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N. I. Ishchuk-Fadeeva. “The Thunderstorm” by A. Ostrovsky - a Christian tragedy? Tver
N. I. Ishchuk-Fadeeva. “The Thunderstorm” by A. Ostrovsky - a Christian tragedy?
The very concept of “philosophical tragedy” may seem somewhat dubious. Modern times, going through stages that were in many ways similar to the stages of the formation of drama, discovered this: one of the first tragedies of modern times, “Suffering Christ,” presented a hero who knows and undoubtedly follows his path. Both personality and suffering represent an unconditional tragedy, which, nevertheless, is not enough for a tragic personality to become a tragic hero.
Thus, the theater of modern times discovered that the genre of tragedy, on the one hand, is possible on some other, “non-Christian” basis. On the other hand, one of the basic concepts of religion and philosophy is the concept of sin. This is natural, because the concepts of good and evil - cardinal concepts of both any religion and any type or genre of art - are directly and directly related to ideas about sin. Dramaturgy, due to its generic specificity, explores the struggle of passions, is interested precisely in “sinful” life. One of the truly existential dramatic problems - the category of guilt/sin as the religious and worldly equivalent of a person’s double responsibility before God and people - gives the drama the character of a truly philosophical dialogue about the essence of these concepts and their existential meaning. This is especially important for a dramatic structure, the plot of which moves from falls (“falls”) to atonement for sin in one form or another. In many ways, genres are differentiated depending on the content of the concept of “sin”.
In the proposed aspect, the famous play by A. N. Ostrovsky “The Thunderstorm” is of particular interest. This is a drama that was both lucky in criticism and unlucky at the same time: lucky, because almost immediately after its publication the play became one of the most discussed; no luck, since, having once undergone a tendentious interpretation, it remained in a system of limited, but seemingly legitimized ideas. The dramatic history of “The Thunderstorm” is presented in criticism in the article by N. Tamarchenko. The analysis proposed by the author is certainly interesting, but it seems that “The Thunderstorm” can be read in terms of Christian tragedy.
One cannot but agree that “The Thunderstorm” is a symbolic play, but the polysemy of this concept led to a strikingly different reading of this seemingly quite intelligible symbol, which became the title of the play. The thunderstorm is what unites all the images and motifs of the play into a single whole, on the one hand, and on the other, it reveals the true essence of each character. The drama opens with the important figure of Kuligin. The beauty of his native places evokes the delight of a poet, and the cruelty of his native city evokes the pessimism of a thinker. The play will develop in two directions: the harmony and beauty of nature and the evil embodied in man. Katerina in many ways became the main character because she embodied that beauty, natural and human, that was not perceived by Kalinov. She is the only one who combines both principles - goodness and beauty, and her death is all the more tragic.
For the first time, the concept of “thunderstorm” appears not in the meaning of a natural phenomenon, but as a sign of “formidability” for those around the Wild. He and Kabanikha, also a “thunderstorm” for the family, will throughout the entire drama implement a social allegory of a world where everyone is divided into “wolves and sheep.”
Perhaps there are grounds for perceiving the thunderstorm as a cleansing storm, but, following the exact dramatic word, it would be more logical to consider it, as stated in “The Thunderstorm,” as the cause of an extremely tragic situation for a Christian, when a person finds himself before the throne of the Lord not cleansed, but “natural”. The sound of thunder, according to the Bible, is associated with the terrible judgment of Christ, and thunder in combination with lightning testifies not only to the greatness of God, but is also a visible sign of his terrible judgment. A thunderstorm, as Katerina said, is terrible because of sudden death, when a person appears before the throne of the Lord not sinless, but “as he is.” Thus, the very title of the play is primarily focused on the cardinal concept of religious ethics - the concept of sin/guilt and their atonement.
The world of “The Thunderstorm” is divided in two, and not at all according to the color symbolism that was proposed by N. Dobrolyubov - this is not a “dark” and “light” kingdom, but day and night worlds, and this division does not at all coincide with the indicated color symbolism. “Day” Kalinov is not necessarily light. This is a complex world that includes several levels. First of all, this is the world of reason and enlightenment, the world of knowledge, that is, the world of Kuligin, which opens the “Thunderstorm” and completes it. For the poetic concept of the play, it is significant that a thunderstorm for Kuligin is the embodiment of the joy of being, when every flower, every grass rejoices, being washed by the thunderstorm and being reborn to life with new strength. But he, along with this almost pagan perception of a thunderstorm, also has a scientific interpretation, in which the main thing is not that it is electricity, but. proud statement of the thinker:
My body is crumbling into dust,
I command thunder with my mind.
Contrasted with the world of knowledge presented by Kuligin is the world of the Wild, whose surname, in accordance with the aesthetics of speaking names, almost completely exhausts his image. Dikoy is famous for being “threatening” to domestic animals. In this same world, Kabanikha feels confident, promising freedom to her loved ones only after her death. This “daytime” Kalinov, according to Feklushi’s definition, is “paradise and silence.” Despite such a high certification of the “theorist” of the “daytime” Kalinov, in this city they talk most about sin, everyone talks, including even Glasha and excluding, perhaps, only Kuligin. In short, sin is one of the most frequent words in drama. But the sin of the Kalinovites has nothing to do with either will or freedom: a harsh or rude word (Dikoy), a quarrel (Glasha), sweet food (Feklusha), that is, a sin manifested at the everyday level. And only Katerina considers sin in her thoughts to be a terrible sin, experiencing it as deeply as religious ecstasy. The appearance of a Christian, Orthodox city is created, living under the fear of sin. Nevertheless, the devout believer Katerina feels in this city as in a strange and alien city. In this sense, the scene with Varvara seems very important: she acts as a tempter, but she no longer seduces “saint” Katerina (when she prays, she is like an angel), but who has tasted sin. Katerina fell in love with another while her husband was alive, fully aware that this was a terrible sin - the integrity of nature and character, declared at the beginning of the drama, was violated under the weight of a difficult to resolve conflict between duty and feeling. The conflict at first glance seems quite classicist, which is not confirmed by analysis, because this struggle is complicated by a not entirely “ideal” idea of feeling: on the one hand, the duty to live righteously, that is, sinlessly, in other words, duty to God, on the other - a feeling that is by no means platonic, a feeling of ardent love for a man.
Faith correlates with the concept of will and sin. Katerina differs from the “dark kingdom” in that she is “both in front of people and without people... all alone.” Lack of double standards, so necessary in the world. where cruel morals reign, is explained by the fact that above her will she sees only the will of God, unlike, for example, Tikhon, for whom the will of her mother is the will of God. A plot-conflict line is outlined between Katerina and Kabanikha, where the cause of the conflict is not the disobedience of the daughter-in-law - she does not oppose her mother-in-law either in actions or words. Katerina is to blame for putting God above Kabanova, which surprisingly correlates the conflict with this, according to Ostrovsky’s definition , dramas with “The Song of the Merchant Kalashnikov”, where the merchant is punished by Ivan the Terrible not for winning a fair fight, but for winning a different, moral conflict with the Tsar, where he defended his spiritual freedom, putting God above the Tsar: Ivan the Terrible has power in his life, but the soul belongs to God. In both works, the patriarchal world of ancient Rus' is reproduced and, apparently, this unexpected convergence of dissimilar works is connected with this. In "The Thunderstorm" there is a similar conflict: Kabanov renounces his will, completely submitting to the will. mother, but Katerina is not. The moral plot, which proceeds in parallel with the eventual one, immediately raises two most important problems, philosophical in nature and meaning, which weakly connects them with the everyday background against which their authenticity is verified. A fairly clear opposition “life at home and life not at home” arises, where the basis of the opposition is the category of will. Will/bondage turns out to be connected with the concepts of “life” and “death”: for Katerina, life makes sense only when she is free. The condition of freedom in the new house is the death of Kabanikha. Initially, therefore, the problem of will takes on the character of a tragic antinomy: either freedom or death.
Correlative with the concepts of “sin” and “will” is the concept of “love”, discussed by almost all the characters in the play. In his first scene, Kabanikha tortures Tikhon, who does he love more, his wife or her mother. And the “weak in mind” Tikhon turns out to be wiser than the smart Kabanikha - he loves both, but in different ways. Their dialogue reveals a clash not so much of “wills” as of different ideas about love. For Kabanova, only “love in law” is permissible, love based on fear and submission - the rest is sin. This is how her “household structure” is revealed, where there is no place for love itself. For Tikhon, love is self-sufficient, but its true content is revealed gradually: first it is discovered that freedom is more valuable to him than love. Freedom is a category that seems too big and significant for such a small person as Tikhon. But the playwright plunges the “quiet” hero of the play into a truly philosophical collision characteristic of tragic heroes: the love of young Kabanov is tested, on the one hand, by freedom, on the other, by honor. When it is discovered that he is dishonored, from the point of view of generally accepted morality, not only Kalinov, he does not fall down with everyone else on the infidel with anger and contempt, but “wants to hug her.” The depth and authenticity of his feelings are revealed even more when, instead of the “thirst for blood” of his opponent, he reveals a deep understanding of him and even shows something like sympathy for his luckier opponent.
