After the brutal suppression of the rebellious uprising of military immigrants in Staraya Russa in the early 30s of the XIX century, Pushkin draws attention to the âtroubledâ times in the history of the fatherland. From here begins the story of the creation of the "Captain's Daughter." The image of the rebel Pugachev fascinates and attracts the attention of the poet. And this theme takes place in two works of Pushkin at once: the historical work âThe History of Pugachevâ and âThe Captain's Daughterâ. Both works are dedicated to the events of the peasant war of 1773-1775 under the leadership of Emelyan Pugachev.
Initial stage: collecting information, creating the âPugachev Historyâ
The history of the creation of "Captain's daughter" takes more than 3 years. Pushkin was the first to write the work âThe History of Pugachev,â for which he carefully collected facts and evidence. He had to go round several provinces in the Volga region and the Orenburg region, where an uprising took place and witnesses of those events still lived. By decree of the king, the poet was granted access to secret documents relating to the uprising and suppression by the authorities. Family archives and private collections of documents accounted for a considerable part of information sources. In "Archive notebooks" of Pushkin there are copies of personal decrees and letters of Emelyan Pugachev himself. The poet talked with old people who knew Pugachev and conveyed stories about him. The poet questioned, recorded, examined the places of battles. He meticulously and punctually recorded all the information collected in the historical work âThe History of Pugachevâ. A short novel reveals to us one of the most fascinating pages in Russian history - the period of Pugachevism. This work was called "The History of the Pugachevsky Revolt" and was published in 1834. Only after the creation of the historical work did the poet begin to write the artistic work, The Captain's Daughter.
Prototypes of heroes, plotting
The novel is narrated on behalf of a young officer Pyotr Grinev, who is serving in the Belogorsk Fortress. Several times the author changed the plan of the work, built the plot differently and renamed the characters. At the beginning, the hero of the work was a young nobleman who sided with Pugachev. The poet studied the history of the nobleman Shvanvich, who voluntarily went over to the side of the rebels, and the officer Basharin, who was captured by Pugachev. On the basis of their true deeds, two actors were formed, one of which was a nobleman who became a traitor, whose image demanded passage through the moral and censorship barriers of that time. We can say that officer Shvanovich served as the prototype for Shvabrin. This surname was mentioned in the tsarâs decree âOn the punishment by death of the traitor of the rebel and impostor Pugachev and his accomplicesâ. And the main character of âCaptainâs daughterâ Grinev was created by the author on the basis of the true story of an officer taken into custody by the authorities. He was suspected of having links with Emelyan Pugachev, but later this was not confirmed, the officer was found not guilty and released.
The publication and history of the creation of "Captain's daughter" of Pushkin
For Pushkin, coverage of such an acute political topic was not an easy task, as evidenced by the story of the creation of the "Captain's Daughter": numerous changes in the construction of the work plan, the change of the names of the characters and the storyline.
The story "The Captain's Daughter" was first mentioned in mid-1832. The work itself appeared in print in December 1836 in the journal Sovremennik without the authorâs signature. However, censorship prohibited the publication of a chapter on the revolt of peasants in the village of Grinev, which the poet himself later called the âMissed Chapterâ. Pushkinâs creation of The Captainâs Daughter took the last years of his life, after the publication of the work in print, the poet tragically died in a duel.
Alexander Sergeevich had to make a lot of efforts to create characters. He turned to unpublished documents, family archives, vehemently studied the history of the uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. Pushkin visited many cities of the Volga region, including Kazan and Astrakhan, where the âexploitsâ of the rebel began. He even found relatives of the participants in order to more reliably study all the information. From the materials obtained, a historical work âThe History of Pugachevâ was compiled, which he used to create his own Pugachev for âThe Captain's Daughterâ. I had to simultaneously think about censorship and a character who contradicted not only the moral and ethical values ââof that time, but also raised political discussions. At first, his renegade nobleman was to take the side of Pugachev, but even during the collection of information the plan changed many times.
As a result, I had to divide the character into two - âlightâ and âdarkâ, that is, the defender Grinev and the traitor Shvabrin. Shvabrin absorbed all the worst qualities, from treachery to cowardice.
The World of Heroes "Captain's Daughter"
The poet managed to describe the true Russian qualities and character traits on the pages of the story. Pushkin very clearly and colorfully manages to convey the opposites of the characters of people from one class. In the work âOneginâ he vividly described the opposite types of nobility in the images of Tatyana and Onegin, and in âThe Captain's Daughterâ he managed to show the opposite of the characters of the types of Russian peasantry: prudent, devoted to the owners, reasonable and prudent Savelyich and rebellious, vehement, rebellious Pugachev. In the story "The Captain's Daughter" the characterization of the heroes is given very believably and expressively.
Nobleman Grinev
The main characters deserve special attention in our story. The hero of âThe Captain's Daughterâ is a young officer Grinev, on behalf of whom the narrative is being conducted, brought up in ancient traditions. He was given from an early age to the care of Savelich, whose influence only intensified after the expulsion of the Frenchman Bopre from teachers. Not yet born into the world, Peter was enrolled in the Semenovsky regiment as a sergeant, which determined his whole future.
