The play by Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky "The Storm" was written by a playwright in 1859. Consists of five actions. Events unfold in the Volga town of Kalinovo. To understand the plot, it is necessary to take into account that ten days elapse between the third and fourth actions.
The plot is quite simple: the merchantās wife, brought up in strict moral rules, fell in love with the Muscovite who arrived, the nephew of another local merchant. With him, she cheats on her husband, then, exhausted by guilt, publicly repents and dies, rushing into the Volga whirlpool.
It is known that the play was written at the request of actress Lyubov Pavlovna Kositskaya, with whom the author was associated with tender feelings. And the main heroineās monologues were created by the playwright under the influence of this womanās stories about her dreams and experiences. In the play, which immediately gained great popularity among the public, the actress brilliantly performed the role of Katerina.
Let us examine the summary of the play by A.N. Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm" in action.
Action one
Events begin to unfold on the banks of the Volga, in a city square.
At the beginning of the play, the self-taught inventor of the perpetual motion machine, Kuligin, Vanya Kudryash (the clerk of the merchant Wild), and Boris (his nephew) discuss the character of the tyrant merchant and at the same time the customs prevailing in the town.
A āwarriorā with a āspeakingā surname Dicka swears no matter the day with everyone and for any reason. Boris has to endure, because under the conditions of the will he will receive his share of the inheritance from him only with reverence and obedience. Everyone knows about Savel Prokofievichās greed and tyranny, so Kuligin and Kudryash tell Boris that he is unlikely to see any inheritance.
And the morals in this bourgeois town are already too cruel. Here is how Kuligin talks about it:
In philistinism, sir, you will see nothing but rudeness and poverty poorly. And never will we, sir, get out of this bark! Because by honest labor, we will never earn more than our daily bread. And whoever has money, sir, is trying to enslave the poor, so that he can make even more money from his free work.
Then the self-taught scientist runs away to seek funds for his invention, and Boris, left alone, admits to himself that he is unrequitedly and platonically in love with Katerina, the wife of the merchant Tikhon Kabanov.
In the following phenomenon, the whole family passes along the boulevard - the old Kabanikha herself (Marfa Ignatyevna Kabanova), her son Tikhon, his wife (who is the main character in Ostrovskyās play āThe Stormā) and her husbandās sister named Barbara.
The boar, loyal to the Homebuilding, teaches and grumbles, calling his son a "fool", demands gratitude from the children and the daughter-in-law, but, incidentally, immediately reproaches all loved ones for disobedience.
Then she goes home, Tikhon - to wet her throat to the Wild, and Katerina, having remained with Barbara, discuss her difficult share.
Katerina is a lofty and dreamy person. Here (the seventh phenomenon) her monologue sounds about how she lived in girls, and these, which became famous, words:
Why don't people fly! I say: why do people not fly like birds? You know, sometimes I think I'm a bird. When you stand on a mountain, you are drawn to fly. This is how she would have scattered, raised her hands and flew. Try something now?
Katerina admits to Varvara that she is tormented by bad forebodings and disturbed by dreams of her imminent death and some still imperfect sin. Barbara realizes that Katerina is in love, but not at all with her husband.
The heroine is very afraid of the arrival of a crazy old lady, who prophesies hellish torment to everyone. In addition, a thunderstorm is about to begin. Tikhon is returning. Katerina begs everyone to go home.
Action two
Events take us to the Kabanovs' house. A maid collects things of Tikhon, who is traveling somewhere on a maternal order.
Barbara sends Katerina a secret greetings from the object of her love of Boris. She is frightened even at the mention of his name and says that she will only love her husband.
Kabanikha leads her son: orders her to be strict and pass on her instructions to her young wife: to read the mother-in-law, to behave modestly, to work and not to look out the windows.
Katerina, left alone with her husband, tells him of a severe foreboding and asks either not to leave, or to take her with her on a trip. But he has only one dream - to break out soon from under the maternal yoke even for two weeks and to celebrate freedom. What is he, without hiding, informs Katerina.
Tikhon is leaving. Varvara comes and reports that they were allowed to sleep in the garden, and gives Katerina the key to the gate. That, in doubt and fear, still hides it in his pocket.
