The play by Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm" was written by the playwright in 1859. Consists of five actions. Events unfold in the Volga town of Kalinovo. To understand the plot, it is necessary to take into account that ten days pass between the third and fourth acts.
The plot is quite simple: the merchant's wife, brought up in strict moral rules, fell in love with a visiting Muscovite, the nephew of another local merchant. With him, she cheats on her husband, then, exhausted by guilt, publicly repents and dies, throwing herself into the pool of the Volga.
It is known that the play was written at the request of the actress Lyubov Pavlovna Kositskaya, with whom the author had tender feelings. And the main character's monologues were created by the playwright under the influence of this woman's stories about her dreams and experiences. In the performance, which immediately won great popularity with the public, the actress brilliantly played the role of Katerina.
Let's analyze the summary of the play by A. N. Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm" on actions.
Action one
Events beginturn around on the banks of the Volga, in the city square.
At the beginning of the play, the self-taught inventor of the perpetual motion machine Kuligin, Vanya Kudryash (the clerk of the merchant Diky), and Boris (his nephew) discuss the character of the tyrant merchant and, at the same time, the mores prevailing in the town.
"Warrior" with a "talking" surname Wild swears every day with everyone and for any reason. Boris has to endure, because, according to the terms of the will, he will receive his share of the inheritance from him only by showing respect and obedience. The greed and tyranny of Savel Prokofievich is well known to everyone, so Kuligin and Kudryash inform Boris that he most likely will not see any inheritance.
Yes, and the manners in this bourgeois town are painfully cruel. Here is how Kuligin says about it:
In philistinism, sir, you will see nothing but rudeness and bare poverty. And we, sir, will never get out of this bark! Because honest labor will never earn us more daily bread. And whoever has money, sir, he tries to enslave the poor, so that he can make even more money on his free labors.
Then, the self-taught scientist runs away to seek funds for his invention, and Boris, left alone, admits to himself that he is unrequitedly and platonically in love with Katerina, the wife of the merchant Tikhon Kabanov.
In the next phenomenon, all this family is walking along the boulevard - the old Kabanikha herself (Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova), her son Tikhon, his wife (who is the main character of Ostrovsky's play "Thunderstorm") and her husband's sisternamed Barbara.
The boar, faithful to Domostroy, teaches and grumbles, calling her son a "fool", demands gratitude from the children and daughter-in-law, and, however, immediately reproaches all loved ones for disobedience.
Then she goes home, Tikhon - to wet his throat to Diky, and Katerina, left with Varvara, discuss her difficult fate.
Katerina is a sublime and dreamy person. Here (the seventh phenomenon) her monologue sounds about how she lived in girls, and these words that have become famous:
Why don't people fly! I say: why don't people fly like birds? You know, sometimes I feel like I'm a bird. When you stand on a mountain, you are drawn to fly. That's how it would have run up, raised its hands and flew. Try something now?
Katerina admits to Varvara that she is tormented by bad forebodings and disturbed by dreams about her imminent death and some imperfect sin. Varvara guesses that Katerina is in love, but not at all with her husband.
The heroine is very frightened by the arrival of a crazy old lady who prophesies hellish torments for everyone. Besides, a thunderstorm is about to begin. Tikhon returns. Katerina begs everyone to go home.
Act two
Events take us to the Kabanovs' house. The maid collects the belongings of Tikhon, who is going somewhere on his mother's behalf.
Varvara sends secret greetings to Katerina from Boris, the object of her love. She gets scared even at the mention of his name and says that she will love only her husband.
The boar guides her son: he tells her to be strict and convey her instructions to her young wife: honor her mother-in-law, behave modestly, work and not stare out the windows.
Katerina, left alone with her husband, tells him about a heavy presentiment and asks either not to leave or take her with him on a trip. But he has only one dream - to escape as soon as possible from under the maternal yoke, even if for two weeks, and celebrate freedom. What he, without hiding, informs Katerina.
Tikhon is leaving. Varvara comes and says that they were allowed to sleep in the garden, and gives Katerina the key to the gate. She, feeling doubts and fear, still hides it in her pocket.
