The image of the “little man” in Russian literature
The very concept of “little man” appears in literature before the type of hero itself takes shape. At first, this was a designation for people of the third estate, which became of interest to writers due to the democratization of literature.
In the 19th century, the image of the “little man” became one of the cross-cutting themes of literature. The concept of “little man” was introduced by V.G. Belinsky in his 1840 article “Woe from Wit.” Originally it meant a “simple” person. With the development of psychologism in Russian literature, this image becomes more complex. psychological picture and becomes the most popular character in democratic works of the second half XIX century.
Literary Encyclopedia:
"Little Man" - a number of diverse characters in Russian literature of the 19th century, united common features: low position in the social hierarchy, poverty, insecurity, which determines the characteristics of their psychology and the plot role - victims social injustice and the soulless state mechanism, often personified in the image of “ significant person" They are characterized by fear of life, humility, meekness, which, however, can be combined with a feeling of injustice of the existing order of things, with wounded pride and even a short-term rebellious impulse, which, as a rule, does not lead to a change in the current situation. The type of “little man” discovered by A. S. Pushkin (“ Bronze Horseman», « Stationmaster") and N.V. Gogol (“The Overcoat”, “Notes of a Madman”), creatively, and sometimes polemically in relation to tradition, rethought F. M. Dostoevsky (Makar Devushkin, Golyadkin, Marmeladov), A. N. Ostrovsky (Balzaminov, Kuligin), A. P. Chekhov (Chervyakov from “The Death of an Official”, the hero of “Thick and Thin”), M. A. Bulgakov (Korotkov from “The Diaboliad”), M. M. Zoshchenko and other Russian writers 19-20 centuries
« Small man“- a type of hero in literature, most often this is a poor, inconspicuous official occupying a small position, whose fate is tragic.
The theme of the “little man” is a “cross-cutting theme” of Russian literature. The appearance of this image is due to the Russian career ladder in fourteen steps, at the bottom of which petty officials, poorly educated, often single or burdened with families, worthy of human understanding, worked and suffered from poverty, lack of rights and insults, each with their own misfortune.
Little people are not rich, invisible, their fate is tragic, they are defenseless.
Pushkin "Station Warden". Samson Vyrin.
Hard worker. Weak person. He loses his daughter and is taken away by the rich hussar Minsky. Social conflict. Humiliated. Can't stand up for himself. Got drunk. Samson was lost in life.
One of the first to put forward the democratic theme of the “little man” in literature was Pushkin. In “Belkin’s Tales,” completed in 1830, the writer paints not only pictures of the life of the nobility (“The Young Lady-Peasant”), but also draws the readers’ attention to the fate of the “little man.”
The fate of the “little man” is shown here realistically for the first time, without sentimental tearfulness, without romantic exaggeration, shown as a result of certain historical conditions, the injustice of social relations.
The plot of “The Station Agent” itself conveys a typical social conflict, a broad generalization of reality is expressed, revealed in an individual case tragic fate ordinary man Samson Vyrin.
There is a small post station somewhere at the crossroads of roads. Here live 14th grade official Samson Vyrin and his daughter Dunya - the only joy that brightens hard life caretaker, full of shouts and curses from passing people. But the hero of the story, Samson Vyrin, is quite happy and calm, he has long adapted to the conditions of service, his beautiful daughter Dunya helps him run a simple household. He dreams of simple human happiness, hoping to babysit his grandchildren and spend his old age with his family. But fate is preparing a difficult test for him. A passing hussar, Minsky, takes Dunya away without thinking about the consequences of his action.
The worst thing is that Dunya left with the hussar of her own free will. Having crossed the threshold of a new, rich life, she abandoned her father. Samson Vyrin goes to St. Petersburg to “return the lost sheep,” but he is kicked out of Dunya’s house. Hussar" strong hand, grabbed the old man by the collar and pushed him onto the stairs." Unhappy father! How can he compete with the rich hussar! In the end, he receives several banknotes for his daughter. "Tears welled up in his eyes again, tears of indignation! He squeezed the pieces of paper into a ball, threw them to the ground, trampled them with his heel and walked ... "
Vyrin was no longer able to fight. He “thought, waved his hand and decided to retreat.” Samson, after the loss of his beloved daughter, became lost in life, drank himself to death and died in longing for his daughter, grieving over her possible pitiful fate.
About people like him, Pushkin writes at the beginning of the story: “We will, however, be fair, we will try to enter into their position and, perhaps, we will begin to judge them much more leniently.”
The truth of life, sympathy for the “little man”, insulted at every step by bosses higher in rank and position - this is what we feel when reading the story. Pushkin cares about this “little man” who lives in grief and need. The story, which so realistically depicts the “little man,” is imbued with democracy and humanity.
Pushkin "The Bronze Horseman". Eugene
Evgeniy is a “little man.” The city played a fatal role in fate. Loses his fiancée during a flood. All his dreams and hopes for happiness were lost. Lost my mind. In sick madness, the Nightmare challenges the “idol on a bronze horse”: the threat of death under the bronze hooves.
The image of Evgeniy embodies the idea of confrontation between the common man and the state.
“The poor man was not afraid for himself.” "The blood boiled." “A flame ran through my heart,” “It’s for you!” Evgeny’s protest is an instant impulse, but stronger than Samson Vyrin’s.
The image of a shining, lively, lush city is replaced in the first part of the poem by a picture of a terrible, destructive flood, expressive images of a raging element over which man has no control. Among those whose lives were destroyed by the flood is Eugene, whose peaceful concerns the author speaks of at the beginning of the first part of the poem. Evgeny is an “ordinary man” (“little” man): he has neither money nor rank, “serves somewhere” and dreams of setting up a “humble and simple shelter” for himself in order to marry the girl he loves and go through life’s journey with her.
