Why Boris couldn't protect Katerina. Why did Katerina die and what did Boris do for this? Possible plot development options
The death of the main character ends Ostrovsky's play "The Thunderstorm", the genre of which could easily be described as a tragedy. The death of Katerina in “The Thunderstorm” is the denouement of the work and carries a special meaning. The scene of Katerina’s suicide gave rise to many questions and interpretations of this plot twist. For example, Dobrolyubov considered this act noble, and Pisarev was of the opinion that such an outcome was “completely unexpected for her (Katerina) herself.” Dostoevsky believed that Katerina’s death in the play “The Thunderstorm” would have occurred without despotism: “this is a victim of her own purity and her beliefs.” It is easy to see that the opinions of critics differ, but at the same time each is partly true. What made the girl make such a decision, take such a desperate step? What does the death of Katerina, the heroine of the play “The Thunderstorm” mean?
In order to answer this question, you need to study the text of the work in detail. The reader meets Katerina already in the first act. Initially, we observe Katya as a mute witness to the quarrel between Kabanikha and Tikhon. This episode allows us to understand the unhealthy environment of lack of freedom and oppression in which Katya has to survive. Every day she is convinced that her former life, the same as it was before marriage, will never be again. All the power in the house, despite patriarchal way of life life is concentrated in the hands of the hypocritical Marfa Ignatievna. Katya's husband, Tikhon, is unable to protect his wife from hysterics and lies. His weak-willed submission to his mother shows Katerina that in this house and in this family one cannot count on help.
Since childhood, Katya was taught to love life: go to church, sing, admire nature, dream. The girl “breathed deeply,” feeling safe. She was taught to live by the rules of Domostroy: respect the word of her elders, do not contradict them, obey her husband and love him. And now Katerina is married off, the situation changes radically. There is a huge, insurmountable gap between expectations and reality. Kabanikha’s tyranny knows no bounds; her limited understanding of Christian laws terrifies the believing Katerina. What about Tikhon? He is not at all a man who is worthy of respect or even compassion. Katya feels only pity for Tikhon, who drinks often. The girl admits that no matter how hard she tries to love her husband, nothing works.
A girl cannot realize herself in any area: neither as a housewife, nor as a loving wife, not like a caring mother. The girl regards Boris's appearance as a chance for salvation. Firstly, Boris is unlike the other residents of Kalinov, and he, like Katya, does not like unwritten laws dark kingdom. Secondly, Katya was visited by thoughts of getting a divorce and after that living with Boris honestly, without fear of condemnation from society or the church. Relations with Boris are developing rapidly. One meeting was enough for two young people to fall in love with each other. Even without the opportunity to talk, Boris dreams of Katya. The girl is very worried about the feelings that have arisen: she was brought up differently, Katya cannot walk with someone else secretly; purity and honesty “prevent” Katya from hiding her love, pretending that everything is “kept under cover” and others don’t realize.
For a very long time the girl decided to go on a date with Boris, and yet she went to the garden at night. The author does not describe the ten days when Katerina saw her lover. This, in fact, is not necessary. It is easy to imagine their leisure time and the growing feeling of warmth that was in Katerina. Boris himself said “he only lived for those ten days.” The arrival of Tikhon Kabanov revealed new sides to the characters. It turned out that Boris does not want publicity at all; he would rather abandon Katya than involve himself in intrigues and scandals. Katya, unlike young man, wants to tell both her husband and mother-in-law about the current situation. Being a somewhat suspicious and impressionable person, Katya, driven by the thunder and the words of the crazy lady, confesses everything to Kabanov.
The scene ends. Next we learn that Marfa Ignatievna has become even tougher and more demanding. She humiliates and insults the girl much more than before. Katya understands that she is not as guilty as her mother-in-law wants to convince her, because Kabanikha needs such tyranny only for self-affirmation and control. It is the mother-in-law who becomes the main catalyst for the tragedy. Tikhon would most likely forgive Katya, but he can only obey his mother and go drink with Dikiy.
