The essay “Khor and Kalinich” is a real gem of Turgenev’s collection of stories and essays “Notes of a Hunter.” It incorporated both the writer’s personal observations and his views on social structure Russian "outback". This story is deeply truthful, as evidenced by its summary. "Khor and Kalinich" - real picture folk life for a wide readership.
Problems of the work
This essay was relevant and timely. The fact is that during Turgenev’s time there was no unity in society in understanding the problem of “closeness to the people.” It was interpreted differently by Slavophiles (who argued that the peasants were committed to the “old times” and were in opposition to reforms) and bourgeois ideologists (who argued that the relationship between the landowner fathers and the peasant children was harmonious). The characterization of Khor and Kalinich clearly refutes these views.
Prototypes of the characters in the essay
As is known from the plot of the story, a certain landowner of the Kaluga province, Mr. Polutykin, met the author of the story on the basis of a mutual passion for hunting. The heroes of the story “Khor and Kalinich” are real. Truly a hospitable host hunting grounds name was Nikolai Aleksandrovich Golofeev. Ivan Sergeevich actually met him while hunting and stayed with him for several days. Moreover, having read Turgenev’s story and recognizing himself in it, Mr. Golofeev became angry with Ivan Sergeevich.
The image of the wealthy serf Khor, a strong master, educated person, real down to the smallest detail. The current village of Khorevka, Ulyanovsk district Kaluga region grew from the former farm of Khorya. Years later, Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet visited Khorya, noting the cordiality and “Herculean build” of the eighty-year-old owner, who “doesn’t care about the years.” The owner of the farm always proudly showed Turgenev’s work to guests. He, of course, knew its summary by heart. “Khor and Kalinich” thus reflects real people and real facts.
Friendship between Khor and Kalinich
Khor is a calm, reasonable family man. But he has no servants. The big, friendly Khorya family: six sons, as powerful as their father, build tall, spacious huts, run the household, and help each other. Once upon a time, the landowner Polutykin allowed him to leave the rural community, establishing a quitrent of 50 rubles. Khor, who founded his farm, turned it around like this economic activity, that he considered it fair to pay the landowner 100 rubles. If he wanted, he could pay off and become free, but he doesn’t want this. For what? His elements are earth and labor, and so they are always with him. He is by nature a rationalist, a business executive. Khor is well oriented socially and legally.
This strong owner, ironically, has Kalinich, who, oddly enough, is completely opposite to him. The latter lives as a bob. Kalinich does not know how to run a household, earn and save money. However, it has other advantages. He understands animals, knows how to handle bees, and has them, which he uses for treatment. Khor and Kalinich are completely different people. The summary of the story, however, testifies to their close friendship. Thanks to Kalinich, practical and reasonable Khor receives, if necessary, help in handling pets, treatment traditional medicine, and Kalinich - support from Khor on everyday issues, where he is a layman. Moreover, both of them interesting interlocutors. Turgenev wrote in the story that he left their company with great reluctance.
Khor's views on Russian society
The educated worker Khor refutes the views of the “experts of the people” Slavophiles who extol pre-Petrine Rus', talking about the patriarchy of the Russian peasantry. The competent farm owner enters into a debate with them. He believes that Peter I, in his reforms, acted exactly as a real Russian man should have acted. The essay included this lively popular view, as evidenced by the summary. “Khor and Kalinich,” through the mouth of this real “owner of the land,” says that if a peasant needs to change something, he, seeing the practical benefits of it, is not afraid to make changes.
On the other hand, the philosopher Khor, in his development, views and spiritual world He has long felt superior to the landowner Polutykin. He feels that he thinks more deeply and runs his household more confidently. However, thanks natural mind He is always respectful towards his “master”, although in his spare time he is not averse to making fun of him. Understanding the relationship between Polutykin and Khor, one must admit that the state of affairs, to put it mildly, does not fit in with bourgeois views on landowner fathers.
Conclusion
What should you note after reading this summary? “Khor and Kalinich” is a story written at the right time and place. It caused great public outcry and controversy. Belinsky, Herzen, and Annenkov were delighted with the work. However, the story was not accepted by the Slavophiles, the Aksakov brothers. But the reaction of the censor E. Volkov is especially indicative, who saw a “harmful idea for the peasantry”, claiming that in freedom he could be better than even the landowner.