…Our hero
Lives in Kolomna, serves somewhere,
Avoids nobles...
He does not make great plans for the future; he is satisfied with a quiet, inconspicuous life.
What was he thinking about? About,
That he was poor, that he worked hard
He had to deliver to himself
Both independence and honor;
What could God add to him?
Mind and money.
The poem does not indicate the hero’s surname or his age; nothing is said about Eugene’s past, his appearance, or character traits. Having deprived Evgeny of individual characteristics, the author turns him into an ordinary, typical person from the crowd. However, in an extreme, critical situation, Eugene seems to awaken from a dream, and throws off the guise of a “nonentity” and opposes the “brass idol”. In a state of madness, he threatens the Bronze Horseman, considering the man who built the city on this ruinous place to be the culprit of his misfortune.
Pushkin looks at his heroes from the outside. They do not stand out for their intelligence or their position in society, but they are kind and decent people, and therefore worthy of respect and sympathy.
Conflict
Pushkin for the first time in Russian literature showed all the tragedy and intractability of the conflict between the state and state interests and the interests of the private individual.
Plot-wise, the poem is completed, the hero died, but the central conflict remained and was conveyed to the readers, unresolved and in reality itself, the antagonism of the “upper” and “lower”, the autocratic government and the dispossessed people remained. The symbolic victory of the Bronze Horseman over Eugene is a victory of strength, but not of justice.
Gogol “The Overcoat” Akaki Akikievich Bashmachkin
"The Eternal Titular Advisor." Resignedly endures the ridicule of his colleagues, timid and lonely. Poor spiritual life. The author's irony and compassion. The image of a city that is scary for the hero. Social conflict: “little man” and the soulless representative of power “significant person”. The element of fantasy (ghost) is the motive of rebellion and retribution.
Gogol opens to the reader the world of “little people”, officials in his “Petersburg Tales”. The story “The Overcoat” is especially significant for revealing this topic; Gogol had a great influence on the further movement of Russian literature, “echoing” Dostoevsky in the works of its most diverse figures and Shchedrin to Bulgakov and Sholokhov. “We all came out of Gogol’s overcoat,” wrote Dostoevsky.
Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin - “eternal titular adviser.” He meekly endures the ridicule of his colleagues, he is timid and lonely. The senseless clerical work killed every living thought in him. His spiritual life is meager. He finds his only pleasure in copying papers. He lovingly wrote out the letters in a clean, even handwriting and completely immersed himself in his work, forgetting the insults caused to him by his colleagues, and the need, and worries about food and comfort. Even at home, he only thought that “God will send something to rewrite tomorrow.”
But the man in this downtrodden official also woke up when the goal of life appeared - a new overcoat. The development of the image is observed in the story. “He somehow became more lively, even stronger in character. Doubt and indecision naturally disappeared from his face and from his actions...” Bashmachkin does not part with his dream for a single day. He thinks about it like another person thinks about love, about family. So he orders himself a new overcoat, “...his existence has somehow become fuller...” The description of the life of Akaki Akakievich is permeated with irony, but there is also pity and sadness in it. Introducing us into the spiritual world of the hero, describing his feelings, thoughts, dreams, joys and sorrows, the author makes it clear what happiness it was for Bashmachkin to acquire an overcoat and what a disaster its loss turns into.
There was no happier person than Akaki Akakievich when the tailor brought him an overcoat. But his joy was short-lived. When he was returning home at night, he was robbed. And none of those around him takes part in his fate. In vain did Bashmachkin seek help from a “significant person.” He was even accused of rebelling against his superiors and “higher ones.” The upset Akaki Akakievich catches a cold and dies.
In the finale, a small, timid person, driven to despair by the world of the powerful, protests against this world. Dying, he “blasphemes” and utters the most terrible words that follow the words “your excellency.” It was a riot, albeit in a dying delirium.
It is not because of the overcoat that the “little man” dies. He becomes a victim of bureaucratic “inhumanity” and “ferocious rudeness,” which, as Gogol argued, lurks under the guise of “refined, educated secularism.” In that deepest meaning stories.
The theme of rebellion finds expression in fantastic image a ghost who appears on the streets of St. Petersburg after the death of Akaki Akakievich and takes off the overcoats from the offenders.
N.V. Gogol, who in his story “The Overcoat” for the first time shows the spiritual stinginess and squalor of poor people, but also draws attention to the ability of the “little man” to rebel and for this purpose introduces elements of fantasy into his work.
N.V. Gogol deepens the social conflict: the writer showed not only the life of the “little man”, but also his protest against injustice. Even if this “rebellion” is timid, almost fantastic, the hero stands for his rights, against the foundations of the existing order.
Dostoevsky “Crime and Punishment” Marmeladov
The writer himself noted: “We all came out of Gogol’s “Overcoat.”
Dostoevsky’s novel is imbued with the spirit of Gogol’s “The Overcoat” "Poor people And". This is a story about the fate of the same “little man”, crushed by grief, despair and social lack of rights. The correspondence of the poor official Makar Devushkin with Varenka, who has lost her parents and is being pursued by a pimp, reveals the deep drama of the lives of these people. Makar and Varenka are ready to endure any hardship for each other. Makar, living in extreme need, helps Varya. And Varya, having learned about Makar’s situation, comes to his aid. But the heroes of the novel are defenseless. Their rebellion is a “revolt on their knees.” Nobody can help them. Varya is taken away to certain death, and Makar is left alone with his grief. The lives of two beautiful people are broken, crippled, shattered by cruel reality.
Dostoevsky reveals the deep and strong experiences of “little people.”
