Of course, many will agree that the prose of the talented Russian writer Nikolai Leskov is unusual: it contains elements of a fairy tale in which tragic and comic are intertwined. All this is largely manifested in the famous work of the above master of the word under the name "Left-handed".
It must be emphasized that the main characters of Lefty Leskov received mixed ratings from the writer.
The image of the Tula "craftsman"
The author emphasizes that his main character had a very ordinary appearance: he has a birthmark on his cheek , and there is no hair on his temples that the teacher pulled him in the past.
So, the main characters of “Lefty” Leskov. In their chain, the Tula man plays a key role. The writer in the work emphasizes his unique skill, which he possesses. A lefty is not just an ordinary gunsmith, he is a “talent”. However, the author is not trying to create his ideal image, saying that the science of the Tula peasant was given "with difficulty."
So what did he do so unique that other protagonists of Lefty Leskov could not? He goes abroad at the request of officials, namely in England, where he manages to shoe a flea. And here the writer wants to emphasize how skillful and talented a Russian person can be. And to possess the above qualities it is not at all necessary to perfectly know the technical sciences.
Of course, against the background of the "Tula" craftsman, the other main characters of "Lefty" Leskov are perceived by the reader as "unremarkable," since the writer gives them negative qualities.
However, the gunsmith from Tula, despite the persuasion of the British, does not want to visit foreigners anymore and returns home. It cannot be bribed with any money, it feels like a "small" person compared to "statesmen". Confident of the quality of his work, he is not afraid to go to an appointment with the Russian sovereign.
Left-hander - a collective character
Nikolai Leskov wants to demonstrate to the reader that a Russian person can do anything in order to show his dedication if the interests of the Fatherland are “at stake”. He goes hungry to foreigners, without any documents - and all this in order to show his ingenuity and talent to the British.
These are the amazing qualities that Nikolai Leskov endowed his character with. Left-hander, the main characters of this wonderful story are taken from Russian history to give authenticity to the work.
Other characters of the story
Here are images of Emperor Alexander Pavlovich, who believed that the British simply had no equal in technical sciences, Emperor Nicholas I, who, on the contrary, loved to claim that the Russian person is the most talented in the world. The writer also introduces the reader to Matvey Ivanovich Platov, who leads the Don Cossacks, he accompanies the tsar on a trip to the British and also favors Lefty. Skobelev and Kleinmichel are also historical figures about whom almost everyone who is interested in the past of Russia knows.
It should be noted that representatives of the bureaucratic apparatus and noble persons, who are the main characters of the story “Lefty,” Leskov introduced people with a set of negative qualities. They are swaggering, sometimes cruel and short-sighted, which once again indicates that the Russian peasant is capable of much to prove his allegiance to the Fatherland.