'Dark Kingdom' in the drama by A.N. Ostrovsky 'Thunderstorm'. The Dark Kingdom in Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm” (Unified State Examination in Literature) Depiction of the Dark Kingdom in the play The Thunderstorm

Type: Problem-thematic analysis of the work

A.N. Ostrovsky finished his play in 1859, on the eve of the abolition of serfdom. Russia was awaiting reform, and the play became the first stage in the awareness of impending changes in society.

In his work, Ostrovsky presents us with a merchant milieu that personifies the “dark kingdom.” The author shows a whole gallery of negative images using the example of residents of the city of Kalinov. Using the example of the townspeople, we are shown their ignorance, lack of education, and adherence to the old order. We can say that all Kalinovites are in the shackles of the ancient “house-building”.

Prominent representatives of the “dark kingdom” in the play are the “fathers” of the city in the person of Kabanikha and Dikoy. Marfa Kabanova tortures those around her and those close to her with reproaches and suspicion. She relies on the authority of antiquity in everything and expects the same from those around her. There is no need to talk about her love for her son and daughter; Kabanikha’s children are completely subordinate to her power. Everything in Kabanova's house is based on fear. To frighten and humiliate is her philosophy.

Wild is much more primitive than Kabanova. This is the image of a real tyrant. With his screams and swearing, this hero humiliates other people, thereby, as it were, rising above them. It seems to me that this is a way of self-expression for Dikiy: “What are you going to tell me to do with myself when my heart is like this!”; “I scolded him, I scolded him so much that I couldn’t ask for anything better, I almost killed him. This is the kind of heart I have!”

The unreasonable abuse of the Wild One, the hypocritical pickiness of Kabanikha - all this is due to the powerlessness of the heroes. The more real the changes in society and people, the stronger their voices of protest begin to sound. But the rage of these heroes makes no sense: their words remain only an empty sound. “...But everything is somehow restless, it’s not good for them. Besides them, without asking them, another life has grown with other beginnings, and although it is far away and not yet clearly visible, it is already giving itself a presentiment and sending bad visions to dark tyranny,” writes Dobrolyubov about the play.

The images of Kuligin and Katerina are contrasted with the wild one, Kabanikha, and the whole city. In his monologues, Kuligin tries to reason with the residents of Kalinov, to open their eyes to what is happening around them. For example, all the townspeople are in wild, natural horror from the thunderstorm and perceive it as heavenly punishment. Only Kuligin is not afraid, but sees in a thunderstorm a natural phenomenon of nature, beautiful and majestic. He proposes to build a lightning rod, but does not find approval or understanding from others. Despite all this, the “dark kingdom” was unable to absorb this self-taught eccentric. In the midst of savagery and tyranny, he retained the humanity within himself.

But not all the heroes of the play can resist the cruel morals of the “dark kingdom”. Tikhon Kabanov is downtrodden and persecuted by this society. Therefore, his image is tragic. The hero could not resist; from childhood he agreed with his mother in everything and never contradicted her. And only at the end of the play, in front of the body of the dead Katerina, Tikhon decides to confront his mother and even blames her for the death of his wife.

Tikhon's sister, Varvara, finds her own way to survive in Kalinov. A strong, brave and cunning character allows the girl to adapt to life in the “dark kingdom”. For her peace of mind and to avoid troubles, she lives according to the principle of “closet and security”, she deceives and deceives. But by doing all this, Varvara is only trying to live as she wants.

Katerina Kabanova is a bright soul. Against the background of the entire dead kingdom, it stands out for its purity and spontaneity. This heroine is not mired in material interests and outdated everyday truths, like other residents of Kalinov. Her soul strives to free itself from the oppression and suffocation of these people who are strangers to it. Having fallen in love with Boris and cheating on her husband, Katerina is in terrible pangs of conscience. And she perceives the thunderstorm as heavenly punishment for her sins: “Everyone should be afraid! It’s not so scary that it will kill you, but that death will suddenly find you as you are, with all your sins...” Pious Katerina, unable to withstand the pressure of her own conscience, decides to commit the most terrible sin - suicide.

Dikiy’s nephew, Boris, is also a victim of the “dark kingdom.” He resigned himself to spiritual slavery and broke under the yoke of pressure from the old ways. Boris seduced Katerina, but he did not have the strength to save her, to take her away from the hated city. “The Dark Kingdom” turned out to be stronger than this hero.