The most controversial idea of love is embodied in Katerina. It seems to her that she loves Tikhon, because she regrets it, just as Varvara regrets Katerina herself, but she loves Boris, for whom she does not feel any pity, although her chosen one is no less a victim of domestic tyranny. This is how at least two types of love manifest themselves: love-duty and love-passion, or (in other terminology) Christian love and pagan passion. Mental anxiety is aggravated by Katerina’s special attitude towards God.
Katerina herself clarifies her life through a dream. The dream - or, more precisely, the vision - about a happy sinless life is plotless and static: it simply recreates the atmosphere and “landscape” of paradise, where “golden temples or some extraordinary gardens, and everyone sings invisible voices, and the smell of cypress, and mountains and the trees seem not to be as they usually are, but as if they were painted on images.” Almost immediately she tells another dream, already in a new, “sinful” life, which surprisingly resembles the dreams of “saints” in its atmosphere, although this vision is no longer static: instead of a landscape, someone appears, leading Katerina away from this Garden of Eden. We don’t see her beloved, but we hear: “someone speaks kindly to me, as if he’s doveing me, like a dove is cooing” (p. 237). The dove - one of the biblical symbols - seemed to have passed from the first, “sinless” dream, in which it, as a symbol of the holy spirit, would be more appropriate, where “golden temples, or extraordinary gardens, and everyone sings with invisible voices” (p. 236), where there is a typical paradise visionary landscape. The fact that the dove ends up in the second vision is not very clear based on the logic of this vision, but it is accurately correlated with the motif of the keys. The dove as such is a symbol of love and fidelity, and this meaning is important in the scene when Katerina, as the “dove,” mourns the loss of her lover. But a dove in conjunction with a key means the holy spirit opening the gates of heaven. The fact that the dove here does not mean descending grace, but temptation, is confirmed in the scene of the “temptation with the key” (S. Wyman’s expression), the vacillation between the heavenly bliss experienced in the recent past and the captivating, attractive horror of the coming hell. The key as a sign of spiritual death and the coming fiery Gehenna is echoed in her monologue: “it burns your hands like coal” (p. 251). She has already committed a sin - while her husband was alive, she fell in love with another. The closeness of the two visions does not seem to be accidental, for we are talking about love for a beautiful lover: in other words, Katerina wants to see God in a man. And this gives rise to the blasphemous thought that God can be loved as an ideal man.
Night Kalinov is a city where there is neither heaven nor silence. This is a world of pagan bacchanalia of love, where couples of lovers walk around hugging each other, singing folk love songs, subtly stylized by the playwright. Christian-minded, still “daytime” Katerina comes to this pagan feast of love. The “thunderstorm” of feelings that overwhelmed her, complex and contradictory, was reflected in a strange love encounter that begins with “daytime” Katerina, who was most afraid of sin, and ends with “night” Katerina: “Don’t feel sorry for me, destroy me” (p. 263). From the point of view of an ordinary love story, the situation seems to be inverted: the heroine makes an appointment, comes to him in order to tell him from the very first words: “Go away, you damned man,” reminds him that she is married and that he ruined her. The turning point in the date occurs when a very important word for Katerina sounds - will: “Your will was for it - I don’t have the will” (p. 262); After this, a stormy confession bursts out: “Don’t be sorry, destroy me! Let everyone know, let everyone see what I do! If I was not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment? They say that it is even easier when you suffer for some sin here on earth” (p. 263).
Her path from the desired holiness to the no less desired, but terrible sin is a path that even acquires spatial expression. The mythological center of the drama goes back to the concept of the world axis, the basis of which is the world tree, here represented by its modification - the ancient arch of a dilapidated chapel. “According to the myth, one end of the world axis is oriented towards the starry sky (more precisely, the North Star), and the opposite end is oriented towards the underworld. According to the same basic scheme, Ostrovsky’s spatial vertical is arranged: Kuligin cosmos (northern lights, comet, starry distance); cloudy sky; mountain (high bank); ravine, whirlpool. Space is for beauty (“I wouldn’t take my eyes off it! Beauty” - Kuligin); the sky is for a thunderstorm, the mountain is for flying (“When you stand on a mountain, you are drawn to fly” - Katerina); home - for dislike and torment; ravine - for sin; whirlpool - for death. Before us is a spatial regression, an inverted cone: a free cosmic abyss, a heavenly paradise - and a river bottom pit, in which, according to legend, devils are found, indeed the underworld, hell, the same fiery Gehenna into which the half-mad old lady drives and pushes Katerina... space marks the growth of a tragic collision: high bank - house - ravine - chapel - arch...”
Katerina’s rapid evolution is justified both by the fact that she feels bad in the daytime, ostensibly Christian Kalinov, and by the fact that there is a lot of paganism in her character. Katerina is given a “warm heart” that loves anything or anyone with unusual strength, but also does not accept it with the same intensity. Her inability to forgive insults is downright pagan: “I was only six years old... so I did it! They offended me with something at home, and it was late in the evening, it was already dark, I ran out to the Volga, got into the boat, and pushed it away from the shore. The next morning they found it, about ten miles away! (p.242). Passion and intensity of feelings come into conflict with her completely Christian decision to “endure as long as one endures.” But it is precisely because of her deep guilt before Tikhon and sin before God that Katerina does not want to endure, just like in childhood.
Both worlds are connected by a crazy lady who walks around Kalinov during the day, reminding us of the night. Beauty that pleases is sin that leads into the pool, into fiery Gehenna. In the plot of the drama, Katerina apparently experiences the pre-story life of the lady, but of the two, the more religious person is the crazy lady who bears her sin, her cross. Katerina neither wanted nor was able to ascend her Golgotha. Having committed the sin of adultery, instead of atone for it, she falls into an even more serious sin - the sin of suicide.
Ostrovsky's "The Thunderstorm" can be interpreted as a real religious drama - it is the story of a fallen saint. Perhaps this is generally one of the few truly Christian tragedies that seemed theoretically possible, but practically impossible due to religious retribution for the suffering endured. The traditional reading of one of Ostrovsky's most significant legacies, while still almost entirely under the influence of the talented but tendentious Dobrolyubov, emphasizes the social aspect of the drama, which is completely fair, for example, for Kuligin, who personifies knowledge. Katerina, who embodies another element of existence - faith, lives in her own world, quite isolated from social problems, where such concepts as sin before God and guilt before man are much more important. Analyzing her mental life, they do not take into account a certain hierarchy of sin, according to which adultery is not as “soul-destroying” a sin as murder itself. In her torment, Tikhon takes up almost no place; having confessed to people, she absolves herself of guilt before him. But tossing between love for God and love for a man is truly tragic for her. She cheats not so much on her husband as on God - that’s why she no longer considers herself the right to remain, albeit a sinner, but a devoted “bride of Christ,” which she considered herself to be in her soul. Her path is the tragedy of an inevitable and forced departure from God. Suicide is not so much leaving life is a sign of renunciation of Christ.
If we look even deeper, then this is rather a pagan woman seeking God and not finding him, or, more precisely, losing him - the tragedy is not so much of a deceived feeling as of a failed saint. Her path seems like this: pagan - saint - sinner - pagan. And the last prayer is addressed not to God, but to a man, and the word “sin” appears only once: in the transmission of someone else’s word. She sees her tragedy not in the fact that she has moved away from God, but in the fact that she will no longer see her beloved. She, indeed, dies without repentance, for her last cry is not to God - “Forgive me, Lord!”, but to her beloved: “My joy, farewell!” (p.281).
Before sin, the night was a time of ecstatic visions, now it is fraught with a threat - the vision is no longer grace, but “fear and noise,” and “they sing as if they are burying someone” (p. 278). And it is through her lips that the pagan speaks, calling on her lover with the language of spells, turning for help, naturally, not to God, but to the “violent winds.” Both life and death are now presented to her in concepts different from Christian ones. A life not filled with love, sinful love for Boris, is now a sin for her (“... but you can’t live! It’s a sin!”). And the afterlife seems to Katerina no longer in heaven or hell, but in the grave, where she will be better off than in the Kalinovsky house: “There is a grave under the tree... how good!.. The sun warms her, wets her with rain... in the spring grass will grow on her, so soft... the birds will fly to the tree, they will sing, they will bring out the children, the flowers will bloom: yellow, red, blue, all sorts... So quiet! So good!" (p. 281).
This last vision is no less important than the first two. “The Thunderstorm” opens with Kuligin singing the very famous song “Among the Flat Valley...” S. Vayman already wrote about Katerina’s tragedy as an aesthetic otherness of this song. It seems important to us to emphasize another aspect. The ninth stanza of the song begins with the words:
Where can I rest my heart?
