Victims of the "dark kingdom" in Ostrovsky's drama "The Thunderstorm".

The purpose of the lesson: identifying aspects of the lives of the victims of the "Dark Kingdom", which did not allow or allowed them to make the right choice in life, to analyze individual fragments.

During the classes.

I . Pupils tell prepared messages about Barbara and Kudryash.

Speakers should pay attention to the following: Barbara does not protest against the foundations of the "dark kingdom", she adapts to it. She has will and courage, but they are not aimed at fighting the orders of Kabanikha. Varvara defines life principles as follows: “But in my opinion: do what you want, as long as everything is sewn and covered.” She sympathizes with Katerina, despises her brother's spinelessness, indignant at her mother's heartlessness, but Katerina's emotional impulses are incomprehensible to her.

Kudryash is the opposite of Barbara, he is much smarter than her, the folk principle is stronger in him. This is a gifted nature, kind, sensitive, but willful. The world of the "dark kingdom" Kudryash opposes his prowess with mischief, his protest is of a personal nature and is expressed in "revelry", ugly "daring". Ostrovsky also does not accept this position in relation to the "dark kingdom".

II In the play, Tikhon is shown as a typical representative of the merchant world, where economic and family and household despotism turns a person into a meek and obedient victim.

Find the first remark of Kudryash about Tikhon in the first act ("Her husband is ... a fool").Can you agree with this assessment?

What is Tikhon's attitude to the world, to everything in the house?

From childhood, Tikhon got used to obey his mother in everything, got used to the fact that in adulthood he is afraid to act against her will. He resignedly endures all the mockery of Kabanikha, not daring to protest. "But how can I, mamma, disobey you!" - he says and adds then: "Yes, I, mamma, and do not want to live by my own will. Where can I live by my will!"

What does Tikhon think about Katerina's act "like a mummy" and in his own way? (“Here mamma says - she must be buried alive in the ground so that she can be executed.” - And I love her, I'm sorry to touch her with a finger. She eats her by the way, and she walks like a shadow, unrequited. She just cries and melts like wax. So I am killed looking at her. " The spiritual world of Katerina is incomprehensible to him, a person who is not only weak-willed, but also limited, simple-minded."I can't understand you, Katya! You can't get a word from you, let alone affection; otherwise you climb like that yourself," he says to her. Nor did he understand the drama brewing in his wife's soul. Tikhon unwittingly becomes one of the culprits of her death, since he refused to support Katerina, pushed her away at the most critical moment.

According to Dobrolyubov, Tikhon is "a living corpse - not one, not an exception, but a whole mass of people subject to the pernicious influence of the Wild and Kabanovs!"

III Boris - this character, the only one in the play, is not dressed in Russian. This is not only because Boris is more educated than others, not because Kalinov is a slum for him, and he is a stranger here. He understands the savagery and cruelty of the morals of the Kalinovites. But he is powerless, indecisive: material dependence presses on him and turns him into a victim of his tyrant uncle. "Education took away from him the power to do dirty tricks ... but did not give him the strength to resist the dirty tricks that others do," notes Dobrolyubov.

He lives in the present day and does not really think about the moral consequences of his love. ("How long has my husband left? ... Oh, we will take a walk! Time is enough ... No one will know about our love") Boris, not devoid of spiritual nobility, is distinguished by timidity, passivity and inconsistency in his actions. He is unable to save or pity Katerina. In the scene of the last date, Katerina thinks about him, but even these minutes he cannot overcome his slavish fear. (“You wouldn’t find us here!”, “Time for me, Katya.”) Boris - as he is, on the other - created by Katerina's imagination.Dobrolyubov was right when he thought that Katerina fell in love with him "more for being alone", for the absence of a more worthy person.

IV Speaking about Kuligin, let's analyze the main lines of the character:

How does Kuligin appear before us when we first meet? ( Ietc., 1 app.)

What is the attitude of Kuligin to the customs of the city of Kalinov?

What is the meaning of the monologue "This is such a town, sir, we have a town ..."? ( IIIetc., 3 jav.)

Why did it take Kuligin to ask Dikiy for money? How does he want to use them up? ( IVetc., 2 jav.)