Another representative of the “Dark Kingdom” is the wanderer Feklusha. She is highly respected in Kabanikha's house. Her ignorant tales about distant countries listen carefully and even believe them. Only in such a dark and ignorant society can no one doubt Feklusha’s stories. The Wanderer supports Kabanikha, feeling her strength and power in the city.

In my opinion, the play “The Thunderstorm” is a work of genius. It reveals so many images, so many characters that it would be enough for a whole encyclopedia of negative characters. All ignorance, superstition, and lack of education were absorbed into Kalinov’s “dark kingdom.” “The Thunderstorm” shows us that the old way of life has long since become obsolete and does not respond modern conditions life. Change is already on the threshold of the “dark kingdom” and, together with the thunderstorm, is trying to break into it. It doesn't matter that they encounter enormous resistance from wild and boar animals. After reading the play, it becomes clear that they are all powerless in the face of the future.

Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky was endowed with great talent as a playwright. He is deservedly considered the founder of the Russian national theater. His plays, varied in theme, glorified Russian literature. Ostrovsky's creativity had a democratic character. He created plays that showed hatred of the autocratic serfdom regime. The writer called for the protection of the oppressed and humiliated citizens of Russia and longed for social change.

Ostrovsky’s enormous merit is that he opened the world of merchants to the enlightened public, oh everyday life whom Russian society had a superficial concept. Merchants in Rus' provided trade in goods and food; they were seen in shops and were considered uneducated and uninteresting. Ostrovsky showed that behind the high fences of merchant houses, almost Shakespearean passions play out in the souls and hearts of people from the merchant class. He was called the Columbus of Zamoskvorechye.

Ostrovsky’s ability to affirm progressive trends in Russian society was fully revealed in the play “The Thunderstorm,” published in 1860. The play reflects the irreconcilable contradictions between the individual and society. The playwright raises a pressing issue in the 1860s about the position of women in Russian society.

The play takes place in the small Volga town of Kalinov, where the mainly merchant population lives. In his famous article “A Ray of Light in a Dark Kingdom,” the critic Dobrolyubov characterizes the life of merchants as follows: “Their life flows smoothly and peacefully, no interests of the world disturb them, because they do not reach them; kingdoms may collapse, new countries may open, the face of the earth... may change - the inhabitants of the town of Kalinov will continue to exist in complete ignorance of the rest of the world... The concepts and way of life they accept are the best in the world, everything new comes from evil spirits... A dark mass, terrible in its naivety and sincerity.”

Ostrovsky, against the backdrop of a beautiful landscape, depicts the joyless life of the inhabitants of Kalinov. Kuligin, who in the play opposes the ignorance and arbitrariness of the “dark kingdom,” says: “Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel!”

A progressive man, Kuligin, turns to Dikiy with a request to give money to install a sundial in the city. In response he hears: “Why are you bothering me with all this nonsense! Maybe I don’t even want to talk to you. You should have first found out whether I am inclined to listen to you, a fool, or not. That’s how you start talking straight away.” Dikoy is completely unbridled in his tyranny; he is confident that any court will be on his side: “For others, you honest man, but I think that you are a robber, that’s all... Are you going to sue me or something?.. So know that you are a worm, I’ll crush you if I want.”

Another prominent representative of the morals of the “dark kingdom” is Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova. Kuligin speaks of her like this: “Prude. He gives money to the poor, but completely eats up his family.” Kabanova single-handedly rules the house and her family; she is accustomed to unquestioning obedience. In her person, Ostrovsky shows an ardent defender of the wild order of house-building in families and in life. She is sure that only fear holds a family together; she does not understand what respect, understanding, and good relations between people are. Kabanikha suspects everyone of sins, constantly complains about the lack of due respect for elders on the part of younger generation. “They don’t really respect elders these days...” she says. Kabanikha always puts herself down and pretends to be a victim: “Mother is old and stupid; Well, you, young people, smart ones, shouldn’t exact it from us, fools.” Material from the site

Kabanova “feels in her heart” that the old order is coming to an end, she is anxious and scared. She turned her own son into a dumb slave who has no power in own family, acts only at the direction of the mother. Tikhon happily leaves home, just to take a break from scandals and the oppressive atmosphere of his home.

Dobrolyubov writes: “The tyrants of Russian life, however, begin to feel some kind of discontent and fear, without knowing what and why... Besides them, without asking them, another life grew up, with different beginnings, and although it is far away, is not clearly visible, but already gives a presentiment and sends bad visions to the dark tyranny of tyrants.”

