Characteristic of any character from a thunderstorm. Thunderstorm (main characters)

He opened the "locks" of two rich merchant houses in the city of Kalinov - the houses of Kabanova and Savel Dikgo.

Boar. Domineering and cruel, the old woman Kabanova is a living personification of the rules of false, sanctimonious "piety": she knows them well, she herself fulfilled them and steadily demands their implementation from others. These rules are as follows: the younger in the family must submit to the elder; they are not entitled to his opinion, their wishes, mine world - they must be "impersonal", they must be mannequins. Then they should be “afraid”, live in fear.” If there is no fear in life, then, in her opinion, the world will cease to stand. When Kabanova convinces her son, Tikhon, to act on his wife with "fear", he says that he does not want Katerina to be "afraid" of him at all - it is enough for him if she "loves" him. “Why be afraid? - she exclaims, - Why be afraid? Yes, you're crazy, right? You will not be afraid - me and even more so! What is the order in the house will be? After all, you, tea, live with her in law? Ali, do you think the law means nothing? Finally, the third rule is not to introduce anything "new" into life, to stand for the old in everything - in views on life, in human relations, customs and rituals. She laments that "the old man is being brought out." “What will happen when the old people die? How the light will stand, I don’t know!” she says with complete sincerity.

A. N. Ostrovsky. Thunderstorm. Play

These are the views of Kabanova, and her cruel nature is reflected in the way they are implemented. She crushes everyone with her lust for power; she does not know pity and condescension for anyone. She not only “monitors” the fulfillment of her rules, she invades with them into someone else’s soul, finds fault with people, “sharpenes” them for no reason, for no reason ... And all this is done with the full consciousness of her “right”, with the consciousness of "necessity" and with constant concerns about external deanery ...

The despotism and tyranny of Kabanikha is much worse than that shown by Gordey Tortsov in the play " Poverty is not a vice", or Wild. They do not have any support outside themselves, and therefore it is still possible, although rarely, skillfully playing on their psychology, to force them to become ordinary people for a while, as We love Tortsov with his brother. But there is no force that would bring down Kabanova: in addition to her despotic nature, she will always find support and support for herself in those foundations of life that she considers an inviolable shrine.

Savel Wild. Another “tyrant” of this drama is not like that - the merchant Savyol Diky. This is the brother of Gordey Tortsov: - rude, always drunk, who considers himself entitled to scold everyone because he is rich, Wild is despotic not “on principle”, like Kabanov, but out of a whim, a whim. There are no reasonable grounds for his actions - this is unbridled, devoid of any logical grounds, arbitrariness. Wild, according to the apt definition of the Kalinovites, is a “warrior”: in his own words, he has, “there is always a war going on at home.” "You are a worm! If I want - I will have mercy, if I want - I will crush! - here, the basis of his relationship with those people who are weaker, or poorer than him. A characteristic echo of antiquity was expressed by one feature of him - having scolded the peasant during his shit - he "in the yard, in the mud bowed to him, - in front of everyone ... bowed!"... This "nationwide repentance" expressed in him a glimpse of respect for some higher moral order of things established by antiquity.

Tikhon Kabanov. In the Kabanova family, the younger generation is represented by her son Tikhon, daughter-in-law Katerina and daughter Varvara. The influence of the old woman Kabanova was reflected in different ways on all these three faces.

Tikhon is a completely weak-willed, weak creature, impersonal by his mother .. He, an adult man, obeys her like a boy, and, afraid of disobeying her, is ready to humiliate and insult his beloved wife. His striving for freedom is expressed in pitiful, cowardly drunkenness on the side and the same cowardly hatred of his own home ...

Barbara Kabanova. Barbara is a more courageous nature than her brother. But even she can not afford an open struggle with her mother, face klitsu. And she wins her freedom by deceit and cunning. By "deanery", by hypocrisy, she covers up her wild life. Oddly enough, girls in the city of Kalinovo looked through their fingers at such a life: “when to take a walk, if not in girls!” - says Kabanova herself. "Sin is not a problem, rumor is not good!" - they said in Famusov's circle. The same point of view is here: publicity, according to Kabanova, is the worst thing.

