The image and characteristics of the old woman Izergil in the story “Old Woman Izergil” by M. Gorky: description, life story

- an author whose works are imbued with spirit socialist realism. This was a new direction in literature for a country where the proletariat won the revolution. The writer did not use his creativity as a platform for political propaganda. Gorky's stories contain romanticism in the form of a description of nature, the strong characters of the heroes, and ideals whose value is indisputable. "Old Woman Izergil" is a shining example similar works.

History of creation

The idea for the story came to Gorky on a trip to Bessarabia, which the writer undertook in 1891. The work was included in the writer’s series of romantic works, which analyze human essence and nature. Gorky compared the low and the sublime, without predetermining which of them would win a head start. Work on the work took four years. The first publication of “The Old Woman Izergil” took place in 1895. The story was published by Samara Gazeta.

Work on the essay fascinated Gorky. The result satisfied the author, since the problem he raised was illuminated. The author's view of a man in a mechanism social relations depicted in this work. The writer recognized “Old Woman Izergil” as the best creation. When creating the image, Gorky deliberately embellished the narrative and characterization of the character in order to ignite in readers a desire for heroism and a craving for the sublime.

The book is distinguished by its short form. The genre is defined as a story, but the composition contains elements of a parable with moralistic overtones. There are few heroes in the story; there is a motive of edification. Speech is conducted from the character's point of view. Gorky believed that comparison with heroes capable of heroic deeds would allow the reader to become a better person, to strive for goodness and the best manifestations of the soul.

"Old Isergil"

The introduction to the story is a description of nature and atmosphere. The author communicates with an old woman named Izergil, who recalls the biography and best years. A woman tells her interlocutor two legends.

The first story says that a shadow appeared on Earth. It happened as follows. One day an eagle stole from the tribe strong people the girl and began to live with her as with his wife. When death overtook him, the girl returned home not alone, but with her son. The story tells about the son of a girl and an eagle, who despised those around him and was arrogant. The elder's daughter attracted his attention, but the young man was refused. In anger, Larra killed his chosen one. After a while, it became clear that the hero was immortal. Years and travels exhausted the man physically, and he turned into a shadow.

The old woman's story sounds realistic. It is intertwined with stories from rich life elderly woman. Her men could provoke condemnation from readers, but the old woman went through many trials and saw a lot. Such arguments balance the contradictions in the image. The energy of the heroine attracts the reader and listener of the story to her. In her youth she worked as a spinner, but was not content with such a life. Having run away with her lover, Izergil did not live with him for long and left for another man. In her life there were a Hutsul and a Russian, a soldier and a Pole, a young Turk and other heroes.

She loved each man dearly, but she did not want to remember any of them. The woman perceives the issue of fidelity and betrayal innocently, saying that the main thing is that the person is open to her. And this is the most important thing in a relationship.

Danko's story occupies a central place in the story. The character evokes the admiration of the storyteller. A man from a tribe of strong people, like his relatives, suffered attacks from enemies who drove them into a swamp. On one side stood the attackers, and on the other was dark forest. The tribe was wary of war and thought about agreeing to captivity. Danko's courage played a decisive role. He led the people with him through the dense forest, although at first his fellow tribesmen reproached him. Tearing open his chest, he tore out his burning heart, blazing with thirst to help his loved ones.

With his heart, Danko illuminated the path out of the forest and, emerging from it, died. No one noticed the victim. One of his fellow tribesmen accidentally stepped on the hero’s heart and trampled it into sparks. It is their lights that are visible in the steppe plain before a thunderstorm. The description of Danko’s act is a celebration of his courage and philanthropy. This part is the most important in the story.

The image of the old woman was created by the author for a reason. Old and frail, she gave the impression of incredible disrepair. It was difficult to guess her age. His appearance did not hint at him either. The woman’s voice seemed to creak, and wrinkles dotted the narrator’s entire face.

Gorky looked for something special in a person, reproaching the current generation for inertia and indifference. The writer was upset that everyone around him was looking for profit, that the heroism he glorified was forgotten. Izergil describes Russians as gloomy and overly serious people. The essence of this character is that Izergil acts as an intermediary between the author and the reader, broadcasting Gorky’s thoughts.

The old woman's story is full of specific turns of phrase and differs from the style of the narrative with which the work begins. Conversational manner takes precedence over the harmony of speech. This makes the legends sound authentic and exciting. The old woman embodies vital energy, and its heroes are human vices and virtues. Through her, Gorky conveys the idea of ​​a full life, in which there are no restrictions or boundaries, idleness or passivity.