It is interesting to note that Makar Devushkin reads “The Station Agent” by Pushkin and “The Overcoat” by Gogol. He is sympathetic to Samson Vyrin and hostile to Bashmachkin. Probably because he sees his future in him.
About the fate of the “little man” Semyon Semyonovich Marmeladov was told by F.M. Dostoevsky on the pages of the novel "Crime and Punishment". One after another, the writer reveals to us pictures of hopeless poverty. Dostoevsky chose the dirtiest part of strictly St. Petersburg as the location for the action. Against the backdrop of this landscape, the life of the Marmeladov family unfolds before us.
If in Chekhov the characters are humiliated and do not realize their insignificance, then in Dostoevsky the drunken retired official fully understands his uselessness and uselessness. He is a drunkard, an insignificant person from his point of view, who wants to improve, but cannot. He understands that he has doomed his family, and especially his daughter, to suffering, he worries about this, despises himself, but cannot help himself. “To pity! Why pity me!” Marmeladov suddenly screamed, standing up with his hand outstretched... “Yes! There’s nothing to pity me for! Crucify me on the cross, not pity him! But crucify him, judge, crucify him, and, having crucified him, have pity on him!”
Dostoevsky creates the image of a real fallen man: Marmelad’s annoying sweetness, clumsy florid speech - the property of a beer tribune and a jester at the same time. Awareness of his baseness (“I am a born beast”) only strengthens his bravado. He is disgusting and pathetic at the same time, this drunkard Marmeladov with his florid speech and important bureaucratic bearing.
The mental state of this petty official is much more complex and subtle than that of his literary predecessors - Pushkin's Samson Vyrin and Gogol's Bashmachkin. They do not have the power of self-analysis that Dostoevsky's hero achieved. Marmeladov not only suffers, but also analyzes his state of mind, he, as a doctor, makes a merciless diagnosis of the disease - degradation of his own personality. This is how he confesses in his first meeting with Raskolnikov: “Dear sir, poverty is not a vice, it is the truth. But...poverty is a vice - p. In poverty you still retain all the nobility of your innate feelings, but in poverty no one ever does... for in poverty I am the first to be ready to insult myself.”
A person not only dies from poverty, but understands how spiritually he is becoming empty: he begins to despise himself, but does not see anything around him to cling to that would keep him from the disintegration of his personality. The ending of Marmeladov's life is tragic: on the street he was run over by a dandy gentleman's carriage drawn by a pair of horses. Throwing himself at their feet, this man himself found the outcome of his life.
Under the writer's pen, Marmeladov becomes a tragic figure. Marmeladov’s cry - “after all, it is necessary that every person can go somewhere at least” - expresses the final degree of despair of a dehumanized person and reflects the essence of his life drama: there is nowhere to go and no one to go to.
In the novel, Raskolnikov has compassion for Marmeladov. The meeting with Marmeladov in the tavern, his feverish, delirious confession gave the main character of the novel, Raskolnikov, one of the last proofs of the correctness of the “Napoleonic idea.” But not only Raskolnikov has compassion for Marmeladov. “They have already felt sorry for me more than once,” Marmeladov says to Raskolnikov. The good general Ivan Afanasyevich took pity on him and accepted him into service again. But Marmeladov could not stand the test, started drinking again, drank away his entire salary, drank it all away and in return received a tattered tailcoat with a single button. Marmeladov in his behavior reached the point of losing his last human qualities. He is already so humiliated that he does not feel like a human being, but only dreams of being a human among people. Sonya Marmeladova understands this and forgives her father, who is able to help her neighbor and sympathize with someone who so needs compassion
Dostoevsky makes us feel sorry for those unworthy of pity, to feel compassion for those unworthy of compassion. “Compassion is the most important and, perhaps, the only law of human existence,” Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky believed.
Chekhov "Death of an Official", "Thick and Thin"
Later, Chekhov would draw a unique conclusion to the development of the theme; he doubted the virtues traditionally sung by Russian literature - the high moral virtues of the “little man” - a petty official. Voluntary groveling, self-abasement of the “little man” - this is the turn of the theme proposed by A.P. Chekhov. If Chekhov “exposed” something in people, then, first of all, their ability and willingness to be “small.” A person should not, does not dare, make himself “small” - this is Chekhov’s main idea in his interpretation of the theme of the “little man.” Summarizing all that has been said, we can conclude that the theme of the “little man” reveals the most important qualities of Russian literature XIX century - democracy and humanism.
Over time, the “little man,” deprived of his own dignity, “humiliated and insulted,” arouses not only compassion but also condemnation among progressive writers. “You live a boring life, gentlemen,” Chekhov said through his work to the “little man” who had come to terms with his situation. With subtle humor, the writer ridicules the death of Ivan Chervyakov, from whose lips the lackey “Yourness” has never left his lips.
In the same year as “The Death of an Official,” the story “Thick and Thin” appears. Chekhov again speaks out against philistinism, against servility. The collegiate servant Porfiry giggles, “like a Chinese,” bowing obsequiously, upon meeting his ex-friend who has a high rank. The feeling of friendship that connected these two people has been forgotten.
Kuprin “Garnet Bracelet”. Zheltkov
In A.I. Kuprin’s “Garnet Bracelet” Zheltkov is a “little man”. Once again the hero belongs to the lower class. But he loves, and he loves in a way that many in high society are not capable of. Zheltkov fell in love with the girl and all his later life he loved only her alone. He understood that love is a sublime feeling, it is a chance given to him by fate, and it should not be missed. His love is his life, his hope. Zheltkov commits suicide. But after the death of the hero, the woman realizes that no one loved her as much as he did. Kuprin's hero is a man of an extraordinary soul, capable of self-sacrifice, able to truly love, and such a gift is rare. Therefore, the “little man” Zheltkov appears as a figure towering above those around him.