When storm will it rise? (emphasis added - N.I.-F.).
If we recognize the organic connection between the song and the play - and this seems very convincing, then the answer to the question posed in the song turns out to be Katerina’s last monologue:
“Where to now? Should I go home? No, whether I go home or go to the grave, it’s all the same... It’s better in the grave... And people are disgusting to me, and the house is disgusting to me, and the walls are disgusting... Oh, it’s gotten dark!” (p.281).
The “storm that rose” did not pass, but incinerated her, unable to withstand the “test of the thunderstorm,” and this new Katerina goes not to hell, but to another world, where “it’s so quiet!” so good!". And this new Katerina submits not to God, but to fate. “In “The Thunderstorm”... the image of fate, inevitably overtaking a person, takes on a harsh outline: these are ominous peals of thunder, and forebodings, and mysterious frescoes on the walls of a dilapidated chapel, and nightmarish, infernal prophecies of a mad lady, as if beating off some kind of witchcraft with her terrible staff the cipher is the formula for Katerina’s imminent death (her dumb servants in livery are like assistants to a magician; it seems that their very silence is fraught with a hidden higher meaning, and the whole trinity performs a grotesque ritual of the inevitable Judgment procession). So, the contradiction between fate, which measures a character’s life limit, and the long-term program embedded in him, is resolved by an aesthetic compromise: the character brings out to the maximum, to the utmost, the given potential, precisely the potential already measured out to him by fate - it is revealed. This is somewhat reminiscent of an ancient artistic situation: the hero is free - within the limits set by fate. Antigone knows that self-will will inevitably be followed by retribution, and yet, within the confines of this very inevitability, in the gap between the outbreak of passion and death that immediately arrived, she realizes the entire tragic enormity of her nature.”
“The Thunderstorm” by A. N. Ostrovsky is more than a drama, for the everyday in it is only the background against which the tragedy of faith is played out. But this is not a tragedy of fate, for, although its genre outlines are visible in the “signs of fate” purposefully scattered throughout the play, the choice of faith remains with the heroine herself, which the hero of the classical tragedy of fate has always been deprived of. Perhaps we have a rare, if not unique, case of a “genre meeting” between the tragedy of rock and Christian tragedy.
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Ostrovsky's play "The Thunderstorm" was written in 1859. The writer came up with the idea for the work in the middle of summer, and on October 9, 1859, the work was already completed. This is not a classicist play, but a realistic one. The conflict represents a clash of the “dark kingdom” with the need for a new life. The work caused a great resonance not only in the theatrical, but also in the literary environment. The prototype of the main character was theater actress Lyubov Kositskaya, who later played the role of Katerina.
The plot of the play represents an episode from the life of the Kabanov family, namely, the meeting and subsequent betrayal of his wife with a young man who came to the city. This event becomes fatal not only for Katerina herself, but also for the whole family. To better understand the conflict and storylines, you can read the chapter-by-chapter summary of The Thunderstorm below.
Main characters
Katerina- a young girl, the wife of Tikhon Kabanov. Modest, pure, correct. She acutely feels the injustice of the world around her.
Boris- a young man, “decently educated,” came to visit his uncle, Savl Prokofievich Dikiy. In love with Katerina.
Kabanikha(Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova) – a rich merchant’s wife, widow. A powerful and despotic woman, she subjugates people to her will.
Tikhon Kabanov- son of Kabanikha and husband of Katerina. He acts as his mother pleases and has no opinion of his own.
Other characters
Varvara- daughter of Kabanikha. A headstrong girl who is not afraid of her mother.
Curly- Varvara's beloved.
Dikoy Savel Prokofievich- merchant, important person in the city. A rude and ill-mannered person.
Kuligin- a tradesman obsessed with the ideas of progress.
Lady- half crazy.
Feklusha- wanderer.
Glasha- maid of the Kabanovs.
Action 1
Kudryash and Kuligin talk about the beauty of nature, but their opinions are different. For Kudryash, landscapes are nothing, but Kuligin is delighted by them. From afar, the men see Boris and Dikiy, who is actively waving his arms. They begin to gossip about Savl Prokofievich. Dikoy approaches them. He is unhappy with the appearance of his nephew, Boris, in the city and does not want to talk to him. From Boris’s conversation with Savl Prokofievich, it becomes clear that besides Dikiy, Boris and his sister have no other relatives left.
In order to receive an inheritance after the death of his grandmother, Boris is forced to establish good relations with his uncle, but he does not want to give the money that Boris’s grandmother bequeathed to her grandson.
Boris, Kudryash and Kuligin discuss the difficult character of Dikiy. Boris admits that it is difficult for him to be in the city of Kalinovo, because he does not know the local customs. Kuligin believes that it is impossible to earn money here by honest work. But if Kuligin had money, the man would spend it for the benefit of humanity by collecting a perpeta mobile. Feklusha appears, praising the merchants and life in general, saying: “We live in the promised land...”.
Boris feels sorry for Kuligin; he understands that the inventor’s dreams of creating mechanisms useful to society will forever remain just dreams. Boris himself does not want to waste his youth in this outback: “driven, downtrodden, and even foolishly decided to fall in love...” with someone with whom he was unable to even talk. This girl turns out to be Katerina Kabanova.
On stage are Kabanova, Kabanov, Katerina and Varvara.
Kabanov speaks to his mother. This dialogue is shown as a typical conversation in this family. Tikhon is tired of his mother’s moralizing, but he still fawns over her. Kabanikha asks his son to admit that his wife has become more important to him than his mother, as if Tikhon will soon stop respecting his mother altogether. Katerina, present at the same time, denies the words of Marfa Ignatievna. Kabanova begins to slander herself with redoubled force so that those around her will convince her otherwise. Kabanova calls herself an obstacle to married life, but there is no sincerity in her words. Within a moment, she takes control of the situation, accusing her son of being too soft: “Look at you! Will your wife be afraid of you after this?”
This phrase shows not only her imperious character, but also her attitude towards her daughter-in-law and family life in general.
Kabanov admits that he has no will of his own. Marfa Ignatievna leaves. Tikhon complains about life, blaming his oppressive mother for everything. Varvara, his sister, replies that Tikhon himself is responsible for his life. After these words, Kabanov goes to have a drink with Dikiy.
Katerina and Varvara have a heart-to-heart talk. “Sometimes it seems to me that I am a bird,” is how Katya characterizes herself. She completely withered in this society. This can be seen especially well against the background of her life before marriage. Katerina spent a lot of time with her mother, helped her, went for walks: “I lived, didn’t worry about anything, like a bird in the wild.” Katerina feels death approaching; admits that she no longer loves her husband. Varvara is concerned about Katya’s condition, and in order to improve her mood, Varvara decides to arrange a meeting for Katerina with another person.
The Lady appears on the stage, she points to the Volga: “This is where beauty leads. Into the deep end." Her words will turn out to be prophetic, although no one in the city believes her predictions. Katerina was frightened by the words spoken by the old woman, but Varvara was skeptical about them, since the Lady sees death in everything.
Kabanov returns. At that time, married women were not allowed to walk around alone, so Katya had to wait for him to go home.
Act 2
Varvara sees the reason for Katerina’s suffering in the fact that Katya’s heart “hasn’t gone away yet,” because the girl was married off early. Katerina feels sorry for Tikhon, but she has no other feelings for him. Varvara noticed this a long time ago, but asks to hide the truth, because lies are the basis of the existence of the Kabanov family. Katerina is not used to living dishonestly, so she says that she will leave Kabanov if she can no longer be with him.
Kabanov urgently needs to leave for two weeks. The carriage is already ready, things are collected, all that remains is to say goodbye to your family. Tikhon orders Katerina to obey her mother, repeating Kabanikha’s phrases: “tell her not to be rude to her mother-in-law... so that her mother-in-law respects her as her own mother,... so she doesn’t sit idly by,... so she doesn’t look at young guys!” This scene was humiliating for both Tikhon and his wife. Words about other men confuse Katya. She asks her husband to stay or take her with him. Kabanov refuses his wife and is embarrassed by his mother’s phrase about other men and Katerina. The girl senses impending disaster.
Tikhon, saying goodbye, bows at his mother’s feet, fulfilling her will. Kabanikha doesn’t like that Katerina said goodbye to her husband with a hug, because the man is the head of the family, and she has become an equal with him. The girl has to bow at Tikhon’s feet.
