What historical figures are found in the captain's daughter. Essay “The novel “The Captain's Daughter” as a historical canvas

“The Captain's Daughter” is the last major work by A. S. Pushkin on a historical theme. The theme of the novel - the peasant uprising of 1773-1775 - is as natural and important in the ideological and creative evolution of the poet as the theme of Peter I and the theme of 1812. But, unlike “Arap Peter the Great” and “Roslavlev,” “The Captain’s Daughter” was completed: Pushkin’s interest in the problem of the peasantry turned out to be more stable.

The content of the novel was not immediately determined, and the initial plan, which was based historical fact Participation in the Pugachev uprising of the guards officer Shvanvich underwent an almost complete change. The plot of "The Captain's Daughter", which combined a historical event - the Pugachev uprising - with the chronicle of one noble family, took shape only in 1834, after Pushkin's trip to the Volga and the Urals and the end of "The History of Pugachev". In November 1836, the novel appeared on the pages of Sovremennik.

Despite its small volume, “The Captain's Daughter” is a work of wide thematic scope. It vividly reflected the life of the people, the images of peasants and Cossacks, the life of landowners, provincial society and the life of a fortress lost in the steppes, the personality of Pugachev and the court of Catherine II. The novel depicts people representing different strata of Russian society, revealing the morals and way of life of that time. "The Captain's Daughter" gives a wide historical picture, covering the Russian reality of the era of the Pugachev uprising.

The problems of “The Captain's Daughter” are unusually acute and diverse. The situation and demands of the people, the relationship between landowners and the peasantry and problems of state domestic policy, serfdom and the moral and everyday aspects of the life of the nobility, the duties of the nobility to the people, the state and their class - these are the main issues raised by Pushkin in the novel. The most important of them is the question of the historical and political meaning and significance of the peasant uprising.

A historical novel about the 18th century, at the same time it is a political novel of the 1830s. The image of the people's struggle against the nobility - the peasant uprising - is given in "The Captain's Daughter" in the most detailed form. The contradictions within the nobility themselves attract much less attention. Pushkin strives to reveal and show the whole range of phenomena associated with the uprising of the peasantry. The wide spread of the movement, its causes, the origins and beginning of the uprising, its course, the social and national composition of the participants in the movement, the ordinary mass of the rebels and its leaders, reprisals against the landowners and the attitude of the rebels towards civilians, the psychology of the peasant masses, the politics of the noble monarchy and the noble reprisals against peasantry - all this is reflected in the novel.

Despite the censorship, Pushkin shows the social orientation of the movement and the people’s hatred of the nobility quite clearly. At the same time, he reveals another side of the Pugachev movement - the inherent humanity of the participants in the uprising in relation to the “common people”. When the Belo-Gorsk fortress was captured, the Cossacks took away only the “officers’ quarters.” The anger of Pugachev himself against Shvabrin, who oppresses an orphan from the people (Masha Mironova), is terrible. And at the same time, the author says in the “Missed Chapter”: “The heads of individual detachments sent in pursuit of Pugachev... autocratically punished both the guilty and the innocent.” Pushkin was impartial, painting a historically accurate picture of a peasant uprising, showing purely feudal methods of dealing with serfs. The fact that the peasants, at the first approach of Pugachev’s troops, instantly became “drunk” with hatred of the landowners, is shown by Pushkin to be strikingly true.

The people depicted in The Captain's Daughter are not a faceless mass. With his characteristic artistic laconicism, Pushkin showed the serf peasantry in an individualized manner. He didn't draw pictures Everyday life peasantry, their way of life. In the foreground were the themes of uprising and reprisals against the landowners, so Pushkin individualized the images of the peasants in the aspect of their political consciousness, their relationship to the landowners and to Pugachev as the leader of the movement.

Pushkin characterizes the political consciousness of the rebellious peasantry as spontaneous. The typical side, the basis of this consciousness, however, is a clear understanding by each participant of the movement of its social orientation. Pushkin shows this very clearly in the scene of Grinev’s arrival in Berdskaya Sloboda. The peasants on guard capture Grinev and, without thinking about the reasons for the strange phenomenon that the officer’s voluntary arrival to Pugachev must have seemed to them, they have no doubt that “now” or in the “light of God,” but “father” will order the noble landowner to be hanged. But this typical thing with varying strengths of logic and action appears in the Berd guard, in the peasant at the outpost in “The Missing Chapter,” in Andryushka the zemsky, in the Belogorsk Cossacks, and in Pugachev’s closest assistants. Pushkin shows the various stages of this consciousness and, thus, achieves the individualization of images. At the same time, it is created single image rebel people.

In Pushkin's depiction, the people are a spontaneous, but not a blind, non-reasoning force. Although its consciousness is immature, the people are not wax from which leaders mold what they want. The image of the people as a passive mass, submissive to their noble leaders, was given, for example, in the historical novel of Pushkin’s contemporary, the writer Zagoskin. Pushkin, on the contrary, shows that the attitude of the people towards Pugachev is the result of the understanding by the masses of the social, anti-serfdom orientation of the uprising. The image of the people and the image of their leader merge into one in the novel, reflecting historical truth.

Pushkin emphasized the lack of idealization, realism in the depiction of Pugachev, and the artistic and historical fidelity of the image. The image of Pugachev is revealed in all the complexity and inconsistency of his personality, combining the qualities of an outstanding person, the leader of a mass popular movement with the features of a dashing, experienced Cossack who has wandered a lot around the world. First and main feature Pushkin's Pugachev - his deep connection with the people. Genuine realism is manifested in all its strength in the typical contrast between the attitude of the nobility and the people towards Pugachev.

