The captain's daughter poem or novel. The main characters and their characteristics

What is the genre? The captain's daughter"? Is this a novel or historical story?

“The Captain's Daughter” has signs of both genres.

Pushkin himself defined it as historical novel, however, many researchers believe that this is a story. Pushkin wrote to the censor, handing over the manuscript: “The name of the girl Mironova is fictitious. My novel is based on legend...” Pushkin explained what a novel is: “In our time, by the word novel we mean historical era, developed in a fictional narrative." That is, Pushkin considered his work historical novel.

How to determine the genre of the work “The Captain's Daughter”? Is this a story or a novel? “The Captain's Daughter” tells the story of the life of Pyotr Andreevich Grinev from childhood until his wedding, and the epilogue also talks about his future life. Family history is included in a broadly expanded depiction of historical events, covering a wide range of phenomena. The theme of Pugachev's uprising is presented, despite the conciseness of the story, quite fully and completely: from the beginning of the uprising (hints of preparation for it are already in the sayings of a passer-by and the owner of the inn) to the defeat and death of Pugachev.

An artistic depiction in epic form of any private or public life in their entire development from beginning to completion - covering wide range life - basic sign of romance. "The Captain's Daughter" meets these genre requirements. Therefore, before us is a novel. Since its main theme is the image important events history, we'll call it a historical novel.

Let us recall Pushkin’s definition, given already in introductory conversation: “...By the word novel we mean a historical era developed in a fictional narrative.” However, due to the small volume, "The Captain's Daughter" is often called a story. This cannot be seen as some kind of gross mistake, since the novel and the story are related genres, and the exact boundary cannot always be established. Signs of the story - the event is in the center, the volume is average, newsreel story, minimal number of side storylines.

Let us pay attention to the form of Pushkin’s novel: “family notes” (Pushkin’s expression), memoirs. The story is told from the perspective of the hero. Why did this turn out to be convenient for the author? Because the author can attribute a whole series of judgments and thoughts to the account of his hero and relieve himself of responsibility for them. This is convenient for a work on such a politically sensitive topic. This is important for us because, when analyzing a novel, we must keep in mind two angles, two points of view on the events described: the point of view of the narrator and the point of view of the author.

The genre of “The Captain's Daughter” is a historical novel (since throughout the entire novel a narrative of historical events is presented and real historical figures are involved in the plot)

Test

in literature (test)

Option 1.

Level 1. Tasks that test how well a student can repeat new information.

1. Genre of the work “The Captain’s Daughter”.

A. Roman

B. Historical chronicle

B. Historical story

2. In what century does the story “The Captain's Daughter” take place?

A. In the 17th century B. In the 16th century

B. In the 18th century D. At the beginning of the 19th century

3. Mark the points in which the action of the story “The Captain's Daughter” takes place.

A. St. Petersburg G. Belogorsk Fortress

B. Tatishchevaya fortress D. Orenburg

V. Kazan E. Simbirsk

4. Which king’s name did Emelyan Pugachev appropriate for himself?

A. PeterIB. PeterIIIV. PavelIG. IvanIV

5. The work “The Captain's Daughter” is written in the form.

A. The story of Pyotr Grinev to the author

B. Memoirs of Peter Grinev

V. Marya Ivanovna's story

6. Match first names and patronymics so that you get the correct combinations for the characters

works: Vasilisa Andreevich

Maria Kuzmich

Ivan Egorovna

Pyotr Ivanovna

Alexey Ignatievich

Ivanovich

7.Name the key points of the story. A. Grinev’s childhood

B. Buran

V. The execution of Captain Mironov and the rescue of Grinev

G. Conversations between Grinev and Savelich D. Meeting of Masha and the Empress

8.Which of the heroes of the work amazes the reader with mysterious strength, ingenuity, poetry of struggle and courage.

A. Captain Mironov B. Pugachev V. Grinev

9. The images of Grinev and Shvabrin are introduced into the narrative according to the principle:

A. Antitheses

B. Comparisons

B. Complementarities

10. “Short in stature, with a dark and distinctly ugly face, but extremely lively” - this is a portrait:

A. Zurina B. Pugacheva V. Shvabrina

11. Which chapter is preceded by an epigraph: “At that time the lion was well-fed, even though he has been ferocious since birth. “Why did you deign to welcome me to my den?” - he asked affectionately.

A. “Trial” B. “Arrest” C. “Assault” D. “Uninvited Guest” D. “Rebel Settlement”

12. Note how the epigraphs and the content of the chapters in the story relate. A. The epigraph precedes the appearance of the hero

B. The epigraph reveals the contents of the chapter C. The epigraph serves to reveal the character of the hero and his fate

1. What are the main problems of the story “The Captain's Daughter”. A. The problem of love B. The problem of honor, duty, mercy C. The problem of the role of the people in the development of society D. The problem of comparing the clan and service nobility.

2. Correlate Pugachev’s personality traits with the episodes in which they manifest themselves.

1) Intelligence, sharpness A) Liberation of Grinev

2) Breadth of nature B) Buran

3) Feeling of gratitude B) Pugachev’s trial scene

4) Courage, courage D) Liberation of Masha Mironova

5) Naivety, weakness for flattery E) The tale of an old Kalmyk woman

6) Love of freedom E) Taking Belogorsk fortress

7) Cruelty G) Scene of conversation between Grinev and Pugachev in

rebellious settlement

3. Mark a storyline in which the theme of mercy can be traced.

A. Ekaterina – Masha Mironova

B. Shvabrin – Grinev

V. Pugachev – Grinev

4. In revealing the image of Pugachev special role plays. A. Information received by Captain Mironov about the rebel B. Folklore (songs, fairy tales, proverbs and sayings) C. Scene at the military council

5. The fairy tale told by Pugachev to Grinev is :

A. Irony B. Allegory C. Satire

6. How is Savelich shown in the work? A. Downtrodden, silent serfs B. Obedient, slavishly devoted to their masters C. Deep, endowed with self-esteem D. Loving, caring assistant and adviser.7.

7. Mark the correct judgment about the role of plug-in elements. A. They help reveal the characters’ characters

B. They predetermine the fate of the heroes

B. They make the story interesting.

D. They stylize the story as an 18th century document

Test

in literature (test)

Option 2.

Level 1. Tasks that test how well a student can repeat new information.