Thus, the theme of the “little man” underwent significant changes in the work of writers. Drawing images of “little people”, writers usually emphasized their weak protest, downtroddenness, which subsequently leads the “little man” to degradation. But each of these heroes has something in life that helps him endure existence: Samson Vyrin has a daughter, the joy of life, Akaky Akakievich has an overcoat, Makar Devushkin and Varenka have their love and care for each other. Having lost this goal, they die, unable to survive the loss.
In conclusion, I would like to say that a person should not be small. In one of his letters to his sister, Chekhov exclaimed: “My God, how rich Russia is in good people!”
In XX century, the theme was developed in the images of the heroes I. Bunin, A. Kuprin, M. Gorky and even at the end XX century, you can find its reflection in the works of V. Shukshin, V. Rasputin and other writers.
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………………….4
Main part…………………………………………………………………………………………4
Chapter 1. “Little Man” Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin……………………………………..4
Chapter 2. "Little Man" in the works "The Station Agent", "The Bronze Horseman", " Captain's daughter"……………………………………………………………..4
Chapter 3. . "Death of an Official" "Man in a Case." "The triumph of the winner."
"Chameleon". "Thick and thin"…………………………………………………………………………………6
Chapter 4. . "Poor people." "Crime and Punishment". ……………………..7
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7
Conclusions…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….7
Used literature…………………………………………………………………………………...8
Applications……………………………………………………………………………………………………………9
Hypothesis: Man - does that sound proud?
Target: Identify the features of the depiction of this type of heroes in literature and understand the reasons for the appearance of such people in society
Objectives: read works of Russian literature of the 19th century: the story "The Overcoat", the story "The Station Warden", "The Bronze Horseman", "The Captain's Daughter"; study critical literature on the story; familiarize yourself with Internet resources on this issue.
Methodology:
1. At the stage of determining the needs of students, the following methods will be effective:
A) studying a student questionnaire that determines the level of their knowledge on the topic;
B) the use of an analytical table that reveals the degree of understanding of the essence of the proposed study.
This stage is extremely important, as it allows the teacher to adjust the work on the project, and the students to assess their own abilities and relate them to the objectives of the project.
2. During the students’ work on the project, it is possible to use a wide variety of methods:
a) drawing up a map plan for the upcoming work, which will allow students to feel
responsibility for one’s own learning, as well as to introduce assessment criteria for each stage of work;
b) “brainstorming” - in order to concentrate ideas about the upcoming work;
c) informal observations of the teacher, which will support the adjustment of the study and provide grounds for objective assessment;
d) feedback from peers, helping the student evaluate the quality of his work and relate it to the needs of the general study in the group;
e) self-assessment and reflection, giving the student the opportunity to evaluate his own work and think about methods for improving it;
e) implementation reports key stages project, presented in the form of rough sketches, plans, diagrams, informal questionnaires in which students express their thoughts about the progress of the research. These methods will allow the teacher and students to constantly evaluate the progress of work on the project and will contribute to the development of high-level thinking skills.
3. After completing the project, it is expected to evaluate the following final works of students:
a) reports - presentations on the research conducted;
b) speeches at the final student conference;
V) creative works in the form of essays and wiki articles;
d) dramatization of fragments of Gogol’s comedy “The Inspector General”
e) student portfolio with research materials.
When assessing at each stage of work on the project, the depth and completeness of the research, the use of various educational resources, a creative approach, the ability to connect the problem with other areas of science and see the prospects for its development will be taken into account.
What do I know: The spiritual world of the “little man” is meager and uninteresting.
What else needs to be found: to reveal the true face, the spiritual potential of the “little man” using the example of the image of Bashmachkin from Gogol’s story “The Overcoat”, Samson Vyrin from the story “The Station Agent” and heroes of other works.
Introduction
The definition of "little man" applies to the category literary heroes era of realism, usually occupying a rather low place in the social hierarchy: a minor official, a tradesman or even a poor nobleman. The image of the “little man” turned out to be all the more relevant the more democratic literature became. The very concept of “little man” was most likely introduced into use by Belinsky (1840 article “Woe from Wit”). The theme of the “little man” is raised by many writers. It has always been relevant because its task is to reflect the life of an ordinary person with all its experiences, problems, troubles and little joys. The writer takes on the hard work of showing and explaining life ordinary people. “The little man is a representative of the entire people. And each writer represents him in his own way.
The project is dedicated to a cross-cutting theme in Russian literature - the evolution of the image of the "little man". This topic is quite capacious; it reflected many literary and social processes that took place in Russia throughout the 19th century. The works contain rich material for the development of this topic, for the development of analytical abilities, thinking, and general intelligence of students. The project method will allow us to consider this topic comprehensively, in integration with psychology, sociology, and the realities of the modern world.