Varvara also tried to arrange for Katerina the same "deceitful happiness" that she herself enjoyed with a clear conscience. And this led to a terrible tragedy.

Feklush. The pilgrim-prayer Feklusha represents in The Thunderstorm the exact opposite of the inquisitive mechanic Kuligin. Silly and cunning, an ignorant old woman, she pronounces an accusation against the entire new cultural life, glimpses of which disturb the "dark kingdom" with their newness. The whole world, with its vanity, seems to her to be the "kingdom of the flesh", the "kingdom of the Antichrist". Whoever serves "the world" serves the devil and destroys the soul. From this point of view, she converges with Kabanikha and with many other inhabitants of Kalinov and the entire “dark kingdom” depicted by Ostrovsky.

In Moscow, life is teeming, they are fussing, in a hurry, as if they are looking for something, says Feklusha, and contrasts this “vanity” with the peace and silence of Kalinov, who was sinking into sleep at sunset. Feklusha explains the reasons for the “city fuss” in the old fashioned way: the devil invisibly scattered the “seeds of the tares” into human hearts, and people moved away from God and serve him. Any novelty frightens Feklusha into her like-minded people - she considers the steam locomotive a “fire-breathing snake”, and the old woman Kabanova agrees with her ... And at this time, here, in Kalinovo, Kuligin dreams of perpetuum mobile ... What an inconsistent conflict of interests and worldviews !

Boris. Boris Grigorievich, Dikoi's nephew, is an educated young man who listens to Kuligin's enthusiastic speeches with a slight, polite smile, because he does not believe in perpetuum mobile. But, despite his education, culturally, he is lower than Kuligin, who is armed with both faith and strength. Boris does not apply his education to anything, and he has no strength to fight life! He, without a struggle with his conscience, captivates Katerina and, without a struggle with people, leaves her to the mercy of her fate. He is a weak person, and Katerina was carried away by him simply because "in the wilderness, even Thomas is a nobleman." Some gloss of culture, cleanliness and decency in manners, that's what made Katerina idealize Boris. Yes, and it was unbearable for her to live, if there were no Boris, she would idealize another.

The action of the play "Thunderstorm" takes place in the fictional town of Kalinov, which is a collective image of all the provincial towns of that time.
There are not so many main characters in the play "Thunderstorm", each must be said separately.

Katerina is a young woman married without love, "in a strange direction", God-fearing and pious. In the parental home, Katerina grew up in love and care, prayed and enjoyed life. Marriage for her turned out to be a difficult test, which her meek soul opposes. But, despite outward timidity and humility, passions boil in Katerina's soul when she falls in love with a strange man.

Tikhon - Katerina's husband, a kind and gentle person, loves his wife, pities her, but, like all households, obeys his mother. He does not dare to go against the will of the "mother" throughout the play, as well as openly tell his wife about his love, since the mother forbids this, so as not to spoil his wife.

Kabanikha - the widow of the landowner Kabanov, mother of Tikhon, mother-in-law of Katerina. A despotic woman, in whose power the whole house is, no one dares to take a step without her knowledge, fearing a curse. According to one of the heroes of the play, Kudryash, Kabanikh - “a hypocrite, gives to the poor, but eats homemade food.” It is she who tells Tikhon and Katerina how to build their family life in the best traditions of Domostroy.

Varvara is Tikhon's sister, an unmarried girl. Unlike her brother, she obeys her mother only for the sake of appearances, while she herself secretly runs on dates at night, inciting Katerina to do so. Its principle is that you can sin if no one sees, otherwise you will spend your whole life next to your mother.

The landowner Dikoy is an episodic character, but personifying the image of a “tyrant”, i.e. those in power who are sure that money gives the right to do whatever your heart desires.

Boris, Diky's nephew, who arrived in the hope of receiving his share of the inheritance, falls in love with Katerina, but cowardly runs away, leaving the woman he seduced.

In addition, Kudryash, Wild's clerk, is participating. Kuligin is a self-taught inventor, constantly trying to introduce something new into the life of a sleepy town, but is forced to ask Wild for money for inventions. The same, in turn, being a representative of the "fathers", is sure of the futility of Kuligin's undertakings.

All the names and surnames in the play are "speaking", they tell about the character of their "masters" better than any actions.

