Essay: The strength and weakness of man in Gorky’s understanding. Man in Gorky's works
Man as the greatest mystery of nature, a large unexplored field, has always been a favorite topic addressed by Maxim Gorky (Alexey Maksimovich Peshkov). Human feelings and thoughts, weakness and strength, hopes and their failure, social and spiritual nature are reflected in the characters created by the author’s pen. Man in Gorky’s work is a truly vast topic.
Heroes of Gorky
The characters of this writer are people of the beginning of the 20th century, the time of world war and three revolutions, the collapse of the old world and the creation of a new one. However, by depicting his contemporary in his works, the author tries to guess the image of a man of the future, a new turbulent time. In it, Alexey Maksimovich Gorky embodies all the best that he saw in his contemporaries.
Human
In Gorky's works, man is not just a word used to call representatives of the species homo sapiens, but a title, an honorary name that everyone needs to earn. The story "The Birth of Man" talks about what a great position it is to be a representative of the human race on earth.
In order to deserve this name, you must first of all have spiritual freedom and pride - this is what Jehovah, Zeus, Allah and other gods of all religions, as well as great teachers and leaders of all times and peoples, fear. All of them are known by Gorky under one name - “the black monster of power.” It, having declared pride to be the main sin, always killed the strong, free, and proud with the hands of its priests.
Pride
Alexey Maksimovich Gorky believes that this is a good character trait that turns a slave into a free one, makes the weak strong, and transforms a nonentity into a personality. Pride does not like everything that is generally accepted and philistine. Thus, the heroes of the work “Makar Chudra”, Radda and Loiko, prefer to die than to live unfreely, since by nature they are free and proud. However, the hypertrophy of this feeling gives rise to unconditional, absolute freedom from any moral principles and society. This idea is heard in another story, “Old Woman Izergil,” when main character tells about the proud Larra, who dies for everyone (and for himself, first of all), remaining to live forever as punishment. In immortality, therefore, he finds death. Maxim Gorky points to the eternal truth: it is impossible to live in society and be completely free from it.
Feelings
Another quality of a person, according to the author, is the ability to feel all-embracingly, completely surrendering, drowning out the voice of reason. - this is the madness of the brave. Among Gorky’s favorite and main characters, you won’t find cold, reasonable, semi-positive ones like Stavrogin and Bazarov (although, of course, there are always similar ones in our society). Heroes who are too rational are usually morally dead, but for the author, Man is alive, first of all, feeling, homo sentiense. These are Pelageya Nilovna Vlasova ("Mother"), Foma Gordeev from the story of the same name, Konovalov and Chelkash from the stories of the same name, Teterev ("The Bourgeois") and Satin ("At the Bottom"). What they all have in common is that the feelings of these heroes are stronger than their minds. Many are devoted to this. The list can be further expanded. However, the writer himself considers excessive sensuality to be the lot of weak people, since it interferes with a person’s path in life. And the author considers the most important thing to be the ability to live in the full sense of the word.
Hot and rotting
Man in Gorky's work is either hot or rotting. Rotting people are limited, weak people who do not strive to change their lives, content with their unenviable position. They are the majority. These people love only a well-fed, warm, comfortable life.
Target
But in order to be able to truly live life, it is not enough just to burn, to be proud and free, restless and feeling. It is very important to have a goal that would justify existence, since the price of a person is his business. "Forward! and higher!" - this is his credo. Izergil’s life passes senselessly, aimlessly, without illuminating anything in its path. On the contrary, Danko flashes brightly and fades away, illuminating the path for people for a new life. This Man in creativity acquires true immortality, since it is the payment for a great, lofty goal to which everyone should strive. On the way to it, nothing should distract: neither blind faith seeking to enslave, nor sweet, lulling hope, nor humiliating love. One must be ready to make any sacrifices for the sake of a great goal, as long as it justifies them.