Pyotr Alekseevich Grinev - the main character of âThe Captain's Daughterâ - was created in the image of a real person, about whom Pushkin found information in archival documents of the Pugachev era. Grinev's prototype is officer Basharin, who was captured by the rebels and fled from him. The creation of the story "The Captain's Daughter" was accompanied by a change in the name of the hero. It changed several times (Bulanin, Valuev), until the author settled on Grinev. Mercy, âfamily thought,â free choice in difficult and tough circumstances are connected with the image of the protagonist.
Describing through the mouths of Grinev the terrible consequences of Pugachevism, Pushkin calls rebellion senseless and merciless. Mountains of dead bodies, a bunch of people chained up, whipped and hanged - these are the terrible consequences of the uprising. Seeing the robbed and ravaged villages, fires, innocent victims, Grinev exclaims: "God forbid to see the Russian rebellion, meaningless and merciless."
Fortress Savelich
The creation of the story âThe Captain's Daughterâ would be impossible without a vivid image of a native of the people. The serf Savelich firmly believed that he was born only to serve his master. He could not imagine another life. But his service to the masters is not servility; he is full of self-esteem and nobility.
Savelich is rich in inner warmth, selfless attachment and self-sacrifice. He loves his young master in a fatherly way, takes care of him and suffers from unjust reproaches against him. This old man suffers from loneliness, because he devoted his whole life to serving the masters.
Rebel Pugachev
The poet managed to convey another vivid image of a Russian character through Emelyan Pugachev. This hero of âThe Captain's Daughterâ is viewed by Pushkin from two different sides. One Pugachev is an intelligent, sharp-witted and penetrating peasant whom we see as a simple person described in personal relationships with Grinev. He remembers the good done to him and is deeply grateful. Another Pugachev is a cruel and merciless executioner who sends people to the gallows and executes the elderly widow of commandant Mironov. This side of Pugachev is disgusting, striking in its bloody cruelty.
The story âThe Captain's Daughterâ makes it clear that Pugachev is involuntarily a villain. He was chosen to be the âcounselorâ by the elders, and after that he was betrayed by them. Pugachev himself believed that Russia was destined to be punished through his curse. He understood that he was doomed, that he was only a leading player in the rebellious elements. But at the same time, Pugachev is not a soulless puppet in the hands of the elders, he exerts all his courage, perseverance and mental strength for the success of the uprising.
The protagonist's antagonist - Shvabrin
The nobleman Shvabrin, the hero of "The Captain's Daughter", is another real person, the mentions of which were found by Pushkin in archival documents. In contrast to the noble and honest Grinev, Shvabrin is a scoundrel with a dishonorable soul. He easily goes over to the side of Pugachev as soon as he seized the Belgorod fortress. By force he is trying to achieve Machine location.
But at the same time, Shvabrin is far from stupid, he is a witty and entertaining interlocutor who came to serve in the Belgorod fortress for his love of duel duels. It is because of Shvabrin that Grinev comes under suspicion of treason and almost loses his life.
Captain's daughter Maria Mironova
The story "The Captain's Daughter" also tells of love during the difficult times of a popular uprising. The main character of âThe Captainâs Daughterâ is Maria Mironova, a young woman brought up on French novels, the daughter of the captain of the Belogorsk Fortress. It is because of her that Grinev and Shvabrin are fighting a duel, although she cannot belong to any of them. Parents forbade Petrusha even to think about marrying a dweller, and the scoundrel Shvabrin, who practically won the duel, has no place in the girlâs heart.
She did not succumb to him during the capture of the fortress, when he tried to forcefully gain her favor. All the best character traits of a Russian woman are collected in Masha - innocence and purity of temper, warmth, patience and willingness to sacrifice, fortitude and the ability not to change oneâs principles. In order to save Masha from the hands of Shvabrin, Grinev goes to Pugachev to ask him for the release of his beloved.
Description of events in the story
The description of the events is based on the memoirs of the fifty-year-old nobleman Pyotr Alekseevich Grinev. They were written during the reign of Emperor Alexander and are dedicated to the uprising of peasants under the leadership of Emelyan Pugachev. By the will of fate, the young officer had to take an involuntary part in it.
Childhood Parsley
The story of âThe Captain's Daughterâ begins with the ironic recollections of Pyotr Andreyevich about his childhood. His father is a retired prime minister, his mother is the daughter of a poor nobleman. All eight Petrusha brothers and sisters died as a child, and the hero himself was recorded in the Semenovsky regiment as a sergeant in his motherâs womb. At the age of five, a stirrup Savelych was appointed to the boy, whom Petrushe was granted as uncle. Under his leadership, he learned Russian literacy and "could reasonably judge the properties of a greyhound dog." After the young gentleman, the Frenchman BoprĂŠ was discharged as a teacher, the teaching of which ended with the shameful exile for drunkenness and damage to yard girls.
Young Petrush lives a carefree life up to sixteen, chases pigeons and plays leapfrog. At seventeen, his father decided to send the minor to the service, but not in the Semenovsky regiment, but in the army, so that he sniffed gunpowder. This was the reason for the disappointment of the young nobleman, who hoped for a fun and carefree life in the capital.