Quotes

The life of the old woman Izergil, approaching its logical conclusion, has become the one that the younger generation prefers, and such an existence disgusts Gorky. He compares those who prefer inaction to a shadow:

“And they are all just pale shadows, and the one they kissed sits next to me, alive, but dried up by time, without a body, without blood, with a heart without desires, with eyes without fire - also almost a shadow.”

Gorky puts covenants into the heroine’s monologue. From the lips of the old woman Izergil, parting words and comparisons come out of those who live life, drinking it with a full cup, and those who are on its side:

“Those who don’t know how to live would go to bed. Those to whom life is sweet, here they sing.”

“And I see that people don’t live, but everyone tries it on and puts their whole lives into it. And when they rob themselves, having wasted time, they will begin to cry at fate. What is fate here? Everyone is their own destiny!”

The main character of Gorky's story “The Old Woman Izergil” is, of course, the old woman herself - a very interesting and ambiguous person.

In her youth, she lived on the banks of the Birlad, near Falchi, with her mother. Together with her, they weaved carpets from morning to evening. By nature, the woman was very energetic and cheerful. Since she was very beautiful, men loved her very much, and she loved them.

She quickly became attracted to men and turned their heads, but then abandoned them, feeling that she was already bored with them. And they, in turn, quickly fell in love with her beauty and enthusiasm, and could not stand the separation.

Men gave her expensive gifts and boasted about her to their friends. The girl was very flattered by this, she felt like a queen. But it happened that another lover could hit her, in which case she would rush into his face like a cat and leave memorable scars.

By fatal accident almost all the men with whom she walked died or some kind of misfortune happened to them. It was as if the woman was a black mark without realizing it. Easily playing with a man's heart, she soon broke it and left the man devastated. Soon death took him away.

The woman also did not shy away from other people’s husbands. For which one day she was severely wounded by one of the jealous wives. After that, she was nursed for a long time in the monastery. But in the monastery she found herself a man. It was the brother of the nun who nursed her. Quite a young guy. He fell madly in love with a beauty twice his age and died when she left him.

She never met those who survived after meetings with this femme fatale.

The woman could not do anything else except weave carpets and love men. At one time she sold herself in order to collect a lot of money and go home to Birlad. Rich nobles came to her, gave her gifts and fought over her. The men seemed to go crazy when they recognized her. They were ready to give everything just to be with her.

And so, having finally had enough of playing, she settled in Poland, where she fell deeply in love with a nobleman. This time she herself took a long time to achieve it. He was very handsome and proud, and also spoiled by women. At that time, Izergil’s beauty began to fade, and he abandoned her. It was the only man in her life, who himself abandoned her. She probably fell in love for real for the first time in her life and continued to pursue him, but he kept laughing at her.

One day he was captured by the Russians near Warsaw, a woman found out about this and followed him. She strangled the guard and helped her lover escape.

Finding himself free and safe, he began to mock her. And she realized that she would never be with him. She drove him away herself.

After this incident, Izergil realized that it was time to stop and start a family. Her youth has passed and her beauty has faded.

She married a Moldavian and lived with him until old age in Dobruja. After the death of her husband, the old woman was left alone, but was drawn to the youth. Young girls and boys loved to listen to stories and legends, finding in them a lot of wisdom and benefit for themselves.

Time has turned her from a written beauty into a decrepit old woman with dry, wrinkled skin and gray sparse hair.

The story “Old Woman Izergil” is studied by students in the 11th grade of high school.

To get acquainted with the plot, main idea, characters, it is suitable summary works presented below.

Maxim Gorky “Old Woman Izergil” - history of creation

Gorky’s journey through Bessarabia in 1891 was not in vain; it was here that the author came up with the idea for a story, which later complemented the romantic cycle of the writer’s works.

Maxim Gorky (1868-1936)

Gorky wanted to create a text that would reflect all the contradictions of the human being, the struggle between baseness and sublimity within him.

Maxim Gorky worked on this idea for 4 years, and eventually, in 1895, the story “Old Woman Izergil” was published. It was published in Samara Gazeta and immediately received rave reviews from readers.