1. Mark the correct judgment.

A. “The Captain's Daughter” - a historical story

B. “The Captain's Daughter” - memoirs

V. “The Captain’s Daughter” - a historical story, stylized by the author as a memoir

2. Note in what period the story “The Captain's Daughter” takes place?

A. At the beginning of the 18th century B. In the middle of the 19th century

B. In the middle of the 18th century D. At the end of the 18th century

3. What is the epigraph to the work “The Captain's Daughter”.

A. “We were shooting”

B. “Take care of your honor from a young age”

V. “An uninvited guest is worse than a Tatar”

4. Mark the main place of action in the story “The Captain's Daughter”.

A. St. Petersburg

B. Berdskaya Sloboda

To Belogorsk fortress

Simbirsk province

D. Orenburg province

5. Note on whose behalf the story is being told.

B. Peter Andreevich Grinev G. Several characters

6. Mark the historical persons mentioned in the story.

A. Pugachev V. Prince Golitsyn D. EkaterinaI

B. Count Minich G. Grigory Orlov E. EkaterinaII

7.Mark military rank Petra Grineva.

A. Cornet B. Ensign

B. Lieutenant G. Sergeant

8. In the work he is closest to the people in terms of his property status

cultural level, views on life, on people.

A. Family of Peter Grinev

B. Family of Captain Mironov

V. Shvabrin

9. Indicate the title of the chapter in which Pyotr Grinev meets Pugachev. A) “Sergeant of the Guard” B) “Pugachevism” B) “Uninvited Guest” D) “Counselor”

10. Who owns the statement “God forbid you see a Russian riot, senseless and merciless...”? A) Author B) Savelich B) EkaterinaIID) Peter Grinev

11. Whose portrait is this? “She was in a white morning dress, a nightcap and a shower jacket. She seemed to be about forty years old. Her face, plump and ruddy, expressed importance and calmness, and her blue eyes and light smile had an inexplicable charm...”

A. Masha Mironova B. Vasilisa Egorovna V. EkaterinaII G.Anna Vlasevna

12 . “His face had a rather pleasant, but roguish expression. Hair cut in circle » - this is a portrait:

A. Grineva B. Pugacheva V. Shvabrina

Level 2. Tasks that allow you to check how much the student has understood and learned to apply new knowledge.

1. What is the meaning of the name “The Captain's Daughter”? Masha Mironova - this is A. The only one female character works B. The ideological and artistic center of the work C. Beloved of Peter Grinev G. Daughter of a deceased Russian officer

2. Correlate the motives of behavior with the characters in their relationship with Pugachev

A. Grinev B. Shvabrin

1) cowardice, 2) fear, 3) honesty, 4) deceit, 5) contempt, 6) respect, 7) honor

3.Note the storyline in which the theme of honor and dignity can be traced.

A. Pugachev – Grinev

B. Grinev – Shvabrin

V. Grinev – Savelich

4. Note the correct interpretation of the meaning of Captain Mironov’s phrase: “Well, that’s enough! Go, go home; and if you have time, put a sundress on Masha.”

A. If you have time, put a sundress on Masha.

B. If you have time, put all your best on Masha.

V. If you have time, dress Masha like a peasant woman.

5. Match the elements of the composition and the elements of the development of the love plot.

A) exposure

1) scene of the duel with Shvabrin, letter from father

B) beginning

2) Grinev’s release, marriage to Masha

B) climax

3) Petrusha’s childhood on the family estate

D) denouement

4) Grinev’s acquaintance with the main character of the novel

6. What are the features of a Russian national character shown by A.S. Pushkin in the image of Pugachev? A. Intelligence, ingenuity B. Courage, generous nature B. Laziness, inactivity D. Good memory, gratitude

7. For what purpose is Petrusha’s dream introduced into the novel? A. Characterizes Grinev B. Foreshadows the development of relations between two characters

V. Characterizes Pugachev G. Emphasizes Pugachev’s bloodthirstiness.

Right answers

Option 1.

Level 1.

1. Correct answer:IN Score – 1 point

2 . Correct answer:B Score – 1 point

3. Correct answers:A, B, D, D, E Score – 1 point

4. Correct answer:B Score – 1 point

5. Correct answer: B Score – 1 point

6. Correct ratios: Score – 1 point

Vasilisa Egorovna

Maria Ivanovna

Ivan Ivanovich

Ivan Kuzmich

Ivan Ignatievich

Pyotr Andreevich

Alexey Ivanovich

7. Correct answers: B, C, D Score – 1 point

8. Correct answer: B Score – 1 point

9. Correct answer: A Score – 1 point

10. Correct answer: IN Score – 1 point

11. Correct answer: D Score – 1 point

12. Correct answer: B Score – 1 point

Level 2.

1. Correct answer: B Score – 2 points

2. Correct ratios: Score – 3 points

1. B (for 6-7 correct combinations)

2. D Score – 2 points

3. A (for 4-5 correct combinations)

4. E Score – 1 point

5. F (for 2-3 correct combinations)

6. D

7. B

3. Correct answers: A, B Score – 2 points 4. Correct answer: B Score – 2 points 5.Correct answer: B Score – 2 points 6. Correct answer: G Score – 2 points 7. Correct answers: A, B Score – 2 points 8. It was important for Pushkin to reveal Pugachev’s character as artistic image, which required a different approach to historical events. The correct answer to this question rated from 1 to 3 points

Option 2.

Level 1. 1. Correct answer: IN Score – 1 point 2 . Correct answer: G Score – 1 point3. Correct answer: B Score – 1 point 4. Correct answer: IN Score – 1 point 5. Correct answer: B Score – 1 point 6. Correct answers: A, B, C, E Score – 1 point 7. Correct answer: IN Score – 1 point

8. Correct answer: B Score – 1 point

9. Correct answer: G Score – 1 point

10. Correct answer: G Score – 1 point

11. Correct answer: IN Score – 1 point

12. Correct answer: B Score – 1 point

Level 2.

1. Correct answer: B Score – 1 point 2. Correct ratios: Score – 2 points

A: 3, 6, 7

B: 1, 2, 4, 5

3. Correct answers: A, B Score – 2 points 4. Correct answer: IN Score - 2 points 5.Correct ratios: Score – 4 points

1. B (1 point for each correct combination)

2. G

3. A

4. B 6. Correct answers: A, B, G Score – 2 points

7. Correct answer: B Score – 2 points 8. Genres of oral folk art used in A.S. Pushkin’s story: fairy tales, songs, proverbs and sayings. The tale demonstrates Pugachev’s intelligence and love of freedom and expresses the author’s position. The songs recreate the historical setting. Sayings and proverbs serve to speech characteristics characters. 2»)

From 15 to 20 points

The topic was mastered satisfactorily (“3 »)

From 21 to 26 points

The topic is well understood (“4 »)

From 27 to 30 points

The topic has been fully mastered (“5 »)

Maximum score - 30 points

The topic was mastered perfectly (“5 »)

When determining the genre of The Captain's Daughter (1836), researchers encounter some difficulties. The fact is that “The Captain’s Daughter” has genre features of both a story and a novel, and Pushkin himself called his work either a story or a novel. Therefore, it would not be a fundamental mistake to call The Captain's Daughter a novel. Genre originality Pushkin's novel is that, on the one hand, it is a chronicle of the noble family of the Grinevs, and on the other - historical work. In other words, "The Captain's Daughter" is a socio-historical novel.

