This article will examine one of Gogol's most famous short stories. We will analyze it. "Taras Bulba" is a work familiar to everyone since school years. It is not surprising that it is still very popular - the story touches on many important issues that remain relevant at any time. Rereading the chapters of Taras Bulba, each time we discover something new. We will talk about the main ideas of this work. The characterization of the main characters is also included in our analysis.
"Taras Bulba": the story of the creation of the work
Nikolai Vasilyevich, having finished work on “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka,” set to work on a series of novels called Mirgorod, which consists of two parts. “Taras Bulba” and “Old-World Landowners” are the works included in the first part of this book. Both parts were first published in early 1835.
Genre Features
In its genre, "Taras Bulba" is a historical novel. She is notable for its versatility, the fact that it presents a lot of actors. Despite the large number of heroes, the fate of Taras Bulba, a Cossack colonel, and his two sons is still at the center of the story. The characteristics of each of them are included in our analysis.
“Taras Bulba” is a story interesting not only from the point of view of the characters, but also from the point of view of the plot. Let us briefly outline what the work is about.
The plot of the work
Arriving at the parental home of the former Bursaks is the plot of the story. Taras immediately checks the combat training of his sons. It is important for him that they be true warriors and good Cossacks. For a mother, the most important thing is that her children be happy and healthy. Immediately after arrival, Taras decides to go to Zaporozhye with his sons. He wants them to pick up the mind here. In his opinion, Zaporizhzhya Sich is the true school for the Cossack. While here, the sons of Taras Bulba are engaged in military affairs, but their life is mainly spent in feasts and gulba.
The climax of the story is the scene of the siege of the city of Dubno. It is in this episode that the value world of the main characters of the work is tested. Taras Bulba, Ostap and Andriy bravely fight. Both sons of the Cossack behave bravely. However, Ostap is calm, and his brother enjoys the music of bullets. In addition, Andriy agrees to help his beloved Polish girl, which is a betrayal. The siege of Dubno ends with the defeat of the Cossacks. Taras cracked down on his youngest son, who committed a betrayal. What concludes Gogol's story? Taras Bulba, the protagonist of the work, is deprived of the remote Cossacks. He is dying. This is the denouement of the story.
Patriotic pathos of the work
Certainly, the work “Taras Bulba” was marked by great patriotic pathos. This topic goes through the whole story. A positive healthy start, integrity and talent, a wide range of nature - all this is seen by the author among the people, all this was manifested in his heroic past. "Taras Bulba" is a story in which Gogol tells us about how the Ukrainian people fought with the Polish gentry. The patriotic pathos of the work of interest to us is determined by the broad image of this struggle. The author showed the bonds of friendship that bind the Ukrainian and Russian peoples in historical destiny. It is no accident that Gogol mentions the “Russian power” of the Cossacks. It for him is immigrants from various Russian principalities, it is the serfs who fled from the masters, who united to fight for independence.
The image of Taras Bulba
Taras Bulba is the main character of the work. This is not a conditionally heroic image. This hero has specific historical features. Nikolai Vasilyevich faithfully depicts the image of a Cossack of those harsh years. Only in rare intervals of calm can he return to a peaceful life, to his family. The rest of the time, Taras Bulba is a warrior who devotes his life to serving the motherland.
This hero is not characterized by hesitation. Taras always sees a goal in front of him. He believes that his duty is impeccable service to the homeland. It is from here the origins of his courage and fearlessness. Taras Bulba is characterized by "crude directness of temper", which is contrasted in the product of the effeminacy of the Polish gentry, as well as the Cossacks, who have adopted its habits.
The main feature in the image of Taras
The main feature in the image of Taras Bulba is selfless patriotism. All his physical and mental strengths are supported by this feeling. After a long separation from his sons, in the first minutes of the meeting he meets them not with a hug, but with a test of fighting qualities.
The harsh time in which Taras lived dictated its own rules. Men were to become fearless fighters. And Taras Bulba can’t wait to boast about her sons in Sich. Therefore, he sends them to a military camp, not allowing at least a little soak at home.
The last minutes of Taras’s life
Describing Taras Bulba, Nikolai Vasilievich notes that only in difficult times could such a selfless and stubborn warrior arise. The true moments of Taras Bulba's life are full of true love for his people and heroism. He does not think that he will soon die a painful death, does not feel pain in his burning legs. This Cossack seeks to help out his comrades-in-arms who are in trouble. Taras helps them escape, as he hopes that they will continue the work for which he gave his life.
Sons of Taras Bulba
Love for the homeland, loyalty to her for Taras is much higher than personal affection and consanguinity. Because of this, the tragedy that affected his family becomes even worse. The colonel had two sons. The oldest of them was called Ostap, and the youngest was Andriy. Gogol gives the eldest son the features of a hero, like other Cossacks. But Andriy in the story appears as a subtle man who sees beauty in life and knows how to appreciate it. The youngest son of Taras was seduced by the Polish panel, as a result of which he switched to the side of the enemy. Thus, Andriy betrayed his father, and the motherland, and comrades. Bulba independently executes a son who has changed a nation.
The image of Ostap
In Ostap, the author portrayed the successor of his father's work. Taras is rightly proud of this son. For him, as for many other Cossacks, the homeland is the most precious thing in life. For her sake, the hero of the story "Taras Bulba" Ostap is ready to endure the most terrible torment and even accept death. Violently tortured, he does not lose courage in the execution scene. He understands that he is not dying in vain.
War labor is the most important occupation for Ostap. In spiritual terms, this hero is somewhat primitive, since he is not interested in anything but military disciplines. However, Ostap's patriotism, his loyalty to his comrades and the oath make the reader admire him.
Characteristic Andria
Having embarked on the path of betrayal, Andriy did not become the defender of the Fatherland. Together with enemies, he began to kill his former comrades and friends. The dreamy, sublime and romantic hero is alien to the reality surrounding him, the rude manners and life of the Zaporizhzhya Sich. Andriy sees the well-fed and carelessly sleeping Cossacks and starving people. And the picture of the world in his mind is changing. The hero cannot figure out his own experiences. For him, love becomes the highest value. It is for her sake that he decides to betray his comrades.
What is the author’s attitude towards this hero? He regrets the death of Andria, who knew how to feel deeply and subtly, and also to fight bravely. Gogol exclaims: "And the Cossack died ...". Despite the fact that Nikolai Vasilyevich draws the heroes of Sich with admiration, we do not feel the direct condemnation of Andria. We can say that the position of the author is ambiguous.
Ostap and Andriy - two ways
In the story "Taras Bulba" these heroes personify two possible ways that a person can go. The first path is immortality in the name of the happiness of their people, the second is inglorious death, betrayal and a defiled name, which the descendants, if they remember, then with shame and hatred.
Nature image
Of course, from the point of view of the characters, the story "Taras Bulba" is very interesting. The heroes depicted in it were successful for the author. However, Gogol in his work tells not only about brave and strong warriors. The story presents detailed pictures of the lush nature of Little Russia. In the vast expanses of the steppe, such selfless and freedom-loving fighters grow up. And they protect this wonderful world, having matured.
This concludes our analysis. "Taras Bulba", according to Belinsky, is an epic written with a wide and bold brush. A.P. Chekhov called Nikolai Vasilievich "king of the steppe." One cannot disagree with this.