The main characters and their characteristics

Let's look at the main characters:

1. Danko- a romantic hero, distinguished himself greatly and unrequited love to all humanity. Society did not understand him, did not realize his actions. Danko’s prototype can be called Jesus Christ; He also voluntarily sacrificed himself to save people and died a martyr’s death. Danko realized that only he alone could save these “lost sheep” and protect them from death. Gorky created his hero as a brave, fearless, selfless warrior, capable of any sacrifice for the sake of other people.
2. Larra- man-beast. He did not respect other people's moral standards, ignored traditions and principles, for which he paid. Larra imagined himself superior to others and took what did not belong to him. Gorky portrayed the hero as a proud, cruel, selfish man with a beautiful appearance, but an empty, callous soul.
3. Old Isergil– a woman accustomed to listening to the voice of her heart, not her mind. All her life she was ruled by a burning passion, unencumbered by worries and moral principles. However love adventures did not bring Izergil success. She, indifferently pushing people around, was never able to know true, true love. Her youth was bright, memorable, but at the same time empty and aimless. In old age, Izergil was left alone, without a family. The old woman could only sneer, calling herself a “cuckoo,” and regret the missed opportunities.

Minor characters

There are several of them and they are also important:

1. Fisherman from the Prut- a handsome young man whom Izergil fell in love with at the age of 15. He was executed for the crime. Before his death, this tanned, flexible, young, gentle guy cried, not wanting to say goodbye to life.
2. Rich Turk- an old man who took the young heroine to his harem. The Turk often prayed, and the look of his pure eyes was able to penetrate directly into the soul.
3. Arkadak- a mean, funny Magyar who was able to conquer the main character. She sacrificed herself for him and then abandoned him.

A retelling will help not only to familiarize yourself with the work, but also to remember the names of the characters, main events, motives for actions, and refresh the plot in your memory.

Chapter 1

The narrator sat in the shade of a large tree and watched the Moldavians work. In the evening they went to the sea, and the narrator sat down with the old woman Izergil. The shadow of passing clouds fell on the ground, and old woman I remembered the legend about Larra.

Once upon a time it flourished overseas rich country with a mighty tribe. People hunted and often feasted. One day their feast was interrupted by a mighty eagle, which flew in and took one of the girls with it.

The whole tribe searched for her, but could not find her. 20 years passed, the girl unexpectedly returned when everyone had already forgotten about her.

The woman returned not alone, but with a handsome, strong young man. This was her son, whom she gave birth to from the mighty eagle. When the eagle grew old, became weak and infirm, it threw itself down the cliff and crashed. The woman was able to return to her native tribe.

The young man's look, cold, angry and proud, did not please people. The guest did not accept other people's laws, did not respect the elders, and spoke with them as equals. The tribe did not accept him and wanted to drive him away. Then the young man wanted to make the daughter of one of the elders his, he hugged the girl, and she, fearing her father’s anger, pushed him away.

The proud son of the eagle got angry, hit the poor thing and stepped on her chest. The girl died. People crowded around, they tied up the eagle’s son and began to come up with a worthy punishment for him. But ordinary death was not enough. Then the old sage pronounced a verdict: people will not punish the young man, he will punish himself with his selfishness, indifference and pride.

The tribe released the eagle's son, and he began to wander all over the world. The punishment was in himself, the young man doomed himself to terrible torment loneliness. He was nicknamed Larra, which meant “outcast.”

The young man became immortal, but lost the taste for life. Larra once came to people and did not defend himself when they attacked him. The feeling of loneliness became completely unbearable, and he wanted to die. However, people, realizing this, did not touch him and did not ease Larra’s fate. Then the outcast began to beat his head on the ground, but the ground itself moved away from the young man, not wanting to accept him.

Until now, the proud son of the eagle wanders the earth, turning into a shadow. This is how a man received punishment for his pride.

Chapter 2

The Moldovans began to sing. The narrator was struck by their beautiful singing; only people who loved life itself could sing like that. Old woman Izergil, too, listening to the singing, remembered her youth.

When she was 15 years old, she fell in love with a local fisherman. During the day the girl worked, weaving carpets, and at night she ran to her beloved. But the wayward girl soon became tired of the fisherman, who could only kiss and sing.

Old woman Izergil also remembered about the Turk who noticed the girl in the market and wanted to take her into his harem. But the heroine quickly got bored in the harem and ran away with his son.

One woman wanted to take revenge on Izergil for her husband and wounded her. A kind nun cured the girl and put her back on her feet. And Izergil, having recovered, fled with her brother. She often suffered insults from her new lover, and during another quarrel pushed him into the river.

When the girl lived in Krakow, she fell in love with a young nobleman. Izergil seduced him, and the nobleman began to woo the girl. But, having taken possession of her, he immediately abandoned her. At that moment, Izergil realized that she had grown old.

Shlyakhtich went to fight the Russians and was captured. Izergil wanted to see him. She, risking herself, strangled the sentry and released the nobleman and his friends from captivity. The beloved wanted to thank her. However, Izergil wanted real feelings, not love out of gratitude. The woman pushed him away and left.