The novel describes the love story of Pyotr Grinev and Masha Mironova; at first it was closely intertwined with the events of the Pugachev uprising (1773 - 1775). Pushkin gave the work the form of memoirs, or “family notes” (X), composed by Pyotr Andreevich Grinev in adulthood for his grandchildren. In Pushkin’s family chronicle, they are not interested in everyday details, but in the problem moral choice young people at critical moments in their lives. The novel gives portraits of two families: the Grinevs (including Savelich) and the Mironovs (including Palashka). The life of both families is depicted clearly with an eye on Fonvizin’s “Undergrowth”, which is emphasized by the epigraph to the third chapter - Mrs. Prostakova’s remark: “Old people, my father.” However, the sharp satire characteristic of D.I. Fonvizin when depicting “bad landowners” Pushkin’s work is softened: the life of two provincial families is depicted in connection with best traditions advanced noble XVIII culture century - by preserving one's human dignity, strictly following the laws of duty and honor.

In these heroes, Pushkin showed “the simple greatness of ordinary people” (N.V. Gogol “What, finally, is the essence of Russian poetry and what is its peculiarity” 1846): they, despite all the shortcomings that the author does not hide, live according to their conscience , in family harmony, are faithful to traditions, and therefore can stoically and even heroically overcome the most serious trials of life. A striking example of this is the rescue of Masha, in which the following take part: the priest Akulina Pamfilovna (hides the girl during the storming of the Belogorsk fortress), the lively servant Palashka (does not leave her young lady when she lives in a home prison under the rule of Shvabrin), Grinev (sets off at risk for life in the rebel camp to ask for help from Pugachev). Simple-minded, sincere, moral heroes are contrasted with Shvabrin, who in his selfish self-affirmation does not stop at either meanness (deliberately slandering Masha; in a duel he wounds Grinev at the moment when he turns away) or betrayal (goes over to the side of the rebels for selfish reasons).

Historical events - episodes of the peasant war led by E.I. Pugachev - attract the writer’s attention not in themselves (three years ago Pushkin had already written “The History of Pugachev”), but in connection with thoughts about the situation in modern Russian society, more precisely in connection with the question of the relationship between the nobility, to which Pushkin himself belonged, and the people. The social idea of ​​“The Captain's Daughter” can be formulated as follows: within the same nation, the nobility and the common people have diverged so far that their representatives have ceased to understand each other. This idea occupied Pushkin for a long time. In particular, it was reflected in the unfinished story “Dubrovsky” (1833).

The main character of this story, Vladimir Dubrovsky, in order to avenge the death of his father and his ruin, gathers a band of robbers from serfs. Dubrovsky punishes his offenders (judges, false witnesses), but in Pushkin’s story about a noble robber (works of this kind were very popular in European literature early XIX century) important place occupied by the problem of the relationship between a nobleman and his peasants. It becomes clearer in the final scene of the story: Dubrovsky, realizing that his gang will be crushed by government troops, gathers all the robbers for the last time and announces to them that he is disbanding the gang. He advises them to change their lifestyle: “You have become rich under my leadership, each of you has the appearance with which you can safely get into some remote province and spend the rest of your life there in honest labor and abundance. But you are all scammers and probably won’t want to leave your craft” (XIX). This phrase shows that Dubrovsky did not understand his peasants at all: in his opinion, they joined the gang only in order to free themselves from hard peasant work and have easy money from robbery. Pushkin, depicting the peasants, shows that their actions were driven by completely different motives. They joined the young master because they wanted to express their protest against the injustice committed by Kirila Petrovich Troekurov against the Dubrovsky landowners. Consequently, Pushkin emphasizes the misunderstanding that divides the nobleman and his peasants.

The author reveals the same idea in “The Captain's Daughter”. It is confirmed not only by the fact of the peasant war against the noble state, but also by the history of the personal relationships between the two main characters of the novel. Noble honor, the most important moral basis for Grinev, does not allow him to serve in Pugachev’s army, although Pugachev as a person evokes sincere sympathy in the young nobleman.

In the novel, Pushkin describes the most successful period of the peasant war, when Pugachev’s army tried to capture Orenburg. The work contains both historical characters (Pugachev, Catherine II, mediocre Orenburg generals, Pugachev's comrades-in-arms) and fictional characters (the Grinev family, Shvabrin, the Mironov family). For Pushkin, it was interesting to depict a critical moment in the history of Russia, in which the characters of the Russian people were most fully revealed.

Show Pugachev how historical figure- this is one of the author’s important tasks in the novel. Creating the image of a people's leader, Pushkin uses different ways images: portrait, speech, actions of the hero, comparison with Empress Catherine, complex perception by another character - Pyotr Grinev. Grinev, as befits a decent “natural nobleman” of the 18th century, contemptuously calls Pugachev a “villain” (VIII, X, XII), a “swindler” (VIII, IX), an “impostor” (VII, X), a “drunkard” (VIII ), “monster” (XII), but throughout the entire novel Pugachev behaves very generously towards the young hero. The impostor and rebel in his relationship with Grinev appears as a person who remembers goodness. Several times, when deciding what to do with Grinev, the impostor utters his favorite saying: execute like this, execute like that, favor like that, favor like that (VIII, XII) - and each time he helps the young officer. In fact, Grinev and Masha owe their happiness to Pugachev’s generous actions. Pushkin's image"peasant king" violated literary tradition when the impostor was portrayed as a "dark villain", " mad dog"," "monster of nature" (A. P. Sumarokov).

From “The Captain's Daughter” one can judge the views of Pushkin the historian on the people's war led by Pugachev. The writer recognizes the seriousness of the causes of the uprising (primarily serfdom, which drove the peasants to despair, and the unreasonable management of the Cossack regions), but calls the uprising “a Russian revolt, senseless and merciless” (XIII).

To summarize, it should be noted that the novel “The Captain's Daughter,” as always with Pushkin, is distinguished by its deep content. It is closely intertwined and equally important family and historical issues, therefore, it would be wrong to reduce its content only to a family chronicle or only to a historical narrative. In the novel historical content is an “extensive frame” (A.S. Pushkin “The Work of M.N. Zagoskin “Yuri Miloslavsky””) for a fictional family history.

The author in his socio-historical work brings to the fore images fictional characters(private people), by the will of fate, drawn into the whirlpool of historical events. It is in them that Pushkin sees true greatness: the simplicity of their lives, the sincerity of their relationships, the inviolability of moral principles make them, from the author’s point of view, positive heroes. This is how philosophical issues are posed and resolved in the novel. moral issues about the goals and meaning of human life.

