In 1870 he wrote Ostrovsky "Forest". A summary of this comedy and its analysis are presented in our article. Comedy consists of five acts. In 1871, Alexander Ostrovsky published his work in the journal "Domestic Notes".
"Forest": summary
The comedy takes place in the possessions of a wealthy landowner Gurmyzhskaya. The play "Forest" (Ostrovsky), a brief summary of which we present to your attention, begins as follows. Mr. Bulanov is trying to conquer the girl Aksinya. After she leaves, his footman invites him to start caring for Gurmyzhskaya.
The landowner at this time is with Milonov and Bodaev. Raisa Pavlovna wants to marry Aksinya to Bulanov and find her only heir. The merchant Vosmibratov wants the girl to marry Peter, his son. He strives for this in order to acquire forest. Vosmibratov does not make money for him. He is denied marriage.
Forest Acquisition
Despite this, the merchant still acquires the forest, and it is very profitable. He leaves with his son, leaving no receipt. Raisa Pavlovna forces Aksinya to play the role of Bulanov’s bride. Gurmyzhskaya is angry because the girl hates the "groom". Peter and Aksinya are in love with each other. Secretly from all of them they see each other in the forest.
Meeting Neschastlivtseva with Schastlivtsev
The Unlucky and the Lucky are facing in their path. One of them follows from Kerch, and the other from Vologda. They tell each other that playing in these cities will not work, since there is no troupe. Without money, on foot, they continue on their way.
Neschastlivtsev Gennady Demiyanovich in a backpack carries a broken gun and some good dresses. Schastlivtsev’s bundle has a light coat, the orders and several books stolen by him somewhere. They want to create a troupe, but finding a good actress is very difficult. After talking with each other and quarreling a little, Arkady and Gennady leave.
Dream of Raisa Pavlovna
Landowner Raisa Pavlovna flirts with Bulanov. The story of Gurmyzhskaya’s dream continues Ostrovsky’s comedy “Forest”. A summary of it is as follows. The landowner tells Bulanov that she had a dream about a missing relative - her nephew, who killed Bulanov. Soon the ridiculous conversation between them ends - the master arrives.
Gennady and Arkady visiting the landowner, exposing Vosmibratov
Gennady Demiyanovich seems to be a retired officer. He says that Lucky is his lackey. Enter Vosmibratov and Peter. Karp refuses to report on their arrival. Bulanov, talking to Gennady Demiyanovich, says that studying is not his mind's business, because his thinking is amazingly natural. He himself wants to learn to bluff in card games.
Arriving guests settle in the gazebo. Taking the receipt, Vosmibratov lies to the landowner Raisa Pavlovna, and also alludes to Gurmyzhskaya’s refusal to matchmaking. The landowner is unhappy. She decides to report this to Bulanov. Caught by Vosmibratov with his son. After it comes to deception, the merchant screams loudly, making himself formidable. Neschastlivtsev eventually takes the money and transfers it to Raisa Pavlovna.
Hints of Gennady, exposure of the landowner
The landowner is pleased with the help she received. She promises that she will give Neschastlivtsev the same amount. He does not believe her. However, he shows attraction to the landowner, making (very courteously) practically direct hints. Neschastlivtsev swears to make an idol of a woman, promises to pray for her.
Arkady from behind the bush is watching what is happening. He sees how the landowner taunts the actor, giving all his money to Bulanov. Arkady praises Neschastlivtsev at night that he was smart, because he was able to dine at the same table with the master and borrowed from the housekeeper. He fears Gennady, negotiating the last sentence from behind the bushes.
Neschastlivtsev tells who he really is
Gennady is sure that he will not be able to forgive the lady. Karp and Ulita come, and Schastlivtsev comes after them. Julitta (housekeeper) appears because of the upcoming date. Carp jokes on her. He tells gossip about the lady, ascribes to her various novels. Julitta is left alone with Arkady and tells him that she does not like her position.
Gennady continues to keep Schastlivtsev in fear. He inadvertently tells Ulite that he is not really an officer. Neschastlivtsev says that he and his alleged lackey are actors. Aksinya and Peter are in the garden. The merchant Vosmibratov agrees to receive a smaller dowry than he was supposed to. Lovers ask for money from Gennady, he easily has Aksinya and Peter to himself. The girl is desperate, but Neschastlivtsev explains that with finances he is even worse than hers. Then Aksinya says that he will drown in the lake. She is stopped by Gennady.
Aksinya decides to become an actress
The comedy "Forest" (Ostrovsky) continues with the fact that Neschastlivtsev offers the girl to work as an actress in the troupe that he creates. She agrees. Gennady says that they can become famous throughout Russia. Aksinya, Peter and Neschastlivtsev leave. Julitta and Raisa appear. Julitta tells the Gurmyzh news, calls Bulanova and leaves.