Marfa Ignatievna says that the current generation does not know the rules at all. Kabanikha is unhappy that Katerina does not cry after her husband leaves. It’s good when there are elders in the house: they can teach. She hopes not to live to see the time when all the old people die: “I don’t know where the light will stand…”
Katya is left alone. She likes the silence, but at the same time it scares her. Silence for Katerina becomes not rest, but boredom. Katya regrets that she doesn’t have children, because she could be a good mother. Katerina is thinking about flying and freedom again. The girl imagines how her life could turn out: “I will start some work as promised; I’ll go to the guest house, buy some canvas, and sew linen, and then give it to the poor. They will pray to God for me.” Varvara goes for a walk, saying that she has changed the lock on the gate in the garden. With the help of this little trick, Varvara wants to arrange a meeting with Boris for Katerina. Katerina blames Kabanikha for her misfortunes, but nevertheless does not want to succumb to the “sinful temptation” and secretly meet with Boris. She does not want to be led by her feelings and violate the sacred bonds of marriage.
Boris himself also does not want to go against the rules of morality, he is not sure that Katya has similar feelings for him, but still wants to see the girl again.
Act 3
Feklusha and Glasha talk about moral principles. They are glad that Kabanikha’s house is the last “paradise” on earth, because the rest of the city’s residents have a real “sodom”. They also talk about Moscow. From the point of view of provincial women, Moscow is too fussy a city. Everything and everyone there seems to be in a fog, which is why they walk around tired, and there is sadness in their faces.
A drunk Dikoy comes in. He asks Marfa Ignatievna to talk to him to ease his soul. He is unhappy that everyone is constantly asking him for money. Dikiy is especially annoyed by his nephew. At this time, Boris passes near the Kabanovs’ house, looking for his uncle. Boris regrets that, being so close to Katerina, he cannot see her. Kuligin invites Boris for a walk. Young people are talking about rich and poor. From Kuligin’s point of view, the rich close themselves in their homes so that others do not see their violence against relatives.
They see Varvara kissing Curly. She also informs Boris about the place and time of the upcoming meeting with Katya.
At night, in a ravine under the Kabanovs’ garden, Kudryash sings a song about a Cossack. Boris tells him about his feelings for a married girl, Ekaterina Kabanova. Varvara and Kudryash go to the bank of the Volga, leaving Boris to wait for Katya.
Katerina is frightened by what is happening, the girl drives Boris away, but he calms her down. Katerina is terribly nervous and admits that she doesn’t have her own will, because “now Boris’s will is over her.” In a fit of emotion, she hugs the young man: “If I was not afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment?” The young people confess their love to each other.
The hour of parting is near, as Kabanikha may wake up soon. The lovers agree to meet the next day. Unexpectedly, Kabanov returns.
Act 4
(events take place 10 days after the third act)
City residents walk along the gallery overlooking the Volga. It is clear that a thunderstorm is approaching. On the walls of the destroyed gallery one can discern the outlines of a painting of fiery Gehenna and an image of the battle of Lithuania. Kuligin and Dikoy are talking in raised voices. Kuligin enthusiastically talks about a good cause for everyone and asks Savl Prokofievich to help him. Dikoy refuses quite rudely: “So know that you are a worm. If I want, I’ll have mercy, if I want, I’ll crush.” He does not understand the value of Kuligin’s invention, namely a lightning rod with which it will be possible to generate electricity.
Everyone leaves, the stage is empty. The sound of thunder is heard again.
Katerina increasingly has a presentiment that she will soon die. Kabanov, noticing his wife’s strange behavior, asks her to repent of all her sins, but Varvara quickly ends this conversation. Boris comes out of the crowd and greets Tikhon. Katerina turns even more pale. Kabanikha may suspect something, so Varvara signals Boris to leave.
Kuligin calls not to be afraid of the elements, because it is not she who kills, but grace. Nevertheless, residents continue to discuss the impending storm, which “will not go away in vain.” Katya tells her husband that a thunderstorm will kill her today. Neither Varvara nor Tikhon understand Katerina’s internal torment. Varvara advises to calm down and pray, and Tikhon suggests going home.
The Lady appears and turns to Katya with the words: “Where are you hiding, stupid? You can't escape God! ...it's better to be in the pool with beauty! Hurry up!” In a frenzy, Katerina confesses her sin to both her husband and mother-in-law. All those ten days when her husband was not at home, Katya secretly met with Boris.
Action 5
Kabanov and Kuligin discuss Katerina's confession. Tikhon again shifts part of the blame onto Kabanikha, who wants to bury Katya alive. Kabanov could forgive his wife, but he is afraid of his mother’s anger. The Kabanov family completely fell apart: even Varvara ran away with Kudryash.
Glasha reports Katerina missing. Everyone goes in search of the girl.
Katerina is alone on stage. She thinks that she has ruined both herself and Boris. Katya sees no reason to live on, asks for forgiveness and calls her lover. Boris came to the girl’s call, he was gentle and affectionate with her. But Boris needs to go to Siberia, and he cannot take Katya with him. The girl asks him to give alms to those in need and pray for her soul, convincing him that she is not planning anything bad. After saying goodbye to Boris, Katerina throws herself into the river.
People are shouting that some girl has thrown herself from the shore into the water. Kabanov realizes that it was his wife, so he wants to jump after her. Kabanikha stops her son. Kuligin brings Katerina's body. She is as beautiful as she was in life, only a small drop of blood appeared on her temple. “Here is your Katerina. Do whatever you want with her! Her body is here, take it; but the soul is now not yours: it is now before a judge who is more merciful than you!”
The play ends with Tikhon’s words: “Good for you, Katya! But for some reason I remained to live in the world and suffer!”
Conclusion
The work “The Thunderstorm” by A. N. Ostrovsky can be called one of the main plays among the entire creative path of the writer. Social and everyday themes were certainly close to the viewer of that time, just as they are close today. However, against the backdrop of all these details, what unfolds is not just a drama, but a real tragedy, ending with the death of the main character. The plot, at first glance, is simple, but the novel “The Thunderstorm” is not limited to Katerina’s feelings for Boris. In parallel, you can trace several storylines, and, accordingly, several conflicts that are realized at the level of minor characters. This feature of the play is fully consistent with the realistic principles of generalization.
From the retelling of “The Thunderstorm” one can easily draw a conclusion about the nature of the conflict and its content, however, for a more detailed understanding of the text, we recommend that you read the full version of the work.
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Retelling rating
Average rating: 4.7. Total ratings received: 23428.
First half of the 19th century The fictional Volga town of Kalinov. A public garden on the high bank of the Volga. A local self-taught mechanic, Kuligin, talks with young people - Kudryash, the clerk of the rich merchant Dikiy, and the tradesman Shapkin - about the rude antics and tyranny of Dikiy. Then Boris, Dikiy’s nephew, appears, who, in response to Kuligin’s questions, says that his parents lived in Moscow, educated him at the Commercial Academy and both died during the epidemic. He came to Dikoy, leaving his sister with his mother’s relatives, in order to receive part of his grandmother’s inheritance, which Dikoy must give to him according to the will, if Boris is respectful to him. Everyone assures him: under such conditions, Dikoy will never give him the money. Boris complains to Kuligin that he can’t get used to life in Dikiy’s house, Kuligin talks about Kalinov and ends his speech with the words: “Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel!”
The Kalinovites disperse. Together with another woman, the wanderer Feklusha appears, praising the city for its “blah-a-lepie”, and the Kabanovs’ house for its special generosity to wanderers. "Kabanovs?" - Boris asks: “A prude, sir, he gives money to the poor, but completely eats up his family,” explains Kuligin. Kabanova comes out, accompanied by her daughter Varvara and son Tikhon and his wife Katerina. She grumbles at them, but finally leaves, allowing the children to walk along the boulevard. Varvara lets Tikhon go out to drink in secret from his mother and, left alone with Katerina, talks with her about domestic relationships and about Tikhon. Katerina talks about her happy childhood in her parents’ house, about her fervent prayers, about what she experiences in the temple, imagining angels in a ray of sunshine falling from the dome, dreams of spreading her arms and flying, and finally admits that “something wrong” is happening to her. something". Varvara guesses that Katerina has fallen in love with someone and promises to arrange a date after Tikhon leaves. This proposal horrifies Katerina. A crazy lady appears, threatening that “beauty leads into the deep end,” and prophesies hellish torment. Katerina gets terribly scared, and then “a thunderstorm comes”, she hurries Varvara home to the icons to pray.
The second act, taking place in the Kabanovs' house, begins with a conversation between Feklushi and the maid Glasha. The wanderer asks about the Kabanovs’ household affairs and relays fabulous stories about distant countries, where people with dog heads “for infidelity,” etc. Katerina and Varvara appear, preparing Tikhon for the road, and continue the conversation about Katerina’s hobby; Varvara calls Boris’s name, relays He bows to him and persuades Katerina to sleep with her in the gazebo in the garden after Tikhon’s departure. Kabanikha and Tikhon come out, the mother tells her son to strictly tell his wife how to live without him, Katerina is humiliated by these formal orders. But, left alone with her husband, she begs him to take her on a trip, after his refusal she tries to give him terrible oaths of fidelity, but Tikhon does not want to listen to them: “You never know what comes to mind...” The returned Kabanikha orders Katerina to bow. at my husband's feet. Tikhon leaves. Varvara, leaving for a walk, tells Katerina that they will spend the night in the garden and gives her the key to the gate. Katerina doesn’t want to take it, then, after hesitating, she puts it in her pocket.