The positive heroes of the novel, being whole people, do not share the social ( public service) and private (family duty, honor and relationships with people). The order of service in the Belogorsk fortress, according to Grinev’s witty observations, has signs family life: the order to arrest Grinev and Shvabrin for a failed duel is given by Vasilisa Egorovna, Palashka takes the swords to the closet; Before the assault, Captain Mironov, addressing the soldiers, says: “Well, kids, today we’ll stand up for Mother Empress” (VII). Even the image of Pugachev is presented in the work, so to speak, “at home.” If in “The History of Pugachev” Pushkin portrays the leader of the popular uprising as a historical figure, then in “The Captain’s Daughter” - as a private person who shows mercy towards young Grinev in response to his kindness (at the beginning of the novel, the noble ignorant gave the future impostor a hare sheepskin coat and called him "brother"). Pushkin contrasts the desire, perhaps even unconscious, of the “family” characters for order, harmony in their own lives and around themselves with the boundless egoism of individual characters (Shvabrin) and the cruelty of the surrounding world in general.

Historical figures (leader of the peasant war Pugachev, Empress Catherine) are included in the historical background - events in which the main characters show their characters. The depiction of historical events in the novel makes it possible for Pushkin to express his understanding of the key problems of the philosophy of history: the role of the individual in a historical event, the appropriateness of violent (revolutionary) actions in historical process, fair structure of the state, etc.

“The Captain's Daughter” is a coming-of-age novel. This is the story of the coming of age of Pyotr Grinev, who transforms from a “green” youth into a responsible man, having gone through severe life trials. He had a chance to take a direct part in the Pugachev uprising, and all his principles were thoroughly tested. He passed it, maintaining his dignity and remaining faithful to the oath. The story is told in the form of memoirs, and the hero himself sums up his life from the height of his own experience.

Many readers think that “The Captain's Daughter” is just a story, but they are mistaken: a work of such length cannot belong to short prose. But whether it’s a story or a novel is an open question.

The writer himself lived in a time when full-fledged large epic genres included only those multi-volume works that were comparable in volume to “Anna Karenina,” for example, or “The Nest of the Nobles,” so he without a doubt called his creation a story. In Soviet literary criticism this was also considered.

However, the work has all the features of a novel: the action covers a long period of time in the lives of the characters, the book contains many minor characters described in detail and not directly related to the main storyline, throughout the story characters undergoing spiritual evolution. In addition, the author shows all the stages of Grinev’s growing up, which also clearly indicates the genre. That is, we have before us a typical historical novel, since the writer, while working on it, took as a basis facts from the past and the scientific research that he undertook to understand the phenomenon of the peasant war and convey it to descendants in the form of objective knowledge.

But the mysteries don’t end there; we have to decide what kind of direction lies at the origins of the work “The Captain’s Daughter”: realism or romanticism? Pushkin's colleagues, in particular Gogol and Odoevsky, argued that his book more than any other influenced the development of realism in Russia. However, what speaks in favor of romanticism is the fact that historical material is taken as a basis, and the reader’s focus is on the controversial and tragic personality of the rebel Pugachev - exactly the same as a romantic hero. Therefore, both answers will be correct, because after the successful literary discovery of the sun of Russian poetry, Russia was swept by the fashion for prose, and realistic one at that.

History of creation

Pushkin was partly inspired to create The Captain's Daughter by Walter Scott, the master of the historical novel. His works began to be translated, and the Russian public was delighted with the adventurous plots and mysterious immersion in another era. Then the writer was just working on a chronicle of the uprising, scientific work, dedicated to the peasant revolt of Pugachev. He has accumulated a lot of useful material for implementation artistic design reveal to the reader a treasure trove of eventful Russian history.

At first, he planned to describe precisely the betrayal of a Russian nobleman, and not a moral feat. The author wanted to focus on the personality of Emelyan Pugachev, and at the same time show the motives of the officer who violated the oath and joined the riot. The prototype would be Mikhail Shvanvich, really existing person, who, out of fear for his fate, was attached to the rebel’s office, and then also testified against him. However, for censorship reasons, the book could hardly be published, so the writer had to step on the throat of his own song and depict a more patriotic plot, especially since he had enough historical examples of valor. But a negative example was suitable for creating the image of Shvabrin.

The book was published a month before the author’s death in his own magazine Sovremennik, published on behalf of Grinev. Many noted that the style of narration of that time was conveyed by the writer, so many readers were confused and did not understand who the true creator of the memoirs was. By the way, censorship still took its toll, removing from public access the chapter about the peasant revolt in the Simbirsk province, where Peter himself was from.

Meaning of the name

The work, oddly enough, is not titled in honor of Grinev or Pugachev, so you can’t immediately tell what it’s about. The novel is called "The Captain's Daughter" in honor of Maria Mirova, the main character of the book. Pushkin, thus, pays tribute to the girl’s courage, which no one expected from her. She dared to ask the Empress herself for the traitor! And she begged forgiveness for her savior.

In addition, this story is also called so because Marya was the driving force of the narrative. Out of love for her, the young man always chose a feat. Until she occupied all his thoughts, he was pathetic: he didn’t want to serve, he was losing large amounts playing cards, behaved arrogantly with the servant. As soon as a sincere feeling awakened courage, nobility and boldness in him, the reader did not recognize Petrusha: he turned from an undergrowth into a responsible and brave man, to whom patriotism and awareness of his own self came through strong emotions addressed to a woman.

Historical background

The events in the work took place during the reign of Catherine II. The historical phenomenon in the novel “The Captain's Daughter” is called “Pugachevism” (this phenomenon was studied by Pushkin). This is Emelyan Pugachev’s rebellion against tsarist power. It occurred in the 18th century. The described actions take place in the Belgorod fortress, where the rebel went, gathering strength to storm the capital.

The Peasant War of 1773 - 1775 unfolded in the southeast Russian Empire. It was attended by serfs and factory peasants, representatives of national minorities (Kyrgyz, Bashkirs) and Ural Cossacks. All of them were outraged by the predatory policies of the ruling elite and the increasing enslavement common people. People who did not agree with the fate of slaves fled to the outskirts of the country and formed armed gangs for the purpose of robbery. The fugitive “souls” were already outlaws, so there was nothing else left for them. The author reflects on their tragic fate, portraying the leader of the uprising, not devoid of virtue and commendable character traits.

But Catherine the Second demonstrates a tough temper and remarkable cruelty. The Empress, according to historians, was indeed a strong-willed person, but she did not shy away from tyranny and other delights of absolute power. Her policy strengthened the nobility, giving it all sorts of privileges, but the common people were forced to bear the burden of these benefits. The royal court lived in grand style, and not noble people starved, endured violence and humiliation of the slave position, lost, and were sold under the hammer. Naturally, social tension only grew, and Catherine did not enjoy popular love. A foreign woman was involved in a conspiracy and, with the help of the military, overthrew her husband, the legitimate ruler of Russia. Downtrodden and squeezed in the grip of injustice, the serfs believed that the murdered Peter the Third was preparing a decree for their release, and his wife killed him for this. Emelyan Pugachev, a Don Cossack, took advantage of superstition and rumors and declared himself a saved tsar. He fueled the discontent of the armed Cossacks, whose petitions were not listened to, and inspired the peasants, tortured by tyranny and corvée, to revolt.

