Did Katerina have any other way out? Composition "Was there a different path for Katerina": could she have acted differently? Katerina had a different path.

Did Katerina Kabanova have a way out?

The play by Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky "The Thunderstorm" was published in 1860, during a period of social upsurge. The story itself, told in the play, reflects the typical conflicts of the 60s: the struggle between the moribund morality of tyrants and their unrequited victims and the new morality of people, in whose souls a sense of human dignity awakens. The image of Katerina occupies a special place among the characters in the play. According to Dobrolyubov, from him "a new life blows on us, which opens up to us in its very death."

Katerina is a poetic and dreamy nature. Remembering her childhood and girlhood, she herself tells Varvara about how the world of her feelings and moods was formed. She lived happily and easily in her parents' house, but she did not receive an education. The stories of wanderers and praying mantises replaced her books. Impressive by nature, Katerina eagerly listened to their every word, taking everything on faith. This is how most women were educated in the 19th century. Today the wanderers have been replaced by the TV. Katerina speaks in a language that only a poetically minded and gifted woman could speak in the merchant environment of that time. Elements of poetic folk speech, and the influence of church and book literature, as well as church services, which Katerina loved to attend “until death,” are heard in it. She is distinguished by a special soft lyricism, emotionality and sincerity, which correspond to the general temperament of Katerina. The play repeatedly repeats an image that helps to understand the main thing in Katerina's character - the image of a bird. In folk poetry, a bird is a symbol of will. Hence the constant epithet "free bird". “I lived, I didn't grieve about anything, like a bird in the wild,” recalls Katerina about how she lived before her marriage, “... Why don't people fly like birds? she says to Varvara. "You know, sometimes it seems to me that I am a bird." But the free bird fell into an iron cage. And she fights and yearns in captivity.

The nature is dreamy, impressionable, with a character predominantly "loving, ideal", according to Dobrolyubov's definition, Katerina at the same time has an ardent and passionate soul. Katerina suffers only for the time being. “And if I get pissed off here,” she says, “they won't hold me back by any force. I'll throw myself out the window, throw myself into the Volga. I don’t want to live here, I don’t want to, even though you cut me! ” Among the victims of the "dark kingdom" Katerina stands out for her open character, courage, and directness. “I don’t know how to deceive; I can’t hide anything, ”she replies to Varvara, who says that you cannot live without deception in their house. And now such an impressionable, poetically minded and at the same time decisive woman falls into the Kabanova family, into the musty atmosphere of hypocrisy and annoying, petty care, from which it breathes deathly cold and heartlessness. Naturally, the conflict between this situation of the "dark kingdom" and the bright spiritual world of Katerina ended tragically.

I would like to pose the question: "Could it have been different?" The tragedy of Katerina's position was further complicated by the fact that she was married off to a man whom she did not know and could not love, no matter how hard she tried to be a faithful and loving wife. Katerina's attempts to find a response in her husband's heart are broken by the slavish humiliation and narrow-mindedness of Tikhon and the rudeness of his interests. Tikhon thinks only about how to run to the Dikiy for a drink, to have a fun. He, like Katerina, wants to get out of the house, but, unlike his wife, sometimes he succeeds. It is not difficult to understand with what force her feelings flare up when she meets a person who is not like everyone around her. Katerina loves not like the women around her. She is ready for anything for a loved one, even transcending those concepts of sin and virtue that were sacred to her. The religiosity of Katerina is not Kabanikha's hypocrisy, but a deep, sincere conviction. “Ah, Varya,” she complains, “sin is on my mind! How much I, poor, cried, what I really did not do on myself! I cannot get away from this sin. Don't go anywhere. It’s not good, because it’s a terrible sin, Varenka, that I love someone else. ” The catastrophe occurs precisely because Katerina cannot and does not want to conceal her sin.

