Plan
Introduction
Qualities that formed the basis for understanding Russian national character.
Main part
A special family structure in the house of the merchant Kalashnikov.
Merchant Kalashnikov is a bearer of honor.
Life and moral principles Kalashnikov.
Conclusion
Kalashnikov is the protector of the family.
By Russian national character we mean such qualities characteristic of a Russian person as courage, determination, love for the homeland and family, feeling self-esteem, honesty. Selflessness, lack of servility to superiors. He possesses all these character traits. main character poems by M.Yu. Lermontov - merchant Kalashnikov.
Merchant Kalashnikov is at work all day, house-building rules reign in his family: his wife is waiting for her husband from work, the children are under her supervision. He is a believer who lives according to generally accepted laws. Merchant Kalashnikov is a bearer of honor, a man of an independent, free class. Kalashnikov's life and moral principles are expressed in his speech before the battle. Unafraid of Kiribeevich’s threats, he answers with dignity:
And my name is Stepan Kalashnikov,
And I was born from an honest father
And I lived according to the law of the Lord:
I didn't disgrace someone else's wife,
Didn't rob dark night,
Didn't hide from the heavenly light.
In the duel scene, not yet having entered into battle with Kiribeevich, he defeats his opponent moral victory: Kalashnikov’s accusatory words made the “daring” Kiribeevich turn pale and silent (“The word froze on his open lips”). The final “Song” of the poem, which depicts a “nameless grave,” added to the feat of Kalashnikov, who was not afraid to openly speak out “for the holy truth—Mother” national significance. Kalashnikov contrasts his life position, their origin, their independent occupation of robbery, baseness and debauchery of the guardsmen. Stepan Paramonovich acts here as a defender of the family, in the event of his death, he orders his brothers to stand up for his good name.
Before a fist fight, Kalashnikov bows first to the Tsar, then to the “holy churches,” “and then to the entire Russian people,” this once again speaks of him as a worthy, morally pure person.
The basis of M. Yu. Lermontov’s poem “The Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich...” presents a clash of opposites human characters, conflict of views and principles. Kiribeevich and Kalashnikov are two completely different representatives of the Russian nobility. The first of them is Kiribeevich, the favorite guardsman of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. He enjoys the favor and favor of the sovereign and has everything: a good horse, weapons, expensive clothes, the love of girls. But he fell in love with someone else’s wife, the wife of the merchant Kalashnikov Alena Dmitrievna. Kiribeevich's beauty, wealth, and power spoiled him; he became a selfish man, trampling on family foundations and rules. The marriage of his chosen one does not stop him. Having ambushed her, Kiribeevich offers Alena Dmitrievna wealth in exchange for love: “Do you want gold or pearls? Do you want bright stones or colored brocade? I will dress you up like a queen, everyone will envy you...” He is not stopped by the presence of his neighbors and the dishonor that threatens a married woman. In addition, Kiribeevich turns out to be a deceitful person, because he did not even tell the king about the marriage of his beloved. Before a fist fight, to which he was challenged by Alena Dmitrievna’s offended husband, the merchant Kalashnikov, Kiribeevich behaves like a braggart: “They have calmed down, probably, become thoughtful! So be it, I promise, for the holiday, I will release him alive with repentance, I will only amuse our king and father.” Kiribeevich’s impudent self-confidence is repulsive: “Tell me, good fellow, What name are you called? To know for whom to serve a memorial service, To have something to brag about.” At the end of the poem, the Tsar's favorite guardsman gets what he deserves. The actions of this person evoke feelings of hostility and condemnation. The merchant Kalashnikov appears as a completely different hero. This is a decent family man who lives according to Christian laws, loving wife and children. Without a moment's hesitation, Kalashnikov is ready to take revenge on the offender for the dishonor inflicted on his family. Before the fight he acts like a real man: “I bowed first to the terrible king, After to the white Kremlin yes to the holy churches, And then to all the Russian people...” To Kiribeevich’s daring challenge, Kalashnikov responds like this: “And I lived according to the law of the Lord: I did not disgrace another man’s wife, I did not rob in the dark night, I did not hide from the heavenly light... I have come out to you now, Basurman son, - I went out to a terrible battle, to last Stand! Having won this battle, Kalashnikov appears before the angry Tsar. To the sovereign’s question about the cause of the conflict, he evasively answers that he killed his opponent “with his free will, but for what, about what, he will not say, but will only tell God alone.” Even when faced with the threat of execution, Kalashnikov refuses to name his wife so as not to tarnish her honor. Kalashnikov’s decency, honor, and nobility show that he is one of the best representatives of Russian society.
The time of creation of “Song...”, its theme. The meaning of the poet's appeal to the past of Russia
Poem by M.Yu. Lermontov “Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, young guardsman And swashbuckling merchant Kalashnikov" was written in 1837 year.
The past is the most important sphere for the embodiment of the poet’s romantic ideal. In his work, Lermontov sought to escape from his contemporary life, which did not correspond to his ideas about the true existence of man, into the historical past of his native country, which seemed to him bright and full of poetry. As Belinsky noted, “here the poet was transported from the present world of unsatisfactory Russian life into its historical past.”