Some critics saw the “hare sheepskin coat” motif as a purely formal device for the successful development of the plot. There is no doubt that this motive is deeply meaningful, revealing in the image of Pugachev the features of natural nobility and generosity.

The nobility and humanity of Pugachev are contrasted with the cruelty and selfishness of the “enlightened” nobleman Shvabrin. The image of Pugachev is revealed in his relationship with Grinev. The author very fully puts into Grinev’s ideas about Pugachev the official interpretation of the leader of the peasant uprising: a monster, a villain, a murderer. Throughout the novel, Pushkin shows the opposite - Pugachev’s humanism, his ability to show mercy and justice towards the good and honest people. This was by no means an idealization of the peasant leader. Pushkin was interested in the activities of Pugachev as the leader of the uprising. Pushkin's Pugachev is gifted, talented as a military leader, and in this regard is contrasted with the mediocre and cowardly Orenburg governor.

Many times in the novel, Pushkin emphasizes Pugachev’s inquisitiveness, intelligence, sharpness, and the absence in him of traits of slavish humiliation. All these features reveal the appearance of the true Pugachev. For Pushkin, they at the same time expressed the national character of the Russian people.

But for all that, the image of Pugachev and his closest associates also shows the weakness of the movement, its political immaturity. Monarchical form political program Pugachev, his entire image of the Tsar-Father was rooted in the mood of the people themselves, in their aspirations for a “people's Tsar”. Pugachev is characterized by distrust and hostility towards every “master”. Pugachev's good nature and simple-heartedness are also traits of the people's character. The leading image in this image is greatness and heroism, which so impressed Pushkin. This is expressed by the symbolic image of the eagle that the fairy tale speaks of, an image in which Pushkin also shows the tragedy of Pugachev’s fate.

Historical figures in the story by A.S. Pushkin "Captain's daughter"

The story "The Captain's Daughter" has historical background, since its heroes are historical figures: Pugachev, Khlopusha, Beloborodov, Catherine II. Therefore, the story “The Captain's Daughter” can be called a historical work.

Two feelings are wonderful

close to us - The heart finds food in them - Love for the native ashes, Love for fathers' coffins.

A.S. Pushkin

1830

1765

“Decree on the right of landowners to send serfs to hard labor”

1767

“Decree prohibiting peasants from complaining about landowners”

Year of birth: 1742

Birth name:

Emelyan Ivanovich Pugachev

Place of Birth:

village Zimoveyskaya

Social status:

Don Cossack

Occupation:

• Participant in the Russian-Turkish War (1768-1774);
• Leader of the Peasant War (1773-1775).
• Participant seven years war (1756-1763);

Signature of the illiterate Pugachev

Pugachev Emelyan Ivanovich

born in 1740 or 1742 in the Don village of Zimoveevskaya. The Cossack was not taught to read and write.

• In 17 years participates in the Seven Years' War.
• 1768 – 1770- participates in the Russian-Turkish war. He deserves the title of cornet for his bravery.
• 1771– deserts from the army after being refused leave. He is arrested three times, but escapes from custody.

From E. Pugachev’s address to the people

(1774)

"Manifesto"

September 17, 1773 – the beginning of the uprising , replenishes his troops at the expense of Cossacks, runaway peasants and soldiers, promises the peasants liberation from serfdom, the army is about 10 thousand people.

October 1773 - Emelyan Pugachev besieges Orenburg. The siege lasts until March 23 of the following year.

Yaitsky town.

September 1773.

On the side

rebels:

• 2500 people
• 20 guns

• Pugachev skillfully evades persecution using guerrilla warfare tactics. The rebels easily recruit hundreds of people into their troops.
• On August 25, 1774, near Tsaritsyn, the impostor Pugachev was defeated, but again fled from arrest in the Volga region.
• Traitors appear among his Cossacks. They decide to capture Pugachev and hand him over to the authorities, hoping for a pardon.

• 1773 - Pugachev was taken to Kazan prison. The sentence is confirmed by Catherine II - lifelong hard labor, Pugachev makes a successful escape from prison for the sixth time.

EKATERINA ALEKSEEVNA THE SECOND GREAT- Russian Empress (since 1762)

Pugachev first appears in the story under romantic circumstances, "in the muddy lace of a blizzard" , he appears for the second time already "sovereign" . Pushkin creates this image gradually:

from external description hero

to his psychological

portrait.

Means of revealing the image of Pugachev:

1. Portrait:

a) Pugachev’s eyes;

b) clothes (transformation from a tramp to a “king”).

2. Loneliness. Pugachev is alone even among like-minded people. He understands that they are ready to betray him if there is an opportunity to escape in this way;

3 . Demonism. Pugachev is endowed with the features of a romantic villain.

4. Pugachev's speech : many proverbs, sayings.

Pugachev is fair, generous, and responsive. He is closely connected with the people and enjoys their love and support.

Pushkin endows the hero with the traits of the Russian national character: intelligence, ingenuity, breadth of nature, ability to perform noble deeds, courage and bravery.

One day an eagle asked crow: tell me, raven bird, why have you lived in this world for three hundred years, and I am only thirty-three years old? “Because, father,” the raven answered him, “you drink living blood, and I feed on carrion.” The eagle thought: let's try and eat the same thing. Fine. The eagle and the raven flew away. They saw a dead horse; came down and sat down. The raven began to peck and praise. The eagle pecked once, pecked again, waved its wing and said to the raven: no, brother raven; than to eat carrion for three hundred years, better time get drunk on living blood, and then what?

God will give!

• September 8, 1774 - Pugachev was captured. He tries to escape several times, but fails.