Main part
Chapter 1. “Little Man” Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin
It often happens in life that cruel and heartless people who humiliate and insult the dignity of other people often look more pathetic and insignificant than their victims. The same impression of spiritual meagerness and fragility from the offenders of the petty official Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin remains with us after reading Gogol’s story “The Overcoat”. Akaki Akakievich is a real “little man”. Why? Firstly, he stands on one of the lowest steps of the hierarchical ladder. His place in society is not noticeable at all. Secondly, the world of his spiritual life and human interests is extremely narrowed, impoverished, and limited. Gogol himself characterized his hero as poor, mediocre, insignificant and unnoticed. In life, he was assigned an insignificant role as a copyist of documents for one of the departments. Brought up in an atmosphere of unquestioning submission and execution of orders from his superiors, Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin was not used to reflecting on the content and meaning of his work. Therefore, when he is offered tasks that require the manifestation of elementary intelligence, he begins to worry, worry, and ultimately comes to the conclusion: “No, it’s better to let me rewrite something.” Bashmachkin's spiritual life is also limited. Collecting money for a new overcoat becomes for him the meaning of his whole life, filling it with happiness in anticipation of the fulfillment of his cherished desire. The theft of a new overcoat, acquired through such hardships and suffering, becomes truly a disaster for him. Those around him laughed at his misfortune, and no one helped him. The “significant person” shouted at him so much that poor Akaki Akakievich lost consciousness. Almost no one noticed his death. Despite the uniqueness of the image created by the writer, he, Bashmachkin, does not look lonely in the minds of readers, and we imagine that there were a great many of the same humiliated people who shared the lot of Akaki Akakievich. Gogol was the first to talk about the tragedy of the “little man,” respect for whom depended not on his spiritual qualities, not on education and intelligence, but on his position in society. The writer compassionately showed the injustice and oppressiveness of society in relation to the “little man” and for the first time called on this society to pay attention to the inconspicuous, pitiful and funny people, as it seemed at first glance. It’s not their fault that they are not very smart, and sometimes not smart at all. But they don’t harm anyone, and this is very important. So why then laugh at them? Maybe you can't treat them with more respect, but you can't offend them. They, like everyone else, have the right to decent life, the opportunity to feel like full-fledged people.
Chapter 2. “Little Man" in works"The Station Agent", "The Bronze Horseman", "The Captain's Daughter"
The greatest poet of the 19th century also did not leave the theme of the “little man” unnoticed, only he turned his gaze not to the image of the kneeling man, but to the fate of the unfortunate man, showing us his pure soul, unspoiled by wealth and prosperity, who knows how to rejoice, love, and suffer. This is the story "The Station Agent", part of the cycle of "Belkin's Tales". Pushkin sympathizes with his hero. Initially, his life is not easy. “Who hasn’t cursed the stationmasters, who hasn’t scolded them? Who, in a moment of anger, hasn’t demanded from them a fatal book in order to write into it their useless complaint about oppression, rudeness and malfunction? Who doesn’t consider them monsters of the human race, equal to the deceased clerks, or at least the Murom robbers? Let us, however, be fair, try to enter into their position and, perhaps, begin to judge them much more leniently. What is a stationmaster? A real martyr of the fourteenth class, protected by his rank only from beatings. not always... There is peace, neither day nor night. him as an enemy; it would be good if he could get rid of him soon. uninvited guest; but what if the horses don't happen? God! what curses, what threats will rain down on his head! In the rain and slush, he is forced to run around the yards; in a storm, in the Epiphany frost, he goes into the hallway, just to rest for a minute from the screams and pushes of an irritated guest... Let's look into all this thoroughly, and instead of indignation, our hearts will be filled with sincere compassion." This is Pushkin's text, but behind it we hear Radishchev's voices and Karamzin. But the hero of the story - Samson Vyrin - is quite happy and calm, he has long adapted to the conditions of service, his beautiful daughter Dunya helps him run a simple household, he dreams of simple human happiness, hoping to take care of his grandchildren, to spend his old age with his family. is preparing a difficult test for him. The passing hussar Minsky takes Dunya away, without thinking about the consequences of his action. The unfortunate father hopes to return his daughter, but how can he compete with the rich hussar? unsuccessful attempt to return his daughter, when the hussar “grabbed the old man by the collar with a strong hand and pushed him onto the stairs,” Vyrin was no longer able to fight. He “thought, waved his hand and decided to retreat.” Samson died in longing for his daughter, grieving over her possible deplorable fate. Evgeny, the hero of The Bronze Horseman, looks like Samson Vyrin.
…Our hero
Lives in Kolomna, serves somewhere,
Avoids nobles...
He does not make great plans for the future; he is satisfied with a quiet, inconspicuous life.
What was he thinking about? About,
That he was poor, that he worked hard
He had to deliver to himself
Both independence and honor;
What could God add to him?
Mind and money.
He also hopes for his personal, albeit small, but much-needed family happiness.
Marry? To me? Why not?
It's hard, of course.
But well, I'm young and healthy
Ready to work day and night;
I’ll arrange something for myself
Shelter humble and simple
And in it I will calm Parasha.
Perhaps a couple of weeks will pass -
I’ll get a place, Parashe
I will entrust our family
And raising children.
And we will live, and so on until the grave
We'll both get there hand in hand
And our grandchildren will bury us.
But all his dreams are in vain, because evil rock bursts into his life: the elements destroy his beloved. Evgeniy cannot resist fate; he quietly experiences his loss. And only in a state of madness does he threaten the Bronze Horseman, considering the man who built the city on this ruined place to be the culprit of his misfortune. Pushkin looks at his heroes from the outside. They do not stand out for their intelligence or their position in society, but they are kind and decent people, and therefore worthy of respect and sympathy. In the novel "The Captain's Daughter" the category of "little people" includes Pyotr Andreevich Grinev and Captain Mironov. They are distinguished by the same qualities: kindness, justice, decency, the ability to love and respect people. But they have one more thing good quality- stay true to your word. Pushkin included the saying in the epigraph: “Take care of your honor from a young age.” They saved their honor. And just as dear as the heroes of his previously mentioned works.
Chapter 3.. "Death of an Official" "Man in a Case." "The triumph of the winner." "Chameleon". "Thick and thin".