In “Song...” Lermontov paints colorful pictures life and customs of Russia in the era of Ivan the Terrible. In the first part of the work, the reader is presented with a picture royal feast, which is attended by boyars, princes and guardsmen. Malyuta Skuratov, a cruel associate of the sovereign, is also mentioned here (the king, turning to Kiribeevich, reminds him that he comes from this family).
The second part of “Song...” talks about life merchants. Lermontov describes trade merchant Kalashnikov on living room courtyard near the Kremlin. The following describes family life merchant Lermontov reproduces exactly Domostroevsky way of life family life. The husband was considered the head of the family. The wife had to obey him in everything. The main purpose of a woman was to keep the home, run the household, and raise children. The only place that the wife could visit without her husband's accompaniment was the church.
Lermontov revealed the meaning family relations in that era. Family honor was protected by centuries-old tradition. By insulting Kalashnikov, Kiribeevich insulted his entire family. This is the meaning of Kalashnikov’s conversation with his brothers.
In the third part of the poem, brave fun is depicted - fist fights on the Moscow River, which were extremely popular during the time of Ivan the Terrible.
The main problems of "Song..." Two points of view on the main conflict
The problem of the people- central in “Song...” This problem was of particular interest to Russian writers in the 1830s - in the era of reaction that followed the defeat of the Decembrist uprising. The results of this uprising revealed a tragic gap between the educated part of the nobility and the people. That's why searching for the true path to the people,studying its history, its spiritual values becomes the most important task of Russian literature. It is no coincidence that the problem of the people comes to the fore in the late works of Pushkin (“The Captain’s Daughter”), in the early prose of Gogol (“Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka”, “Mirgorod”), and in the works of other authors. For Lermontov, a landmark work in understanding this problem, along with the poem “Borodino,” becomes “The Song about ... the merchant Kalashnikov.”
Closely related to the problem of the people problem of Russian national character. Lermontov embodied his ideas about the best features of the Russian people, about the Russian national character in the image of the merchant Kalashnikov. In the poem, Kalashnikov is contrasted with Kiribeevich, who tramples people's shrines and challenges the moral foundations of society.
A special place in the poem is occupied by the problem of the relationship between the royal power and the people. Related to the understanding of this problem is the question of main conflict in "Song..." Known here two points of view. Some critics of the Soviet period believed that “Song...” was an anti-monarchist work. The main conflict here, from their point of view, is between the royal power and the people- in the person of Ivan the Terrible and the merchant Kalashnikov. Another point of view is that there is such a conflict in the work, but it is not the main one. Fundamental conflict in “Song...” – between Kalashnikov and Kiribeevich. The main character expresses the idea of justice, mother truth. His opponent embodies extreme selfishness, lawlessness, trampling moral principles Orthodoxy. As for Ivan the Terrible, he is depicted in the popular understanding. This is a harsh king, even cruel, but fair.
Genre and compositional features
In his poem, Lermontov followed the traditions of one of the genres of Russian folklore - historical song. At the same time, relying on folklore sources, the poet creates original work.
The genre specificity of “Song...” is manifested in its compositions. "Song..." is distinguished traditional elements, characteristic of folklore works. The main text of the “Song...” is preceded by the beginning: “Oh you goy, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich!..” After the first and second parts follow replays: “Ay, guys, sing - just build the harp!..” “The song...” ends ending:
Hey, you guys are daring,
In "Song..." three parts. At the center of each of them are the most important key episodes in the development of action. This is also in the tradition of folk historical songs.
The feast scene in the first part of the poem can be seen as expositionimages of the Tsar, Kiribeevich and Alena Dmitrevna, and also how exposure of the main action: It is here that we learn about Kiribeevich’s sinful passion for Alena Dmitrevna.
Plot plot happens “behind the scenes”: we learn about the oprichnik’s unworthy act from conversation between Alena Dmitrievna and her husband. Another key scene second part works – conversation between Kalashnikov and his brothers. In these two scenes, the patriarchal foundations Russian life of that time is revealed moral position Main character.
In the third part of the poem there are climax(duel Kalashnikov with Kiribeevich, which ended with the death of the guardsman) and denouement(royal court over the merchant and execution Main character). There is also a kind of epilogue–story about the grave merchant Kalashnikov.
Main characters
Merchant Kalashnikov
Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov- the main character of “Song...”. In his image were combined specific historical characteristics of the merchant the times of Ivan the Terrible with the features of a mighty hero from the Russian epic epic.
Kalashnikov is distinguished by such qualities as deep faith in God, loyalty to family foundations and family customs, courage and courage in the fight for mother truth.
At the same time, the main character of “Song...”, like many other Lermontov heroes, is characterized by rebellious spirit.