How does Kuligin relate to the Kabanov family drama? ( Vetc., 2 jav.)

What is Kuligin's attitude to Katerina's suicide? ( Vd, 8 jav.)

What is the difference from the inhabitants of the city of Kuligin?

An educated person, a self-taught mechanic - the surname resembles the surname Kulibin. Feels the beauty of nature. He wants to improve the city, tries to persuade Dikiy to give money for a sundial, for a lightning rod. He tries to influence the inhabitants, educate them, explaining the thunderstorm as a natural phenomenon. Kuligin personifies the best part of the city's inhabitants, but he is lonely, so he is considered an eccentric.

V Lesson summary: Tikhon and Boris failed to protect and save Katerina. And both the "dark kingdom", which turned them into weak-willed, downtrodden people, doomed to "live and suffer." But even such weak, weak-willed, resigned to life, driven to extremes, like the inhabitants of Kalinov, are able to condemn the despotism of tyrants. The death of Katerina pushed Kudryash and Varvara to search for another life, forced Kuligin to turn to tyrants for the first time with bitter reproach. Even the unfortunate Tikhon comes out of unconditional obedience to his mother, regrets that he did not die with his wife: "It's good for you, Katya! But why did I stay in the world and suffer!" Of course, the protest of Varvara, Kudryash, Kuligin, Tikhon has a different character than that of Katerina. But Ostrovsky showed that the "dark kingdom" is beginning to shake, and Dikoy and Kabanikha are showing signs of fear of new phenomena that they do not understand in the life around them.

Homework : select quotes to characterize Katerina.

In many of his dramas, Ostrovsky portrayed social injustice, human vices and negative sides. Poverty, greed, uncontrolled desire to be in power - these and many other themes can be traced in the plays "Our people will be numbered", "Poverty is not a vice", "Dowry". “Thunderstorm” should also be viewed in the context of the above works. The world described by the playwright in the text was called by critics "the dark kingdom". It seems to be a kind of swamp, from which it is impossible to find a way out, which sucks in a person more and more, killing humanity in him. At first glance, there are very few such victims of the "dark kingdom" in The Thunderstorm.

The first victim of the "dark kingdom" is Katerina Kabanova. Katya is a frequent and honest girl. She was married early, but she never managed to fall in love with her husband. Despite this, she still tries to find positive aspects in him in order to maintain established relationships and the marriage itself. Katya is terrorized by Kabanikha, one of the brightest representatives of the "dark kingdom". Marfa Ignatievna insults her daughter-in-law, trying with all her might to break her.

However, it is not only the opposition of characters that makes Katerina a victim. This, of course, is the circumstance. In the "dark kingdom" an honest life is a priori impossible. Everything here is built on lies, pretense and flattery. Strong is the one who has money. Power in Kalinov belongs to the rich and merchants, for example, Dikiy, whose moral bar is very low. Merchants deceive each other, steal from ordinary residents, seeking their own enrichment and increasing their influence. The motive of lies is often found in the description of everyday life. Varvara tells Katya that only a lie holds the Kabanov family together, and Boris is surprised by Katya's desire to tell Tikhon and Martha Ignatievna about their secret relationship. Katerina often compares herself to a bird: the girl wants to escape from this place, but there is no way. The "dark kingdom" will find Katya anywhere, because it is not limited to the framework of a fictional city. No exit. Katya makes a desperate and final decision: either to live honestly or not at all. “I live, I suffer, I don’t see a glimpse of myself. Yes, and I will not see, know! " The first option, as mentioned earlier, is impossible, so Katya chooses the second. The girl commits suicide not so much because Boris refuses to take her to Siberia, but because he understands: Boris turned out to be the same as the others, and a life full of reproaches and shame can no longer continue. “Here's your Katerina. Her body is here, take it; and the soul is now not yours: it is now before a judge who is more merciful than you!

"- with these words, Kuligin gives the girl's body to the Kabanov family. In this remark, it is important to compare with the supreme judge. It makes the reader and viewer think about how rotten the world of the "dark kingdom" is, that even the Last Judgment turns out to be more merciful than the court of "tyrants".