• Emelyan Pugachev is delivered to Moscow by A.V. Suvorov.

• January 9, 1775 - Pugachev was sentenced to death.

• January 10, 1775 - Emelyan Pugachev was executed (quartered) on Bolotnaya Square in Moscow.

Here is my Pugach!

At first glance

He is visible: a rogue, a straight Cossack. In your vanguard

He would be a dashing officer.

(A. S. Pushkin to Denis Davydov)

1. Historical background of the novel.

2. Portraits of real historical figures: Catherine II and Pugachev.

We are obedient dolls in the hands of the Creator!

The Almighty leads us across the stage on strings

And he shoves it into the chest, finishing it off.

Omar Khayyam

The action of A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter” dates back to the second half of the 18th century. The main events take place during peasant war under the leadership of the Don Cossack Emelyan Pugachev, who declared himself Tsar Peter Fedorovich, allegedly miraculously saved.

Imposture in Rus' has deep roots historical roots: let us remember the series of false Dmitrys who laid claim to the Russian throne. But here's what's surprising: the huge masses common people readily believed the statement about miraculous salvation“sovereign”, and willingly went under his banner. On the one hand, the illiterate people still had strong faith in a kind, fair king who would make the people’s life easier; on the other hand, Pugachev was a spokesman for the interests of the oppressed people; they looked at him as an intercessor and savior. Of course, not all of those who followed Pugachev were sure that this was the real Tsar Peter III. Using the example of Shvabrin, Pushkin convincingly shows that there were those who joined the popular movement, pursuing only their own narrowly selfish interests, without particularly thinking about what kind of person was at the head of the uprising.

The story “The Captain's Daughter” is not a historical chronicle, it is, first of all, piece of art, therefore, it contains both genuine historical characters and characters invented by the author himself.

Pugachev appears more than once on the pages of Pushkin’s story. At first he appears before us in the form of an unknown tramp, and it is difficult to suspect that this is the future leader of the popular uprising. Pushkin does not embellish the image of “Sovereign Pyotr Fedorovich”: he also shows the merciless reprisal against captured nobles, reveals the adventuristic nature of Pugachev’s plans: “Isn’t there good luck for the daring? Didn’t Grishka Otrepiev reign in the old days?”; “...it’s better to get drunk with living blood, and then what God will give!”

But at the same time, Pushkin does not strive, like many other authors of his time who wrote about Pugachev, to portray him as a bloodthirsty monster to whom everything human is alien. Remembering the hare sheepskin coat and a glass of wine, he saves Grinev’s life, and then again helps him - he rescues Masha Mironova from the hands of Shvabrin: “To execute like that, to reward like that: that’s my custom.”

Pushkin introduces the image of Catherine only at the very end of his story. As in the case of Pugachev, the author initially hides from the reader who she is: Masha Catherine is called a court lady. But here’s what catches your eye: Pugachev shows mercy to a man who came from the enemy camp; and Catherine first wants to make sure that Grinev is really innocent: “The Empress cannot forgive him. He stuck to the impostor not out of ignorance and gullibility, but as an immoral and harmful scoundrel.” The queen promised Masha to take care of her; however, from what follows it becomes clear that she did not keep this promise: the heirs of Peter Grinev and his wife own only what they inherited from their ancestors.

Peter Grinev, main character the story, and other characters with whom he interacts, of course, are the fruit of the author's imagination; however, these images did not arise out of nowhere. Pushkin convincingly depicts the color of that era, the relationships between people and ingrained habits. Using the example of Pyotr Grinev, the author shows us what kind of education and upbringing young nobles received at that time.

Life is picturesquely presented Belogorsk fortress, where Vasilisa Yegorovna is in charge of everything, not separating her husband’s official affairs from her household. Introducing the image of Masha Mironova, Pushkin emphasizes that she is an ordinary girl, unremarkable and not very educated. However, later her high moral and spiritual qualities. The image of the devoted Savelich, a serf who faithfully serves his young master, but flatly refuses to indulge his whims, cannot leave anyone indifferent. Pushkin also recreates paintings with a few well-aimed strokes family life petty nobility - using the example of the parents of Peter and Masha.

Pushkin's fictional characters appear to us no less real and vivid than those who actually existed historical figures. Despite the fact that the author came up with specific characters, their characters, destinies, their relationships are genuine human life. The story "The Captain's Daughter" is a true story about a man, about his life path and spiritual growth, about nobility and betrayal, about love and honor. Therefore, even today, more than a century later, this work has not lost its relevance, because a person always remains a person, no matter what the level of technological development, no matter what fickle fashion tries to dictate.

After the brutal suppression of the rebellious uprising of military settlers in Staraya Russa in the early 30s of the 19th century, Pushkin drew attention to the “troubled” times in the history of the fatherland. This is where the story of the creation of “The Captain's Daughter” begins. The image of the rebel Pugachev fascinates and attracts the poet’s attention. And this theme runs through two of Pushkin’s works at once: the historical work “The History of Pugachev” and “The Captain’s Daughter.” Both works are dedicated to the events of 1773-1775 under the leadership of Emelyan Pugachev.

Initial stage: collecting information, creating “The History of Pugachev”

The history of the creation of “The Captain's Daughter” takes more than 3 years. Pushkin was the first to write the work “The History of Pugachev,” for which he carefully collected facts and evidence. He had to travel around several provinces in the Volga region and Orenburg region, where the uprising took place and witnesses to those events still lived. By decree of the king, the poet was granted access to secret documents, relating to the uprising and its suppression by the authorities. Family archives and private collections of documents constituted a significant part of the sources of information. Pushkin’s “Archival Notebooks” contain copies of personal decrees and letters from Emelyan Pugachev himself. The poet communicated with old people who knew Pugachev and passed on legends about him. The poet questioned, wrote down, and examined the battle sites. All collected information he meticulously and punctually wrote down in the historical work “The History of Pugachev.” A short novel reveals to us one of the most exciting pages in Russian history - the period of Pugachevism. This work was called "History Pugachev revolt"and was published in 1834. Only after creating a historical work, the poet began to write a literary work - “The Captain's Daughter”.