All these traits of the hero are revealed mainly through plot works, his key episodes; through character system(Kalashnikov - Kiribeevich). When creating the image of the hero, the author also uses artistic media, Related folk poetic traditions(For example, constant epithets:“stately fellow”, “valiant heart”, “falcon eyes”).
Kiribeevich
Kiribeevich– one of the main characters of “Song...”; in relation to the merchant Kalashnikov this is antagonist hero.
Like Kalashnikov, Kiribeevich - extraordinary personality, bright; he is endowed mighty force And valiant prowess.
However, if Kalashnikov embodied the poet’s ideas about the high moral qualities of a fighter for Mother Truth, then Kiribeevich personifies the extreme selfishness, the unbridled power of sinful passion, contempt for the moral foundations of people's life. It’s not for nothing that Kalashnikov calls Kiribeevich “the Busurman’s son.” In a conversation with the king in the first part of the poem, the hero shows craftiness, hiding from the sovereign the fact of Alena Dmitrievna’s marriage; during the duel he is overcome first boasting, and then fear in front of the enemy.
It is characteristic that Lermontov, being a romantic, poeticizes not only the merchant Kalashnikov, but also his opponent Kiribeevich, also a romantic hero. Hence the vivid definitions, constant epithets characterizing the guardsman (“a daring fighter”, “a violent fellow”), comparisons(the king “like a hawk looked from the heights of heaven at a young gray-winged dove”; at the moment of death, the oprichnik is compared to a felled pine tree). It is interesting that the author poetizes not only the hero himself, but also his passion for Alena Dmitrevna. When describing the passionate feeling that gripped the hero, the poet uses the technique of repetition. For example, the guardsman says to the king:
Light horses are sick of me,
The brocade outfits are disgusting...
Alena Dmitrevna
Alena Dmitrevna– central female character"Songs…". The image of the heroine is given in the work in the popular understanding: this Russian beauty and at the same time perfect Christian woman of pre-Petrine times. She is distinguished true piety, selfless devotion to husband and family, strict obedience to spouse.
Tsar Ivan the Terrible
In the image Ivan the Terrible Lermontov sought to realize popular ideas about the stern but fair Tsar-Father.
Ivan the Terrible, as shown in “Song...”, maintained, despite his cruelty, adherence to Orthodox principles: Having learned about Kiribeevich’s love for Alena Dmitrievna and not suspecting that she is married, the Tsar advises the guardsman to woo the heroine, excluding even the very thought of forcing her into marriage.
In the third part of the “Song...” the king appears as severe, But fair judge. Having found out that Kalashnikov committed a deliberate murder and refuses to name the reason for it, the tsar, in accordance with the law of that time, sends the merchant to execution, while showing mercy to his family.
It is clear that this appearance of the autocrat corresponded to the popular ideal of a just tsar and did not reflect the real actions of Ivan the Terrible. .
Analysis of episodes and other elements of the composition of the work
As mentioned above, “Song...” begins with the beginning- appeals of the guslars to the tsar and boyars, with the name of the sovereign mentioned first, as it should be - in accordance with the strict hierarchy:
Oh, you goy, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich!
We composed our song about you...
First part"Songs...", containing exposition images of Ivan the Terrible, Kiribeevich, Alena Dmitrevna and the entire action of the poem, opens with the scene royal feast. Talking about it, the author reproduces the arrangement political forces during the time of Ivan the Terrible:
Behind him stand the guards,
Against him are all the boyars and princes,
On his sides are all the guardsmen.
The boyars and princes were in opposition to the tsarist power, while the guardsmen were called upon to strictly implement the cruel tsarist policy.
Already at the very beginning of “Song...” Ivan groznyj speaks to the audience as stern but fair Orthodox king, faithful to ancient customs and Christian foundations:
And the king feasts to the glory of God,
For your pleasure and fun.
Folk poetic language, artistic means and techniques characteristic of folklore are used by the author of the “Song...” in order to highlight the people’s view of the king. Lermontov refers to such, for example, a technique as figurative parallelism(negative parallelism):
The red sun does not shine in the sky,
The blue clouds do not admire him:
Then he sits at a meal wearing a golden crown,
The formidable Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich sits...
Here the king frowned his black eyebrows
And he focused his keen eyes on him,
Like a hawk looked from the heights of heaven
On a young blue-winged dove.
In the first part of the “Song...” appears before us for the first time and Kiribeevich. “A daring fighter, a violent fellow,” according to the Tsar’s assumption, “has harbored an wicked thought”: as it turns out, Kiribeevich is indeed obsessed sinful passion to the merchant's wife Alena Dmitrevna. Passion struck the hero so much that he can’t control himself and asks the king to let him “live freely in the Cossack style,” where he will find death: “I’ll lay down my violent little head, / And I’ll lay him down on the Busurman’s spear...”
At the same time, telling Ivan the Terrible about his passion, the hero shows craftiness: he does not dare to admit to the sovereign that Alena Dmitrevna is married, and this is no coincidence: the Orthodox Tsar could not bless Kiribeevich to marry a married woman. In addition, according to the sovereign’s conviction, any coercion against the bride is unacceptable.
