What did Katerina do in the play Thunderstorm. Katerina's life in her parents' house (play by A. Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm")

The image of Katerina in the play "Thunderstorm" contrasts perfectly with the gloomy realities of Russia in the pre-reform period. At the epicenter of the unfolding drama is the conflict between the heroine, who seeks to defend her human rights, and a world in which strong, rich and powerful people rule everything.

Katerina as the embodiment of a pure, strong and bright people's soul

From the very first pages of the work, the image of Katerina in the play "Thunderstorm" cannot but attract attention and make one feel sympathy. Honesty, the ability to feel deeply, the sincerity of nature and a penchant for poetry - these are the features that distinguish Katerina herself from the representatives of " dark kingdom". In the main character, Ostrovsky tried to capture all the beauty of the people's simple soul. The girl expresses her emotions and experiences unpretentiously and does not use distorted words and expressions common in the merchant environment. This is not difficult to see, Katerina's speech itself is more like a melodic chant, it is replete with diminutive and caressing words and expressions: "sun", "grass", "rain". The heroine shows incredible candor when she talks about her free life in her father's house, among icons, calm prayers and flowers, where she lived "like a bird in the wild."

The image of a bird is an accurate reflection of the state of mind of the heroine

The image of Katerina in the play "Thunderstorm" perfectly echoes the image of a bird, in folk poetry symbolizing freedom. Talking with Varvara, she repeatedly refers to this analogy and claims that she is "a free bird that has fallen into an iron cage." In captivity, she is sad and painful.

Katerina's life in the Kabanovs' house. Love of Katerina and Boris

In the house of the Kabanovs, Katerina, who is dreamy and romantic, feels completely alien. The humiliating reproaches of the mother-in-law, who is used to keeping all the household in fear, the atmosphere of tyranny, lies and hypocrisy oppress the girl. However, Katerina herself, who by nature is a strong, whole person, knows that there is a limit to her patience: “I don’t want to live here, I won’t, even if you cut me!” Varvara's words that one cannot survive in this house without deceit cause Katerina's sharp rejection. The heroine opposes the "dark kingdom", his orders did not break her will to live, fortunately, they did not make her become like other residents of the Kabanovs' house and begin to hypocrite and lie at every turn.

The image of Katerina in the play "Thunderstorm" is revealed in a new way, when the girl makes an attempt to break away from the "hateful" world. She does not know how and does not want to love the way the inhabitants of the “dark kingdom” do, freedom, openness, “honest” happiness are important to her. While Boris convinces her that their love will remain a secret, Katerina wants everyone to know about it, so that everyone can see. Tikhon, her husband, but awakened in her heart light feeling it seems to her And just at this moment the reader comes face to face with the tragedy of her suffering and torment. From that moment on, Katerina's conflict occurs not only with the outside world, but also with herself. It is difficult for her to make a choice between love and duty, she tries to forbid herself to love and be happy. However, the struggle with her own feelings is beyond the strength of the fragile Katerina.

The way of life and the laws that reign in the world around the girl put pressure on her. She seeks to repent of her deed, to purify her soul. Seeing a picture on the wall in the church " Last Judgment”, Katerina cannot stand it, falls to her knees and begins to publicly repent of sin. However, even this does not bring the girl the desired relief. Other heroes of the drama "Thunderstorm" by Ostrovsky are not able to support her, even a loved one. Boris refuses Katerina's requests to take her away from here. This person is not a hero, he is simply not able to protect either himself or his beloved.

The death of Katerina is a ray of light that illuminated the "dark kingdom"

Evil is attacking Katerina from all sides. Constant harassment from the mother-in-law, throwing between duty and love - all this eventually leads the girl to a tragic ending. Having managed to know happiness and love in her short life, she is simply not able to continue living in the Kabanovs' house, where such concepts do not exist at all. She sees the only way out in suicide: the future frightens Katerina, and the grave is perceived as salvation from mental anguish. However, the image of Katerina in the drama "Thunderstorm", in spite of everything, remains strong - she did not choose a miserable existence in a "cage" and did not allow anyone to break her living soul.