The next action takes place on a bench at the gate of the Kabanovsky house. Feklusha and Kabanikha talk about the “last times”, Feklusha says that “for our sins” “the time has begun to come to debasement”, talks about the railway (“they began to harness the fiery serpent”), about the bustle of Moscow life as a devilish obsession. Both are expecting even worse times. Dikoy appears with complaints about his family, Kabanikha reproaches him for his disorderly behavior, he tries to be rude to her, but she quickly stops this and takes him into the house for a drink and a snack. While Dikoy is treating himself, Boris, sent by Dikoy’s family, comes to find out where the head of the family is. Having completed the assignment, he exclaims with longing about Katerina: “If only I could take a look at her with one eye!” Varvara, who has returned, tells him to come at night to the gate in the ravine behind the Kabanovsky garden.
The second scene represents a night of youth, Varvara comes out on a date with Kudryash and tells Boris to wait - “you’ll wait for something.” There is a date between Katerina and Boris. After hesitation and thoughts of sin, Katerina is unable to resist awakened love. “Why feel sorry for me - it’s no one’s fault,” she herself went for it. Don't be sorry, destroy me! Let everyone know, let everyone see what I am doing (hugs Boris). If I wasn’t afraid of sin for you, will I be afraid of human judgment?”
The entire fourth action, taking place on the streets of Kalinov - in the gallery of a dilapidated building with the remains of a fresco representing fiery Gehenna, and on the boulevard - takes place against the backdrop of a gathering and finally breaking thunderstorm. It begins to rain, and Dikoy and Kuligin enter the gallery, who begins to persuade Dikoy to give money to install a sundial on the boulevard. In response, Dikoy scolds him in every possible way and even threatens to declare him a robber. Having endured the abuse, Kuligin begins to ask for money for a lightning rod. At this point, Dikoy confidently declares that it is a sin to defend against a thunderstorm sent as punishment “with poles and some kind of furrows, God forgive me.” The stage empties, then Varvara and Boris meet in the gallery. She reports on Tikhon's return, Katerina's tears, Kabanikha's suspicions and expresses fear that Katerina will admit to her husband that she is cheating. Boris begs to dissuade Katerina from confessing and disappears. The rest of the Kabanovs enter. Katerina waits with horror that she, who has not repented of her sin, will be killed by lightning, a crazy lady appears, threatening hellish flames, Katerina can no longer hold on and publicly admits to her husband and mother-in-law that she was “walking” with Boris. Kabanikha gloatingly declares: “What, son! Where the will leads; That’s what I’ve been waiting for!”
The last action is again on the high bank of the Volga. Tikhon complains to Kuligin about his family grief, about what his mother says about Katerina: “She must be buried alive in the ground so that she can be executed!” “And I love her, I’m sorry to lay a finger on her.” Kuligin advises to forgive Katerina, but Tikhon explains that under Kabanikha this is impossible. Not without pity, he also speaks about Boris, whom his uncle sends to Kyakhta. The maid Glasha enters and reports that Katerina has disappeared from the house. Tikhon is afraid that “out of melancholy she might kill herself!”, and together with Glasha and Kuligin he leaves to look for his wife.
Katerina appears, she complains about her desperate situation in the house, and most importantly, about her terrible longing for Boris. Her monologue ends with a passionate spell: “My joy! My life, my soul, I love you! Respond!” Boris enters. She asks him to take her with him to Siberia, but understands that Boris’s refusal is due to the truly complete impossibility of leaving with her. She blesses him on his journey, complains about the oppressive life in the house, about her disgust for her husband. Having said goodbye to Boris forever, Katerina begins to dream alone about death, about a grave with flowers and birds that “will fly to the tree, sing, and have children.” “Live again?” - she exclaims with horror. Approaching the cliff, she says goodbye to the departed Boris: “My friend! My joy! Goodbye!" and leaves.
The stage is filled with alarmed people, including Tikhon and his mother in the crowd. A cry is heard behind the stage: “The woman threw herself into the water!” Tikhon tries to run to her, but his mother does not let him in, saying: “I’ll curse you if you go!” Tikhon falls to his knees. After some time, Kuligin brings in Katerina’s body. “Here is your Katerina. Do what you want with her! Her body is here, take it; but the soul is now not yours; she is now before a judge who is more merciful than you!”
Rushing to Katerina, Tikhon accuses his mother: “Mama, you ruined her!” and, not paying attention to Kabanikha’s menacing shouts, falls on his wife’s corpse. “Good for you, Katya! Why did I stay in the world and suffer!” - with these words from Tikhon the play ends.
Retold
Drama in five acts
Faces:
Savel Prokofievich Dikoy
, merchant, significant person in the city. Boris Grigorievich, his nephew, a young man, decently educated. Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova(Kabanikha), rich merchant's wife, widow. Tikhon Ivanovich Kabanov, her son. Katerina, his wife. Varvara, Tikhon's sister. Kuligin, tradesman, self-taught watchmaker, looking for perpetuum mobile. Vanya Kudryash, a young man, Dikov's clerk. Shapkin, tradesman. Feklusha, wanderer. Glasha, a girl in Kabanova's house. Lady with two footmen, an old woman of 70 years old, half crazy. City dwellers of both sexes.The action takes place in the city of Kalinov, on the banks of the Volga, in the summer. 10 days pass between actions 3 and 4.
Act one
Public garden on the high bank of the Volga; beyond the Volga there is a rural view. There are two benches and several bushes on the stage.
First appearance
Kuligin sits on a bench and looks across the river. Kudryash and Shapkin are walking.
Kuligin (sings). “In the middle of a flat valley, at a smooth height...” (Stops singing.) Miracles, truly it must be said, miracles! Curly! Here, my brother, for fifty years I have been looking across the Volga every day and I still can’t get enough of it. Curly. And what? Kuligin. The view is extraordinary! Beauty! The soul rejoices. Curly. Nashto! Kuligin. Delight! And you: “nothing!” Have you looked closely, or don’t understand what beauty is spilled in nature. Curly. Well, there’s nothing to talk about with you! You are an antique, a chemist! Kuligin. Mechanic, self-taught mechanic. Curly. It's all the same.Silence.
Kuligin (pointing to the side). Look, brother Kudryash, who is waving his arms like that? Curly. This? This is Dikoy scolding his nephew. Kuligin. Found a place! Curly. He belongs everywhere. He's afraid of someone! He got Boris Grigoryich as a sacrifice, so he rides it. Shapkin. Look for another scolder like ours, Savel Prokofich! There's no way he'll cut someone off. Curly. Shrill man! Shapkin. Kabanikha is also good. Curly. Well, at least that one is all under the guise of piety, but this one has broken free! Shapkin. There is no one to calm her down, so he fights! Curly. We don’t have many guys like me, otherwise we would have taught him not to be naughty. Shapkin. What would you do? Curly. They would have given a good beating. Shapkin. Like this? Curly. Four or five of us in an alley somewhere would talk to him face to face, and he would turn into silk. But I wouldn’t even say a word to anyone about our science, I’d just walk around and look around. Shapkin. No wonder he wanted to give you up as a soldier. Curly. I wanted it, but I didn’t give it, so it’s all the same thing. He won’t give me up: he senses with his nose that I won’t sell my head cheap. He's the one who's scary to you, but I know how to talk to him. Shapkin. Oh my! Curly. What's here: oh! I am considered a rude person; Why is he holding me? Therefore, he needs me. Well, that means I’m not afraid of him, but let him be afraid of me. Shapkin. It's as if he doesn't scold you? Curly. How not to scold! He can't breathe without it. Yes, I don’t let it go either: he is the word, and I am ten; he will spit and go. No, I won’t slave to him. Kuligin. Should we take him as an example? It's better to endure it. Curly. Well, if you are smart, then teach him to be polite first, and then teach us too! It’s a shame that his daughters are teenagers, none of them are older. Shapkin. So what? Curly. I would respect him. I'm too crazy about girls!Dikoy and Boris pass by. Kuligin takes off his hat.
Shapkin (to Curly). Let's move to the side: he'll probably get attached again.They are leaving.
Second phenomenon
The same, Dikoy and Boris.
Wild. What the hell are you, you came here to beat me up! Parasite! Get lost! Boris. Holiday; what to do at home! Wild. You will find a job as you want. I told you once, I told you twice: “Don’t you dare come across me”; you're itching for everything! Not enough space for you? Wherever you go, here you are! Ugh, damn you! Why are you standing like a pillar! Are they telling you no? Boris. I’m listening, what else should I do! Wild (looking at Boris). Fail! I don’t even want to talk to you, the Jesuit. (Leaving.) I imposed myself! (Spits and leaves.)The third phenomenon
Kuligin, Boris, Kudryash and Shapkin.
