"Little Man" is a literary character characteristic of the era of realism. Such a hero in fiction could be a petty official, tradesman or even a poor nobleman. As a rule, its main feature is a low social status. This image is found in the works of both domestic and foreign authors. The theme of a small person in Russian literature occupies a special position. After all, this image received a particularly vivid expression in the work of such writers as Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Gogol.
Station ranger
The great Russian poet and writer showed readers a pure and unspoiled wealth. The protagonist of one of the works included in the Belkin Tale series knows how to rejoice, sympathize and suffer. However, the life of the Pushkin character was initially difficult.
With the words that everyone is cursing the station rangers, the famous story begins, without analysis of which it is impossible to consider the topic “A Little Man in Russian Literature”. Pushkin portrayed a calm and happy character in his work. Samson Vyrin remained a good-natured and evil-hearted man, despite many years of hard service. And only separation from his daughter deprived him of peace of mind. Samson can survive a difficult life and an ungrateful job, but he cannot exist without a close person in the world. The station warden dies of longing and loneliness. The theme of a small person in Russian literature is multifaceted. The hero of the story "Station Warden", perhaps, like no other is able to arouse compassion in the reader.
Akaki Akakievich
A less attractive character is the hero of the story "The Overcoat." Gogol's character is a collective image. There are many like Bashmachkin. They are everywhere, but people don’t notice them, because they don’t know how to appreciate a person’s immortal soul. The topic of a small person in Russian literature is discussed from year to year at school literature lessons. Indeed, thanks to an attentive reading of the story “The Overcoat,” the young reader can take a different look at the people who surround him. The development of the theme of a small man in Russian literature began precisely with this semi-fabulous work. No wonder the great classic Dostoevsky once uttered the famous phrase: "We all left the" Overcoat "."
Until the middle of the 20th century, the image of a small man was used by Russian and foreign writers. It is found not only in the works of Dostoevsky, but also in the books of Franz Kafka, Gerhart Hauptmann, Thomas Mann.
Maksim Maksimovich
The little man in Lermontov’s work is an outstanding personality suffering from inaction. The image of Maxim Maksimovich was first encountered in the story “Bela”. Thanks to Lermontov, the theme of a small person in Russian literature began to serve as a literary device for the critical depiction of such vices of a social society, such as kneeling, careerism.
Maxim Maximovich - a nobleman. However, he belongs to an impoverished family, besides he does not have influential ties. And therefore, despite his age, he is still in the rank of headquarters captain. However, Lermontov portrayed the little man not offended and humiliated. His hero knows what honor is. Maxim Maximovich is a decent man and an old servant. In many ways, it resembles Pushkin's captain Mironov from the story "The Captain's Daughter."
Marmeladov
In the work of Dostoevsky, a small man is miserable and insignificant. Marmeladov is aware of its futility and uselessness. Telling Raskolnikov the story of his moral decline, he is hardly capable of evoking sympathy. He states: “Poverty is not a vice. Poverty is a vice. ” And these words seem to justify the weakness and powerlessness of Marmeladov.
In the novel Crime and Punishment, the theme of the little man in Russian literature is particularly developed. An essay on the work of Dostoevsky is a standard task in a literature lesson. But, no matter what name this written assignment has, it is impossible to fulfill it without first compiling a description of Marmeladov and his daughter. However, it should be understood that Sonya, although she is also a typical little man, is significantly different from other "humiliated and offended." She is not able to change anything in her life. However, this fragile girl has enormous spiritual wealth and inner beauty. Sonya is the personification of purity and mercy.
“Poor people”
This novel also refers to "little people." Devushkin and Varvara Alekseevna are the heroes whom Dostoevsky created with an eye on Gogol's "Overcoat." However, the image and theme of the little man in Russian literature began precisely with the works of Pushkin. And they have a lot in common with Dostoevsky’s novels. The story of the station caretaker is told by himself. “Little People” in Dostoevsky’s novels are also prone to confession. They not only realize their worthlessness, but also seek to comprehend its cause, act as philosophers. It is enough to recall the lengthy messages of Devushkin and the long monologue of Marmeladov.