Prototypes of heroes, plotting a storyline

The novel is narrated from the perspective of a young officer Pyotr Grinev, who is serving in the Belogorsk fortress. Several times the author changed the plan of the work, structured the plot differently and renamed the characters. At the beginning, the hero of the work was thought to be a young nobleman who went over to Pugachev’s side. The poet studied the history of the nobleman Shvanvich, who voluntarily went over to the side of the rebels, and the officer Basharin, who was captured by Pugachev. Based on their real deeds, two characters were formed, one of whom was a nobleman who became a traitor, whose image required passing through the moral and censorship barriers of that time. We can say that Shvabrin’s prototype was officer Shvanovich. This name was mentioned in the royal decree “On punishing with death the traitor rebel and impostor Pugachev and his accomplices.” And the main character of “The Captain’s Daughter,” Grinev, was created by the author based on the true story of an officer taken into custody by the authorities. He was suspected of having connections with but later this was not confirmed, the officer was found not guilty and released.

Publication and history of the creation of Pushkin’s “The Captain’s Daughter”

For Pushkin, the lighting is so acute political theme was not an easy task, as evidenced by the history of the creation of “The Captain’s Daughter”: numerous changes in the construction of the plan of the work, changes in the names of the characters and the storyline.

The story “The Captain's Daughter” was first mentioned in mid-1832. The work itself appeared in print in December 1836 in the Sovremennik magazine without the author’s signature. However, censorship prohibited the publication of a chapter about a peasant revolt in the village of Grineva, which the poet himself later called “The Missing Chapter.” Pushkin’s creation of “The Captain’s Daughter” took last years his life, after the work was published, the poet tragically died in a duel.

Alexander Sergeevich had to put a lot of effort into creating the characters. He consulted unpublished documents family archives, ardently studied the history of the uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. Pushkin visited many cities of the Volga region, including Kazan and Astrakhan, where the “exploits” of the rebel began. He even found relatives of the participants to more reliably study all the information. From the materials received, a historical work, “The History of Pugachev,” was compiled, which was used by him to create his own Pugachev for “The Captain’s Daughter.” I had to simultaneously think about censorship and a character who contradicted not only the moral and ethical values ​​of the time, but also raised political discussions. His renegade nobleman was initially supposed to take Pugachev’s side, but the plan changed many times throughout the process.

As a result, it was necessary to divide the character into two - “light” and “dark”, that is, the defender Grinev and the traitor Shvabrin. Shvabrin absorbed all the most bad qualities, ranging from betrayal to cowardice.

The world of the heroes of "The Captain's Daughter"

The poet managed to describe truly Russian qualities and character traits on the pages of the story. Pushkin very clearly and colorfully manages to convey the contrasting characters of people from the same class. In the work “Onegin” he vividly described the opposing types of nobility in the images of Tatiana and Onegin, and in “The Captain’s Daughter” he managed to show the contrasting characters of the types of the Russian peasantry: the prudent, loyal to the owners, prudent and prudent Savelich and the rebellious, frantic, rebellious Pugachev. In the story “The Captain's Daughter,” the characters are described very plausibly and expressively.

Nobleman Grinev

The main characters in our story deserve special attention. The hero of "The Captain's Daughter", the young officer Grinev, on whose behalf the story is told, was brought up in ancient traditions. From an early age he was placed under the care of Savelich, whose influence only intensified after the expulsion of the Frenchman Beaupre from his teachers. Before he was born, Peter was registered as a sergeant, which determined his entire future.

Pyotr Alekseevich Grinev, the main character of The Captain's Daughter, was created in the image of a real person, information about whom Pushkin found in archival documents from the Pugachev era. Grinev's prototype is officer Basharin, who was captured by the rebels and escaped. The creation of the story “The Captain's Daughter” was accompanied by a change in the hero's surname. It changed several times (Bulanin, Valuev), until the author settled on Grinev. The image of the main character is associated with mercy, " family thought», free choice in difficult and harsh circumstances.

Describing through the lips of Grinev the terrible consequences of Pugachevism, Pushkin calls the rebellion senseless and merciless. Mountains of dead bodies, a bunch of people chained, whipped and hanged - these are the terrible consequences of the uprising. Seeing robbed and devastated villages, fires, and innocent victims, Grinev exclaims: “God forbid we see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless.”

Serf Savelich

The creation of the story “The Captain's Daughter” would have been impossible without the vivid image of a native of the people. Serf Savelich firmly believed that he was born only to serve his master. He could not imagine any other life. But his service to the masters is not servility, he is full of self-esteem and nobility.

Savelich is rich in inner warmth, selfless affection and self-sacrifice. He loves his young master like a father, takes care of him and suffers from unfair reproaches addressed to him. This old man suffers from loneliness, because he devoted his whole life to serving the masters.

Rebel Pugachev

Another bright image The poet managed to convey the Russian character through Emelyan Pugachev. This hero of "The Captain's Daughter" is considered by Pushkin from two different sides. Only Pugachev is an intelligent, with great ingenuity and insightful man, whom we see as common man, described in personal relations with Grinev. He remembers the kindness shown to him and feels deep gratitude. Another Pugachev is a cruel and merciless executioner, sending people to the gallows and executing the middle-aged widow of Commandant Mironov. This side of Pugachev is disgusting, striking in its bloody cruelty.