If you fall in love, celebrate your wedding,
If you don't fall in love, don't be angry,
says the Tsar to Kiribeevich.
The guslars inform listeners about the oprichnik’s cunning:
Oh, you goy, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich!
Your crafty servant has deceived you,
I didn't tell you the true truth,
I didn't tell you that the beauty
Married in the Church of God,
Married to a young merchant
According to our Christian law.
Finally, in the first part it is given exposition of the image of Alena Dmitrievna. Kiribeevich talks about her; It is through the perception of the guardsman that the heroine’s appearance, outlined in folk poetic traditions, is given.
Walks smoothly - like a swan;
He looks sweet - like a darling;
Says a word - the nightingale sings;
Her rosy cheeks are burning,
Like the dawn in God's sky.
In this example, we see that when creating the image of the heroine, Lermontov uses comparisons, words with diminutive suffixes.
Second part poem contains exposition of the image of the merchant Kalashnikov:
A young merchant sits behind the counter,
Stately fellow Stepan Paramonovich,
Nicknamed Kalashnikov...
Marked visual appeal the merchant, his youth and strength. The features are already visible here mighty hero, ready to engage in battle with enemies.
As already noted, the plot plot remains "behind the scenes": we learn about the misfortune that happened to Alena Dmitrievna only from her words addressed to her husband.
The appearance of the heroine, described in the second part, conveys the feeling misfortune:
She herself is pale, bare-haired,
Unbraided brown braids
Covered with snow and frost;
The cloudy eyes look like crazy;
The lips whisper incomprehensible words.
Contrast in the depiction of the heroine in the first and second parts, he emphasizes the severity of the experiences of a young woman who unwittingly found herself in such a dramatic situation.
In the scene conversation between Kalashnikov and Alena Dmitrevna the truth is revealed piety hero, his loyalty to the foundations of Christian marriage. In angry speeches addressed to his wife, one can hear not only personal grudge, but also firm confidence in the inadmissibility of violating the sacred foundations of marriage.
Not for that in front of holy icons
You and I, wife, got engaged,
They exchanged gold rings!.. –
the merchant exclaims in anger.
It is important here and reply word Alena Dmitrevna, her monologue. The heroine addresses her husband in a folk-poetic vein:
You are our sovereign, red sun,
Either kill me or listen to me!
Husband appears here as omnipotent ruler, who can execute and have mercy on his wife. Alena Dmitrevna thinks with horror not so much about her violated honor, but about her husband’s disfavor. At the same time, she has the right to expect intercession with his hand.
The scene of his conversation with brothers.
The hero sees Kiribeevich’s crime in the fact that the guardsman trampled the honor of the family and the entire Kalashnikov family. The merchant says, addressing the brothers:
Disgraced our honest family
The evil guardsman Tsar Kiribeevich...
In the words of the merchant one can feel the bitterness of the insult self. The hero confesses to his brothers:
And the soul cannot endure such insult
Yes, the brave heart cannot bear it.
At the same time, it is important to emphasize that Kalashnikov’s indignation is not explained not just a personal grudge And not only the need to protect family honor. Its meaning upcoming battle with Kiribeevich in pursuit standfor the holy mother truth. The merchant addresses the brothers:
I will fight to the death until last bit of strength;
And if he beats me, you go out
For the holy mother truth.
Don’t be alarmed, dear brothers!
You are younger than me, with fresh strength,
You have accumulated fewer sins,
So maybe the Lord will have mercy on you!
In the merchant's words no pride. He is by no means confident that the outcome of the fight will be in his favor. With the great humility before willGod's he realizes that he may fail because of the sins that have accumulated on him. Advantage their brothers the hero sees not only in their youth and freshness of strength, but also in less sinfulness.
At the same time, it is necessary to especially emphasize the fact that Kalashnikov intends to defend the honor of his family with the help of duel. He is going to kill Kiribeevich during a fist fight. As you know, defending the honor of a family or clan through a duel is a pre-Christian, pagan custom that survived into Christian times. The hero sees no other way to stand up for the honor of the family.
The third part works, as already noted, contains climax plot, its denouement, as well as a peculiar epilogue.
The third part opens with the famous description of the dawn. Lermontov here resorts to such an artistic device as personification: “scarlet dawn” is likened to a beautiful maiden:
Above the great, golden-domed Moscow,
Above the Kremlin white stone wall
Because of the distant forests, because of the blue mountains,
Playfully on the plank roofs,
The gray clouds are accelerating,
The scarlet dawn rises;
She scattered her golden curls,
Washed with crumbly snow,
Like a beauty looking in the mirror,
He looks into the clear sky and smiles.
Why did you, scarlet dawn, wake up?
What kind of joy did you play out on?
Battle scene Kalashnikov with Kiribeevich - the climax of the poem. It most clearly reveals the moral character of opponents.
Before the fight Kiribeevich shows arrogance,vanity, self-confidence. The guardsman bows at the waist only to the Tsar and expresses contempt for his opponent. He boldly says to Kalashnikov:
And tell me, good fellow,
What kind of tribe are you?
