The famous Russian playwright Alexander Ostrovsky made a significant contribution to classical literature and national drama. His play "The Storm" caused a wide resonance in society. In particular, literary critics Dobrolyubov and Pisarev in their own way determined the inner essence of the main character - Katerina Kabanova.
Female images of "Thunderstorm" Ostrovsky
This play has been adorning posters from theaters in Russia and the world for a century and a half. Female images of Ostrovsky are a real creative find of the author. They will be discussed in this article.
In the house of a rich merchant of the city of Kalinov - Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova - two young women live: Varvara and Katerina. Their comparative characteristic is the topic of this article. Varvara Kabanova is the daughter of Kabanikh (as the merchant's name is in the city). Katerina Kabanova is Marfa Ignatievna’s daughter-in-law, she is married to Tikhon Kabanov.
Katerina was brought up by loving parents
The childhood and maturity of these two women occurred in completely different ways and in completely different families. The description of the features in the upbringing of the heroines of the play gives reason to assert: Varvara and Katerina are diametrically different (despite the similarity in age). The comparative characteristics of childhood make it clear that the second girl lived much easier.
Katya's parents loved her daughter and did not bother her with work. Mother did not cherish a soul in her. The girl was like an angel, spirituality turned her into a universal favorite. There was a sea of ​​flowers in the parental home, a joyful, inspired patriarchal atmosphere reigned. Mother greeted the pilgrims. Poetically narrates about real Russian customs in his work Ostrovsky ("Thunderstorm"). Katerina was brought up in a spirit of respect for elders. Mother naively believed that the wealth of the soul brought up in her daughter would certainly bring her happiness in love and in the family. To her joy, Tikhon, the husband of Katerina, turned out to be from a wealthy family. And this, according to the mother-in-law, guaranteed a happy family life. Therefore, to the trouble of her daughter, she decided not to annoy her matchmaker with visits. And how wrong!
The Merciless Foundations of the Barbarian Family
Unfortunately, the enthusiastic religiosity, romanticism and sincerity of the girl in the house of the Kabanovs, deprived of love, respect and mercy, made her vulnerable. Varvara and Katerina felt differently. The comparative characterization of the heroines reveals Katya's vulnerability and her insecurity, unlike Varenka, who grew up in the corruptive atmosphere of the "dark kingdom."
Barbara, judging by her revelations, has undergone these tests earlier. Since childhood, she has already experienced dislike, insincerity, cruelty, planted in the mother’s house. And broke. Varenka made her choice, forever betraying children's ideals. What is her position now? The mock obedience to mummy, but in reality - contempt for her and her brother drunkard and as an outlet - indulging your desires. Secretly, she meets Kudryash, the clerk of the Wild merchant, not counting this a disgrace to the family. “The main thing,” she says, “is that everything is sewn and covered!”
Home dictatorship of Marfa Kabanova
So, under one inhospitable roof live two young women: Barbara and Katerina. A comparative characteristic shows a completely different level, if I may say so, of adaptability. Katerina, initially in love with the good, but spineless Tikhon, is finally disappointed in him. In fact, he is a sissy. The mother-in-law is a real monster in relation to all domestic and especially to Katerina. The reason for this attitude is that the daughter-in-law is the only one in the house who is trying to express her opinion. While Tikhon is completely subordinate to mother, Varenka habitually produces the appearance of being subordinate.
Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova is cunning and merciless. She eats home-cooked food, generously sprinkling accusations of disrespect for her elders. The boar constantly repeats the rules, forcing the daughter-in-law to meet her husband with a bow, etc.
Ostrovsky symbolically named his work “Thunderstorm”. Katerina, figuratively speaking, constantly feels the heavy leaden clouds of dislike on herself in the Kabanovs' house.
The difference in awareness of treason Varey and Katya
The plot of the play leads us to a climax. Once, Katerina, in her carelessness, expressed a desire to relax in nature and ride in a boat. Barbara, however, took the words of the sister-in-law in her own way. She became the initiator of the meetings of Katerina with Boris because of her understanding of the situation. And when her sister-in-law hesitated: to go or not, it was Varvara who pushed her. The characterization (Thunderstorm reveals this in detail) of a truly fatal, reckless act is completely different in the understanding of Katerina and Varenka.
According to the daughter of Kabanikh, nothing special happened. A small but permissible meanness has been committed. And no one else knew about it, so everything is fine. However, her impressionable sister-in-law thinks differently. A thunderstorm that frightens the spouse who cheated on Tikhon. And the cry of the mad lady introduces her into a state of horror. Despite the exhortations of Varenka and her attempts to calm her friend, Katya makes a decision and admits to cheating on her husband.
Tragedy
What awaits her after that? The merciless Kabanikh rampantly slanders and forces Tikhon to beat his wife. Out of habit, Varvara is silent. The characterization (“Thunderstorm” finally reaches its climax) Boris meanness brings the reader into a state of an overloaded computer. After all, we understand what he condemns a woman who has entrusted to him in a patriarchal society! To persecution for the rest of his life.
Katerina, realizes that the merciless Kabanikh will now certainly torture her and expresses her protest to the "dark kingdom" in the most radical way - suicide. Varenka openly accuses her mother of inciting her daughter-in-law to commit suicide and then secretly escapes from home. Tikhon goes into grief with grief. The Kabanikhi family collapsed, but Marfa Ignatyevna did not change her views - to plant a "dark kingdom."
With great success, the audience received the “Thunderstorm”. Katerina and Varvara - two brilliant female images, demonstrating two different ways of escape from the "dark kingdom", were appreciated by critics. Impressive and impulsive Katya, of course, acted recklessly. At the same time, the act of Varenka, who left Kalinov with her friend Kudryash, is respectful. For the first time in her life, she acts honestly, preferring freedom to well-fed vegetation. And, perhaps, he will live a decent life further.
Conclusion
The characterization of Barbara and Katerina in Alexander Ostrovsky’s play “The Thunderstorm” has been given for a century and a half in various shades and nuances by actors and directors. However, always these heroines look bright, non-trivial. This is the greatness of a real playwright - to create creative content of the highest level. So, two thousand years ago, the Roman Horace wrote, so five hundred years ago, the British Shakespeare worked. So in the century before last, Alexander Ostrovsky did. His female images from the play "Thunderstorm" are really relevant at all times!