“Little Man” is constantly found on the pages of works. This is the main character of his work. Chekhov's attitude towards such people is especially evident in his satirical stories. And this attitude is unambiguous. In the story “The Death of an Official,” the “little man” Ivan Dmitrievich Chervyakov constantly and obsessively apologizes to General Brizzhalov for accidentally spraying him when he sneezed. “I sprayed him!” thought Chervyakov. “Not my boss, a stranger, but still awkward. I need to apologize.” Keyword in this thought - “boss”. Chervyakov probably wouldn’t endlessly apologize to an ordinary person. Ivan Dmitrievich has a fear of his superiors, and this fear turns into flattery and deprives him of self-respect. A person has already reached the point where he allows himself to be trampled into the dirt; moreover, he himself helps to do this. We must give the general his due; he treats our hero very politely. But the common man was not accustomed to such treatment. thinks that he was ignored and comes to ask for forgiveness several days in a row. Brizzhalov gets fed up with this and finally yells at Chervyakov. “Get out!” the general, suddenly blue and shaking, barked.
“What, sir?” Chervyakov asked in a whisper, dying of horror.
-Go away!! - the general repeated, stamping his feet.
Something came off in Chervyakov’s stomach. Seeing nothing, hearing nothing, he backed away to the door, went out into the street and trudged... Arriving automatically home, without taking off his uniform, he lay down on the sofa and... died." This is what fear of higher ranks, eternal admiration and humiliation before them leads to. To more fully reveal the image of his hero, Chekhov used a “speaking” surname. Yes, Ivan Dmitrievich is small, pitiful, like a worm, he can be crushed without effort, and most importantly, he is just as unpleasant.
In the story “The Triumph of the Winner,” Chekhov presents us with a story in which a father and son humiliate themselves before their boss so that the son can get a position.
“The boss was telling the story and, apparently, wanted to seem witty. I don’t know if he said anything funny, but I just remember that my dad pushed me in the side every minute and said:
-Laugh!...
... - Yes, yes! - Dad whispered. - Well done! He looks at you and laughs... This is good; Maybe he’ll actually give you a job as an assistant clerk!”
And again we are faced with admiration for superiors. And again this is self-deprecation and flattery. People are ready to please the boss to achieve their insignificant goal. It doesn’t even occur to them to remember that there is simple human dignity that cannot be lost under any circumstances. I wanted all people to be beautiful and free. “Everything in a person should be beautiful: face, clothes, soul, and thoughts.” Anton Pavlovich thought so, therefore, ridiculing primitive man in his stories, he called for self-improvement. Chekhov hated self-humiliation, eternal servility and admiration for officials. Gorky said about Chekhov: “His enemy was vulgarity, and he fought against it all his life.” Yes, he fought against it with his works, he bequeathed to us to “squeeze the slave out of ourselves drop by drop.” Perhaps such a vile lifestyle of his “little people”, their low thoughts and misbehavior- the result of not only personal character traits, but also their social status and the order of the existing political system. After all, Chervyakov would not have apologized so zealously and lived in eternal fear of officials if he had not been afraid of the consequences. The characters in the stories “Chameleon”, “Thick and Thin”, “Man in a Case” and many others have the same unpleasant character traits. Anton Pavlovich believed that a person should have a goal, the fulfillment of which he will strive, and if there is none or it is completely small and insignificant, then the person becomes just as small and insignificant. A person must work and love - these are the two things that play main role in the life of any person: small and not small.
Chapter 4. . "Poor people." "Crime and Punishment".
If Chekhov’s characters are humiliated and do not realize their insignificance, then Dostoevsky’s “little man” fully understands his uselessness, uselessness.
In the novel "Poor People" we're talking about about "little people". Makar Devushkin and Varvara Alekseevna also belong to the lower class of society. They want to live well, work, hope for their happiness. Makar Devushkin loves Varenka very much, he is like a father to her: he buys her what she dreams of, although she does not ask him for it, and he himself remains virtually without food, becomes a debtor to the owner of the house in which he lives. Varenka, having learned about Makar Devushkin’s misfortune, tries to help him: she sends him money so that he can pay the hostess and buy something for himself. It should be noted that she gives away far from extra money earned by her painstaking work. Pity and kindness are characteristic of this gentle girl and her friend, Makar Devushkin, who once saved her from an evil relative. Mutual assistance is very important here, because this is the only thing these people can hope for. The author with his works wanted to point out the problems of the disadvantaged. They are forced to live in dark, dirty, nasty and smelly areas of the city. And what did many of them do to deserve this? What did Sonya Marmeladova do to deserve this? What did Makar Devushkin and Varvara Alekseevna deserve this? This is what Dostoevsky draws attention to. His “little man” knows how to reason. He is not only “humiliated and insulted”, realizing his insignificance, he is also a philosopher who poses questions of the greatest importance to society.
Conclusion
The idea of the “little man” changed throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Each writer also had his own personal views on of this hero. But already from the second third of the 20th century, this image disappears from the pages of literary works, because the method of socialist realism does not presuppose such a hero. In the process of studying the subject, we came to the conclusion that it was impossible to identify any system for changing the views of writers on these heroes. But you can find commonality in the views of different writers. For example, writers of the first half of the 19th century (Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol) treat the “little man” with sympathy. Griboyedov stands apart, he looks at this hero differently, which brings his views closer to the views of Chekhov and partly Ostrovsky. Here the concept of vulgarity and self-humiliation comes to the fore. In the minds of L. Tolstoy, N. Leskov, A. Kuprin, a “little man” is a talented, selfless person. Such a diversity of views of writers depends on the characteristics of their worldview and on the diversity human types that surrounds us in real life
conclusions
As a result of the work, we came to the conclusion that a person is not just a physiological and social being living among other people, but also an individual endowed with his own rich inner world, feelings, thoughts, rights. Gogol was the first to talk about the tragedy of the “little man,” respect for whom depended not on his spiritual qualities, not on education and intelligence, but on his position in society. The writer compassionately showed the injustice and despotism of society in relation to the “little man” and for the first time called on this society to pay attention to people who were invisible, pitiful and funny, as it seemed at first glance. It’s not their fault that they are not very smart, and sometimes not smart at all. But they don’t harm anyone, and this is very important. So why then laugh at them? Maybe you can't treat them with more respect, but you can't offend them. They, like everyone else, have the right to a decent life, to the opportunity to feel like full-fledged people.