What name do you go by?
To know for whom to serve a memorial service,
To have something to brag about.
Unlike Kiribeevich, Kalashnikov
First I bowed to the terrible king,
After the white Kremlin and the holy churches,
And then to the entire Russian people.
In this way he expressed respect not only to the Tsar, but also to the Orthodox faith (“holy churches”) and the Russian people.
Kalashnikov’s angry words addressed to Kiribeevich clearly expressed the merchant's commitment to Christian principles of life:
And my name is Stepan Kalashnikov,
And I was born from an honest father,
And I lived according to the Law of the Lord:
I did not disgrace someone else's wife,
I did not rob in the dark night,
Didn’t hide from the heavenly light...
Kalashnikov’s response words evoke Kiribeevich’s soul confusion and fear:
And hearing that, Kiribeevich
His face turned pale, like autumn snow;
His fearful eyes became clouded,
Frost ran between the strong shoulders,
The word froze on open lips...
Fear- a consequence of Kiribeevich’s moral wrongness. Obviously, the truth was on the side of the merchant Kalashnikov; this ultimately decided the fate of the fight.
In the scene heroic fight Kalashnikov acts as defender of the Orthodox faith. It turns out to be on his side Power of the Godmother: the merchant is providentially protected by a “copper cross / With holy relics from Kyiv”; the cross takes on the full power of the enemy’s crushing blow:
And the cross bent and pressed into the chest;
How the dew dripped blood from under him...
The merchant is not guided by revenge, preparing to strike the guardsman to death, but by the desire to stand “for the truth to the last,” trusting entirely in the will of God:
What is destined to be will come true;
I will stand for the truth until the last day!
The most difficult part of the “Song…” to understand is interrogation of Kalashnikov by Ivan the Terrible, opening scene royal court. In response to the Tsar’s demand to answer “in truth, in conscience” about the reasons for the murder of the guardsman, Kalashnikov says:
I will tell you, Orthodox Tsar:
I killed him freely
But for what, about what, I won’t tell you,
I will only tell God alone.
The merchant deliberately hides from the tsar the reason for the deliberate murder of the guardsman, thereby dooming himself to death penalty , which in this case was due by law, and was by no means a consequence of the arbitrariness of the autocrat.
In Kalashnikov's position it is obvious reluctance to reveal family shame to the king,upholdingpersonal right to take revenge on the offender and at the same time pride flashed in the merchant's mind. The hero undoubtedly understands that according to the Law of the Lord, which the hero defended at the time of the duel, one should show humility before the earthly Orthodox king. Meanwhile, the merchant reveals his shame only to his brothers and hides it from the Tsar-Father. In this act of Kalashnikov, his personal courage And rebellious spirit. Here we see clearly confrontationnot only between Kalashnikov And Kiribeevich– bearers of “mother truth” and “busurman”, godless wickedness, but also between Kalashnikov and the Tsar, between the representative of the people and the Tsarist government.
Thus, Kalashnikov appears in “Song...” and as a fighter for the Orthodox foundations of Holy Rus', And How"wild head", that is rebel hero.
Tsar in the third part of the “Song...” appears before us as a harsh, but fair and even merciful judge. Having ordered the execution of Kalashnikov, the Tsar shows mercy to his family:
Your young wife and your orphans
From my treasury I will grant you
I command your brothers from this very day
Throughout the wide Russian kingdom
Trade freely, duty free.
However, when sending Kalashnikov himself to execution, the tsar did not refrain from evil irony:
I order the ax to be sharpened and sharpened,
I'll order the executioner to dress up,
I'll order you to ring the big bell,
So that all the people of Moscow know,
That you too are not abandoned by my mercy...
Thus, cruelty And mercy Orthodox Tsar end up in the popular imagination inextricably linked.
The story about execution of a merchant:
And Stepan Kalashnikov was executed
A cruel, shameful death...
The execution of the merchant came fairfrom the position of the king, from the position of the state. However the fairness of the execution is questioned in the eyes of the people, whose point of view is conveyed by guslar singers. The people reacted with sympathy to the merchant,popular opinion does not coincide here with the point of view of the king.
Particularly characteristic in this regard description of Kalashnikov's grave– peculiar epilogue"Songs…". The hero was buried not in a cemetery, but “in an open field between three roads.” His grave is “nameless.” It is clear that the authorities sought to consign the memory of the hero to oblivion. However, the story of the guslars about the grave testifies about the heartfelt affection of the people to such good fellows as the merchant Kalashnikov:
And good people pass by:
An old man will pass by and cross himself,
The good fellow will pass - he will become poised,
If a girl passes by, she will become sad,
And the guslar players will pass by and sing a song.
It is clear that passers-by cannot know who exactly is buried in the “unmarked grave.” Meanwhile, it is obvious that people sympathize“a wild little head” that did not deserve to lie in the graveyard.
Artistic techniques
In his poem, Lermontov uses artistic means and techniques borrowed from folk art.