What is the work about?

We meet Petrusha the underage, who can only “sensibly judge the properties of a greyhound dog.” All his aspirations lie in “dust-free service” in St. Petersburg. However, we see that a huge impact on young man renders the father. He teaches his son to serve the fatherland, cherish family traditions, and not attach much importance to awards. Having received such a strict upbringing, the young man goes to serve. What is told in his “tale of bitter torment” is the plot outline of the work. The fact is that we learn all this from the lips of the venerable old nobleman that Peter became.

There, far from his father's house, the hero goes through a harsh school of life: first he loses at cards and offends a faithful servant, experiencing pangs of conscience. Later, he falls in love with Maria Mironova and risks his life in a duel with Shvabrin, defending the honor of his beloved. The father, having learned about the reason for the fight, refuses to bless the marriage with the dowry. After the capture of the Belogorsk fortress, Peter remains faithful to the oath, and his nobility grants him Pugachev’s leniency: he respects the young man’s choice and does not touch him. The rebel’s decision was influenced by the kindness of the captive: once on the road he gave the Cossack a sheepskin coat and treated him very kindly. The common man appreciated the master's mercy and returned the favor. Pushkin confronts them more than once, and the nobleman is always saved by his straightforwardness and generosity.

His trials did not end there: life presented him with a choice between saving his beloved and serving, and the good name of an officer. Then the hero chooses love and disobeys the boss’s order, freeing his beloved on his own from Shvabrin’s hands. Alexey forced the girl to marry him. Pugachev again shows respect for the daredevil and releases the captive. However, the autocratic government does not forgive free will, and Grinev is arrested. Fortunately, Masha managed to beg clemency from Catherine II. This is what is said in the novel "The Captain's Daughter", which ended happy ending: Young people marry with the blessing they have received. But now the leader of the uprising is sentenced to quartering.

The main characters and their characteristics

The main characters of the novel are Pyotr Grinev, Maria Mironova, Emelyan Pugachev, Arkhip Savelyev, Alesey Shvabrin and Catherine the Second. The characters are so numerous that their description would take more than one article, so we neglect them.

1. - nobleman, officer, main character. He received a strict upbringing in the house of his father, a retired military man. He is only 16 years old, but his parents felt that he was ready for service. He is poorly educated, does not particularly strive for anything and does not in any way resemble an ideal man. Setting out on a journey, the young man bears little resemblance to a soldier: good-natured, gullible, unstable to temptations and not knowledgeable of life. He is spoiled, because at first he loses a significant amount at cards and does not understand why Savelich (his servant) reacts emotionally to this. He does not know the value of money, but he shows arrogance and rudeness towards his devoted servant. However, his innate conscientiousness does not allow him to continue to be carried away by garrison pity. Soon he seriously falls in love with the daughter of the captain of the fortress, and from that moment his growing up begins: he becomes brave, courageous and courageous. For example, in a duel with Shvabrin, the young man fought honestly and bravely, unlike his opponent. Next we see an ardent and passionate lover in his face, and after some time he is ready to risk his life for the sake of honor, refusing to swear allegiance to Pugachev. This act reveals him as a highly moral person who is firm in his convictions. Later, he will show valor more than once while fighting the enemy, but when the fate of his beloved is at stake, he will disregard caution and set out to save her. This reveals the depth of feeling in him. Even in captivity, Peter does not blame the woman and is ready to accept unfair punishment, as long as everything is fine with her. In addition, one cannot help but note the self-criticism and maturity of judgment inherent in Grinev in old age.
2. Marya Mironova– daughter of the captain of the fortress, the main character. She is 18 years old. Masha’s appearance is described in detail: “...Then a girl of about eighteen came in, chubby, ruddy, with light brown hair, smoothly combed behind her ears, which were on fire...”. In addition, it is mentioned that she has an “angelic” voice and kind heart. Her family is poor, owns only one serf, so she cannot possibly qualify for marriage with Peter (who has 300 souls). But the young charmer is distinguished by prudence, sensitivity and generosity, because she sincerely worries about the fate of her lover. Naturalness and gullibility make the heroine an easy prey for the wicked Shvabrin, who is trying to gain her favor through meanness. But Marya is careful and not stupid, so she easily recognizes the falseness and depravity in Alexei and avoids him. She is also characterized by loyalty and courage: the girl does not betray her beloved and bravely travels to an unfamiliar city to achieve an audience with the empress herself.
3. Pugachev in the novel “The Captain's Daughter” appears before readers in two guises: a brave and noble person who is able to appreciate loyalty and honor, and a cruel tyrant who carries out executions and massacres without restraint. We understand that the rebel’s message is noble; he wants to defend the rights of ordinary people. However, the way he fights lawlessness does not justify it in any way. Although we sympathize with Pugachev - decisive, brave, intelligent - his cruelty makes us doubt the correctness of his path. In the episode of the first meeting, we see a smart and cunning governor, in a dialogue with Grinev - an unhappy man who knows that he is doomed. The Kalmyk fairy tale told by Pugachev reveals his attitude towards life: he wants to live it freely, albeit fleetingly. It is impossible not to mention him personal qualities: He is a leader, first among equals. They obey him unconditionally, and this corrupts his nature. For example, the scenes of the capture of the fortress demonstrate the cruelty of Pugachev’s power; such despotism is unlikely to lead to freedom (the death of the Mironovs, the kidnapping of Masha, destruction). Idea of ​​the image: Pugachev is naturally endowed with a heightened sense of justice, intelligence and talent, but he does not pass the test of war and unlimited power: the people's choice has become as much a tyrant as the empress against whom he rebelled.
4. Catherine II. A sweet woman in a house dress turns into an unyielding ruler when she listens to a request for a state traitor. Masha Mironova, at Catherine’s reception, tries to talk about Peter’s mitigating circumstances, but the Empress does not want to hear reasonable arguments and evidence, she is only interested in her own opinion. She condemned the “traitor” without trial, which is very indicative of an autocratic government. That is, its monarchy is hardly better than Pugachevism.
5. Alexey Shvabrin- Officer. Peter and Alexey seem to be similar in their social status and age, but circumstances put them on opposite sides of the barricades. After the first test, Shvabrin, unlike Grinev, commits a moral decline, and the more rapidly the plot develops, the more obvious it is that Alexey is a vile and cowardly person who achieves everything in life by cunning and meanness. The peculiarities of his character are revealed during a love conflict: he wins Masha’s favor through hypocrisy, secretly slandering her and her family. The capture of the fortress finally puts everything in its place: he was ready for betrayal (he found a peasant dress, cut his hair), and Grinev would rather prefer death to breaking the oath. The final disappointment in him comes when the hero tries to force the girl to marry him by force and blackmail.
6. Savelich (Arkhip Savelyev)- an elderly servant. He is kind, caring and devoted to the young master. It is his resourcefulness that helps Peter avoid reprisals. Risking his life, the peasant stands up for the master and speaks with Pugachev himself. He is distinguished by thriftiness, a sober lifestyle, stubbornness and a tendency to read notations. He is distrustful, loves to grumble, argue and bargain. Knows the value of money and saves it for the owner.