Third action
Scene One. Evening. At the gates to the Kabanovsā house, Kabanikha with Feklusha sit and talk about how time has come to "diminish" from the bustle of the city.
Wild appears. He is under the hop and asks Kabanova to "talk" herself, as she alone knows how. She invites him to the house.
Boris approaches the gate, who is attracted here by the desire to see Katerina. He thinks out loud that the woman who was married in this city - consider that they were buried. The barbarian who appeared, informs him that at night they will be waiting for him in the ravine "behind the Boar Garden". She is sure that the date will take place.
In the second scene, the late night hour had already arrived. At the ravine are Kudryash and Boris. Wild Nephew admits the young clerk that he is in love with Katerina. Kudryash advises to throw her out of her head:
... look, do not bother yourself, and donāt enter her into trouble! Suppose, even if she has a husband and a fool, her mother-in-law is painfully fierce.
Katerina goes on a date with Boris. At first she is frightened, and all her thoughts about the impending retribution for sin, but then the woman calms down.
Action four
Walking city dwellers from the beginning rain gather under the roof of a dilapidated old gallery, examining and discussing the murals with images of battle scenes that still exist on its walls.
Kuligin and Savel are talking right there. The inventor persuades the merchant to donate money for a sundial and lightning rod. Wild as usual scolds: they say, a thunderstorm is given as a punishment from God, and this is not electricity, from which you can protect yourself with a simple piece of iron.
The rain ends, everyone disperses. Entering the gallery of Varvara with Boris discuss the behavior of Katerina. Barbara says that after her husbandās arrival she
all trembling, as if her fever were beating; such a pale, rushing around the house, just looking for something. Eyes like a madman! Yesterday morning she began to cry, and sobs.
A thunderstorm begins. People are gathering again under the roof of the gallery, among them are Kabanova, Tikhon and confused Katerina.
Then a crazy old lady appears. She threatens Katerina with hellish fiery and hellish torments. Thunder rumbles again. The young woman does not stand up and confesses to her husband a betrayal. Tikhon is perplexed, the mother-in-law gloats:
What, son! Where will the will lead! I said, so you didnāt want to listen. So I waited!
Action five
Kabanov, meeting with Kuligin on the boulevard, complains to him about the unbearable situation in the house: Katerina, unrequited and quiet, walks like a shadow, mother, they say, she eats her. She sharpened and sharpened the barbarian, put her under lock and key, and her daughter left the house and ran away - most likely, with Kudryash, because he also disappeared.
Boris Dikoy expels out of sight - for three years in the Siberian town of Tyakhta.
Glashaās servant comes and reports that Katerina has gone somewhere. Concerned for her, Boris and Kuligin set off in search of her.
Katerina enters the empty stage, dreaming for the last time to see and say goodbye to Boris. She recalls him, crying:
My joy, my life, my soul, I love you! Respond
Hearing her voice, Boris appears. They grieve together. Boris completely obeyed fate: he is ready to go where he will be sent. Katerina does not want to return home. That home, that into the grave, she muses. And even that is better in the grave. If only they didnāt seize and didnāt turn them into the house by force. Exclaiming:
My friend! My joy! Goodbye!
In the next phenomenon, Kabanova, Tikhon, Kuligin and a worker with a flashlight appear. They are looking for Katerina. People with lanterns are also suitable. Most assume that, they say, do not worry, the lost herself will soon return. A voice behind the scenes calls for a boat, reporting that a woman has thrown herself into the water.
From the crowd they say that Katerina pulled Kuligin, noticing her dress in the pool. Tikhon wants to run to her, but his mother does not let him in, threatening a curse.
They take out the body of Katerina. Kuligin says:
Here is your Katerina. Do whatever you want with her! Her body is here, take it; but the soul is not yours now: it is now before the judge, who is more merciful than you!
Tikhon tries to blame his mother for misfortune, but she, as always, holds firmly. āThereās nothing to lament,ā she says.
But the last in the play is still the words of Tikhon, who exclaims, addressing his dead wife:
Good for you, Katya! But why did I stay to live in the world and suffer!
