Dowry analysis of the work. Analysis "Dowry" Ostrovsky

I am a thing, not a person!

A. N. Ostrovsky

The main conflict of the play "Dowry" is determined by its very title. The tragedy of Larisa Dmitrievna Ogudalova lies precisely in the fact that she is a dowry. Beauty, intelligence, charm, human dignity mean nothing in this world if you don't have money.

Reading the list of characters, we draw attention to the exceptional importance Ostrovsky attaches to the property and social status of the characters. The playwright points out that Knurov is “one of the big businessmen of the last time ... with a huge fortune”, Vozhevatov is “one of the representatives of a rich trading company”, Karandyshev is a “poor official”, Paratov is “a brilliant gentleman, from the shipowners”. The title of the play speaks of Larisa's property status. All these indications are not accidental. The social position of Ostrovsky's heroes predetermines both the peculiarities of their psychology and their fate. But to explain the drama of the play only by social evil is to belittle its significance. "Dowry" has become one of the masterpieces of world drama due to the deep psychologism of the characters. Turgenev rightly remarked: "Truly dramatic situations ... arise when suffering inevitably follows from the characters of people and their passions."

Neither Katerina in The Thunderstorm, nor Larisa in The Dowry are not just victims of circumstances. Much in life depends on the people themselves, on the warehouse of their character. The heroes of "Dowry" have complex and sometimes contradictory characters. Each of them, with the possible exception of only Knurov, Vozhevatov and Ogudalova, finds it difficult to get along not only with others, but also with himself. Paratov, Larisa, Karandyshev, although they depend on the circumstances, they do things of their own free will. A dramatic hero, like a knight from a fairy tale, often finds himself at a crossroads. Which way to choose? Larisa decided to take risks, because she did not want to give up the dawning hopes in which she so wanted to believe. Is she doing the right thing? After all, she is not at all sure of Paratov, for she remembers his words: "I'm leaving tomorrow." Leaving Karandyshev's house and saying goodbye to her mother, Larisa utters a meaningful phrase: "Either you rejoice, mother, or look for me in the Volga." There is no right or wrong choice here. This choice is dramatic, it is the result of complex motives and leads to dramatic consequences.

The play reveals the contradictions of time and human characters. The image of Robinson is interesting in this respect. This man is clown all the time, he drank himself and stooped to the role of a jester. But there is a seriousness in this comic character. Robinson is needed in the play not only as a comic character. In his image, the main theme acquires an important and artistically necessary meaning: what they want to do with Larisa has already happened to Robinson. It has already turned into a thing that passes from hand to hand: the young merchant handed it over to Paratov, who handed it over to Vozhevatov. Not only for fun, but also for self-affirmation, they need Robinson. Infinitely humiliated, he, too, sometimes tries, like Karandyshev, to "cock" and even "pull up," he tries to be insolent to the powerful of this world. Robinson's miserable attempts to defend his dignity at least in some way will only make Paratov and Vozhevatov laugh. Robinson does not need to be "curbed", or "tamed", or pissed off, like Karandyshev. He is already tamed by life. And yet not to the end. Let us recall one of the most cynical scenes in the play. Knurov and Vozhevatov discuss the current situation: Sergei Sergeich Paratov, although a brave man, “will not exchange a millionth bride for Larisa Dmitrievna.” Now it is their turn, and they cast lots, who will get Larisa left by Paratov. None of them are interested in the opinion of Larisa herself. “Oh, barbarians, oh, robbers! Well, I got into the company!” exclaims Robinson. As is often the case in a dramaturgical work, the mouth of the jester here speaks the truth.

After Paratov's words: "She will go" - we do not expect anything good from Sergei Sergeyich. And Larisa is still waiting and hoping. Although the words: "Or look for me in the Volga" - were spoken by her.

All hopes of Larisa collapsed. And the point is not that Paratov, as it turned out, is engaged, that, having beckoned Larisa for the Volga, he deceived her. The fact is that Larisa deceived herself, vainly hoping to find and acquire that “ideal man”, which in life, probably, cannot be found at all. Larisa has to face the truth: in her chosen one there is neither nobility, nor courage, nor breadth of soul, she invented all this in him.

Larisa is a victim not only of the cynical plans of Knurov and Vozhevatov or the selfish claims of Paratov and Karandyshev, but also of her own delusions, illusions, and mistakes, for which one must pay. Larisa began with the fact that, while performing internally contradictory actions, she was not yet aware of this. Then she began to realize the inconsistency of her actions, as evidenced by her farewell speech addressed to her mother. Now, by doing even more contradictory actions, she acquires the ability to analyze them with growing demands on herself. material from the site

The ancient Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle believed that the goal of tragedy is the purification of the soul (“catharsis”). Shocked by the unexpected course of events, the hero comprehended their true meaning, something essential was revealed to him in himself. This is what Larisa also experiences and comes to ruthlessness towards herself. She has a choice: either be tempted by Knurov's luxury, or at least somehow exist. There is a third, most desirable way out: “If someone killed me now ...” In this state, Karandyshev finds her. He continues to insist on his rights. But his “should” is followed by her “never.” And then Karandyshev shoots. “My dear, what a blessing you have done for me!” Larisa tells him.

