Summary: “Natalya, the boyar daughter” by N. M. Karamzin

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

It is impossible to overestimate the influence of Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin on literature and history. The outstanding scientist and literary critic forever erected for himself a "monument not made by hands" with his outstanding work "History of the Russian State". Recall that it was thanks to this person that words entered our speech that you, dear readers, probably think are primordially Russian: “love”, “impression”, “touching”, “aesthetic”, “moral”, “future”, “stage”.

No more than an announcement, we will present a summary for this story by Karamzin. "Natalya, Boyar's Daughter", however, deserves to be read.

Prototypes of the characters in the story

At the same time, the writer Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin is distinguished by his documentary and vivid perception of the history of the Fatherland. "Natalia, the Boyar's Daughter" is a short and capacious artistic narrative, documenting the era. Being a deep connoisseur of folklore, the author did not write his works in the language of the Old Russian epic, as was traditionally done. Although he always clearly indicated the historical roots of the work. For creationsKaramzin is characterized by documentaryism: historical information about the era always complements the summary.

"Natalia, the boyar's daughter" has an epistemological source associated with the biography of the boyar Artamon Sergeevich Matveev, tutor of Natalia Kirillovna Naryshkina (mother of Peter I). His biography is really dramatic, at first - a brilliant career (the boyar became the right hand of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich). After the death of the suzerain Artamon Sergeyevich was slandered by rival boyars, and he fell into disgrace (under Tsarevich Fedor Alekseevich). This vivid and tragic biography is divided by Karamzin into two parts: before and after disgrace. In particular, the ordeal of Artamon Sergeevich Matveev with his young son Andrei was transformed by Karamzin into the sad story of the hiding young boyar Alexei Lyuboslavsky.

Storyline

Objectivity for a real scientist is above all, therefore the story itself determines Karamzin's short stories. Natalya, a boyar daughter, lives with her father, boyar Matvey Andreev. (He is the owner of the “prosperous” part of the biography of the prototype.) Boyar Matvey is in favor with the tsar and respected by people, rich, active, fair. Widower. The delight of his soul is the only daughter, the beautiful Natalia.

She's already married. She was raised by a nanny. The life of a girl takes place in a rather narrow channel, regulated by a set of rules for housekeeping - "Domostroy". However, the matured girl feels the need to love with all her being, it is already narrow for her to live within the framework of "Domostroy",uniting Christian norms and household recommendations of the 16th century.

In the temple at the mass, she sees a young man, whose look awakens passion in her. After a second meeting with him, the nanny arranges a date for the young. At the meeting, Alexey convinces Natalya of the need to follow him and marry without the blessing of her father. And so it happened.

When the nanny and the girl saw armed people near the forest dwelling of Alexei, they were frightened, considering them robbers. But Alexei reassured them by telling the story of the disgrace of his family. Secretly married, they lived happily.

Further - that the vassals proved their loy alty to the kings by military deeds, and the summary testifies. "Natalia, the Boyar's Daughter" introduces the theme of war and service into the outline of her story. The young man learned about the beginning of the war with the Lithuanians. Alexei made a firm decision: to earn the mercy of the tsar and the forgiveness of the family with valor. He offered his wife Natalya to return to his father for a while. But the girl, dressed in a military dress, said that she would be with him in the war, calling herself his younger brother.

The war ended in victory. In battles, Alexei's military merit was undeniable. The tsar himself rewarded the hero, but the highest reward for Alexei was the end of disgrace. Having learned that Natalya, like a simple soldier, fought shoulder to shoulder with her beloved, the king was touched, and his father blessed their marriage. Boyarin lived to a ripe old age together with the friendly family of Alexei and Natalia, rich in children. On behalf of the author of the narration, who heard this story fromgreat-grandmother, Karamzin testifies at the end of the story that he himself saw a huge stone over the grave of Alexei and Natalia.

Conclusion

In his convictions, Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin is a conservative. But he is a kind of conservative, in opposition to everything that came to Russia from outside. He sincerely considered the path of development of the Fatherland to be special, not Western. The historian idealized the pre-Petrine era. It is this train of thought, dear readers, that you can catch by reading the story "Natalya, the boyar's daughter." His summary is surprisingly harmonious, the author is witty, interesting to read, there is a lot of subtle irony in the story.

Unfortunately, in real life, everything does not always end with a happy ending. When Peter I, who had ascended the throne, by his grace admitted the innocence of the boyar Artamon Sergeevich Matveev, ex alted and called him to him, just then the archery riot began. The boyar, who was trying to pacify the impending uprising, was literally torn to pieces by the troublemakers right in front of the windows of the royal palace. This brutal scene left a deep impression on the man who later "cut a window to Europe."