Creation
Thus, a Man who is completely confident in freedom of thought, the endless growth of creativity and its immortality - this is Gorky’s ideal. The meaning of life must be seen in creativity, which is limitless and self-sufficient. Man-God is higher than all invented gods. The writer put into this ideal all the best that the heroes of that time had. Each of us remembers one who became catchphrase. “Man—that sounds proud,” Gorky solemnly proclaims.
Monologue about a person
In the play "At the Bottom", in the last act, Satin pronounces a short monologue, which is textbook. In this speech, the hero honors Man, glorifies him. In his understanding, a representative of the human race is the center of the universe, the basis of everything. Everything revolves around it: death, life, great discoveries and accomplishments. However, Satin does not mean each specific person, but a species of living beings with this name.
He is fascinated by the capabilities, potential and power of humankind. That is why he thinks that this great humiliation is pity. Man, this “block,” is therefore worthy only of respect and truth, which he can withstand, no matter how cruel it may be.
The hero also makes a conclusion about a person’s life purpose. In his opinion, he is “above satiety.” The meaning of life is to accomplish something global, lofty, revolutionary. This opinion is shared by Gorky about Man.
This monologue is an argument with Luke’s position, which is completely opposite. This hero views a person not as a collective image, but as an individual who requires attention, support, and warmth.
The truth is probably somewhere in between the opinions of these two characters.
This is a broad-sounding work, conveying the whole gamut of human feelings and states - from the inspired and courageous speeches about Satin’s Man, to the mortal and hopeless despair of the Actor.
The strength and weakness of man in the understanding of M. Gorky (“Old Woman Izergil”, “At the Depth”)
In all ages, man has strived to know his “I”. One of the main, perhaps the main goals of art is to reveal this secret. To reveal to a person the depths of his soul, to make him better, stronger - to one degree or another, every writer achieves this. This is especially true of Russian literature with its deepest moral and philosophical roots. Great minds, people who suffered and experienced a lot - Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky tried to solve the problem of good and evil, strength and weakness of man. Gorky faced this problem very early. Already in the first works of the young writer, not only his extraordinary talent as a storyteller and artist was evident, but also his ability to defend his beliefs. And later, the experience of life did not dull his talent; the belief in his own rightness only grew stronger.
Already at the very beginning of her story, the old woman Izergil divides people into “old people from childhood” and “young people who love.” This is very important for Gorky. Bright, strong people have always been attractive to him. A cold mind alone without a young heart does not give a person true strength. This is Larra - the hero of the first legend. No wonder his father is an eagle - a resident of cold peaks. Pride and confidence in one's superiority are not enough for happiness. This is not Larra’s strength, but a weakness. In Gorky's understanding, only ardent love for people, for his work, for native land gives a person firmness in life's trials. Danko, who sacrifices himself for the sake of others, is stronger than Larra.
In this regard, the most important question arises: how does a truly strong person relate to others? This is one of the main questions, the answer to which is not given by all world literature. Gorky's position here is clear. The apparent strength of Larra, who supposedly does not need people, does not stand the test of loneliness. In his later works, Gorky complicates the question: is loneliness among people a consequence of strength or weakness? And he gives the answer: the strong cannot be alone, he is always among people - albeit alien to him in spirit, but suffering. And Satin understands this after meeting Luka. But the views of these heroes still differ on the main thing. Luke believes that the weak must find support in life and the duty of the strong is to help him in this. Satin is sure that, indeed, the strong do not need support and waiting for a better future in inaction is not for a real person. He does not come to this conviction immediately. We can follow his development as the play progresses.