Let us first note figurative parallelism. Images of nature correspond to the phenomena of human life:
When the moon rises, the stars rejoice,
Why is it brighter for them to walk in the sky?
And who hides in a cloud,
She falls headlong to the ground...
It’s indecent for you, Kiribeevich,
To abhor the royal joy...
Here we see that the king is likened to the month, the guardsmen are likened to the stars rejoicing in its light, and the crafty Kiribeevich is like a star hiding behind a cloud and at risk of falling to the ground.
Let's give another example. The brothers turn to Kalashnikov, expressing their complete devotion to him:
Where the wind blows in the sky,
Obedient clouds rush there too,
To the bloody valley of carnage,
Calls the feast to feast, to remove the dead,
Small eaglets flock to him.
You are our elder brother, our second father...
As we see, the elder brother and younger brothers are likened here to the wind and clouds, an eagle and eaglets.
The poet also uses this type of figurative parallelism, such as negative concurrency. As an example, the lines that open the picture of Ivan the Terrible’s feast have already been given:
The red sun does not shine in the sky,
The blue clouds do not admire him,
Then he sits at a meal wearing a golden crown,
The formidable Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich sits...
The poet also resorts to personifications. A striking example is the description of the dawn that we have already noted at the beginning of the third part of the “Song...”.
There is a lot in Lermontov's poem comparisons. Let's add the following to the examples already given. Alena Dmitrevna speaks about her husband’s angry words addressed to her: “Your speeches are like a sharp knife...”
In the poem big number constant epithets: “red sun”, “blue clouds”, “good fellow”, “red girls”, “damp earth”, “dark thought”, “dark night”, “open field”.
Lermontov also uses such a technique as poetic appeals. For example, the king says to Kiribeevich: “Hey, our faithful servant Kiribeevich!” Kiribeevich addresses the tsar: “You are our sovereign, Ivan Vasilyevich!” Alena Dmitrevna addresses her husband:
You are our sovereign, red sun,
Either kill me or listen to me!
In addition, the poet uses words with diminutive suffixes, which is also characteristic of folklore works: “mother”, “little head”, “swan”, “darling”, “little children”, “ring”, “aspen leaf”, “pine”.
Poem in the poem - tonic,unrhymed, characteristic of folk poetry.
Questions and tasks
1. In what year was the “Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, the young guardsman and the daring merchant Kalashnikov” written? What is interesting about this year in the poet’s life?
2. What is the meaning of Lermontov’s appeal to the era of Ivan the Terrible? What did Belinsky write about this? Note the most striking pictures of the life and customs of Moscow during the time of Ivan the Terrible, recreated in “Song...”, comment on them.
3. Name the central problem of “Song...”. Why did this problem become so relevant in Russian literature of the 1830s? In what other works of the 1830s, including the poetry of Lermontov himself, is this problem one of the main ones?
4. How is the problem of the Russian national character understood in “Song...”? Which characters are especially important to her understanding?
5. Is the problem of the relationship between the royal power and the people the main one in the work? What points of view regarding the main conflict in “Song...” do you know? What is the essence of each of them?
6. Briefly describe the genre features of the poem. Can “Song...” be called a work of folklore? What elements of the composition of Lermontov's poem remind us of folklore works?
7. Describe the merchant Kalashnikov. What specific historical and legendary features were combined in his appearance? What qualities does Lermontov's hero have? List the main artistic means of creating his image, give examples of these means.
8. What features make Kiribeevich the antipode of Kalashnikov? Why does Lermontov wax poetic about Kiribeevich, even though he is a negative character? What means does the author of the work use for this?
9. What qualities make Alena Dmitrievna the ideal Russian woman of pre-Petrine Russia? Name and comment on them, based on the text of the work.
10. Why can we say that the image of Ivan the Terrible in the poem is the most idealized? Give reasons for your point of view.
11. Comment on the main scenes and episodes of “Song...”. What elements of exposition do we find in the first part of the poem? What do we learn about the heroes? What episodes make up the exposition of the plot?
12. In what part of the poem do we see an exposition of the image of Kalashnikov? What traits of the hero appear already in his first description?
13. At what point does the action begin? How do we know about this event?
14. Name the most important scenes of the second part of the work. How does the principle of contrast manifest itself in the description of the heroine? Analyze the conversation between Kalashnikov and his wife. What features of the hero and heroine’s worldview are revealed in this scene? Consider in detail Kalashnikov's position in his conversation with his brothers. What does the hero see as the meaning of the upcoming fight with Kiribeevich?
15. What description opens the third part of the “Song...”? What technique does Lermontov use here? What plot elements does the final part of the work contain?
16. Analyze the scene of the heroic battle in detail. What qualities of Kiribeevich and Kalashnikov are revealed in the words of the heroes preceding the fight? How does the poet make it clear to the reader that Kalashnikov is winning the battle with the help of God?