The story “The Captain's Daughter” makes it clear that Pugachev is a reluctant villain. He was chosen for the role of “counselor” by the elders and was later betrayed by them. Pugachev himself believed that Russia was destined to be punished through his damnation. He understood that he was doomed, that he was just a player leading role in a rebellious element. But at the same time, Pugachev is not a soulless puppet in the hands of the elders; he puts forth all his courage, perseverance and mental strength for the success of the uprising.

The antagonist of the main character is Shvabrin

Nobleman Shvabrin, the hero of "The Captain's Daughter", another a real man, references to which were found by Pushkin in archival documents. In contrast to the noble and honest Grinev, Shvabrin is a scoundrel with a dishonest soul. He easily goes over to Pugachev’s side as soon as he captured the Belgorod fortress. He tries to gain Masha's favor by force.

But at the same time, Shvabrin is far from stupid, he is a witty and entertaining conversationalist, who ended up serving in the Belgorod fortress for his love of duels. It is because of Shvabrin that Grinev comes under suspicion of treason and almost loses his life.

Captain's daughter Maria Mironova

The story “The Captain's Daughter” also tells about love in a difficult time of popular uprising. main character"The Captain's Daughter" - Maria Mironova, raised on French novels homeless woman, daughter of the captain of the Belogorsk fortress. It is because of her that Grinev and Shvabrin fight a duel, although she cannot belong to either of them. Petrusha's parents forbade her to even think about marrying a dowry girl, and the scoundrel Shvabrin, who practically won the duel, has no place in the girl's heart.

She did not give in to him during the capture of the fortress, when he tried to force her favor. Masha contains all the best character traits of a Russian woman - innocence and purity of character, warmth, patience and readiness for self-sacrifice, fortitude and the ability not to change one’s principles. In order to save Masha from the hands of Shvabrin, Grinev goes to Pugachev to ask him for the release of his beloved.

Description of events in the story

The description of events is based on the memoirs of a fifty-year-old nobleman Pyotr Alekseevich Grinev. They were written during the reign of Emperor Alexander and dedicated to the peasant uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. As fate would have it, the young officer had to take an involuntary part in it.

Petrusha's childhood

The story of “The Captain’s Daughter” begins with Pyotr Andreevich’s ironic memories of his childhood. His father is a retired prime minister, his mother is the daughter of a poor nobleman. All eight of Petrusha's brothers and sisters died in childhood, and the hero himself was registered as a sergeant while still in his mother's womb. At the age of five, the eager Savelych is assigned to the boy, who is promoted to Petrusha’s uncle. Under his leadership, he learned Russian literacy and “could sensibly judge the properties of a greyhound dog.” Afterwards, the young master was assigned a Frenchman, Beaupre, as a teacher, whose teaching ended in shameful expulsion for drunkenness and spoiling of courtyard girls.

Young Petrusha lives a carefree life until the age of sixteen, chasing pigeons and playing leapfrog. At the age of seventeen, the father decides to send the youngster to serve, but not in the Semenovsky regiment, but in the active army, so that he can smell gunpowder. This was a reason for disappointment for the young nobleman, who had hoped for a fun and carefree life in the capital.

Officer Grinev's service

On the way to Orenburg, the master and his servant find themselves in a strong snowstorm, and were completely lost when they met a black-bearded gypsy, who led them to the edge. On the way to housing, Pyotr Andreevich has a prophetic and terrible dream. Grateful Grinev gives his savior a hare sheepskin coat and treats him to a glass of wine. After mutual gratitude, the gypsies and Grinev part.

Arriving at the place, Peter was surprised to discover that the Belgorod fortress did not at all look like an impregnable bastion - it was just a cute small village behind a wooden fence. Instead of brave soldiers there are military invalids, and instead of formidable artillery there is an old cannon with old garbage stuffed into its muzzle.

The head of the fortress - an honest and kind officer Mironov - is not strong in education and is completely under the influence of his wife. The wife runs the fortress as if it were her own household. The Mironovs accept young Petrusha as their own, and he himself becomes attached to them and falls in love with their daughter Maria. The easy service encourages reading books and writing poetry.

At the beginning of his service, Pyotr Grinev feels a friendly sympathy for Lieutenant Shvabrin, who is close to him in education and occupation. But Shvabrin’s causticity, with which he criticized Grinev’s poems, served as a reason for a quarrel between them, and dirty hints towards Masha became a reason for a duel, during which Grinev was basely wounded by Shvabrin.

Maria takes care of the wounded Peter, and they confess their mutual feelings to each other. Peter writes a letter to his parents, asking for their blessing for his marriage. However, having learned that Maria does not have a dowry, the father forbids his son to even think about the girl.

Pugachev's rebellion

The creation of "The Captain's Daughter" is associated with a popular uprising. In the story, events developed as follows. A mute Bashkir with outrageous messages was caught in a fortress village. Residents fearfully await the attack of the rebel peasants led by Pugachev. And the rebel attack happened unexpectedly; at the very first military attack, the fortress surrendered its position. Residents came out to meet Pugachev with bread and salt, and they are led to the city square to swear allegiance to the new “sovereign.” The commandant and his wife die, refusing to swear allegiance to the impostor Pugachev. Grinev faces the gallows, but later Emelyan himself pardons him, recognizing in him the fellow traveler whom he saved in a snowstorm and received a hare’s fur coat as a gift from him.