At the first meeting with the inhabitants of the shelter, we see that before us are people who are deeply suffering and lonely. Having reached the very bottom of life after many hardships, they became ruthless towards themselves and others. Everyone is closed in on their own grief and talks about it endlessly, not listening to anyone and not wanting to be heard. The answer to complaints is laughter and mockery. The Baron, who lives off Nastya, is only amused by her tears and fantasies. The tick despises everyone, he, the “working man,” will break out of the shelter, he is not like all its inhabitants. And only after Anna’s death, having sold all his tools, having lost all hope, he understands and accepts them as comrades in misfortune. Each character in the play seeks support in escaping cruel reality. Natasha and Vaska Ash dream about the future. Anna hopes for peace after death. The actor “dreams” about the past, each time coloring it with ever brighter colors. Nastya, who has neither a past nor a future, leaves the present for the imaginary world of “pure love.” Luke tried to bring their dreams into the real world, and they failed one after another. After all, these dreams do not make reality easier, but only to a small extent replace it. All that remains for all of them is continuous drunkenness, because awakening is terrible. Only a strong person, Gorky argues, is able to face reality. But without a goal in life, without confidence in his ability to change the world, he is not able to withstand adversity. And we see people who are strong in spirit, but do not know their duty to themselves and others. Bubnov, to whom much has been given, has already lost himself. The Baron mocks everyone and quickly loses his human traits. Satin is only at the beginning of this path. Who knows what fate awaited him if Luka had not appeared in the shelter. It is not for nothing that Satin will later say that Luke affected him like acid on a tarnished coin. Satin understands that the purpose of the strong is not to console the suffering, but to eradicate suffering and evil. This is one of Gorky's firmest convictions.
For Gorky, strength lies in striving forward “towards freedom, towards light.” Only a warm heart and a strong will, faith in victory will help you go this path. And the memory of those who sacrificed themselves for the sake of others along this path, like stars - the sparks of Danko’s heart will illuminate the road for those who follow.
Who is good in face - sometimes also in soul
cloudless.
Kindness gives features to a face
wonderful...
The beginning of the 20th century, the revolution, the complete destruction of the old, but still the impossibility of building a new one, the readiness of this new one, the unimaginability of it being realized. Demolition is when the old is destroyed and the new is not built. Politicians and theorists are making grandiose plans, the intelligentsia is trying to build new heights, but what about people? What simple people who already live in this gap, not knowing what to do, where to go? How do ordinary people see what is happening around them? Many, very many tried to describe this period of Russian history in their works, but only a few managed to do this truly objectively and completely. Among them is Alexey Maksimovich Gorky, who managed to reflect not only negative, but also positive features revolution, revolutionary situation, revolutionary life.
The main theme of Gorky’s work has always been Man, but man not as one of the representatives of the gray masses, but truly as a person and an individual, with his own opinion, his own thoughts, looking soberly at the world. But, nevertheless, throughout Gorky’s entire work, this Man did not remain unchanged: he changed depending on the writer’s gradual rethinking and revision of his views and preferences.
IN early stories- Gorky’s man is, first of all, romantic hero: a proud, freedom-loving, lonely person, opposing himself to the world around him, conflicting with the world around him, capable of captivating people with him, showing them his world, an ideal reality that people simply cannot see for themselves. One of brightest characters Danko from the story “Old Woman Izergil” is such prose. In the story, an old gypsy woman tells the author a legend about a beautiful young man Danko, who lives in a tribe that lived in dark forests where there was no sun, where there was a constant threat to their lives from wild animals and the forces of nature. An ardent, proud young man named Danko leads his fellow tribesmen out of the wilds of the forest, giving his life for them: when people no longer believe in salvation and completely lose hope, he tears out his burning heart from his chest and illuminates the path to freedom for them. Danko dies, but with his death he opens the way for other people, the path to a new life, to a better, free life.
For Gorky, Danko is the ideal of personality, the ideal of behavior, and his life path- the path of an ignited spark that gave people warmth and light - the writer considers the only true form of existence for a real person and citizen.
But this is the human ideal for Gorky only at the beginning of his life. creative path. Time passes, the writer rethinks the world, his life, comes to different conclusions, and writes one of his best and strongest works: the drama “At the Bottom.”
The action takes place in a St. Petersburg rooming house, where representatives of all walks of life who find themselves at the bottom of the world spend the night in dirt, cramped conditions and poverty. Here we can meet workers, traders, merchants, thieves, former nobles, prostitutes and artisans, cheaters, murderers, actors and just wanderers trying to earn a living somehow. And all these people living in a shelter, rejected by society and the world, are trying to understand why their lives turned out this way, why this happened, trying to find their meaning in life, arguing about the purpose of Man as such in this world.