Imagine yourself in the heroine's place. Imagine all the things she had to deal with every day. The way the attitude towards her changed after the confession. A husband who cannot contradict his mother, but at every opportunity finds solace in alcohol. The mother-in-law, personifying all that dirt and abomination from which a pure and honest person wants to stay as far away as possible. Your husband’s sister, the only one who is interested in your life, but at the same time cannot fully understand. And a loved one, for whom public opinion and the possibility of receiving an inheritance turned out to be much more important than feelings for the girl.
Katya dreamed of becoming a bird, of flying away forever from the dark world of tyranny and hypocrisy, of breaking free, of flying, of being free. Katerina's death was inevitable.
However, as stated above, there are several different points of view on Katerina’s suicide. After all, on the other hand, couldn’t Katya just run away without making such desperate decisions? That's the point, she couldn't. This was not for her. To be honest with yourself, to be free - this is what the girl so passionately desired. Unfortunately, all this could only be obtained at the price own life. Is Katerina’s death a defeat or a victory over the “dark kingdom”? Katerina did not win, but she did not remain defeated either.
Work test
Why did Katerina die and what did Boris do for this?
Katerina's last meeting with Boris occurs in the third scene of the fifth act of the play "The Thunderstorm". This scene is of utmost importance for revealing the images of Katerina and Boris. And it is also the turning point in the whole action. We can say that this scene led the play to a tragic ending.
Before the last meeting, Katerina was already driven to despair. In the second appearance we meet her in tossing and torment. She doesn’t want to live: “And death doesn’t come. You call for her, but she doesn’t come.” But still, in the depths of her wounded soul, hope still glimmers: “If only I could live with him, maybe I would see some kind of joy...”. Katerina yearns for her beloved and prays, almost paganly, for the “violent winds” to bring her “sadness and melancholy” to Boris.
And then a miracle happens: the heroine meets the one for whose sake she neglected everything, for whose sake she “ruined her soul.”
Having met, lovers cry, whether from grief, from happiness, or from both. The remark given by Ostrovsky - “Silence” - perfectly describes internal state heroes. And really, what is there to talk about?
Boris is the first to break the silence. After all, he came here for a reason. He came to tell Katerina that he was leaving: “Far away... to Siberia.”
Katerina's first phrases in this scene are abrupt and short. As if she is preparing to say something extremely important, something that will decide her fate. After Boris informs her of his departure, Katerina bursts out with a plea. She asks the hero to take her with him. This is almost a cry of last hope. The phrase “Take me with you from here!” is the climax of the entire scene. The fate of Katerina, and his fate too, depends on the decision Boris makes.
What does Boris answer her? He says that he “asked my uncle for a minute, he wanted to at least say goodbye to the place where we met.” The fact that at such a moment Boris remembers his uncle speaks of his spinelessness. He cannot make decisions himself. And he refuses Katerina.
At this turning point, Katerina shows the full breadth of her soul. When her last hope collapsed and the earth began to disappear from under her feet, she finds the strength to tell Boris: “Go with God!” Instead of cursing the heartless and spineless Boris, who left her to be torn apart by her mother-in-law and public opinion, Katerina tells him about her love.
And her love, truly, knows no bounds: “I saw little joy, but grief, so much grief! And there’s so much more to come! Well, what to think about what will happen! Now I’ve seen you, they won’t take that away from me; and I don’t need anything else. I just needed to see you. Now it has become much easier for me; It was as if a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. And I kept thinking that you were angry with me, cursing me...”
Reading these lines, you understand that only a great woman is capable of such love and such feelings. Ready to go against everyone, give up everything and follow her loved one to distant and cold Siberia, in a difficult moment she forgives Boris. Forgives for everything.
But a convulsive thought still spins in Katerina’s head. She can't find the right words: “I wanted to tell you something! I forgot! Something needed to be said! Everything is confused in my head, I don’t remember anything.”
And Boris, instead of supporting Katerina, says: “It’s time for me, Katya!”
In the next second, the idea, which was still in the air, and its execution seemed so impossible, turned in Katerina’s head into a conscious and terrible decision. We don't know what yet we're talking about, but we can already guess. Katerina tells Boris not to let “a single beggar” pass on his way and to order everyone to pray for her “sinful soul.” It was at this moment that Katerina decided to commit the most terrible sin, in the Christian understanding, which even a thousand beggars could not pray for: suicide.
