To understand why Ostrovsky was called the “Zamoskvorechye Columbus”, it is necessary to follow the life and work of Alexander Ostrovsky from the very beginning. It all began in the capital of Russia, in the Zamoskvorechye district, located opposite the Kremlin, on the opposite bank of the Moskva River. There the future great playwright was born.
This area was famous for the fact that a huge mass of the middle class and merchant families lived here, which was remembered by the writer for his constant search and profit for himself. The future playwright grew and comprehended the wisdom of life, absorbing the
local flavor. His mother died very early, at that time the boy was only 8 years old. His father served as a lawyer and had private practice, he dreamed that his son would follow in his footsteps, so he insisted that Ostrovsky go to the Law University. But this step only brought the playwright closer to literary work, as in the educational institution he met many gifted professors who instilled in him an interest in literary conversations and discussions.
The beginning of Ostrovsky’s career
Having decided for himself that studying at this university was not for him, Alexander Nikolayevich interrupted his studies. He entered the court as a petty official at the insistence of his father. This decision played an important role in the formation of his work, since during his work he saw a lot of the most diverse characters of people, as well as a huge number of incredible fraudulent schemes. This affirmed him in the opinion that people are ready for anything for profit. These life impressions, the desire to give them a literary form, to decide their own judgment on the life of the merchant class, pushed Ostrovsky to drama and became one of the reasons why Ostrovsky was called "Columbus of Zamoskvorechye."
The first steps in drama
Enormous fame and respect was brought to the writer by his first play “Our People - Let's Count”, it thundered by a piercing satire, exposing a dishonest world. Unfortunately, the author’s talent attracted the attention of not only critics and fans, but also government censors. The play was banned for staging for a long time, and the author came under police supervision.
Why was Ostrovsky called "Columbus of Zamoskvorechye"?
One of the first works of the playwright is the essay "Notes Zamoskvoretsky resident." In it, the author acquaints readers with the peculiarities of life and customs of the merchants. He perceives Zamoskvorechye as a separate state in which inert, oppressive orders reign. But not only negative traits were deduced by the playwright in his plays. The merchants also have what he admired - this is the ability for centuries to preserve true religious Russian customs. Alexander Nikolaevich opens this special estate for everyone. Earlier, none of the writers addressed such topics, which is why Ostrovsky was called the “Columbus of Zamoskvorechye”, by analogy with the traveler who discovered America to the world.
Despite the fact that in many ways his small homeland upset the great playwright, he retained warm feelings for her in his soul. For him, Zamoskvorechye personified all of Moscow, which he sincerely loved.