Third act
Scene one. Evening. At the gate to the Kabanovs' house, Kabanikha and Feklusha are sitting and talking about the fact that time has become "belittling to come" from the bustle of the city.
Spawns Wild. He is tipsy and asks Kabanova to "talk" himself, as she alone knows how. She invites him into the house.
Boris comes up to the gate, attracted by the desire to see Katerina. He thinks aloud that a woman who was given in marriage in this city is considered to be buried. Barbara, who has appeared, informs him that at night they will be waiting for him in the ravine "behind the Boar Garden." She is sure that the date will take place.
It was already late at night in scene two. Kudryash and Boris are standing by the ravine. Diky's nephew confesses to the young clerk that he is in love with Katerina. Curly advises to get her out of your head:
…look, don’t make trouble for yourself, anddon't put her in trouble! Suppose, even though her husband is a fool, but her mother-in-law is painfully fierce.
Katerina comes out on a date with Boris. She is frightened at first, and all her thoughts are about the upcoming retribution for sin, but then the woman calms down.
Act Four
Walking citizens from the beginning of the rain gather under the roof of a dilapidated old gallery, examining and discussing the murals with images of battle scenes still preserved on its walls.
Kuligin and Savel are immediately talking. The inventor persuades the merchant to donate money for a sundial and a lightning rod. Wild, as usual, scolds: they say that a thunderstorm is given as a punishment from God, and this is not electricity, from which you can protect yourself with a simple piece of iron.
The rain stops, everyone disperses. Barbara and Boris, who have entered the gallery, are discussing Katerina's behavior. Varvara says that after her husband's arrival she
trembling all over, as if her fever beats; so pale, rushing about the house, just what she was looking for. Eyes like a lunatic! This morning she began to cry, and sobs.
Thunderstorm begins. People are again gathering under the roof of the gallery, among them are Kabanova, Tikhon and the confused Katerina.
The crazy old lady appears immediately. She threatens Katerina with fiery hell and hellish torments. Thunder rumbles again. The young woman does not stand up and confesses to her husband in treason. Tikhon is confused, the mother-in-law gloats:
What, son! Where will the will lead? I told you so you didn't want to listen. So I waited!
Act Five
Kabanov, meeting on the boulevard with Kuligin, complains to him about the unbearable situation in the house: Katerina, unresponsive and quiet, walks like a shadow, mama, they say, eats her. She sharpened and sharpened Varvara, put her under lock and key, and her daughter ran away from home - most likely with Kudryash, because he also disappeared.
Boris Wild is sent out of sight - for three years in the Siberian town of Tyakhta.
Glasha's maid comes and says that Katerina has gone somewhere. Boris, worried about her, together with Kuligin go in search of her.
Katerina enters the empty stage, dreaming of seeing and saying goodbye to Boris for the last time. She remembers him crying:
My joy, my life, my soul, I love you! Reply!
Hearing her voice, Boris appears. They mourn together. Boris has completely resigned himself to fate: he is ready to go wherever he is sent. Katerina does not want to return home. What is home, what is in the grave, she reflects. And it's even better in the grave. If only they didn’t seize it and bring it back into the house by force. Exclaiming:
My friend! My joy! Farewell!
In the next phenomenon, Kabanova, Tikhon, Kuligin and a worker with a lantern appear. They are looking for Katherine. More people with lanterns come up. Most assume that, they say, it's okay, the lost one will return soon. A voice behind the scenes demands a boat, saying that a woman has thrown herself into the water.
From the crowd they say that Katerina was pulled out by Kuligin, noticing her dress in the whirlpool. Tikhon wants to run to her, but his mother won't let him,threatening to curse.
Katerina's body is carried out. Kuligin says:
Here's your Katerina. Do what you want with her! Her body is here, take it; and the soul is no longer yours: it is now before a judge who is more merciful than you!
Tikhon tries to blame his mother for the misfortune, but she, as always, holds firm. "There's nothing to complain about," she says.
But the last thing in the play is still the words of Tikhon, who exclaims, referring to his dead wife:
Good for you, Katya! Why am I left to live in the world and suffer!