Pushkin in the novel “The Captain's Daughter” gives a detailed description of the characters, giving the reader the opportunity to understand their likes and dislikes for themselves. There is no author's assessment of what is happening in the book, because one of the characters is the memoirist.

Theme of the story

• The themes of moral choice, decency, and dignity come to the fore in the work. Grinev demonstrates high moral values, and Shvabrin is their absence, and we see the influence of these circumstances on their destinies. Thus, Pushkin shows that moral superiority always gives a person an advantage, even though he disdains cunning that would lead him to his goal faster. Despite the fact that Alesey used all his resourcefulness, the victory still remained with Peter: Maria remained with him as a good name.
• Honor and dishonor. Each hero faced a choice between honor and dishonor, and everyone made it differently: Maria chose devotion over a profitable marriage (Peter’s father initially did not consent to the marriage, so she risked remaining an old maid, driving Alexei away), Grinev more than once decided in favor of moral duty, even when it came to life and death, but Shvabrin always chose benefit, shame was not scary for him. We examined this question in detail in the essay “”.
• Theme of education. The example of the main character will help you understand what a good family upbringing means, that is, what dishonest people lack, and how this affects their lives. Shvabrin's childhood passed us by, but we can say with confidence that he did not receive the most important spiritual foundations on which nobility is built.
• The main themes include love: the union of Peter and Mary is an ideal for loving hearts. Throughout the novel, the hero and heroine defended their right to life together, even against parental will. They were able to prove that they were worthy of each other: Grinev repeatedly stood up for the girl, and she saved him from execution. The theme of love is revealed with the sensitivity characteristic of Pushkin: young people vow to each other eternal devotion, even if fate never brings them together again. And they fulfill their obligations.
• Examples from “The Captain’s Daughter” will be useful for the topics “man and state”, “power and man”. They illustrate the violent nature of power, which cannot but be cruel by definition.

Main problems

• The problem of power. Pushkin discusses which government is better and why: anarchic, spontaneous Pugachevism or Catherine’s monarchy? It is obvious that the peasants preferred the first to the second, risking own life. The nobles, on the contrary, defended the order that was convenient for them. Social contradictions divided united people into two opposing camps, and each, it turns out, has its own truth and its own charter. Historical issues also include questions about the justice of the rebellion, the moral assessment of its leader, the legality of the empress’s actions, etc.
• The problem of man and history. What role do they play? historical events in a person's destiny? Obviously, the rebellion put Peter in a difficult position: he was forced to test his character to the limit. Surrounded by enemies, he did not change his convictions and risked openly not taking their side. He was threatened with certain death, but he chose honor over life, and retained both. Pugachevism is dark side stories with the help of which Pushkin shaded the fate of the characters. Even the title of the novel “The Captain's Daughter” speaks about this: the author named it after a fictional heroine, and not Pugachev or Catherine.
• The problem of growing up and raising a person. What must a person go through to become an adult? Thanks to Pugachev's rebellion, the young man matured early and became a real warrior, but the price of such an evolution can be called too expensive.
• The problem of moral choice. The work has antagonistic heroes Shvabrin and Grinev, who behave differently. One chooses betrayal for his own good, the other puts honor above personal interests. Why are their behavior so different? What influenced their moral development? The author comes to the conclusion that the problem of immorality can only be solved individually: if morality is respected in a family, then all its representatives will follow duty, and if not, then the person will not stand the test and will only grovel and cheat, and not take care of honor.
• The problem of honor and duty. The hero sees his destiny in serving the empress, but in reality it turns out that she is not worth much in the eyes of Catherine. And the duty, if you look at it, is very doubtful: while the people were rebelling against tyranny, the army helped to suppress it, and the question of the honor of participating in this violent act is very doubtful.
• One of the main problems of the work “The Captain's Daughter” is social inequality. It was this that stood between the citizens of one country and directed them at each other. Pugachev rebelled against him and, seeing Grinev’s friendly gesture, spared him: he didn’t hate the nobles, but their arrogance towards the people who fed the entire state.

The meaning of the work

Any power is hostile towards to the common man, be it the imperial crown or military leaders. It always involves the suppression of personality and a harsh regime that is contrary to human nature. “God forbid we see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless,” sums up Pushkin. This is the main idea of ​​the work. Therefore, serving the fatherland and the tsar are not the same thing. Grinev honestly fulfilled his duty, but he could not leave his beloved in the hands of a scoundrel, and his essentially heroic actions were regarded by the empress as betrayal. If Peter had not done this, he would have already been served, become a weak-willed slave of a system to which human life is alien. Therefore, mere mortals, who are not given the opportunity to change the course of history, must maneuver between orders and their moral principles, otherwise a mistake will be too costly.

Beliefs determine a person’s actions: Grinev was raised as a decent nobleman and behaved accordingly, but Shvabrin did not pass the test, he life values limited to the desire to remain a winner at any cost. This is also Pushkin’s idea - to show how to preserve honor if temptations are frolicking on all sides. According to the author, it is necessary to instill in boys and girls from childhood an understanding of morality and true nobility, expressed not in the panache of a dress, but in worthy behavior.

A person’s growing up is inevitably associated with trials that determine his moral maturity. There is no need to be afraid of them; they must be overcome with courage and dignity. This is also the main idea of ​​the novel “The Captain's Daughter”. If Peter had remained an “expert in greyhound cables” and an official in St. Petersburg, then his life would have turned out ordinary and, most likely, he would never have understood anything about it. But the adventures that his stern father pushed him on quickly raised the young man into a man who understood military affairs, love and the people around him.

What does it teach?

The novel has a pronounced edifying tone. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin calls on people to take care of their honor from a young age and not to succumb to temptations to turn from an honest path onto a crooked path. A minute advantage is not worth the loss of a good name, this statement is illustrated love triangle, where the main character chooses the worthy and virtuous Peter, rather than the cunning and inventive Alexei. One sin inevitably leads to another, and a series of falls ends in complete collapse.

Also in “The Captain's Daughter” there is a message to love faithfully and not give up on your dreams, no matter what happens. Marya is without a dowry, and any marriage proposal should have been a great success in her case. However, she rejects Alexei over and over again, although she risks being left with nothing. Peter was denied an engagement, and he would hardly have gone against his parents' blessing. But the girl rejected all rational arguments and remained faithful to Grinev, even when there was no reason for hope. Her lover was the same. For their constancy, both heroes were rewarded by fate.

