How does Knurova characterize her attitude to Larisa? The life principles of the heroes in the play by A. N. Ostrovsky “The Dowry. Composition Mokiy Parmenych Knurov

In the work of A.N. Ostrovsky's "Dowry" has one interesting supporting character. He has a rather unusual name. Mokiy Parmenych Knurov is an elderly man, a successful businessman. During his life, he amassed a huge fortune.

Knurov is a bright representative of the upper class of the district town. A man has a high self-esteem about himself. He tries not to pay attention to ordinary people, they are not interesting to him. Even a person with excellent features and character will not arouse any feelings in Knurov. A man is very sensitive to his health and often strolls along the streets of the city before eating.

Knurov communicates only with people of his circle. He pays attention to wealthy, important and prestigious gentlemen. To do this, he constantly visits the capital and goes to various social events. The man also loves to travel around Europe. Bryakhimov Knurov considers his small town a remote village. Here he does not communicate with anyone and believes that he has no equal. Therefore, in his hometown, he prefers to be silent and not talk to anyone.

Despite the fact that Knurov behaves aloof, city dwellers treat him with reverence and great respect. The people recognize his importance and bow to him at the sight of Knurov.

The man has a family, they have been belly together for a long time. Mokiy Parmenych is a great connoisseur of everything beautiful. He believes that money can buy everything, even love. Knurov fell in love with Larisa Dmitrievna, he considers her an expensive diamond, and he would like to see himself as a jeweler next to her. He wants the girl to become his kept woman. To realize his desire, he is ready to spend a large amount of money.

Knurov created an image of a kind and noble person for himself. And to support his image, he decided to give Larissa's mother money to buy a wedding dress. Allocating funds, he in his heart hoped that they would be rejected. The man secretly was against the wedding of Larisa and Karandashev, he hoped that the ceremony would not take place.

Talking with Kharita Ignatievna, Knurov suggested that Larisa would quickly get tired of poor Karandashev. He openly says that he does not mind taking a young girl to him for permanent maintenance. Knurov is even ready to take her to Paris. But, Larisa is a proud girl and Mokiy Parmenych's proposals are offensive to her.

In general, Knurov is presented to readers as an arrogant character. He is a callous, soulless and pompous person. He is not interested in other people's experiences.

Option 2

One of the contenders for the sympathy of Larisa Ogudalova is Mokiy Parmenych Knurov. He is already a middle-aged man and a very wealthy man. This gives him confidence, slowness and respect in society. Everyone would like to have such a respectable friend or patron, therefore they curry favor with him.

Knurov often attends dinner parties, his presence is an honor for the hosts. There are many famous people among his acquaintances. Knurov's character is strict, everyone knows that. He loves to eat well. He often walks, but only in order to meet someone of his acquaintances on the boulevard and work up an appetite in the fresh air. Knurov is never in a hurry, which corresponds to his status.

He has practically no ordinary people among his friends. He spends a lot of time abroad, often travels to St. Petersburg and Moscow, where he is received in high society. Undoubtedly, Knurov is an educated person, knows French and calmly reads newspapers in this language.

In addition to tasty food, women are another weakness of an important master. Beautiful and poor Larissa really liked him. He is ready to see her often, despite her unenviable position. The fact that Knurov is married does not bother him at all. A legal wife is not a reason for him to have a young mistress. Moreover, he openly talks about it with others and offers this status to Larisa herself.

On the one hand, he takes pity on the girl and promises her such protection and assurance that not a single rumor will spread. On the other hand, he offers all this only for selfish motives. There is not a drop of love on his part. Moreover, Knurov treats Larisa not as a person, but as a beautiful object that can be bought or played on a coin. Ogudalova finds herself in a desperate situation and agrees to be an "expensive thing", but dies. This does not cause much regret for Knurov.

Knurov is a typical example of a person who believes that money can solve everything. He is confident that he will easily buy the favor of any person. He is also confident that no one will oppose his desires. He could easily save Larisa, provide her with dowries or make a generous wedding gift, but Knurov does not know compassion, kindness and sensitivity. He is selfish, narcissistic and cynical.

Composition Mokiy Parmenych Knurov

In Ostrovsky's play "The Dowry" Knurov Mokiy Parmenych is an elderly man who has amassed a huge fortune. For him, money is the meaning of life. This character does not have many phrases, but they are capacious, so it is quite easy to imagine such a businessman.

Mokiy Parmenych divides people into rich and poor. Calculation and self-interest entered his flesh and blood. He does not deserve his attention to the poor, this is especially evident from the contempt with which he treats Karandyshev. In a small town, where he came on business, there are only a few people with whom Mokiy Parmenych communicates. These are the young merchant Vozhevatov Vasily Danilych, the nobleman Paratov Sergey Sergeevich and the Ogudalov family (mother and daughter).