Ostrovsky's "Dowry" is a play with catharsis. Cleansing here is experienced by the noblest, most beautiful, deepest person - Larisa. “No one is to blame... Live, live everything!.. I don’t complain about anyone, I don’t take offense at anyone ... you are all good people ... I love you all ... I love you all, ”says dying Larisa, and these words purify not only her soul, but also ours.

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Literature is a clear example of the development of the nature of human relations, an opportunity to comprehend life situations from the outside. “Dowry” is what happens in society every day. Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky is, of course, one of the most significant Russian playwrights of the 19th century, because his plays reflect the social problems of modern reality.

Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky drew ideas for his works from court cases - in 1843, at the request of his father, he got a job as a scribe in the Moscow Conscience Court. Then for some time he had to be in the role of a magistrate of the Kineshma district. Watching various legal proceedings, Alexander Nikolayevich was inspired by the most acute domestic and social conflicts.

Alexander Ostrovsky was a theatrical playwright, so he wrote all the plays in a relatively short time. However, the play "Dowry", the idea of ​​which the author conceived on November 4, 1874, was fully completed only by October 17, 1878. In parallel with the "Dowry" A.N. Ostrovsky wrote several more plays: "Wolves and Sheep", "Rich Brides", "The Truth is Good, but Happiness is Better", "The Last Victim".

The meaning of the play's title is obvious. Larisa Ogudalova is a girl who came from a noble but not rich family. Larisa does not have a dowry at all in order to find herself a “worthy” and rich groom. However, Larisa's talents distinguish her from the rest, so representatives of the "high society" do not mind getting to know the main character.

The author considered his fortieth, anniversary, play the best work he had ever written. But "Dowry" was met very coldly. Critics and longtime admirers of Alexander Ostrovsky were rather disappointed with the play - it was considered ordinary and boring, moreover, with a banal plot. For many years, the "Dowry" was forgotten.

Genre, direction, conflict

The play "Dowry" was written in the genre of psychological drama. The main characters of the work are depicted in actions, collisions. There is a sharp conflict in the play, depicted against the backdrop of society.

"Dowry" refers to such a literary movement as realism. The play reflects reality, there is a social determination of the personality - the character of the characters is determined by the social environment. There is a deep psychologism in the drama, Ostrovsky introduces into the work the type of "little man" (Karandyshev), the type of "extra person" (Larisa Ogudalova).

There are several collisions in the play. Julius Kapitonovich Karandyshev and Larisa Ogudalova appear in the play as heroes who are in opposition to society. Only Larisa is in the role of an "extra person", who finds it difficult to exist in the era of bourgeois society due to her unique, deep personality. While Yuly Karandyshev takes on the role of a "little man", who is hopelessly trying to prove his significance and importance to society, which only mocks him. The hopelessness of the situation is one of the reasons why he decides to marry Larisa. Poverty does not allow both characters to realize themselves - the conflict between the material and the spiritual can be traced throughout the play.

essence

The play "Dowry" tells about the fate of a young girl - Larisa Ogudalova. She grew up with her mother Harita Ignatievna Ogudalova. Her mother was a hospitable, "light", cunning woman who held dinners in honor of Larisa. On noisy evenings, she arranged the bride of her sophisticated, talented daughter, thus "pulling" money from all potential suitors who came to see the girl and enjoy her singing.

However, Larisa was the opposite of her mother - she did not like the constant evenings, the pretense with which she was obliged to smile at everyone, close assessments from the outside. She did not need luxury and wealth, she wanted a peaceful quiet life somewhere in a remote village. But Harita Ignatievna wished for herself a “worthy”, carefree life, therefore she used the external and internal beauty of her daughter, constantly looking for her a rich groom.

The only reason why Larisa had to suffer and subsequently die was that she was a dowry. Society admired her, but at the same time repelled her. No one wanted to marry a dowry. In those days, women did not work, but could only manage the household, therefore, they could not financially help their future family.