From this second, Katerina begins to say goodbye to Boris forever, as she realized that she would never see him again. Boris, unable to understand where he is pushing his beloved, begins to complain, blame everyone and everything: “You are villains! Monsters! And he utters one of his most important phrases: “Oh, if only there was strength!” He admits his powerlessness, that he cannot do anything to save Katerina. And most importantly, he admits to his endless selfishness. Suspecting that Katya is up to no good, he thinks not about her, but about the fact that he will be exhausted on the road, thinking about heroin.
There is an amazing moment in this scene. IN last time Boris wants to hug Katerina, but she... won’t let him get close to her. It is impossible to believe that, without being offended by Boris’s refusal right away, she decided to be offended now. Yes, and this does not fit into the image of Katerina. Simply, having decided to commit suicide, she cannot allow her beloved to touch her - a terrible sinner. In addition, Katerina hurries Boris: “Go, quickly, go!”
Boris's action can be called betrayal. He, in this situation, is a criminal and a sinner, not Katerina. He betrayed the most sacred and valuable feeling for which people are ready to die - love. And, leaving, Boris wishes Katerina death: “We only need to ask God for one thing, that she die as soon as possible, so that she does not suffer for a long time!”
This is the fate he wants for Katerina! This is how he sees the solution to the problem! And we understand that he didn’t help Katerina not because he was a spineless and weak-willed person, but because he didn’t want to!
Who knows how the fate of the heroes would have turned out if at that most important moment Boris had agreed to take Katerina with him. Yes, terrible difficulties would await the heroes. Perhaps she would be disappointed in her choice. But Boris could not, or rather, could not, act differently.
Having said goodbye to Boris forever, Katerina rushes into the Volga, taking with her her great love for the man who did not want to save her.
The comedy "The Thunderstorm" is one of the most famous works Russian playwright A. N. Ostrovsky. The idea and characters of the work can be explored forever. The images of the characters in "The Thunderstorm" are quite remarkable.
Problems of the play "The Thunderstorm"
All characters can be divided into 2 groups: representatives of the older and younger generations. The eldest represents Kabanikh and Dikoy. They are representatives of the patriarchal world, where selfishness and poverty rule. Other characters suffer from the tyranny of Kabanikha and Wild. These are primarily Varvara, Katerina, Boris and Tikhon. A comparative description of the characters shows that all the heroes have resigned themselves to their fate, and only Katerina is not able to go against her conscience and her desires.
The entire work "The Thunderstorm" is dedicated to the story of the main character Katerina. She is one of the participants. Katerina has to choose between two men, and these men are Boris and Tikhon. These characters will help you understand in detail the behavior of the characters in the play.
Boris's fate
Before analyzing the character of Boris, it is necessary to familiarize yourself with his history.
Boris is not Kalinova. He gets there by the will of his parents. Boris was supposed to get the inheritance, which for the time being was managed by Dikoy. For good behavior and obedience, Dikoy is obliged to give the inheritance to Boris, but readers understand that due to Dikoy’s greed this will never happen. Therefore, Boris has to stay in Kalinov and live there according to the rules established by Dikiy and Kabanikha.
Tikhon's fate
Among all the characters, two heroes stand out, two men - Boris and Tikhon. The comparative characteristics of these heroes can say a lot.
Tikhon depends on Kabanikha - his mother. He has to obey her in everything. Kabanikha does not hesitate to get involved in the personal life of her son, dictating how he should treat his wife. Kabanikha literally takes his daughter-in-law out of the world. Kabanikha constantly finds fault with Katerina.
One day Tikhon is forced to leave for another city for several days. The reader clearly sees how glad he is for the opportunity to be alone and show his independence.
What Boris and Tikhon have in common
So, we have two characters - Boris and Tikhon. A comparative description of these heroes is impossible without an analysis of their lifestyle. So, both characters live with tyrants, both heroes are forced to obey the will of others. Both heroes lack independence. Both heroes love Katerina.
