Literary criticism in the person of Dmitry Ivanovich Pisarev has found a highly educated, thinking non-standard and principled adherent. He could not pass by the characteristics of the iconic drama "Thunderstorm" Ostrovsky - a kind of renaissance of Russian national
theater in the XIX century. Deeply aware of its content, creates Pisarev "Motives of Russian drama." A summary of this work of his is a critical attitude to the conclusions of Dobrolyubov regarding the ideological character of Katerina’s image. Pisarev ironically called such views "patriotic illusions."
Choking atmosphere Kalinova
The fact that Kalinov, portrayed by Ostrovsky as a Volga county town, is indeed a "dark kingdom", Dmitry Ivanovich does not dispute. “Motives of the Russian drama” show how the impudent and greedy rude merchant Wild and prude, pestering others, the tradeswoman Kabanikh impose their will on others. Traders force others to serve themselves. The motives of the Russian drama are dedicated to the depiction of the caste of the Russian hinterland and ugly intra-caste and especially inter-caste relations. The summary of this work conveys how the author contrasts the calculated, down-to-earth Cabanich with the deeply natural, acting in her heart, and not in her mind, Katerina’s daughter-in-law.
A fundamentally different vision of the image of Katerina
The vision of this image, central in Ostrovsky’s work, is diametrically opposed by the two aforementioned critics. If Dobrolubov saw spirituality in the main heroine of the drama, not taking into account the underdeveloped will, as well as uncontrollable emotionality, Pisarev said that Katerina was far from ideal, despite the fact that this literary image is undoubtedly positive. In addition, Dmitry Ivanovich sees the frivolity of a married lady in agreeing to a “faithful meeting” with Boris, whom she plainly does not know.
Disclosure of the randomness and unconsciousness of the actions of the heroine of Ostrovsky is dedicated by Pisarev “Motives of Russian drama”. The summary presents the very scene of Katerina's adoption of the fatal decision, which had erratically arisen. After all, initially a woman did not even think to take sin into her soul. Dmitry Ivanovich draws the attention of readers to the intermediate state of Katherine’s emotion, caused by the association with flowers, just before the jump into the Volga.
The personality of the Kabanovs’s daughter-in-law is deeply contradictory in itself, a woman does not foresee and does not calculate her actions, other people do it for her. The boar grumbles - she is hysterical, Boris stared at her - she fell in love, Varvara arranged a date - she went. The article “Motives of Russian drama” reveals the image of the heroine of Ostrovsky quite ironically. Pisarev at the same time casts doubt on the reasonableness of the position of Dobrolyubov himself in relation to the image of Katerina, idealizing her inner world. He characterizes the position of Dobrolyubov as the point of view of an esthete, but not a citizen who is glad for the priority maintenance of piety.
Conclusion
Why did Dmitry Ivanovich return to the characterization of this work four years after Dobrolyubov's deafeningly successful article, “Ray of Light in the Dark Kingdom”? Obviously, he was outraged by the exaltation of an image devoid of a "smart start." It is precisely for the approval of a balanced, unbiased look at one of the best Russian dramatic works that Pisarev writes “Motives of Russian Drama”. The summary briefly leads us to understand what can be called “light” in human relations. A brilliant critic concludes that light in a public context is a contribution to reducing the suffering of others. Adherence to the idea of ​​abolishing the autocracy cost him imprisonment in the Peter and Paul Fortress. It was in prison, when Pisarev himself was allowed to write, the article itself “Motives of Russian Drama” was born.