Main characters and their characteristics

• The image of the city and citizens. The play presents the bourgeois era. The action takes place in the city of Bryakhimov, located on the Volga. The main type of townspeople is a privileged layer, which is represented by merchants dressed in European costumes, leading a secular lifestyle. However, each hero of the play has developed "conflict" relations with the city - he oppresses everyone, depresses. For example, Vozhevatov and Knurov dream about Paris throughout the play and dream of leaving, Larisa wants to escape to a remote village, away from everyone.
• The image and characteristics of Larisa. Ostrovsky portrayed the main character as a sophisticated, intelligent girl, with a rich inner world and various talents. Larisa grew up in a family that was not at all rich, but "high society" perceives her as an equal: Knurov believes that she deserves a luxurious life, and Vazhevatov presents her with gifts. But, despite her intelligence and nobility, Larisa appears completely unsophisticated and open. She does not hide the fact that she is located to someone, she does not wear masks. With regard to Paratov, Larisa was completely sincere, trustingly followed him, being connected with Karandyshev.
• The image and characteristics of Harita Ignatievna. Larisa's mother appears to the reader as the exact opposite of her daughter. Harita Ignatievna does not shy away from taking money from young people who come to look at Larisa, she constantly arranges evenings in honor of her daughter. Vozhevatov describes Harita Ogudalova as not without cunning, a nimble woman who can benefit from everything. However, potential "suitors" are not repelled by the fact that they have to pay money and give gifts to the Ogudalov family - everyone likes the company of Harita Ignatievna, they feel easy and at ease with her. The female images in the play make it clear that bourgeois society spoils the fair sex, constantly forcing it to sell itself at a higher price. Either the young lady gives up and becomes a cunning and unprincipled Harita, or becomes a victim of tragic circumstances - Larisa.
• The image of Paratov. This is a typical gentleman with the manners of a rich and cheerful landowner. In his veins flows the blood of well-born nobles, accustomed to life in a big way. However, the hero himself did not inherit the largest fortune. Accustomed to idleness, brought up in laziness and lordship, he also experiences a personal tragedy that became public at that time. The nobility replaced the merchants, because people with a noble origin only caroused and spent money, but did not know how to earn it, unlike the same merchants. So Paratov squandered everything and was forced to marry by calculation, to sell himself no worse than Larisa.
• The image of Karandyshev. As already mentioned, this is a small person who seeks to assert himself in a bourgeois society, where only money is the measure of significance. For a man there are no other virtues, and Julius Kapitonych suffers from the realization of his insignificance. He has a painful self-importance, which he tries in every possible way to establish in society with the Ogudalovs. All his remarks, one way or another, urge other heroes to pay attention to him. It is selfishness that pushes him to marry more than love. He again wants to assert himself, showing that a beautiful woman, desired by everyone, chose him. This ruins his marriage.
• Knurov- a model of the new aristocracy, a rich merchant. He is married, but constantly looking for pleasure in the company of ladies. Everything, in his opinion, is bought and sold, he does not know and does not see other relations and values, because he is well aware that his people perceive him as a money bag, no more, but no less. This is a very sober and down to earth person who lives for pleasure.
• Vozhevatov- comes from a simple family. His ancestors served with the Ogudalovs, but now the world has turned upside down, and the noblewoman is already currying favor with the rootless merchant. Vasily became a rich man, but he also remembered the price of success, therefore he was a prudent and tight-fisted person. He greatly appreciated his position and was afraid of losing it.

Topics and issues

1. The main theme of the play- Deformed relations in society. People develop relationships based on trade: if the “goods” have a decent appearance, then they buy it, if not, then they are excluded from society. They did the same with Larisa: everyone perceived her as a high-quality “goods”, so they were ready to pay for her and give gifts. Knurov and Vozhevatov “would have gone to Paris with her”, Harita Ogudalova takes money for her daughter’s bride, Karandyshev uses Larisa as a way to rise in society and acquire useful connections.
2. Love does not exist in such a world. When Larisa falls in love with Sergei Paratov, she will be disappointed. Sergei Sergeyevich hardly had mutual feelings for the girl: he left her without warning of her departure, and without giving the slightest promise. In turn, Larisa was ready to rush after Paratov, she retained her feelings for the man for a whole year. The girl loves Paratov so much that she calls it “courage” that he, without flinching, shot her with a pistol.
3. Dishonor becomes the norm. Paratov managed to profitably get engaged and receive "half a million" dowry. Sergey Sergeyich Paratov represents the type of person who feels comfortable in this type of society. He sells himself, looks for wealthy brides, compares the best options. He was not afraid to lie to Larisa, promising her mutual love, only to humiliate Karandyshev.
4. moral issues are present in every hero of the "Dowry". Despite all the positive characteristics of Larisa Ogudalova, the heroine gives herself the right to escape from Karandyshev, her fiancé. Such an act can be explained by love for Sergei Paratov, but he does not justify her actions. As mentioned earlier, Karandyshev rejoices at a profitable marriage, Harita Ignatievna literally lives off her daughter, and Vozhevatov and Knurov toss a coin in order to choose who gets Larisa. Cynicism and indifference have become the basis of interpersonal relationships, where money has replaced people. This is the problem with drama.

main idea

Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky showed how much the importance of money and wealth in society is exaggerated. The material “eats away” everything spiritual, everything human that should be present in people. Incorrectly placed priorities of society lead to irreparable tragedies. Larisa suffers because of her poverty, because of a society that has elevated money as the main value. This is the meaning of her tragedy. The heroine has no right to sincerity - she is immediately used, she has no right to love - no one needs her without a dowry. A girl exists in such a society only due to external and internal qualities. Here Larisa Ogudalova is like a beautiful toy - everyone gives her gifts, offers their patronage. However, no one is in a hurry to marry her.

Circumstances force Larisa to marry the funny, pitiful Karandyshev, who does not notice his comedy. This makes Larisa feel even more humiliated, she cannot come to terms with the role of a material thing. At the end of the play, the desperate Larisa agrees to be a doll, to live for the sake of material wealth, to entertain high society with her personality. An accident saves her from such a life - she is grateful to Karandyshev that, in a fit of jealousy, he shoots Ogudalova. Larisa dies happy, she feels delivered from the oppression of circumstances, from humiliation and falsehood. The main idea of ​​the finale is the joy of getting rid of a humiliating deal, to which the powers that be forced the girl.

Criticism

Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky considered his fortieth play to be the best. But how did his contemporaries respond to The Dowry?

When the play was published, the author did not receive as many accolades as he had originally hoped. As is known from his diaries, he read the play in Moscow five times, among the audience were those people who were "hostile" to Ostrovsky. But, to the great joy of the writer, the audience appreciated the play and praised it.