All the characters in the flophouse sooner or later express their attitude towards Human personality, but perhaps only 3 characters express themselves most vividly and strongly: the thief and sharper Bubnov, Satin and the wanderer Luka. Of these three, the darkest, most hopeless and difficult character is Bubnov. Having seen everything in his life, having gone through prisons and hard labor, Bubnov not only does not repent of his actions, but, on the contrary, becomes even more embittered, begins to treat the world around him with even greater skepticism and hatred. Everything for him is painted black, he does not try to look at life from the other side, he imposes his darkness and hatred on those around him, and they also become embittered and withdraw into themselves. Bubnov is not just a guardian, but also a carrier of the passive infection of resignation to life, resignation to the truth, to one’s position. It’s not for nothing that in a conversation with the night shelters he says: “In my opinion, throw out the whole truth as it is! Why be ashamed? Nothing is sacred to him, and he makes other people feel the same, become the same.
The wanderer Luke has a completely different philosophy. Luka prefers not to tell the terrible truth to his face, not to break a person’s will and strength, but, on the contrary, to somehow help him, support him. He has advice for everyone, he tries to support, console, and help everyone. Although Luka often cheats, does not finish speaking and simply deceives people in the eyes, but his words make people feel better, they try to somehow get out of the trap that life has set for them, only with his departure from the shelter they have all the strength to do this disappear, and they again slide limply to the bottom. But Luka himself did not undertake to pull anyone out of this hole, he only helped with advice, and at the same time asserted: “Here... what you say is true... It’s true, it’s not always due to a person’s illness... you can’t always cure a soul with the truth...”
But the most life-affirming, honest and righteous philosophy is the philosophy of Satin, which the author himself adheres to. Satin believes in man, despite all the pain that he suffered in life, despite all the horror and dirt that he saw, despite his own situation, he does not lose faith that people are not so bad that they can be among them good ones. True, he believes in the image of a Man, not in a real-life flophouse character, but in some abstract Man: proud, worthy, free, fair. Just one monologue from Satin: “Man, that sounds proud!” already tells us a lot. Satin believes that not all is lost, that there is still something in the world good people, and that everyone should try to be a real person in all life situations, no matter what happens, not to lose faith in themselves.
It is not for nothing that Gorky gives three such different points of view in the drama. He wants to show us the contrast between real, correct philosophy, and the disastrous, dead-end path that a person can take. The author urges us not to go astray, not to become black evil cynics like Bubnov, not to try to close our eyes to the truth, hiding behind a rosy picture, like Luka, but to look at things soberly and honestly and believe in the best, like Satin.
Gorky adheres to such views not only in relation to the Human personality alone, but also in many other ways. So in his later works he changes his opinion regarding the revolution itself, seeing what the leaders of the Russian people are leading to. He writes “untimely thoughts,” in which he sharply criticizes the policies of Lenin and the party, sharply criticizes the revolution itself, calling it a “nightmarish, three-year massacre,” “disgusting self-destruction.” Gorky sounds the alarm: in the strife and struggle for power, the ideals of morality and spirituality, created over hundreds of years by all of humanity, are forgotten. In the article “Three Years” he writes: “People who believe in the triumph of the ideal of universal brotherhood have been declared by the scoundrels of all countries to be harmful madmen, heartless dreamers who have no love for their homeland.” Now, for Gorky, Man is no longer so much a seeker of truth as, first of all, a person responsible, for every step he takes, for every word he says, responsible to the people who depend on her, who follow her.
This is how a gradual growth of the writer’s views occurs, his spiritual growth, a change in his view of what he should be real man. But, nevertheless, throughout Gorky’s entire work, one thing does not change: his faith in man. He calls us to be real, strong, honest with ourselves and the world, to bring truth and light to people and not to chase power or false values that seem necessary and attractive to many.