In the fourth act of the drama, in the scene of repentance, there is a denouement. A terrible thunderstorm, which she perceives as a "thunderstorm of God", "a terrible lady with her curses and an ancient painting on a dilapidated wall depicting" fiery hell "- all this almost drives Katerina crazy. She publicly, on the city boulevard, repents before her husband. If the drama ended with this scene, the invincibility of the foundations of the "dark kingdom" would be shown. This would give Kabanikha the right to triumph: "Where is it leading!" But the drama ends with Katerina's suicide, which should be perceived as her moral victory over the "dark forces", to which she did not want to submit. By doing this, she showed her desperate, albeit powerless, protest against the "dark kingdom." Today you can ask the question: "Why did she do it?" After all, she could leave home, like Varvara, which would annoy Kabanikhe even more. But Katerina was ready to do it. She was not afraid of distant Siberia, where her beloved Boris Grigorievich was sent. But he was too weak, he did not have enough character to break free from the power of the Kabanovs and Wilds. He is the only one among all who really understands Katerina, but he cannot help her: he has no determination to fight for his love. The path to a free life for Katerina is closed, and she does not want to go home, because "what is home, what is to the grave."

She sees no other way as suicide. Yes, it would probably be difficult to find a way out in the conditions of the mores that reigned in society in the middle of the 19th century. After all, another heroine of Russian literature, Anna Karenina, comes to the same decision later. Dobrolyubov called Katerina "a ray of light in the dark kingdom", which for a moment illuminated its unrestrained darkness.

In 1864, A. I. Herzen wrote about The Thunderstorm: “In this drama, the author penetrated into the deepest recesses<…>Russian life and threw a sudden ray of light into the unknown soul of a Russian woman who suffocates in the grip of the inexorable and half-savage life of a patriarchal family. "

The image of Katerina rightfully belongs to the best images of women, not only in Ostrovsky's work, which is now acquiring new significance, but also in all Russian fiction.

In 1859 A.N. Ostrovsky wrote the play "The Thunderstorm", which caused a stormy public response with the courage of the protagonist. Why did this story become the most popular of the entire series about the "dark kingdom"? Is the reason only in the heroine's deed? Could a young woman have acted differently? Schoolchildren are invited to write the essay "Was there a different path for Katerina", where different options for the development of the future life of the Kabanovs are considered.

Public significance of the play

Before starting to write the essay "Was there a different path for Katerina", it will be useful to find out the reasons for the success of this work. The Thunderstorm was written in 1859, when all of Russia was in anticipation of the peasant reform. Therefore, society accepted it with enthusiasm: the play was staged a huge number of times on the stage of all theaters in Russia.

Ostrovsky created a new type of heroine, who became the personification of the struggle against the old order. Her act looked in the eyes of society as the beginning of a new period. Everyone perceived the play not as a personal drama, but as a public one. Some asked Ostrovsky to exclude Kabanikha from the number of characters, because in her image they found a resemblance to the king. "The Thunderstorm" surprised readers with the strength and depth of its dramatic history, exposure of merchant customs and challenged them.

In the essay "Was there a different path for Katerina in the play" The Thunderstorm ", it is worth recalling the plot of the work itself in order to better analyze the development of other versions of history. Barbara. Kabanikha was a tyrannical woman, commanded her son Tikhon and humiliated her daughter-in-law Katerina. Kabanov always obeyed his mother, loved his wife in his own way, but never stood up for her. He often drank with a rich merchant named Savel Prokofich Dikoy. The merchant had such the same tough disposition as the Kabanikha.

Katerina was an honest girl, very pious, tried to please her mother-in-law in everything, but it was hard for her among them. She could not be in such a despotic, "home-building" society. Boris's nephew, an educated young man, comes to see Dikiy. He and Katerina fall in love. But the woman could not deceive her husband and confessed everything to him. Boris Dikoy is sent out of the city, and Katerina, realizing that she can no longer live like this, commits suicide. Of course, many readers feel sorry for the girl. Therefore, the essay "Was there a different path for Katerina in the play" The Thunderstorm "was included in the school curriculum.