Kuligin. What is your business, sir, with him? We will never understand. You want to live with him and endure abuse. Boris. What a hunt, Kuligin! Captivity. Kuligin. But what kind of bondage, sir, let me ask you. If you can, sir, then tell us. Boris. Why not say so? Did you know our grandmother, Anfisa Mikhailovna? Kuligin. Well, how could you not know! Curly. How could you not know! Boris. She didn’t like Father because he married a noble woman. It was on this occasion that the priest and mother lived in Moscow. My mother said that for three days she could not get along with her relatives, it seemed very strange to her. Kuligin. Still not wild! What can I say! You need to have a big habit, sir. Boris. Our parents raised us well in Moscow; they spared nothing for us. I was sent to the Commercial Academy, and my sister to a boarding school, and both suddenly died of cholera; My sister and I were left orphans. Then we hear that my grandmother died here and left a will so that my uncle would pay us the share that should be given when we come of age, only on condition. Kuligin. With which one, sir? Boris. If we are respectful to him. Kuligin. This means, sir, that you will never see your inheritance. Boris. No, that’s not enough, Kuligin! He will first break with us, scold us in every possible way, as his heart desires, but he will still end up not giving anything, or just some little thing. Moreover, he will say that he gave it out of mercy, and that this should not have been the case. Curly. This is such an institution among our merchants. Again, even if you were respectful to him, who would forbid him to say that you are disrespectful? Boris. Well, yes. Even now he sometimes says: “I have my own children, why would I give other people’s money? Through this I must offend my own people!” Kuligin. So, sir, your business is bad. Boris. If I were alone, it would be fine! I would give up everything and leave. I feel sorry for my sister. He was about to discharge her, but my mother’s relatives didn’t let her in, they wrote that she was sick. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like for her here. Curly. Of course. Do they understand the appeal? Kuligin. How do you live with him, sir, in what position? Boris. Yes, not at all: “Live,” he says, “with me, do what they tell you, and pay whatever you give.” That is, in a year he will give it up as he pleases. Curly. He has such an establishment. With us, no one dares say a word about salary, he’ll scold you for what it’s worth. “How do you know what’s on my mind,” he says? How can you know my soul? Or maybe I’ll be in such a mood that I’ll give you five thousand.” So talk to him! Only in his entire life he had never been in such a position. Kuligin. What to do, sir! We must try to please somehow. Boris. That's the thing, Kuligin, it's absolutely impossible. Even their own people can’t please him; where am I supposed to be! Curly. Who will please him if his whole life is based on swearing? And most of all because of the money; Not a single calculation is complete without swearing. Another is happy to give up his own, if only he would calm down. And the trouble is, someone will make him angry in the morning! He picks on everyone all day long. Boris. Every morning my aunt begs everyone with tears: “Fathers, don’t make me angry! darlings, don’t make me angry!” Curly. There's nothing you can do to protect yourself! I got to the market, that's the end! He will scold all the men. Even if you ask at a loss, you still won’t leave without scolding. And then he went for the whole day. Shapkin. One word: warrior! Curly. What a warrior! Boris. But the trouble is when he is offended by such a person whom he does not dare to scold; stay home here! Curly. Fathers! What a laugh it was! Once on the Volga, on a ferry, a hussar cursed him. He worked miracles! Boris. And what a homey feeling it was! After that, everyone hid in attics and closets for two weeks. Kuligin. What is this? No way, have the people moved on from Vespers?Several faces pass at the back of the stage.
Curly. Let's go, Shapkin, on a revelry! Why stand here?They bow and leave.
Boris. Eh, Kuligin, it’s painfully difficult for me here without the habit! Everyone looks at me somehow wildly, as if I’m superfluous here, as if I’m disturbing them. I don't know the customs here. I understand that all this is Russian, native, but I still can’t get used to it. Kuligin. And you will never get used to it, sir. Boris. From what? Kuligin. Cruel morals, sir, in our city, cruel! In philistinism, sir, you will see nothing but rudeness and stark poverty. And we, sir, will never escape this crust! Because honest work will never earn us more than our daily bread. And whoever has money, sir, tries to enslave the poor so that he can make even more money from his free labors. Do you know what your uncle, Savel Prokofich, answered to the mayor? The peasants came to the mayor to complain that he would not disrespect any of them. The mayor began to tell him: “Listen,” he says, Savel Prokofich, pay the men well! Every day they come to me with complaints!” Your uncle patted the mayor on the shoulder and said: “Is it worth it, your honor, for us to talk about such trifles! I have a lot of people every year; You understand: I won’t pay them a penny per person, but I make thousands out of this, so that’s good for me!” That's it, sir! And among themselves, sir, how they live! They undermine each other's trade, and not so much out of self-interest as out of envy. They are at enmity with each other; They get drunken clerks into their high mansions, such, sir, clerks that there is no human appearance on him, his human appearance is hysterical. And they, for small acts of kindness, scribble malicious slander against their neighbors on stamped sheets. And for them, sir, a trial and a case will begin, and there will be no end to the torment. They sue and sue here, but they go to the province, and there they are waiting for them and splashing their hands with joy. Soon the fairy tale is told, but not soon the deed is done; they drive them, they drive them, they drag them, they drag them; and they are also happy about this dragging, that’s all they need. “I’ll spend it, he says, and it won’t cost him a penny.” I wanted to depict all this in poetry... Boris. Can you write poetry? Kuligin. In the old-fashioned way, sir. I read a lot of Lomonosov, Derzhavin... Lomonosov was a sage, an explorer of nature... But he was also from ours, from a simple rank. Boris. You would have written it. It would be interesting. Kuligin. How is it possible, sir! They will eat you, swallow you alive. I already get enough, sir, for my chatter; I can’t, I like to spoil the conversation! I also wanted to tell you about family life, sir; yes some other time. And there is also something to listen to.Feklusha and another woman enter.
Feklusha. Blah-alepie, honey, blah-alepie! Wonderful beauty! What can I say! You live in the promised land! And the merchants are all pious people, adorned with many virtues! Generosity and many donations! I’m so pleased, so, mother, completely satisfied! For our failure to leave them even more bounties, and especially to the Kabanovs’ house.They leave.
Boris. Kabanovs? Kuligin. Prude, sir! He gives money to the poor, but completely eats up his family.Silence.
If only I could find a mobile phone, sir!
Boris. What would you do? Kuligin. Why, sir! After all, the British give a million; I would use all the money for society, for support. Jobs must be given to the philistines. Otherwise, you have hands, but nothing to work with. Boris. Are you hoping to find a perpetuum mobile? Kuligin. Absolutely, sir! If only now I could get some money from modeling. Farewell, sir! (Leaves.)The fourth phenomenon
Boris (alone). It's a shame to disappoint him! What a good man! He dreams for himself and is happy. And I, apparently, will ruin my youth in this slum. I’m walking around completely devastated, and then there’s still this crazy thing creeping into my head! Well, what's the point! Should I really start tenderness? Driven, downtrodden, and then foolishly decided to fall in love. Who! A woman with whom you will never even be able to talk. (Silence.) And yet she can’t get out of my head, no matter what you want. Here she is! She goes with her husband, and her mother-in-law with them! Well, am I not a fool? Look around the corner and go home. (Leaves.)From the opposite side enter Kabanova, Kabanov, Katerina and Varvara.
Fifth appearance
Kabanova, Kabanov, Katerina and Varvara.
