A.N.Ostrovsky: drama "Thunderstorm"

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

The drama "Thunderstorm" was written by Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky in 1859, the work appeared in print in 1860. The play was created by the playwright in the village of Shchelykovo, where he acquired the estate, and where he spent a lot of time. According to many literary critics, the plot reflected the mores of the Kostroma merchant class.

Until now, Kostroma residents can show the place where the heroine of the play rushed into the Volga, and the ravine where Varvara ran to meet Kudryash was safely preserved, even on the map of Kostroma there is Ovrazhnaya Street. True, Kineshma is arguing with Kostroma for the right to become the scene of the play.

From the moment it appeared in print and was staged, the play became the object of fierce disputes and clashes of different opinions of critics, theater critics, and even the audience. Millions of Soviet schoolchildren (following Dobrolyubov) repeated that Katerina was a ray of light in a dark kingdom. And many of Ostrovsky's contemporaries simply perceived this story as a family psychological one. So, the drama "Thunderstorm" (summary): the domineering mother-in-law tyrannizes an honest and proud daughter-in-law, who sincerely tries to be a good wife, but, as a sin, falls in love withother.

By the way, that Katerina's husband, Tikhon, that her secret love, Boris, are two pairs of shoes in terms of making responsible decisions. Hiding behind others. And if in Tikhon, after the death of Katerina, at least a timid, but a rebellion against his mother is planned, then Boris simply escapes from responsibility, saying goodbye to Katerina, he tells her: "Uncle sends food not of his own free will." One might think that it was impossible to leave of one's own free will, tea, not a serf. With his betrayal, Boris pushes Katerina to commit suicide.

When you read Soviet-era literature textbooks and compare with what is given out by information sources today, you are amazed at the stability of those clichés that Groza cannot say goodbye to.

Seldom who does not remember the "dark kingdom" and "stuffy world of tyrants reigning in it", "victims opposing the dark kingdom" and so on. And the drama "Thunderstorm" will not part with these stereotypes.

And if you abandon these formulations memorized from school and re-read the play? Just take a fresh look at what is happening in the city of Kalinov. How far have we gone from the world ruled by Savel Dikoy, in other words, big money?

So, one more time. Drama Storm. Ostrovsky still has not revealed all the mysteries laid down by the plot of the play. Why is Kabanikha so tyrannical about Katerina? Is it just the jealousy of the mother-in-law for the daughter-in-law, a feeling quite traditional and understandable to modern women? Or is it a projection of her own biography- after all, she once entered a rich merchant's house as a young daughter-in-law, and she had to humble herself and obey.

There is a heroine in the play, which is usually mentioned with a tongue twister - this is Tikhon's sister, Barbara. Here she is, spitting on the morals and foundations of morality, running from Kalinov with her beloved Curly. So does a person have a choice? Or does he continue to go with the flow? Or throws himself into the river out of desperation?

The drama "Thunderstorm" asks a lot of questions, but makes readers and viewers think about the answers.