Below we list the main characters of Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm" and give them, including their speech characteristics.
Katerina
Young woman, wife of Tikhon Kabanov. The nature is impressionable, sublime, subtly feeling people and nature, God-fearing. But at the same time with higher aspirations, yearning for real life.
Tells Varvara that "he will endure as long as he is patient", but:
Oh, Varya, you don't know my character! Of course, God forbid this happens! And if it gets too cold for me here, they won't hold me back by any force. I'll throw myself out the window, I'll throw myself into the Volga. I don’t want to live here, so I won’t, even if you cut me!
The main character is not accidentally named Katerina by the author (the common version, the full form, more common among the nobles - Catherine). As you know, the name owes its origin to the ancient Greek word "Ekaterini", which means "pure, immaculate." In addition, the name is associated with a woman who lived in the 3rd centuryCatherine of Alexandria, who became a martyr for accepting the Christian faith. She was ordered to be executed by the Roman Emperor Maximinus.
Tikhon
Katerina's husband. The name of the character is also "talking" - he is a quiet hero and by nature is soft, compassionate. But in everything he obeys a stern mother, and if he protests, then as if not seriously, in an undertone. He does not have an opinion, asking everyone for advice. Here even Kuligin:
What should I do now, tell me! Teach me how to live now! I'm sick of the house, I'm ashamed of people, I'll get down to business - my hands fall off. Now I'm going home; for joy, what am I going?
Kabanova
Among the characters in Ostrovsky's Thunderstorm, this one is the most colorful. The image embodied in Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova is a fairly common image in literature of an authoritarian "mother" who knows everything about everything. Relies on traditions and observes them, "under the guise of piety", scolding the young for ignorance:
Youth is what it means! It's funny to even look at them! If not my own, I would have laughed to my heart's content. They know nothing, no order. They don't know how to say goodbye. It’s good, whoever has elders in the house, they keep the house while they are alive. And after all, too, stupid ones, they want to go free, but when they are released, they get confused for the shame and laughter of good people. Of course, who will regret it, but most of all they laugh. …So that's the old something and displayed. I don't want to go to another house. And if you go up, then you will spit and get out as soon as possible. What will happen, how the old people will die, how the light will stand, no longerknow.
But above all for her, her own authority. Stubborn and domineering - that's why they call her Boar.
Kuligin, aptly and succinctly characterizing many, tells Boris about her:
Prude, sir! The beggars are clothed, but the household is completely stuck!
Boris
"A decently educated", as it is said about him at the beginning of Ostrovsky's work "Thunderstorm", a young man who expects mercy from his uncle, the merchant Wild. But the presence of education does not contribute to his decisiveness and does not play any role in shaping his character. Just as Tikhon is dependent on Kabanikhi, so Boris is dependent on the "shrill man" Diky. Realizing that he will never get an inheritance, and the merchant will eventually just drive him away, laughing, he continues to live as he lived and go with the flow:
And I, apparently, will ruin my youth in this slum…
Barbarian
Tikhon's sister. The girl is cunning, secretive, practical with her mother.
Her characteristic can be expressed in one of her phrases:
And in my opinion: do whatever you want, if only it was sewn and covered.
At the end of the play, Varvara, not wanting to be locked up and punished, runs away from home.
Kuligin
A self-taught inventor, also with a complicated surname, clearly echoing Kulibin. Feels both the beauty of nature and the vices and injustices of human society.
Disinterested, idealistic and believes that people can be improved by keeping everyone busydeed. When Boris asks him what he would spend the reward he received for the invention of the "perepetu-mobile", Kuligin replies:
How, sir! After all, the British give a million; I would use all the money for society, for support. Work must be given to the bourgeoisie. And then there are hands, but there is nothing to work.
The plot of Kuligin is clearly necessary for the author. To this secondary character, the main characters tell all the details of their lives - and what happened and what else can happen. Kuligin seems to hold the whole plot together. In addition, this image carries the same moral purity as the main character. It is no coincidence that this character at the end of the play carries the drowned Katerina out of the river.
This is a summary of Ostrovsky's Thunderstorm and its main characters.