Showing the life of the Russian province, Ostrovsky paints a picture of extreme backwardness, ignorance, rudeness and cruelty, which kill all living things around. People's lives depend on the arbitrariness of the Wild and Boars, who are hostile to any manifestations of free thought and self-esteem in a person. Having shown from the stage the life of the merchants in all its manifestations, Ostrovsky pronounced a harsh verdict on despotism and spiritual slavery.

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Ostrovsky's great merit is that he opened the world of merchants to the enlightened public, about whose daily life Russian society had a superficial understanding. Merchants in Rus' provided trade in goods and food; they were seen in shops and were considered uneducated and uninteresting. Ostrovsky showed that behind the high fences of merchant houses, almost Shakespearean passions play out in the souls and hearts of people from the merchant class. He was called the Columbus of Zamoskvorechye.

The play takes place in the small Volga town of Kalinov, where the mainly merchant population lives. In his famous article “A Ray of Light in a Dark Kingdom,” the critic Dobrolyubov characterizes the life of merchants as follows: “Their life flows smoothly and peacefully, no interests of the world disturb them, because they do not reach them; kingdoms can collapse, new countries open up, the face of the earth... change - the inhabitants of the town of Kalinov will continue to exist in complete ignorance of the rest of the world... The concepts and way of life they accept are the best in the world, everything new comes from evil spirits... A dark mass, terrible in its naivety and sincerity."

The term “tyranny” came into use along with Ostrovsky’s plays. The playwright called the “masters of life,” the rich, tyrants, whom no one dared to contradict. This is how Savel Prokofievich Dikoy is portrayed in the play “The Thunderstorm”. It was no coincidence that Ostrovsky gave him a “speaking” surname. Dikoy is famous for his wealth, acquired through deception and exploitation of other people's labor. No law is written to him. With his quarrelsome, rude disposition, he instills fear in those around him; he is a “cruel scolder”, a “shrill man”. His wife is forced to persuade those around her every morning: “Fathers, don’t make me angry! Darlings, don’t make me angry!” Impunity has corrupted the Wild One, he can shout and insult a person, but this only applies to those who do not fight back. Half the city belongs to the Dikiy, but he does not pay those who work for him. He explains to the mayor this way: “What’s special here, I won’t give them a penny, but I have a fortune.” Pathological greed overshadows his mind. A progressive man, Kuligin, turns to Dikiy with a request to give money to install a sundial in the city. In response he hears: “Why are you bothering me with all this nonsense! Maybe I don’t even want to talk to you. You should have first found out whether I am inclined to listen to you, a fool, or not. That’s how you start talking straight away.” Dikoy is completely unbridled in his tyranny, he is confident that any court will be on his side: “For others, you are an honest person, but I think that you are a robber, that’s all... Are you going to sue me or something? .. So know that you are a worm, I’ll crush you if I want.”

Another prominent representative of the morals of the “dark kingdom” is Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova. Kuligin speaks of her like this: “Prude. He gives money to the poor, but completely eats up his family.” Kabanova single-handedly rules the house and her family; she is accustomed to unquestioning obedience. In her person, Ostrovsky shows an ardent defender of the wild order of house-building in families and in life. She is sure that only fear holds a family together; she does not understand what respect, understanding, and good relations between people are. Kabanikha suspects everyone of sins and constantly complains about the lack of proper respect for elders on the part of the younger generation. “They don’t really respect elders these days...” she says. Kabanikha always puts herself down and pretends to be a victim: “Mother is old and stupid; Well, you, young people, smart ones, shouldn’t exact it from us, fools.”

Kabanova “feels in her heart” that the old order is coming to an end, she is anxious and scared. She turned her own son into a dumb slave who has no power in his own family and acts only according to his mother’s orders. Tikhon happily leaves home, just to take a break from scandals and the oppressive atmosphere of his home.

Ostrovsky's play "The Thunderstorm" caused a strong reaction in the field of literary scholars and critics. A. Grigoriev, D. Pisarev, F. Dostoevsky dedicated their articles to this work. N. Dobrolyubov, some time after the publication of “The Thunderstorm,” wrote the article “A Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom.” Being a good critic, Dobrolyubov emphasized the author's good style, praising Ostrovsky for his deep knowledge of the Russian soul, and reproached other critics for the lack of a direct view of the work. In general, Dobrolyubov’s view is interesting from several points of view. For example, the critic believed that dramas should show the harmful influence of passion on a person’s life, which is why he calls Katerina a criminal. But Nikolai Alexandrovich nevertheless says that Katerina is also a martyr, because her suffering evokes a response in the soul of the viewer or reader. Dobrolyubov gives very accurate characteristics. It was he who called the merchants the “dark kingdom” in the play “The Thunderstorm”.

