06.04.2019
What do we know about Larisa Ogudalova. Ostrovsky, "Dowry": analysis and characterization of heroes. The tragedy of Larisa Ogudalova. Larisa's entourage. The place of a woman in a complex world
I continue the tradition of my essays on literary characters and today I will present to you my vision of the image of Larisa Ogudalova from Alexander Ostrovsky's "Dowry", I think many people know this work from the movie "Cruel Romance".
If we say briefly about the life of Larisa, then only this way: “ Life path Larissa is the path of mental loneliness and tragic breakdown ”. Indeed, this girl is a delicate, sincere, pure, ingenuous person who happened to be born in the wrong place and at the wrong time. Had she been born into a well-born and wealthy noble family, perhaps her talents would have been appreciated, and society would have looked at her as a worthy person, and not as a beautiful toy, which not today or tomorrow "will go from hand to hand."
If Larissa was more sophisticated in life, she would have followed her mother's advice: “We are poor people, we must humiliate ourselves all our lives. you run from him. " However, Larisa is what she is, there is no place for corruption, self-interest and pretense in her soul, every day, accepting “the necessary guests at home” she has to endure this indecency, and quietly dream of solitude in the village.
Perhaps her fate would have turned out differently if Paratov, a man without honor and dignity, a burner of life, did not meet on her life path. Live Larissa, guided by reason, not heart, perhaps she would have discerned its true essence in Paratov, but for the ingenuous Larissa "Sergei Sergeich is the ideal of a man." The image of Paratov becomes the culmination in the life tragedy of Larisa. First turning Larisa's head, having beaten off all the alleged suitors from the Ogudalovs' house, Paratov suddenly leaves and Larisa, in despair, decides to marry any man who will take her away from the city she hates and the painful mother's house.
Such a person for Larisa becomes Karandyshev - a small man with a bureaucratic philistine soul, alien to nobility and honor. Karandyshev speaks of love for Larisa, but for him, as well as for Paratov, she is just beautiful thing for self-affirmation. Karandyshev condemns Paratov, but in his heart he dreams of being the same “brilliant master”, in order to be the first person in society and enjoy the favor of the best ladies. If Paratov is best characterized by his words “What is“ sorry ”, I don’t know. … I’ll find a profit, so I’ll sell everything, whatever ”, then Karandyshev opens up to the reader in the words of his toast“ to Larisa, in whom the most precious thing to him is that she “knows how to disassemble people” and therefore chose him ”.
For Paratov, it's a matter of principle to return Larisa's favor back. He knows he will marry a rich bride, but why not have some fun at last, especially if such beautiful girl looks at him like better man on the ground. Paratov is deeply indifferent further destiny Larissa, his pleasures and entertainment are primary for him.
Let's omit the scene in the Ogudalovs' house, where Paratov solders Karandyshev, humiliating him publicly and thereby flatters his pride and shows his superiority. It is much more interesting for me to write about the scene on "Swallow", when Paratov revealed to Larisa that he was engaged, she is dishonored in the eyes of society, and does not know how to live now.
Vozhevatov as a friend of her childhood, being wealthy person, could have helped her, could have warned her that Paratov was engaged, but he prefers not to interfere and his indifference contributes to the fall of Larissa. Vozhevatov prefers to play her into a toss with the merchant Knurov, who has long wanted to get Larissa as his mistress. It is sad that a person alone comes into this world, and he has to rely in this life only on himself, those who are called relatives or friends go in parallel through life, but precisely in such key points life is revealed true essence such kinship or friendship. Therefore, the path of Larisa is the path of mental loneliness, she has no one to rely on, no one wants to understand her.
Karandyshev's shot becomes a deliverance for Larisa. Unfortunately, sometimes death is better than a bleak life full of torment, shame and shame. Such bright people like Larissa are like angels on earth, and they are not adapted to live among the moral filth, meanness and betrayal, which are in abundance among people. Living bright life, such people quickly burn out like candles, thereby illuminating our path and giving an example of spirituality and purity.
Ostrovsky's plays "" are a typical "little" who turned out to be powerless against circumstances, hostile and dangerous. Tragic fate girls in a cruel world makes you think about how defenseless the notorious "little man" can be.