Tushin
The system of images in the novel "War and Peace" is extremely complex. The characters of Tolstoy are heroes from the highest aristocratic circle. Poor and miserable in them is not enough. But why remember the great epic novel then, when the topic of a little man is discussed in Russian literature? Composition-reasoning is a task in which it is worth describing a character such as Captain Tushin from the novel War and Peace. At first glance, he is ridiculous and awkward. However, this impression is misleading. In battle, Tushin shows his masculinity and fearlessness.
In the huge work of Tolstoy, this hero is given only a few pages. However, the theme of a small person in Russian literature of the 19th century is impossible without considering the image of Tushin. The characterization of this character is very important for understanding the views of the author himself.
Little people in the works of Leskov
The theme of a small man in Russian literature of the 18-19th century is revealed to the maximum. Leskov in his work also did not go around her. However, his characters are significantly different from the image of a small man, which can be seen in Pushkin’s stories and Dostoevsky’s novels. Ivan Flyagin is a hero with a look and soul. But this hero can be attributed to the category of "little people." First of all, because a lot of tests fall on his lot, but he does not complain about fate and does not cry.
The image of a little man in Chekhov's stories
A similar hero is often found on the pages of the works of this writer. Particularly vivid is the image of a little man depicted in satirical tales. A petty official is a typical hero of Chekhov's works. In the story "Death of an official" there is an image of a little man. Chervyakov is controlled by an inexplicable fear of the boss. Unlike the heroes of the story “The Overcoat,” the character from Chekhov’s story does not suffer from oppression and bullying by colleagues and the boss. Chervyakova kills fear of the highest ranks, eternal worship of the authorities.
"Triumph of the winner"
The theme of admiration for the authorities Chekhov continued in this story. However, the little people in Victory Triumph are portrayed in a much more satirical light. A father, in order to procure a good position for his son, humiliates himself by fawning and rude flattery.
But not only the people expressing them are guilty of low thoughts and misbehavior. All this is the result of orders prevailing in the social and political system. Worms would not be so eager to ask for forgiveness if he did not know about the possible consequences of an oversight.
In the work of Maxim Gorky
The play "At the Bottom" tells the story of the inhabitants of the shelter. Each of the characters in this work is a small person, deprived of the most necessary for a normal life. He is not able to change anything. The only thing he has the right to is to believe in the fables of the wanderer Luke. Compassion and warmth are what the heroes of the play “At the Bottom” need. The author encourages readers to compassion. And in this his views coincide with the point of view of Dostoevsky.
Yolks
“Pomegranate bracelet” is a story about the big love of a little man. Zheltkov once falls in love with a married woman, and he remains faithful to this feeling until the last minutes of his life. There is an abyss between them. And the hero of the work “Garnet Bracelet” does not hope for a reciprocal feeling.
Yolks possesses the characteristic features of a small person, not only because it occupies a low social position. He, like Bashmachkin and the station warden, remains alone with his pain. Zheltkov’s feelings are the basis for jokes and ironic sketches of Prince Shein. Other heroes are able to assess the depth of suffering of the “little man” only after his death.
Karandyshev
The image of a little man in Ostrovsky’s work has common features with similar heroes in the works of Dostoevsky and Chekhov. However, the humiliated Karandyshev in the play "Dowry" does not cause pity or sympathy. He is striving to get into a society in which he is not expected. And for the insults that he endures for many years, he is ready to take revenge.
Larisa Ogudalova and Katerina Kabanova also belong to the category of small people. But these heroines are whole personalities, and therefore do not know how to adapt and dodge. Death for them is the only way out of the situation in which they find themselves by virtue of the inertness of the social system.
The image of a little man in literature was developed in the nineteenth century. However, in modern literature, he gave way to other heroes. As you know, many foreign authors were influenced by Russian literature. Proof of this are the works of writers XX, in which there are often characters reminiscent of Chekhov and Gogol heroes. An example is Thomas Little Mann's Little Mister Friedemann. The hero of this short story lives his short life imperceptibly and dies in the same way, from the indifference and cruelty of those around him.