What does the dark kingdom mean in a thunderstorm. The dark kingdom in the play Thunderstorm - composition

A.N. Ostrovsky finishes his work entitled "Thunderstorm" in 1859, when the state was on the verge of abolishing serfdom. The society was on the border of social and state changes.

In the center of events is the merchant environment, which personifies the "dark kingdom". Ostrovsky accurately and beautifully conveys all existing negative images, in fact, a whole gallery of images appears, endowed with quite negative character traits.

He uses the images of the townspeople to show the ignorance of the majority of the population, as well as the lack of education and unwillingness to accept new orders and foundations, because society is constantly changing, and people do not want to follow in the wake of the ongoing changes.

The most prominent representatives of the dark kingdom are the older generation, which is depicted in the person of the Boar and the Wild. Martha is used to torturing the people around her, including her loved ones, she is constantly irritated, therefore she reproaches them, constantly pouring reproaches. At the same time, she completely trusts and relies on the advice of antiquity, she does not look at what is happening in the world around her. At the same time, for others, she also tries to put antiquity in authority. Everything in the house of Kabanikhe obeys her orders and principles.

The second representative of the dark kingdom is much simpler and more primitive in any situation. But at the same time, he easily humiliates other people and yells at them, trying to prove his case.

But at the same time, all manifestations of the characters of the heroes of the dark kingdom come from impotence and emptiness. They understand that in fact they cannot resist the established foundations in society and the fact that society is constantly changing.

But at the same time, not everyone can fight the influence of the dark kingdom. It has enough power and actually puts pressure on some heroes. So, for example, Tikhon Kabanov is actually hammered by his mother, who is trying in everything and always to prove her case.

It is worth saying that the work, called "Thunderstorm", turned out to be actually brilliant. The author actually easily describes a dark realm in which some can recognize the surrounding society, and some can discern their own habits and habits. An ignorant society exists today, while trying to establish its own rules, which are not always correct.

Essay 2

A.N. Ostrovsky wrote the play "Thunderstorm". In his works, the author was not afraid to describe the vices of people and social injustice. The city in which the events of the play "Thunderstorm" took place, critics began to call the "dark kingdom".

The "Dark Realm" absorbs all the characters that fall into it. All who settle in this place become evil, inhuman, immoral people. It completely changes the character of a person. It has its own laws and regulations. One of the representatives of the "dark kingdom" is the powerful woman Kabanikha. She is cruel and heartless. She hates all the people around her, and especially her daughter-in-law Katerina. The girl, against her will, became a victim of this "dark kingdom". Kabanikha mocks her terribly and inhumanly. Katerina wants to escape from this place, but she is unable to change anything. This swamp sucks her in. Katya is a sincere, good-natured, sweet girl. She wants to be free. This place is like hell for her.

Tikhon is the husband of Katerina, he can be considered a victim. He has long come to terms with his life and does not want to change anything. The guy is satisfied with the swamp in which he exists. He cannot be condemned. Tikhon can only sympathize. He has no opinion and is completely dependent on his mother. Perhaps he would like to change his life, but he cannot do it. The death of Katerina awakened a rebel in him, but his protest did not last long and at the same hour was suppressed by Kabanikha.

Even in the "dark kingdom" Dika is ruled by a rich merchant. He is an evil, cruel, greedy man. He is not interested in other people's opinions. He, like Kabanikha, spoils the lives of others and gets incredible pleasure from this. He also has his own victim - this is Boris, his own nephew. The young guy is completely dependent on his uncle and his opinion.

Katerina is the only bright person in this "dark kingdom". She is like a ray of sunshine in the darkness. But, she could not cope with evil. The girl was broken by the "dark kingdom".

This society is ruled by money, malice, envy and hatred. There is no place for real sincere feelings. In the "dark kingdom" there is no love, compassion and friendship. In his work, Ostrovsky showed that good is not always stronger than evil. In the work "Thunderstorm" the light could not break through the darkness of hypocrisy, stinginess, anger and cruelty. In the "dark kingdom" evil rules and good has no place here. Ostrovsky described the main human vices in the play "Thunderstorm".

