2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
The musical play-tale "The Snow Maiden" (another name is "Spring Tale") was completed by the famous Russian playwright Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky by March 31, 1873. It has a prologue and four acts. However, despite the title, this work is by no means a children's fairy tale.
Less than a month and a half later, in May, the play was staged at the Bolshoi Theatre. The music for the fairy tale was written by 33-year-old Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky.
In the article we will analyze the play and the characters of "The Snow Maiden" by Ostrovsky. The main plot moves of the work will be outlined, its history of creation and the further fate of the production on the stage will be told.
History of writing
Why, in the analysis of "The Snow Maiden" by Ostrovsky, is it appropriate to recall how this play was created? The fact is that it was in 1873 that the building of the Maly Theater was closed for repairs and the troupe had to stay in the Bolshoi Theater. In order not to waste time in downtime, the management decided toa large production in which all three troupes would be involved - opera, ballet and drama. The main thing was to find the author of the text part and the composer for such an unusual collaboration. And they turned to the most famous Russian playwright at that time, A. N. Ostrovsky, who was then carried away by the ideas of the researcher and collector of Russian folklore Alexander Afanasyev.
Ostrovsky took the Russian folk tale "The Snow Maiden Girl" as the basis for the plot. This story about a snow girl named Snegurka (Snezhevinochka) appeared in Afanasiev's book Poetic Views of the Slavs on Nature, which was published in 1869. The proof that in the process of writing the play Ostrovsky relied on this folk tale is the fact that, according to the plot of both works, the Snow Maiden dies (melts). Whereas there were other versions of the tale in which the heroine was resurrected.
Both the author of the play and the composer had to work hard, the play was completed by the playwright's jubilee: on March 31, 1873, Ostrovsky turned 50.
Main characters
The analysis of the heroes of Ostrovsky's "The Snow Maiden" will begin with the central character of the play. This, as you might guess from the name, is the Snow Maiden. But in the play, as in the fairy tale, she is not at all the daughter of Ivan and Marya, a childless couple who dreamed of a child. She is a child of Father Frost and Spring-Red. According to the description, she is a beautiful girl who is pale-faced and fair-haired. She looks likea boyar's daughter, not a peasant woman, she is wearing a blue and white fur coat, a fur hat, and mittens.
In the character of the main character there are seemingly incongruous features: coldness - from the father (Frost) and the desire to love, but the inability to this feeling. When Spring gives the Snow Maiden the ability to love, the girl dies. This happens during the summer holiday of the Slavs, dedicated to the sun god Yarila.
And here is another central character of the play. Lel is a suburban shepherd, a windy and fickle lover of the Snow Maiden, who sings beautiful songs. About himself, he says this:
You can't live without affection, the shepherd boy!
He does not plow, he does not sow; from infancy
Lying in the sun; cherishes
Spring him, and the breeze caresses.
And the shepherd basks in freedom.
One thing in my mind: girlish affection, only
And think about her.
Mizgir is the son of a rich merchant, the groom of Kupava, who, having seen the Snow Maiden, forgot about the bride. His death at the end of the play is not so much due to lost love, but due to the fault of the gods, at least Mizgir himself believes so.
Characters
For further analysis of the fairy tale "The Snow Maiden" by Ostrovsky, let's consider secondary characters.
Bobyl named Bakula and Bobylikha - the foster family of the Snow Maiden. By the way, in Russia, the poorest peasants who did not have a land allotment were called bobs. Therefore, Santa Claus hopes that no one will covet such a "bride" as the adopted daughter of beans. By nature, Bobyl- a reveler and a lazy person, and Bobylikha dreams of warmth, we alth and bliss without any difficulty.
Kupava is the daughter of Murash, a we althy resident of the settlement. This is a local beauty, to whom Mizgir first wooed.
Tsar Berendey - worried about the future of his people and the favor of the god Yarila towards him. His close boyar is Bermyata. Bermyata's wife - Elena the Beautiful.
Radushka, Malusha - suburban girls, friends of Kupava.
Brusilo, Kid, Smoking room - suburban guys.
Summary. Prologue
The action of the play takes place in the country of the Berendey people in ancient times. Spring comes to Krasnaya Gorka, accompanied by birds. It is still very cold, but Spring promises that tomorrow the sun will warm the forest and the earth and the cold will end.
In the prologue, Spring tells the story that they have a daughter named Snegurochka with the old Frost. Her future causes disputes and quarrels among her parents: Spring wants the girl to live among people and have fun with the youth, and Moroz claims that the Berendey sun god Yarilo swore that he would destroy the Snow Maiden as soon as she fell in love. So it's better that she lives in her parents' forest chamber among the animals and never goes out to people. The conversation between Spring and Frost, as always, ends in a quarrel. But finally, the couple find a compromise: they decide to give the Snow Maiden to be raised by a childless Bobyl, who lives in a suburb. They believe that guys are unlikely to look at Bobyl's daughter. The girl admits that she is very happy with this choice, that she loves people's songs and likes hershepherd Lel. Santa Claus gets scared and punishes his daughter:
Snow Maiden, run away from Lelya, be afraid
His speeches and songs. Bright sun
It is pierced through and through…
The fourth appearance of the Prologue ends with the departure of Frost to the North, with his order to protect the Snow Maiden, if someone attacks her in the forest. The villagers come with a sleigh carrying a stuffed Maslyanitsa, they see off the winter and sing songs.