She herself vividly shows the confrontation between the "old" and "young". The former actively resist all sorts of innovations, complaining that young people have forgotten the orders of their ancestors and do not want to live "as expected." The latter, in turn, are trying to free themselves from the yoke of parental orders, they understand that life is moving forward, changing.

But not everyone decides to go against the parental will, someone - because of the fear of losing their inheritance. Someone - accustomed to obey their parents in everything.

Against the backdrop of flourishing tyranny and precepts of Domostroy, the forbidden love of Katerina and Boris blossoms. Young people are drawn to each other, but Katerina is married, and Boris depends on his uncle for everything.

The heavy atmosphere of the city of Kalinov, the pressure of the evil mother-in-law, the thunderstorm that has begun, force Katerina, tormented by remorse because of her betrayal of her husband, to confess everything in public. The boar rejoices - she turned out to be right in advising Tikhon to keep his wife "strict". Tikhon is afraid of his mother, but her advice to beat his wife so that she knows is unthinkable for him.

The explanation of Boris and Katerina further aggravates the situation of the unfortunate woman. Now she has to live away from her beloved, with her husband, who knows about her betrayal, with his mother, who will now definitely exhaust her daughter-in-law. Katerina's piety leads her to think that there is no more reason to live, the woman throws herself off a cliff into the river.

Only after losing the woman he loves does Tikhon realize how much she meant to him. Now he will have to live all his life with the understanding that his callousness and obedience to his tyrant mother led to such an ending. The last words of the play are the words of Tikhon, pronounced over the body of his dead wife: “Good for you, Katya! And why in the world did I stay to live and suffer!

Without a doubt, The Thunderstorm (1859) is the pinnacle of Alexander Ostrovsky's dramaturgy. The author shows the most important changes in the social and political life of Russia on the example of family relations. That is why his creation needs a detailed analysis.

The process of creating the play "Thunderstorm" is connected by many threads with past periods in Ostrovsky's work. The author is attracted by the same issues as in the “Moskvitian” plays, but the image of the family receives a different interpretation (the denial of the stagnation of patriarchal life and the oppression of Domostroy was new). The appearance of a bright, kind beginning, a natural heroine is an innovation in the author's work.

The first thoughts and sketches of The Thunderstorm appeared in the summer of 1859, and already in early October the writer had a clear idea of ​​the whole picture. The work was strongly influenced by the journey along the Volga. Under the patronage of the Naval Ministry, an ethnographic expedition was organized to study the customs and mores of the indigenous population of Russia. Ostrovsky also took part in it.

The city of Kalinov is a collective image of different Volga cities, which at the same time are similar to each other, but have their own distinctive features. Ostrovsky, as an experienced researcher, entered all his observations about the life of the Russian provinces and the specifics of the behavior of the inhabitants into a diary. Based on these recordings, the characters of "Thunderstorm" were later created.

The meaning of the name

A thunderstorm is not only a rampant element, but also a symbol of the collapse and purification of the stagnant atmosphere of a provincial town, where the medieval orders of Kabanikhi and Dikiy ruled. This is the meaning of the play's title. With the death of Katerina, which occurred during a thunderstorm, the patience of many people is exhausted: Tikhon rebels against the tyranny of his mother, Varvara escapes, Kuligin openly blames the inhabitants of the city for what happened.

For the first time, Tikhon spoke about a thunderstorm during the farewell ceremony: “... There will be no thunderstorm over me for two weeks.” By this word, he meant the oppressive atmosphere of his home, where the despotic mother rules the show. “The storm is sent to us as punishment,” Dikoy says to Kuligin. The tyrant understands this phenomenon as a punishment for his sins, he is afraid to pay for an unfair attitude towards people. The boar is in solidarity with him. Katerina, whose conscience is also not clear, sees the punishment for sin in thunder and lightning. The righteous wrath of God - this is another role of a thunderstorm in Ostrovsky's play. And only Kuligin understands that only a flash of electricity can be found in this natural phenomenon, but his advanced views cannot yet get along in a city that needs to be cleansed. If you need more information about the role and meaning of thunderstorms, you can read on this topic.

