Eternal problems heroism and betrayal raised in the story by N.V. Gogol "Taras Bulba"

Tale by N.V. Gogol's "Taras Bulba" (1835) is one of the best historical works of Russian fiction of the 19th century. The depth and capacity of the characters in this story are skillfully combined with a thoughtful composition and completeness of all elements of style.

In the center of “Taras Bulba” there is an image of the struggle of the Ukrainian people against foreign invaders. Gogol describes with warmth and admiration the life of the Zaporozhye Sich and its inhabitants. For the writer, Zaporozhye is a nest, “from where will and Cossacks spill out throughout Ukraine.”

In depicting the life of the Sich and its heroes, Gogol combined historical specificity and high lyrical pathos. The fusion of these two elements constituted one of the main features of Taras Bulba, a work that is both realistic and poetic.

The story begins with Taras Bulba taking his sons to the Zaporozhye Sich. He believes that only there, in battles with enemies, will they smell gunpowder, gain intelligence, and become real men. Arriving in Zaporozhye, Ostap and Andriy immediately find themselves in the thick of things: not having time to recover from the festivities and carousing, they, along with other Cossacks, go to fight the “damned Poles.” A messenger who rode into the Cossack camp reported that Poles throughout Ukraine were oppressing the people and trampling on the Orthodox faith. Of course, the Cossack comradeship could not tolerate such outrages. These people had it in their blood great love to their homeland and reverence for the faith of their ancestors. The unspoken code of Zaporozhye stated that every Cossack was obliged to defend these two shrines until his last breath.

According to Gogol, the Zaporozhye Sich was a forge of strong and powerful characters, courageous and noble warriors. The entire everyday and moral structure of the Sich contributed to the education of high moral qualities in people. The Cossacks revered the laws of partnership above the biblical commandments. To die for the Motherland and faith was considered among them an honorable duty and obligation.

Therefore, it is not surprising that all the Cossacks fought bravely against the Poles. After part of the Zaporozhye army returned to the Sich, the remaining Cossacks truly performed feats so as not to cede the land to the “Poles”: “How the Cossacks jumped up! How everyone caught up!”

The forces of the Zaporozhye army were drying up every minute. The Polish detachments were superior to the Cossacks both in armament and in numbers. But the fighting spirit of the Cossacks was strong, their faith and love for their homeland was strong. Three times Taras Bulba asked his comrades: “What, gentlemen? There is life in the old dog yet? Has the Cossack strength weakened? Are the Cossacks bending? And every time the heroes answered: “There is still gunpowder in the flasks, dad. The Cossack strength has not yet weakened; The Cossacks are not yet bending!”

The description of the battle near the city of Dubno was created in a folklore vein. It is no coincidence that Bulba addresses his brothers in arms exactly three times. The Cossacks here are likened to the epic heroes who defended their homeland from all evil spirits.

Many soldiers died in this battle. But they all died like real heroes with the words “fatherland”, “faith”, “comradeship” on their lips. This is exactly how Mosiy Shilo, Stepan Guska, Kasyan Bovdyug, Ataman Balaban, Kukubenok died. All " best color" of the Cossack army passed away near Dubno, repeating the same words: "Let the Russian land be glorified until the end of the century! Let the Russian land bloom forever!” These warriors considered dying for their homeland the highest happiness.

The main character of the story, Taras Bulba, and his eldest son, Ostap, were always in the forefront of the Cossack army. These are not only brave and noble warriors. Their whole nature, character, way of thinking were created for battles, defense of their native land and their compatriots. It was not for nothing that at the age of 22 Ostap was chosen as ataman, considering him the most worthy of all the Cossacks.

Ostap Bulba always fought like a true hero, fearing neither enemy force nor the responsibility that the Cossacks placed on him. And he died like a real hero. Ostap, along with his comrades, was captured by the Poles and died terrible death, suffering from brutal torture. But during the tests, not a single muscle moved on his face. Ostap endured torment and torture “like a giant.” Taras, witnessing the torment of his son, involuntarily admired him and said approvingly: “Good, son, good!”

Only at the very end, before the “last mortal pangs”, Ostap began to look for at least one familiar face in the crowd. In it he wanted to draw strength for the last test. And Taras, not afraid of the Poles, blessed his son to a heroic death worthy of a real hero. To the son’s question: “Dad, where are you? Can you hear? Bulba replied: “I hear you!”... and the whole million people shuddered at the same time.”

Gogol does not describe the death of other Cossacks, but we can guess that they also died as real heroes, without betraying their Motherland and without betraying the Orthodox faith. Going to execution, all the Cossacks behaved very dignified. They were not afraid, but walked “with some kind of pride, ... did not look or bow to the people.” Before the torture, Ostap reminded his brothers that Orthodox person humiliate himself, screaming in pain. I think that all the Cossacks fulfilled the order of their chieftain.