Ostrovsky was determined to succeed, having staged The Dowry in the theater. However, after theatrical productions, a flurry of criticism fell upon Alexander Nikolaevich. The Russian theater historian Sergei Vasilyevich Flerov called the play "a banal, old, uninteresting story", and dubbed Larisa a "stupid, seduced girl" who was not worth wasting time on.

For the theater and literary critic V.P. Burenin's "Dowry" aroused "serious interest", according to him, the play "touches one of the most burning wounds."

The famous play "Dowry", which Ostrovsky wrote over the course of four years from 1874 to 1878, was considered by the author himself to be one of his best and most significant dramatic works. Although shown on the stage in 1878, it caused a storm of protest and indignation, both among the audience and critics, the play received its well-deserved share of popularity only after the death of the famous Russian playwright. A clear demonstration of the main idea that the author wanted to show people that the world is ruled by money, and in modern society they are the main driving force that allows their owners to control the fate of other people who depend on them, many did not like it. Like other innovations in the play, incomprehensible to the general public, all this caused a rather sharp assessment of both readers and critics.

History of creation

In the early seventies of the nineteenth century, Ostrovsky worked as an honorary magistrate of the Kineshma district, on duty he participated in various high-profile trials and was well acquainted with the criminal reports of that time, which gave him, as a writer, rich literary material for writing works. Life itself gave him plots for his dramatic plays, and there is an assumption that the tragic death of a young woman who was killed by her own husband, Ivan Konovalov, a local resident of Kineshma district, became the prototype of the storyline in "Dowry".

Ostrovsky begins the play in late autumn (November 1874), making a marginal note "Opus No. 40", stretching its writing for four long years, due to parallel work on several more works, and finishing it in the autumn of 1878. The play was approved by the censors, preparations began for publication, which ended with its publication in the journal Otechestvennye Zapiski in 1879. This was followed by rehearsals of theater companies in Moscow and St. Petersburg, who wanted to play the play on the stage, bringing it to the judgment of the audience and critics. The premieres of "Dowry" both at the Maly and Alexandria theaters were a failure and caused sharp negative judgments from theater critics. And only ten years after the death of Ostrovsky (second half of the 90s of the XIX century), the play finally came to a well-deserved success, largely due to the huge popularity and fame of the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya, who played the main role of Larisa Ogudalova.

Analysis of the work

Story line

The action of the work takes place in the Volga town of Bryakhimov, which looks like the town of Kalinov from the play "Thunderstorm" only after 20 years have passed. The time of such petty tyrants and tyrants as Kabanikha and Porfiry Wild has long passed, the "finest hour" has come for enterprising, cunning and dodgy businessmen, such as the millionaire Knurov and the representative of a rich trading company Vasily Vozhevatov, who are able to buy and sell not only goods and things, but and human destinies. From their dialogue, which tells about the fate of a young woman, Larisa Ogudalova, deceived by a wealthy master Paratov (a kind of grown-up Boris, Diky's nephew), the first act of the play begins. From the conversation of the merchants, we learn that the first beauty of the city, whose artistry and charm has no equal, marries a poor official, absolutely insignificant and miserable in their opinion, Karandyshev.

Larisa's mother, Kharitona Ogudalova, who raised three daughters herself, tried to find a good match for each daughter, and for the youngest, most beautiful and artistic daughter, she prophesies a wonderful future with a rich husband, only one simple and well-known fact spoils everything: she is a bride from poor family and has no dowry. When the brilliant, young master Paratov appears on the horizon among her daughter's admirers, the mother tries with all her might to marry her daughter to him. However, having played with Larisa's feelings, he leaves her for a whole year without any explanation (during the dialogue it turns out that he squandered his fortune and is now forced to marry the daughter of the owner of the gold mines in order to save his position). Desperate Larisa declares to her mother that she is ready to marry the first person she meets, who becomes Yuli Kapitonych Karandyshev.

Before the wedding, Larisa meets with Paratov, who has returned after a year's absence, confesses her love to him and runs away with him from her unloved fiancé to his ship "Swallow", which the unlucky bankrupt also sells for debts. There, Larisa tries to find out from Paratov who she now belongs to him: his wife, or someone else, then she learns with horror about his future marriage to a rich bride. The heartbroken Larisa with a proposal to take her to the Paris exhibition, and in fact become his mistress and kept woman, is approached by the millionaire Knurov, who wins this right from Vozhevatov (after conferring, the merchants decide that such a diamond as Larisa should not be wasted, they play her fate by tossing a coin). Karandyshev appears and begins to prove to Larisa that for her fans she is only a thing, a beautiful and refined, but absolutely soulless object, with which you can do as its owner wants. Crushed by the circumstances of life and the heartlessness of people-dealers who so easily sell and buy human lives, Larisa finds this comparison with a thing very successful, and now in life, having not found love, she agrees to look only for gold, and nothing more. Insulted by Larisa, who called him miserable and insignificant, Karandyshev, in a fit of jealousy, anger and hurt pride with the words “So don’t get you to anyone!” shoots Larisa with a pistol, she dies with the words that she does not blame anyone, and forgives everyone everything.

Main characters

The main character of the play, Larisa Ogudalova, a young dowry woman from the city of Bryakhimov, is a slightly grown-up Katerina from the play Thunderstorm, previously written by the same author. Their images are united by an ardent and sensitive nature, which ultimately leads them to a tragic ending. Just like Katerina, Larisa "suffocates" in the dull and musty town of Bryakhimov, among its inhabitants, who are also bored and dreary here.