References.
Textbooks, teaching aids, reading books, laboratory manuals, reference material, etc.
Printed materials Dictionaries, manuals, reference materials, etc.
1. Voropaev Vasilievich Gogol. Russian writers. 19th century. – M., 2000.
2. "Overcoat"
3. "Crime and Punishment"
4. "Inspector"
5. Esin and techniques for analyzing a literary work. – M., 2000.
6. Lotman space in Gogol’s prose. – M., 1978.
7. Mann by Gogol. – M., 1978.
8. Gogol’s Mashinsky world. – M., 1983.
"Little Man" in literature is designation of rather heterogeneous heroes, united by the fact that they occupy one of the lowest places in the social hierarchy and that this circumstance determines their psychology and social behavior(humiliation combined with a sense of injustice, wounded pride).
Therefore, “The Little Man” often acts in opposition to another character, a high-ranking person, a “significant person” (according to the usage adopted in Russian literature under the influence of “The Overcoat”, 1842, N.V. Gogol), and the development of the plot is built mainly as a story of resentment, insult, misfortune.
"Little Man" has international distribution, and its origins date back to ancient times. The neo-Attic comedy already showed interest in the life of the “Little Man”; The point of view of the “Little Man” was used in Juvenal’s satires, which exposed the moral degradation of those in power. In medieval literature, an example of the implementation of such a point of view is “Prayer” by Daniil Zatochnik (13th century). One of the first works in European literature, dedicated to the theme of “The Little Man”, is considered to be “The Vicar of Wakefield” (1766) by O. Goldsmith, where the typical plot outline for this topic has already been outlined (persecution of a poor man, seduction of his daughter by a landowner).
The theme of the “Little Man” was consistently developed in Russian literature of the 19th century, especially after “The Station Agent” (1830) by A.S. Pushkin. One of the first cases of the use of the concept is found in V. G. Belinsky’s article “Woe from Wit” (1840), with a clear description of the entire opposition: “Become our mayor<из «Ревизора» Гоголя>general - and when he lives in county town, woe to the little man... then the comedy could turn out to be a tragedy for the “little man”....”
In the 1830-50s, the theme of “The Little Man” was developed in Russian literature mainly in line with the story about a poor official; At the same time, there was an evolution of the central character, a rethinking of the motives of his behavior. If the object of Akakiy Akakievich Bashmachkin’s aspirations is a thing, an overcoat, then in the works natural school(Ya.P.Butkov, A.N.Maikov and others) demonstratively brought to the fore the hero’s attachment to his daughter, bride, lover, the discrepancy between his official (work) and home life was emphasized, primary attention was paid to the motives of honor, pride, “ ambition."
This process reached its culmination point in “Poor People” (1846) by F.M. Dostoevsky, which was emphasized by the polemical repulsion of the main character of the story from Gogol’s Bashmachkin. In the literature of the second half of the 19th century, the theme of the “Little Man” continued to develop in the works of Dostoevsky, A.N. Ostrovsky, E. Zola, A. Daudet, and among verists (see Verism). At the origins of the topic in modern literature stands Svejk (J. Hasek. The adventures of the good soldier Svejk during the World War, 1921-23), whose naivety and “idiocy” are the flip side of wisdom that protects him from the omnipotence of militarism and bureaucracy.
1. “The Station Warden” by A. S. Pushkin.
2. “The Overcoat” by N.V. Gogol.
3. “Poor People” by F. M. Dostoevsky.
At first glance, the fate of a common man with his troubles and everyday worries may not seem like very rich material for literary creativity. In fact, what can captivate the imagination with a description of a simple life and monotonous work? However, brilliant masters of words were able to lift the veil of everyday existence and show the experiences and aspirations of the common man, often deep and strong, sometimes even tragic.
A. S. Pushkin, whose works touch on many different problems, did not ignore the theme of the “little man”. The fate of Samson Vyrin, the station superintendent, at first turned out quite well. Of course, this man was not rich, but still he had a place that brought him a modest income, and the main joy in the widower’s life was his daughter Dunya. Rich and noble travelers were not used to being too on ceremony with stationmasters, who stood at the lowest level in the bureaucratic hierarchy. But Dunya’s charm usually contributed to the fact that those passing by, trying to win the girl over in their favor, behaved quite respectfully with her father.
However, the lack of rights and insecurity of the common man becomes apparent when a disaster occurs. Officer Minsky, who took Dunya away, understands very well that the stationmaster has nothing to oppose to the secular gentleman: Vyrin is not rich, not noble, and does not have a high rank. Who would take seriously the complaint of such an insignificant little man? And it’s unlikely that he will get through to anyone - influential people are not too willing to condescend to every little thing. Minsky's act was to take away a simple girl he liked in secular society would not have caused condemnation; on the contrary, it would have created a certain romantic aura around the young rake, pleasing to his vanity. The officer's disdain for to the common man manifests itself in the fact that Minsky gives Vyrin money and drives him away, without thinking that the stationmaster has paternal feelings, a sense of self-esteem.
This attitude towards the “little man” was widespread in the highest circles of society. Pushkin showed the falsity and criminality of such ideas. The experiences of an insignificant employee who suddenly lost his daughter and was insulted by her lover turn out to be deep and painful. Such feelings were simply unknown to many brilliant secular dandies, who saw in the caretaker only an element of road improvement. The tragic end of Vyrin is typical - in Rus' it has long been customary to drown any grief with alcoholic drinks.