If we trace how the merchant class and adjacent social strata were displayed over the decades, we see full picture degradation and decline. In "The Minor" the Prostakovs are shown limited people, in “Woe from Wit” the Famusovs are frozen statues who refuse to live honestly. All these images are the predecessors of Kabanikha and Wild. It is these two characters that support the “dark kingdom” in the drama “The Thunderstorm”.

The author introduces us to the morals and orders of the city from the very first lines of the play: “Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel!” In one of the dialogues between residents, the topic of violence is raised: “Whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor... And among themselves, sir, how they live!... They quarrel with each other.” No matter how much people hide what is happening inside families, others already know everything. Kuligin says that no one has prayed to God here for a long time. All the doors are locked, “so that people don’t see how... they eat their own family and tyrannize their family.” Behind the locks there is debauchery and drunkenness. Kabanov goes to drink with Dikoy, Dikoy appears drunk in almost all scenes, Kabanikha is also not averse to having a glass - another in the company of Savl Prokofievich.

The entire world in which the inhabitants of the fictional city of Kalinov live is thoroughly saturated with lies and fraud. Power over the “dark kingdom” belongs to tyrants and deceivers. The residents are so accustomed to dispassionately fawning over wealthier people that this lifestyle is the norm for them. People often come to Dikiy to ask for money, knowing that he will humiliate them and not give them the required amount. Most negative emotions The merchant is called by his own nephew. Not even because Boris flatters Dikoy in order to get money, but because Dikoy himself does not want to part with the inheritance he received. His main traits are rudeness and greed. Dikoy believes that since he has a large amount of money, it means that others should obey him, fear him and at the same time respect him.

Kabanikha advocates for the preservation of the patriarchal system. She a real tyrant, capable of driving anyone she doesn't like crazy. Marfa Ignatievna, hiding behind the fact that she reveres the old order, essentially destroys the family. Her son, Tikhon, is glad to go as far as possible, just not to hear his mother’s orders, her daughter does not value Kabanikha’s opinion, lies to her, and at the end of the play she simply runs away with Kudryash. Katerina suffered the most. The mother-in-law openly hated her daughter-in-law, controlled her every action, and was dissatisfied with every little thing. The most revealing scene seems to be the farewell scene to Tikhon. Kabanikha was offended by the fact that Katya hugged her husband goodbye. After all, she is a woman, which means she should always be inferior to a man. A wife’s destiny is to throw herself at her husband’s feet and sob, begging for a quick return. Katya does not like this point of view, but she is forced to submit to the will of her mother-in-law.

Dobrolyubov calls Katya “a ray of light in a dark kingdom,” which is also very symbolic. Firstly, Katya is different from the residents of the city. Although she was brought up according to the old laws, the preservation of which Kabanikha often talks about, she has a different idea of life. Katya is kind and pure. She wants to help the poor, she wants to go to church, do household chores, raise children. But in such a situation, all this seems impossible because of one thing simple fact: in the “dark kingdom” in “The Thunderstorm” it is impossible to find inner peace. People constantly walk in fear, drink, lie, cheat on each other, trying to hide the unsightly sides of life. In such an atmosphere it is impossible to be honest with others, honest with oneself. Secondly, one ray is not enough to illuminate the “kingdom”. Light, according to the laws of physics, must be reflected from some surface. It is also known that black has the ability to absorb other colors. Similar laws apply to the situation with the main character plays. Katerina does not see in others what is in her. Neither the city residents nor Boris, “decently educated person“, could not understand the reason for Katya’s internal conflict. After all, even Boris is afraid of public opinion, he is dependent on Diky and the possibility of receiving an inheritance. He is also bound by a chain of deception and lies, because Boris supports Varvara’s idea of deceiving Tikhon in order to maintain a secret relationship with Katya. Let's apply the second law here. In Ostrovsky’s “The Thunderstorm,” the “dark kingdom” is so all-consuming that it is impossible to find a way out of it. It eats Katerina, forcing her to take on one of the most terrible sins from the point of view of Christianity - suicide. " Dark Kingdom" leaves no other choice. It would find her anywhere, even if Katya ran away with Boris, even if she left her husband. No wonder Ostrovsky transfers the action to a fictional city. The author wanted to show the typicality of the situation: such a situation was typical of all Russian cities. But is it only Russia?