Nevertheless, the death of the heroine was not in vain. The girl won a moral victory over the "dark kingdom", she managed to dispel a little darkness in the hearts of people, induce them to action, open their eyes. The life of the heroine herself became a "beam of light" that flashed in the darkness and left its glow over the world of madness and darkness for a long time.

A. N. Ostrovsky in each of his plays created and showed multifaceted characters, whose life is interesting to watch. One of the playwright's works tells about a girl who committed suicide, unable to withstand the pressure of circumstances. The development of the character of Katerina in the play "Thunderstorm" by Ostrovsky, as well as her emotional experiences, are the main driving forces plot.

Listed actors Ostrovsky refers to Katerina as the wife of Tikhon Kabanov. With the development of the plot, the reader gradually reveals the image of Katya, realizing that this character is not exhausted by the function of the wife. The character of Katerina in the drama "Thunderstorm" can be called strong. Despite the unhealthy situation in the family, Katya managed to maintain purity and firmness. She refuses to accept the rules of the game, living by her own. For example, Tikhon obeys his mother in everything. In one of the first dialogues, Kabanov convinces his mother that he does not have his own opinion. But soon the topic of conversation changes - and now Kabanikha, as if casually, accuses Katerina of the fact that Tikhon loves her more. Until this moment, Katerina did not participate in the conversation, but now she is offended by the words of her mother-in-law. The girl addresses Kabanikha as you, which can be regarded as a hidden disrespect, as well as some kind of equality. Katerina puts herself on a par with her, denying the family hierarchy. Katya politely expresses her dissatisfaction with the slander, emphasizing that in public she is the same as at home, and there is no need for her to pretend. This remark actually speaks of Katya as a strong person. In the course of the story, we learn that the tyranny of the Kabanikh applies only to the family, and in society the old woman talks about maintaining family orders and proper upbringing, covering up her cruelty with words about the benefactor. The author shows that Katerina, firstly, is aware of the behavior of her mother-in-law; secondly, I disagree with this; and, thirdly, he openly declares to Kabanikhe, whom even his own son cannot object to, about his views. However, Kabanikha does not leave attempts to humiliate her daughter-in-law, forcing her to kneel before her husband.

Sometimes a girl remembers how she lived before. Katerina's childhood was quite carefree. The girl went to church with her mother, sang songs, walked, according to Katya, she didn’t have everything that could be. Katya compares herself before marriage with a free bird: she was left to herself, she controlled her own life. And now Katya often compares herself to a bird. " Why do people do not fly like birds? she says to Barbara. “You know, sometimes I feel like I’m a bird.” But such a bird cannot fly away. Once in a cage with thick bars, Katerina gradually suffocates in captivity. Such a freedom-loving person as Katya cannot exist in the rigid framework of the kingdom of lies and hypocrisy. Everything in Katya seems to breathe with feelings and love for the most unique - for life itself. Once in the Kabanov family, the girl loses this inner feeling. Her life is similar to life before marriage: the same songs, the same trips to church. But now, in such a hypocritical environment, Katya feels false.

It is surprising that having such inner strength, Katya does not oppose herself to others. She is “a martyr, a prisoner, deprived of the opportunity to grow, develop,” but she does not consider herself as such. Through the "millstone of hostility and malicious envy" she tries to pass with dignity, without losing or vulgarizing her essence.

Katya can easily be called bold. Indeed, the girl tried to fight the feelings that flared up in her for Boris, but still decided to meet him. Katya takes responsibility for her own destiny and decisions. In a sense, during the secret meetings with Boris, Katya gains freedom. She is not afraid of "neither sin nor human judgment." Finally, a girl can do what her heart tells her to do.

But with the return of Tikhon, their meetings cease. Katya's desire to tell about her relationship with Diky's nephew does not please Boris. He hopes that the girl will remain silent, dragging her into the network of the “dark kingdom”, from which Katya tried so desperately to escape. One of the critics of the drama, Melnikov-Pechersky, surprisingly aptly described Katerina: “a young woman, having fallen under the yoke of this old woman, experiences thousands of moral torments and at the same time realizes that God has put an ardent heart in her, that passions are raging in her young breast , not at all compatible with the seclusion of married women, which dominates the environment where Katerina found herself.

