The world created by Gogol once fascinated the great Pushkin. He can not leave us indifferent.
In a special, epic manner, Gogol created the story “Taras Bulba”. Views on patriotism, parenting, camaraderie, service to the homeland of the old, battle-hardened Cossack colonel, reflecting on the lost grandeur of the Russian Land, still deserve close attention and respect. It’s not for nothing that for the contemporary classic of cinema Vladimir Bortko, Gogol became the next height after Bulgakov (the film adaptation of “The Master and Margarita”). The Russian filmmaker revealed the summary of Taras Bulba as close as possible to the original source and intention of the writer. The choice of script was not accidental: the relevance of the story only increases over time. Too much in the post-Soviet expanses suddenly appeared public Little Russians and Great Russians. Each of them is trying to build his personal well-being and imaginary greatness, humiliating his opponent, but actually humiliating himself.
In an artistic epic manner, Gogol wrote his work - “Taras Bulba”. The summary of the story, even in an extremely compressed form, achieves a lofty goal - to show partnership on Russian Earth as the cornerstone of our statehood. And what can we say about the unabridged version of the work! Gogol humiliates mercantilism in the relations of the Slavs as a harmful education introduced from the outside with his story, shows it insolvent, calls it “Busurmansky”. He condemns those who seek to substitute private property (“steals with bread”, “herds”) and the enslavement of other people - the original primordial spirit of camaraderie, which laid the foundation of the Russian Land.
The plot of the story immerses us in the "chivalrous" XVI century. Taras Bulba, a non-poor and very worthy man, managed to give his sons Ostap and Andria a solid pro-Western education. What would our millionaires do in his place? They would help their children to “settle down” in “bread” places in prosperous countries. (Although not our contemporary Gogol, we will try to relate the summary of Taras Bulba to the present as much as possible.) However, a wise Cossack colonel recalls them to their homeland so that in serving her they acquire a meaning in life.
The father’s school of martial art, his views on life, born of the heart, “wise grief, labor, retirement” were fully adopted by his eldest son Ostap. He has the gift of a commander: he quickly assesses the situation, understands and senses where the key direction of the strike is, and is able to turn the tide of the battle. Ostap actually saves the Cossacks of Nezamaykovsky and Steblikivsky chickens by quickly maneuvering off the enemy’s guns that are ready to fire a volley of buckshot. Shlyahtichi, having surrounded the daredevil in an unequal battle, will capture him and, having brought to Warsaw, they will be executed publicly, trying first to torture them. Ostap demonstrates unbending fortitude, dying a hero. His last words are a call to his father, whether he sees him. Father is second to him after God. Old Taras, having incognito arrived in Warsaw in the hope of bribery to free his son, cannot but respond from the crowd. He is proud of Ostap.
But this is not the youngest son of the chieftain, Andrius. Although God did not offend him neither the article nor the military qualities, but he is a man of emotions, impulses. Having fallen in love with the Polish panjanka, Andriy rejects the idea of ​​service, replaces it with mercantile outlooks on life, and goes over to the side of the enemy. And about such a type of Slavs, who believe that the Motherland is there, where they feel good, Gogol tells. The summary of “Taras Bulba” cannot do without a story about the implementation of the Cossack court and retaliation against the apostate. Having captivated Andria in battle, Taras Bulba personally makes a mortal shot at his son, having first thrown him a stern accusation of selling his faith, “his own”.
The author (to whom, as you know, the ingenious Pushkin joyfully “presented” the plots of “The Examiner” and “Dead Souls”) in the novel “Taras Bulba” fundamentally stepped over the Rubicon, which divides two fraternal Slavic branches. Did Gogol recognize the danger of further aggravation of such discord? The summary of “Taras Bulba”, corresponding to the classic heroic epos, cannot but indicate the depth and seriousness of the writer’s understanding of this problem. Figuratively speaking, he, like the legendary King Arthur, tries to seat the Slavs at a round knightly table, where everyone is equally responsible for everything that he has for the Motherland with his story. Unfortunately, this is what happened in our history, we “give a hand to the brotherhood” only at critical, fateful moments, “miserable”, “hitting the floor with hands”, “clutching his head”. Is it because of such critical moments that our history is so abundant?
Burning in the fire the heart of Taras Bulba, the Cossack King Lear, who calls for fraternity, is today a powerful allegory, urging both branches of the Russian people to drop all fake, alluvial, mercantile, return to the original sources - to partnership.