Tikhon Kabanov is also a victim in the "Thunderstorm". The phrase with which Tikhon appears in the play is very noteworthy: "How can I, mamma, disobey you!" The mother's despotism makes him a victim. By himself, Tikhon is kind and, to some extent, caring. He loves Katya and takes pity on her. But the mother's authority is unshakable. Tikhon is a weak-willed mama's son, whom Marfa Ignatievna's excessive guardianship has made to be twitchy and spineless. He does not understand how you can resist the will of Kabanikha, have your own opinion, or so on. “Yes, mamma, I don’t want to live by my own will. Where can I live by my own will! " - this is how Tikhon answers his mother. Toska Kabanov is used to drowning in alcohol (he often drinks with Dikim). His character underlines the name. Tikhon is not able to understand the power of his wife's internal conflict, he cannot help her, however, Tikhon has a desire to break out of this cage. For example, he is happy with his departure for a short 14 days, because all this time he has a chance to be independent. There will be no "thunderstorm" over him in the form of a controlling mother. The last phrase of Tikhon says that the man understands: it is better to die than to live such a life, but Tikhon cannot decide to commit suicide.

Kuligin is shown as a dreaming inventor advocating for the public good. He constantly thinks about how to improve the life of the city, although he perfectly understands that none of the residents of Kalinov needs this. He understands the beauty of nature, quotes Derzhavin. Kuligin is more educated and taller than ordinary people, however, he is poor and alone in his efforts. Dikoy only laughs at him when the inventor talks about the benefits of a lightning rod. Savl Prokofievich does not believe that money can be earned in an honest way, therefore he openly mocks and threatens Kuligin. Perhaps Kuligin understood the true motives of Katya's suicide. But he is making attempts to soften the contradictions, to find a compromise. In front of him, there is no choice either this way or not at all. The young man does not see an active way to resist the "tyrants".

The victims in the play "The Thunderstorm" are several characters: Katerina, Kuligin and Tikhon. Boris cannot be called a victim for two reasons: firstly, he came from another city, and secondly, in fact, he is just as deceitful and two-faced as the rest of the inhabitants of the "dark kingdom".

The above description and the list of victims of the "dark kingdom" can be used by pupils in grades 10 when writing an essay on the topic "Victims of the dark kingdom in the play" The Thunderstorm ".

Product test

In the atmosphere of the "dark kingdom", under the yoke of a self-righteous force, living human feelings fade, wither, will weakens, reason fades. If a person is endowed with energy, a thirst for life, then, applying to circumstances, he begins to lie, cheat, dodge.

Under the pressure of this dark force, the characters of Tikhon and Varvara develop. And this force disfigures them - each in its own way.

Tikhon is depressed, pitiful, impersonal. But even the oppression of Kabanikha did not completely kill the living feelings in him. Somewhere in the depths of his timid soul, there is a light flickering - love for his wife. He does not dare to show this love, he does not understand the complex mental life of Katerina and is glad to leave even her, just to escape from home hell. But the light in his soul does not go out. Confused and depressed, Tikhon shows love and pity for his wife who cheated on him. "And I love her, I'm sorry to touch her with a finger ..." - he confesses to Kuligin.

His will is paralyzed, and he does not even dare to help his unfortunate Katya. However, in the last scene, love for his wife overcomes fear of his mother, and a man awakens in Tikhon. For the first time in his life, over the corpse of Katerina, he turns to his mother with an accusation. Here we have a man in whom, under the influence of a terrible misfortune, will awakened. Curses sound all the more formidable because they come from the most downtrodden, the most timid and weak person. This means that the foundations of the "dark kingdom" are really crumbling and the power of Kabanikha is shaking, even if Tikhon spoke like that.

Other than in Tikhon, features are embodied in the image of Barbara. She does not want to endure the rule of an autocratic force, does not want to live in captivity. But she chooses the path of deception, cunning, dodges, and this becomes habitual for her - she does it easily, cheerfully, without feeling any remorse. Varvara claims that one cannot live without lies: their whole house is based on deception. "And I was not a deceiver, but I learned when it became necessary." Her everyday philosophy is very simple: "Do what you want, as long as it is sewn and covered." However, Varvara was cunning, while it was possible, when they began to lock her up, she ran away from home. And again the old Testament ideals of Kabanikha are crumbling. The daughter "disgraced" her house, broke free from her power.

