The story "The Night Before Christmas" was created in 1830-1832. Its author is the famous writer Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. This story is part of a large literary work.
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol, biography
Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol was born in the Poltava province. The exact place of birth is the village of Veliky Sorochintsy. This great man, the author of the novel “The Night Before Christmas,” was the son of a county landowner. His family is known for having many priests in it.
After completing his studies at the educational institution of Poltava, Gogol went to Petersburg, and his first works, Italy and Hans Kuehelgarten, were also published there. In 1829, the author of The Night before Christmas serves in the Department of Economic Affairs at a large ministry and there he gains experience, which later came in handy for him when writing works.
In the 1830s, the most famous works of Gogol appeared. This is “Nose”, “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”, “Taras Bulba”. In 1835, Gogol received advice from Pushkin to write “The Examiner” and implemented this idea. In 1836, the writer travels to Germany, where he works on his famous novel Dead Souls. Gogol travels to Europe, then travels to Jerusalem and returns to Russia.
In 1849 and 1850, Gogol lives in Moscow, sometimes visits Odessa. In 1851, he again lives in Moscow, at which time he begins to have health problems. He is in the capital until his death (in 1852).
The story "The Night Before Christmas", Vakula and Oksana
The story takes place at the time when Catherine the Second reigns in Russia. Chronologically, it can be attributed to 1775. The scene is the village of Dikanka, located in one of the Ukrainian provinces. If you know who the author of the story "The Night Before Christmas" is about, what this story is about, you will be also interested.
In the night sky the devil and the witch are spinning on a broomstick. The first wants to annoy the blacksmith Vakule, who drew a damned line on the church wall. To this end, he steals a month from heaven. Damn sure that in this darkness, Vakula would not dare to go to the hut of the Cossack Chub, to his daughter Oksana. However, the Cossack Chub himself still goes to visit the clerk in order to drink vodka. The author of The Night Before Christmas knew the customs of the Ukrainian people well.
At this time, the daughter of Chub Oksana collects friends at home. On one of them she sees shoes embroidered with gold. Oksana informs her friends that she will marry the blacksmith Vakulu if he brings her the little cabins in which the queen herself walks.
Kozak Chub goes to Solokha. There he has to hide from Vakula, who returned to his mother Solokha. Before that, the devil, head and clerk hid in the hut.
Upset, Vakula picks up all the bags, takes them out to the street and throws them, leaving himself the smallest. And the devil sits in it. Damn offers Wakula to sell his soul, but the blacksmith does not agree. Threatening the line with a cross, Vakula mounts him and rushes to Petersburg.
The Story “The Night Before Christmas”, second part
In St. Petersburg, Vakula comes to the Cossacks and together with them goes to the Tsarina’s palace. Having come to her appointment, the blacksmith makes an exquisite compliment and asks for the little bird she wears. The queen admires the appearance of Vakula and gives him the cuttings.
At this time, the village women in Dikanka were arguing about exactly how Vakula committed suicide. Some claim that he hanged himself, others - that he drowned. Oksana, hearing this, is very worried and really falls in love with a blacksmith.
The blacksmith, meanwhile, returns to his native village and comes to the Cossack Chubu - to get married to Oksana. He brings Chub a new hat and a beautiful belt. Chub agrees to marry his daughter to a blacksmith, and soon the wedding of the young. Vakula, creating a family, beautifully paints his hut, amazing others.
Pictures of folk life in Gogol’s novel “The Night Before Christmas”
The prose writer Gogol in his story sought, first of all, to depict the life of the simple Ukrainian people, to show folk customs and traditions. Many people think about the theme of the story “The Night Before Christmas”. The theme of the story is the life and customs of the Ukrainian people, their traditions. The central character is the blacksmith of Vakula, who strives at all costs to fulfill the desire of his beloved. The image of Oksana is the image of a Ukrainian girl, to whom many married, but no one managed to win her heart. Oksana falls in love with a blacksmith, seeing his courage and willingness to go to any test for her sake. The one who authored the story “The Night Before Christmas” created magnificent characters from the common people.
Traditions of the Ukrainian people in the novel “The Night Before Christmas”
The life of the Ukrainian people is shown during the celebration of the bright holiday of Christmas. The tradition of caroling is vividly described: a procession of mummers who sing songs and ask for gifts passes through the village. The bags in which the guests of Solokha hid, the carols are taken as bags of food and carry them around the village for a long time until they figure out the deception.
The Ukrainian people respect religious Orthodox traditions and sacredly believe in them. By the power of the holy cross, the villagers manage to defend themselves from all misfortunes, and to the blacksmith Vakula to curb the devil.
Fiction in Gogol’s novel “The Night Before Christmas”
Gogol's prose is interesting in that in it the real is combined with the fantastic. Mythological characters are associated with evil spirits. But at the same time, evil spirits have all the features of real characters. The main representative of evil spirits - the devil - in front looks like a foreigner, and behind - like a provincial solicitor. The witch also has the features of a real Ukrainian woman. This is Solokha, who can fly on a broomstick, and walk around the village, talking with fellow villagers.