According to one version, A. Ostrovsky wrote "The Storm" at a time when he was in love with one of the Maly Theater actresses. Her name was Lyubov Kositskaya, the writer dedicated his work to her. However, his feeling turned out to be unrequited, and the girl gave her heart to another person, because of which she became a beggar and died suddenly. The actress, who played the role of Katerina, practically played herself, predetermining her real fate on the stage. For her, Katerina is a characteristic of her own inner world, her own sufferings and experiences. The production was liked not only by the general public, but also by the emperor himself.
Katerina: characteristics of the 19th century society
In
The Storm, Ostrovsky shows all the drama, all the tragedy of female life in Russia. In the 19th century, the female half of the population was limited in rights, all young girls, when married, had to obey the man unquestioningly and follow the rules of family life. Most marriages were calculated, so the couple were deprived of love and mutual understanding, but did not even dare to think about divorces. Due to the high position in society and material well-being, parents could pass off their daughter even as an elderly person. So happened the fate of Katerina, who became the wife of a wealthy merchant Tikhon Kabanov.
The comparative characteristics of Katerina with other characters in
Russian classical literature makes the reader understand the exclusivity and originality of this heroine. When reading Thunderstorms, it is necessary to pay attention to the peculiarities of the historical period and the restructuring of the centuries-old ways of life in society. Against this background, the resilience of Katerina’s character strikes even more and causes true respect.
Childhood and youth
The girl’s personality was largely affected by her childhood. Her young years were happy and carefree: she enjoyed life, was free in her actions, enjoyed freedom and basked in the warmth and care of loved ones. Katerina, whose characterization from the first pages of the novel seems almost ideal to the reader, she attended church from an early age, she was very moral and pious, she kept God's covenants, during services she seemed to go to a “different world”, her face became inspired and exalted. Violent faith in many ways became the prerequisite for Katerina’s personal catastrophe, because it was in the church that she met her beloved Boris. In the parental home, the girl learned to be honest, open, learned to experience love, and grew up kind and affectionate.
The married life of Katerina and the tyranny of Kabanikh
In the Kabanikh family, where there was an atmosphere of despotism and aggression, Katerina’s meek disposition underwent numerous changes. Being susceptible to attacks and insults from her mother-in-law, who introduced a "dictatorship regime" in the house, Katerina felt dependent on relatives, but was completely deprived of her husband's support, felt oppressed and unhappy. But by nature, full of light, kindness and cheerfulness, Katerina could not patiently exist in this chaos, in this world overflowing with evil and cruelty. She began to openly oppose the despotism of Kabanikh.
Katerina: the characterization of the heroine in the climax of the play
The girl committed a strong act, falling in love with another person when Tikhon was away. She herself perceives this as a terrible crime, reproaches herself and is tormented, religious canons and conscience do not allow the girl to relate to betrayal easily and without passion. Awareness of sin forced Katerina to make public repentance and admit her act. The culmination of the play was marked by a thunderstorm in nature and in society, which condemned the girl unanimously and ruthlessly. The heroine herself perceives the cataclysm as God's punishment, runs for support and protection to her husband and lover. But Tikhon was afraid of the evil and merciless nature of his mother, while Boris was too weak to save the unfortunate from shame. Disappointed with her loved ones, Katerina decides from despair at the only acceptable way out for her - suicide. Having killed herself, the girl becomes free from the oppression of her mother-in-law, while her spirit remains free and rebellious.
Katerina's role in Russian literature
The image of Katerina, as well as her death, is a "ray of light in the dark kingdom", she destroys the kingdom of Kabanikh. All members of the Kabanova family rebel against her. Katerina is a real protest against the traditional ways of Russian society, which is on the verge of collapse and destruction.