Diky's nephew, Boris Grigorievich, is the weakest and most pitiable. He himself says about himself: “I’m walking completely dead ... I’m driven out, downtrodden ...” He is a kind, cultured person who stands out against the background of the merchant environment. However, he is not able to protect himself or his beloved woman, in misfortune he only rushes about and cries and is unable to argue against abuse.

In the scene of the last meeting with Katerina, Boris evokes contempt in us. Like Curly, he is afraid to run away with his beloved woman. She is even afraid to talk to Katerina ("They wouldn't have caught us here"). This is exactly the case, according to the proverb, there is only one step from weakness to meanness. Boris’s powerless curses sound humbly and cowardly: “Oh, if these people knew what it was like for me to say goodbye to you! ! Fiends! Eh, if only there were strength! "

He does not have this power ... However, in the general chorus of protesting voices, even this powerless protest is significant.

Among the characters in the play, opposed to the Wild and Kabanikha, Kuligin is the clearest and most sensible judge of the "dark kingdom". This self-taught mechanic has a bright mind and a broad soul, like many talented people from the people. It is no coincidence that the surname Kuligin itself resembles the surname of the remarkable self-taught inventor of Nizhny Novgorod Kulibin.

Kuligin condemns the possessive instincts of the merchants, a cruel attitude towards people, ignorance, indifference to everything truly beautiful. Kuligin's opposition to the "dark kingdom" is especially expressive in the scene of the collision with the Wild.

Asking for money for a sundial, Kuligin does not care about himself, he is interested in "benefits for all ordinary people in general." And Dikoy will not even understand what it is about, the very concept of public interests is so alien to him. The interlocutors seem to speak different languages. Dikoy often simply does not understand Kuligin's words, especially when he quotes his favorite poets of the 18th century. Dikoy reacts in a very peculiar way to Kuligin's respectful remarks, decorated with quotes: "Don't you dare be rude to me!" - and frightens Kuligin with the mayor.

Kuligin is an outstanding person. But Dobrolyubov did not call him "a ray of light in the dark kingdom." Why? Because Kuligin is powerless, weak in his protest. Just like Tikhon, like Boris, Kuligin is afraid of petty force, bows down to her. "There is nothing to do, you have to submit!" he says humbly. Kuligin and others teaches obedience. So, he advises Kudryash: "It is better to endure." He recommends the same to Boris: "What to do, sir. We must try to please somehow."

Only in the fifth act, shocked by the death of Katerina, does Kuligin rise to open protest. A harsh accusation resounds in his last words: "Here's your Katerina. Do with her what you want! Her body is here, take it; but now your soul is not yours: it is now before a judge who is more merciful than you!" With these words, Kuligin not only justifies Katerina's suicide, which freed her from oppression, but also blames merciless judges who killed their victim for her death.

KHOZYAEVA AND
VICTIMS OF THE "DARK KINGDOM"

Victims of the "dark kingdom"

The play by A. N. Ostrovsky "The Thunderstorm" was written in 1859. In the same year, it was staged in theaters in Moscow and St. Petersburg and for many years has not left the stages of all theaters in the world. During this time, the play has undergone many interpretations, which at times were strikingly different from each other. This, it seems to me, is due to the depth and symbolism of the play.

In the center of the plot of the play is the conflict between the feelings of Katerina, the main character, and the way of life of the city of Kalinov. But Dobrolyubov also pointed out that readers think "not about a love affair, but about their whole life." This means that the accusatory notes touched on the most varied aspects of Russian life. In the drama, a verdict is passed on the "dark kingdom" and, consequently, on the socio-political system that it supported.

The drama takes place in the provincial town of Kalinov, located on the banks of the Volga River. In this place, everything is so monotonous and stable that even news from other cities and from the capital does not reach here. Residents in the city are withdrawn, distrustful, hate everything new and blindly follow the Domostroev way of life, which has long outlived its usefulness. Ostrovsky calls the adherents of the old way of life "the dark kingdom", to which Dikoy and Kabanikha belong. Another group of characters includes Katerina, Kuligin, Tikhon, Boris, Kudryash and Varvara. These are the victims of the "dark kingdom", the oppressed, equally feeling the influence of the Wild and the Kabanikha, but expressing their protest against them in different ways.