Larissa is surrounded different people... All of them live by their own rules, strive to satisfy only personal desires and aspirations. It turns out that the girl herself is not needed by anyone, no one thinks about her, does not worry about how her fate will turn out. Even own mother girls think only about profit. She is glad that her daughter is so beautiful and talented, because these qualities will help the girl to make a more profitable batch, since they are a great product. Good product can bring decent profits. Others treat Larisa in a similar way. Everyone wants to have fun with a beautiful "toy".
In the drama "Dowry" the theme " little man"Gets an unexpected direction. The "little man" by himself is powerless, helpless. He never has enough strength to withstand the pressure of others. He is always unhappy. In Ostrovsky's drama, the "little man" not only becomes unhappy and dies as a result, but is also perceived exclusively as a "thing", like a "toy."
There are a lot of people around who want to have fun. The girl is even played as a toss. This episode raises the problem of the human dignity of the "little man" especially acutely. Nobody in the drama thinks that it is not a thing, but a person. And she herself does not have the strength and wisdom to change the course of events. Larisa suffers from this situation. But he doesn't even try to protest. She accepts the rules of the game, no matter how difficult and sad they may be.
In love with Larisa, Karandyshev differs little from those who play her as a toss. Yes, now he is outraged by the behavior of the "powerful of this world." He says indignantly: "They do not look at you as a woman, as a person ... they look at you as a thing." But his outrage is insincere. We can easily guess what is hidden behind his words. Now Karandyshev cannot compete with the "powerful of this world." But if he had enough money, if he had power, he would act in relation to Ogudalova in the same way as those who are now playing Larissa at a toss. Karandyshev wants to marry Larisa, because this fact could help him rise among those around him. Such a beautiful, talented and extraordinary wife would do honor to such an ordinary person like him. Karandyshev, like everyone else in, thinks only of himself, of his selfish aspirations. Inner world Larissa is not interested in him.
"The mighty of this world" think that everything in the world can be bought and sold. Therefore, they treat Larisa as a thing. And she doesn't protest. The girl in love perceives Sergei Sergeevich Paratov as a real deity. And he, in turn, thinks of her as funny toy... However, Paratov treats everyone exclusively from the point of view of his own egoism. He believes that the whole world is at his feet.
The rich man Knurov is a self-satisfied, insignificant person. Possessing money and power, he is confident that all his whims must be fulfilled. In a world where power belongs to people like Paratov and Knurov, there is no place for Larisa. "Little man" cannot exist where they rule " strongest of the world this ".
Larisa is full of illusions. She who received a good education, cannot understand the true qualities of those around her. The girl's illusions do not coincide with the world of profit.
Reality turns out to be too harsh for the "little man." As a result, Larisa almost completely agrees with the role of “toys”, “things”. Her passive acceptance of Knurov's proposal is resignation to fate. The girl goes with the flow, does not find in herself even a hint of protest. The "little man" turned out to be a broken world in which the "powerful of this world" rule. Larissa admits: “The thing ... yes, the thing! They are right, I am a thing, I am not a person ... ".
Katerina and Larisa Ogudalova are the protagonists of two famous plays by A. N. Ostrovsky, "The Thunderstorm" (1859) and "The Dowry" (1878). The works are nineteen years apart, but in these dramas you can find a lot in common.
Two heroines - a similar fate
The action takes place in a small provincial town, in a merchant-philistine environment, minor characters are representatives of the so-called third estate. Recreating everyday life takes a central place in the plot, serving as a background for the concretization and development of images actors, as well as creating a sharp contrast between Larisa Ogudalova and Katerina on the one hand and the environment on the other. The characterization of Larisa Ogudalova and the comparison of the heroine with Katerina Kabanova are the subject of this review.
Common traits in the characters of Larisa and Katerina
The images of the heroines have a lot in common. Girls do not fit into the merchant-philistine world in any way, despite the fact that they were born, grew up and were brought up in it. Both dream of freedom and happy love and in every possible way resist the norms, rules and attitudes that their families, acquaintances and, finally, the inhabitants of the city adhere to. Both are unhappy in love: Katerina suffered in the family of Tikhon Kabanov, and Larisa's engagement with Karandyshev ended in tragedy. The girl's relationship with Paratov did not work out either: the latter, although he was not indifferent to her, considered it more profitable for himself to marry a rich bride. Both experienced these shocks hard: for their sensitive, gentle and soft natures, it was too heavy a blow.