Essays on literature: The strength and weakness of man in the understanding of M. Gorky In all ages, man has strived to know his “I”. One of the main, perhaps the main goals of art is to reveal this secret. To reveal to a person the depths of his soul, to make him better, stronger - to one degree or another, every writer achieves this. This is especially true of Russian literature with its deepest moral and philosophical roots. Great minds, people who suffered and experienced a lot - Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky tried to solve the problem of good and evil, strength and weakness of man. Gorky faced this problem very early. Already in the first works of the young writer, not only his extraordinary talent as a storyteller and artist was evident, but also his ability to defend his beliefs. And later, the experience of life did not dull his talent; the belief in his own rightness only grew stronger.
Already at the very beginning of her story, the old woman Izergil divides people into “old people from childhood” and “young people who love.” This is very important for Gorky. Bright, strong people have always been attractive to him. A cold mind alone without a young heart does not give a person true strength. This is Larra - the hero of the first legend. No wonder his father is an eagle - a resident of cold peaks. Pride and confidence in one's superiority are not enough for happiness. This is not Larra’s strength, but a weakness. In Gorky’s understanding, only ardent love for people, for one’s work, for one’s native land gives a person firmness in life’s trials.
Danko, who sacrifices himself for the sake of others, is stronger than Larra. In this regard, the most important question arises: how does a truly strong person relate to others? This is one of the main questions, the answer to which is not given by all the world literature. Gorky's position here is clear.
The apparent strength of Larra, who supposedly does not need people, does not stand the test of loneliness. In his later works, Gorky complicates the question: is loneliness among people a consequence of strength or weakness? And he gives the answer: the strong cannot be alone, he is always among people - albeit alien to him in spirit, but suffering. And Satin understands this after meeting Luka. But the views of these heroes still differ on the main thing. Luke believes that the weak must find support in life and the duty of the strong is to help him in this. Satin is sure that, indeed, the strong do not need support and waiting for a better future in inaction is not for a real person. He does not come to this conviction immediately. We can follow his development as the play progresses.
At the first meeting with the inhabitants of the shelter, we see that before us are people who are deeply suffering and lonely. Having reached the very bottom of life after many hardships, they became ruthless towards themselves and others. Everyone is closed in on their own grief and talks about it endlessly, not listening to anyone and not wanting to be heard. The answer to complaints is laughter and mockery.
The Baron, who lives off Nastya, is only amused by her tears and fantasies. The tick despises everyone, he, the “working man,” will break out of the shelter, he is not like all its inhabitants. And only after Anna’s death, having sold all his tools, having lost all hope, he understands and accepts them as comrades in misfortune. Each character in the play seeks support in escaping cruel reality. Natasha and Vaska Ash dream about the future. Anna hopes for peace after death. The actor “dreams” about the past, each time coloring it with ever brighter colors. Nastya, who has neither a past nor a future, leaves the present for the imaginary world of “pure love.” Luke tried to bring their dreams into the real world, and they failed one after another.
After all, these dreams do not make reality easier, but only to a small extent replace it. All that remains for all of them is continuous drunkenness, because awakening is terrible. Only a strong person, Gorky argues, is able to face reality. But without a goal in life, without confidence in his ability to change the world, he is not able to withstand adversity. And we see people who are strong in spirit, but do not know their duty to themselves and others. Bubnov, to whom much has been given, has already lost himself. The Baron mocks everyone and quickly loses his human traits. Satin is only at the beginning of this path.
Who knows what fate awaited him if Luka had not appeared in the shelter. It is not for nothing that Satin will later say that Luke affected him like acid on a tarnished coin. Satin understands that the purpose of the strong is not to console the suffering, but to eradicate suffering and evil. This is one of Gorky's firmest convictions. For Gorky, strength lies in striving forward “towards freedom, towards light.” Only a warm heart and a strong will, faith in victory will help you go this path. And the memory of those who sacrificed themselves for the sake of others along this path, like stars - the sparks of Danko’s heart will illuminate the road for those who follow.