Genre and direction

"Thunderstorm" is a drama, according to A. Ostrovsky. This genre defines a heavy, serious, often everyday plot, close to reality. Some reviewers have mentioned a more precise wording: domestic tragedy.

In terms of direction, this play is absolutely realistic. The main indicator of this, perhaps, is the description of the mores, habits and everyday aspects of the existence of the inhabitants of the provincial Volga cities (detailed description). The author attaches great importance to this, carefully describing the realities of the life of the characters and their images.

Composition

1. Exposition: Ostrovsky paints an image of the city and even the world in which the characters live and future events unfold.
2. This is followed by the beginning of Katerina's conflict with the new family and society as a whole and the internal conflict (dialogue between Katerina and Barbara).
3. After the plot, we see the development of the action, during which the characters seek to resolve the conflict.
4. Closer to the final, the conflict comes to the point where problems require urgent resolution. The climax is Katerina's last monologue in act 5.
5. Following her is the denouement, which shows the insolubility of the conflict on the example of the death of Katerina.

Conflict

There are several conflicts in The Thunderstorm:

1. Firstly, this is a confrontation between tyrants (Dikay, Kabanikha) and victims (Katerina, Tikhon, Boris, etc.). This is a conflict between two worldviews - the old and the new, obsolete and freedom-loving characters. This conflict is illuminated.
2. On the other hand, the action exists due to the psychological conflict, that is, internal - in the soul of Katerina.
3. The social conflict gave rise to all the previous ones: Ostrovsky begins his work with the marriage of an impoverished noblewoman and a merchant. This trend has spread widely in the time of the author. The ruling aristocratic class began to lose power, becoming poorer and ruined due to idleness, extravagance and commercial illiteracy. But the merchants gained momentum due to unscrupulousness, assertiveness, business acumen and nepotism. Then some decided to improve things at the expense of others: the nobles gave out refined and educated daughters for rude, ignorant, but rich sons from the merchant guild. Because of this discrepancy, the marriage of Katerina and Tikhon is initially doomed to failure.

essence

Brought up in the best traditions of aristocracy, the noblewoman Katerina, at the insistence of her parents, married the uncouth and soft-bodied drunkard Tikhon, who belonged to a wealthy merchant family. His mother oppresses her daughter-in-law, imposing on her the false and ridiculous orders of Domostroy: crying for show before her husband leaves, humiliating herself in front of us in public, etc. The young heroine finds sympathy with Kabanikh's daughter, Varvara, who teaches her new relative to hide her thoughts and feelings, secretly acquiring the joys of life. During her husband's departure, Katerina falls in love and begins dating Diky's nephew, Boris. But their dates end in separation, because the woman does not want to hide, she wants to run away with her beloved to Siberia. But the hero cannot risk taking her with him. As a result, she still repents of her sins to her husband and mother-in-law, and receives severe punishment from Kabanikha. Realizing that her conscience and domestic oppression do not allow her to live on, she rushes into the Volga. After her death, the younger generation rebels: Tikhon reproaches his mother, Varvara runs away with Kudryash, etc.

Ostrovsky's play combines features and contradictions, all the pluses and minuses of feudal Russia in the 19th century. The town of Kalinov is a collective image, a simplified model of Russian society, described in detail. Looking at this model, we see "the necessary need for active and energetic people." The author shows that an outdated worldview only interferes. It first spoils relationships in the family, and later it does not allow cities and the whole country to develop.

Main characters and their characteristics

The work has a clear system of characters, which fit the images of the characters.

