Judging by the fact that the name “Napoleon Bonaparte” is not yet found in the novel “Dubrovsky” (and how could it penetrate into such a wilderness where everyone lives according to the laws of antiquity?), Then it takes place in the 10s of the XIX century. Although the work itself was written almost twenty years later. It was based on a real story about a poor nobleman who was deprived of land, and he had to plunder in order to live.
Dreams and deeds of the young emperor Alexander I
Emperor Peter Alekseevich made of 90% of the peasants not just serfs, but full-fledged slaves who could not even marry on their own. The historical era described in the novel "Dubrovsky" fully confirms this. The landowner under Pyotr Alekseevich also performed bonded service, either in the army or in public office. While he served, he was placed on the ground with serfs. Hence the name “landowner”. If he could not serve, then the land and peasants were taken away. Tsar Peter III gave liberty to the nobility. Now the noble lord could serve or not serve at his own discretion, but the land and peasants were in his full possession.
Such is the historical era in the novel Dubrovsky. The kings granted (that is, bestowed) serfs and land to the landlords. So some of them are rich. Others remained poor, with little land and serfs. To keep them in slavery, it was necessary to keep people in complete ignorance. That is why literacy training for children was not practiced. The peasants called their masters "master", "mistress", and their child - "velvet." Such was the historical era described in the novel Dubrovsky.
Noblewomen married only people of their class. If a person of noble origin violated this rule, then he became an outcast. Most bars considered this situation normal. Some received home education, others left, as a young Dubrovsky, to study in large cities. Someone spoke French, while others knew only common everyday words that, on occasion, could be inserted into their speech. They did not want to know those people who did not belong to the nobility and did not respect them. Such relations are characterized by the historical era described in the novel "Dubrovsky".
How to change the country?
Of course, the young emperor dreamed of a constitution, since he was a convinced republican. But to whom should it be given? Not trained to read, wild people? Or maybe only literate? The nobility? The clergy? Painfully, the emperor was looking for the right path. And while these searches were ongoing, a new historical era has come, described in the novel Dubrovsky. In it, time seemed to freeze at the turn of Catherine and Paul. The emperor was well aware of the savagery and stupidity of even the best representatives of the nobility. What could be said about the education of representatives of other classes - officials, peasants, serfs and free people? Having studied at the seminaries at best, they did not know anything, and their patriarchal life and customs were simply horrifying.
Village life
The rich gentleman Kirila Petrovich Troekurov in his province was in a special position. He loved obsequious people who were happy to please him in everything. So that the master would not be bored, he received many guests and disrespectfully and mockingly treated them. It entertained him. Every day he went around his lands, then arranged long feasts, having fun with “leprosy” over new acquaintances. Those who did not want to endure his tyranny, he knew how to scare so that they no longer argued with him.
His neighbor and the only one whom he considered a friend was Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky. Troekurov often dreamed of marrying their children. Poor, but proud Dubrovsky did not think it was right.
Both landowners madly loved dog hunting and often hunted together.
Language of the novel "Dubrovsky"
The Russian language is a very subtle structure that can convey many shades of thoughts of any person. In the novel, he shows how our speech has changed over the past two hundred years. The linguistic historical era described in the Dubrovsky novel is an answer to the cultural needs of the time.
The words of the novel have disappeared, now considered obsolete : the province, the yard, the lieutenant, the general-general, the clerk, the serf, the solicitor, the sexton, the tutor, the deed of sale, apparently, the police officer, the stirrup, the kennel, the coachman, the assessor, the driving field.
What formed the basis of the novel "Dubrovsky"?
These questions worry the reader who is worried about the fate of Vladimir Gavrilovich and Maria Kirillovna. Does the historical era described in the Dubrovsky novel provide answers to questions?
Who was the prototype of the novel? The answer is a real person, a nobleman Pavel Ostrovsky.
Is the novel over? No. He began to reveal in full the picture of Russian life of that time and could not place the "living" heroes in the midst of an adventurous European novel, far from reality. The historical era in the novel "Dubrovsky" was in conflict with real life.
Why was it impossible for Masha and Vladimir to connect their lives? By the standards of our time, everything is very simple: they could do it. But in those years there was the concept of “sacrament of marriage,” which believers could not break: it was against all existing rules. A person simply could not live with the burden of such a sin.
During the life of Pushkin, this novel, which he considered unfinished, but perhaps intended to return to it, was not published. Perhaps the author would later be able to find answers to those questions that worried him.