2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
One of the most prominent Russian playwrights is Alexander Ostrovsky. “Profitable Place” (a brief summary of the work will be the subject of this review) is a play that occupies a prominent place in his work. It was published in 1856, but it was not allowed to be staged in the theater until seven years later. There are several notable stage productions of the work. One of the most popular is the work of M. Zakharov with A. Mironov in one of the main roles.
Time and place
Old Moscow was chosen by the playwright Ostrovsky by the action of some of his famous works. “Profitable Place” (a summary of the play should begin with a description of the morning of the main characters, since it is in this scene that the reader gets to know them and learns about their characters and social status) is a work that was no exception.
You should also pay attention to the time of events - the first years of the reign of Emperor Alexander II. It was a time when serious changes in the economic, political and cultural spheres were brewing in society. This circumstance should always be remembered when analyzing this work, as the author reflected this spirit of change in the narrative.
Intro
Ostrovsky is a real master of describing and depicting the life and life of the middle class. “Profitable Place” (a summary of this new work of the writer must be divided into several semantic parts for the convenience of understanding the composition) is a play that reflects the basic creative principles of the playwright.
In the beginning, the reader is introduced to the main characters in this story: Vyshnevsky, an old, sickly man, and his attractive young wife, Anna Pavlovna, who is somewhat flirtatious. From their conversation it becomes clear that the relationship of the spouses leaves much to be desired: Anna Pavlovna is cold and indifferent towards her husband, who is very unhappy with this. He convinces her of his love and devotion, but his wife still does not pay any attention to him.
The plot of intrigue
Ostrovsky masterfully combined witty social criticism with subtle humor in his plays. "Profitable place", the summary of which must be supplemented with an indication of what served as the impetus for the development of the plot, is a work that is considered one of the best in the author's work. The beginning of the development of the action can be considered the receipt of a love letter by Anna Pavlovna from an elderly man, who, however, was already married. A cunning woman decides to teach an unlucky suitor a lesson.
The appearance of other characters
Ostrovsky's plays are distinguished by the dynamic development of the plot with an emphasis on ridiculing social vicesmiddle class people. In the work under consideration, the reader gets acquainted with typical representatives of the city bureaucracy, which are represented by Vyshnevsky's subordinates, Yusov and Belogubov.
The first one is already old for years, so he is experienced in paperwork, although his occupation is obviously not something outstanding. However, he enjoys the trust of his boss, which he is very proud of. The second is directly subordinated to him. He is young and somewhat inexperienced: for example, Belogubov himself admits that he is not very good at reading and writing. Nevertheless, the young man intends to make a good life for himself: he aims to be a head clerk and wants to get married.
In the scene in question, the official asks Yusov to petition for his promotion, and he promises him his patronage.
Zhadov's characteristic
Ostrovsky's plays are known in Russian literature for the fact that they present a whole gallery of portraits of the era contemporary to the playwright. The author's image of Vyshnevsky's nephew turned out to be especially colorful.
This young man lives in his uncle's house, serves with him, but intends to achieve independence, as he despises the way of life of his family and environment. In addition, from the very first appearance, he ridicules Belogubov for his poor knowledge of reading and writing. The reader will also learn that the young man does not want to do menial clerical work under the command of Yusov.
For such an independent position, the uncle wants to drive his nephew out of the house, so that he himself would try to live for a small salary. Soon the reason for this behavior becomes clear: Zhadov informs his aunt that he intends to marry and live by his own work.
Fight between uncle and nephew
"Profitable Place" is a play based on the idea of confrontation between the young and the older generations. The author outlined this idea already in the first part of the work, when he outlined the fundamental difference in the life positions of Zhadov and his uncle's employees.
So, Yusov expresses dissatisfaction with his work and expresses the hope that Vyshnevsky will fire him for his neglect of the service. This emerging confrontation reaches its final point in the scene of an open conflict between an uncle and his nephew. The first does not want Zhadov to marry a poor girl, but the young man, of course, does not want to give in. There is a violent quarrel between them, after which Vyshnevsky threatens his nephew to break off family relations with him. He learns from Yusov that Zhadov's fiancee is the daughter of a poor widow, and convinces the latter not to marry her daughter to him.