The drama "Thunderstorm" was written by A.N. Ostrovsky on the eve of the peasant reform in 1859. The author reveals to the reader the features of the social structure of that time, the characteristics of a society that is on the verge of significant changes.

two camps

The action of the play takes place in Kalinovo, a merchant town on the banks of the Volga. The society was divided in it into two camps - the older generation and the younger generation. They involuntarily collide with each other, as the movement of life dictates its own rules, and it will not be possible to preserve the old system.

The "Dark Kingdom" is a world characterized by ignorance, lack of education, tyranny, home building, and rejection of change. The main representatives are the merchant Marfa Kabanova - Kabanikha and Wild.

Mir Kabanikhi

The boar torments relatives and friends with groundless reproaches, suspicions and humiliations. It is important for her to observe the rules of the "old times", even at the expense of ostentatious actions. She demands the same from her environment. Behind all these laws, one does not have to talk about at least some feelings in relation even to one's own children. She brutally rules over them, suppressing their personal interests and opinions. The whole way of the Kabanovs' house is based on fear. To intimidate and humiliate is the life position of a merchant's wife.

wild

Even more primitive is the merchant Wild, a true tyrant, humiliating those around him with loud shouts and abuse, insults and exaltation of his own personality. Why is he behaving like this? It's just a way of self-realization for him. He boasts of Kabanova, how he subtly scolded this or that, admiring his ability to come up with new abuse.

Heroes of the older generation understand that their time is coming to an end, that their usual way of life is being replaced by something different, fresh. From this, their anger becomes more and more uncontrollable, more furious.

The pilgrim Feklusha, a respected guest for both, supports the philosophy of the Wild and Boar. She tells frightening stories about foreign countries, about Moscow, where certain creatures with dog heads walk instead of people. These legends are believed, not realizing that by doing so they expose their own ignorance.

Subjects of the "dark kingdom"

The younger generation, or rather its weaker representatives, are amenable to the influence of the kingdom. For example, Tikhon, who from childhood does not dare to say a word against his mother. He himself suffers from her oppression, but he does not have enough strength to resist her character. Largely because of this, he loses Katerina, his wife. And only bending over the body of the deceased wife, he dares to blame the mother for her death.

Dikiy's nephew, Boris, Katerina's lover, also becomes a victim of the "dark kingdom". He could not resist cruelty and humiliation, began to take them for granted. Having managed to seduce Katerina, he could not save her. He did not have the courage to take her away and start a new life.

Beam of light in the dark realm

It turns out that only Katerina is knocked out of the usual life of the "dark kingdom" with her inner light. It is pure and direct, far from material desires and outdated life principles. Only she has the courage to go against the rules and admit it.

I think that "Thunderstorm" is a remarkable work for its coverage of reality. The author seems to encourage the reader to follow Katerina to the truth, to the future, to freedom.

The action of the play by N.I. Ostrovsky takes place in the Volga city of Kalinov. The name is fictitious, but this does not mean that such a city does not exist. This is a collective, averaged image. In place of the author's Kalinov could be any Russian city.

The work describes the Russian reality of the beginning and middle of the 19th century. The heavy, oppressive social atmosphere of that time. So the place doesn't matter. The city, as well as the country, is ruled by the rich, tyrants, liars, ignoramuses, embittered by boredom, profiting from the hard work of ordinary people. Ostrovsky continues the dramaturgy of Gogol, Fonvizin and Griboyedov. Since then, little has changed. Empty and cruel people are getting richer, and the common people cannot escape from bondage. All this was dubbed by the author's contemporary and literary critic Dobrolyubov as the "dark kingdom". This definition turned out to be so accurate that it still does not lose its relevance and is used in the literature.