Kabanova. If you want to listen to your mother, then when you get there, do as I ordered you. Kabanov. How can I, Mama, disobey you! Kabanova. Elders are not very respected these days. Varvara (to herself). No respect for you, of course! Kabanov. I, it seems, mummy, don’t take a step out of your will. Kabanova. I would believe you, my friend, if I hadn’t seen with my own eyes and heard with my own ears what kind of respect children show to their parents now! If only they remembered how many illnesses mothers suffer from their children. Kabanov. I, mummy... Kabanova. If a parent ever says something offensive, out of your pride, then, I think, it could be rescheduled! What do you think? Kabanov. But when, Mama, have I ever been unable to bear being away from you? Kabanova. The mother is old and stupid; Well, you, young people, smart ones, shouldn’t exact it from us fools. Kabanov (sighing aside). Oh, my God! (To Mother.) Do we dare, Mama, to think! Kabanova. After all, out of love your parents are strict with you, out of love they scold you, everyone thinks to teach you good. Well, I don’t like it now. And the children will go around praising people that their mother is a grumbler, that their mother does not allow them to pass, that they are squeezing them out of the world. And, God forbid, you can’t please your daughter-in-law with some word, so the conversation started that the mother-in-law was completely fed up. Kabanov. No, mama, who is talking about you? Kabanova. I haven’t heard, my friend, I haven’t heard, I don’t want to lie. If only I had heard, I would have spoken to you, my dear, in a different way. (Sighs.) Oh, a grave sin! What a long time to sin! A conversation close to your heart will go well, and you will sin and get angry. No, my friend, say what you want about me. You can’t tell anyone to say it: if they don’t dare to your face, they will stand behind your back. Kabanov. Shut up your tongue... Kabanova. Come on, come on, don't be afraid! Sin! I have seen for a long time that your wife is dearer to you than your mother. Since I got married, I don’t see the same love from you. Kabanov. How do you see this, Mama? Kabanova. Yes in everything, my friend! What a mother doesn’t see with her eyes, she has a prophetic heart; she can feel with her heart. Or maybe your wife is taking you away from me, I don’t know. Kabanov. No, mama! what are you saying, have mercy! Katerina. For me, Mama, it’s all the same, like my own mother, like you, and Tikhon loves you too. Kabanova. It seems like you could keep quiet if they don’t ask you. Don’t intercede, mother, I won’t offend you! After all, he is also my son; don't forget this! Why did you jump out in front of your eyes to make jokes! So that they can see how much you love your husband? So we know, we know, in your eyes you prove it to everyone. Varvara (to herself). I found a place for instructions to read. Katerina. You are in vain saying this about me, Mama. Whether in front of people or without people, I’m still alone, I don’t prove anything of myself. Kabanova. Yes, I didn’t even want to talk about you; and so, by the way, I had to. Katerina. By the way, why are you offending me? Kabanova. What an important bird! I'm really offended now. Katerina. Who enjoys tolerating falsehoods? Kabanova. I know, I know that you don’t like my words, but what can I do, I’m not a stranger to you, my heart aches for you. I have long seen that you want freedom. Well, wait, you can live in freedom when I’m gone. Then do what you want, there will be no elders over you. Or maybe you’ll remember me too. Kabanov. Yes, we pray to God for you, mama, day and night, that God may give you health and all prosperity and success in business. Kabanova. Well, that's enough, stop it, please. Maybe you loved your mother while you were single. Do you care about me? your wife is young. Kabanov. One does not interfere with the other, sir: the wife is in itself, and I have respect for the parent in itself. Kabanova. So will you exchange your wife for your mother? I won't believe this for the life of me. Kabanov. Why should I change it, sir? I love both of them. Kabanova. Well, yes, yes, that's it, spread it! I see that I am a hindrance to you. Kabanov. Think as you wish, everything is your will; Only I don’t know what kind of unfortunate person I was born into this world that I can’t please you with anything. Kabanova. Why are you pretending to be an orphan? Why are you being so naughty? Well, what kind of husband are you? Look at you! Will your wife be afraid of you after this? Kabanov. Why should she be afraid? It's enough for me that she loves me. Kabanova. Why be afraid? Why be afraid? Are you crazy, or what? He won’t be afraid of you, and he won’t be afraid of me either. What kind of order will there be in the house? After all, you, tea, live with her in law. Ali, do you think the law means nothing? Yes, if you hold such stupid thoughts in your head, you should at least not chatter in front of her, and in front of your sister, in front of the girl; She should also get married: this way she will listen to enough of your chatter, and then her husband will thank us for the science. You see what kind of mind you have, and you still want to live by your own will. Kabanov. Yes, Mama, I don’t want to live by my own will. Where can I live by my own will! Kabanova. So, in your opinion, everything should be affectionate with your wife? Why not shout at her and threaten her? Kabanov. Yes I am, mummy... Kabanova (hotly). At least get a lover! A! And this, perhaps, in your opinion, is nothing? A! Well, speak up! Kabanov. Yes, by God, mummy... Kabanova (completely coolly). Fool! (Sighs.) What can you say to a fool! only one sin!Silence.
I'm going home.
Kabanov. And now we will only walk along the boulevard once or twice. Kabanova. Well, as you wish, just make sure I don’t wait for you! You know, I don't like this. Kabanov. No, mommy! God save me! Kabanova. That's the same! (Leaves.)Appearance Six
The same without Kabanova.
Kabanov. You see, I always get it from my mother for you! This is what my life is like! Katerina. What is my fault? Kabanov. I don’t know who is to blame. Varvara. How would you know? Kabanov. Then she kept pestering me: “Get married, get married, I would at least look at you, a married man!” And now he eats, he doesn’t let anyone pass—it’s all for you. Varvara. So it’s not her fault! Her mother attacks her, and so do you. And you also say that you love your wife. It's boring for me to look at you. (Turns away.) Kabanov. Interpret here! What should I do? Varvara. Know your business - keep quiet if you don’t know anything better. Why are you standing and shifting? I can see in your eyes what’s on your mind. Kabanov. So what? Varvara. It is known that. I would like to go see Savel Prokofich and have a drink with him. What's wrong, or what? Kabanov. You guessed it, brother. Katerina. You, Tisha, come quickly, otherwise mamma will scold you again. Varvara. You are faster, in fact, otherwise you know! Kabanov. How could you not know! Varvara. We also don’t have a great desire to accept abuse because of you. Kabanov. I'll be there in a jiffy. Wait! (Leaves.)Seventh Appearance
Katerina and Varvara.
Katerina. So, Varya, do you feel sorry for me? Varvara (looking to the side). Of course it's a pity. Katerina. So you love me then? (Kisses him firmly.) Varvara. Why shouldn’t I love you! Katerina. Well, thank you! You are so sweet, I love you to death.Silence.
Do you know what came to my mind?
Varvara. What? Katerina. Why don't people fly! Varvara. I do not understand what you say. Katerina. I say: why don’t people fly like birds? You know, sometimes I feel like I'm a bird. When you stand on a mountain, you feel the urge to fly. That's how she would run up, raise her hands and fly. Something to try now? (Wants to run.) Varvara. What are you making up? Katerina (sighing). How playful I was! I've completely withered away from you. Varvara. Do you think I don't see? Katerina. Was that what I was like? I lived, didn’t worry about anything, like a bird in the wild. Mama doted on me, dressed me up like a doll, and didn’t force me to work; I used to do whatever I want. Do you know how I lived with girls? I'll tell you now. I used to get up early; If it’s summer, I’ll go to the spring, wash myself, bring some water with me, and that’s it, I’ll water all the flowers in the house. I had many, many flowers. Then we’ll go to church with Mama, everyone and pilgrims - our house was full of pilgrims and praying mantises. And we’ll come from church, sit down to do some kind of work, more like gold velvet, and the wanderers will begin to tell us: where they were, what they saw, different lives, or sing poetry. So time will pass until lunch. Here the old women go to sleep, and I walk around the garden. Then to Vespers, and in the evening again stories and singing. It was so good! Varvara. Yes, it’s the same with us. Katerina. Yes, everything here seems to be out of captivity. And to death I loved going to church! Exactly, it happened that I would enter heaven, and I didn’t see anyone, and I didn’t remember the time, and I didn’t hear when the service was over. Just like it all happened in one second. Mama said that everyone used to look at me, what was happening to me! Do you know: on a sunny day, such a light column goes down from the dome, and smoke moves in this column, like clouds, and I see, it used to be as if angels were flying and singing in this column. And sometimes, girl, I would get up at night - we also had lamps burning everywhere - and somewhere in a corner I would pray until the morning. Or I’ll go into the garden early in the morning, the sun is just rising, I’ll fall on my knees, pray and cry, and I myself don’t know what I’m praying for and what I’m crying about; that's how they'll find me. And what I prayed for then, what I asked for, I don’t know; I didn’t need anything, I had enough of everything. And what dreams I had, Varenka, what dreams! Either the temples are golden, or the gardens are some kind of extraordinary, and invisible voices are singing, and there is a smell of cypress, and the mountains and trees seem not to be the same as usual, but as if depicted in images. And it’s like I’m flying, and I’m flying through the air. And now I sometimes dream, but rarely, and not even that. Varvara. So what? Katerina (after a pause). I'll die soon. Varvara. That's enough! Katerina. No, I know that I will die. Oh, girl, something bad is happening to me, some kind of miracle. This has never happened to me. There is something so unusual about me. I’m starting to live again, or... I don’t know. Varvara. What's the matter with you? Katerina (takes her hand). But what, Varya, it would be some kind of sin! Such fear comes over me, such and such fear comes over me! It’s as if I’m standing over an abyss and someone is pushing me there, but I have nothing to hold on to. (He grabs his head with his hand.) Varvara. What happened to you? Are you healthy? Katerina. Healthy... It would be better if I were sick, otherwise it’s not good. Some kind of dream comes into my head. And I won’t leave her anywhere. If I start to think, I won’t be able to collect my thoughts; I’ll pray, but I won’t be able to pray. I babble words with my tongue, but in my mind it’s not at all like that: it’s as if the evil one is whispering in my ears, but everything about such things is bad. And then it seems to me that I will feel ashamed of myself. What happened with me? Before trouble, before any of this! At night, Varya, I can’t sleep, I keep imagining some kind of whisper: someone speaks to me so affectionately, as if he were loving me, as if a dove was cooing. I no longer dream, Varya, of paradise trees and mountains as before; and it’s as if someone is hugging me so warmly, and leading me somewhere, and I follow him, I go... Varvara. Well? Katerina. Why am I telling you: you are a girl. Varvara (looking around). Speak! I'm worse than you. Katerina. Well, what should I say? I'm ashamed. Varvara. Speak, there is no need! Katerina. It will become so stuffy for me, so stuffy at home, that I would run. And such a thought will come to me that, if it were up to me, I would now be riding along the Volga, on a boat, singing, or in a good troika, hugging... Varvara. Not with my husband. Katerina. How do you know? Varvara. I wish I knew!.. Katerina. Ah, Varya, sin is on my mind! How much I, poor thing, cried, what I didn’t do to myself! I can't escape this sin. Can't go anywhere. After all, this is not good, because this is a terrible sin, Varenka, why do I love others? Varvara. Why should I judge you! I have my sins. Katerina. What should I do! My strength is not enough. Where should I go; Out of boredom I will do something about myself! Varvara. What you! What happened to you! Just wait, my brother will leave tomorrow, we’ll think about it; maybe it will be possible to see each other. Katerina. No, no, don't! What you! What you! God forbid! Varvara. Why are you so scared? Katerina. If I see him even once, I will run away from home, I will not go home for anything in the world. Varvara. But wait, we'll see there. Katerina. No, no, don’t tell me, I don’t even want to listen! Varvara. What a desire to dry out! Even if you die of melancholy, they will feel sorry for you! Well, just wait. So what a shame it is to torture yourself!A lady enters with a stick and two footmen in three-cornered hats behind.