Knurov, as a rather perceptive person and, in turn, blinded by the beauty and purity of Larisa Ogudalova, understands that she will be unhappy in her marriage to Karandyshev. Therefore, after the "fall" of Larisa, having won her in a dispute with Vozhevatov, he invites the girl to become his mistress. Poor Larisa, deceived and abandoned by everyone, is in such nervous tension that it does not matter to her how her own fate will develop in the future.

Making an unambiguous offer, Mokiy Parmenych thinks of himself as a benefactor. Such a "diamond" as Larisa Ogudalova should shine only with him. This man has long been accustomed to living his own way.

His every step is measured, he even walks around the city (performs exercise) just to whet his appetite. In fact, Knurov is a collective character. There were many such merchants at the end of the nineteenth century.

Without profit for themselves, the knurovs did not open their mouths. Mokiy Parmenych allows himself to talk only with a “pure” audience and only in Moscow, St. Petersburg and abroad. Imagining himself in the company of a young beautiful mistress, Knurov mentally sees how he and Larisa are resting in Paris, going to exhibitions of artists and so on.

He is cunning, telling Harita Ogudalova (Larisa's mother) that he is ready to marry Larisa, but cannot do it, since he is married. However, with unaccustomed agility for him, he talks in detail about the trip to Paris. Alas, the mother is ready to sell her daughter at a higher price.

He does not care about the feelings of his wife and "mistress", because he provides them from head to toe. In Dahl's dictionary, the word "knur" is synonymous with hog, boar and wild boar. This is roughly how this person is in life. Behind the mask of decency and well-being is a cruel, heartless heart.

Mokiy Parmenych Knurov, thanks to his fabulous wealth, feels like the master of the world. Slowly and surely, he captures everything that lies in the zone of his own interest. He puts money at the forefront, therefore, this attitude has perverted his mind and heart. Knurov looks at everything from the point of view of buying and selling, and since he is emotionally poor, he compensates for his feelings with "despicable metal." Mokiy Parmenych treats Larisa Ogudalova as in a thing, and this is the whole tragedy of the play.

Knurov, Vozhevatov and Larisa

Knurov and Vozhevatov are typical representatives of the merchant class of the 19th century. These heroes are guided by cold calculation, and the main thing in their life is money.

Knurov's attitude towards people, like Vozhevatov's, is determined by their financial situation. Therefore, the behavior of Karandyshev causes disapproval among merchants, and even comes to open mockery.

It is impossible not to mention also the speaking surnames, because these are brief characteristics of the heroes. "Knur" means boar, boar. Knurov even walks exclusively "for exercise" in order to whet his appetite and eat his delicious lunch. He is secretive, laconic, but Gavrilo says about him: "How do you want him to talk, if he has millions? ... And he goes to Moscow, to Petersburg and abroad to talk, there is more room for him there." Mokiy Parmenych is also distinguished by his dedication, seeking Larissa, although his attitude towards her is swinish. In his opinion, Larisa is an "expensive diamond" that requires an expensive setting, so Knurov offers the girl the humiliating position of a kept woman.

Vozhevatov, unlike Knurov, was young and could marry Larisa. But he does not know the feeling of love, he is cold, practical and caustic. "Yes, what is my dear-

sosity? " - says Vozhevatov. - "I will sometimes pour an extra glass of champagne from mother [Larisa's mother], I will learn a song, I drive novels that girls are not allowed to read." And he adds: “I don’t impose by force. What about her moral

you should take care; I'm not her guardian. " Vasily Danilovich is irresponsible towards Larisa, she is like a toy for him. When a girl asks for help from Vozhev-

tova, he says: “Larisa Dmitrievna, I respect you and would be glad ... I can’t do anything. Trust my word! " By the way, it is Vozhevatov who comes to mind to decide the fate of Larissa with the help of a toss.

So, we can say that in this work A.N. Ostrovsky wanted to show that they make money with people. Even in the title of the play, you can already guess what will be discussed. Money kills love, conscience, makes you look down on those people who do not have them. The coin decides the fate of a person in the literal and figurative sense.

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Love ... She is like a bird, free and unpredictable. She soars high in the clear, cloudless sky. As if you feel her presence above you, stretch out your hands to her - she flaps her wing and floats into the endless expanses of the sky.

The famous play "The Dowry", which Ostrovsky wrote over the course of four years from 1874 to 1878, was considered by the author himself to be one of his best and most significant dramatic works. Although shown on the stage in 1878, it caused a storm of protest and indignation from both audiences and critics, the play gained its well-deserved share of popularity only after the death of the famous Russian playwright. A clear demonstration of the main idea that the author wanted to show people that the world is ruled by money, and in modern society they are the main driving force that allows their owners to dispose of the fate of others who depend on them, many did not like. Like other innovations in the play, incomprehensible to the general public, all this caused a rather harsh assessment from both readers and critics.