A tragic fate was in store for all the men from Bulba’s family. Taras himself also died a martyr's and heroic death at the hands of his enemies. He was burned alive at the stake. But this strong and courageous warrior did not even flinch at the thought of his death. It seems to me that all Cossacks knew from a young age that they could die at any moment. Therefore, for them it was not scary to die, it was scary to lose their dignity, to break the holy laws of partnership.

Until the very end, Taras Bulba thought only about his Cossack brothers, about them escaping the enemy and managing to escape. Already in the hands of the Poles, tied up and wounded, the hero gives his comrades advice on how to escape from their opponents. For this, Taras was hit on the head with a butt so hard that everything “turned upside down in his eyes.” But, as Gogol writes, “Will there be such fires, torments and such strength in the world that would overpower the Russian force!” With his last words, Taras Bulba confirms this idea. He, like best warriors Zaporozhye, blesses the Russian land and the Orthodox faith, confesses his love for them.

The family of Taras Bulba in the story is connected not only with the theme of heroism, but also with the theme of betrayal. Bulba's youngest son, Andriy, went over to the side of the enemies, falling in love with a beautiful Polish girl. But this hero cannot be definitely called negative. He has a rich spiritual world, complex and contradictory. He is as brave in battle as Ostap. No wonder, watching him, Taras thinks: “And this good enemy would not take him - a warrior!”

Even in the bursa, the younger Bulba was distinguished by his sharpness, dexterity, strength, and intelligence. More than once he became the leader of dangerous enterprises. But Andriy not only “seethed with thirst for achievement, but with it his soul was accessible to other feelings.” It was precisely because of the subtlety and sensitivity of the soul that the hero got into trouble.

Andriy sincerely fell in love with the beautiful Polish girl. “What is my father, comrades and homeland to me?” - he says. This hero is not attracted to the romance of war, battle and victory. It was created for something else: for love, personal happiness. The desire for this led Andriy to betrayal and death at the hands of his own father.

Love for a woman collided in the soul of Andriy Bulba with love for the fatherland and native faith, with a sense of duty. Love for a woman won, but did not bring happiness to the hero. It should be noted that in all of Gogol’s works, women appear as something destructive, as creatures of the devil, a dark force. They are designed to seduce and destroy, to bring misfortune and evil. The image of the beautiful Polish girl from Taras Bulba was no exception. This woman separated Andriy from his comrades, his father, and his homeland.

Betrayal and treason are the most terrible sins in the unspoken code of Cossack comradeship. They are not forgiven and are punished by death, because nothing can justify or atone for betrayal of the Motherland. Andriy dies at the hands of his father, who did not even want to bury the body of his traitorous son, because traitors do not deserve this.

We can say with all confidence that the story by N.V. Gogol "Taras Bulba" - heroic story. It glorifies love for the Motherland and holiness Orthodox faith, a feat in their name. The Zaporozhye Cossacks here are likened to heroes who protect their native land from all evil. They all die as heroes who did not betray the shrines and laws of comradeship. For these people, traitors are equated with enemies who must be mercilessly destroyed. Betrayal of shrines is not forgiven to anyone. Traitors, along with their honor and conscience, lose their soul and are not worthy to live on their father’s land, which N.V. glorifies in his story. Gogol.

 News of the DSPU, No. 2, 2009

N. V. GOGOL'S STORY “TARAS BULBA” AT SCHOOL. PROBLEMS OF READING AND INTERPRETATION

© 2009 Kossovich A. P.

Dagestan State Pedagogical University

Turning to the traditional study of the story “Taras Bulba” in secondary schools, the author of the article shows the possibilities of broader coverage of its problems and modern interpretation in order to implement the tasks of humanizing literary education.

Considering the traditional study of "Taras Bulba" tale at the comprehensive school, author of the article shows the possibility of the wider coverage of its problems and modern interpretation, aimed at the implementation of the humanization problems of literary education.

Keywords: perception, interpretation, reading, moral ideal,

religiosity, lyricism, composition.

Keywords: comprehension, interpretation, study, moral ideal, religiousity, lyricism, composition.

In the modern "Concept" Russian education" we read: "The school in the broad sense of the word should become the most important factor humanization of socio-economic relations,

formation of new life attitudes of the individual." IN

In solving this problem, our domestic literature and its outstanding representatives play a huge role.

Honoring N.V. Gogol on the days of his 200th anniversary, we speak with gratitude about the humanistic

direction of his work. The moral impact of N.’s creativity.

V. Gogol is carried out primarily through secondary school, and it is no coincidence that the number of works by this writer in school curricula increases every year.

“Taras Bulba” occupies a special place in them. This story was already included in the educational anthologies of A. Galakhov (M., 1900), L. Polivanov (M., 1914). For ten years she was part of

6th grade program (now 7th or 8th grade). Its study is included in many modern school curricula. In the TV show “Gogol and the Poles” (March 28 of this year), it was ironically said: “For some reason, Taras Bulba is considered children’s literature and is persistently studied at school.” School students hear only rave reviews from teachers about Gogol's heroic epic. Annotations to the topic in school curricula are also oriented towards this. Igor Zolotussky calls the chapter in his book “Gogol” (2007) “Russian

apotheosis". The same assessment was given back in 1971 by S. Mashinsky: “... the apotheosis of patriotism and courage,” “the charm of the heroes of the story, the moral beauty of their feat, the greatness of their national and social ideals.”

