Man, as the greatest mystery of nature, a large unexplored field, has always been a favorite topic addressed by Maxim Gorky (Peshkov Aleksey Maksimovich). Human feelings and thoughts, weakness and strength, hopes and their collapse, social and spiritual nature are reflected in the heroes created by the author’s pen. A person in Gorky’s work is a truly vast topic.
Heroes of Gorky
The characters of this writer are people of the beginning of the 20th century, the time of World War II and the three revolutions, the collapse of the old world and the creation of a new one. However, depicting in the works of his contemporary, the author is trying to guess the image of a man of the future, a new turbulent time. In it, Alexei Maximovich Gorky embodies all the best that he saw in his contemporaries.
Human
In Gorky’s work, a person is not just a word used to call representatives of the homo sapiens kind, but a title, an honorary name that everyone needs to earn. The story "The Birth of a Man" talks about what an excellent position it is to be a representative of the human race on earth.
In order to deserve this name, you must first of all have spiritual freedom and pride - this is what Jehovah, Zeus, Allah and other gods of all religions are afraid of, as well as great teachers and leaders of all times and peoples. They are all known to Gorky under one name - the "black monster of power." It, declaring pride as the main sin, always killed the strong, free, proud with the hands of its priests.
Pride
Alexei Maksimovich Gorky believes that this is a good character trait that turns a slave into a free one, makes a weak person strong, and transforms insignificance into a person. Pride does not like everything generally accepted and philistine. So, the heroes of the work “Makar Chudra”, Rudda and Loiko prefer to die than to live unfree, because by their nature they are free and proud. However, the hypertrophy of this feeling gives rise to unconditional, absolute freedom from any moral principles and society. This thought sounds in another story, “Old Woman Izergil”, when the main character talks about the proud Larra, who dies for everyone (and for herself, first of all), in punishment, remaining to live forever. In immortality, therefore, he gains death. Maxim Gorky points to the eternal truth: it is impossible to live in society and be completely free from it.
Feelings
Another quality of a person, according to the author, is the ability to feel all-encompassing, completely surrendering, drowning out the voice of reason. The wisdom of life is the madness of the brave. Among Gorky’s favorite and main characters, one cannot find cold, reasonable, semi-positive types like Stavrogin and Bazarov (although, of course, such people have always been in our society). Too rational heroes are usually morally dead, and in the author, Man is alive, above all, feeling, homo sentiense. Such are Pelageya Nilovna Vlasova (“Mother”), Thomas Gordeev from the novel of the same name, Konovalov and Chelkash from the stories of the same name, Teterev (“Petty Bourgeois”) and Satin (“At the Bottom”). They are all united by the fact that the feelings of these heroes are stronger than reason. Many works of Gorky are devoted to this . A list of them can be supplemented. However, the writer himself considers excessive sensuality to be the lot of weak people, since it interferes with the person on the path of life. And the author considers the most important thing to be the ability to live in the full sense of the word.
Hot and rotting
A person in Gorky’s work is either hot or rotting. Rotting people are limited, weak people, not striving to change their lives, happy with their unenviable position. Most of them. These people love only a well-fed, warm, comfortable life.
Their typical representative is Gray. He agrees to slavishly serve any power, so long as it guards his peace and satiety. Life is presented to him in the form of a mirror, in the reflection of which he sees only himself. This type is very tenacious because it has the talents of a parasite. His soul has gone, it is the throne of a slippery toad, and his heart is careful and cowardly. He craves pleasures and is afraid of troubles and anxiety, which gives this image fake and forked. In addition to Sery, Gorky's heroes such as Uzh ("Song of the Falcon"), Yakov Mayakin ("Thomas Gordeev"), Bubnov ("At the bottom") belong to this type. These are stupid, weak, vulgar creatures, inert and inert - the exact opposite of the real Man. Gorky's works, the list of which was given above, illustrate this idea. However, there are other burning people. They spend their energy rapidly, completely surrender to life, sing a hymn to it. So, Neil ("Petty Bourgeois) talks about the pleasure of living on earth. He is echoed by the Petrel and the Falcon (" Song of the Falcon "and" Song of the Petrel "), as well as revolutionaries from the novel called" Mother "and others .
goal
But in order to be able to live a real life, it is not enough just to burn, to be proud and free, restless and feeling. It is very important to have a goal that justifies the existence, since the price of a person is his business. "Forward! And above!" - here is his credo. The life of Isergil is meaningless, aimlessly, without illuminating anything in its path. On the contrary, Danko flashes brightly and fades away, lighting people with a path for a new life. This Man in Gorky’s work , dying, gains true immortality, because it is a payment for a great, lofty goal that anyone should strive for. On the way to her, nothing should distract: neither blind faith seeking to enslave, nor sweet, cherishing hope, nor degrading love. Any sacrifice must be prepared to make for a great purpose, if only it would justify them.
Creation
Thus, a man who is fully confident in the freedom of thought, the infinite growth of creativity and its immortality is Gorky's ideal. The meaning of life must be seen in creativity, which is unlimited and self-sufficient. Man-God is above all gods invented. In this ideal, the writer put all the best that the heroes of that time had. Each of us remembers one catch phrase. “Man - that sounds proud,” Gorky solemnly proclaims.
Monologue about a man
In the play "At the Bottom," in the last act, Satin recites a small monologue, which is a textbook. In this speech, the hero honors Man, glorifies him. In his understanding, the representative of the human race is the center of the universe, the foundation of everything. Everything is closed on it: death, life, great discoveries and accomplishments. However, Satin does not mean every specific person, but the type of living creatures with this name.
He is admired by the capabilities, potential and power of representatives of humanity. That is why he thinks that this is a great humiliation - pity. Man, this "lump", therefore, is only worthy of respect and truth, which he can withstand, no matter how cruel it may be.
The hero concludes about the life purpose of man. In his opinion, he is "above satiety." The meaning of life is to make global, high, revolutionary. Gorky shares this opinion about Man.
This monologue is a dispute with the position of Luke, in all the opposite. This hero considers a person not as a collective image, but as a separate individual who needs attention, support, warmth.
The truth is perhaps somewhere in between the opinions of these two characters.
The play "At the Bottom" is a broad-sounding work that conveys the whole gamut of human feelings and conditions - from speeches about the Man of Satin, inspired and bold, to the deadly and hopeless despair of the Actor.