1. First, they are oppressors. Wild is a typical petty tyrant and a rich merchant. From his insults, relatives scatter in the corners. The servants of the Wild are cruel. Everyone knows that it is impossible to please him. Kabanova is the embodiment of the patriarchal way of life, the outdated Domostroy. A rich merchant's wife, a widow, she constantly insists on observing all the traditions of her ancestors and follows them clearly herself. We have described them in more detail in this.
2. Secondly, adapt. Tikhon is a weak man who loves his wife, but cannot find the strength to protect her from her mother's oppression. He does not support the old orders and traditions, but sees no reason to go against the system. Such is Boris, who endures the intrigues of his rich uncle. This article is devoted to the disclosure of their images. Varvara is the daughter of Kabanikhi. She takes her deceit by living a double life. During the day, she formally obeys the conventions, at night she walks with Kudryash. Falsity, resourcefulness and cunning do not spoil her cheerful, adventurous disposition: she is also kind and responsive to Katerina, gentle and caring towards her beloved. A whole is dedicated to the characterization of this girl.
3. Katerina stands apart, the characterization of the heroine is different from everyone else. This is a young intelligent noblewoman, whom her parents surrounded with understanding, care and attention. Therefore, the girl got used to freedom of thought and speech. But in marriage, she faced cruelty, rudeness and humiliation. At first she tried to come to terms, to love Tikhon and his family, but nothing came of it: Katerina's nature opposed this unnatural union. Then she tried on the role of a hypocritical mask that has a secret life. It didn’t suit her either, because the heroine is distinguished by directness, conscience and honesty. As a result, out of hopelessness, she decided to rebel, admitting her sin and then committing a more terrible one - suicide. We wrote more about the image of Katerina in dedicated to her.
4. Kuligin is also a special hero. It expresses the author's position, introducing a bit of progressiveness into the archaic world. The hero is a self-taught mechanic, he is educated and smart, unlike the superstitious inhabitants of Kalinov. We also wrote a short story about his role in the play and character.

Themes

• The main theme of the work is the life and customs of Kalinov (we devoted a separate one to her). The author describes a remote province in order to show people that one should not cling to the remnants of the past, one should understand the present and think about the future. And the inhabitants of the Volga town are frozen out of time, their life is monotonous, false and empty. It is spoiled and hindered in the development of superstition, conservatism, as well as the unwillingness of petty tyrants to change for the better. Such a Russia will continue to vegetate in poverty and ignorance.
• Love and family are also important themes here, as in the course of the story the problems of upbringing and the conflict of generations are raised. The influence of the family on certain characters is very important (Katerina is a reflection of her parents' upbringing, and Tikhon grew up so spineless because of his mother's tyranny).
• The theme of sin and repentance. The heroine stumbled, but in time she realized her mistake, deciding to correct herself and repent of her deed. From the point of view of Christian philosophy, this is a highly moral decision that elevates and justifies Katerina. If you are interested in this topic, read our about it.

Issues

Social conflict entails social and personal problems.

1. Ostrovsky, firstly, denounces tyranny as a psychological phenomenon in the images of Dikoy and Kabanova. These people played with the fate of their subordinates, trampling down the manifestations of their individuality and freedom. And because of their ignorance and despotism, the younger generation becomes as vicious and useless as the one that has already outlived its own.
2. Secondly, the author condemns weakness, obedience and selfishness with the help of images of Tikhon, Boris and Barbara. By their behavior, they only condone the tyranny of the owners of life, although they could together turn the tide in their favor.
3. The problem of the controversial Russian character, conveyed in the image of Katerina, can be called personal, albeit inspired by global upheavals. A deeply religious woman, in search and finding herself, commits adultery, and then commits suicide, which is contrary to all Christian canons.
4. moral issues associated with love and devotion, education and tyranny, sin and repentance. The characters cannot distinguish one from the other, these concepts are intricately intertwined. Katerina, for example, is forced to choose between fidelity and love, and Kabanikha does not see the difference between the role of a mother and the power of a dogmatist, she is driven by good intentions, but she embodies them to the detriment of everyone.
5. Tragedy of conscience a lot is important. For example, Tikhon had to make a decision whether to protect his wife from his mother's attacks or not. Katerina also made a deal with her conscience when she got close to Boris. You can learn more about this.
6. Ignorance. The inhabitants of Kalinovo are stupid and uneducated, they trust fortune-tellers and wanderers, and not scientists and professionals in their field. Their worldview is turned to the past, they do not strive for a better life, so there is nothing to be surprised at the savagery of morals and the ostentatious hypocrisy of the main people of the city.

Meaning

The author is convinced that the desire for freedom is natural, despite certain failures in life, and tyranny and hypocrisy are ruining the country and talented people in it. Therefore, it is necessary to defend one's independence, craving for knowledge, beauty and spirituality, otherwise the old order will not go anywhere, their falsity will simply embrace the new generation and force them to play by their own rules. This idea is reflected in the position of Kuligin, Ostrovsky's original voice.