Possible options for the development of the plot

The best way out of the situation for the young woman was to leave with Boris. This is what she hopes during their last date, that he will take her with him. But the young man was somewhat similar to Tikhon - he did not have his own opinion, was afraid to disobey his uncle and was not ready to protect Katerina. So he leaves, leaving the poor woman behind.

What else can you write in the essay "Was Katerina a different path in" The Thunderstorm "? Another option is to divorce Tikhon. But we should not forget that at that time it was almost impossible to get a divorce. If for the nobility divorce was a long and laborious process, for the merchants it was practically impossible.

The third option is to go to a monastery. But married she would be sent back to the Kabanov family.

The fourth and most terrible thing is to get rid of your husband and mother-in-law. But such an act Katerina could not have done: she has a too pure, bright soul, she is very pious, so the woman would not break the commandments.

In the essay "Was there a different path for Katerina" it can be mentioned that the connection could be hidden - Varvara advised her to be cunning. But this would be contrary to the principles of a young woman - she would not be able to deceive anyone.

The drama "The Thunderstorm", written in 1859, at the time of social upsurge on the eve of the peasant reorganization, as it were, crowned the first period of Ostrovsky's creative activity, a cycle of his plays about the "dark kingdom". This play was extremely popular. The drama was staged on the stages of almost all theaters in Russia: from large metropolitan theaters to theaters in small, lost towns. And it is not surprising, because Ostrovsky in the play showed a new heroine, symbolizing a protest against the old way of life, symbolizing the sprouts of a new life. And this is exactly how the play was received by the public. Even the censors perceived "The Thunderstorm" exactly as a public play, since they demanded that Ostrovsky remove Kabanikha at all: it seemed to them that Kabanikha was a parody of the tsar, "Nikolai Pavlovich in a Skirt."

According to V. Lakshin, "The Thunderstorm" amazed Ostrovsky's contemporaries with its "poetic power and drama of the story about the fate of Katerina." The play was perceived as a denunciation of the merchant norms of morality and arbitrariness that prevailed in the country.
I think that no one will argue with the fact that the fate of Katerina is really dramatic. She, perhaps, without realizing it herself, protested against the tyranny and despotism of the society in which she lived. Her voluntary death is precisely the challenge to this petty force. But was there another possible outcome?

After some reflection, one can come to the conclusion that, theoretically, Katerina Kabanova had a selection. Let's try to analyze the possible solutions to the conflict in the play.

The first and, perhaps, the most desirable way is to leave with Boris. This is what the poor lady hopes for when she goes on the last date with her beloved. But Boris, that same "educated Tikhon", is not able to take responsibility for his actions, is not able to take responsibility upon himself. He refuses Katherine. The last hope is crumbling.

The second way is to get a divorce. But at that time, in order to get a divorce, one could wait a very long time, and it was necessary to go through all the instances, try all the humiliations. If divorce was rare in noble families (remember Anna Karenina), then for a merchant family it was simply impossible.

The third way is to go to a monastery. But the husband's wife could not be accepted into the monastery. They would have found her there anyway and returned to her husband.

The fourth and most terrible path is the path of Katerina Izmailova. Get rid of your husband and mother-in-law, kill them. But Katerina Kabanova cannot choose the same path, she cannot hurt another person, she cannot violate the fifth commandment "Thou shalt not kill", since she is unusually devout.

Katerina could not exist according to the principle of Barbara: "Do what you want, as long as everything is sewn and covered." Katherine's nature cannot accept lies. It was impossible to simply leave her husband and return to her parental home, she would have been found and returned, and her shame would have fallen on the whole family.