The fate of Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin in N.V. Gogol’s story “The Overcoat” is also tragic. However, it is important to note: the character himself perceives the loss of a new overcoat as a tragedy, while his whole life, in essence, is a much more sorrowful spectacle. A monotonous existence in which there are no deep spiritual impulses, no strong aspirations, no goals, a sluggish movement from birth to the inevitable end... And why, for what?.. The tragedy of the story does not decrease even when a goal appears in the life of Akaki Akakievich - new overcoat. In it he invests not only the funds collected through the strictest economy, but also the strength of his soul, not yet completely lost from rewriting papers. The new overcoat becomes, in a sense, a sacred object for Akaki Akakievich; Is it any wonder at the suffering of the poor official who lost this thing precious to him! It should be noted that the overcoat, of course, was really necessary for the ill-fated official - after all, the old one could barely hold on, and in the cold one also had to go to work. The poor fellow has no money for a second overcoat. But what shocked Bashmachkinato even more than the loss of his overcoat was how he was treated by a high-ranking official, to whom Akaki Akakievich addressed a complaint. The neglect and rudeness of a “significant person” played a more sinister role in the fate of the poor official than the thieves who stole the overcoat. The real tragedy is that Akaki Akakievich turned out to be absolutely defenseless. Gogol emphasized that his character was not interesting or dear to anyone. Indeed, Akaki Akakievich did not have a family or children, but was Samson Vyrin, who had a daughter, much happier than him? Her father doted on her, and she, having left with the officer, remembered her father only many years later, when he had already died.
These people experience the upcoming separation as a tragedy. Although, it would seem, Varvara should rejoice at her unexpected luck: she no longer needs to work without closing her eyes at night, she will live in complete prosperity - Mr. Bykov will marry her and take her to his estate. She will have a position in society, and she will no longer be subject to the advances of impudent dandies and voluptuous old men. Varvara had little joy, but the girl truly values her friendship with Makar Alekseevich. And he worries about how her life will turn out, thinking sadly about how he will be left alone. Communication with Varvara gave meaning and poetry to his boring, monotonous life. Dostoevsky managed to truthfully show the noble, high feelings that are found in the souls of “little people.”
In conclusion, we can say that the interest of writers in the lives of poor officials and employees, as well as peasants, was a decisive step from romantic traditions to realism - a direction in literature and art, the main principle of which is an image that is as close as possible to reality.
The theme of depicting a “little man” is not new in Russian literature. At one time, N.V. Gogol, F.M. Dostoevsky, A.P. Chekhov and others paid great attention to the problem of man. The first writer who opened the world of “little people” to us was N.M. Karamzin. His story “Poor Liza” had the greatest influence on subsequent literature. The author laid the foundation for a huge series of works about “little people” and took the first step into this previously unknown topic. It was he who opened the way for such writers of the future as Gogol, Dostoevsky and others.
A.S. Pushkin was the next writer whose sphere of creative attention began to include the whole of vast Russia, its open spaces, the life of villages, St. Petersburg and Moscow opened up not only from a luxurious entrance, but also through the narrow doors of poor houses. For the first time, Russian literature so poignantly and clearly showed the distortion of personality by an environment hostile to it. Samson Vyrin (“Station Warden”) and Evgeny (“Bronze Horseman”) precisely represent the petty bureaucracy of that time. But A.S. Pushkin points us to a “little man” whom we must notice.
Lermontov explored this topic even more deeply than Pushkin. Naive charm folk character recreated by the poet in the image of Maxim Maksimych. Lermontov's heroes, his “little people,” are different from all the previous ones. These are no longer passive people like Pushkin, and not illusory people like Karamzin, these are people in whose souls the ground is already ready for a cry of protest to the world in which they live.
N.V. Gogol purposefully defended the right to depict the “little man” as an object of literary research. In N.V. Gogol, a person is entirely limited by his social status. Akakiy Akakievich gives the impression of a man not only downtrodden and pathetic, but also completely stupid. He certainly has feelings, but they are small and boil down to the joy of owning an overcoat. And only one feeling is huge in him - fear. According to Gogol, the system of social structure is to blame for this, and his “little man” dies not from humiliation and insult, but more from fear.
For F. M. Dostoevsky, the “little man” is, first of all, a personality that is certainly deeper than Samson Vyrin or Akaki Akakievich. F. M. Dostoevsky calls his novel “Poor People.” The author invites us to feel, experience everything together with the hero and brings us to the idea that “little people” are not only individuals in the full sense of the word, but their sense of personality, their ambition is much greater even than that of people with a position in society. “Little people” are the most vulnerable, and what is scary for them is that everyone else will not see their spiritually rich nature. Makar Devushkin considers his help to Varenka to be some kind of charity, thereby showing that he is not a limited poor man, thinking only about collecting and withholding money. He, of course, does not suspect that this help is driven not by the desire to stand out, but by love. But this once again proves to us main idea Dostoevsky - the “little man” is capable of high, deep feelings. We find a continuation of the theme of the “little man” in F. M. Dostoevsky’s first big problem novel, “Crime and Punishment.” The most important and new thing, in comparison with other writers who explored this topic, is the ability of the downtrodden man Dostoevsky to look into himself, the ability of introspection and appropriate actions. The writer subjects the characters to detailed self-analysis; no other writer, in essays and stories that sympathetically depicted the life and customs of the urban poor, had such leisurely and concentrated psychological insight and depth of depiction of the character of the characters.
The theme of the “little man” is revealed especially clearly in the works of A.P. Chekhov. Exploring the psychology of his heroes, Chekhov discovers a new psychological type - a serf by nature, a creature by the soul and spiritual needs of a reptile. Such, for example, is Chervyakov, who finds true pleasure in humiliation. The reasons for the humiliation of the “little man,” according to Chekhov, are himself.