True, the scientist adds: “. they combined daring with carelessness and revelry, feats of arms with cruelty. Such was the burden, such were the morals.” Without forgetting the need

historical assessment of the depicted era, the teacher still cannot help but tell the students how Gogol persistently emphasizes the senseless cruelty of his heroes and the Cossacks in general.

The Zaporozhye Sich in Gogol’s image appears as the embodiment of the freedom-loving spirit of the Ukrainian people, the spirit of struggle for trampled rights. The Cossacks are an active instigator of people's protest against national oppression. The enormous power of patriotic feelings is revealed in all developments.

“The eternal need for border protection against three different nations (Poles, Turks and Tatars),” writes Gogol in the first edition of “Taras Bulba,” “all this gave a kind of free, wide scope to the exploits of her sons.” “The Russian character has acquired a powerful, broad scope here,” he adds in the second edition. As G. Gukovsky notes, the result was “not a historical essay, but a poetic picture of a somewhat idealized society that gives birth to heroes. Gogol’s Sich is more an ideal, a utopia, than history.”

Gogol glorifies the military valor of the Cossacks, their prowess, fortitude, all-consuming ecstasy in battle, their ability to die heroically in the name of glory and freedom of their native land. Heroes pass before the reader one after another, courageously

those who accept death in battle: these are Mosiy Shilo, Kukubenko, Stepan Guska, Balaban, Bovdyug.

“It’s not a pity to part with the light. May God grant everyone such a death! Let the Russian land be glorified until the end of the century!”

High impulses and heroic deeds are not the lot of only select individuals. Taras Bulba is “not an individual case or character, as G. A. Gukovsky writes, but a typical phenomenon (“one of those ...”), typically repeated in a number of other heroes of the same story.”

The hero of the epic is a powerful man, a man of iron will and conviction, embodying reason and spiritual

the breadth of the people. Bulba is democratic and fair; military duty is highest for him. His devotion to his homeland, sense of camaraderie, and readiness to overcome inhuman torment during execution evoke the highest feelings in the reader.

The unique flavor of the era is captured in the image of Ostap. Undaunted and courageous, he is shown as a brave defender of his native land. He is reserved and internally focused, as if closed in on himself. But behind the surface lies responsiveness, a sense of camaraderie, affection for friends in battle and for his brother. Love for his homeland and a sense of duty lead him to feats of arms, and then to heroic death. Ostap endures the agony of execution stoically, like true son Taras and the representative of the Zaporozhye Sich (Chapter 11). The character of Ostap is given in a truly heroic aura and in a number of other heroic characters nurtured in the Zaporozhye Sich.

The characterization of his brother Andriy expands Gogol’s vision of the tragedy of humanity

existence and wide palette of the concept of “morality”. Andriy occupies special place in the system of characters in the story.

Could Gogol exclude from his moral ideal such concepts as love, admiration for a woman, and attraction to beauty? Of course not. Another thing is what should weigh on the scales: a sense of duty or personal aspirations, passion?

Schoolchildren enjoy reading the pages of the story dedicated to Taras, Ostap, Andriy, and work on comparative characteristics and discuss the fate of Andriy. They are interested in the statement of the artist Bogdan Stupka, performing main role in the film “Taras Bulba”, that he, as a man and a father, could not kill his son under any circumstances, but in the role of Taras he is forced to do this. Why? This is how this one is drawn

scene by Gogol, this is how Taras’s cruelty is morally justified. The writer understands the son-killing father, pities him as a person and justifies him as a patriot.

The death scene of Andriy is usually read in class. What a range of feelings is conveyed here by the master’s brush! Here we understand Bulba and sympathize with him, and are proud of him. Another thing is the fight against civilians, the killing of women, children and the elderly. You cannot “admire” the scenes where Taras unjustifiably cruelly takes revenge for Ostap’s death.

Lessons in reading the text of “Taras Bulba” can and should be extremely emotional. The lesson systems proposed in teaching aids also focus on this. So, in the book by T.V. Zvers we come across quotation formulations: the third lesson - “Damn you, steppes, how good you are!”, the fourth lesson - “This is the nest from which all those proud and strong like lions fly out! ", the seventh - "We have no one equal to him in valor. Feat of Taras".

The lesson system in the newest version is even more thought out. methodological development T. G. Nightingale. Her first lesson is “Our Zaporozhye. delights with freedom, ... the rise of chivalry

spirit" (I. Ya. Repin). Two great artists about a great phenomenon. The fourth lesson is “Let the Russian land bloom forever!”

Even the names of the lessons indicate their emotional intensity. How does this text sound in a vocabulary lesson?

Masters!