Criticism

V. F. Odoevsky in a letter to Pushkin expressed his admiration for the story, he especially liked Savelich and Pugachev - they were “masterfully drawn.” However, he considered the image of Shvabrin unviable: he was not passionate and stupid enough to take the side of the rebels and believe in their success. In addition, he demanded marriage from the girl, although he could have used her at any moment, since she was only a captive: “Masha has been in his power for so long, but he does not take advantage of these minutes.”

P. A. Katerinin calls the historical novel “natural, alluring and intelligent,” noting its similarities with “Eugene Onegin.”

V. A. Sollogub highly valued the restraint and logic of the narrative, rejoicing that Pushkin “overcame himself” and did not indulge in lengthy descriptions and “impulses.” He spoke about the style of the work as follows: “calmly distributed all parts of his story in due proportion, established his style with the dignity, calm and laconicism of history and conveyed the historical episode in a simple but harmonious language.” The critic believes that the writer has never been so elevated in the value of his books.

N.V. Gogol said that “The Captain’s Daughter” is much better than anything that was previously published in the world of prose. He said that reality itself seems like a caricature compared to what the writer depicted.

V. G. Belinsky was more restrained in his praise and singled out only minor characters, whose description is “a miracle of perfection.” The main characters did not make any impression on him: “The insignificant, colorless character of the hero of the story and his beloved Marya Ivanovna and the melodramatic character of Shvabrin, although they belong to the sharp shortcomings of the story, do not prevent it from being one of the remarkable works of Russian literature.” P.I. Tchaikovsky also spoke out about the spinelessness of Masha Mironova, who refused to write an opera based on this novel.

A. M. Skabichevsky also analyzed the work, speaking about the book with unwavering respect: “... you see historical impartiality, the complete absence of any patriotic praise and sober realism ... in Pushkin’s “The Captain's Daughter.” He, unlike Bellinsky, praised the image of the main character and noted his exceptional truthfulness and typical features for the depicted era.

Conflicting characteristics were given by critic N.N. Strakhov and historian V.O. Klyuchevsky. The first criticized Pushkin for the fact that his historical story has nothing to do with history, but is a chronicle of the fictional Grinev family. The second, on the contrary, spoke about the exceptional historicism of the book and that even in the author’s research less is said about Pugachevism than in a historical work.

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« Captain's daughter" - one of the first and most famous works Russian historical prose, a story by A. S. Pushkin, dedicated to the events of the Peasant War of 1773-1775 under the leadership of Emelyan Pugachev.

It was first published in 1836 in the Sovremennik magazine without the author’s signature. At the same time, the chapter on the peasant revolt in the village of Grineva remained unpublished, which was explained by censorship considerations.

The plot of the story echoes the first historical novel in Europe, “Waverley, or Sixty Years Ago,” which was published without attribution in 1814 and was soon translated into the main languages ​​of Europe. Some episodes go back to the novel “Yuri Miloslavsky” (1829) by M. N. Zagoskin.

The story is based on the notes of the fifty-year-old nobleman Pyotr Andreevich Grinev, written by him during the reign of Emperor Alexander and dedicated to the “Pugachevism,” in which the seventeen-year-old officer Pyotr Grinev, due to a “strange combination of circumstances,” took an involuntary part.

Pyotr Andreevich recalls his childhood, the childhood of a noble undergrowth, with slight irony. His father Andrei Petrovich Grinev in his youth “served under Count Minich and retired as prime minister in 17.... Since then he lived in his Simbirsk village, where he married the girl Avdotya Vasilievna Yu., the daughter of a poor nobleman there.” There were nine children in the Grinev family, but all of Petrusha’s brothers and sisters “died in infancy.” “Mother was still pregnant with me,” recalls Grinev, “as I was already enrolled in the Semyonovsky regiment as a sergeant.” From the age of five, Petrusha is looked after by the stirrup Savelich, who was granted him the title of uncle “for his sober behavior.” “Under his supervision, in my twelfth year, I learned Russian literacy and could very sensibly judge the properties of a greyhound dog.” Then a teacher appeared - the Frenchman Beaupré, who did not understand “the meaning of this word,” since in his homeland he was a hairdresser, and in Prussia he was a soldier. Young Grinev and the Frenchman Beaupre quickly got along, and although Beaupre was contractually obligated to teach Petrusha “French, German and all sciences,” he soon preferred to learn from his student “to chat in Russian.” Grinev's education ends with the expulsion of Beaupre, who was convicted of dissipation, drunkenness and neglect of the duties of a teacher.

Until the age of sixteen, Grinev lives “as a minor, chasing pigeons and playing leapfrog with the yard boys.” In his seventeenth year, the father decides to send his son to serve, but not to St. Petersburg, but to the army to “sniff gunpowder” and “pull the strap.” He sends him to Orenburg, instructing him to serve faithfully “to whom you swear allegiance,” and to remember the proverb: “Take care of your dress again, but take care of your honor from a young age.” All the “bright hopes” of young Grinev for have a fun life in St. Petersburg collapsed, ahead awaited “boredom in the deaf and distant side.”

Approaching Orenburg, Grinev and Savelich fell into a snowstorm. A random person met on the road leads the wagon, lost in the snowstorm, to the sweeper. While the wagon was “quietly moving” towards housing, Pyotr Andreevich had a terrible dream in which fifty-year-old Grinev saw something prophetic, connecting it with the “strange circumstances” of his future life. A man with a black beard lies in Father Grinev’s bed, and his mother, calling him Andrei Petrovich and “the imprisoned father,” wants Petrusha to “kiss his hand” and ask for a blessing. A man swings an ax, the room fills with dead bodies; Grinev stumbles over them, slips in bloody puddles, but his “scary man” “kindly calls out,” saying: “Don’t be afraid, come under my blessing.”

In gratitude for the rescue, Grinev gives the “counselor,” who is dressed too lightly, his hare sheepskin coat and brings him a glass of wine, for which he thanks him with a low bow: “Thank you, your honor! May the Lord reward you for your virtue.” The appearance of the “counselor” seemed “remarkable” to Grinev: “He was about forty years old, average height, thin and broad-shouldered. His black beard showed some gray; the lively big eyes kept darting around. His face had a rather pleasant, but roguish expression.”

The Belogorsk fortress, where Grinev was sent from Orenburg to serve, greets the young man not with formidable bastions, towers and ramparts, but turns out to be a village surrounded by a wooden fence. Instead of a brave garrison there are disabled people who do not know where the left and where the right side is, instead of deadly artillery there is an old cannon filled with garbage.