Neither the confession of treason, nor the conversation with Boris lived up to Katerina's hopes. For her, the difference and inconsistency real world and visions of the future proved fatal. The decision to rush into the Volga was not spontaneous - Katya had long felt the approaching death. She was afraid of the approach of a thunderstorm, seeing in it retribution for sins and bad thoughts. frank confession Katerina becomes like a desperate communion, a desire to be honest to the end. It is noteworthy that between the events a confession of treason - a conversation with Boris - suicide takes some time. And all these days the girl suffers insults and curses from her mother-in-law, who wants to bury her alive in the ground.

You can’t condemn the heroine, talk about the weakness of Katerina’s character in The Thunderstorm. Nevertheless, even having committed such a sin, Katya remains as pure and innocent as in the first acts of the play.

Discussing the strength or weakness of Katerina's character can be useful for grade 10 students when writing an essay on the topic "Katerina's character in the play" Thunderstorm "".

Artwork test

Why does the critic N.A. Dobrolyubov call Katerina “ strong character”?

In the article "A ray of light in dark kingdom» N.A. Dobrolyubov writes that “The Thunderstorm” expresses “a strong Russian character”, which strikes “by its opposite to any tyrannical principles”. This character is “concentrated and resolute, unswervingly faithful to the instinct of natural truth, full of faith in new ideals and selfless, in the sense that death is better for him than life under those principles that are contrary to him.” This is how the critic saw the character of Katerina. But is this the way the reader sees it? And how does the character of the heroine manifest itself in action?

The formation of personality begins in childhood, so the author introduces Katerina's story about life in her parents' house into the play. The experiences of the heroine, her state of mind, the perception of the events that happened to her as a tragedy - all this would be incomprehensible without a description of life before marriage and after. To explain the changes that have taken place in Katerina's soul and her inner struggle that arose as a result of her actions, the author gives pictures of the heroine's childhood and youth through the memories drawn light colors(in contrast to the "dark kingdom", where she is forced to live in marriage).

Katerina considers the atmosphere of the parental home very beneficial for her development and upbringing: “I lived, didn’t grieve about anything, ... like a bird in the wild.” The occupations of this period - needlework, gardening, going to church, singing, talking with wanderers - do not differ much from what fills the life of the heroine in the Kabanovs' house. But behind the fence merchant's house there is no freedom of choice, warmth and sincerity in relations between people, there is no joy and desire to sing like a bird. Everything, as in a distorted mirror, is distorted beyond recognition, and this causes dissonance in Katerina's soul. Anger, quarrelsomeness, eternal dissatisfaction, constant reproaches, moralizing and mistrust of the mother-in-law deprived Katerina of confidence in her own rightness and purity of thoughts, caused anxiety and mental pain. She longingly recalls a happy and peaceful life in girlhood, about how her parents loved her. Here, in the “dark kingdom”, the joyful expectation of happiness, the bright perception of the world, disappeared.

Cheerfulness, optimism, a feeling of purity and light in the soul were replaced by despondency, a sense of sinfulness and guilt, fear and a desire to die. This is no longer the cheerful girl that people knew her as a girl, this is a completely different Katerina. But the strength of character is manifested even in the conditions of life behind the fence, since the heroine cannot humbly endure injustice and humiliation, accept the principles of merchant hypocrisy. When Kabanova reproaches Katerina for pretense, she objects to her mother-in-law: “What with people, without people, I’m all alone, I don’t prove anything of myself ... It’s nice to endure slander!”

So no one talked to Kabanova, and Katerina was used to being sincere, and she wanted to stay like that in her husband's family. Indeed, before marriage, she was a cheerful and sensitive girl, loved nature, was kind to people. That is why N.A. Dobrolyubov had reason to call Katerina a “strong character”, which “amazes us with its opposite” in relation to the characters of the merchant class depicted in the play. Indeed, the image main character is the opposite of others female characters in the play "Thunderstorm".

Katerina is a sensitive and romantic nature: sometimes it seemed to her that she was standing over an abyss and someone was pushing her there, down. She seemed to have a premonition of her fall (sin and early death), so her soul is filled with fear. To love another person while married is an unforgivable sin for a believer. The girl was brought up on the principles of high morality and the fulfillment of Christian commandments, but she is used to living "by her own will", that is, to have the opportunity to choose in actions, to make decisions on her own. Therefore, she says to Varvara: “And if I get cold here, they won’t hold me back by any force. I’ll throw myself out the window, I’ll throw myself into the Volga.

