The drama "Thunderstorm" was written by Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky in 1859, the work appeared in print in 1860. The play was created by a playwright in the village of Shchelykovo, where he acquired the estate, and where he spent a lot of time. According to many literary scholars, the plot reflected the morals of the Kostroma merchants.
Until now, Kostroma can show the place where the heroine of the play rushed to the Volga, and the ravine, where she ran on dates with Kudryash Varvara, was safely preserved, even on the map of Kostroma there is Ovrazhnaya street. True, Kineshma argues with Kostroma for the right to become the scene of the play.
From the moment it appeared in print and staged on the stage, the play became the object of fierce debate and clash of different opinions of critics, theater experts, and viewers. Millions of Soviet schoolchildren (following Dobrolyubov) repeated that Katerina is a ray of light in the dark kingdom. And many of Ostrovsky's contemporaries simply perceived this story as family-psychological. So, the drama “Thunderstorm” (short summary): the authoritative mother-in-law tyranges an honest and proud daughter-in-law who sincerely tries to be a good wife, but, like sin, falls in love with another.
By the way, that Katerina’s husband, Tikhon, that her secret love, Boris, are
two pair boots for making responsible decisions. Hiding behind the backs of others. And if in Tikhon, after the death of Katerina, even a timid, but rebellion against mother is planned, Boris simply escapes responsibility, saying goodbye to Katerina, tells her: "Unclearly sends food - uncle sends." You might think that you couldn’t leave of your own accord, tea, not serfdom. By his betrayal, Boris is pushing Katerina to commit suicide.
When you read textbooks of Soviet-era literature and compare it with what is issued by information sources today, you are amazed at the stability of those cliches that Groza could not say goodbye to.
It is rare that one does not remember the “dark kingdom” and the “stuffy world of the tyrants reigning in it,” “the victims opposing the dark kingdom,” and so on. And the drama "Thunderstorm" does not part with these stereotypes.
And if you abandon these wording learned from school and re-read the play? Just take a fresh look at what is happening in the city of Kalinov. So far have we gone from the world in which Savel Dikoy rules, in other words, big money?
So again. Drama "Thunderstorm". Ostrovsky still has not revealed all the mysteries inherent in the plot of the play. Why is Kabanikha tyrannizing Katerina so much? Is it just the jealousy of the mother-in-law to the daughter-in-law, a feeling quite traditional and understandable to modern women? Or is it a projection of her own biography - after all, she once a young daughter-in-law entered a rich merchant's house, and she had to humble herself and obey.
There is a heroine in the play, which is usually referred to as a tongue twister - this is Tikhon's sister, Barbara. Here she is, spitting on the morals and foundations of morality, flees from Kalinov with her beloved Kudryash. So, does a person have any choice? Or does he continue to go with the flow? Or rushes into the river from hopelessness?
The drama Thunderstorm asks a lot of questions, but it makes readers and viewers think over the answers.