Mikhail Sholokhov, the book "Quiet Flows the Don": reviews, description and characteristics of the characters

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

"Quiet Don" is the most significant work of those dedicated to the Don Cossacks. In terms of scale, it is compared with Tolstoy's "War and Peace". The epic novel Quiet Don reflects a huge piece of the life of the inhabitants of the Cossack village and the tragedy of the entire Russian people. Reviews of critics agree on one thing: the book is one of the greatest in literature. Opinions about the writer are not so flattering. The article is devoted to disputes about the authorship of the famous novel and the characteristics of the main characters.

History of Creation

The novel was conceived in the early twenties of the last century. His writing was preceded by the creation of Don stories. The characters of the Cossack village inspired the author to work on a large-scale work of art for a long time. And in 1940 the fourth volume of the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" was completed. Reviews of researchers, and among them was Alexander Solzhenitsyn,indicate a lot of controversy. The author of "In the First Circle" stated that the material of the book is extremely superior to the life experience and level of education of Sholokhov. Such a work, according to Solzhenitsyn, can only be created by a master, and only after numerous attempts. Mikhail Sholokhov was in his early twenties at the time he wrote the first volume. There were only four classes of the gymnasium behind him.

Perhaps one of the geniuses who are born once every two hundred years was the author of the novel "The Quiet Flows the Flows Flows the Don"? Feedback from critics and readers about Sholokhov's subsequent works suggests that the writer has never shown such a grandiose talent in his work.

Main characters in the novel

Long communication with representatives of the pre-revolutionary Cossacks should have preceded work on such an outstanding work as The Quiet Don. Reviews of adherents of the idea of plagiarism are based on the fact that Sholokhov, due to his age, could not have had such experience. In the novel, first of all, the authenticity of the depiction of everyday life and the psychological makeup of the characters is striking.

In the center of the story are people with bright individual characters and difficult destinies. The life path of Grigory Melekhov is shown most deeply. This hero is a reflection of the entire Don Cossacks. His life searches are the fates of all representatives of this social culture. Peasant labor was the most important in the life of each of them. And the example of the protagonist shows how difficult it was to give up the usual way of life, from proximity to the land and peasantwork for a simple Don Cossack. The novel is full of picturesque landscapes. The beauty and colors of nature occupy an important place in the whole story of the novel "Quiet Don".

M. Sholokhov formulated his reviews of writing as follows: “A bad writer is one who is able to embellish reality, trying to spare the feelings of the reader.” And in the great epic novel, to prove these words, there are not only the beauties of the Don nature and the noble feelings of the main characters, but also monstrous morals bordering on savagery.

Grigory Melekhov

The heroes of the novel are complex, multifaceted images. Chief among them is Grigory Melekhov. At the beginning of the work, he is shown as a man accustomed to peaceful peasant labor. It should also be said about the author's style, filled with bright vibrant colors and specific coloring. “Gregory's feet are used to trampling the ground,” these words complete the image of Gregory and create a portrait of a man destined for work and family life. However, youth and southern blood become decisive in his fate. He fell in love with a married woman. The strength of his feelings is confirmed by his decisive actions, one of which is leaving the family and serving as a groom.

One of the storylines is the story of the extraordinary love of Grigory and Aksinya. Reviews of the book "Quiet Flows the Don" were left in large numbers by F. G. Biryukov. The Soviet literary critic, who rejected the opinion of Sholokhov's plagiarism, said in particular that the author was far from idyllic in creating the novel. In a great work there is also patriarchalism,and antediluvian mores, and domestic backwardness. But the dark side of human life is especially penetratingly shown in the chapters devoted to the war. The protagonist sees the dirt of human life and is overcome by confusion and great doubts.

Gregory at war

The horror of military morals, witnessed by Melekhov, leads to the fact that he does not know which side he should switch to. He sees fratricide, death. Grigory meets with a "red" Cossack who influences his worldview. But later he sees his terrible violent death and goes over to the side of the "whites". But even here he is not left unsure of the correctness of the choice made. Countless wanderings across the Russian land, engulfed by war, robbery and poverty, end with a return to his native home, which was once crowded and noisy. Only Grigory's son and sister survived - the civil war spared no one.

"Quiet Don" is a novel, a review of which was left by almost every outstanding personality in the literature of the 20th century. The Lithuanian writer J. Avižius said that the author of this great work was not bound by any rules or canons. And therefore the novel is written powerfully, and the burning truth of life lives in it. “In its form, the novel has a rare integrity, as if carved from a single clay,” wrote J. Avizius.

The Quiet Flows the Don has become the subject of research by many prominent historians and literary critics. Criticism, reviews of the novel - the topic of a great many critical articles. The opinion of V. V. Petelin about the main character of the work is reduced to the concept of the typicality of thischaracter. According to the literary critic, Gregory is a symbol of the whole people, a collective image of all those who survived the tragedy during the years of the revolution. And there were millions of them.