In a broad sense, the "dark kingdom" in Ostrovsky's play "Thunderstorm" is a figurative description of the socio-political state of Russia at the end of the 18th and until the middle of the 19th century. A thoughtful reader who knows the history of his native state understands well what time it is, what was the Russian reality at that time. The time when wealthy merchants and powerful landlords dominate. The country is exhausted morally and physically by serfdom and, perhaps, will not recover from it for several more centuries.

The tradesman Kuligin reports that there are cruel customs in the city. And nothing but rudeness and hopeless poor can not be found here. And, as the reader understands, we are talking not only about one city. And never escape from this web. An ordinary person cannot earn more than a piece of "daily bread" with honest work. The poor, who unquestioningly obey the rich tyrants, allow them to humiliate themselves, use, taking it for granted, is also an integral part of the dark kingdom.

Both the philistines and even ordinary peasants understand that “he who has money tries to enslave the poor”, so that by his hellish labor, which is almost unpaid, to make himself even more money, to increase his fortune. After all, people like Savely Prokofievich do not even hide it. The master openly tells the mayor that he has thousands of money out of the money that was not paid to the workers, and he feels good about it. Wild fully justifies his surname. He not only enjoys the hard and gratuitous labor of men, but also mocks them. “He will first break upon us, abuse us in every possible way, as his soul pleases,” but still he will not pay anything. It will also make them guilty. Or he will throw a penny and make you rejoice and thank, because he could not give it.

An equally important element of the dark kingdom is Kabanikha and the stuffy, unpleasant atmosphere in her house. Marfa Ignatyevna is kind and generous for the show, she gives to the poor, and they pray for her. And she completely ate her “homemade”. She likes to bully her own son and his young wife Katerina. She is pleased that her daughter-in-law was afraid of her. Katerina sincerely loves her husband and even her mother-in-law, she calls her mother. She does not know how to pretend and does not strive for this, which her mother-in-law cannot understand at all. This trait in the daughter-in-law causes anger and irritation in the mistress of the house. Very accurately called Dobrolyubov Katerina a ray of light in a dark kingdom. But one beam cannot illuminate large expanses and it perishes, crushed by darkness.

Doyurolyubov writes in his critical article that “the freedom of the individual, faith in love and happiness, the shrine of honest labor is impossible where human dignity is thrown into dust and brazenly trampled on by petty tyrants.” He also does not remove responsibility from those who allow themselves to be trampled on. The critic believes that the dark world described by Ostrovsky is close to collapse. That the play presents "shakiness and the near end of tyranny." After all, there are already rare rays, such as Katerina, which means that the sun will soon rise over this kingdom.

Option 2

The work "Thunderstorm" by A. N. Ostrovsky was written on the eve of the abolition of serfdom in 1859. And it became the first sign of a change in the era. In "Thunderstorm" the merchant environment is illuminated, which personifies the "dark kingdom" in the work. Ostrovsky settled in the city of Kalinov a whole range of negative images. On the example of their reader, such characteristics as ignorance, ignorance and adherence to the old foundations are revealed. It can be indicated that all the townspeople are imprisoned in the shackles of the old "house-building". The brightest representatives of the "dark kingdom" are Kabanova and Dikoy, in them the reader can clearly see the ruling class of that time.

Let's take a closer look at the described images of Marfa Kabanova and Dikoy.

Dikoy and Kabanova are the wealthiest merchants in Kalinovo, they are the "supreme" power, with the help of it they believe that they can crush the serfs, but even more so their relatives, deciding that they are right.

Ostrovsky opens the reader to the world of the merchants, with all its vices, realities and true events and many vivid, demonstrative images. Showing that there is nothing human, spiritual, good. There is no faith in a new, better future, love and free labor.