In a lyrical vein, the story is told about the heroism of the Cossacks, about their patriotic rise at the moment

parting with life." Led

Kukubenko looked around him and said: “I thank God that

I happened to die in front of your eyes, comrades! May even better people than us live after us, and may the Russian land forever loved by Christ shine.”

Lyricism as component Gogol's poetics is broad in nature. This is an expression of a multifaceted nature

a writer who knows how to admire and

to be sad, to share the feelings of a mother and a son in love, a grief-stricken father and a warrior going to his death. The lyricism of the story is also associated with the folk poetic tradition.

The poetic language of “Taras Bulba” is characterized by a mixture

excited elation and vivid imagery, which should become the subject of students’ observations.

The heroic pathos and lyrical animation that permeate the story “Taras Bulba” reveal in the author the features of a preacher-poet; Belinsky called Gogol a poet, and the writer himself spoke about this. The poetic gift of this exposer of human vices is expressed in his rhythmic prose, in its emotional fullness and musicality. Traditionally, “Taras Bulba” is studied in school with an abbreviation. What exactly should we cut? By methodological recommendations Chapters 7, 8, 10, 12 were excluded from reading. There is no escape from the question of how this story is read by schoolchildren, how it is perceived. Independent home reading is not excluded.

Shouldn't young readers be shocked by the pictures of the Jewish pogrom [Ch. 4. pp. 64-67], a military campaign against the Polish southwest [Ch. 4. P. 69-70], scary descriptions“Wake of Ostap”, etc.?! How to combine in a child’s heart the admiration for the military prowess of the Cossacks with their most cruel, almost unjustified actions towards the civilian population? The negative side of the life of the Cossacks remains completely out of sight in lessons, excluding

Andriy's betrayal. How, for example, will non-Russian students react to the work when they read about the attitude of the Ukrainian Cossacks towards the Turks and Tatars?

How many reservations a teacher must make, how subtle and intelligent a historical commentary on a story should be!

For a writer who dreams of giant people living in the vastness of his homeland, it is not enough for a person to be a brave fighter, ready to die for his homeland.

Taras Bulba's understanding of the meaning of life is clearly idealized by all researchers of this story. Why does a Cossack live? - Taras poses the question to the Koshevoy. So he came to the Koshevoy with a proposal to “take a walk with the Cossacks,” that is, “to go to Tureshina or Tatarva” with the war. When the Koshevoy refuses him, referring to the peace promised to the Sultan and offering to live peacefully and calmly, Taras exclaims indignantly: “Why not

Can? How can you say: we have no right? I have two sons... Neither one nor the other has ever been to war. So, therefore, it follows that the Cossack strength should disappear.? So what are we living on, what the hell are we living on?” .

I. A. Vinogradov in his book “Gogol - Artist and Thinker” explains all the main movements of the Zaporozhye army by fulfilling the Savior’s commandment to love brothers: they go on a campaign to protect Orthodox Christians, stay near Dubno in order to rescue friends from Polish captivity, go to the rescue of comrades captured by the Tatars. And the beginning of the hostilities described in the story, the change of Koschevoi on the initiative of Taras Bulba? What is she in the name of? And the cruelty of the Cossacks under the leadership of Taras? ". Taras walked throughout Poland with his regiment, burning out eighteen towns, near forty churches.”

“Don’t regret anything,” only Taras repeated. The Cossacks did not respect the black-browed glades, the white-breasted, fair-faced maidens; they could not escape at the very altars; Taras lit them along with the altars.

More than one snow-white hands rose from the fiery flames to the heavens, accompanied by pitiful screams that would have made the very damp earth and steppe grass bend.

I would bow down in pity. But the cruel Cossacks did not listen to anything and, lifting their babies from the streets with spears, threw them into the flames. “This is a wake for Ostap for you, enemy Poles!” .

How are the author's religious ideas reflected in this story? The Orthodox faith is always present in the life of the Cossacks. Initiation into the Cossacks, as depicted by Gogol, begins with the questions: “What, do you believe in Christ? And do you believe in the Holy Trinity? And do you go to church?” The very first reproach to the traitor Andriy comes from the words of Taras: “So betray? Betray your faith?

The repeatedly repeated image of the Orthodox Russian land expresses the idea of ​​the indestructible power of the Russian spirit

Love for the Fatherland, for your Orthodox people. And it is precisely because of this deviation from one’s faith and divine commandments that all misfortunes entail.

In his story “Taras Bulba,” the humanist writer, the Christian writer, could not write indifferently about those aspects of life, everyday life, and war of the Zaporozhye Cossacks that were completely incompatible with the spirit of Christianity.

In order extracurricular reading Already in the 7th grade, students will become familiar with all the stories in the collection “Mirgorod” and must, with the help of a vocabulary book, understand how the theme of “vulgarity of a vulgar person” is realized in them and how the writer’s dream of handsome man. But the antithesis of good and evil, beauty and

ugliness is often interpreted in

Gogol studies is too simplified.

