Female image in the novel "Quiet Don". Characteristics of the heroines of the epic novel by Sholokhov

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Mikhail Sholokhov wrote a truly brilliant work about such an estate in Russia as the Cossacks. This is the novel Quiet Flows the Don. The heroes of the book are ordinary people with their own difficulties and problems. The female images in this work are revealed on the basis of traditional ideas about what the purpose of a Cossack woman is, who should be a good mother and keeper of the hearth. The female image in the novel "Quiet Don" helps to reveal the personality of the main character, Grigory Melekhov. Before turning to the analysis of the female images of this famous novel, let's say a few words about how it was created.

History of Creation: Quiet Flows the Don

The idea of writing a novel about the revolution and ordinary people came to Sholokhov in the mid-20s of the last century.

From the autumn of 1925, the author began to work on the novel "Donshchina". Initially, the writer did not expect his work to unfold so widely.

Sholokhov was puzzled by the need to write a novel in such a way as to explain the historical conditions,that led to the revolution. The author writes about the life of people, their life, difficulties, trying to show the growth of revolutionary sentiments. The change in idea led to the fact that the novel received a new name - "Quiet Don".

The life of the characters in the work embodies, according to the author's intention, the life of different segments of the population during the war and revolution.

In addition, Sholokhov sets himself the task of telling about the tragic fate of people who fell into the maelstrom of events from 1914 to 1921.

The idea of the novel "Quiet Don", which, as it is now seen, differed from the original idea of the author, matured in the last days of 1926. The collection of material for the work has begun.

For this purpose, the writer moved to the Veshenskaya village, making trips to nearby farms and talking with participants in the war and revolution. In order to study the folklore of the Cossacks well, the author visits the archives of Rostov and Moscow.

As he wrote, Sholokhov published parts of his novel. Reviews of this work did not leave the pages of the press. Work on the fourth book did not go very quickly, which prompted readers who were worried about the fate of the characters to write numerous letters to Sholokhov.

It is known that a rumor has spread among writers that the novel was written not by Sholokhov, but by some murdered officer, from whose bag the manuscript was seized. The author was forced to go to Rostov and collect a commission to refute the slander.

However, the novel written by Sholokhov has stood the test of time. It continues to be read for many generations.people, admiring the original characters of the main characters and experiencing the difficulties of life with them.

So, now we know the history of the creation of "Quiet Flows the Don". Let's move on to the main female images of the novel.

Love triangle

The classic novel is characterized by a love triangle. The main characters of the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" are also doomed to this. In this work, two women, Natalya and Aksinya, love the same Cossack - Grigory Melekhov. Natalya is his legal wife, Aksinya is the wife of the Melekhovs' neighbor, Stepan Astakhov. In the novel The Quiet Flows the Don, Aksinya passionately loves Grigory with forbidden sensual love. No wonder her sincere attitude deeply touched the Cossack's heart.

Aksinya

The image of this woman is central in the novel. She is independent, strong, beautiful. Aksinya is capable of deep feelings. She personifies the ability of a Cossack woman to be independent and passionately love, sacrificing herself.

Character and fate of the heroine

Aksinya's life was not easy. The connection with Grigory, about which the whole farm chatted, became known to her husband, Stepan Astakhov. When he asked if this was true, Aksinya confessed to him without hesitation. Her willingness to take responsibility for her actions betrays a strong personality in her. What happened between her and Melekhov for Aksinya is not a simple affair, but a deep feeling.

She, like Grigory, did not lie, did not pretend. Both were firmly convinced that the connection between them was not an accidental affair. The residents of the farm perceived such behavior as immoral.

Life according to the dictates of the heart

In the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" Aksinya personifies a sensual nature that wants to live according to its own will, obeying only the dictates of the heart. She is even more courageous than her lover, Grigory Melekhov. It is Aksinya who offers Grigory to leave his native farm, breaking with conventions.

This woman always followed her loved ones without asking where they were going, her feeling was so selfless.

Weaknesses and vices

The heroes of the novel "Quiet Don", like any people, have their own shortcomings. Aksinya is a woman who is capable of strong feelings, her life is ruled by passions, which brings a lot of grief to those around her and herself. Her love for Melekhov in many ways became the reason for his discord with his wife Natalya. Aksinya does not back down even when Grigory and Natalya have children. The temperament of this woman also became the reason for her betrayal of Melekhov and Listnitsky. Nevertheless, it is worth recognizing that Aksinya's infidelity further shows her strong feelings for Grigory.

The hopelessness of Aksinya and Grigory's love

Aksinya loves Gregory passionately, her feeling sweeps away everything in its path. She follows him everywhere. People who are able to feel so strongly, as a rule, are rarely happy, they want to be near their loved ones everywhere, to occupy their life completely. The author emphasizes the doom of these relations by the fact that the children of Aksinya and Grigory could not survive. Their union is not harmonious, because such passion violates the natural balance.

Natalia

Unlike Aksinya, Natalia has a completely different character."Quiet Don" in the images of these two women shows different types of Cossacks. If Aksinya is freedom-loving, sensual, strong, then Natalya is completely different. She is a faithful wife, a good housewife, a mother, a keeper of the hearth. This woman is beautiful, kind, hardworking, but at the same time deeply unhappy. She is the dream of any Cossack, but her husband lacks something in her character, who, in his own way, of course, loves her.

Natalia's love for Gregory

Natalia was in love with Gregory before the wedding. Upon learning that the Melekhovs should marry her, the girl declares that she does not want to marry anyone else.