Larisa Ogudalova finds herself in a difficult life situation, characterized by some duality and undoubted tragedy: she is the first smart girl and beauty of the city, she cannot marry a worthy man, because she is a dowry. In this situation, two options are outlined before her: to become the kept woman of a rich and influential married man, or to choose a man of a lower social status as her husband. Grasping at the last straw, Larisa falls in love with the image she created of a handsome and brilliant man, the bankrupt landowner Sergei Paratov, who, like Boris, Diky's nephew in The Thunderstorm, turns out to be a completely different person in real life. He breaks the heart of the main character and with his indifference, lies and spinelessness literally "kills" the girl, i.e. leads to her tragic death. The tragic death becomes a kind of "good deed" for the main character, because for her the current situation has become a life tragedy that she could not cope with. That is why in her last moments, the dying Larisa does not blame anyone for anything and does not complain about her fate.

Ostrovsky portrayed his heroine as an ardent and passionate nature who survived severe mental trauma and the betrayal of a loved one, who, nevertheless, did not lose her sublime lightness, did not become embittered and remained the same noble and pure soul that she had been throughout her entire life. life. Due to the fact that the concepts and aspirations of Larisa Ogudalova were fundamentally different from the value system that prevails in the world around her, even though she was constantly in the center of public attention (like a beautiful and elegant doll), in her soul she remained lonely and not understood by anyone. Absolutely not understanding people, not seeing lies and falsehood in them, she creates for herself the ideal image of a man, which Sergey Paratov becomes, falls in love with him and cruelly pays for her self-deception with her life.

In his play, the great Russian playwright amazingly talentedly portrayed not only the image of the main character Larisa Ogudalova, but the people around her: the cynicism and unscrupulousness of hereditary merchants Knurov and Vozhevatov, who played the girl’s fate with a simple lot, the immorality, deceit and cruelty of her failed fiancé Paratov, greed and depravity her mother, who is trying to sell her daughter as profitably as possible, envy, pettiness and narrow-mindedness of a loser with a heightened pride and a sense of ownership of the jealous Karandyshev.

Features of the genre and compositional construction

The composition of the play, built in a certain way in a strict classical style, contributes to the growth of emotional tension among viewers and readers. The time interval of the play is limited to one day, in the first act the exposition is shown and the plot begins, in the second act the action gradually develops, in the third (a dinner party at the Ogudalovs) - the culmination, in the fourth - a tragic denouement. Thanks to such a consistent linearity of compositional construction, the author reveals the motivation of the characters' actions, which becomes well understood and explainable both for readers and viewers, who realize that people act one way or another not only due to their psychological characteristics, but also due to the influence of social environment.

Also, the play “Dowry” is characterized by the use of a peculiar system of images, namely, “speaking” names invented for the characters: the name of an exalted nature, Larisa Ogudalova, translated from the Greek “seagull”, the name Harita is of gypsy origin and means “charming”, and the surname Ogudalova comes from the word "ogudat" - to deceive, to deceive. The surname Paratov comes from the word "paraty", which means "predator", Knurov - from the word "knur" - a wild boar, named after Larisa's fiancé Yuliya Karandysheva (The name is in honor of the Roman Gaius Julius Caesar, and the surname is a symbol of something small and insignificant ) the author shows the incompatibility of desires with the capabilities of this hero.

In his play, Ostrovsky wanted to show that in a world where money rules and a certain social stigma is stuffed on everyone, no one can feel free and do what he really wants. As long as people believe in the power of money, they forever remain hostages of social cliches: Larisa cannot become the wife of a loved one, because she is a dowry, even rich and influential merchants, just like the bankrupt Paratov, are bound hand and foot by social dogmas and cannot marry at will, to receive love and human warmth just like that, and not for money.

It is thanks to the enormous power of emotional impact, scale, topicality of the issues raised and undeniable artistic value that Ostrovsky's play "The Dowry" occupies an honorable place among the classics of world drama. This work will never lose its relevance, each generation of readers, immersed in the world of experiences of the characters in the play, will discover something new and find answers to eternal spiritual and moral questions.

Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky is a brilliant Russian playwright. His famous play The Dowry was written in 1878. The author worked long and hard on the work for four years. "Dowry" caused a lot of questions and controversy among critics and viewers, who were the very first to see the production of the play on stage.

As is often the case, people's recognition of "Dowry" came only a few years after the death of the author himself. The first staged performances in St. Petersburg and Moscow theaters, unfortunately, were very disastrous, critics gave poor ratings and wrote conflicting reviews. However, the play quickly and easily passed the censorship and was immediately published in the journal Otechestvennye Zapiski in 1879.
It is believed that Ostrovsky wrote the drama based on real events that he had to observe in his life as a justice of the peace in Kineshma district.

The idea of ​​this work was conceived by the author in the autumn of 1874, but the work on it went on for a long time and painstakingly. During the time it was written, the author released several more works, and The Dowry finished only in January 1879. The play, which was not accepted and recognized in its time, has now become a classic and has gained real respect and immortality.