Service Officer Grinev
On the way to Orenburg, the lord and his servant fall into a strong storm, and they were already completely lost when they met a black-bearded gypsy who led them to the task. On the way to housing, Pyotr Andreyevich has a prophetic and terrible dream. Grateful Grinev gives his savior a hare sheepskin coat and treats him with a glass of wine. After mutual thanks, the gypsies and Grinev parted.
Arriving at the place, Peter was surprised to find that the Belgorod fortress did not at all look like an impregnable bastion - it was just a nice little village behind a wooden fence. Instead of the removed soldiers, they were military invalids, and instead of the formidable artillery, an old cannon with old garbage clogged in its mouth.
The head of the fortress - an honest and kind officer Mironov - is not strong in education and is completely influenced by his wife. The wife runs the fortress as her household. The Mironovs accept the young Petrusha as a native, and he becomes attached to them and falls in love with their daughter Maria. The onerous service offers reading books and composing poems.
At the beginning of the service, Pyotr Grinev has a friendly sympathy for Lieutenant Shvabrin, who is close to him by education and occupation. But Shvabrinâs causticity with which he criticized Grinevâs poems gave rise to a quarrel between them, and dirty hints in the direction of Masha caused a duel, during which Grinev was viciously wounded by Shvabrin.
Maria takes care of the wounded Peter, and they confess to each other in mutual feelings. Peter writes a letter to his parents asking for their blessings for marriage. However, upon learning that Mary has no dowry, the father forbids her son from thinking about the girl.
Rise of Pugachev
The creation of the "Captain's daughter" is associated with a popular uprising. In the story events developed as follows. In the fortress village a dumb Bashkir was caught with outrageous messages. Residents of the Belogorsk fortress with fear await the attack of the rebellious peasants, led by Pugachev. And the rebel attack occurred unexpectedly, at the first military attack, the fortress lost its position. Residents came to meet Pugachev with bread and salt, and they were taken to the city square for the oath to the new "sovereign". The commandant and his wife die, refusing to swear allegiance to impostor Pugachev. Grinev is waiting for the gallows, but later Emelian himself has mercy on him, recognizing in him that fellow traveler whom he saved in a blizzard and received a hare coat from him as a gift.
Pugachev releases the officer, and he goes for help in the direction of Orenburg. He wants to save sick Masha from captivity, whom the fall gives as her niece. He is very worried about her safety, because Shvabrin, who switched to the side of the rebels, was appointed commandant. Orenburg did not take his reports seriously and refused help. And soon the city itself was in a long siege. By chance, Mashaâs letter comes to Grinev asking for help, and he again goes to the fortress. There, with the help of Pugachev, he frees Masha, and he himself is suspected of espionage from the filing of the same Shvabrin.
Masha saves Grinev from eternal exile to Siberia, who sincerely told the empress everything, and she had mercy on Pyotr Andreevich.
Final analysis
The main text of the story is composed of notes by Pyotr Andreyevich Grinev. Critics gave the story âThe Captain's Daughterâ a characteristic as follows: this is a historically important narrative. The era of Pugachevism was seen through the eyes of a nobleman who swore allegiance to the Empress and sacredly followed his duty as an officer. And even in a difficult situation, among the mountains of dead bodies and a sea of ââfolk blood, he did not violate this word and preserved the honor of his uniform.
The popular uprising led by Pugachev is considered in the "Captain's Daughter" as a national tragedy. Pushkin opposes the people and power.
Critics call the story "The Captain's Daughter" the peak of Pushkin's prose. Authentically Russian characters and types have healed in the work. All of Pushkinâs poetry is permeated by a rebellious spirit; he transcends the bounds of everyday life. And in the story, in the story of Pugachev's revolt, the poet sings liberty and rebellion. Russian classics gave the story "Captain's Daughter" a positive review. Another masterpiece replenished with Russian literature.
"Captain's daughter": genre affiliation
Is it possible to consider that the story âCaptain's Daughterâ has a historical novel genre? After all, the poet himself believed that having illuminated an entire historical era in his work, he could have considered it a novel. However, in terms of the volume accepted in literary criticism, the work is classified as a novel. Few critics admit that âThe Captain's Daughterâ is a novel, more often it is called a story or a story.
"Captain's daughter" in the theater and on productions
To date, many theatrical and film productions of the story "Captain's Daughter" have been made. The most popular was the feature film of Pavel Reznikov with the same name. The picture was released in 1978 and is essentially a movie performance. The roles of the main characters were received by actors known and familiar to viewers. The peculiarity of the acting game is that no one gets used to the image, no special make-up is applied to anyone, and in general there is nothing that would connect the actors and the book, except for the text. It is the text that creates the mood, makes the viewer feel, and the actors just read it with their own voice. Despite all the eccentricity of the production of the story âThe Captain's Daughterâ, the picture received amazing reviews. Many theaters still follow the principle of reading Pushkinâs text alone.
Such, in general terms, is the story of the creation of the story The Captain's Daughter by A. S. Pushkin.