There was one more way - to exist with Tikhon as before, because he loved her in his own way and forgave her misbehavior. But could Katerina listen to the daily prodding and reproaches of her mother-in-law? And the main thing is not that. With Boris, Katerina experienced true love, learned the charm of intimacy with a loved one, the joy of being in his arms. And how is it possible after that to exist with an unloved husband under the heel of Kabanikha, a husband who, moreover, is not able to defend his wife from his mother's insults? Of course not! Having fallen in love with Boris, Katerina could no longer love anyone else. Her whole nature, being led by feelings, did not allow even more thought about it. She couldn’t even think about returning to the Kabanovs' dwelling: “I don’t care whether it’s home or to the grave. Yes, it’s home or to the grave! .. It’s better in the grave ... And I don’t want to think about life ...” And people are disgusting to me, and dwelling is disgusting to me, and walls are disgusting! .. You can't live! Sin! "

Thus, the only way out for Katerina was suicide. Such a decision is by no means a weakness, but a strength of her character. It is known that suicide in the Christian tradition is the greatest offense. Suicides are buried behind the fence of the church and do not have a funeral service. But this does not frighten the devout Katerina. “Will they not pray?” She exclaims. “Whoever loves will pray ...” Such spiritual endowment and such integrity as Katerina's, one reward is death.

Certainly, Katerina is a "ray of light in the dark kingdom", but with her death it does not go out. The beam broke a gap among the formidable clouds - the world of the Wild and the Wild Boars. This gap is an ulcer in the "dark kingdom". The death of Katerina serves as a silent reproach to both Boris, "blindly submitting to the will of the Wild," and Tikhon, "a weak-willed victim of fear of his mother." Katerina makes the apathetic Tikhon, who in a frenzy accuse his mother, is inwardly roused: "You ruined her! You! You!"

V. Lakshin wrote about this last scene of the drama: "This, albeit apparently fragile, victory over the fear of authority constitutes the content of almost the most psychologically poignant and daring scene, worthily crowning the whole drama."

Katerina Kabanova is the heroine of the drama by A.N. Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm"
A wonderful woman, married to Tikhon, a weak and weak-willed person, unable to resist the iron will, despotism of her mother, Martha Ignatievna Kabanova, who constantly mocks Katerina, squeezes out of the white light.
The action takes place in the city of Kalinov, the "dark kingdom".
In this city live people who are not able to appreciate beauty, demanding complete submission, evil, deceitful, vile, in essence.
This is the majority.
Katerina is one of the few who can resist this.
She is a sensitive nature, alive, able to love, truly feel.
With all her being, Katya strives to resist the "cruel morals" of the city.
She was happy in her parents' home and treated her mother with great trepidation and love “she didn’t have a soul in her”.
"Thunderstorm" is the highest achievement of Ostrovsky in the pre-reform years (1859)
The central conflict of the play, conceived as a social and everyday drama, gradually reaches true tragedy. This is due to the image of Katerina Kabanova.
Katerina is a pure, bright nature, she loves and feels life absolutely sincerely.
Books, candles, icons - the world that Katya loved. This is a person with high spirituality, spiritual purity.
This is in herself, and the rest of the world, vicious, people living in darkness, complete darkness of their own selfishness, baseness. She was too beautiful for them, for the world in which she was forced to exist.
Most of all, Katerina herself needed support, support, she is tender, fragile, like a flower, gentle, defenseless, her vulnerable soul cannot withstand rough treatment.
Previously, her mother was such a support.
Katya lived in her own little world, where she was calm, warm, comfortable.
In care, affection and love.
In marriage, she loses everything. Her old world is destroyed, and the new one is too cruel, gloomy, gloomy for her.
There is nothing in it. From her husband, she receives nothing but a heightened sense of loneliness. Emptiness, cold, pain.
Katya is slowly dying. Her soul is fading.
The life of a "bird in a cage" is sickening.
Fly away, run away, fly high into the heavens as a proud and free bird, not chained by foundations, traditions, which are alien to any renewal.
She needs freedom like air, but she can't breathe. The only salvation is in prayers, in turning to God.
I see how Katerina, praying, recalls that cheerful, carefree and happy time when she is young, you enjoy every day, moment, second, breathe deeply and feel free, from prejudices, suffering, pain, where you are understood and loved.
Katya lives in the past, but this makes her soul groan.
He wants to be happy with her husband, to love him, but cannot.
Katya meekly tries to come to terms with the "boar manners", but the desire to be free is stronger.
Boris for the unfortunate woman is like a saving straw, she grabs at her in order to survive.
Passion captures her completely. She plunges into a pool, she asks the Lord for help to get out of it, but she cannot overcome the temptation.
She needed the support of her husband, mother-in-law, but none of them supported her.