The essence of the work

To begin with, it is worth deciding who such a dowry is? So in the old days they called poor girls and those who did not have a dowry, which was supposed to enter the capital of her future family. A woman did not work in those days, therefore, a man took her as a dependent, and, apart from the money received from his parents, he had nothing to hope for, his wife could not help him in financial matters, and her children were automatically left without inheritance from one of the parties. As a rule, such girls diligently tried to win the attention of suitors with their beauty, pedigree and inner virtues.

Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky in his play describes the real inner state of an ordinary dowry woman who stubbornly seeks true, sincere love on earth, but realizes that it does not exist. No one dared to look into her soul and show sincere interest in her, so the girl becomes an ordinary thing for a rich man, she simply has no other choice and even a chance to get a decent attitude. Another option to arrange your life is to marry the miserable, selfish and unpretentious Karandyshev, a petty clerk who, again, marries Larisa for the sake of self-affirmation. But she rejects this option. The author demonstrates all the contradictions of life that surround us, using the example of the fate of the heroes. The essence of the play "Dowry" is to show the reader how mercilessly and vilely people change true love and friendship for an ordinary deal, from which one can only draw one's own benefit.

Main characters

1. The characters in the play are:
   Larisa Ogudalova is a young beautiful girl who does not have a dowry. She feels extremely humiliated in this world because of her difficult position in society. Unfortunately, few people were interested in such girls during the life of the writer. The heroine loves to dream very much, so she falls in love with a rich nobleman and hopes for happiness next to him. With Karandyshev, the girl feels like a thing, her personality becomes insignificant, she directly tells him that she cannot love him the way she loves another. She is gifted with musical and choreographic talents. Her disposition is meek and calm, but deep down she is a passionate nature, desiring mutual love. A hidden strength of will manifested itself in her character when she ran from her engagement to the risk of being disgraced and misunderstood by her surroundings. But for the sake of a sincere feeling, she is ready to sacrifice her life, shouting a farewell ultimatum to her mother: either she will become Paratov's wife, or one should look for her in the Volga. As you can see, a desperate woman is not devoid of excitement, she puts both honor and herself at stake. we analyzed in the essay.
2. Harita Ignatievna - Mrs. Ogudalova, mother of Larisa Ogudalova, a poor noblewoman, a widow who was particularly dexterous in household affairs, but could not give her three daughters a dowry, since her fortune was not great. She herself barely makes ends meet, but manages to roll dinners and evenings to find a match for her last marriageable lady.
3. Yuri Karandyshev - a poor official, the fiance of Larisa Ogudalova, was distinguished by excessive narcissism and obsession. A selfish eccentric who was often jealous and looked stupid. Larisa was a toy for him, which he could boast to others. He feels on himself all the contempt of the Ogudalovs' entourage, but, nevertheless, does not give up the idea of ​​proving to them that he is an equal to everyone. His ostentatious arrogance, attempts to please and win honor irritate society and the heroine herself, in comparison with the dignity and strength of Paratov, this little man hopelessly loses. He finally sinks in the eyes of the bride when he gets drunk at the engagement dinner party. Then she realizes that it is better to go to the Volga than to marry him.
4. Sergei Paratov is a respected nobleman, a wealthy man who often threw money away for his own pleasure. He lived, caroused and looked after women beautifully, so after a gradual ruin he managed to capture the heart of a rich heiress. It is obvious that he is the same soulless egoist as Karandyshev, he simply lives in a big way and knows how to impress. The soul of the company and joker, above all, loves to have fun and throw dust in the eyes, and therefore chooses a marriage of convenience, and not sincere feelings.
5. Vasily Vozhevatov is a friend of Larisa Ogudalova, a very rich, but immoral and vile person. The hero has never been in love and does not know what it is. He was witty and cunning. Vasily is not going to marry the girl, although he claims to take her for maintenance. He loses her in a draw, but consoles himself that he saved, which makes him an immoral and empty person. He is a merchant, a native of serfs, who achieved everything himself. For him, the most important thing is not to lose the achieved position, so he refuses to help the young woman, not wanting to violate the merchant's word given to Knurov.
6. Mokiy Knurov is a rich man of advanced age. He shows sympathy for Larisa, although he is married. A very specific and thorough person, instead of everything, he immediately promises the girl whom he wants to make his kept woman material benefits, stipulating: "For me, the impossible is not enough."
7. Arkady Schastlivtsev (Robinson) is an acquaintance of Paratov, a failed actor who often liked to drink, but did not know how to control his condition.
8. Gavrilo is a barman, runs a coffee shop on the boulevard.
9. Ivan is a servant in a coffee shop.

Main theme

The drama of the human soul in an immoral society is the main essence of the main tragic theme in Ostrovsky's play "The Dowry", which the author widely reveals through the heroine Larisa Ogudalova. She did not receive a dowry from her mother, so she will have to suffer in this inhuman world. Grooms who are fighting for a girl do not take her seriously, she becomes for them either an object for boasting, or just a toy and a thing.

The theme of disappointment in the world is also present in the work. The main character is waiting for a terrible end: devastation, despair, dishonor and death. The girl believed in a better and new life, believed in love and kindness, but everything that surrounded her could prove to her that there was simply no love, no hint of enlightenment. All storylines in the work affect social topics. Larisa lives in a world where everything can be bought for money, even love.

Issues

Of course, a tragedy cannot do without ambiguous and complex questions. The problems in the play by Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky are quite extensive and multifaceted.

