate, mutilated souls, a mutilated moral world. The same Tikhon by nature is a kind, gentle person. The tyranny of the mother killed in him the rudiments of his own will. He can not resist her pressure, she does not know how to resist, and she finds consolation in drunkenness. To support his wife, to stand by her side, to protect himself from the boar's arbitrariness, he too is beyond his power. At the instigation of his mother, he beats Catherine, although he pities her. And only the death of his wife makes him openly accuse his mother, but it is clear that the fuse will pass very quickly, and everything will remain the same.
Quite another matter is another male character - Vanya Kudryash. That for a word in his pocket does not climb, repels everyone and even "piercing" Dikoy does not let down rudeness. However, this character is also spoiled by the deadening influence of the "dark kingdom". Curly - a copy of the Wild, only not yet entered into force, not zamatorehshego. Time will pass and he will be worthy of his master. Varvara, who has become a liar and suffering harassment of her mother, eventually runs away from home. Lying became her second nature, and therefore the heroine evokes sympathy and compassion in us. The timid Kuligin rarely dares to protect himself before the snootiness of the tyrants of the "dark kingdom". In fact, no one except Katerina, incidentally, is a victim, does not have enough firmness to throw this "kingdom" a challenge.
Why Catherine?
The only hero of the work, who lacks the moral determination to condemn the life and customs of the "dark kingdom" in the play of Ostrovsky "The Storm", is Katerina. Its naturalness, sincerity, ardent impetuosity, wingedness do not allow you to accept arbitrariness and violence, to take etiquette dictated from the Domostroev era. Katerina wants to love, enjoy life, experience natural feelings, be open to the world. Like a bird, she dreams of tearing herself away from the earth, from a dead life and flying up into the skies. It is religious, but not in Caban. Her straightforward nature breaks the twofold contradiction between her duty toward her husband, her love for Boris and her awareness of her sinfulness before God. And all this is deeply sincere, from the very depths of the heart. Yes, Katerina is also a victim of the "dark kingdom". However, she managed to break his fetters. She shook the age-old foundations. And I was able to point the way out to others - not only by my own death, but by protest in general.