Varvara Kabanova is one of several main characters in A.N. Ostrovsky’s famous drama The Storm. According to the plot, Barbara lives in the city of Kalinov, she does not like many orders in this city, but she does not seek to deal with them, she learned to live her own way, just adapting to the rules of others. The image of Barbara in the play "Thunderstorm" very quickly attracts the attention of the reader. This girl has a strong and persistent character, and despite the fact that she is not trying to confront her mother, she is not going to indulge her.
What is she - Barbara?
Varya is a realistic person, she perfectly understands that her fate depends only on herself. This way the image of Barbara in the play "Thunderstorm" differs significantly from the image of the dreamy Catherine. Barbara understands that the life that people live in her city is no longer relevant, so she is not afraid to criticize the words of her mother. This emphasizes her mind and character.
Further in the play, such features of Vary’s character as thinking and insight are revealed even more clearly to the reader. She easily guesses that married Katerina is yearning for someone else's man. And while she had not yet fully understood her desires, as Varya already understood everything and began to make plans.
Barbara is quite a pragmatic girl. She understands that one does not need to wait from others for pity or compassion, and all the more so unquestioningly follow the instructions of others. But at the same time, she manages not to enter into an open conflict with others, creating the appearance of decency.
Realistic Barbara
The image of Barbara in the play "Thunderstorm" attracts attention with its realism. Varya does not take other people's words to heart, noticing hypocrisy and deceit in them. This is clearly manifested at the moment when a kind of mad lady appears before Varya and Katerina, who prophesies to the girls God's punishment for all their sins. While Katerina is overcome by fright and incomprehensible anxiety after hearing, Barbara does not worry at all about this. Maybe that's why she is much easier to live in the world.
But besides everything, it’s impossible to say about Vara that she is “a person with a stone heart”. Varya is capable of pity, compassion and understanding. The girl sincerely takes care of her sister-in-law Katerina, wishing her only good and understanding her feelings.
We can say that Varya is well versed in what is happening and in the people around her. She cannot understand only the dreamy Katerina, who, in her opinion, is so different from the rest.
Katerina and Barbara
Katerina and Varvara in the drama
“The Thunderstorm” by A. N.
Ostrovsky significantly differ from each other not only in their appearance, but also in character and worldview. Katerina is a principled, sincere and honest character. This heroine does not know how to deceive and is not capable of falsehood. She takes everything at face value, so it is very difficult for her to live not only in the Kabanov family, but also in the city of Kalinov. Katerina is a person who will not change her rules, will not go against her principles, will not be able to live in captivity for long.
Another thing is Varvara. She is not superstitious, afraid of nothing. Varya is able not only to live by the rules of others, but also to violate them, without causing a single conflict. Barbara is a person who has learned to live in the world that has developed around.
Two opposites
Barbara is full of determination, unlike her sister-in-law Katerina. She really appreciates the unworthy nature of her brother and does not see anything wrong with Katerina cheating on him. If Varia were in her place, she would never have admitted to this treason to anyone, but Katerina is not able to remain silent, she tells everything to her husband. Can Varia be considered vile or cynical? You can’t say anything, because it was just such a character that helped her cope with the conditions in which she grew up.
This is the comparative characteristic of the images. Katerina and Barbara in the drama “Thunderstorm” are, as it were, opposite worlds that intersect with each other. With the help of these two girls, the author tried to show different types of people, their behavior, strengths and weaknesses.
Pros and Cons of Barbara's Character
A lot of different qualities combined the image of Barbara. In the play "The Storm", she appears as a very realistic girl, even too much. Good or bad, judge the reader. Varya is also a straightforward, but at the same time cunning girl. It collected a fairly large number of beautiful character traits, but the atmosphere of falsehood and deceit in the parental home left its imprint on her character. “You can do everything if only nobody knows” - this is the life position of the heroine.
The plan of the image of Barbara from the play “The Storm” carries not only her character traits, but also her worldview, her behavior in various situations, her mistakes.
Barbara is much smarter and more experienced than Katerina. Although the latter is a married woman. Varya is much better in life.