Below we will list the main characters of Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm" and give them including speech characteristics.
Katerina
Young woman, wife of Tikhon Kabanov. The nature is impressionable, exalted, subtly feeling people and nature, God-fearing. But at the same time with higher aspirations, yearning for real life.
Says Barbara that "he will endure while he is patient," but:
Oh, Varya, you donāt know my character! Of course, God forbid this happen! And if Iām very disgraced here, they wonāt hold me by any force. Iāll throw myself out the window, Iāll rush into the Volga. I donāt want to live here, so I wonāt, even though you cut me!
The main character is not accidentally named by the author Katerina (the common people, the full form, more accepted by the nobles - Catherine). As you know, the origin of the name is due to the ancient Greek word "Ekaterini", which means "pure, immaculate." In addition, the name is associated with Catherine of Alexandria, who lived in the III century , who became a martyr for adopting the Christian faith. She was ordered to be executed by the Roman emperor Maximinus.
Tikhon
Katerinaās husband. The characterās name is also āspeakingā - he is a quiet hero and by his character is soft, compassionate. But in everything the severe mother is listened, and if she protests, then, as if not seriously, in an undertone. He has no opinion, asking everyone for advice. Here is even with Kuligin:
What am I to do now, tell me! Teach me how to live now! Iām sick of the house, Iām ashamed of people, Iāll take up the matter - my hands fall off. Now Iām going home; to the joy, what am I going?
Kabanova
Among the characters of "Thunderstorm" Ostrovsky this is the most colorful. The image embodied in Martha Ignatievna Kabanova is a fairly common image in the literature of the authoritarian "mother" who knows everything about everything. He relies on traditions and observes them, "under the guise of piety," baking for ignorance of the young:
Youth is what it means! It's funny to even look at them! If not my own, I would have laughed to the full. They donāt know anything, no order. They donāt know how to say goodbye by way. Itās good that those who have elders in the house still hold on to them while they are alive. But also, stupid ones, they want to do their own will, but they will blow it out, and they get confused by shame and laughter to good people. Of course, who will regret it, but most all laugh. ... And so, antiquity is deduced. I donāt feel like going into another house. And if you come up, youāll spit so soon. I donāt know what will happen, how old people will die, how the light will stand.
But above all, for her, her own authority. Stubborn and domineering - that's why they call her the Boar.
Kuligin, aptly and capaciously characterizing many, reports about it to Boris:
Hange, sir! It gives the beggars, but completely ate the pets!
Boris
āProperly educated,ā as said about him at the beginning of Ostrovskyās āThunderstorm,ā a young man expecting mercy from his uncle, the wild merchant. But the availability of education does not contribute to his decisiveness and does not play any role in the formation of his character. Just as Tikhon is dependent on Kabanikhi, so does Boris on the "piercing man" of the Wild. Understanding that he will never wait for the inheritance, and in the end the merchant will simply drive him away, laughing, he continues to live as he lived and go with the flow:
And I can see, and ruin my youth in this slum ...
Barbara
Sister Tikhon. The girl is cunning, secretive, practical with her mother.
Her characteristic can be expressed in one of her phrases:
And in my opinion: do what you want, if only it was sewn and covered.
At the end of the play, Barbara, not wanting to sit punished locked up, escapes from home.
Kuligin
Self-taught inventor, also with a difficult surname, clearly echoing with Kulibin. He feels both the beauty of nature and the vices and injustice of human society.
Disinterested, idealistic and believes that people can be improved, you just have to do everything. When Boris asks him what he would spend the reward he received for the invention of the āqueen-mobilā, Kuligin replies:
Well, sir! After all, the British give a million; I would use all the money for society and for support. Work must be given to philistinism. And then there are hands, but there is nothing to work.
The plot Kuligin is clearly necessary for the author. To this minor character, the main characters tell all the details of their life - and what happened and what else can happen. Kuligin as if fastened the whole plot. In addition, this image carries the same moral purity as the main character. It is no coincidence that it was this character at the end of the play that takes the drowned Katerina out of the river.
Such is the summary of Ostrovsky's "Thunderstorm" and its main characters.