Gurmyzhskaya flirts with Bulanov
The landowner flirts again with Bulanov. She asks him to guess what she likes. Gurmyzhskaya climbs toward him with a kiss, then, pushing Bulanov away, says that he is crazy. Raisa Pavlovna asks him to leave her estate. However, he does not leave. In the morning, he hits Karp with his jokes. Karp says he will not tolerate unrest in the house. Bulanov fears Neschastlivtsev, who is mocking him. However, Gennady has no choice, he has to leave, saying that the landowner wished it. Leaving the house, he accidentally discovers a box of money.
Gennady receives a thousand rubles
The play "Forest" (Ostrovsky) is already approaching the finale. The plot is not simple, but very interesting. Gurmyzhskaya starts a conversation with Aksinya about Bulanov. In the end, she is jealous of her lover for her. Aksinya leaves, Gennady appears. Threatening, he persuades the landowner to give the casket. Gurmyzhskaya gives him 1,000 rubles, but he says he will shoot himself. Neschastlivtsev asks to give him a crew, anticipating contracts that are very beneficial for themselves. Aksinya is looking for Peter to say goodbye and leave to play in a troupe. Vosmibratov agrees to receive a thousand rubles in a dowry. Aksinya begs the landowner to give them this amount.
Final events
Bulanov and Raisa decide to marry. On this occasion, Gennady is trying to persuade the landowner to give a dowry, but she refuses. Bulanov supports her. Gennady himself gives money to lovers. The girl is grateful to him, and Bodaev is so surprised by the noble act that he is going to report about it in the newspaper.
Monologue completes his work Ostrovsky ("Forest"). Its summary is as follows: it is said that young girls want to leave home as soon as possible, and old women have a chance to marry young guys. Arkady tells Karp that if a horse-drawn cart arrives, it should be turned back so that the young can take a pleasant walk.
Let's move on to the analysis of the play created by Ostrovsky (The Forest). Its summary probably caused a lot of questions from readers. This is understandable, because the work is one of the most difficult in the work of Alexander Nikolaevich. Let's see what Ostrovsky wanted to tell us.
"Forest": analysis
The play "Forest", written in 1870, opens a decade in which family novels were popular. Their main idea is the indissolubility of society and family. Ostrovsky, like Saltykov-Shchedrin and Tolstoy, felt well that in Russia in the post-reform period, everything had changed and was “just fitting” (Tolstoy). It is the family that reflects the changes in society.
All this I wanted to show in my work Ostrovsky ("Forest"). An analysis of the play makes it possible to see that through the family conflict, it reveals the great shifts that have occurred in the life of Russian society. The play feels the wind of history. He pushed many people out of the strong and tough cells of a hierarchically organized state. They all collide, argue, fight in the living room of Gurmyzhskaya. These are people whom it was impossible to imagine earlier in dialogical communication: a poor pupil, an illiterate merchant, a district nobility, an unlearned high school student from a poor family of nobles, a landowner Gurmyzhsky (who became an actor Neschastlivtsev), an actor from the philistines.
The comedy "Forest" (Ostrovsky, as you know, created more than one work of this genre) - one of the most complex and perfect creations of Alexander Nikolaevich. This found expression in the construction of the work, in the complexity of the plot construction. In the forms of folk comedy, the love story of Peter and Aksigny was developed. It resembles the early work of Ostrovsky. This line is not highlighted in the work, although the dramatic struggle and development of the action are concentrated precisely on it. Aksigny’s fate, one might say, is the reason for the development of yet another line - the struggle between the free artist Neschastlivtsev, the “prodigal son” of the Gurmyzhsky; and the world of the landowner estate, the main ideologist of which is the landowner Gurmyzhskaya.
The high, heroic line is connected with the image of Gennady Neschastlivtsev. However, it is revealed in its entirety and in connection with the satirical orientation of the play. An analysis of Ostrovsky’s work “Forest” allows us to state that a social characterization (partly political) of the post-reform years society is given in a family conflict. In a clash with his antagonists, Gennady is a truly tall hero.
Why did Ostrovsky call the comedy "Forest"? This image has an allegorical character. He is a symbol of the savagery of the morals of nobles, well-mannered externally, but corrupted inwardly. After all, the noble estate in which the action takes place is surrounded on all sides by a forest.
Ostrovsky’s play “The Forest”, the analysis of which we conducted, is one of the most interesting works in the work of Alexander Nikolaevich. We hope you want to get acquainted with the original of this comedy. Indeed, in the framework of this article it is impossible to convey the artistic features that Ostrovsky laid down in the play "Forest". A summary of the actions only describes the plot of the work.