Such qualities as tyranny, ignorance, rudeness, cruelty and greed are always present in these images. Do not eradicate all this, since the upbringing and environment left their mark on the personality of Wild and Kabanova. Such images are attracted to each other, and cannot be without each other, where one ignoramus appeared, there another will appear. It is very convenient to hide your stupidity and ignorance under the guise of progressive thoughts and education, such images can be found everywhere. Considering themselves "the hand of power" they oppress those around them, not worrying about taking responsibility for their deeds. Kabanov and Wild is a world of money, envy, cruelty and malice. They shy away from innovation and progressive thoughts.

Kabanova Marfa Ignatievna is very despotic and hypocritical, in her opinion, family relationships should be subject to fear. She finally seized her brownies and did not take root very firmly in the old foundations both in the house and in her head.

The image of the Wild is very ambiguous and complex. He is experiencing his inner protest, Wild realizes how callous his nature and heart are, but he cannot do anything about it. First he scolds what the world stands on, and then asks for forgiveness and repentance.

The main idea of ​​the play "Thunderstorm" by Ostrovsky is to expose the "dark kingdom", a mean merchant environment, with the help of the images of Dikoy and Kabanova. But they are the only symbolic images, they convey to the reader the thoughts and reasoning of the author. He pointed to the vices of rich people, denouncing them without spirituality, meanness, cruelty. At the end of the play, the idea that life is unbearable and terrible in the "dark kingdom" is very clearly conveyed. Unfortunately, the world of tyrants oppresses a progressive and new person who could overcome ignorance, falsehood and meanness. In Russia at that time, cities and villages were full of such images as the work "Thunderstorm".

The Dark Kingdom in the play by Ostrovsky Thunderstorm

The play "Thunderstorm" was published two years before the introduction of his great reform by Alexander II. The desire for change was growing in society, but so was the fear of it. In nature, a thunderstorm is terrible in appearance and the force beating in it, but beneficial in its consequences. A.N. Ostrovsky wrote in an atmosphere of changes expected by many, bringing to light the "ulcers of society."

He introduces us into the oppressive atmosphere of a merchant environment, a real "house-building". The “dark kingdom” shown by him is in the pre-storm stage, when everything calms down. It seems that even the air for breathing is not enough. This atmosphere is so depressing. The near end of their power over the minds of those around Kabanikh and Dikaya is not yet felt. As long as they are sovereign rulers. The imperious Marfa Kabanova plagues everyone with her meticulousness, reproaches and suspicion. Her ideal is the old ways and customs. Wild - a tyrant, a drunkard and an ignorant person. He is much more primitive than Kabanova, but the power of money and ancient customs brought him into the circle of the "fathers" of the city. They subjugated almost everyone. The son of Kabanikha Tikhon does not contradict his mother in anything. Resigned to the "spiritual" slavery and nephew Wild Boris. Only sister Tikhon lives as she sees fit. But for this, Varvara imitates submission, deceives and tricks everyone. And so almost everything. Someone is afraid of the power of money, someone is pressure and arrogance, someone is feigned splendor, and someone is afraid just out of habit.

But not everyone reconciled. The despotism of Dikoy and Kabanikh is opposed by Katerina and Kuligin. Katerina is a pure and bright soul. Unable to withstand the unequal struggle, she commits the most terrible sin in the Christian faith - suicide. But this protest against the oppressive atmosphere of life in the city, if not dispelling the clouds completely, then made it possible to break through them a small ray of light and hope. A murmur rises and sprouts of resistance to the “dark kingdom” may sprout. And there is a leader of the resistance. Kuligin is still acting by conviction, trying to show everyone the horror of what is happening. Let's be honest, he doesn't do very well. But he did not break down and continues to fight for the minds, trying to change the mood in society.

I really like the play "Thunderstorm" by the meticulous enumeration of the vices of the author's contemporary society. He deliberately exaggerates and does not allow comic situations, which he is a master at describing. I think that he also does not indicate the ways of solving the problem on purpose. As an experienced person, an “engineer of human souls,” as writers will be called in our country in the next century, he knows that logical constructions do not work in real life. The main thing is to show the problem in all its "glory" and convey to people that the absence of its solution will lead to the gradual degradation of society. I believe that this goal A.N. Ostrovsky achieved by writing the play "Thunderstorm".