Heroines' protest against the patriarchal order
Each in her own way protests against the patriarchal way of life: Larisa Ogudalova is trying with all her might to resist the efforts of her mother, Kharita Ignatievna, it is beneficial to marry her to a rich and influential groom. Katerina explicitly declares her rejection of the lifestyle that she leads in the house of her mother-in-law Kabanova. It should be noted that Katerina more decisively and boldly expresses her position than Larisa: in principle, she cannot get along in that new environment, in which she found herself after marriage. Everything in her husband's family seems alien to her, and even before the fatal date with Boris, she directly declares to Varvara that nothing in her husband's family is pleasant to her. Larisa's protest manifested itself only when she was seriously carried away by Sergei Sergeevich Paratov: the girl unexpectedly shows such character traits that, it seemed, could not be suspected of this well-mannered young lady. However, even from the first remarks of the heroine, the reader can judge her decisive disposition: she speaks rather sharply about her fiance Karandyshev and directly tells him that he is losing in comparison with Paratov.
Larisa's character
Larisa Ogudalova, a homeless woman, is very proud: so, she is ashamed of herself and her mother, for the beggarly way of life that they are forced to lead, pleasing rich guests who come in droves to their house to see a beautiful but poor bride. Nevertheless, Larisa puts up with these parties, despite repeated scandals in the house, which immediately becomes known to the whole city. However, when her feelings were affected, the heroine disdained all conventions and ran after Paratov on the day of his departure from Bryakhimov (which, by the way, like Kalinov, is located on the banks of the Volga). After returning home, the heroine continues to live her usual life and even agrees to marry Karandyshev - the marriage is unequal in all respects. And if not for the re-appearance of Paratov on the stage, then, most likely, Larisa would have become Mrs. Karandysheva, would have left with her husband in the village and, perhaps, after a while in the bosom of nature, she would have found the strength to continue to lead her usual existence.
Katherine's character
However, it is difficult to imagine such a scenario in relation to Katerina: the latter would hardly have come to terms with such an existence. To the characterization of Larisa Ogudalova, it should be added that the heroine is extremely closed in herself: when she first appears on the stage, she limits herself to only a few remarks, while from the very beginning Katerina confides in her husband's sister Varvara. She willingly shares her childhood memories with her, admits how difficult it is for her in a new environment. In the light of what has been said, it makes sense to compare the images of the heroines with Tatyana Larina, with whom, at first glance, one can find a lot in common: all three are distinguished by their impulsiveness and direct perception of the world around them. However, both Katerina and Larisa are too divorced from reality: both live as if in a dream, and, it seems, are always in some kind of inner world.
Comparison of Larisa and Katerina
Knurov said for a reason that in Larisa "there is nothing of everyday life", that she looks like "ether". Perhaps this best characteristic Larisa Ogudalova: the girl is really constantly distracted and remains surprisingly indifferent to everything around her, and only sometimes she breaks down individual remarks that betray her dislike for the philistine life. It is surprising that she does not at all express her love or even at least any affection for her own mother. Of course, from a moral point of view, the portrait of Kharita Ignatievna is far from ideal, but this woman, after all, cares about her daughter, is concerned about her fate and certainly deserves some respect. Larisa gives the impression of a young lady alienated from life: her image, so to speak, is disembodied and divorced from the historical and social soil. In this respect, Katerina is more realistic: she reacts vividly and sharply to what is happening around her; she lives a full-blooded, eventful, albeit more tragic, life. However, the image of Katerina is distinguished by some idealization, despite the quite recognizable features.
Comparison of heroines with Tatyana Larina
Tatiana Larina is not like that - she is firmly attached to her native corner in the village, which she says to Eugene in the finale of the novel. Pushkin's heroine firmly stands on her own soil, which gives her the moral strength to withstand the trials that have fallen to her lot. That is why she commands respect, and Larisa and Katerina - compassion and pity. Undoubtedly, the composition "Larisa Ogudalova" should draw a parallel between her drama, the tragedy of Katerina Kabanova and the story of Tatyana Larina.
Larisa Dmitrievna Ogudalova is the main character of the play. She is young and beautiful, but poor, so no dowry is given for her. The position of a homeless woman is humiliating, and this is especially felt by L. - an intelligent and proud girl.
L. loves Paratov. But he loves not for his personal qualities, but for the dream of another life that he is able to give her. With Paratov, the idea of \u200b\u200ba light and poetic world that was inaccessible to her and which she knows only from her favorite poems and romances entered into L.'s consciousness.