In all ages, man has strived to know his “I”. One of the main, perhaps the main goals of art is to reveal this secret. To reveal to a person the depths of his soul, to make him better, stronger - to one degree or another, every writer achieves this. This is especially true of Russian literature with its deepest moral and philosophical roots. Great minds, people who suffered and experienced a lot - Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky tried to solve the problem of good and evil, strength and weakness of man.
Gorky faced this problem very early. Already in the first works of the young writer, not only his extraordinary talent as a storyteller and artist was evident, but also his ability to defend his beliefs. And later, the experience of life did not dull his talent; the belief in his own rightness only grew stronger.
Already at the very beginning of her story, the old woman Izergil divides people into “old people from childhood” and “young people who love.” This is very important for Gorky. Bright, strong people have always been attractive to him. A cold mind alone without a young heart does not give a person true strength. This is Larra - the hero of the first legend. No wonder his father is an eagle - a resident of cold peaks. Pride and confidence in one's superiority are not enough for happiness. This is not Larra’s strength, but a weakness. In Gorky’s understanding, only ardent love for people, for one’s work, for one’s native land gives a person firmness in life’s trials. Danko, who sacrifices himself for the sake of others, is stronger than Larra.
In this regard, the most important question arises: how does a truly strong person relate to others? This is one of the main questions, the answer to which is not given by all the world literature. Gorky's position here is clear. The apparent strength of Larra, who supposedly does not need people, does not stand the test of loneliness. In his later works, Gorky complicates the question: is loneliness among people a consequence of strength or weakness? And he gives the answer: the strong cannot be alone, he is always among people - albeit alien to him in spirit, but suffering. And Satin understands this after meeting Luka. But the views of these heroes still differ fundamentally. Luke believes that the weak must find support in life and the duty of the strong is to help him in this. Satin is sure that, indeed, the strong do not need support and waiting for a better future in inaction is not for a real person. He does not come to this conviction immediately. We can follow his development as the play progresses.
At the first meeting with the inhabitants of the shelter, we see that before us are people who are deeply suffering and lonely. Having reached the very bottom of life after many hardships, they became ruthless towards themselves and others. Everyone is closed in on their own grief and talks about it endlessly, not listening to anyone and not wanting to be heard. The answer to complaints is laughter and mockery. The Baron, who lives off Nastya, is only amused by her tears and fantasies. The tick despises everyone: he, the “working man,” will break out of the shelter; he is not like all its inhabitants. And only after Anna’s death, having sold all his tools, having lost all hope, he understands and accepts them as comrades in misfortune.
Each character in the play seeks support in escaping cruel reality. Natasha and Vaska Ash dream about the future. Anna hopes for peace after death. The actor “dreams” about the past, each time coloring it with ever brighter colors. Nastya, who has neither a past nor a future, leaves the present for the imaginary world of “pure love.” Luke tried to bring their dreams into the real world, and they failed one after another. After all, these dreams do not make reality easier, but only to a small extent replace it. All that remains for all of them is continuous drunkenness, because awakening is terrible. Only a strong person, Gorky argues, is able to face reality. But without a goal in life, without confidence in his ability to change the world, he is not able to withstand adversity. And we see people who are strong in spirit, but do not know their duty to themselves and others. Bubnov, to whom much has been given, has already lost himself. The Baron mocks everyone and quickly loses his human traits. Satin is only at the beginning of this path. Who knows what fate awaited him if Luka had not appeared in the shelter. It is not for nothing that Satin will later say that Luke affected him like acid on a tarnished coin. Satin understands that the purpose of the strong is not to console the suffering, but to eradicate suffering and evil. This is one of Gorky's firmest convictions.
For Gorky, strength lies in striving forward “towards freedom, towards light.” Only a warm heart and a strong will, faith in victory will help you go this path. And the memory of those who sacrificed themselves for the sake of others along this path, like the stars - the sparks of Danko's heart, will illuminate the road for those who follow.