Dikoy is a bright representative of the first group, Ostrovsky applies the definition of "tyrant" to him. The behavior of the Wild is ruled by unbridled arbitrariness and stupid obstinacy. He demands the unquestioning obedience of those around him, who go to any lengths so as not to somehow anger him. The most important thing for Dikiy is money. For their sake, he is ready for anything - both for deception and for fraud: “I have a lot of people a year ... Okay!" Dikoy passes only in front of those who are able to repulse him. On the transport across the Volga, he did not dare to contact the passing hussar, but after that he again took out his anger at home, dispersing everyone in the attics and closets. The qualities of his character are also manifested in speech. Dikoy uses rude and offensive expressions: robber, worm, parasite, fool, etc. Despotism, ignorance, rudeness are the traits that characterize the image of this hero, a typical representative of the "dark kingdom". But Dikoy restrains his temper in front of Kabanikha, his godfather.

Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova is another supporter of the "dark kingdom", she is even worse than her husband. Kuligin describes her as follows: “Bigot, sir! She clothe the beggars, but she ate the household altogether. " Kabanikha skillfully covers up her immoral acts with the ideals of patriarchal antiquity. She observes all the customs and orders laid down by the house-building. The new order seems to her absurd and even ridiculous. She wants to force everyone to live in the old fashioned way and does not tolerate the manifestation of her will and initiative in any of those around her. Kabanikha tries to give the impression of a pious and superstitious woman. But she is harsh and cruel to her family. A woman breaks up a family: Katerina voluntarily dies; Varvara leaves the house; Tikhon, a kind and gentle person, loses the ability to think and live independently. Enemy to everything new, Kabanikha nevertheless has a presentiment that the old days are coming to an end, that hard times are coming for her. In the speech of Kabanova, there are both proverbs and turns of folk speech. All this makes her language peculiar, but does not hide the essence of her "dark" soul.

Petty tyranny and despotism, suppressing freedom and independence in those around them, inevitably give rise to opportunistic people who are afraid to live by their own minds and therefore obey the oppressors. Such victims of the "dark kingdom" in the play include Tikhon, Varvara and Boris. From childhood, Tikhon was accustomed to obeying his mother in everything, and in adulthood he is afraid to act against her will. Resignedly he endures all Kabanikha's bullying, not daring to protest: “But how can I, mamma, disobey you! Yes, mamma, I don’t want to live by my own will. ”

Boris Grigorievich, Dikiy's nephew, in terms of his level of development, is significantly higher than his environment. The education he received in Moscow does not allow him to get along with wild boars and boars. But he lacks the character to break free from their power. Both of them - Tikhon and Boris - failed to protect and save Katerina. And both the "dark kingdom", which turned them into weak-willed, downtrodden people, unable to fight for their happiness, doomed to "live in the world and suffer."

The central character of the play, "a ray of light in the dark kingdom", is Katerina. She stands out sharply from the environment in which she was born. She was a dreamy, impressionable, gentle nature; at the same time, Katerina possessed an ardent and passionate soul: “This is how I was born, hot!” She says about herself. The girl was distinguished not only by her passionate, but also by a strong character. She is capable of a complete break with her annoying environment. The conflict between the "dark kingdom" and the light spiritual world of Katerina ended tragically. Not receiving support from Boris, the girl commits suicide during a thunderstorm!

Having pitted the "dark kingdom" and the "light ray" among themselves, Ostrovsky protested against everything old. "It's better not to live than to live like that!" - that's what Katerina's suicide meant. Before the "Thunderstorm", Russian literature did not yet know the verdict of society, expressed in such a tragic form. Yes, the light did not conquer the darkness, but where there is a ray, the sun will soon appear and eclipse the darkness.

And what tears are pouring behind these constipations,

invisible and inaudible.

A. N. Ostrovsky

Petty tyranny and despotism, suppressing the dream of freedom and independence in those around them, inevitably give rise to people intimidated and downtrodden, who do not dare to live by their own will. Tikhon and Boris refer to such victims of the "dark kingdom" in the drama "The Thunderstorm".