History of creation

In the early seventies of the nineteenth century, Ostrovsky worked as an honorary magistrate of the Kineshemsky district, on duty he participated in various high-profile trials and was well acquainted with crime reports of that time, which gave him, as a writer, a rich literary material for writing works. Life itself threw him plots for his dramatic plays, and there is an assumption that the tragic death of a young woman who was killed by her own husband, Ivan Konovalov, a local resident of the Kineshemsky district, became the prototype of the plot line in "Bride".

Ostrovsky begins the play in late autumn (November 1874), making a mark on the margins "Opus No. 40", stretching its writing for four long years, due to the parallel work on several more works, and finishing it in the fall of 1878. The play was approved by the censorship, preparation for publication began, which ended with its publication in the journal Otechestvennye zapiski in 1879. This was followed by rehearsals of theatrical corpses in Moscow and St. Petersburg, wishing to play the play on the stage, presenting it to the audience and critics. The premieres of "The Dowry" both in the Maly and in the Alexandria theaters were disastrous and caused harsh negative judgments from theater critics. And only ten years after Ostrovsky's death (the second half of the 90s of the XIX century), the play finally achieved the well-deserved success, largely due to the huge popularity and fame of the actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya, who played the main role of Larisa Ogudalova.

Analysis of the work

Story line

The action of the work takes place in the Volga town of Bryakhimov, which looks like the town of Kalinov from the play "The Thunderstorm" only after 20 years have passed. The time of such tyrants and tyrants as Kabanikha and Porfiry Dikoy has long passed, the "finest hour" has come for enterprising, cunning and dodgy businessmen, such as the millionaire Knurov and the representative of a rich trading company Vasily Vozhevatov, who are able to buy and sell not only goods and things, but and human destinies. The first act of the play begins with their dialogue, which tells about the fate of the young woman Larisa Ogudalova, deceived by the rich master Paratov (a kind of matured Boris, Dikiy's nephew). From the conversation of the merchants, we learn that the first beauty of the city, whose artistry and charm has no equal, is marrying a poor official, absolutely insignificant and pitiful in their opinion, Karandyshev.

Larisa's mother, Khariton Ogudalova, who herself raised three daughters, tried to find a good match for each daughter, and for the youngest, the most beautiful and artistic daughter, she predicts a wonderful future with a rich husband, only one simple and well-known fact for all spoils everything: she is a bride from a poor family and has no dowry. When the brilliant, young master Paratov appears on the horizon among the admirers of her daughter, the mother is trying with all her might to marry her daughter to him. However, he, having played with Larisa's feelings, leaves her for a whole year without any explanation (during the dialogue it turns out that he squandered his fortune and is now forced to marry the daughter of the owner of the gold mines in order to save his position). Desperate Larisa tells her mother that she is ready to marry the first person she meets, who becomes Julius Kapitonich Karandyshev.

Before the wedding, Larisa meets with Paratov, who has returned after a year's absence, confesses his love for him and escapes from his unloved groom to his steamer "Swallow", which the hapless bankrupt also sells for debts. There, Larisa tries to find out from Paratov who she is now: his wife, or someone else, then she learns with horror about his future marriage to a rich bride. The millionaire Knurov, who wins this right from Vozhevatov, turns to the heartbroken Larissa with a proposal to take her to the Paris exhibition, and in fact become his mistress and kept woman (after consulting, the merchants decide that such a diamond as Larisa should not be wasted, they play her coin toss fate). Karandyshev appears and begins to prove to Larisa that for her fans she is only a thing, a beautiful and refined, but absolutely soulless object, with which one can do as its owner wants. Crushed by life's circumstances and the heartlessness of people-businessmen who so easily sell and buy human lives, Larisa finds this comparison with a thing very successful, and now in life, having not found love, she agrees to look only for gold, and nothing else. Offended by Larisa, who called him miserable and insignificant, Karandyshev, in a fit of jealousy, anger and infringed pride, with the words "So do not get you to anyone!" shoots Larissa with a pistol, she dies with the words that she does not blame anyone, and forgives everyone everything.

main characters

The main character of the play, Larisa Ogudalova, a young woman without dowry from the city of Bryakhimov, is a slightly matured Katerina from the play "The Thunderstorm" previously written by the same author. Their images are united by an ardent and sensitive nature, which ultimately leads to their tragic ending. Just like Katerina, Larisa “suffocates” in the dull and musty town of Bryakhimov, among its inhabitants, who are also bored and dreary here.