Aksinya

The main character is the artistic embodiment of passion, impulse and instincts. Her fate is tragic and could not be otherwise, given the events that took place in her father's house. Aksinya became a victim of domestic violence. This fact formed a shadow on the relationship with the young husband. But Aksinya's love changes in the course of the story. The heroine is getting older, and at the same time her feeling is also becoming mature. At the beginning of the novel, it is selfish, and at the end it resembles motherly care, becomes sacrificial.

With subtle psychologism, Mikhail Sholokhov portrayed the main characters in the novel "Quiet Don". Reviews, opinions about the book, despite the incessant disputes about authorship, agree on one thing - this is a great work. Aleksey Tolstoy emphasized that although the life of the Don Cossacks is extremely picturesquely presented in this work, universal and national themes come to the fore.

Image of Don

Special attention in the novel is given to the image of the Cossacks. Not far from the village of Veshenskaya, where the main characters live, is the great mighty Don. He is nothing but a symbol of the life of the whole people. The title of the book contrasts with the events that are described in it. The life of the families of the Melekhovs, Astakhovs and other characters is by no means filled with peace and quiet. But the image of the river symbolizes the aspirations and aspirations of the heroes,which were created in the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" by Mikhail Sholokhov. Reviews of this book by Sergei Mikhalkov are comparing the role of the Don in the work of the Soviet writer with the Volga in the works of Gorky.

Natalia

About the skill of Sholokhov, mostly representatives of Soviet literature, positive reviews and reviews were left. "Quiet Flows the Don", according to the writer Yu. V. Bondarev, is a book in which the fate of ordinary people was in the foreground. Representatives of the people later became favorite images in the work of pro-Soviet authors. But one should pay tribute to the artistic gift of the writer, who created portraits of heroines, which later became the most striking in the history of all literature. These are images of passionate Aksinya, and quiet loving Natalya, and frivolous Daria.

The wife of Grigory Melekhov is the embodiment of selfless love, tenderness, boundless maternal love. In the first years of marriage, she is not capable of showing feelings. Natalya is too young, and her temper is by no means hot. This prompts Grigory to constantly compare his wife with his beloved Aksinya.

The fate of Natalia is sad, like the life of her rival. Gregory rushes between her and his mistress and cannot find happiness anywhere. But, in spite of everything, she continues to love and be faithful. The death of Natalia Melekhova leads to the fact that the love triangle is broken. Nothing now prevents the happiness of Grigory and Aksinya. However, there is still war, which brings with it adversity, hardship and death. And there is nothing stronger than her.

Ilyinichna

Ilyinichna possesses the unprecedented power of maternal love and wisdom. She knows life and the order that reigns in it. The wisdom of this woman proves her attitude towards her daughter-in-law. She welcomes Natalia back into her home and, in brief conversations, seeks to convey her experiences to her. Ilyinichna knows how to restore peace in the house, as evidenced by her relationship with Panteley Prokofievich. Only she alone is able to curb the wild hot temper of this man. And she also knows that only love for children can bring parents together.

Panteley Prokofievich

The head of the Melekhov family is a tough and hardworking person. It contains too clearly the features of an outdated patriarchal worldview. Melekhov Sr. believes that he has the right to punish the unfaithful wife of his eldest son. And he independently finds a bride for the youngest, which is too masterful an act, even taking into account the mores of that time. But in the soul of Panteley Prokofievich lives kindness, tenderness. These qualities are manifested, first of all, in relation to Natalia. The father is hurt because the daughter-in-law is unloved by his son. He seeks justice. And although he has a rather peculiar concept of her, only good intentions drive his actions.

Peter Melekhov

In beauty and charm, older brother Grigory is inferior. But at the beginning of the novel, wisdom, calmness, good nature are manifested in him. Later, in the chapters that deal with military service, a somewhat different Peter emerges before the reader. This one is cunning, knows how to adapt. There is no hot blood in him, which makes his father, younger brother and sister related. And there is nonenoble desire for independence, uniting members of the Melekhov family.

Daria

Another interesting female image is Peter's wife. Daria is attractive, slim. Family life did not deprive her of her girlish beauty. But a burning desire to live, to be happy pushes her to commit all sorts of misdeeds. The worst of them is murder. However, after contracting a "bad disease" due to promiscuous love affairs, she deliberately drowns in a deep river.

Reviews

Mikhail Sholokhov said about the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" as a work that was not easy for him. In it, he reflected old and new Russia, and most importantly, a painful turning point that crippled the fate of people. Adversity and deprivation also influenced the character of the characters, who change significantly throughout the story.

The book "Quiet Don" has national value. Mikhail Sholokhov was called by Yu. V. Bondarev a thorough historian, whose work turned out to be much more important than the works of those researchers who tend to confuse rather than clarify.

The question of who wrote "Quiet Flows the Don" is officially closed. The authorship of this novel has been proven. Sholokhov Mikhail Alexandrovich created the novel "Quiet Flows the Don". Other opinions may be expressed by researchers who have done a long serious work. But still, the phrase "young author of the greatest novel in four volumes" sounds, at least, implausible. But maybe it's all aboutan incomparable talent that only showed up in one book.