17. Consider in detail the episode of the royal trial of Kalashnikov. How can one explain the fact that the merchant hides from the sovereign the true reason for the murder of the guardsman? Is the Tsar's position fair in relation to Kalashnikov and his family?
18. What function does the description of Kalashnikov’s grave serve in the poem? Can we say that the position of the people towards the hero differs from the position of the king? Argue your point of view based on the text.
19. Name the artistic means and techniques that Lermontov uses in his work. Give examples. What can you say about the features of the verse “Songs...”?
20. Write a detailed outline and prepare oral communication on the topic: “The image of the merchant Kalashnikov and the means of its creation.”
21. Write an essay on the topic: “The artistic originality of the “Song...””
The poem reflects the 16th century, the time of the despotic rule of Ivan the Terrible. The work sounded deeply modern: A. S. Pushkin, who was defending the honor of his wife and his family, had just died in a duel with the “tsar’s guardsman.” The poem, written after the defeat of the Decembrists, taught perseverance and courage in the fight against despotism, fostered respect for man, his honor and dignity, and supported faith in ideals. Not seeing the heroes in the present, the poet looks for them in the past.
The king is not directly to blame for this. But the tsar is guilty of making such behavior of his favorite possible, protecting the guardsmen from the wrath of the people, placing them above the law, of encouraging their arbitrariness and impunity.
Life is harsh, people are harsh, the relationships between them are harsh. Suspecting his wife of infidelity, Kalashnikov threatens to hide her “behind an iron lock behind a bound oak door.” For Alena Dmitrievna, her husband is “sovereign”, “red sun”; his disfavor for her is worse than human rumor, worse than death. The merchant is considered the “second father” younger brothers, ready to support him in everything. Kalashnikov's power in the family is undeniable, but under the cover of severity, kindness lives in him, concern for loved ones, for the honor and dignity of the family.
A poem is one of the genres of lyric-epic literature, a poetic narrative narrative. At the heart of Lermontov's lyrical narrative is a plot about the conflict between the merchant Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov and the young guardsman Ivan the Terrible - Kiribeevich.
In the full title of the poem, Tsar Ivan the Terrible and his oprichnik (without mentioning the name) are placed in the first places, which accurately indicates the era reflected in the poem and its realities. The title shows the influence of these characters on the fate of the main character - the merchant Kalashnikov, a fictitious hero, but who reflected the moral ideas and way of life characteristic of the Russian merchants.
Ivan the Terrible embodies the idea of despotic, tyrannical power. In the era of Nicholas despotism, Lermontov’s interest in the figure of Ivan the Terrible is understandable: the poet compares Rus' during the times of the ancient tyrant with Russia, ruled by the “enlightened” sovereign Nicholas I. The clash between Kiribeevich and Kalashnikov goes beyond personal relationships, it becomes the cause of a clash between - a person and the entire state machine, the personification of which is Ivan the Terrible. Preparing to take revenge on the offender, Kalashnikov enters into open conflict with the sovereign, because he fights against his regulations, will, against the permissiveness of the king’s associates.
The premise is a feast at Ivan the Terrible.
The climax is the battle between Kalashnikov and Kiribeevich.
The denouement is the execution of Kalashnikov.
The beginning of the poem can be called a kind of exposition.
The work is written in a special genre - songs. Lermontov sought to bring the poem closer to epic folklore tales. The guslars play a vital role in the structure of the poem. The reader does not hear the author’s voice; in front of him is a work of oral folk art. Consequently, the moral positions from which the heroes are assessed are not the author’s, but generalized folk ones.
The artistic structure of the poem brings it closer to works of oral folk art: traditional epithets (sweet overseas wine, keen eyes, a violent fellow, a strong thought, a scarlet dawn, red girls, light brown braids, a wild little head, clouds blue, sun red, etc.); comparisons (walks smoothly - like a swan, says a word - a nightingale sings); inversions (heroic shoulders, menacing words, etc.); numerous cases of syntactic repetitions and direct and negative parallelism:
The red sun does not shine in the sky, The blue clouds do not admire it: Then the formidable Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich sits at a meal in a golden crown...
In folk songs, the image of Ivan the Terrible is idealized; they embodied the people's faith in a stern but fair king. IN folk tradition the king appears before us as fair, formidable and merciful at the same time. In Lermontov's poem, Ivan the Terrible is convinced of his power not only over life and death, but also over the souls of his subjects. The will of the king was considered a manifestation of the will of God on earth, the king stood above all judgment and investigation. But the royal mercy is manifested in the fact that, having executed Kalashnikov, the king favors his family and exempts his brothers from paying taxes to the royal treasury. He executes Kalashnikov both out of ignorance and because he directly refused to reveal the reason for the murder; He will say about this “only to God alone.”
The most intense and important for the development of the action of the poem are the battle between Kalashnikov and Kiribeevich and the conversation between Kalashnikov and Ivan the Terrible.