KALINYCH is the hero of I.S. Turgenev’s story “Khor and Kalinich” (1847) from the series “Notes of a Hunter.” In contrast to Khoryu, the hero of the same story, K. symbolizes the poetic side of the Russian national character. Everyday life The hero, who does not have business acumen, is poorly organized: he has no family, he has to spend all his time with his landowner Polutykin, go hunting with him, etc. At the same time, there is no servility in K.’s behavior; he loves and respects Polutykin, completely trusts him and watches him like a child. The most best features K.'s character is manifested in his touching friendship with Khorem. So, the narrator first meets him when K brings his friend a bunch of wild strawberries, and admits that he did not expect such “tenderness” from the man. The image of K. opens in “Notes of a Hunter” whole line“free people” from the people: they cannot constantly live in the same place, doing the same thing. Among such heroes is Kasyan from “ Beautiful Swords", Yer-molai is the companion of the narrator-hunter, appearing in the stories "Yermolai and the Miller's Wife", "My Neighbor Radilov", "Lgov", etc. This type with his poetry, spiritual gentleness, and sensitive attitude to nature is no less important for Turgenev than a reasonable and practical hero: they both represent different, but complementary sides of the nature of the Russian person. Following the tradition of Turgenev, two opposite characters, similar to Khor and K., are created by A.I. Kuprin in the story “Wilderness of the Forest” (originally “In the Wilderness of the Forest”, 1898). This is the sotsky Kirill and the forest worker Talimon, but a type like K. turns out to be more attractive to Kuprin, therefore his impractical, kind and modest Talimon is taller in his spiritual appearance than the narcissistic and talkative Kirill.
A comparative description of Assol and the table will give you the most complete understanding of what kind of heroes they were, what goals they pursued, where they came from and what their character was. Especially for this, we have prepared for you a small but informative table that most fully reveals these two characters from the work “”
Hero | Character | Origin |
Gray | He has a steel will and a desire to go his own way. Purposeful, romantic, has an unhealthy craving for adventure. Internally free and independent of other people's opinions. Kind, capable of love. | Born into a rich and wealthy family. Received an excellent education. He might not need anything, but he went in search of adventure. First, as an ordinary cabin boy on a merchant ship, and then as a captain on his own ship. He ran away from home as a teenager and never regretted his choice. |
Assol | Sensitive and kind girl with developed imagination and a big heart. He can easily talk to trees or bushes as if they were living beings. She sincerely dreams and strives to realize her dreams. | Unlike Gray, Assol was born into a poor family and lived with only her father. The mother died early, so the girl did not know her affection. For a long time she sold wooden toys made by her father. This continued until she met Gray |
We hope it's so short Comparative characteristics will help you better understand the main characters. Good luck!
Best regards, Dedok Yurik.
In portraiture, Turgenev partly echoes Gogol. Portraits in Turgenev's novels are different. Firstly, this is a detailed portrait with accurate description individual external signs, designed mainly for visual impression and accompanied by small comments. The hero or heroine whom Turgenev portrays satirically usually appears, as in Gogol, when the appropriate background has already been drawn and the reader has formed a certain […]
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“Khor and Kalinich” is the first story in the “Notes of a Hunter” series. I.S. In this story, Tugrenev gives a description of the morals, life, people and way of life of one of the provincial corners of Russia. In this story I.S. Turgenev refutes the prevailing opinion about peasants that they are not capable of friendship, cannot manage their farm rationally, and do not notice the beauty of the world around them. The author uses a well-known comparison technique in the literature. Tender friendship binds two completely different people- Khorya and Kalinich.
The first, Khor, is a strong owner, knows how to organize a business so that it brings joy and profit. Him big family, where harmony and prosperity reign. Turgenev compares his hero with Socrates, with Peter the Great, emphasizing the remarkable mind and amazing ingenuity of the peasant: “Peter the Great was primarily a Russian man, Russian precisely in his transformations.” Khor is a person who feels his dignity, a rationalist. He is closer to people, to society.
Kalinich, the second character, is completely different. He is a dreamer, a poetic person, a man of cheerful disposition. He is closer to nature, often goes hunting with his master. An idealist and romantic, Kalinich does not like to reason and believes everything blindly.
So different, the friends harmoniously complement each other. There are no conflicts between them; they respect each other’s views and principles. I. S. Turgenev observes their meeting: “Kalinych entered the hut with a bunch of wild strawberries in his hands, which he picked for his friend, Khor. The old man greeted him cordially.” Kalinich’s independence, desire for freedom, gentleness and poetry complement and continue Khor’s pragmatism, rationality and sedentism. The song they sing together at the end of the story reveals the souls of ordinary peasants, what binds them tightly to each other. Khor and Kalinich are the embodiment of the wealth of soul, the talent of Russia, hope for the future.