Thus, according to Chukovsky, “the lofty, heroic and beautiful made up the figurative fabric of “Taras Bulba”, the vulgar, base and ugly

formed the tale of two Ivans.”

The literary scholar must not forget that in “Taras Bulba” the antithesis of good and evil, beauty and its desecration is manifested. The story “Taras Bulba” is not only a heroic epic. This is also

the essence of Man, his beauty,

which is impossible without goodness and humanity. In “Taras Bulba” we see Ukraine, its fate, its history. But we read this story as a work about our Motherland, about Russia, because Gogol writes it - a writer for whom Russian and Ukrainian are one and the same. One of the pressing issues in the story, raised by Gogol and echoing our

reality - the question of

historical roots, common destinies, spiritual kinship of the Russian and Ukrainian peoples.

Russians and Ukrainian nationalists They preach the idea of ​​the closed development of peoples, the incompatibility of their cultures and traditions, and therefore oppose unity. Gogol shows that there is a historical relationship between Ukraine and Russia, leading start from time immemorial as the vital need for unity was realized.

For several years (1833-1842), at the time of the full maturity of his talent, Gogol worked on the second edition of Taras Bulba. The main direction of the revision is to more clearly highlight the all-Russian pathos of the struggle of the Ukrainian people with the Polish gentry. This struggle transcends the boundaries of local significance and appears as a struggle for the common Russian land, binding together the historical destinies of two related peoples.

Gogol also touched upon the issue of Russia’s relations with Turkey and Poland. Objectively assessing the tragedy of these relations and exalting the heroic feat Zaporozhye Cossacks in defending the independence of his homeland, the writer, however, stood above nationalist ambitions and prejudices. In the article “A Look at the Formation of Little Russia,” Gogol paints a picture of the emergence of the Cossacks: “And so a people was formed, who by faith and place of residence belonged to Europe, but meanwhile, by their way of life, customs, and costume, they were completely Asian - a people in whom they so strangely collided two opposite parts of the world, two different elements."

The writer objectively depicts in detail both the Jewish pogroms and the bloody Cossack raids on the Poles and Turks. All these descriptions are full of humane indignation against unjustified cruelty and inhumanity. The writer’s heart was open to all ethnic groups of Russia, moreover, to Eurasia. With obvious sympathy, he draws the kindest “Tatar”, the servant of the Polish lady; suffering from the siege of the Poles - residents of the city of Dubno, humiliated Jews. Gogol's pathos lies in the establishment of a fair and healthy social order based on the principles of humanity and brotherhood.

In Taras Bulba. “all Gogol’s themes found themselves,” according to I. Zolotussky, including the theme of school education. The hero of the story scolded all learning and advised his sons not to engage in it. True, Taras Bulba had a negative attitude not towards science in general, but towards “the then kind of teaching”, in particular

To the bursa.

Mirgorod cycle with the theme of vulgarity.

Gogol showed deep conviction in the civic vocation of man, educated person. According to N. N. Skatov, the main problems of Gogol’s work are “beauty and goodness, religion and art, word and deed.” In the newest study by I. I. Garin, “The Mysterious Gogol,” it is noted that Gogol’s artistic interests were always inspired only by eternal themes. "Interpret Gogol

otherwise it means - tendentiously - to diminish him, to transfer him from the rank of genius. into a writer of everyday life." The eternal truth for Gogol was Man, his beauty and spirituality. The writer's aesthetic position is inextricably linked with his moral preaching aspirations.

“My goal is to form the hearts of young listeners.”

Studying the story “Taras Bulba” at school gives grounds to conclude that

that with his work Gogol demonstrated deep respect for Man, for various nationalities and religions.

Notes

1. Bulletin of the Ministry of Education Russian Federation. 2002. No. 2. 2. Vinogradov I.A. Gogol is an artist and thinker. Christian foundations of worldview. M., Heritage, 2000. 3. Gadzhieva T.B. Tale by N.V. Gogol’s “Taras Bulba” and the religious position of its author // Scientific thought of the Caucasus. Rostov on/D., 2007. No. 4. pp. 91-93. 4. Gadzhieva T.B., Kossovich A.P. Creativity N.V. Gogol in the context of world culture // Intercultural dialogue in the philological space. Materials of the II International Turkic Conference. Makhachkala, 2007. 5. Garin I.I. Mysterious Gogol. M.: Book Club, 2002. 6. Gogol N.V. Collection op. in 7 volumes. T.6. M.: Fiction, 1952. 7. Gogol N.V. Collection op. in 6 volumes. T.2. M.: GIHL, 1952. 8. Gukovsky G.A. Gogol's realism. M.-L. : Goslitizdat, 1959. 9. Zvers T.V. N.V. Gogol’s story “Taras Bulba” in school study. L.: Education, 1980. 10. Zolotussky I. Gogol. Ed. 6. M.: Young Guard, 2007. 11. Kossovich A.P., Gadzhieva T.B. On the question of the moral ideal of N.V. Gogol (“Old World Landowners” and “Taras Bulba”) // Current issues science and education. Vol. 2. Makhachkala, 2005. pp. 88-93. 12. Literature. 7th grade. Lesson plans. Comp. N. M. Skorkina. Volgograd, 1999. 13. Mashinsky S. Art world Gogol. Ed. 2. M.: Education, 1979. 14. Software and methodological materials. Literature, grades 5-11. Comp. T. A. Kalganova. M., 2001. 15. Skorkin N.M. Literature, 7th grade. Lesson plans. Volgograd, 1999. 16. Solovey T.G. Study of N.V. Gogol’s story “Taras Bulba”, 7th grade // “Literature Lessons”. (Appendix to the journal “Literature at school”). No. 7. 2008. pp. 2-15.