Pugachev releases the officer, and he sets off for help in the direction of Orenburg. He wants to save sick Masha from captivity, whom the priest passes off as his niece. He is very worried about her safety, because Shvabrin, who went over to the side of the rebels, was appointed commandant. In Orenburg they did not take his reports seriously and refused to help. And soon the city itself found itself under a long siege. By chance, Grinev receives a letter from Masha asking for help, and he again heads to the fortress. There, with the help of Pugachev, he frees Masha, and he himself comes under suspicion of espionage at the suggestion of the same Shvabrin.

Final Analysis

The main text of the story is compiled from the notes of Pyotr Andreevich Grinev. Critics characterized the story “The Captain's Daughter” as follows: it is a historically important story. The era of Pugachevism is seen through the eyes of a nobleman who took an oath of allegiance to the empress and religiously followed his duty as an officer. And even in a difficult situation, among mountains of dead bodies and a sea of ​​​​people's blood, he did not break his word and preserved the honor of his uniform.

The popular uprising led by Pugachev is viewed in The Captain's Daughter as a national tragedy. Pushkin contrasts the people and the authorities.

Critics call the story “The Captain's Daughter” the pinnacle of Pushkin’s artistic prose. The work brought to life truly Russian characters and types. All of Pushkin’s poetry is permeated by a rebellious spirit, he transcends the boundaries of everyday life. And in the story, in the story of Pugachev’s rebellion, the poet glorifies freedom and rebellion. Russian classics gave the story “The Captain's Daughter” a positive review. Russian literature has added another masterpiece.

"The Captain's Daughter": genre affiliation

Can we consider that the story “The Captain's Daughter” belongs to the genre of a historical novel? After all, the poet himself believed that having covered an entire historical era in his work, he could consider it a novel. However, according to the volume accepted in literary criticism, the work is classified as a story. Few critics admit that “The Captain's Daughter” is a novel; more often it is called a story or story.

"The Captain's Daughter" in the theater and in productions

To date, many theatrical and film productions of the story “The Captain's Daughter” have been carried out. Became the most popular Feature Film Pavel Reznikov with the same name. The film was released in 1978 and is essentially a film performance. The roles of the main characters were given to well-known actors familiar to television viewers. The unusual nature of the acting is that no one gets used to the character, no one is given special makeup, and in general there is nothing that connects the actors and the book except the text. It is the text that creates the mood, makes the viewer feel, and the actors simply read it in their own voice. Despite the originality of the production of the story “The Captain's Daughter,” the film received amazing reviews. Many theaters still follow the principle of just reading Pushkin's text.

Such is the general outline, the history of the creation of the story "The Captain's Daughter" by A. S. Pushkin.

THE CAPTAIN'S DAUGHTER AS A HISTORICAL NOVEL 1. Introduction. The history of Russia is full of memories of popular unrest, sometimes silent and little-known, sometimes bloody and deafening. One of the most famous such events is the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin was seriously interested in Russian history. Among his historical works, the most famous are the History of Peter and materials on the Pugachev era.A. S. Pushkin turned to the personality of Pugachev twice when he was working on the documentary History of the Pugachev Rebellion and when he was writing The Captain's Daughter.

It is surprising that the dry and accurate reports of the chroniclers became the basis for creating a rich historical canvas of the famous story. The story was written in 1836, and Pushkin finished the History two years earlier. The poet worked on highest resolution in closed archives, carefully studied documents related to the Pugachev rebellion. Pushkin’s attitude towards spontaneous popular uprisings was complex. The bitter words, God forbid, to see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless, are worth many volumes of research devoted to the Slavic mentality.

Pushkin insightfully pointed out two character traits peasant movements lack of long-term goals and bestial cruelty. Lack of rights, underdevelopment, and miserable life cannot give rise to organized, systematic resistance. The leaders of the people are distinguished by their enterprise, breadth of character, and fearlessness. Such is Pushkin’s Pugachev, who proclaimed himself Peter III. When he is warned that guns are aimed at the rioters, he mockingly replies: Are there guns? kings pour in. He attracts the love of the people with his violence and daring, and most of all with his dream of freedom.

It is not for nothing that the gates of the fortress open to meet his army. And next to this is cruelty, mass executions, often senseless, the commandant of the fortress Mironov calls him a thief and a robber. He has the characteristics of an adventurer. He does not deceive himself, although he is disingenuous with those around him, calling himself a king.

And Grishka Otrepiev, who understood him most deeply, says to Grinev, after all, he reigned over Moscow. From the Volga robber, Pugachev has a bright, allegorical language, peppered with hints, jokes and fables. What attracts him most is his powerful, free nature, which is cramped in the uniform in which fate has dressed him. Telling Grinev about the eagle and the raven, he betrays his deepest desire to live a life, albeit short, but bright, not eating carrion, but drinking living blood. The real Pugachev was worse.

He could have ordered the peaceful astronomer Lovitz to be hanged closer to the stars, he could have given up his mistress Elizaveta Kharlova and her seven-year-old brother for reprisal, he could have ordered the secret strangulation of his close friend and ally Lysov after a drunken quarrel. Captured, Pugachev begs Catherine II for mercy. When Count Panin called him a thief, Pugachev replied: “I’m not a raven, I’m a little raven that’s still flying.” Panin bloodied his face and tore out a tuft of his beard. And Pugachev knelt down and began to ask for mercy.

The people still have a vivid memory of Pugachev the liberator. When he was sitting in a cage, the soldiers fed him from their hands. Simple people They brought the children so that they would remember that they had seen Pugachev. Robber or liberator, Pugachev was folk hero. Only such a hero could be born at that time Russian people. 2. Main part. 1. Compositional features stories by A. S. Pushkin's Captain's Daughter. Captain's Daughter historical novel, written in the form of a memoir.

