The essay “Ferret and Kalynich” is a real decoration of the collection of short stories and essays by Turgenev “Notes of the hunter”. He incorporated both the writer’s personal observations and his views on the social structure of the Russian “hinterland”. Deeply truthful is the narrative, as evidenced by its summary. “Ferret and Kalinych” is a real image of folk life for a wide readership.
Problems of the work
This essay was relevant and timely. The fact is that at the time of Turgenev there was no unity in society in understanding the problem of "proximity to the people." It was interpreted differently by the Slavophiles (who claimed that the peasants were committed to the “old days” and opposed to reform) and bourgeois ideologists (who claimed that the relations between the landowning fathers and peasant children were harmonious). The characteristic of Khorya and Kalinych visually refutes these views.
Images of the heroes of the essay
As is known from the plot of the story, a certain landowner of the Kaluga province, Mr. Polutykin, met on the basis of a mutual passion for hunting with the author of the story. The heroes of the story “Ferret and Kalynich” are real. In fact, the friendly owner of the hunting grounds was called Nikolai Alexandrovich Golofeev. Ivan Sergeevich really met him on a hunt and stayed with him for several days. Moreover, after reading the Turgenev story and recognizing himself in it, Mr. Golofeev got angry at Ivan Sergeyevich.
The image of the well-to-do serf Korya, a strong master, an educated person, is real to the smallest detail. The current village of Khorevka, Ulyanovsk District, Kaluga Region, has grown from the former Khorya Farm. Over the years, Khorya was visited by Afanasy Afanasevich Fet, noting the hospitality and “Herculean constitution” of his eighty-year-old owner, who “did not care” for years. To the guests, the owner of the farm always proudly showed the Turgenev essay. He, of course, knew by heart his summary. “Pole and Kalinych”, thus, reflects real people and real facts.
Friendship of Khorya and Kalynich
Pole - a calm, judicious family man. But he has no servant. A large friendly family of Khorya: six sons, as powerful as his father, build high spacious huts, housekeeping, and help each other. Once the landowner Polutykin allowed him to leave the rural community, having established a quitrent of 50 rubles. Khor, who founded his farm, started economic activity in such a way that he considered it fair to pay the landowner 100 rubles. If he wanted, he could pay off and become free, but he does not want this. To what? His element is earth and labor, and so is always with him. He is by nature a rationalist, business executive. Pole is well oriented in society and legally.
This strong master, ironically, has a true friend Kalinych, oddly enough, completely opposite to him. The latter lives on a mare. Kalynich does not know how to farm, earn and save money. However, he has other advantages. He understands animals, knows how to handle bees, and has extrasensory abilities, which he uses for treatment. Completely different people Khor and Kalinych. The summary of the story, however, testifies to their close friendship. Practical and prudent, thanks to Kalinych, Koryn gets help if necessary in treating domestic animals, treatment with traditional medicine, and Kalynych receives support from Korya on everyday matters, where he is an ignoramus. In addition, both of them are interesting interlocutors. Turgenev wrote in the story that he left their company with great reluctance.
Khor's views on Russian society
An educated worker Khor refutes the views of the "experts on the people" of the Slavophiles, extolling pre-Petrine Russia, arguing about the patriarchal nature of the Russian peasantry. A competent farm owner enters into a polemic with them. He believes that Peter I in his reforms did exactly what a real Russian peasant should have done. The essay included this lively popular view, as evidenced by the summary. The “Pole and Kalynich” through the lips of this real “land owner” says that if a peasant needs to change something, he sees practical benefits from this and is not afraid to make a change.
On the other hand, the philosopher Khor in his development, views and the spiritual world has long felt superiority over the landowner Polutykin. He feels that he thinks deeper, and the economy is more confident. However, thanks to the natural mind, he is always respectful with his "master", although in his spare time he does not mind pironizing over him. In comprehending the relationship between Polyutykin and Khorya, it should be recognized that this state of affairs, to put it mildly, is not linked to the bourgeois views on the landowner fathers.
Conclusion
What should be noted by reading this summary? “Ferret and Kalinych” is a story written on time and to the place. He caused a great public outcry, controversy. Enthusiastic about the work were Belinsky, Herzen, Annenkov. However, the story was not accepted by the Slavophiles, the Aksakov brothers. But the reaction of censor E. Volkov, who saw “harmful thought for the peasantry”, claiming that he could be better at liberty than even a landowner, is especially indicative.