The eighth phenomenon
Same with the lady.
Lady. What, beauties? What are you doing here? Are you expecting some good guys, gentlemen? Are you having fun? Funny? Does your beauty make you happy? This is where beauty leads. (Points to the Volga.) Here, here, in the deep end!Varvara smiles.
Why are you laughing! Don't be happy! (Knocks with a stick.) You will all burn inextinguishably in the fire. Everything in the resin will boil unquenchable! (Leaving.) Look, there, where beauty leads! (Leaves.)
Appearance Ninth
Katerina and Varvara.
Katerina. Oh, how she scared me! I’m trembling all over, as if she were prophesying something for me. Varvara. On your own head, old hag! Katerina. What did she say, huh? What she said? Varvara. It's all nonsense. You really need to listen to what she is saying. She prophesies this to everyone. All my life I sinned from a young age. Just ask them what they'll tell you about her! That's why he's afraid to die. What she is afraid of, she scares others with. Even all the boys in the city are hiding from her - she threatens them with a stick and shouts (mocking): “You will all burn in fire!” Katerina (closing her eyes). Oh, oh, stop it! My heart sank. Varvara. There is something to be afraid of! Old fool... Katerina. I'm scared, I'm scared to death! She all appears in my eyes.Silence.
Varvara (looking around). Why is this brother not coming, there’s no way, the storm is coming. Katerina (with horror). Storm! Let's run home! Hurry up! Varvara. Are you crazy or something? How will you show up home without your brother? Katerina. No, home, home! God bless him! Varvara. Why are you really afraid: the thunderstorm is still far away. Katerina. And if it’s far away, then perhaps we’ll wait a little; but really, it’s better to go. Let's go better! Varvara. But if something happens, you can’t hide at home. Katerina. Yes, it’s still better, everything is calmer; At home I go to the icons and pray to God! Varvara. I didn't know you were so afraid of thunderstorms. I'm not afraid. Katerina. How, girl, not to be afraid! Everyone should be afraid. It’s not so scary that it will kill you, but that death will suddenly find you as you are, with all your sins, with all your evil thoughts. I’m not afraid to die, but when I think that suddenly I will appear before God as I am here with you, after this conversation, that’s what’s scary. What's on my mind! What a sin! scary to say!Thunder.
Kabanov enters.
Varvara. Here comes my brother. (To Kabanov.) Run quickly!Thunder.
Katerina. Oh! Hurry, hurry!All the faces, except Boris, are dressed in Russian.
This work has entered the public domain. The work was written by an author who died more than seventy years ago, and was published during his lifetime or posthumously, but more than seventy years have also passed since publication. It may be freely used by anyone without anyone's consent or permission and without payment of royalties.
“The Thunderstorm”, act 2 – summary
Varvara, noticing Katerina's secret passion, promises to arrange a date for her with Boris when Tikhon leaves for a few days on a trip on merchant business. Katerina initially rejects this plan with horror. Before Tikhon leaves, she tearsly throws herself on his neck and asks him to take her with him. Tikhon refuses: he is going not so much on business as to get drunk without his mother’s supervision, and his wife will only interfere with this. Then Katerina gives her surprised husband a “terrible oath”: “under no circumstances should she speak or see anyone stranger” in his absence.
Kabanikha forces Tikhon to read a stern and humiliating lecture to Katerina before leaving: “Don’t stare out the windows without me, don’t look at the guys!” She reproaches Katerina for not immediately rushing to “howl” for her departed husband.
Katerina stands in despair from her mother-in-law’s undeserved nagging. Varvara comes and gives her the key stolen from her mother to the far gate of the garden, where they will spend the night together these days, away from Kabanikha. Through this gate, Varvara is going to arrange a date for Katerina with Boris. Katerina initially wants to throw the key, saying that it “burns her hands like coal” (see her monologue). But painfully remembering the cruelty of her mother-in-law and the coldness of her husband who did not want to take her with him, she still puts the key in her pocket...
“Thunderstorm”, act 3 – summary
Varvara, having seized a moment while strolling along the boulevard, secretly calls Boris Grigorievich and invites him to come tonight to the ravine behind the Kabanovs’ garden. At the appointed time, Boris appears there.
Varvara comes out of the far gate of the garden, going for a walk on the Volga with her lover, her boyfriend Kudryash. Then Katerina appears, trembling with excitement. Boris rushes to her and says that he loves her more than life itself. Unable to contain her passion, Katerina throws herself on his neck...
The dates of both couples are repeated on the following nights.
“Thunderstorm”, act 4 – summary
The holiday is coming soon. Residents of Kalinov go for a walk on the boulevard. Suddenly a strong thunderstorm begins to gather. In a covered gallery on the banks of the Volga, Varvara and Boris meet, as if sheltering from the rain. Varvara talks about the trouble at their home: Tikhon returned from a trip several days ahead of schedule, and Katerina, seeing her husband, fell into terrible excitement. Over the last few days she has been walking around the house not herself, starting to cry every now and then. Tikhon is amazed at his wife’s strange behavior, and Kabanikha looks at her with suspicion. Varvara is afraid that Katerina will fall at her husband’s feet and tell about her betrayal.
Kabanikha, Tikhon, Katerina and other people are just approaching the gallery to hide from the rain. People gossip that thunderstorms are God's punishment and lightning often kills sinners. Mechanic Kuligin tries in vain to explain to his superstitious fellow countrymen that thunderstorms have natural causes and Lomonosov wrote about this.
Exhausted by mental anguish, Katerina, seeing Boris among the people, suddenly says to her husband: “Tisha, I know who the thunderstorm will kill. Me. Then pray for me." As luck would have it, a local crazy lady appears. Having a stormy youth behind her, she now wanders around the city with two lackeys and prophesies severe punishments from the Almighty to all beauties who “lead men into sin.” “The pool is better with your beauty! - the lady suddenly shouts to Katerina. “You will burn in unquenchable fire!”
Unable to withstand the terrible shock, Katerina kneels before her husband and mother-in-law and repents that “I walked with Boris Grigorievich for ten nights...”
“Thunderstorm”, act 5 – summary
The case with Katerina is making a lot of noise in Kalinov. The boar's wife "eats" her daughter-in-law at home and even advises "burying her alive in the ground." Katerina listens to these reproaches in silent anguish, walking like an unrequited shadow. Tikhon indulges in drunkenness. Boris's uncle Savel Dikoy is going to send him to Tyakhta, on the Chinese border. The compassionate Kuligin advises Tikhon to forgive Katerina. Tikhon himself is not against this, but his evil, stern mother resists forgiveness.
Suddenly news spreads that Katerina has disappeared from home. Relatives go to look for her. Ostrovsky paints a poignant picture of Katerina wandering down the street, half-oblivious, pronouncing a monologue about how she doesn’t want to live. She is consumed by a passionate desire to see Boris at least one last time - and she suddenly sees him.
Katerina rushes to Boris. He says that he is being sent to Siberia. “Take me with you too!” - Katerina begs, but the weak-willed Boris refuses, citing his uncle’s will. “Well, go with God! - says Katerina. - Don't worry about me. Okay, at least I said goodbye to you. Let me look at you one last time!”