The work “The Old Woman Izergil”, the genre of which is the subject of this review, is one of the most famous works of the famous Russian writer M. Gorky. It was written in 1894 and became a landmark book in the work of the author, as it marked his transition to romanticism. The peculiarity of this work is that it consists of three independent parts, united by one common idea.
Features of the first episode
The book "The Old Woman Isergil", the genre of which can be defined as a story, however, is not such in the literal sense of the word. As already mentioned above, the work includes three independent parts, which at first glance are in no way interconnected by plot.
The main character tells the author three stories, the first of which is the philosophical legend of Larra. In its content, it is similar to an old legend or an ancient fairy tale. In this case, the writer Gorky addressed typical romantic images. "Old Woman Isergil" is a story that is filled with references to classical works of this direction. The main character of the first part is a typical Byron hero: he is proud, arrogant, mysterious and despises people and receives a punishment for this, becoming immortal. Such a plot resembles the best examples of 19th century literature.
The image of Larra
This character is the epitome of pride and extreme contempt for everyone around. He, being the son of an eagle, considers himself right in everything, does not take into account the opinions of people and does what he wants. Perhaps that is why this story put Gorky in first place. "The Old Woman Isergil" is a work that is built on the principle of climbing from the worst plot to the best. The hero of Larra is the embodiment of human pride. The author wanted to introduce the superman and the superhero, who, nevertheless, is ultimately defeated by his own vice. In connection with the foregoing, it must be remembered that the work in question has its own genre features.
The story "The Old Woman Isergil" is essentially not such in the literal sense of the word, since in theory and in narration it resembles an old legend or legend. The story of Larre dates back to the ancient times of a semi-primitive society, which gives the narrative a special charm.
Second story
Half of the story of the life of the heroine herself is "Old Woman Isergil." The heroes of the story of this woman are outstanding individuals in every way. This applies to the narrator herself. From her lips we learn that in her youth she was a very temperamental woman. She was very lively and immediate and lived a full life. Her nature yearned for adventure and thrill. Judging by her words, the heroine loved many men. She threw some, for the sake of others she was ready for a crime, to risk her own life and fate.
This makes her look like the characters she talked about. Those individuals who became the protagonists of her narratives also despised danger and were ready for anything to achieve their goals.
The image of Danko
The work “The Old Woman Izergil”, the genre of which can be difficult due to the fact that the text contains several different layers of narration, ends with a beautiful legend of a hero who took people out of the dark. On the way, travelers had to endure many difficulties, and when people began to murmur, he tore his heart out, lit their way and led his companions out of the dark and dark forest to the will and to the light. Thus, this hero in the cycle of stories is the real ideal of courage, honor and courage.
The heroic tinge of the narrative makes the work close in spirit to legends and ancient legends, which were also dedicated to great personalities. The latter circumstance must be taken into account when analyzing the work in question. When it comes to his genre, you should remember about the above features. And speaking of the fact that an essay is a story, it should be noted that it became a story in a story, as it consists of three different stories. They are united by a common idea - the idea that there is a sense of human existence. The narrator herself asks this question, the same problem worries the heroes of her stories. So, the book "The Old Woman Izergil", the genre of which can be defined as a story in the style of a legend, has become one of the best in Gorky's work.