The famous story “Taras Bulba” almost immediately won a huge amount of recognition among readers from the very first moment of its appearance.

Many critics and experts in the field of literature and art argue that this story is one of the most memorable works of the Russian writer Nikolai Gogol.

At the beginning of getting acquainted with this story, the reader can assume that the theme of this entire work lies only in the phrase “the Cossacks’ struggle for their homeland.”

But it is fair to say that this is not at all the case. Of course, you cannot argue with the fact that this meaning exists, but besides it, there are other important, vital meanings in the work, with which the entire work is fully filled.

The main theme of the entire work is the struggle for one’s homeland. Here we are told about a strong and courageous people who do not spare their lives in the struggle for the honor and freedom of their homeland.

It is also impossible not to note that throughout the entire story one can see another equally important and significant line of relations between parents and their children. The work very clearly shows the father's relationship with his sons. The reader can also see how the absolutely identical upbringing of two sons contributes to the growth of two completely different men.

One of the main characters, Taras Bulba himself, appears to the readers as a strong, brave and courageous Cossack, who is not alien to such feelings as sentimentality. It is worth noting that one of his sons, namely Andriy, was killed by his father after he went against his will.

Reading this work, readers get different impressions, but of course, everyone can find something in it for themselves. Once you read it, you will realize that it is filled with deep meaning.

Theme of Gogol's story "Taras Bulba"

“Taras Bulba” is a famous historical story by N.V. Gogol. Its main theme is a person’s selfless love for his native land, readiness to protect her from enemies until her last breath. The author skillfully reveals this theme in the images and actions of the main characters of the work: Taras Bulba and his two sons.

The story describes the distant times of the birth of the Cossacks, their irreconcilable hostility for their independence with the Polish nobility. Having created your special state, the freedom-loving Zaporozhye Sich, the Cossacks were engaged in peaceful labor, but at any moment they were ready to take up arms.

Taras Bulba is the central character of the story. This is a real Cossack, a courageous and courageous person. The character has no real historical prototype. He personifies all the best features of a unique Russian class - the Cossacks. Taras – a real warrior, who has seen a lot in his lifetime. The arrival of his sons from studies is a joy for the aging father. However, he severely restrains his emotions and does not allow his mother to admire her children enough. Taras almost immediately begins to get ready for the journey to show Ostap and Andriy to the Sich, to give them a taste of Cossack life.

The children of Taras end up in the daring and dashing Zaporozhye Sich, where peaceful life passes in endless drinking bouts. The outbreak of hostilities with Poland instantly transforms the inhabitants of the Sich. The readiness to defend the Motherland at the first call is the main quality inherent in the Cossacks. In military clashes, the sons of Taras mature and grow stronger. He prophesies a great future for his children.

The siege of the city of Dubna is the central episode of the work. In it, Gogol described in sublime tones the power of the boundless love of the Cossacks for their Motherland. A sharp contrast to this is Andriy’s betrayal because of his love for a Polish woman. Taras could not stand it and killed own son. This is the main tragedy of the work. Betrayal of the Motherland cannot be forgiven; it is washed away only with blood.

Another misfortune awaited Taras's heart. Ostap was captured. The moment of torture and execution is described in an incredibly moving tone. Ostap endured the torment to the end, he died with honor and pride.

Taras's terrible and merciless revenge ends with his painful death at the hands of the enemy. Last words the old Cossack turned to his comrades. He predicts the greatness of his homeland. The image of the crucified and burned Taras is a symbol of a true fighter for the freedom of his land.

Several interesting essays

Mikhail Sholokhov's story "The Fate of Man" was written in record time short time. The writer worked on it for a little over a week. However, he had been nurturing his idea for many years.

One day we went with my parents and my brother to pick mushrooms. The weather was magnificent, the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the grass was lush and green. I have had great mood and I wanted to run through the forest and collect the most mushrooms.

Not long ago, memories came flooding back to me. This happened when my dad, mom and I were walking in the park. The day was sunny and very hot. And then I remembered the first day of last winter.

What could be more beautiful than a summer walk in the forest? After all, many artists and poets dedicate their paintings to this. Only at this time of year the forest is beautiful in its own way and it seems that it has its own secret.