Are the findings really that disappointing? The power of the tyrants is gradually beginning to weaken. Kabanikha and Dikoy feel this. They feel that soon other people, new ones, will take their place. People like Katya. Honest and open. And, perhaps, it is in them that those old customs that Marfa Ignatievna zealously defended will be revived. Dobrolyubov wrote that the ending of the play should be viewed in a positive way. “We are glad to see Katerina’s deliverance - even through death, if it is impossible otherwise. Living in the “dark kingdom” is worse than death.” This is confirmed by the words of Tikhon, who for the first time openly opposes not only his mother, but also the entire order of the city. “The play ends with this exclamation, and it seems to us that nothing could have been invented stronger and more truthful than such an ending. Tikhon’s words make the viewer think not about a love affair, but about this whole life, where the living envy the dead.”

The definition of the “dark kingdom” and the description of the images of its representatives will be useful to 10th grade students when writing an essay on the topic “The Dark Kingdom in the play “The Thunderstorm” by Ostrovsky.”

Work test

Each person is a one and only world, with his own actions, character, habits, honor, morality, self-esteem.

It is precisely the problem of honor and self-esteem that Ostrovsky raises in his play “The Thunderstorm”.

In order to show the contradictions between rudeness and honor, between ignorance and dignity, the play shows two generations: people of the older generation, the so-called “dark kingdom,” and people of a new trend, more progressive, who do not want to live by old laws and customs.

Dikoy and Kabanova - typical representatives"dark kingdom" It was in these images that Ostrovsky wanted to show the ruling class in Russia at that time.

So who are Dikoy and Kabanova?

First of all, these are the richest people in the city, in their hands is the “supreme” power, with the help of which they oppress not only their serfs, but also their relatives. Kuligin said well about the life of the philistines: “... And whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor so that from his free labors he can make even more money...”, and again: “In the philistinism, sir, you are nothing but you won’t see rudeness...” So they live, knowing nothing but money, ruthless exploitation, immense profit at the expense of others.

The images of Dikiy and Kabanova are very similar: they are rude, ignorant people. They are only engaged in tyranny. The wild one is irritated by his relatives who accidentally caught his eye (in particular, Boris): “... I told you once, I told you twice: “Don’t you dare come across me”; you're itching for everything! Not enough space for you? Wherever you go, here you are!..” And if someone comes to ask Dikiy for money, then there will be no way around it without swearing: “I understand that; What are you going to tell me to do with myself when my heart is like this! After all, I already know what I have to give, but I can’t do everything with goodness. You are my friend, and I must give it to you, but if you come and ask me, I will scold you. I will give, give, and curse. Therefore, as soon as you mention money to me, everything inside me will be ignited; It kindles everything inside, and that’s all...”

Kabanova doesn’t like it when Katerina defends her human dignity and tries to protect her husband from unnecessary abuse. Kabanikha is disgusted that someone dares to contradict her, to do something not according to her orders. But there is a slight difference between Dikiy and Kabanova in relation to their relatives and the people around them. Dikoy swears openly, “as if he’s broken free from a chain,” Kabanikha, “under the guise of piety”: “I know, I know that you don’t like my words, but what can I do, I’m not a stranger to you, my heart is about you it hurts... After all, out of love your parents are strict with you, out of love they scold you, everyone thinks to teach you good. Well, I don’t like it now. And the children will go around praising people that their mother is a grumbler, that their mother does not allow them to pass, that they are squeezing them out of the world. But God forbid, you won’t please your daughter-in-law with some word, so the conversation started that the mother-in-law was completely fed up.”

Greed, rudeness, ignorance, tyranny will always be in them. These qualities were not eradicated because they were raised that way, they grew up in the same environment. People like Kabanova and Dikoy will always be together, it is impossible to separate them. Where one ignorant and tyrant appeared, another will appear. Whatever the society, there will always be people who, under the guise of progressive ideas and education, hide, or rather, try to hide their stupidity, rudeness and ignorance. They tyrannize those around them, without being at all embarrassed and without fear of bearing any responsibility for it. Dikoy and Kabanova are that very “dark kingdom”, relics, supporters of the foundations of this “dark kingdom”. That's who they are, these Wild and Kabanovs, stupid, ignorant, hypocritical, rude. They preach the same peace and order. This is a world of money, anger, envy and hostility. They hate everything new and progressive.

A. N. Ostrovsky’s idea was to expose the “dark kingdom” using the images of Dikiy and Kabanova. He denounced all rich people for lack of spirituality and meanness. Mainly in secular society Russia XIX centuries there were such Wild and Kabanovs, as the author showed us in his drama “The Thunderstorm”.