The commandant of the fortress, Ivan Kuzmich Mironov, is an officer “from soldiers’ children”, an uneducated man, but honest and kind. His wife, Vasilisa Egorovna, completely manages it and looks at the affairs of the service as her own. Soon Grinev becomes “native” for the Mironovs, and he himself “imperceptibly […] became attached to a good family.” In the Mironovs’ daughter Masha, Grinev “found a prudent and sensitive girl.”

Service does not burden Grinev; he is interested in reading books, practicing translations and writing poetry. At first, he becomes close to Lieutenant Shvabrin, the only person in the fortress close to Grinev in education, age and occupation. But soon they quarrel - Shvabrin mockingly criticized the love “song” written by Grinev, and also allowed himself dirty hints regarding the “character and customs” of Masha Mironova, to whom this song was dedicated. Later, in a conversation with Masha, Grinev will find out the reasons for the persistent slander with which Shvabrin pursued her: the lieutenant wooed her, but was refused. “I don’t like Alexei Ivanovich. He’s very disgusting to me,” Masha admits to Grinev. The quarrel is resolved by a duel and the wounding of Grinev.

Masha takes care of the wounded Grinev. The young people confess to each other “the inclination of their hearts,” and Grinev writes a letter to the priest, “asking for parental blessing.” But Masha is homeless. The Mironovs have “only one soul, the girl Palashka,” while the Grinevs have three hundred souls of peasants. The father forbids Grinev to marry and promises to transfer him from the Belogorsk fortress “somewhere far away” so that the “nonsense” will go away.

After this letter, life became unbearable for Grinev, he fell into gloomy reverie and sought solitude. “I was afraid of either going crazy or falling into debauchery.” And only “unexpected incidents,” writes Grinev, “which had an important influence on my whole life, suddenly gave my soul a strong and beneficial shock.”

At the beginning of October 1773, the commandant of the fortress received a secret message about the Don Cossack Emelyan Pugachev, who, posing as “the late Emperor Peter III,” “gathered a villainous gang, caused outrage in the Yaik villages and had already taken and destroyed several fortresses.” The commandant was asked to “take appropriate measures to repel the aforementioned villain and impostor.”

Soon everyone was talking about Pugachev. A Bashkir with “outrageous sheets” was captured in the fortress. But it was not possible to interrogate him - the Bashkir’s tongue was torn out. From day to day, residents of the Belogorsk fortress expect Pugachev’s attack.

The rebels appear unexpectedly - the Mironovs did not even have time to send Masha to Orenburg. At the first attack the fortress was taken. Residents greet the Pugachevites with bread and salt. The prisoners, among whom was Grinev, are led to the square to swear allegiance to Pugachev. The first to die on the gallows is the commandant, who refused to swear allegiance to the “thief and impostor.” Vasilisa Egorovna falls dead under the blow of a saber. Death on the gallows also awaits Grinev, but Pugachev has mercy on him. A little later, from Savelich, Grinev learns the “reason for mercy” - the chieftain of the robbers turned out to be the tramp who received from him, Grinev, a hare sheepskin coat.

In the evening, Grinev is invited to the “great sovereign.” “I have pardoned you for your virtue,” Pugachev says to Grinev, “[...] Do you promise to serve me with zeal?” But Grinev is a “natural nobleman” and “sworn allegiance to the Empress.” He cannot even promise Pugachev not to serve against him. “My head is in your power,” he says to Pugachev, “if you let me go, thank you, if you execute me, God will be your judge.”

Grinev’s sincerity amazes Pugachev, and he releases the officer “on all four sides.” Grinev decides to go to Orenburg for help - after all, Masha remained in the fortress in a severe fever, whom the priest passed off as her niece. He is especially concerned that Shvabrin, who swore allegiance to Pugachev, was appointed commandant of the fortress.

But in Orenburg, Grinev was denied help, and a few days later rebel troops surrounded the city. Long days of siege dragged on. Soon, by chance, a letter from Masha falls into the hands of Grinev, from which he learns that Shvabrin is forcing her to marry him, threatening otherwise to hand her over to the Pugachevites. Once again Grinev turns to the military commandant for help, and again receives a refusal.

Grinev and Savelich leave for the Belogorsk fortress, but near the Berdskaya settlement they are captured by the rebels. And again, providence brings Grinev and Pugachev together, giving the officer the opportunity to fulfill his intention: having learned from Grinev the essence of the matter for which he is going to the Belogorsk fortress, Pugachev himself decides to free the orphan and punish the offender.

I. O. Miodushevsky. “Presenting a letter to Catherine II”, based on the story “The Captain’s Daughter”, 1861.

On the way to the fortress, a confidential conversation takes place between Pugachev and Grinev. Pugachev is clearly aware of his doom, expecting betrayal primarily from his comrades, he knows that he cannot expect “the mercy of the empress.” For Pugachev, like for an eagle from a Kalmyk fairy tale, which he tells Grinev with “wild inspiration”, “than to feed on carrion for three hundred years, better time drink living blood; and then what God will give!” Grinev draws a different moral conclusion from the fairy tale, which surprises Pugachev: “To live by murder and robbery means for me to peck at carrion.”

In the Belogorsk fortress, Grinev, with the help of Pugachev, frees Masha. And although the enraged Shvabrin reveals the deception to Pugachev, he is full of generosity: “To execute, to execute, to favor, to favor: this is my custom.” Grinev and Pugachev part on a “friendly” basis.

Grinev sends Masha to his parents as a bride, while he himself, out of “duty of honor,” remains in the army. The war “with bandits and savages” is “boring and petty.” Grinev’s observations are filled with bitterness: “God forbid that we see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless.”

The end of the military campaign coincides with the arrest of Grinev. Appearing before the court, he is calm in his confidence that he can justify himself, but Shvabrin slanderes him, exposing Grinev as a spy dispatched from Pugachev to Orenburg. Grinev is convicted, disgrace awaits him, exile to Siberia for eternal settlement.

Grinev is saved from shame and exile by Masha, who goes to the queen to “beg for mercy.” Walking through the garden of Tsarskoye Selo, Masha met a middle-aged lady. Everything about this lady “involuntarily attracted the heart and inspired confidence.” Having found out who Masha was, she offered her help, and Masha sincerely told the lady the whole story. The lady turned out to be an empress who pardoned Grinev in the same way as Pugachev had pardoned both Masha and Grinev.

Film adaptations

The story has been filmed many times, including abroad.

• The Captain's Daughter (film, 1928)
• The Captain's Daughter - film by Vladimir Kaplunovsky (1958, USSR)
• The Captain's Daughter - teleplay by Pavel Reznikov (1976, USSR)

• Volga en flames (French) Russian
• (1934, France, dir. Viktor Tourjansky) Captain's daughter(Italian)
• Russian Captain's daughter(1947, Italy, dir. Mario Camerini)
• La Tempesta
• Russian

(1958, dir. Alberto Lattuada)

The Captain's Daughter (1958, USSR, dir. Vladimir Kaplunovsky)