The author's position in the play is clearly expressed. We understand that Kabanikha, although she preserves traditions, is not right, just like the rebellious Katerina is not right. However, Katerina had potential, she had a mind, she had a purity of thoughts, and the great people personified in her will still be able to be reborn, throwing off the shackles of ignorance and tyranny. You can find out more about the meaning of drama in this topic.

Criticism

The Thunderstorm became the subject of fierce debate among critics in both the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 19th century, Nikolai Dobrolyubov (the article “A Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom”), Dmitry Pisarev (the article “Motives of Russian Drama”) and Apollon Grigoriev wrote about it from opposite positions.

I. A. Goncharov highly appreciated the play and expressed his opinion in the critical article of the same name:

In the same drama, a broad picture of national life and customs subsided, with unparalleled artistic fullness and fidelity. Every face in a drama is a typical character snatched straight from the milieu of folk life.

The play "Thunderstorm" is the most famous creation of Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky. Each hero of this work is a unique personality that takes its place in the system of characters. Noteworthy in this regard is the characteristic of Tikhon. The Thunderstorm, a play whose main conflict is based on the confrontation between the strong and the weak, is interesting for its oppressed heroes, including our character.

The play "Thunderstorm"

The play was written in 1859. The scene is the fictional city of Kalinov, which stands on the banks of the Volga. Time of action - summer, the whole work covers 12 days.

According to its genre, "Thunderstorm" refers to the social drama. Ostrovsky paid much attention to the description of the everyday life of the city, the characters of the work come into conflict with the established orders, which have long become obsolete, and the despotism of the older generation. Of course, Katerina (the main character) expresses the main protest, but her husband also occupies not the last place in the rebellion, which is confirmed by Tikhon's characterization.

"Thunderstorm" is a work that tells about human freedom, about the desire to break out of the shackles of outdated dogmas, religious authoritarianism. And all this is depicted against the backdrop of the failed love of the main character.

Image system

The system of images in the play is built on the opposition of tyrants who are used to commanding everyone (Kabanikha, Dikoy), and young people who want to finally find freedom and live by their own mind. Katerina leads the second camp, only she has the courage to open confrontation. However, other young characters also strive to get rid of the yoke of dilapidated and meaningless rules. But there are those who resigned themselves, and not the last among them is Katerina's husband (below is a detailed description of Tikhon).

"The Thunderstorm" draws the world of the "dark kingdom", only the heroes themselves can destroy it or die, like Katerina, misunderstood and rejected. It turns out that the petty tyrants who seized power and their laws are too strong, and any rebellion against them leads to tragedy.

Tikhon: characteristic

"Thunderstorm" is a work where there are no strong male characters (with the exception of Wild). So, Tikhon Kabanov appears only as a weak-willed, weak and intimidated by his mother man, unable to protect his beloved woman. The characterization of Tikhon from the play "Thunderstorm" shows that this hero is a victim of the "dark kingdom", he lacks the determination to live with his own mind. Whatever he does and wherever he goes - everything happens according to the will of the mother.

As a child, Tikhon was accustomed to follow the orders of the Kabanikh, and this habit remained in him in his mature years. Moreover, this need to obey is so ingrained that even the thought of disobedience plunges him into horror. Here is what he himself says about this: “Yes, mama, I don’t want to live by my own will.”

The characteristic of Tikhon ("Thunderstorm") speaks of this character as a person who is ready to endure all the mockery and rudeness of his mother. And the only thing he dares to do is the desire to break out of the house to have a spree. This is the only freedom and liberation available to him.

Katerina and Tikhon: characteristics

"Thunderstorm" is a play where one of the main storylines is love, but how close is it to our hero? Yes, Tikhon loves his wife, but in his own way, not in the way that Kabanikha would like. He is affectionate with her, does not want to dominate the girl, intimidate her. However, Tikhon does not understand Katerina and her mental suffering at all. His softness has a detrimental effect on the heroine. If Tikhon had been a little more courageous and possessed at least some will and ability to fight, Katerina would not have needed to look for all this on the side - in Boris.