It became necessary for Izergil to create her own family, a home, since she was already old and had lost her former beauty.

Having finished the story, the old woman saw blue sparks flashing in the steppe. She told the author that these were sparks from the flaming heart of the brave Danko.

Chapter 3

A very long time ago there lived a brave, cheerful people. Impenetrable forest wilderness surrounded it, and when new tribes came to this people, people had to hide in the depths of the forest. There they were surrounded by a swamp and frightening darkness.

The enemy tribe did not let the poor people out of the ominous thicket. The merry people could not die fighting for their home, because then their covenants would die with them.

Danko, a young, brave, handsome young man, decided to save everyone. He loved his people too much, so he tore out a heart burning with love from his chest and illuminated the way for people.

The brave man led them out of the thicket, and when people saw the steppe, he laughed, fell to the ground and died.

The ungrateful people, rejoicing, did not notice this, and one person stepped on Danko’s still burning heart with his foot and crushed it. The heart crumbled and faded away, only sparks remained from it, which can still be seen before the onset of darkness.

Old woman Izergil fell silent, falling into a doze. The steppe became dark and quiet.

Analysis of the work “Old Woman Izergil”

The genre of the work is a story, not a tale, because it has three parts that are interconnected.

The literary movement is romanticism, glorifying an exceptional hero in unusual circumstances.

Why is the story called “Old Woman Izergil”? Because the main character in it is the old woman Izergil, and it is she who tells the author all three stories. Legends reveal the fate of Izergil, her ideals and life position.

The heroine turns out to be partly similar to Larra, because she highly values ​​freedom, and partly similar to Danko, because she showed herself to be a brave woman.

The original book has only 20 pages, so read it in the form that Maxim Gorky left behind.

Conclusion

How old was old woman Izergil at the time of meeting the narrator? It was old 70's summer woman, which has outlived its usefulness and has acquired nothing but a heavy burden of memories.

In her youth, Izergil was distinguished by her beautiful appearance, everyone adored her, and she fell in love very often. The list of people with whom the girl fell in love includes rich, poor, old and young.

But, having aged, the heroine realized that real love passed her by, and all she felt was only passion.

Critics received this work coldly, but contemporaries reread Gorky's story with admiration. The work, presented in an abbreviated form, will help schoolchildren master this material in short time. The retelling can be recorded in a reading diary and used in lessons.

The main characters of “Old Woman Izergil” are people passionately loving life. In all three parts works, be it an old woman's story about her life or the legends about Danko and Larra, the author is looking for an answer to the question, what is the meaning of life? On the list of people I loved main character there were young and old, poor and rich. Her life is a combination of pride and love. The old woman forgot the names of many whom she knew, but the feelings still did not fade away in her soul. Basic wise sayings from the story of Maxim Gorky became aphorisms. In the work “Old Woman Izergil” the characters have become iconic for world literature, such a powerful meaning is embedded in each image.

Characteristics of the characters “Old Woman Izergil”

Main characters

Minor characters

In Gorky, the actions of the characters are their main characteristic. The description of the heroes given in the table will be useful for compiling reader's diary or writing creative works.

Work test

Gorky's story "Old Woman Izergil" is a legendary work written in 1894. The ideological content of this story was fully consistent with the motifs that dominated the early romantic period of the writer’s work. The author, in his artistic search, tried to create a conceptual image of a person who is ready to make self-sacrifice for the sake of lofty humane goals.

History of the creation of the work.

It is believed that the work was written in the fall of 1894. The date is based on a letter from V. G. Korolenko to a member of the editorial committee of Russkie Vedomosti.

The story was first published a year later in Samara Gazeta (issues 80, 86, 89). It is noteworthy that this work became one of the first where the revolutionary romanticism of the writer, improved in literary form a little bit later.

Ideology.

The writer tried to awaken a person’s faith in the future, to set the audience in a positive mood. The philosophical reflections of the main characters were of a specific moral nature. The author operates with such basic concepts, like truth, self-sacrifice and the thirst for freedom.

An important nuance: the old woman Izergil in the story is quite controversial image, but, nevertheless, filled with high ideals. The author, inspired by the idea of ​​humanism, tried to demonstrate the strength of the human spirit and the depth of the soul. Despite all the hardships and hardships, despite the complexities of nature, the old woman Izergil retains faith in high ideals.

In fact, Izergil is the personification of the author's principle. She repeatedly emphasizes the primacy of human actions and their greatest role in shaping destiny.