Boris said about Katerina that in church she prays with an angelic smile, "but from her face it seems to glow." And this opinion confirms the peculiarity inner world Katerina, speaks of her difference in comparison with other heroes of the play. IN native family where there was respect for the personality of the child, in an atmosphere of love, kindness and trust, the girl saw worthy role models. Feeling warmth and sincerity, she got used to free life to work without coercion. Parents did not scold her, but rejoiced, watching her behavior and actions. This gave her confidence that she was living correctly and without sin, and that God had nothing to punish her for. Her pure, immaculate soul was open to kindness and love.

In the house of the Kabanovs, as well as in the city of Kalinovo in general, Katerina finds herself in an atmosphere of bondage, hypocrisy, suspicion, where she is treated as a potential sinner, accused in advance of what she did not even think of doing. At first she made excuses, trying to prove her moral purity to everyone, she worried and endured, but the habit of freedom and longing for sincerity in relations with people make her go out, break out of the “dungeon”, first into the garden, then to the Volga, then to forbidden love. And a feeling of guilt comes to Katerina, she begins to think that, having crossed the borders of the "dark kingdom", she also violated her own ideas about Christian morality, about morality. It means that she has become different: she is a sinner, worthy of God's punishment.

For Katerina, feelings of loneliness, defenselessness, her own sinfulness and loss of interest in life turned out to be fatal. No nearby dear people that would be worth living for. Caring for elderly parents or children would bring responsibility and joy into her life, but the heroine has no children, and whether her parents were alive is unknown, the play does not say.

However, it would not be entirely correct to consider Katerina a victim of an unhappy marriage, because hundreds of women patiently accepted and endured such circumstances. It is also impossible to call her repentance to her husband, an honest confession of treason, stupidity, since Katerina could not have done otherwise, thanks to her spiritual purity. And suicide was the only way out because the man she loved, Boris, could not take her with him, leaving at the request of his uncle to Siberia. Returning to the Kabanovs' house was worse for her than death: Katerina understood that they were looking for her, that she would not even have time to escape, and in the state in which the unfortunate woman was, the nearest path led her to the Volga.

All of the above arguments confirm the opinion of N.A. Dobrolyubov that Katerina became a victim of her own purity, although it is in the purity of her spiritual strength and that inner core that the merchant Kabanova could not break. The freedom-loving nature of Katerina, her principles, which did not allow her to lie, put the heroine much higher than all the characters in the play. In this situation, the decision to leave the world, where everything was contrary to her ideals, was a manifestation of strength of character. In those circumstances, only strong man could decide to protest: Katerina felt lonely, but she rebelled against the foundations of the "dark kingdom" and significantly shook this block of ignorance.

After the release of Ostrovsky's play "Thunderstorm", residents of some cities of the Volga region argued about which of them the events depicted by the playwright were connected with. However, Ostrovsky portrayed typical characters and pictures of Russian life, without concretizing the images of heroes under certain prototypes.

Here he is walking along Kabanikha Boulevard, accompanied by his daughter Varvara, son Tikhon and his wife Katerina. Everyone suffers insults inflicted by the head of this family. Everyone except Katerina, who courageously defends her right to respect. A young woman does not want to please anyone, but wants to love and be mutually loved. This is what makes her different from other characters in the play.

Katerina in the play is compared to folk-poetic way- a bird that is a symbol of love for freedom. So Katerina, telling Varvara about her life with her parents, speaks with enthusiasm about the free life when she was a girl:

“I lived, didn’t grieve about anything, like a bird in the wild. Mother did not have a soul in me, dressed me up like a doll, did not force me to work; I do what I want, I do it."

Katerina's life in the Kabanov family is a cry for a lost young life. But the heroine is a strong and strong-willed nature who does not want to put up with the boar's orders. She does not howl at a weak-willed, humiliated by her mother husband who is leaving on business. She yearns for true love and therefore, without looking back, she surrenders to her feelings for Boris, as she understands that she cannot break herself.