The characterization of Tikhon from the play "Thunderstorm" exposes him in a completely unattractive light. Despite the fact that he reacted calmly to his wife's betrayal, he was unable to protect her either from his mother or from other representatives of the "dark kingdom". He leaves Katerina alone despite his love for her. The non-intervention of this character was largely the cause of the final tragedy. Only realizing that he lost his beloved, Tikhon ventures into an open rebellion against his mother. He accuses her of the death of the girl, no longer fearing her tyranny and power over him.

Images of Tikhon and Boris

A comparative description of Boris and Tikhon ("The Thunderstorm") allows us to conclude that they are similar in many respects, some literary critics even call them twin heroes. So, what do they have in common, and how are they different?

Not finding the necessary support and understanding from Tikhon, Katerina turns to Boris. What was it about him that attracted the heroine so much? First of all, he differs from other residents of the city: he is educated, graduated from the academy, and dresses in European style. But that's just the outside, what's on the inside? In the course of the story, it turns out that he depends on the Wild in the same way as Tikhon depends on the Boar. Boris is weak-willed and spineless. He says that he keeps only his inheritance, having lost it, his sister will become a dowry. But all this seems like an excuse: he endures all the humiliations of his uncle too humbly. Boris sincerely falls in love with Katerina, but he does not care that this love will destroy a married woman. He, like Tikhon, worries only about himself. In words, both of these heroes sympathize with the main character, but they do not have enough fortitude to help her, protect her.

Tikhon Kabanov's wife and Kabanikh's daughter-in-law. This is the central character of the play, with the help of which Ostrovsky shows the fate of a strong, extraordinary personality in a small patriarchal town. In Katerina, since childhood, the desire for happiness is very strong, which, with growing up, develops into a desire for mutual love.

The rich merchant's wife Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova is one of the main pillars of the "dark kingdom". This is an imperious, cruel, superstitious woman who treats everything new with deep distrust and even contempt. In the progressive phenomena of her time, she sees only evil, therefore Kabanikha with such jealousy protects her little world from their invasion.

Katerina's husband and Kabanikh's son. This is a man downtrodden, suffering from constant reproaches and orders from Kabanikhi. In this character, the crippling, destructive power of the "dark kingdom" is most fully revealed, which turns people into only shadows of themselves. Tikhon is not capable of fighting back - he constantly makes excuses, pleasing his mother in every possible way, afraid of disobeying her.

One of the central characters, who is the nephew of the merchant Wild. Among the provincial public of the city of Kalinov, Boris is noticeably distinguished by his upbringing and education. Indeed, from the stories of Boris it becomes clear that he came here from Moscow, where he was born, grew up and lived until his parents died from a cholera epidemic.

One of the most respected representatives of Kalinov is the enterprising and powerful merchant Savel Prokofievich Dikoi. At the same time, this figure, along with Kabanikha, is considered the personification of the "dark kingdom". At its core, Wild is a tyrant who, in the first place, puts only his desires and whims. Therefore, his relationship with others can be characterized by only one word - arbitrariness.

Vanya Kudryash is the bearer of the national character - he is a solid, courageous and cheerful person who can always stand up for himself and for his feelings. This hero appears in the very beginning of the scene, introducing the readers, together with Kuligin, to the orders and customs of Kalinov and its inhabitants.

Daughter of Kabanikha and sister of Tikhon. She is self-confident, not afraid of mystical omens, knows what she wants from life. But at the same time, Varvara's personality has some moral flaws, the cause of which is life in the Kabanov family. She does not like the cruel rules of this provincial city at all, but Varvara does not find anything better than to come to terms with the established way of life.

The play shows a character who, throughout the work, makes certain efforts to protect progress and public interests. And even his last name - Kuligin - is very similar to the name of the famous Russian mechanic-inventor Ivan Kulibin. Despite his bourgeois origin, Kuligin strives for knowledge, but not for selfish purposes. His main concern is the development of his native city, so all his efforts are directed to the "public benefit".

The wanderer Feklusha is a minor character, but at the same time a very characteristic representative of the "dark kingdom". Wanderers and the blessed have always been regular guests of merchants' houses. For example, Feklusha entertains representatives of the Kabanovs with various tales about overseas countries, talking about people with dog heads and rulers who "whatever they judge, everything is wrong."