From childhood, Tikhon was accustomed to obeying his mother in everything, accustomed to the point that in adulthood he was afraid to act against her will. He resignedly endures all the mockery of Kabanikha, not daring to protest. "But how can I, mamma, laughed at you!" he says, and then adds: “Yes, mamma, I don’t want to live by my own will. Where can I live by my own will! "

Tikhon's only cherished desire is to break free, at least for a short time, from the care of his mother, to drink, to go on a spree, to go on a spree so that he can take a walk for a whole year. In the scene of the wires, the despotism of Kabanikha reaches the extreme and Tikhon's complete inability not only to protect, but also to understand Katerina is revealed. Kabanikha, with her instructions, brought him to complete exhaustion, and he, maintaining an almost corporeal tone, is impatiently waiting for this torture to end.

Tikhon understands that by doing the will of his mother, he humiliates his wife. He is both aware of her and sorry for her, but he cannot disobey his mother. And so, under the dictates of his mother, he teaches Katerina, trying at the same time to soften the rudeness of words and the harshness of the mother's intonations. Powerless to protect his wife, forced to play the miserable role of a tool in the hands of Kabanikha, Tikhon does not deserve respect, Katerina's inner world is incomprehensible to him, not only a weak-willed person, but also a limited, simple-minded person. “I can't understand you, Katya! You can't get a word from you, let alone affection; otherwise you climb yourself, ”he tells her. Nor did he understand the drama brewing in his wife's soul. Tikhon unwittingly becomes one of the culprits of her death, since he refused to support Katerina, pushed her away at the most critical moment.

According to Dobrolyubov, Tikhon is "a living corpse - not one, not an exception, but a whole mass of people subject to the pernicious influence of the Wild and Kabanovs!"

Boris, the Dikiy's nephew, in terms of his level of development, is significantly higher than his environment. He received a commercial education, is not devoid of "a certain degree of nobility" (Dobrolyubov). He understands the savagery and cruelty of the Kalinovites' morals. But he is powerless, indecisive: material dependence presses on him and turns him into a victim of his tyrant uncle. “Education took away from him the power to do dirty tricks ... but didn’t give him the strength to resist the dirty tricks that others do,” notes Dobrolyubov.

Boris sincerely loves Katerina, is ready to suffer for her, to ease her torment: "Do with me what you want, just do not torture her!" The only one among all he understands Katerina, but is unable to help her. Boris is a kind, gentle person. But Dobrolyubov was right when he believed that Katerina fell in love with him “more for being alone,” for the absence of a more worthy person. Material from the site

Both of them, Tikhon and Boris, failed to protect and save Katerina. And both the "dark kingdom", which turned them into weak-willed, downtrodden people, doomed to "live and suffer." But even such weak, weak-willed, resigned to life, driven to extremes, like the inhabitants of Kalinov, are able to condemn the despotism of tyrants. The death of Katerina pushed Kudryash and Varvara to search for another life, forced Kuligin to turn to tyrants for the first time with bitter reproach. Even the unfortunate Tikhon comes out of unconditional submission to his mother, regrets that he did not die with his wife: “It's good for you, Katya! Why was I left to live in the world and suffer! " Of course, the protest of Varvara, Kudryash, Kuligin, Tikhon has a different character than that of Katerina. But Ostrovsky showed that the "dark kingdom" is beginning to shake, and Dikoy and Kabanikha are showing signs of fear of new phenomena that they do not understand in the life around them.

In many of his dramas, Ostrovsky portrayed social injustice, human vices and negative sides. Poverty, greed, uncontrolled desire to be in power - these and many other themes can be traced in the plays "Our people will be numbered", "Poverty is not a vice", "Dowry". “Thunderstorm” should also be viewed in the context of the above works. The world described by the playwright in the text was called by critics "the dark kingdom". It seems to be a kind of swamp, from which it is impossible to find a way out, which sucks in a person more and more, killing humanity in him. At first glance, there are very few such victims "" in the "Thunderstorm".