But Katerina is religious, the punishment for the committed sin frightens the heroine. The storm is approaching not only the city of Kalinov. A thunderstorm is born in the heart of the heroine. Boris in last date behaved like a person dependent on material circumstances, showing mental weakness and immaturity. Therefore, being at the limit of her psychological state, Katerina publicly confesses to her husband that she has committed a sin, and then throws herself off a cliff into the river.

Suicide in terms of religion - terrible sin! Apparently, the heroine of Ostrovsky thought in last minute life is not about the salvation of his soul, but about the love that has been revealed to her. So her last words were:

"My friend! My joy! Goodbye!"

Thus, she could not, and did not want to put up with the life of the Kabanov family and others like her ... Here is Dobrolyubov in critical article“A ray of light in a dark kingdom” writes about Katerina: “She ... does not want to take advantage of the miserable vegetative life that they give her in exchange for her living soul ...”

Perhaps, few works of that time, and even among the works of the author Ostrovsky himself, could cause so much heated debate than the play "Thunderstorm".

The desperate act of Katerina Kabanova, who crossed the line of life and death, causes both sympathetic understanding and sharp rejection. There is no single opinion, and there cannot be.

Characteristics of the heroine

The beloved and spoiled daughter of a merchant family, Katerina marries Tikhon, turning her world upside down. On the example of her parents and the new family, we see how different the patriarchal way of life can be: ostentatious and demonstrative (what will the neighbors say? what will the acquaintances think?), or deep and sincere, hidden from prying eyes.

The lack of a full-fledged education contributes to the fate of this woman. According to Katerina's stories, she learned her knowledge from the stories of her mother and father, as well as praying women and wanderers. Faith in people and admiration for the world created by God - these are its main features. Katerina did not know hard work, she loved to go to church, which seemed to her a fabulous temple, where angels were waiting for her.

(Kiryushina Galina Aleksandrovna as Katerina, stage of the Maly Theater)

A cloudless and happy childhood is quickly replaced by a bleak marriage. A kind, naive and very religious girl for the first time faced with undisguised hatred for the people around her. IN new family there is no place for angels and joy. Yes, and marriage itself is not at all for love. And if Katerina hopes to fall in love with Tikhon, then Kabanikha - as her mother-in-law is called by everyone around - leaves no chance for either her son or daughter-in-law. Perhaps Tikhon would have become the one who would have made Katya happy, but only under the wing of his mother he does not know such feelings as love.

Meeting with Boris gives the unfortunate woman hope that life can still change and become better. The black atmosphere of the house pushes her to rebel and try to fight for her happiness. Going on a date, she realizes that she is committing a sin. This feeling does not leave her either before or after. Firm faith in God and awareness of the depravity of the perfect deed push Katerina to confess everything to her husband and mother-in-law.

The image of the heroine in the work

(Scene from drama)

Struck, but deep down understanding his wife, Tikhon does not condemn her. Only Katerina herself does not feel better about this. Forgiving yourself is much harder. Perhaps she wanted to relieve her mental turmoil with a confession, but it just didn’t work out. She doesn't need forgiveness. The very thought of returning to the house for her becomes identical with death, only not instantaneous, but long, painful, inevitable. According to the religious canon, suicide is a mortal sin that cannot be forgiven. But this does not stop the desperate woman.

In her thoughts, Katya often imagines herself as a bird, her soul is torn to heaven. She is unbearable to live in Kalinovo. Having fallen in love with Boris, who has recently arrived in the city, she imagines how they will leave the hated city together. Love is seen as a real and so close salvation. Yes, only a mutual desire is needed to fulfill a dream ...

(Fragment from a dramatic production)

Having met Boris on the banks of the Volga, Katerina is deeply disappointed. Once upon a time, such a beautiful young man resolutely refuses to take with him married woman, giving her the final blow to her heart with his refusal. Katya does not want to be a stumbling block in her family anymore, to continue to drag out a bleak existence, to break her soul day after day for the sake of her mother-in-law.

And here it is - very close, you just need to take a step off the cliff into the waters of the Volga. And the storm seems to her the most that neither is an indication from above. What Katya once thought only vaguely, afraid to admit to herself in sinful thoughts, turned out to be the easiest way out. Not finding her place, support, love, she decides to take this very last step.