1. The main issues in the work are the problems of morality: Larisa commits a dishonorable act in the eyes of society, but the background fully justifies her. A real immoral act is to deceive Karandyshev and marry without love. It's not better to be kept by merchants. Therefore, Larisa and thank the jealous groom for her death.
2. The author raises the problems of duty and honor, the purchase of the human soul. Morality in society is ostentatious, it is enough for him to simply maintain the appearance of decency, but the dishonest bargaining of his elected members remains without condemnation and without attention.
3. We also see in the work the problem of finding the meaning of life. The girl despaired and lost her meaning in everything, Vozhevatov and Knurov use her as a bright toy that is not even scary to bet. Paratov reports that he will soon marry another girl because of material wealth, he betrays her and changes love for comfort. Larisa cannot understand and endure the complete absence of a soul and the indifference of those who surround her all her life. All the men who were next to her disappointed the heroine, she did not feel the respect and attitude that she deserved. For her, the meaning of life was love, and when she was gone, like respect, Larisa preferred death.

What is the meaning of the play?

Ostrovsky wrote a very emotional drama that will not disappoint even an experienced and fastidious reader with its ideological and thematic content. The main idea of ​​Ostrovsky's drama "Dowry" is to condemn the too high value of wealth and money in society. Material goods in life play the most important role, a person who does not have them can only be a toy in the hands of a rich man who does not have the right to sincere feelings. Poor people become the subject of sale to heartless barbarians who languished over their fortune. Around Larisa Ogudalova, everything is saturated with gross cynicism and cunning, which destroy her pure, bright soul. These qualities determined the price of a woman's life, reselling it among themselves as a faceless and soulless thing. And this price is low.

Using the image of the heroine as an example, the writer shows how the heart of a dowry suffers, who is to blame only for the fact that she has no fortune behind her. So dishonest and unfair is fate in relation to the poor, but very bright and intelligent people. The girl loses faith in humanity, in her ideals, experiencing numerous betrayals and humiliations. What is the reason for the tragedy of the dowry? She could not come to terms with the collapse of her dream, with the destruction of her convictions, and decided to get reality to position her as she needed, as it should have happened in natural conditions. The heroine knows from the very beginning that she is taking a mortal risk, this is evidenced by her farewell remark to her mother. She set conditions for the whole world: either her dream comes true, or she passes away without stooping to marriage and cohabitation of convenience. Even if Karandyshev had not killed her, she would have fulfilled her own warning and drowned herself in the Volga. Thus, the young woman became a victim of her illusions, her pride and intransigence with the vulgarity of the environment.

Before us is a classic clash of romantic dreams and harsh, vulgar reality. In this battle, the latter always wins, but the author does not lose hope that at least some people will come to their senses and stop creating and maintaining unfair conditions for social relations. He emphasizes true virtue and true values, which must be learned to distinguish from the vain squabbles of empty and petty scoundrels. The heroine's rebellion inspires courage to fight for her beliefs to the end.

Genre

Drama, as a genre, presents the reader with the fate of the hero in a contradictory and cruel world, an acute conflict between the human soul and the society in which he lives. The purpose of psychological drama is to show the dramatic position of the individual in a hostile environment. As a rule, the characters of the drama are expected by a tragic fate, spiritual suffering, internal contradictions. In a work of this type, you can find many vivid emotions and experiences that are inherent in many of us.

So, Ostrovsky's play vividly describes the internal state of Larisa Ogudalova, who rebels against the inhuman order in society, sacrifices herself in order not to sacrifice her principles. The heroine hardly accepts the circumstances that overtake her, she endures with horror all the trials prepared for her by fate. This is Larisa's personal tragedy, which she cannot survive. The psychological drama ends with her death, which is typical of a work in this genre.

Life and customs of the province

Ostrovsky's play highlights the life and customs of the Russian provinces, nobles and merchants. All of them are very similar, and, at the same time, differ from each other. The heroes behave quite liberated and are not at all afraid to show their true colors to others, it doesn’t matter to them that sometimes they look rather stupid. They are not afraid not because of courage or openness of character. They simply do not realize that they look ignorant, stingy, suspicious or worthless.

Men do not bypass open communication with women; for them, adultery is not considered shameful. For them, this is an element of status: a mistress becomes a reflection of wealth. One of the heroes of the work, Mr. Knurov, offered Larisa to become his kept woman, although he himself had been married for a long time, he did not care what the heroine felt, only his own benefit and lust were in the first place.

A girl in the province of that time, as we have already found out, must have a good condition in order to successfully marry and live well. In such a world it is very difficult to find true love and respect, in a world where everything is saturated with the power of money and the bad customs of greedy people, an honest and intelligent woman simply could not find her rightful place. Larisa was literally ruined by the cruel and dishonest customs of her contemporaries.

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"Dowry" analysis of the work - the theme, idea, genre, plot, composition, heroes, problems and other issues are disclosed in this article.

Russian playwright Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky created a whole galaxy of Russian characters. Mostly they were merchants: sedate, with a bushy beard. And if in some plays of the playwright one can meet real "tyrants", then there are works where Ostrovsky continued the traditions of Turgenev in depicting female characters. The "Turgenev" girl is resolute, she can be the first to confess her feelings and will never give up her words.