The first victim of the "dark kingdom" is Katerina Kabanova. Katya is a frequent and honest girl. She was married early, but she never managed to fall in love with her husband. Despite this, she still tries to find positive aspects in him in order to maintain established relationships and the marriage itself. Katya is terrorized by Kabanikha, one of the brightest representatives of the "dark kingdom". Marfa Ignatievna insults her daughter-in-law, trying with all her might to break her.

However, it is not only the opposition of characters that makes Katerina a victim. This, of course, is the circumstance. In the "dark kingdom" an honest life is a priori impossible. Everything here is built on lies, pretense and flattery. Strong is the one who has money. Power in Kalinov belongs to the rich and merchants, for example, Dikiy, whose moral bar is very low. Merchants deceive each other, steal from ordinary residents, seeking their own enrichment and increasing their influence. The motive of lies is often found in the description of everyday life. Varvara tells Katya that only a lie holds the Kabanov family together, and Boris is surprised by Katya's desire to tell Tikhon and Martha Ignatievna about their secret relationship. Katerina often compares herself to a bird: the girl wants to escape from this place, but there is no way. "" Will find Katya anywhere, because it is not limited to the framework of a fictional city. No exit. Katya makes a desperate and final decision: either to live honestly or not at all. “I live, I suffer, I don’t see a glimpse of myself. Yes, and I will not see, know! " The first option, as mentioned earlier, is impossible, so Katya chooses the second. The girl commits suicide not so much because Boris refuses to take her to Siberia, but because he understands: Boris turned out to be the same as the others, and a life full of reproaches and shame can no longer continue. “Here's your Katerina. Her body is here, take it; but now your soul is not yours: it is now before a judge who is more merciful than you! " - with these words, Kuligin gives the girl's body to the Kabanov family. In this remark, it is important to compare with the supreme judge. It makes the reader and viewer think about how rotten the world of the "dark kingdom" is, that even the Last Judgment turns out to be more merciful than the court of "tyrants".

Tikhon Kabanov is also a victim in the "Thunderstorm". The phrase with which Tikhon appears in the play is very noteworthy: "How can I, mamma, disobey you!" The mother's despotism makes him a victim. By himself, Tikhon is kind and, to some extent, caring. He loves Katya and takes pity on her. But the mother's authority is unshakable. Tikhon is a weak-willed mama's son, whom Marfa Ignatievna's excessive guardianship has made to be twitchy and spineless. He does not understand how you can resist the will of Kabanikha, have your own opinion, or so on. “Yes, mamma, I don’t want to live by my own will. Where can I live by my own will! " - this is how Tikhon answers his mother. Toska Kabanov is used to drowning in alcohol (he often drinks with Dikim). His character underlines the name. Tikhon is not able to understand the power of his wife's internal conflict, he cannot help her, however, Tikhon has a desire to break out of this cage. For example, he is happy with his departure for a short 14 days, because all this time he has a chance to be independent. There will be no "thunderstorm" over him in the form of a controlling mother. The last phrase of Tikhon says that the man understands: it is better to die than to live such a life, but Tikhon cannot decide to commit suicide.

Kuligin is shown as a dreaming inventor advocating for the public good. He constantly thinks about how to improve the life of the city, although he perfectly understands that none of the residents of Kalinov needs this. He understands the beauty of nature, quotes Derzhavin. Kuligin is more educated and taller than ordinary people, however, he is poor and alone in his efforts. Dikoy only laughs at him when the inventor talks about the benefits of a lightning rod. Savl Prokofievich does not believe that money can be earned in an honest way, therefore he openly mocks and threatens Kuligin. Perhaps Kuligin understood the true motives of Katya's suicide. But he is making attempts to soften the contradictions, to find a compromise. In front of him, there is no choice either this way or not at all. The young man does not see an active way to resist the "tyrants".

The victims in the play "The Thunderstorm" are several characters: Katerina, Kuligin and Tikhon. Boris cannot be called a victim for two reasons: firstly, he came from another city, and secondly, in fact, he is just as deceitful and two-faced as the rest of the inhabitants of the "dark kingdom".

The above description and the list of victims of the "dark kingdom" can be used by pupils in grades 10 when writing an essay on the topic "Victims of the dark kingdom in the play" The Thunderstorm ".