Pushkin turns specifically to the topic of Pugachevism, because it for a long time was considered forbidden, inconvenient, and historians practically did not study it, and if they did, they covered it one-sidedly. At first he encountered almost complete absence materials. Then he himself goes to the Orenburg region, questions the surviving eyewitnesses and participants, and spends a long time in the archives. In fact, Pushkin became the first historian to objectively reflect the events of this harsh era.

If the history of the Pugachev rebellion historical essay, then The Captain's Daughter is written in a completely different genre. This is a historical novel. Main principle which Pushkin uses in his work is the principle of historicism, since the main storyline became the development of real historical events. Fictional heroes, their destinies are closely intertwined with historical figures. In each episode of The Captain's Daughter, a parallel can be drawn between the destinies of individuals and the fate of the people as a whole.

The form of memoirs chosen by the author speaks of his historical vigilance. In the XVII In the 1st century, it was indeed possible to describe the Pugachev era in a similar way in memoirs for grandchildren. It is no coincidence that the author chose Peter Grinev as a memoirist. Pushkin needed a witness who was directly involved in the events, who would be personally acquainted with Pugachev and his entourage. Pushkin deliberately chose a nobleman for this. Like a nobleman in his own way social background and the officer, called by oath to pacify the riot, he is faithful to duty.

And we see that Pyotr Grinev really did not lose his officer’s honor. He is kind, noble. To Pugachev’s offer to serve him faithfully, Grinev firmly refuses, since he swore allegiance to the Empress. But he also rejects the uprising as a senseless and merciless rebellion, bloodshed. Pyotr Grinev consistently tells us not only about bloody and cruel reprisals similar to the massacre in the Belogorsk fortress, but also about the just actions of Pugachev, about his broad soul, peasant ingenuity, a kind of nobility.

Three times Pyotr Grinev tested his fate, and three times Pugachev spared and had mercy on him. The thought of him was inseparable in me from the thought of mercy, says Grinev, given to me by him in one of the terrible moments of his life, and of the deliverance of my bride. The image of Grinev is given in the dynamics of Grinev as a young man, a teenager, and Grinev as an old man. There is some difference in beliefs between them. The old man not only describes, but also evaluates the young man.

Grinev ironically talks about his childhood when describing the episode of escape from besieged Orenburg, an intonation arises that justifies the hero’s reckless act. The chosen form of narration allows the hero to look at himself from the outside. It was an amazing artistic discovery. Emelyan Pugachev also occupies a significant place in the story. His character is revealed gradually in the course of events. The first meeting takes place in the chapter Leader, the next time it is already the leader of the rebels. Further, he appears as a generous, fair person.

This is especially evident in the scene of Masha’s liberation. Pugachev punishes Shvabrin and releases Grinev with his bride, sentenced to Execute, so execute, favor, so favor. 2.2. Main characters. Although the Tale of A. S. Pushkin is called The Captain's Daughter, Masha Mironova can be called secondary actor. The plot tension of the story rests on three supporting points. These are the images of Shvabrin, Grinev and Pugachev, who, through his actions, became a kind of manifestation of the true nature of the characters, the worst traits of Shvabrin and the best of Grinev.

Pugachev in The Captain's Daughter looks like the hero of Cossack songs and epics. He appears first as a kind of mysterious figure, and then grows and fills the entire space of the narrative. An incomprehensible man conducts mysterious conversations with the owner of an inn, more like a robber's shelter. He is either an escaped convict or a drunkard, pawning a sheepskin coat from the kisser, that is, for vodka.

But fiery eyes that attract attention reveal an extraordinary person. In Grinev’s prophetic dream, the reader already receives a hint of the complexity and power of the image - brutality, cunning and unexpected tenderness and breadth of soul - we will learn about all this later. Pugachev is cruel and merciless when he orders the execution of the defenders of the fortress and the hacking of the commandant’s wife. But he remembers the good and values ​​sincerity, truthfulness and loyalty to honor. This is what captivates him about Grinev. He is not vindictive; the only time he frowned was when he learned that Grinev had deceived him. The naive pomp of titles that he distributes to his associates is both a calculation and a joyful game of power.

In front of Grinev, he does not pretend, he almost openly says that he is an impostor, comparing himself with Grishka Otrepyev. Pugachev of Pushkin is a desperate man who would not exchange three months royal feast for thirty years of heavenly stew. They epic hero, and the song robber, and the tsar-savior for the downtrodden people. Russian history is full of legends about the real tsar, about the tsar who escaped death, the real, right tsar who will come at the appointed hour. Pugachev called himself such a king, but people would not have followed him if he had not behaved like a real ruler and deliverer. 2.3. The people in A. S. Pushkin's story The Captain's Daughter.

In The Captain's Daughter A.S. Pushkin truly created folk characters, truly Russian. He showed that, on a par with love of freedom and rebellion, on a par with greatness and dignity, national character inherent humility and obedience are qualities formed by centuries of slavery. As an example of such characters in the story, one should consider images of Savelich and Captain Mironov.

Savelich servant of a young nobleman, Mironov former soldier, who received the officer rank and the position of commandant of the Belogorsk fortress for bravery in battle. It would seem that these people may have something in common, but what they have in common is a lack of independence. Both Savelich and Mironov are accustomed to living according to the long-established charter of unquestioningly obeying and unconditionally carrying out the decrees of the first landowner, the second of the government.