In Ostrovsky's plays "Hot Heart", "Thunderstorm", "Snow Maiden" images of such heroines are created - resolute and courageous, but with a tragic fate. Even among such bright girls with a "hot heart", one can be singled out - Larisa Ogudalova, the main character of the play "Dowry". An outstanding personality, she stands out from her surroundings and is strikingly different from her mother, who is trying to find benefits in everything.

She, Kharita Ignatievna Ogudalova, can be understood: she alone raised three daughters. Yes, only the two elders, married, had an unfortunate fate: the first Caucasian husband stabbed to death out of jealousy, the second was at the mercy of a cheater. Larisa is her mother's last hope: she sings beautifully, performs Russian romances, plays music, and dances. And the mother hopes that she will be able to marry such a talented and beautiful daughter well, so that she lives like Christ in her bosom. Therefore, she teaches: "It is better to humiliate yourself from a young age, so that later you can live like a human being."

In the view of a woman with a gypsy name Harita, humanly, this is when there are many men in the house, wine flows like water, compliments sound. It is no coincidence that Larisa's current fiancé, a poor official, Julius Kapitonych Karandyshev, compares life in the Ogudalovs' house with a camp. Only all the tricks of the mother are in vain, because Larisa is a dowry. And in the society that surrounds the girl, there is only money. The new masters of life, unlike the heroes of "Thunderstorm", are no longer petty tyrants: their power is based on money. “I have nothing cherished; I will find a profit, so I will sell everything, ”says another hero of the play, Sergei Sergeyich Paratov,“ a brilliant gentleman, ”in the author’s assessment.

And this is true: Paratov, whom Larisa fell in love with so much that she “almost died of grief”, easily exchanged her for a “millionth” bride - the daughter of the owner of gold mines. Having left her without explanation a year ago, now, when Larisa decides to marry the “first comer” Karandyshev, Paratov, having appeared again, accuses Larisa of treason. At a meeting, he reproachfully says that he would like to know “whether a passionately loved person is soon forgotten: on the next day after parting with him, in a week or a month ...”

And Larisa, who had already told her fiancé that "Sergei Sergeyich is the ideal of a man," loses her head again. She forgives her beloved, who disappeared unexpectedly a year ago, and "not a single letter." Larisa is a romantic person, therefore she does not notice the obvious things. She proudly tells Karandyshev how a year ago Paratov shot in cold blood at the watch she was holding in her hand. But this fact, rather, suggests that Larisa does not mean anything to him. In addition, Paratov is vindictive: having barely met Karandyshev, he manages to hurt the pride of a poor official, but insists that it is Julius Kapitonich who apologizes to him, the master of life. And then, at a dinner party, he gets drunk on him in order to once again humiliate him in front of people who measure everything with money.

It just so happened in Ostrovsky's plays: against the backdrop of resolute and courageous heroines, men turn out to be lethargic and lifeless. In the play "Thunderstorm", the husband of Katerina Kabanova depends on her mother in everything, which as a result leads to tragedy: his young wife voluntarily passes away.

In "Dowry" the situation is similar: out of desperation, agreeing to marry Karandyshev, she begs him to leave for the village to start a new life, little reminiscent of the former camp. But the petty official, who endured ridicule in the hope of waiting for reciprocity from Larisa, is now "spreading his wings." He wants to rub off the representatives of the upper class, and he gives a dinner in honor of Larisa Dmitrievna to say: she chose the most worthy man for her suitors - him, Yuli Kapitonych. This is his revenge for the envy that he had to experience every time he saw Larisa's beautiful and successful fans.

But by this act, he even more causes contempt from those who are used to drinking champagne in the morning and having lunch in a restaurant. After all, he, a poor official, has enough money only for cheap liquor, the bottles from which are carefully sealed with labels from expensive wine. And if Larisa, in response to reproaches of treason by Paratov, says that her fiancé has the most important advantage - he loves her, then in the final she is disappointed in him. She disgustedly tells her ex-fiance, who is kneeling before her: “You are too insignificant for me,” and then bitterly admits: “I was looking for love and did not find it.”

It is difficult to find love in a society where everything is just bought and sold. Paratov is selling his favorite ship, the Lastochka, because he has found a profit - a bride with a million dollar dowry. But he commits a much more vile act: having humiliated her fiancé in the eyes of Larisa, he gives hope for the future and, taking advantage of the situation, seduces the poor girl, and then confesses that he is engaged - he has “golden chains”. That's when the epiphany comes to the heroine. She understands that everyone around her, even her own mother, looks at her as a thing, for fun.

She does not have the courage to commit suicide, as Katerina did in The Thunderstorm, but she finds the strength to admit that no one has ever tried to look into her soul, she has not seen sympathy from anyone, has not heard a warm word. Larisa passes a terrible sentence to herself: "I did not find love, so I will look for gold." And she is really ready to ride to an exhibition in Paris with the middle-aged merchant Knurov, who won her in the "toss" from a younger rival, she is ready to become his kept woman, that is, to sell herself at a higher price, because for her there is only one consolation: if you are to be a thing, then very Expensive.

The finale of this psychological play is a foregone conclusion. Sobered up, but rejected, Karandyshev shoots at Larisa, and for her this becomes a salvation. Now she cannot be bought or sold - she remains free and truly happy. She dies with words of forgiveness on her lips. Thus, the author shows that death is a tragic way out of the insoluble moral contradictions of the time, a sentence to a society that is not able to preserve the treasure of a spiritual personality, beauty and talent.