• The image of Judushka Golovlev in the novel by Lord Golovlev Saltykov-Shchedrin and his characteristics essay

  The main character of the work is Porfiry Vladimirovich Golovlev, one of the sons of the large family of the landowner Arina Petrovna, nicknamed from the very beginning early childhood relatives Judas and the bloodsucker.

Tale by N.V. Gogol " Taras Bulba" - historical story. It talks about the life of the Cossacks in the Zaporozhye Sich, about their battles for the independence of Ukraine.

The main character of the story is old Cossack Taras Bulba , one of the best warriors of the Sich. He spent his entire life in battles and cannot imagine any other life. Bulba is devoted to the laws of Cossack honor to the last drop of blood. He is loyal to his comrades, values ​​and loves them more than his own life. The meaning of Taras Bulba's life - in service to fellowship, homeland and the Orthodox faith.

The hero has two sons. This Ostap and Andriy . Both of them are young, just returned from school. Taras dreamed that his sons would become real Cossacks, defenders of the fatherland. Therefore, he takes them with him to the Zaporozhye Sich.

At this time, news spread throughout the Cossack land: the Poles were coming to Ukraine. The Polish invaders have already occupied many Ukrainian lands and are not going to stop. Having learned about this, the Cossacks immediately set off to defend their homeland.

Both Ostap and Andriy bravely fought their enemies. Taras was proud of his sons. But the hero's dreams were not destined to come true. First he lost his youngest son- Andria. The young man fell in love with a Polish woman and went over to the enemy’s side for her sake. When Taras found out that his son was a traitor, his grief knew no bounds. But for Bulba, betrayal was the biggest crime. Therefore, he himself, with his own hand, punished the traitor. Bulba shot his son.

But soon Taras Bulba had to lose his Ostap. He was captured by the damned Poles. The wounded and sick Bulba cannot forget about this for a minute. First, he decides to get at least some news about his son. And then tries to save him. But it's all in vain. Ostap dies. Before his execution, he bravely endured many tortures. Taras, despite his grief, was involuntarily proud of his son. Bulba supports Ostap at the last minute, instilling courage and faith in him.

Taras Bulba - unhappy person. He experienced a real tragedy. The hero lost all his children. But he could be proud of Ostap, because he died like a real warrior, a Cossack. But Andriy turned out to be a traitor. And this is the worst thing for the hero.

The Reader reads about Andriy’s death, as the most difficult episode, revealing Taras’s experiences, conveying his excitement and anger. The worst crime for Taras is treason against his fatherland, common cause. He places a much higher value on kinship by spirit than by blood. That’s why Taras was so shocked when he saw Andriy leading the enemy detachment. And his first words, directly addressed to his son, were that Andriy was killing his comrades: “How?.. Do you beat your own, damn son?..” Andriy’s submission was caused by the admission of his guilt, the understanding that his betrayal a crime deserving trial and terrible execution. Realizing this, he still did not repent of what he had done.

Love for a girl killed all other feelings in his soul. Therefore, before his death, he pronounces the name not of his homeland, like all Cossacks, but of his beloved. In the episode of Andriy’s death, Taras’s hot, passionate nature and the strength of his character were fully revealed. He felt guilty before his comrades, before his homeland. It was he, the father and senior comrade, who did not see in time in the character of the son, his instability, excessive ardor. And as a courageous man, passionately convinced that he is right, he himself corrects his mistake.

From the cheerful, sociable person that Taras was, he turned under the influence of the suffering he experienced into a withdrawn and gloomy one. This is no longer a daring Cossack, ready to start dancing, as Gogol portrays him. It’s impossible to cheer up Taras now

The execution of Ostap, which Taras witnessed, shocked him. From that moment on, there was no more pity or compassion for his enemies in his heart. Even his comrades, who took part in battles more than once and saw a lot in their lifetime, were amazed at his cruelty

Everything he experienced made Taras especially careful, vigilant, and taught him to predict events. Therefore, Taras Bulba did not believe the Poles, like many of his comrades, and did not conclude a truce with them, but left with part of the Cossacks to continue the fight they had begun, and no one could stop him. He was no longer the former cheerful, cheerful and daring Cossack, but a stern and a warrior merciless to enemies.

The suffering he experienced could not break Taras and kill his faith in the justice of the struggle that had begun. He continues it, appearing with his regiment in different places in Poland, avenging his desecrated homeland, dead comrades and Ostap. He is alone among like-minded people and comrades in arms. His sons are gone, his former battle-tested comrades, hetman and colonels are gone. However, everything that Taras had to endure did not break his powerful spirit. Having led his hero through terrible trials, Gogol showed that a person can be hardened, made unhappy and lonely, without those who know relaxation from suffering, he cannot be broken or bent if he serves the common cause, if he fights for freedom. Therefore, Gogol's story is optimistic. In that - the power of the story, its pathos, its enormous ideological and aesthetic significance.