Marrying Karandyshev, L. feels humiliated, unjustly sentenced to an insignificant life that a petty official can give her. Moreover, she cannot forgive the failures of Karandyshev, who is trying to compare with Paratov: “Who are you equal to! Is such blinding possible! " Alone with the groom L. constantly instills that he does not love him, and that after Paratov will go to the ends of the world. In the soul of the girl there is a struggle between the desire to come to terms with the fate of the wife of a poor official and longing for a bright and beautiful life... L. is trying to decide her own fate. She goes with Paratov to ride a steamer. This trip opens L.'s eyes to her true position - a beautiful thing, which men dispute among themselves: “They are right, I am a thing, not a person. I am now convinced of that ... ”In the finale of the play, L. dies at the hands of Karandyshev. Before her death, the heroine thanks him for helping her to leave scary worldwhere there is nothing sacred and a person is an object of sale and purchase: “I was looking for love and did not find it. They looked at me and look at me like fun. No one has ever tried to look into my soul, I have not seen sympathy from anyone ... there is nothing to look for. " According to Ostrovsky, L.'s dream is illusory, she is chasing a ghost in the person of Paratov. L.'s attempt to get love and happiness with one reckless act is an escape from his fate. Therefore, the heroine's tragic disappointment is inevitable.
LARISA OGUDALOVA - the heroine of the drama A. N. Ostrovsky "Dowry" (1878). The image of L. completes the series of "homeless women" in Ostrovsky's drama. Unlike Marya Andreevna (" Poor bride"), Nadia (" Pupil "), Aksyusha (" Forest "), Nastya (" There was not a penny but suddenly altyn ") L. - a delicate and nervous nature, endowed with a special spiritual fragility. L.'s soul exists, as it were, "above everyday life" - above the vanity of huckstering, everyday passions and the struggle of vanities. L. all the time "beckons" somewhere: to the village, to the forest, beyond the Volga - to "any quiet corner" that seems to her "paradise". L.'s life path is the path of mental loneliness and tragic breakdown. Everyone admires her, longs for her, but no one tries to "look into her soul", from anyone she hears "warm, heartfelt word". L. is forced to live in an environment that resembles either a "bazaar" or a "gypsy camp". And only in singing romances can she express her feelings. At home, "during a terrible, deadly melancholy, they are forced to be nice, to smile, to impose suitors." Karandyshev, in whose love L. believed and agreed to the marriage, because of petty pride did not spare her pride. Paratov, whom L. passionately loved and for whose sake she almost fled from under the aisle, lured and left. Childhood friend Vasya Vozhevatov played her a "coin" with a big businessman Knurov. L.'s decision to “seek gold” and become “an expensive, very expensive thing” puts her on the brink of falling. The deadly shot of Ka-randyshev turns out to be a "boon" for her, a salvation from final moral death. Without "complaining" or "offended," L. dies with words of love and forgiveness. The image of L. with his poetry and lyrical reflection was a major artistic discovery of Ostrovsky, which preceded the appearance of Chekhov's heroines. The first performer of the role of L.- G.N. Fedotova (1878). Among other performers - M.N. Ermolova (1878), M.G. Savina (1878), V.F.Komissarzhevskaya (1896), M.I.Babanova (1940), K.F. Roek (1948) ...
The writing
Ostrovsky wrote the drama "Dowry" in 1879, that is, in the last, third period of his work. Prior to that, the playwright had already created the plays "The Thunderstorm" and "Hot Heart". These three dramatic creations of Ostrovsky are united by a single theme. Katerina in "Thunderstorm", Parasha in "Ardent Heart", Larisa in "Dowry" - they all belong to the same type of women, women with a rebellious soul. But, despite the fact that all the girls are worried about love, each of them has her own drama in life.
"Dowry" differs from the other two works in that in it the main character is faced with the cruel world of bourgeois relations, and is not opposed to the "dark kingdom", as in The Thunderstorm. main topic plays - drama human personality in an inhuman society. And this dramatic personality in the work is Larisa Ogudalova.