What does Dostoevsky's novel "Crime and Punishment" make you think about? The great philosopher, psychologist of the seventeenth century is, of course, Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, who, having written the famous novel "Crime and Punishment"

Dark kingdom. The kingdom of darkness (inosk.) ignorance, backwardness ... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)

- (inosk.) ignorance, backwardness ...

Dark kingdom (kingdom of darkness) (inosk.) ignorance, backwardness ... Michelson's Big Explanatory Phraseological Dictionary

KINGDOM- (1) kingdom; 2) reign) 1) the state headed by the king; 2) the time of the reign of some king, reign; 3) a certain area of ​​​​reality, the focus of certain objects and phenomena (for example, C of nature, dark C., sleepy C.) ... Power. Politics. Public service. Dictionary

"Dark Realm"- DARK KINGDOM an expression that has received wide distribution. after the appearance of the articles by N. A. Dobrolyubov The Dark Kingdom and the Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom (1859-60), devoted to the early work of A. N. Ostrovsky. It began to be used as a designation. arrogant ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary

- (born January 17, 1836, died November 17, 1861) one of the most remarkable critics of Russian literature and one of the characteristic representatives of public excitement in the era of "great reforms". He was the son of a priest in Nizhny Novgorod. Father,… …

Dramatic writer, head of the repertoire of the Imperial Moscow Theater and director of the Moscow Theater School. A. N. Ostrovsky was born in Moscow on January 31, 1823. His father, Nikolai Fedorovich, came from a spiritual rank, and according to ... ... Big biographical encyclopedia

DARK, dark, dark; dark, dark, dark (dark, dark simple.). 1. Deprived of light, immersed in darkness, in darkness. “Lyon spread until dark at night through the dewy meadows.” Nekrasov. "One candle burns in a dark room." A. Turgenev. “(Wolf) into the dark… … Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

Dobrolyubov, Nikolai Aleksandrovich, the most famous Russian critic after Belinsky, the main representative of the method of publicistic consideration of literary works. The short life of a highly gifted young man was unhappy, dazzling ... ... Biographical Dictionary

- (Nikolai Alexandrovich) the most famous Russian critic after Belinsky, the main representative of the method of publicistic consideration of literary works. The short life of a highly gifted young man, dazzlingly brilliant in ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary F.A. Brockhaus and I.A. Efron

Books

• Dark kingdom. Stage versions, Potapov Nikolay Ivanovich. Nikolai Ivanovich Potapov - participant in the Great Patriotic War. After the war he graduated from the Navigator Aviation School. He flew as a navigator on various types of aircraft. Later he worked in newspapers and ...

A.N. Ostrovsky completed his play in 1859, on the eve of the abolition of serfdom. Russia was in anticipation of reform, and the play became the first stage in the realization of the coming changes in society.

In his work, Ostrovsky presents us with a merchant environment, personifying the "dark kingdom". The author shows a whole gallery of negative images on the example of the inhabitants of the city of Kalinov. On the example of the townspeople, their ignorance, lack of education, and adherence to the old order are revealed to us. We can say that all Kalinovtsy are in the shackles of the old "house building".

The prominent representatives of the "dark kingdom" in the play are the "fathers" of the city in the person of Kabanikhi and Dikiy. Marfa Kabanova tortures those around her and those close to her with reproaches and suspicion. She relies on the authority of antiquity in everything and expects the same from others. There is no need to talk about her love for her son and daughter, the children of Kabanikha are completely subordinate to her power. Everything in Kabanova's house is based on fear. To scare and humiliate is her philosophy.

