The work of Alexander Pushkin "Mozart and Salieri": genre, summary

The work "Mozart and Salieri", whose genre is a small tragedy, belongs to the pen of the famous Russian poet, writer and playwright AS Pushkin. The author conceived the writing of a new play in 1826, but created it in the most fruitful period of his work - during the so-called Boldin Autumn. The play was published in 1831, immediately giving birth to one of the most firmly established myths that the composer Salieri killed his friend Mozart. The text of the drama became the basis for the libretto of the opera by NA Rimsky-Korsakov, as well as for film scripts.

Idea

The play "Mozart and Salieri", whose genre is somewhat specific in comparison with other works of the author, was ready five years before its publication, as there are written testimonies of the poet's friends and some of his contemporaries. But the poet feared official criticism, so he was not in a hurry with her publication. He even tried to publish his new works anonymously or to hide his authorship, pointing out that he had translated foreign works. The work is written under the strong influence of his previous major historical drama Boris Godunov.

While working on it, Pushkin wanted to write a series of plays devoted to the historical episodes of other countries. And if in the first case he was inspired by the work of W. Shakespeare, then this time he took as his model the dramaturgy of the French author J. Racine, who preferred in terms of the harmony of the plot and the syllable.

Features of the plot

One of the most famous works of Pushkin was the play Mozart and Salieri. The genre of this drama is very specific, as it enters the cycle of the so-called small tragedies, which as such do not exist in the literature, but were developed by the author himself exclusively for new works, of which there were only four. One of the main distinctive genre features of the work is the deliberate simplification of the plot. In this play - only two characters (not counting the blind violinist, who appears in one episode).

The whole composition of the play is monologues and dialogues, in which, nevertheless, their characters are fully revealed. The composition "Mozart and Salieri" is very carefully prescribed by the psychology of the characters. The genre of the play defined its intimacy: the action unfolds in a closed space, which, as it were, brightens and emphasizes the dramatic nature of history. The final of the work is quite predictable: there is practically no intrigue in terms of the plot. The main tie is a demonstration of the inner world of the heroes, an attempt to explain their behavior and motives.

Language

Very simple, but at the same time rich vocabulary is the drama "Mozart and Salieri". Pushkin abandoned the complex literary turns that he resorted to in writing his previous tragedy when he imitated Shakespeare. Now he was interested in Rasin's easy, elegant language. He wanted the reader (or the viewer of theatrical production) not to be distracted from the essence of the conflict and the opposition of the characters.

Therefore, he intentionally narrowed the scope of the narrative and achieved maximum laconism in dialogues and monologues. And in fact, both heroes immediately become very clear, since from the very first appearance they clearly, clearly and accurately state their motives and goals of life. Perhaps, it was in the small tragedies that the author's talent for profiting simplicity in the vocabulary became especially clear. This attracts the reader the drama "Mozart and Salieri". Pushkin wanted to make the meaning of the conflict as accessible as possible, so he avoided everything that could distract the reader. At the same time, the speech of the heroes is not devoid of some elegance: it is close to colloquial, but nevertheless it sounds very melodic and orderly. In the work under consideration, this feature is particularly prominent, since its two heroes are a composer, people of mental labor, who have a refined taste.

Introduction

One of the most famous writers and poets is Pushkin. "Mozart and Salieri" (the summary of the play is distinguished by its apparent simplicity and accessibility for understanding) is a drama that is interesting for its dramatic and complex psychological plot. The beginning opens with the monologue of Salieri, who speaks of his devotion and love to music, and also recalls the efforts that he made to study it.

At the same time he expresses his envy (by the way, it was this one of the draft names of the play) to Mozart, who composes brilliant works with ease and virtuosity. The second part of the monologue is devoted to the disclosure of his intention: the composer decided to poison his friend, guided by the fact that he wastes his talent in vain and does not know how to find a worthy use for him.

The first conversation of the heroes

Like no one else in a short work knew how to convey the depth of psychological experiences Pushkin. "Mozart and Salieri" (the summary of the play is the best proof of that) is a verbal duel between two characters, in which their interests and life goals collide. However, outwardly they communicate very friendly, but the author built their speeches in such a way that each phrase proves how different they are people and how irreconcilable are the contradictions between them. This is already revealed in their first conversation.

The theme "Mozart and Salieri", perhaps, is best revealed in the appearance of the first on the stage, which immediately demonstrates his easy and unconstrained temper. He brings with him a blind violinist who plays his composition poorly, and the errors of the poor musician amuse him. Salieri is indignant at the fact that his friend scoffs at his own genius music.

The second meeting of the characters

This conversation finally strengthened the composer's decision to poison his friend. He takes the poison and goes to the restaurant, where they agreed to have dinner together. Between the two again there is a dialogue, which finally puts all the points over i. Such laconism of action is distinguished by all small tragedies of Pushkin. "Mozart and Salieri" is a drama that was not an exception. This second conversation of composers is central to the narrative. During this evening their interests and life motives are directly confronted.

Mozart believes that a true genius can not do evil, and his interlocutor, although amazed by this thought, nevertheless completes his plan to the end. In this case, the reader sees that Mozart is doomed. Pushkin so builds his work, that there is no doubt about it. He is primarily interested in what led to this drama.

The image of the main character

The tragedy "Mozart and Salieri" is interesting in terms of psychological opposition of these people. The first character is very simple and straightforward. It never occurs to him that his friend envies him. But as a true genius of art, he has an unusual flair, which prompts him a quick end, which he also tells. Mozart tells Salieri a story about a strange customer who ordered him a requiem and has since ceased to appear.

Since then, it seemed to the composer that he was writing a funeral mass for himself. In this short story there is a foreboding of the impending end, although he does not realize how this will happen.

Image of Salieri

This composer, on the contrary, is even more determined to implement his insidious plan. This is especially evident in the scene, when Mozart plays him fragments from the requiem. This moment is one of the strongest in the play. In this episode, Mozart again appears before the reader as a genius of music, and Salieri - as a personified evil. Thus, the author clearly demonstrated his idea that these two concepts are incompatible with each other.

Idea

The work "Mozart and Salieri" - this is the most philosophical work in the cycle of small tragedies, since it most fully expresses the problem of confrontation between good and evil embodied in the great composer and his envious. Pushkin ideally picked up the heroes for the embodiment of his idea: after all, it is true, true creativity that becomes the arena of the struggle of these two opposite principles. Therefore, this drama has existential significance. And if other works of the cycle in question have a rather dynamic plot that moves the main idea, then in this play everything is the opposite: in the foreground the author put forward the philosophical idea that real creativity is the meaning of life, and the plot plays a supporting role, shading the writer's idea.