Larisa Dmitrievna is a well-mannered and kind girl. Hence and her good relationship to people, her respect for her mother. We feel sorry for the main character when we see her mother. She is looking for profit in everything, wants to find the daughter of a rich groom. To do this, the mother teaches Larissa the tricks that she must apply in life. The older Ogudalova is a more down-to-earth and practical nature than the younger. This is a misunderstanding between mother and daughter, the striking difference in their characters is striking. Of course, this only makes Larisa harder. Not only was she already once disappointed in love, she was abandoned, so now she must humiliate herself by looking for rich suitors. Thus, Larisa's life in her home is not painted in bright hues, it is clouded by misunderstanding and constant humiliation. The girl's mother says: “We are poor people, we humiliate ourselves all our lives. It's better to humiliate yourself when you are young, so that you can live like a human being. "
The most important drama of Larisa is her emotional, heartfelt experiences. The girl had already known disappointment in love and betrayal, when Sergei Sergeevich Paratov went to her for two months, “fought off all the suitors,” and then disappeared into no one knows where.
Larisa has no choice but to marry petty Karandyshev, a profitable groom who will save her from humiliation. Future husband, according to the girl, is not at all like Paratov, whom she truly loves and cannot forget. Larisa sees all the insignificance of Karandyshev, she is even ashamed of his "arrogance", because he is nothing for everyone around him. From all troubles and shame, the girl seeks salvation in the village, in nature. She constantly tells her mother that she wants to escape to the village, where she will finally rest her soul. Larissa finds temporary comfort in singing, when sounds take her away from problems. In her musical and sensitive soul, a gypsy song and a Russian romance, poems by Lermontov and Baratynsky sound. The inner world of Larisa is rich, in contrast to the knurovs and vozhevatovs. The poetic nature of the girl flies over the world on the wings of music. No wonder her name in translation from Greek means "seagull" ...
When Paratov returns, Larisa thinks that he is alien to that world of cold and calculating businessmen. Having idealized the image of her beloved, the girl considers him to be a "master" and is ready to follow him even to the ends of the earth. With all her heart and soul, she rushes into the pool of love, gives herself to Paratov, not suspecting that he is unworthy of her. His spiritual world is much more primitive, calculating and proud than the soul of Larisa. In order to have fun with the rest of his "idle days" Sergei Sergeevich calls the girl to the Volga. Larissa, seeing his determination, believed in love, believed him and went to meet imaginary happiness. However, Knurov and Vozhevatov know Paratov better. They guessed that "it was not without deceit, that he again beckoned her with words," they knew that Sergei Sergeevich would never exchange a homeless woman for a millionaire.
The scene of Paratov's conversation with Larisa after a trip along the Volga is full of drama. The girl was expecting a marriage proposal, otherwise what were these beautiful words, time with her? But Paratov not only did not justify her hopes, but also severely insulted Larisa, announcing that he was already engaged. Isn't this a drama? What could be worse? Trust a person, give part of your soul, and in return get a stupid game, empty words, and, in the end, cruel betrayal. Larisa turned out to be a toy, entertainment for Paratov. What can a girl expect further from life? Even marriage to Karandyshev cannot save her now. Although Karandyshev still saves her: having shot, he does a "good deed". Before her death, Larisa sees the collapse of her illusions, reality is revealed to her: "They are right, I am a thing, not a person." Dying, she thanks Karandyshev for giving her the opportunity to leave the world in which a high ideal is trampled underfoot and where she feels like a “thing”, an object of sale and purchase: “I was looking for love and did not find it. They looked at me and are looking at me as if it were fun. "
Drama the main character lies in the fact that her spiritual world cannot exist in a society of money and primitiveness, in which the interests of men and women are limited to a six-digit dowry. Material here supplants kindness, soulfulness and even love. Love is always in second or even third place after money and position in society. Larisa could not adapt, could not fall in love with the rubles of Karandyshev and experience disappointment in the perfect image Paratova. It seems absurd: good does not triumph over evil, love does not rise above the dowry, as it usually happens on the pages of most books. Ostrovsky, having written "Dowry", made the reader or viewer think, realize the problem of the relationship between feelings and calculation. If all of us choose the latter, love will disappear in the world. Is it worth it material well-being? I think not.
Although the play "Dowry" was created more than one hundred and twenty years ago, it is still interesting to read it or watch it on stage. And in our time, you can find calculating paratour and down-to-earth Karandyshev. I think that Ostrovsky can be thanked for the fact that after multiple performances of the play "The Dowry" there are less and less such people, and more and more women with the soul of Larisa Ogudalova, and natures like her find their happiness in this world.