The captivating plot of Lermontov’s “Song...” and its deep penetration into the spirit of the era more than once attracted many Russian artists of the 19th-20th centuries. In 1862-1864, the poem was illustrated by V. G. Schwartz. His drawings are distinguished by the expressiveness of the characters' characteristics and the accuracy of everyday details. In 1865, illustrations for the work were created by A. I. Charlemagne. His interpretation of the images is more superficial, but one cannot fail to note the artist’s high drawing technique and successful arrangement with the text of the poem. In 1868, expressive illustrations for “The Song...” were drawn by I. E. Repin, in 1888 - by M. V. Nesterov. At the beginning of the 20th century, the images of the poem were reproduced by B. M. Kustodiev, in the 30s of the same century, an elegant stylization was created by I. Ya. Bilibin. The decorative nature of the artist’s drawing does not contradict the realistic interpretation of the images of Lermontov’s work.
The theme of the excerpts - the glorification of Moscow - the heart of Russia and their similarity in structure to folk songs determine this choice.
You know that the events of these works date back to approximately the same time - the 16th-17th centuries. But this circumstance is quickly forgotten, since the plots of the works unfold in different places and do not include any general historical figures. Remains in memory general idea about the Middle Ages with its way of life, customs, and system of relationships. However, the feeling of meeting with a heroic time remains firmly in place, since heroic destinies and strong characters pass before us.
In these three works, Ivan IV is a formidable and cruel king. But still at general characteristics and evaluation, the image that is created in the reader is different. In Lermontov's "Song..." Ivan the Terrible shows only his love for the oprichnina, in "Vasily Shibanov" he shows cruelty, in "Prince Serebryan" a more detailed description of the tsar is given, it is shown how he changes over time and how his His character has the sinister features of a despot and tyrant.
Although the events of “Song...” are historical, the meaning of the work is relevant: in conditions of despotism, a person must defend his honor and dignity by any means.
- The reasons for Lermontov's appeal to the distant past.(“The song about... the merchant Kalashnikov” is associated with the 16th century, the era of Tsar Ivan the Terrible, but vividly echoes the time of Lermontov. It forced contemporaries to think about questions about fate and rights human personality, about honor and dignity. After the defeat of the Decembrists, when the value of the human personality dropped incredibly, the poem fostered loyalty to ideals, taught perseverance and courage in the fight against despotism.)
- Composition of the poem.(The poem consists of three parts. The first introduces the tsar's guardsman Kiribeevich, conveys the atmosphere of the era of Tsar Ivan the Terrible. In the second part, the author introduces the merchant Kalashnikov. In the third, both heroes converge in a duel, which takes place in the presence of the tsar himself and in front of the people.)
- Characteristics of Kiribeevich:
- “A daring fighter, a violent fellow.”(Kiribeevich is a tsar’s guardsman, he is of a noble family, a boyar’s son. “And you are from the Skuratov family and were raised by Malutina.”)
- The ability to feel and admire beauty.(The young guardsman is captivated by the beauty of Alena Dmitrievna, the wife of the merchant Kalashnikov. The feeling of love makes him lonely and lost in the world of brute force. Ardent character and youth lead to the inability to control his feelings, and the position of the royal guardsman leads to permissiveness, to a violation of moral norms.)
- Kiribeevich - “evil slave.”(This is what Lermontov calls his hero. A brave warrior before the tsar remains a slave who did not dare to tell him the truth that his beloved is married woman. The strict laws of Domostroi force him to be cunning in front of the Tsar and violate social principles).
- Characteristics of the merchant Kalashnikov:
- “...Young merchant, handsome fellow Stepan Paramonovich.”
- Kalashnikov is a son of his time.(Raised according to the laws of harsh times, Kalashnikov feels like a rightful master in the house, demands order and submission. Not yet knowing what happened to his wife, he threatens to lock her “with an iron lock, behind an oak door.”)
- Stepan Paramonovich is the defender of the honor of his family.(Having learned about Kiribeevich’s act, he decides to “fight to the death, to the last strength” with the offender. He goes to fight “for mother truth,” as he understands it, for the honor of his clan and family.)
- The behavior of Kiribeevich and Kalashnikov during the battle.
- Kiribeevich's self-confidence.
- Courage and truthfulness of Kalashnikov.
- Moral superiority of the merchant.(The outcome of the duel was decided not by strength, but by Kalashnikov’s moral advantage, which the guardsman felt even before the start of the battle. Hearing the merchant’s name, Kiribeevich “turned pale in his face, like autumn snow,” because he understood his guilt before him and felt Kalashnikov’s determination to fight to the death.) Material from the site
- Kalashnikov's courage before the Tsar and the nobility of the merchant.(Kalashnikov directly tells the tsar that he killed the guardsman “of his free will.” He does not tell him the reasons for his action, because he considers what happened to be the matter of his family, and does not want to disgrace the name of his wife. But by his act he showed that a person must defend his honor and dignity at any circumstances, even against the will of the king and at the cost of life itself.)
- The meaning of the poem for contemporaries.(The poem had great importance not only for the poet’s contemporaries. It is also dear to the modern reader with the pathos of freedom, respect for man, for his honor and dignity.)