Analysis of the work

Plot

The story is told by an old woman named Izergil. The first is the story of the proud Larra.

One day, a young girl is kidnapped by an eagle. The tribesmen search for her for a long time, but never find her. After 20 years, she herself returns to the tribe along with her son. He is handsome, brave and strong, with a proud and cold look.

In the tribe, the young man behaved arrogantly and rudely, showing contempt for even the most elderly and respected people. For this, his fellow tribesmen became angry and kicked him out, dooming him to eternal loneliness.

Larra for a long time lives alone. From time to time he steals cattle and girls from former tribesmen. A rejected man rarely shows himself. One day he came too close to the tribe. The most impatient men rushed towards him.

Approaching closely, they saw that Larra was holding a knife and trying to kill himself with it. However, the blade did not even damage the man's skin. It became clear that the man was suffering from loneliness and dreaming of death. Nobody started killing him. Since then, the shadow of a handsome young man with the gaze of an eagle has been wandering around the world, who cannot wait for his death.

About the life of an old woman

An old woman talks about herself. She was once extraordinarily beautiful, loved life and enjoyed it. She fell in love at the age of 15, but did not experience all the joys of love. Unhappy relationships followed one after another.

However, not a single union brought those touching and special moments. When the woman turned 40, she came to Moldova. This is where she married and lived for the last 30 years. Now she is a widow, who can only remember the past.

As soon as night falls, mysterious lights appear in the steppe. These are sparks from Danko’s heart, which the old woman begins to talk about.

Once upon a time, there lived a tribe in the forest that was expelled by the conquerors, forcing them to live near the swamps. Life was hard, many members of the community began to die. In order not to submit to the terrible conquerors, it was decided to look for a way out of the forest. Brave and courageous Danko decided to lead the tribe.

The difficult path was exhausting, and there was no hope for a quick solution to the problem. No one wanted to admit their guilt, so everyone decided to blame the young leader for his ignorance.

However, Danko was so eager to help these people that he felt heat and fire in his chest. Suddenly he tore out his heart and raised it above his head like a torch. It lit the way.

People hastened to leave the forest and found themselves among the fertile steppes. And the young leader fell dead to the ground.

Someone came to Danko's heart and stepped on it. The dark night was illuminated by sparkles that can still be seen to this day. The story ends, the old woman falls asleep.

Description of the main characters

Larra is a proud individualist with exorbitant selfishness. He is the child of the eagle and ordinary woman, therefore, he not only considers himself better than others, but opposes his “I” to the entire society. A half-man, being in the company of people, strives for freedom. However, having received the desired independence from everything and everyone, he experiences bitterness and disappointment.

Loneliness is the worst punishment, by far worse than death. In the emptiness around oneself, everything around oneself depreciates. The author is trying to convey the idea that before demanding anything from others, you should first do something useful for others. A real hero one who does not put himself above others, but one who can sacrifice himself for the good of a high idea, carrying out difficult missions that are important for the entire people.

Danko is such a hero. This manly and brave man, despite his youth and inexperience, is ready to lead his tribe through dense forests on a dark night in search of a bright future. In order to help his fellow tribesmen, Danko sacrifices his own heart, performing the greatest feat. He dies, but finds the freedom that Larra only dreams of.

A special character is the old woman Izergil. This lady tells not only about two men with radically different fates, but shares with the reader interesting stories from own life. The woman thirsted for love all her life, but gravitated towards freedom. By the way, for the sake of her beloved, Izergil, like Danko, was capable of much.

Composition

The compositional structure of the story “Old Woman Izergil” is quite complex. The work consists of three episodes:

• The Legend of Larra;
• A woman's story about her life and love affairs;
• The Legend of Danko.

The first and third episodes are about people life philosophy, whose morals and actions are radically opposite. Another one interesting feature: The story is told by two people at once. The first narrator is the old woman herself, the second is unknown author, giving an assessment of everything that happens.

Conclusion

M. Gorkikh, in many of his novels, tried to reveal the key aspects of human morality, thinking about the main qualities of a typical hero: love of freedom, courage, fortitude, courage, a unique combination of nobility and love for humanity. Often the author “shaded” one or another of his thoughts using a description of nature.

In the story “Old Woman Izergil”, the description of landscapes allows us to show the beauty, sublimity and unusualness of the world, as well as man himself, as an integral component of the universe. Gorky's romanticism is expressed here in a special way: touching and naive, serious and passionate. The craving for beauty is associated with realities modern life, and the selflessness of heroism always calls for heroism.