I think that for Katya there was a different path, without fear and reproach, and this is not suicide.
You just need to stop feeling like a victim, not looking for support and support in others, waiting for someone to come and help, but become the very support for yourself. After all, her rich inner world can give her both strength and freedom .. You just need not to run away and not look for support in Boris as salvation, living in the past or feeling sorry for yourself.
To confront the "dark kingdom" Kalinov, Kabanikha and the Wild, to destroy all that evil that has subjugated the city.
Katerina is a very strong personality, but her problem is that she does not realize this.
First of all, you need to listen to yourself, your heart, soul and not depend on external circumstances, they are not able to break and conquer, I think Katerina did it herself.
His excessive impressionability, sometimes bordering on madness, his fanatical religiosity, his humility with fate, hope, faith, in someone, but not in himself.
Katya was unable to surrender to feelings for Boris, although it captured her entirely.
I could not reveal my inner potential, my amazing ability to subtly feel, love, feel harmony with nature and with God.
Katerina is a great woman, a great person.
They say about such people, "the Lord kissed."
Beautiful. Be such flowers in the life of your beloved men.
And only love, light, a "ray" of the sparkling light of the soul, coming from the depths of you, illuminates your path in any, the "darkest" kingdom. Shine for your loved ones. Be happy. And never renounce feelings, because that is exactly how Katerina did not find a way out, find the strength to treat relatives with kindness and affection, so that they also feel: you love.

Katerina dies because she has no other choice in solving the problem. She is placed in such conditions that if she had remained to live, she would, firstly, suffer from her thoughts and feelings, reproach herself. After all, it was she who spoke about her sin, if she had kept silent, no one would have known about it, but this does not mean that Katerina would have lived peacefully and for her own pleasure. Scolding herself, regretting the sin she had committed, she would drive herself crazy, she would slowly melt and fade away, over time she would have sucked herself into the grave. I think that Katerina would be afraid every day that they would find out about her sin, would think about it and her mental anguish would not leave her. It seems to me that if Varvara was in Katerina's place, she would have kept silent about what she had done and lived calmly. But Katerina, unlike Varvara, is religious, she just experienced love for the first time in her life, and could not drown it out, went on about her.

Secondly, Kabanikha would have “gnawed” her. She was already a tyrant in the family, and now she would become even worse. Katerina, with her strong character and will, could not endure her constant ridicule, mockery, indulgence, accusations. She would not have been able to develop, she would have withdrawn into herself. Her husband would have forgiven her soon, but not daring to contradict his mother, Tikhon would not defend her. It seems to me that Varvara could have shared her grief, she would have listened to her, but she would not have been able to help either, because she strongly depends on her mother. Third, the society in which she lives would reject her. Maybe someone understood Katerina (she did not marry for love, no children, bad mother-in-law), but no one would openly dare to defend and justify the girl. Kabanikha possessed authority and power in her city, if the children could not say a word to her in opposition, then the inhabitants of the city even more so. It would be very difficult for Katerina to live in such conditions.

If you think about another option, for example, Katerina would have left with Boris, but this is unrealistic. Boris would not have dared to do this, he is not so brave and decisive, his love would not have been enough to induce such actions. He is dependent on the Wild one, as he said, and does so. Even if we assume that Katerina and Boris would have fled abandoning their families, they have nowhere to run, they have no means of subsistence. And if Boris is free, then Katerina is a married woman, at that time it was very difficult to get a divorce, because the young were married. Again, there would be a struggle, contradictions inside Katerina. Still, no matter how scary it may sound, for Katerina, death was the best way out.