Bobyl, Bobylikha and other Berendeys see the Snow Maiden and are surprised:
The Hawthorn! Is it alive? Live.
In a sheepskin coat, in boots, in mittens.
The Snow Maiden says that she wants to live in a settlement with the beans, and they, mistaking her for a hawthorn, rejoice in unexpected happiness.
To analyze Ostrovsky's play "The Snow Maiden", it should be borne in mind that the appearance of the Snow Maiden in the settlement can be considered the beginning of the story.
First act
It begins in the settlement with Biryuch's announcement of an appointed holiday in honor of the sun god Yarila. Then there is a conversation between the beans and the Snow Maiden. They blame the girl that she would need to find herself a richer fiancé in order to ensure the future of her new parents, because she refuses everyone who asks for her. The Snow Maiden replies that she is stingy with affection because she is waiting for love, but she is still not there.
The shepherd Lel comes to stay with Bobyl's family, who takes turns spending the night with different villagers. He sings songs to the Snow Maiden, she unexpectedly cries and gives him a flower. Lel promises that he will keep him, but as soon as others call himgirls, throws away the gift and runs away.
When analyzing Ostrovsky's The Snow Maiden, it is necessary to clarify that the relationship between these two characters is the main thing for understanding the work.
Kupava tells the heroine about his meeting and love for Mizgir, who is "the father's son of a merchant guest from the royal settlement". On the upcoming day of honoring Yarila, they have a wedding planned.
In the next appearance, Mizgir comes with gifts to "buy" Kupava from her friends and boyfriends. He sees the Snow Maiden and unexpectedly drives the bride away, wanting to stay near the new love. Kupava runs away crying, cursing the traitor.
Act two
Events are developing in the palace of Tsar Berendey. He laments that there is less and less heat on earth, summers are getting shorter, and winters are getting longer. This means, he says, that people have cooled their hearts.
…for the chill of our feelings
And Yarilo-Sun is angry with us
And takes revenge on the cold.
In the analysis of Ostrovsky's "The Snow Maiden", we briefly explain that it is Tsar Berendey who brings the usual problem of a love triangle to the plot about the machinations of the divine forces of nature.
Before the eyes of the king is Kupava, who complains about the traitor Mizgir. The enraged Berendey orders that the young man be brought to him and the people gathered for trial. Mizgir is guilty, Murash and Bermyata offer the king to marry him to Kupava. But Mizgir dreams only of the Snow Maiden.
The king decides that the best appeal to Yarila and the sacrifice to him is the wedding of a beauty, and asksSnow Maiden, who is her favorite. But she replies that her heart is silent. The king appeals to the suitors: whoever manages to arouse the love of a girl will become her husband and receive a reward from him. Mizgir and Lel are called (the latter, at the call of the noblewoman Elena the Beautiful). Games in honor of Yarila are scheduled for the upcoming night, the wedding - in the morning.
Act three
This action takes place in a forest clearing where tents are set up. Girls and guys in wreaths lead round dances. Lel, who promised the Snow Maiden to choose her as a bride, brings Kupava to Tsar. The main character looks at him in tears. But Lel confesses to the Snow Maiden that his heart does not lie with any girl, that he simply cannot offend anyone. Once again, he promises the Snow Maiden to choose her as his wife and disappears. Mizgir appears and offers her a priceless pearl for her to become his wife. But the girl runs away. Goblin and the forest itself help her hide from the persistent groom in the thicket of the forest, which fools Mizgir's head, sending him the ghosts of the Snow Maiden.
The heroine is again waiting for her Lel. But he convinces her to wait aside, and he meets with Kupava. They agree to get married the next morning. The Snow Maiden, realizing that her lover does not believe in her feelings, crying, turns to Spring.
Oh mother, Spring is Red!
I run to you with a complaint and a request:
Love please, I want to love!
Give the Snow Maiden a girl's heart, mom!
Give love or take my life!
Fourth act
From the lake in the Yarilina valley comes outSpring. She reminds the girl that love can cost her her life.
- Let me die, love one moment
More dear to me years of longing and tears.
Spring puts her wreath on her head, and the girl acquires hitherto unknown feelings. Her mother warns her that her love will go to the first person she meets. But she should immediately hide from the sun so that Yarilo does not find out that the Snow Maiden could fall in love.
The first girl meets Mizgir. He wandered through the forest all night looking for her. The Snow Maiden is fascinated by his speeches. Mizgir embraces her, but she begs him to hide her from the destructive rays of the sun. However, the young man does not understand, considering it a whim. And with the first ray of the sun, the Snow Maiden melts. Mizgir in despair rushes from the mountain into the lake.
The play ends with Berendey's words addressed to his people:
Frost Spawn -
Cold Snow Maiden died.
(…)
Now, with her miraculous demise, Frost's interference has ended.
The fate of the production
The premiere of the play was accepted by the critics and the public with some bewilderment. According to the description and analysis, Ostrovsky's "Snow Maiden" was a real spring fairy tale-extravaganza. But the playwright by that time had an established reputation as a realist satirist, writer of everyday life and denouncer of human vices. And here is a Russian national fairy tale. Such a violation of the usual role caused many questions. Probably, hence one of the epithets, as a verdict passed by critics on the play - "meaningless".
However, eight years later, in 1881, the Russian composer N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov wrote an opera based on Ostrovsky's play, which premiered in February 1882. And now she was a resounding success.
We have given a description and analysis of Ostrovsky's work "The Snow Maiden".
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