Which of us has not studied at school the work of such a writer as Nikolai Semenovich Leskov? “The Enchanted Wanderer” (a brief summary, analysis and creation history will be discussed in this article) is the most famous work of the writer. It is about him that we will talk further.
History of creation
The story was written in 1872 - 1873.
In the summer of 1872, Leskov traveled around Lake Ladoga along Karelia to the islands of Valaam, where monks lived. On the way, he got the idea to write a story about a wanderer. By the end of the year, the work was completed and offered for publication. It was called the Black Earth Telemac. However, Leskov was denied publication, as the work seemed damp to the publishers.
Then the writer took his creation to the magazine "Russian World", where he was published under the name "The Enchanted Wanderer, his life, experience, opinions and adventures."
Before presenting an analysis of Leskov (The Enchanted Wanderer), we turn to the brief content of the work.
Summary. Meet the protagonist
The scene is Lake Ladoga. There are travelers traveling to the islands of Valaam. From that moment, it will be possible to begin the analysis of Leskov’s novel “The Enchanted Wanderer,” since here the writer gets acquainted with the main character of the work.
So, one of the travelers, Koner Ivan Severyanych, a novice dressed in a cassock, tells that from childhood, God gave him a wonderful gift to tame horses. Companions ask the hero to tell Ivan Severyanych about his life.
It is this story that is the beginning of the main narrative, because in its structure Leskov's work is a story in a story.
The main character was born in the Oryol province in the family of Count K.'s courtyard. From childhood he became addicted to horses, but once for the sake of laughter he beat the monk to death. The murdered man begins to dream of Ivan Severyanych and says that he is promised to God, and that he will die many times and never die until real death comes and the hero goes to Chernets.
Soon, Ivan Severyanych quarreled with the owners and decided to leave, grabbing a horse and a rope. On the way, the idea of ​​suicide came to him, but the rope on which he decided to hang himself was cut off by gypsies. The wanderings of the hero continue, which lead him to the places where the Tatars drive their horses.
Tatar captivity
An analysis of the story “The Enchanted Wanderer” by Leskov briefly gives us an idea of ​​what a hero is. Already from the episode with the monk it is clear that he values ​​human life low. But it soon becomes clear that the horse is much more valuable to him than any person.
So, the hero gets to the Tatars, who have the custom of fighting for horses: two sit on the opposite side and beat each other with lashes, whoever lasts longer will win. Ivan Severyanych sees a wonderful horse, enters the battle and slaughter the enemy to death. Tatars catch him and “bristle” so that he does not run away. The hero serves them, crawling around.
Two come to the Tatars who, with the help of fireworks, intimidate them with their "fiery god." The protagonist finds the things of visitors, scares them off with the fireworks of the Tatars and cures his feet with a drug.
Coneser position
Ivan Severyanych is alone in the steppe. Shows the strength of the character of the main character analysis of Leskov ("The Enchanted Wanderer"). Alone, Ivan Severyanych managed to get to Astrakhan. From there, he is sent to his hometown, where he arranges for the horses to be watched by the former owner. It spreads about him, rumor as a wizard, since the hero accurately identifies good horses.
The prince learns about this, who takes Ivan Severyanyanich to his konesers. Now the hero chooses for the new owner of the horses. But one day he gets very drunk and in one of the taverns he gets acquainted with the gypsy Grushenka. It turns out that she is the mistress of the prince.
Grushenka
Leskov’s analysis (The Enchanted Wanderer) cannot be imagined without an episode of Grushenka’s death. It turns out that the prince planned to marry, and sent the unwanted mistress to a bee in the forest. However, the girl ran away from the guards and came to Ivan Severyanych. Grushenka asks him, to whom she sincerely attached and fell in love, to drown her, because she has no other choice. The hero fulfills the girl’s request, wanting to get rid of the torment. He remains alone with a heavy heart and begins to think about death. Soon there is a way out, Ivan Severyanych decides to go to war to bring his death closer.
In this episode, the hero’s cruelty was not so much manifested as his penchant for strange mercy. After all, he saved Grushenka from suffering by tripling his torment.
However, in war he does not find death. On the contrary, he is promoted to officer, awarded with the Order of St. George and given his resignation.
Returning from the war, Ivan Severyanych finds work in the address table as a directory. But the service does not go well, and then the hero leaves for the artists. However, even here our hero could not find his place. And without playing a single performance, he leaves the theater, deciding to go to the monastery.
Denouement
The decision to go to the monastery is correct, which is confirmed by the analysis. Leskov's “Enchanted Wanderer” (summarized here) is a work with a pronounced religious theme. Therefore, it is not surprising that it is in the monastery that Ivan Severyanych finds peace, his mental burdens leave him. Although sometimes he sees "demons", but with prayers he succeeds in driving them away. Though not always. Once, in a fit, he slaughtered a cow, which he mistook for a devil’s gun. For this he was planted by the monks in the cellar, where he opened the gift of prophecy.
Now, Ivan Severyanych goes to Slovoki on a pilgrimage to the elders Savvaty and Zosima. Having finished his story, the hero falls into a calm concentration and feels a mysterious spirit that is open only to babies.
Leskov's Analysis: The Enchanted Wanderer
The value of the main character of the work is that he is a typical representative of the people. And in his strength and abilities the essence of the whole Russian nation is revealed.
In this respect, the evolution of the hero and his spiritual development are interesting. If at the beginning we see a reckless and reckless dashing guy, then at the end of the story we see a wise monk in front of us. But this huge path of self-improvement would not have been possible without the trials that fell to the lot of the hero. It was they who prompted Ivan to sacrifice and desire to atone for his sins.
Such is the hero of the story that Leskov wrote. “The Enchanted Wanderer” (analysis of the work also testifies to this) is the story of the spiritual development of the entire Russian people on the example of one character. Leskov, as it were, confirmed with his work the idea that great heroes will always be born on Russian soil who are capable not only of feats, but also of self-sacrifice.