This way of life seems to them the only possible; this is how their grandfathers lived, this is how they live, and this is the only way their children and grandchildren should live. People like Savelich and Mironov will never be able to resist the authorities, no matter how hard it is for them. Having escaped from the care of his relatives for the first time, Pyotr Grinev drinks himself into unconsciousness in the first tavern and, moreover, loses at cards to a random person.

For Savelich this is a blow, because he treats Grinev as his own child, moreover, the owners handed him into his hands future fate own son. And Savelich is accustomed to treating the task assigned to him very responsibly, which is why he tries to convince the young master and his pupil that it is rash to do so. And what does he hear in response? I am your master, and you are my servant. My money And I advise you not to be smart and do what you are ordered. The insult was so severe that Savelich even cried.

However, he remembered his duty to restrain the young master, burying his offense, he again tried to reason with Grinev, to which he received an even more insulting sentence: give me the money here or I’ll drive you away. And the episode with the duel. Having learned what Grinev and Shvabrin were up to, Savelich, without hesitation, rushes to the place of the duel in order, if necessary, to shield his master with his own breast. God knows, I ran to shield you with my breast from the sword of Alexei Ivanovich. And as a result, he did not They just couldn’t bear the gratitude, and he was also accused by Grinev Jr. for denunciation, Grinev Sr. for silence.

In this episode, the dramatic nature of the situation of a common man is most clearly and clearly demonstrated; everyone accuses him, but he is not guilty of anything. And in response to all insults and curses, humility, because this is his lot. And why, why such a destiny, Savelich does not think about it. He understood only one important virtue in life. And he is guided by this alone. That is why Savelich is ready to put his head in the noose instead of Grinev. It was only thanks to him that Grinev remained alive, but even here Savelich did not hear words of gratitude from his pupil.

And he took it for granted. Savelich does not accept Pugachev and his brothers, calling him a villain and a robber. He is deaf to the freedom proclaimed by the rebels, he is blind to events and judges them from the positions of his masters. This makes Savelich look even more pathetic; he is on the side of those who do not value him at all. As for Captain Mironov, this honest and kind, modest man, ready to obey his wife in everything, was a courageous soldier.

He is characterized by a sense of loyalty to duty, word, oath and, on the contrary, treason and betrayal are disgusting. It is in these qualities that his Russian nature and Russian character are manifested. Mironov is brave, but acts unconsciously. When he went out to fight the rebels, he never once asked himself what kind of fight this was, where the rebels came from, why the rebels. Mironov received an order and he carries it out with honor.

True, it’s worth learning nobility from Captain Mironov. Last minutes his life evokes admiration; he is firm and unshakable in his answers, he is ready to accept death, but never betray his oath and duty. This also reveals the truly Russian nature of this hero. The story also shows that part of the people that is capable of protest. These are Pugachev and his brothers. Sympathizing with their oppressed and powerless situation, the author, however, as an opponent of all revolutions, does not hide dark sides uprisings and behavior of the rebels, robberies, the cruelty of the people and their leader in the fight against their tormentors, the possibility of betrayal of Pugachev by his own comrades.

Thus, in The Captain’s Daughter, using the examples of Pugachev and his like-minded people, Savelich and Mironov, Pushkin revealed the deeply dramatic fate of the people in an autocratic serfdom state, filled with acute contradictions. 3. Conclusion. The last meeting of Pugachev and Grinev takes place a minute before the execution of the captured rebel.

In this terrible moment, Pugachev recognizes the one whom he loved for his honesty, courage and kind heart, and nods to him. A minute later his head, dead and bloody, was shown to the people. Pushkin, through the lips of a hero, laments the shameful end of Emel Emel I thought with annoyance, why didn’t you stumble on a bayonet or turn up on buckshot? You couldn’t have come up with anything better. The captain's daughter laid the foundation for the Russian historical novel. With her works on historical topics Pushkin made a contribution of enormous value to Russian literature.

In their historical works he recreated the most significant episodes from the life of Russia from ancient times to 1812. The poet is especially attracted to the era of revolutions and crises early XVII and XVIII centuries. The novel The Captain's Daughter tells about dramatic events The 70s of the 18th century, when the discontent of peasants and residents of the outskirts of Russia resulted in a war led by Emelyan Pugachev. But the novel is not limited to only this topic, it is one of many raised in this multifaceted and philosophical work.

In parallel, in the novel, Pushkin poses and solves a series important issues O patriotic education, about love and fidelity, honor and dignity of a person. The form and language of the work were brought to perfection by Pushkin. Behind the apparent simplicity and ease, the most serious questions of existence are hidden. Reading the story of A. S. Pushkin, The Captain's Daughter, we simultaneously follow the plot of an ordinary story and observe the events of a historical novel.

This work is interesting and informative and, according to Belinsky, one of the most best works Russian literature. In conclusion, I would like to dwell on one more invisible hero of this wonderful story, the image of the author himself, who, with his secret presence, constantly observes the events and actions of the heroes. Having chosen Grinev as the narrator, Pushkin does not hide behind him. The writer’s position is very clear. Firstly, it is obvious that Grinev expresses the author’s thoughts about the uprising.

Pushkin gives preference to reforms over revolution. Secondly, Pushkin selects situations in which Grinev behaves according to the author’s wishes. Pushkin was able to convey to us a lot interesting facts from the history of Pugachev's uprising. v Belenky G.I. textbook-reader for grade 8, Mnemosyne, 2000 Part 1 v Belenky G.I. textbook for 8th grade educational institutions, Enlightenment, 2000 v Vvedensky B. A encyclopedic Dictionary in two volumes, Soviet encyclopedia, 1963, volume I. v Pushkin A. S. The Captain’s Daughter, collected works in ten volumes, Pravda, 1981, volume V.

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