New heroes
Ostrovsky masterfully depicted the clash of the old order and new trends in his works. “Profitable Place” (an analysis of the play can be offered to schoolchildren as an additional task on the work of the playwright, since it is a landmark in his creative career) is a work in which this thought runs like a red thread through the narrative. Before the second act, she is directly voiced by Yusov, who expresses fear because of the courage and audacity of modern youth and praises the way of lifeand Vyshnevsky's actions.
In the second act, the author introduces the reader to new characters - the widow Kukushkina and her daughters: Yulenka, who is engaged to Belogubov, and Polina, Zhadov's beloved. Both girls are unintelligent, too naive, and their mother thinks only about the financial situation of future spouses.
In this scene, the author brings the characters together for the first time, and from their conversation we learn that Polina sincerely loves Zhadov, but this does not prevent her from thinking about money. Zhadov, on the other hand, dreams of an independent life and is preparing for material difficulties, which he is trying to accustom his bride to.
Description of the Kukushkins
Kukushkina is portrayed by the author as a practical woman: she is not afraid of the protagonist's freethinking. She wants to accommodate her homeless women and assures Yusov, who warned her against marriage, that Zhadov is being impudent because he is single, but marriage, they say, will fix him.
The venerable widow is very worldly in this regard, apparently from her own experience. Here, one should immediately note the fundamental difference between the two sisters: if Yulia does not love Belogubov and deceives him, then Polina is sincerely attached to her fiancé.
The fate of the heroes in a year
The main character in Ostrovsky's comedy "Profitable Place" Zhadov married for love a woman he adored, but who was inferior to him in her development. Polina wanted to live in satiety and contentment, but in marriage she knew poverty and poverty. She turned outunprepared for such a life, which, in turn, disappointed Zhadov.
We learn about this from the scene in the tavern, where a year later the main characters of the play converge. Belogubov and Yusov also come here, and from their conversation the reader learns that the former is doing excellently, since he does not hesitate to take bribes for his services. Yusov praises his ward, and Zhadov is ridiculed for not breaking out into people.
Belogubov offers him money and patronage, but Zhadov wants to live by honest work, and therefore rejects this offer with contempt and indignation. However, he himself is very ill from an unsettled life, he drinks, after which the sexual officer kicks him out of the tavern.
Family life
True description of petty-bourgeois life is present in the play "Profitable Place". Ostrovsky, the plot of whose works is distinguished by the authenticity of the depiction of the characteristic phenomena of social reality of the mid-nineteenth century, very expressively conveyed the spirit of his era.
The fourth act of the play is devoted mainly to the family life of the Zhadovs. Polina feels unhappy in a squalid environment. She feels her poverty all the more acutely because her sister lives in full prosperity, and her husband indulges her in every possible way. Kukushkina advises her daughter to demand money from her husband. There is a quarrel between her and the returned Zhadov. Then Polina, following the example of her mother, begins to demand money from her husband. He urges her to endure poverty, but live honestly, after which Polina runs away, but Zhadov brings her back and decides to go to her uncle to ask for a place.
Final
The play "Profitable Place" ends with an unexpectedly happy denouement. Ostrovsky, whose genre is mainly comedy, was able to show the social vices of our time even in humorous sketches. In the last, fifth, act, Zhadov humbly asks for a job from his uncle, but in response, the latter, along with Yusov, begin to ridicule him for betraying his principles to live independently and honestly, without stealing or taking bribes. Annoyed, the young man declares that there are honest people among his generation, abandons his intention and declares that he will no longer show weakness.
Polina puts up with him, and the couple leave Vyshevsky's house. The latter, meanwhile, is experiencing a family drama: Anna Pavlovna's affair is discovered, and the offended husband arranges a scene for her. In addition, he is going bankrupt, and Yusov is threatened with dismissal. The work ends with the fact that Vyshnevsky suffers a blow from the misfortunes that befell him.
So, Alexander Ostrovsky (“Profitable Place” is a vivid example of this) skillfully combined historical realities and sharp satire in his works. The play we have retold can be offered to schoolchildren for a more in-depth study of the writer's work.
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