At the end of the play, both suffer greatly after the death of Katerina. Tikhon is left alone with his mother, and orders Boris Dika to leave Kalinov. Of course, he definitely won’t see an inheritance after the incident with Katerina.
Boris and Tikhon: differences
There are more differences between Boris and Tikhon than they have in common. So, Boris and Tikhon - Comparative characteristics. The table below will help systematize knowledge about these heroes.
Boris | Tikhon | |
Relation to Katerina | Boris is ready for anything. He risks his reputation, the reputation of Katerina - a married woman. His love is passionate, open and emotional. | Tikhon loves Katerina, but the reader sometimes questions this: if he loves her, why doesn’t he protect her from Kabanikha’s attacks? Why doesn't he feel her suffering? |
Relationships with other characters in the play | Boris acts under the cover of Varvara. Night Kalinov is the time when all young people go out into the streets with songs and romantic moods. | Tikhon is treated well, but little is said about his relationships with other characters. The only thing that is notable is his relationship with his mother. He loves her to some extent and tries to respect her, but on the other hand he feels that she is wrong. |
Such are Boris and Tikhon. The comparative characteristics of the characters given in the table above are quite brief and succinct. It is worth noting that mostly readers sympathize with Boris rather than Tikhon.
The main idea of the play "The Thunderstorm"
The characterization of Boris and Tikhon suggests that the two men loved Katerina. However, neither one nor the other could save her. Katerina threw herself off a cliff into the river, no one stopped her. It was Boris and Tikhon, whose comparative characteristics were given above, who should have saved her, who should have rebelled against the power of the Kalinovsky tyrants. However, they failed, and Katerina’s lifeless body was taken out of the river.
Kalinov is a town that lives by its own rules. Dobrolyubov called Katerina “a ray of light in dark kingdom", and this is true. Katerina could not change her fate, but perhaps she is the whole city. Her death is the first catastrophe that violated the patriarchal structure of the family. Kabanikha and Dikoy feel that young people are leaving their power, which means changes are coming.
Thus, A. Ostrovsky was able to show not just a family tragedy. Before us is the tragedy of an entire city perishing under the despotism of the Wild and Kabanikha. Kalinov is not a fictional city, but there are a lot of such “Kalinovs” throughout Russia.
In the drama “The Thunderstorm” by A. N. Ostrovsky tragic fate its main character Katerina cannot but evoke deep sympathy. Many women in Rus' lived a similar life, but few, like Katerina, tried to resist their difficult female lot.
Katerina, like other young daughters-in-law, falls under the complete subordination of the family of her husband Tikhon.
In his house, his mother Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova reigns supreme. My mother-in-law has a tough temperament. She finds fault with her son's wife in every possible way on every trifling occasion, endlessly
harassing and reproaching her with a piece of bread. The young woman does not even find support from her own husband. Of course, Tikhon is a typical mama’s boy, acting exclusively on her orders. He married Katerina not so much out of love as at the behest of his mother. Therefore, he is not worried about his mother’s groundless reproaches against his wife. All he can do to help Katerina is to give stupid advice, ignore her mother-in-law’s nagging and not pay attention to them. Tikhon himself is burdened by his mother’s pressure. Therefore, he often runs to a neighbor’s house to take his mind off the domestic terror over a glass. Tikhon happily rushes to Moscow on business, hoping there to take a break from “these shackles.” Trying to escape from the cruel Kabanikha at least temporarily, Katerina asks her husband to take her with him, but he demonstrates complete indifference to his wife’s fate, refusing her in order to enjoy complete freedom himself.
Being married, Katerina is left alone with her problems. Therefore, she inevitably begins to dream about another life and about another person. Boris stands in her way - sweet, intelligent, tastefully dressed, educated. But with all the external gloss, Boris is the same weak-willed and selfish person as Tikhon. He is also financially dependent, but on the merchant Dikiy and on the terms of his grandmother’s will. He puts his well-being above the happiness of his loved one. Therefore, Boris failed to become a reliable support for Katerina.
Both Tikhon and Boris, despite all their external differences, are weak-willed and selfish, practically pushing Katerina to take a desperate step and, together with Kabanikha, become the main culprits of her tragic death.
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