The author of “Taras Bulba” took on the strong side of the Decembrist tradition, giving the historical theme a bright civic focus. But he was free from the schematism and didactics characteristic of the Decembrist writers in the interpretation of the historical past, as well as the one-sided depiction of something divorced from folk life hero. Revealed with extraordinary breadth and epic scope in “Taras Bulba” people's liberation movement. The main character of the story appears as a participant and spokesman for this movement.

Freely disposing of historical material, without reproducing a single specific historical event, almost not a single real figure, Gogol at the same time created a work of art in which, with brilliant artistic power, he revealed the authentic history of the people,

In fact, the writer had in mind to paint a picture that would reflect the most typical, the fundamental features of the entire national heroic epic of the Ukrainian people.

In his depiction of the Sich and its heroes, Gogol combines historical specificity, characteristic of a realist writer, and high lyrical pathos, characteristic of a romantic poet. The organic fusion of various artistic colors creates the poetic originality and charm of “Taras Bulba”.

Ukrainian Cossack epic which lasted for more than two centuries (XVI - XVII), - one of the heroic events of world history. A handful of peasants who fled from enslavement, which soon grew into a formidable Zaporizhian freemen and actually became the master of the entire middle and southern Dnieper region, instilled fear for many decades in the Turks, Tatars and Polish gentry who had their sights set on Ukrainian land.

Occupying an advantageous position on trade routes between the Baltic and Black Seas, West and East, Ukraine has long served as a bait for the aggressive thoughts of its neighbors. For many centuries, the rich Ukrainian lands were subjected to devastating raids by Tatars and Turks, Lithuanian and Polish conquerors. In the 14th century, Ukraine was captured by the Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

The mighty Zaporozhye Sich soon became a kind of outpost on the southern and southeastern borders of Ukraine. They kept the Tatars and Turks at bay, who had previously plundered Ukrainian lands with impunity.

The history of Ukraine at the end of the 16th and beginning of the 17th centuries was marked by many powerful uprisings that produced such outstanding figures as Hetman Kosinsky, Nalivaiko, Loboda, Taras Fedorovich (Tryasylo), Gunya, Ostranitsa.

The depiction of this struggle formed the basis of “Taras Bulba”.

The innovative significance of “Taras Bulba” was that the main force of historical events was there are people in it . At the center of “Taras Bulba” is the heroic image of a people fighting for their freedom and independence. Never before in Russian literature has the scope and expanse of people's life been so fully and vividly depicted. Each of the heroes of the story, no matter how individual and original he may be, feels like an integral part of people's life. In the limitless the fusion of a person’s personal interests with the interests of the people -the ideological pathos of this work. Only one image of Andriy is sharply isolated in the story. It opposes the national character and seems to break out of its main theme. The shameful death of Andriy, which is a necessary moral retribution for his apostasy and betrayal of the people's cause, further emphasizes the greatness of the central idea of ​​the story.

The Zaporozhye Sich as depicted by Gogol is a kingdom of freedom and equality, it is a free republic in which people of broad souls live, absolutely free and equal, where strong, courageous characters are brought up, for whom there is nothing higher than the interests of the people, than freedom and independence fatherland.

Gogol is a historical story that reveals to the reader the life of the Cossacks of the Zaporozhye Sich. The story tells about the heroic past of the country where true patriots were born. This is one of famous works Gogol, which we studied in class and now we will analyze the work, revealing the problems and main idea author's work.

Brief analysis of the work

Analyzing the work of Taras Bulba, the reader is transported to the 16th-18th centuries, when Ukrainian people is fighting against the Polish gentry. At the center of the work are the main characters - two sons, as well as Taras Bulba himself, who was not only a father and a patriot, but also a Cossack colonel. The story takes us to the Zaporozhye Sich, where Bulba’s sons come after training. These are already matured, strong guys, real Cossacks who will fight next to their father. Unfortunately, Andriy fell in love with the daughter of the enemy and crossed all the oaths and laws of the Cossacks. He is a traitor and the only outcome could only be his death. One can only imagine how difficult it was for Taras Bulba to kill his son, but there was no other way out. Betrayal was not forgiven, especially among the Cossacks of that time. Unlike his brother, Ostap turned out to be a true patriot, who did not utter a word in captivity and died like a hero.

From the analysis of the work of Taras Bulba Gogol, we see how courageous, righteous and fair the colonel was, who gave birth to a son, and himself killed him for betrayal. This was the norm in war time, although today it is difficult to accept such customs. But we live in different times, so we have no right to judge any of the characters. Those were the laws and rules.

Problems of the story Taras Bulba

In his work Taras Bulba Gogol reveals various issues. This is a fight against the enemy when we had to defend our native borders. There is also a moral choice here, when you have to choose between feelings and duty. The author also shows the importance of unity, which leads to victory. Here the author reveals the themes of the relationship between children and parents. The problem of self-sacrifice, love and fidelity is revealed.

the main idea

Having become acquainted with this masterpiece of world literature, one can highlight the main idea of ​​the story. It lies in unshakable love for the Motherland, the need to protect and defend it. This is exactly what the Cossacks did, selflessly rushing onto the battlefield.