All Pushkin's works are filled with galleries of various images. Many conquer the reader with their nobility, self-esteem or courage. More than one generation has grown up on the remarkable work of Alexander Sergeyevich. Reading his poems, poems and fairy tales, people of all ages get great pleasure. The same can be said about the work "The Mean Knight". His heroes and their actions make even the youngest lover of creativity Alexander Sergeyevich think.
Meet the brave but poor knight
Our article will provide only a brief summary. The "mean knight", however, is worthy of familiarizing yourself with the tragedy in the original. So, let's get started ...
The young knight, whose name is Albert, is going to the next tournament. He asked Ivan's servant to bring his helmet. As it turned out, he was pierced through. The reason for this was the previous participation in the battle with the knight Delorge. Albert is upset. But Ivan is trying to console his master, saying that you should not be sad because of a damaged helmet. After all, young Albert still repaid the offender. The enemy still has not recovered from a terrible blow.
But the knight replies that it was the damaged helmet that gave him heroism. It was stinginess that became the reason to finally overthrow the enemy. Albert complains of his poverty and modesty, which did not allow him to remove his helmet from Delorge. He tells the servant that during the duke's dinners all the knights are sitting at the table in chic outfits made of expensive fabrics, while Alber has to be present in armor due to lack of money to buy new clothes ...
So the tragedy itself begins, and from this we began to state its brief content.
"Mean Knight": the emergence of a new hero of the work
Young Albert in his conversation with the servant mentions his father, who is so mean the old baron that not only does not allocate money for clothes, but also regrets new weapons and a horse. There is still an old Jewish moneylender, whose name is Solomon. The young knight often used his services. But now this lender also refuses to lend him. Only subject to a deposit.
But what can a poor knight give bail, besides his uniform and an honest name! Albert even tried to persuade the moneylender, saying that his father is already very old and will probably die soon, and, accordingly, all the huge fortune that he owns will pass to Alber. Then he will definitely be able to pay off all debts. But Solomon did not convince this argument either.
What further will Alexander Pushkin tell the reader? The “mean knight” is a tragedy that tells about the meaning of money in human life. And it is Solomon who sets out this meaning quite interestingly.
The meaning of money in a person’s life, or his relation to them
Appears Solomon himself mentioned by the knight. Albert, taking this opportunity, wants to beg him another amount. But the moneylender, though softly, but firmly refuses him. He explains to the young knight that his father is still healthy enough and will live even thirty years. Albert is afflicted. After all, then he will be fifty years old and no longer need the money.
To which the Jewish moneylender makes a remark to the young man that he is wrong. At any age, a person needs money. It’s just that in every period of life, people relate to wealth differently. Young people are mostly too careless, while the elderly find loyal friends in them. But Albert argues with Solomon, describing his father's attitude to wealth.
He denies himself everything, and puts the money in chests, which he then guards like a dog. And the only hope for the young man is that a time will come when he can take advantage of all this wealth. How do events that our summary describes further develop? The “Mean Knight” will tell the reader about the terrible advice that Solomon gives young Alber.
How to become rich, or the advice of a Jewish moneylender
When Solomon sees the plight of the young knight, he hints at advising him to speed up his father’s departure to another world by giving him poison. When the meaning of the usurer's hints came to Albert, he even intended to hang him, he was so outraged. A frightened Jew is trying to offer him money, just to avoid punishment, but the knight kicked him out.
Upset Albert asks the servant to bring wine. But Ivan says that he was completely gone in the house. And then the young man decides to turn to the duke for help and tell him about his misfortunes, as well as about his stingy father. Alber cherishes the hope that at least it will turn out to force his father to support him, as expected.
The greedy baron, or a description of a new character
What happens in the tragedy next? We continue to summarize. The mean knight is finally our own person: the author introduces the reader to the poor father of Albert. The old man went to the basement, where he hides all his gold in order to carry another handful of coins. Having opened all the chests full of wealth, the baron lights several candles and sits nearby to admire his condition. All Pushkin's works very vividly convey the images of the characters, and this tragedy is no exception.
The Baron recalls how he got each of these coins. Many of them brought many tears to people. Some even caused poverty and death. It even seems to him that if you collect all the tears shed because of this money together, a flood will certainly happen. And then the thought comes to his mind that after his death, all the wealth will begin to use the heir, who did not deserve it at all.
Baron is indignant. This is how Alexander Sergeevich describes Alber’s father in his work “The Mean Knight”. An analysis of the whole tragedy will help the reader to figure out what the baron led to such an attitude to money and neglect of his own son.
The meeting of a greedy father and a poor son
At this time, a fashion knight tells the duke about his misfortunes, about a greedy father and lack of maintenance. And he promises the young man to help convince the Baron to be more generous. After some time, the father himself appeared in the palace. The duke ordered the young man to hide in the next room, and he himself began to inquire about the health of the baron, about why he so rarely appears at the court, and also about where his son was.
The old man suddenly begins to complain about the heir. Allegedly, young Albert wants to kill him and take possession of wealth. The duke promises to punish the young man. But he himself runs into the room and calls the baron a liar. Then the angry father throws his glove to his son, and the young man accepts it. The duke is not only surprised, but also outraged. He selected this symbol of the upcoming fight and drove both out of the palace. But the old man's health could not stand such shocks, and he died on the spot. So the last events of the work end.
“The Mean Knight” is a tragedy that not only introduced the reader to all of his characters, but also made him think about one of the vices of man - greed. It is she who often destroys the relationship between close friends and relatives. Money sometimes makes people go to inhumane acts. Many of Pushkin’s works are filled with deep meaning and indicate to the reader this or that human defect.