After the wedding for her, as for an exemplary wife, her husband and children become the only happiness. Her love for Gregory is submissive and highly moral.

This is the image of Natalia. The Quiet Flows the Don embodies the ideal of the highest female virtue in this heroine.

Rivals

So, the epic novel "Quiet Don" tells us about the love of two women who competed with each other.

The difference in their personalities is very evident when they meet each other.

At the first meeting, Natalya begs Aksinya to leave Grigory. Beloved Gregory shows contempt for his lawful wife. Natalya defeated.

The second meeting between the women takes place five years later. Natalia becomes stronger, she protects her son and daughter. Both rivals have matured: they have more self-esteem, they do not stoop to scolding and swearing, giving Grigory a choice.

Death of Natalia and Aksinya

The novel "Quiet Flows the Don", whose characters formed such a love triangle typical for works of this type, describes the death of many heroes. In fact, countless people died during the civil war.

The fate of Grigory Melekhov, who lost his beloved women: Aksinya, whom he loved passionately, and Natalya, turned out to be very difficult. He also loved her in his own way, although he did not admit it.

As for Natalya, this female image in the novel "Quiet Don" helps our imagination to imagine a beautiful, God-fearing, but nervous Cossack. Her husband's infidelity led her to attempt suicide, leaving a permanent scar on her neck.

Long before her death, Natalya thought of leaving the Melekhovs for her parents' house in order to give her husband the opportunity to live with Aksinya, but Grigory's mother dissuaded her from this.

Later, Natalya killed the child Grigory, whom she was carrying. This caused the death of a woman. After the death of Natalia, Aksinya takes care of her children, they even call her mom.

Grigory is having a hard time with the death of his wife. At the sight of the telegram informing him of this, he feels pain in his heart. It became even more painful for him when he learned that Natalya had been pushed to such a terrible step by a conversation with Aksinya, the female image in the novel The Quiet Flows the Don, which personifies selfless ardent love. However, her feelings are subject to reason, Aksinya has the strength to fight for Grigory. His wife, Natalya, loved him only with her heart, she was too pure, herideas about human relationships were too lofty. Aksinya told Grigory's wife about her relationship with him, after which Natalya decides to take a fatal step. It is not known whether beloved Melekhova imagined how this would turn out for her rival.

Having learned the truth, Grigory for some time feels dislike for Aksinya. He remembers Natalya, strokes and caresses the children for a long time, imagining how she kissed and baptized them before her death. It becomes even more painful for him when he learns from Ilyinichna that Natalya forgave him for everything, loving him until the last minute of her unhappy life.

The death of Aksinya also causes deep suffering in Grigory's soul. Beloved dies right in Melekhov's arms. Blood flows from her mouth, bubbling in her throat. This strong Cossack understands that the worst thing has happened in his life.

Loneliness of Grigory Melekhov

The death of Aksinya led to the fact that Grigory's life practically lost its meaning. He buries her himself, thinking that their separation will not last long.

Death took away from Grigory Melekhov the closest and dearest people to his heart. By the end of the work, he remains only with his son Mishatka.

The death of women dear to his heart, according to the author, deepens the loneliness of the protagonist.

The female image in the novel "Quiet Don", whether it be Natalya, Aksinya or other heroines of the novel, is something that gives strength. Having lost such support, the main character ceases to understand the meaning of his existence.

Other female images in the novel "Quiet Don"

Central female images innovel - this is, of course, Aksinya and Natalya. However, in this article, we cannot ignore other female images.

Grigory's mother, Ilyinichna, deserves special attention. This is a middle-aged Cossack woman who devoted her life to the well-being of her children and family. Its author portrays with warmth. This is a true keeper of the hearth. In her youth, Ilyinichna was noted for her beauty and stature, but she quickly grew old from hard work. She drank a lot of grief from her husband, Panteley Prokofyevich, who had a very tough temper, and in anger reached unconsciousness.

The whole life of this wise woman is filled with worries and concerns about the family, she tries to isolate them from hardships and troubles. That is her characteristic. "Quiet Don" portrays Ilyinichna as a good housewife, prudent and economical.

She has a negative attitude towards Grigory's relationship with Aksinya. However, during the war, Ilyinichna approaches her against the backdrop of worries about her son.

This elderly woman loves her daughter-in-law Natalya, worries about her, tries to shift part of the work to Daria. She feels pain from the fact that Gregory is cheating on her. Natalya's death shocked Ilyinichna.

No less interesting is the wife of Grigory's older brother, Daria. "Quiet Don" in her image presents to our attention a dissolute, lazy, cunning heroine. She is beautiful, lives for sensual pleasures. Daria loves to attract the attention of men and knows how to do it. She likes gatherings and holidays. After the death of her husband, Daria tried to make up for lost years, twisted novels, which led her to illness and death.

With DunyashaMelekhov's reader gets acquainted at the time when she was a long-armed teenager with big eyes. Later, she becomes a slender Cossack woman with an obstinate character. The matured Dunyasha is presented in the novel as a smart, self-sufficient girl who achieves her goal by marrying Mikhail Koshevoy. She fell in love with him despite the fact that her chosen one committed many bloody crimes.

We examined the main female images of the novel "Quiet Don". It is they who help the author to comprehend a new milestone in the life of the Don Cossacks. The woman in the work of Sholokhov occupies a central place. With her, the author connects questions about the meaning of life, the concepts of happiness and love.