Wild is much more primitive than Kabanova. This is the image of a real tyrant. With his screams and swearing, this hero humiliates other people, thereby, as it were, rising above them. It seems to me that this is a way of self-expression for Dikiy: “What are you going to order me to do with myself when my heart is like that!”; “I scolded him, so scolded him that it’s impossible to demand better, he almost nailed me. Here it is, what a heart I have!

The unreasonable scolding of the Wild, the hypocritical captiousness of the Kabanikh - all this is due to the impotence of the heroes. The more real the changes in society and people, the stronger their protesting voices begin to sound. But there is no point in the rage of these heroes: only an empty sound remains from their words. “... And everything is somehow restless, it’s not good for them. In addition to them, without asking them, another life has grown with other beginnings, and although it is far away, it is still not clearly visible, but it already gives itself a presentiment and sends bad visions to dark arbitrariness, ”dobrolyubov writes about the play.

The images of Kuligin and Katerina are opposed to the Wild, Kabanikha, and the whole city. In his monologues, Kuligin tries to reason with the inhabitants of Kalinov, to open their eyes to what is happening around. For example, all the townspeople are in a wild, natural horror from a thunderstorm and perceive it as a punishment from heaven. Only Kuligin is not afraid, but sees in a thunderstorm a natural phenomenon of nature, beautiful and majestic. He proposes to build a lightning rod, but does not find the approval and understanding of others. Despite all this, the "dark kingdom" failed to absorb this self-taught eccentric. Amid savagery and tyranny, he retained a man in himself.

But not all the heroes of the play can resist the cruel customs of the "dark kingdom". Tikhon Kabanov is downtrodden, hounded by this society. Therefore, his image is tragic. The hero could not resist, from childhood he agreed with his mother in everything, he never contradicted her. And only at the end of the play, in front of the body of the dead Katerina, Tikhon decides to confront his mother and even blames her for the death of his wife.

Tikhon's sister, Varvara, finds her way to survive in Kalinovo. A strong, courageous and cunning character allows the girl to adapt to life in the "dark kingdom". For her peace of mind and for the sake of avoiding trouble, she lives by the principle of "hidden and covered", deceives and tricks. But, doing all this, Varvara is only trying to live as she wants.

Katerina Kabanova is a bright soul. Against the backdrop of the entire dead kingdom, it stands out for its purity and immediacy. This heroine was not mired in material interests and outdated worldly truths, like other residents of Kalinov. Her soul strives to free itself from the oppression and suffocation of these people, alien to it. Having fallen in love with Boris and cheated on her husband, Katerina is in terrible pangs of conscience. And she perceives the storm as a punishment from heaven for her sins: “Everyone should be afraid! It’s not that it’s scary that it will kill you, but that death will suddenly find you as you are, with all your sins ... ". Pious Katerina, unable to withstand the pressure of her own conscience, decides on the most terrible sin - suicide.

Dikiy's nephew, Boris, is also a victim of the "dark kingdom". He resigned himself to spiritual slavery and broke down under the pressure of the old-timers. Boris seduced Katerina, but he did not have the strength to save her, to take her away from the hated city. The "Dark Kingdom" turned out to be stronger than this hero.

Another representative of the "Dark Kingdom" is the wanderer Feklusha. In the house of Kabanikhi, she is highly respected. Her ignorant tales about distant lands are listened to attentively and even believed. Only in such a dark and ignorant society, no one can doubt Feklusha's stories. The wanderer supports the Boar, feeling her strength and power in the city.

In my opinion, the play "Thunderstorm" is a work of genius. It reveals so many images, so many characters that would be enough for a whole encyclopedia of negative characters. All ignorance, superstition, lack of education absorbed the "dark kingdom" of Kalinov. Thunderstorm shows us that the old way of life has long outlived its usefulness and does not meet modern conditions of life. Changes are already on the threshold of the "dark kingdom" and, together with the storm, are trying to break into it. It does not matter that they meet with great resistance from wild and boar. After reading the play, it becomes clear that they are all powerless before the future.