All essays on literature for grade 10 A team of authors

1. "The Dark Kingdom" and its victims (based on the play by A. N. Ostrovsky "The Thunderstorm")

"The Thunderstorm" was published in 1859 (on the eve of the revolutionary situation in Russia, in the "pre-storm" era). Its historicism lies in the conflict itself, the irreconcilable contradictions reflected in the play. She meets the spirit of the times.

"Thunderstorm" is the idyll of the "dark kingdom". Petty tyranny and speechlessness are brought to the limit in her. A real heroine from the folk environment appears in the play and it is the description of her character that is given the main attention, and the world of the city of Kalinov and the conflict itself are described in a more generalized way.

“Their life flows smoothly and peacefully, no interests of the world disturb them, because they do not reach them; kingdoms can collapse, new countries open up, the face of the earth changes ... - the inhabitants of the town of Kalinova will continue to exist in complete ignorance of the rest of the world ... The concepts and way of life they have adopted are the best in the world, everything new comes from evil spirits ... they find it awkward and even the daring to persistently seek reasonable grounds ... The information reported by the Feklusha is such that they are not able to inspire a great desire to exchange their life for another ... A dark mass, terrible in its naivety and sincerity " .

It is terrible and difficult for everyone to try to go against the demands and convictions of this dark mass. The absence of any law, of any logic - this is the law and logic of this life. In their indisputable, irresponsible dark dominion, giving complete freedom to whims, not putting any laws and logic at all, the tyrants of life begin to feel some kind of discontent and fear, without knowing what and why. They are fiercely looking for their enemy, ready to attack the most innocent, some kind of kuligin: but there is neither an enemy nor a guilty one who could be destroyed: the law of time, the law of nature and history takes its toll, and the old wild boars are breathing heavily, feeling that there is a force higher than them, which they cannot overcome ... They do not want to give in, they only care about how it would become in their lifetime ...

Kabanova is very seriously upset by the future of the old order, with which she has outlived her century, speaking about the collapse of the established world: "And it will be worse than this, dear," and in response to the words of the wanderer: "We just would not live to see this." Kabanikha gravely throws: "Maybe we will live." She only consoles herself that somehow with her help the old order will stand until her death.

The wild boars and the wild are now bustling about just continuing the same. They know that their willfulness will still have ample scope as long as everyone is shy in front of them; that's why they are so tenacious.

The image of Katerina is the most important discovery of Ostrovsky - the discovery of a strong national character born of the patriarchal world with an awakening sense of personality. The relationship between Katerina and Kabanikha in the play is not an everyday enmity between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, their fates expressed the collision of two historical eras, which determines the tragic nature of the conflict. In the soul of a woman who is quite “Kalinovskaya” in her upbringing and moral ideas, a new attitude to the world is born, a feeling that is not yet clear to the heroine herself: “Something bad is happening to me, some kind of miracle! It’s as if I’m starting to live again, or I don’t know. ” Katerina perceives awakened love as a terrible, indelible sin, because love for a stranger for her, a married woman, is a violation of her moral duty. She wants to be pure and impeccable with all her soul, her moral exactingness towards herself does not allow compromise. Having already realized her love for Boris, she resists her with all her might, but does not find support in this struggle: “as if I were standing over an abyss and someone was pushing me there, but I had nothing to hold on to.” Not only the external forms of household use, but even prayer becomes inaccessible to her, since she felt the power of sinful passion over herself. She feels fear of herself, of the desire for will that has grown in her, inseparably merged in her consciousness with love: “Of course, God forbid this to happen! And if it makes me very disgusted here, 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! ”

The consciousness of sin does not leave her at the moment of intoxication with happiness and with great power takes possession of her when the happiness is over. Katerina repents publicly without hope of forgiveness, and it is the complete absence of hope that pushes her to commit suicide, an even more grave sin: “All the same, she ruined her soul.” The complete impossibility of reconciling his love with the demands of conscience and physical disgust for the home prison, for captivity, Katherine is killed.

Katerina is a victim not of someone personally from her associates, but of the course of life. The world of patriarchal relations is dying, and the soul of this world leaves life in torment and suffering, crushed by the form of everyday connections, and passes a moral judgment on itself, because the patriarchal ideal lives in it.