Larisa Ogudalova finds herself in a difficult life situation, characterized by some ambivalence and undoubted tragedy: she is the first clever woman and the beauty of the city cannot marry a worthy man, because she is a dowry. In this situation, two options are outlined before her: to become the kept woman of a rich and influential married man, or to choose a man of a lower social status as her husband. Grabbing the last straw, Larisa falls in love with the image she created of a handsome and brilliant man, bankrupt landowner Sergei Paratov, who, like Boris, Diky's nephew in The Thunderstorm, turns out to be a completely different person in real life. He breaks the heart of the main character and with his indifference, lies and spinelessness literally "kills" the girl, that is, becomes the cause of her tragic death. The tragic death becomes a kind of "boon" for the main character, because for her the current situation has become a life tragedy, which she could not cope with. That is why, in her last moments, the dying Larisa does not accuse anyone of anything and does not complain about her fate.

Ostrovsky portrayed his heroine as an ardent and passionate nature who survived severe mental trauma and betrayal of a loved one, who, nevertheless, did not lose her sublime lightness, did not become embittered and remained the same noble and pure soul that she was throughout her entire life. Due to the fact that the concepts and aspirations of Larisa Ogudalova fundamentally differed from the system of values ​​prevailing in the world around her, she, and although she was constantly in the center of public attention (like a beautiful and graceful doll), in her soul she remained lonely and not understood by anyone. Absolutely not understanding people, not seeing lies and falseness in them, she creates for herself the ideal image of the man that Sergey Paratov becomes, falls in love with him and pays cruelly for her self-deception with her life.

In his play, the great Russian playwright surprisingly talentedly portrayed not only the image of the main character Larisa Ogudalova, but the people around her: the cynicism and unprincipledness of the hereditary merchants Knurov and Vozhevatov, who played the fate of the girl with a simple lot, the immorality, deceit and cruelty of her failed bridegroom Paratov, greed her mother, trying to sell her daughter as profitable as possible, envy, pettiness and narrow-mindedness of a loser with heightened pride and a sense of ownership of the jealous Karandyshev.

Features of the genre and compositional construction

The composition of the play, built in a certain way in a strict classical style, contributes to the growth of mental tension among the audience and readers. The time interval of the play is limited to one day, in the first act the exposition is shown and the plot begins, in the second act the action gradually develops, in the third (a dinner party at the Ogudalovs') - the culmination, in the fourth - the tragic denouement. Thanks to such a consistent linearity of the compositional construction, the author reveals the motivation of the characters' actions, which becomes well understandable and explainable for both readers and viewers, who realize that people act one way or another not only because of their psychological characteristics, but also because of the influence of social Wednesday.

Also for the play "The Dowry" is characterized by the use of a peculiar system of images, namely, the "speaking" names invented for the characters: the name of an exalted nature, Larisa Ogudalova, translated from Greek as "seagull", the name Kharita is of gypsy origin and means "lovely", and the surname Ogudalova comes from the word "ogudat" - to deceive, to cheat. The surname Paratov comes from the word "paraty", which means "predator", Knurov - from the word "knur" - a wild boar, by the name of the groom Larisa Julia Karandyshev (The name is in honor of the Roman Gaius Julius Caesar, and the surname is a symbol of something small and insignificant ) the author shows the incompatibility of desires with the capabilities of this hero.

In his play, Ostrovsky wanted to show that in a world where money rules and everyone has a certain social stigma, no one can feel free and do what he really wants. As long as people believe in the power of money, they will forever remain hostages of social clichés: Larisa cannot become the wife of a loved one, because she is a dowry, even rich and influential merchants, just like the bankrupt Paratov, are tied hand and foot by social dogmas and cannot marry at will, to receive love and human warmth just like that, and not for money.

It is thanks to the enormous power of emotional impact, the scale, topicality of the problems raised and the indisputable artistic value that Ostrovsky's play "The Dowry" takes an honorable place among the classics of world drama. This work will never lose its relevance, each generation of readers, plunging into the world of experiences of the characters of the play, will discover something new and find answers to eternal spiritual and moral questions.

Knurov, Vozhevatov and Larisa

Knurov and Vozhevatov are typical representatives of the merchant class of the 19th century. These heroes are guided by cold calculation, and the main thing in their life is money.

Knurov's attitude towards people, like Vozhevatov's, is determined by their financial situation. Therefore, the behavior of Karandyshev causes disapproval among merchants, and even comes to open mockery.

It is impossible not to mention also the speaking surnames, because these are brief characteristics of the heroes. "Knur" means boar, boar. Knurov even walks exclusively "for exercise" in order to whet his appetite and eat his delicious lunch. He is secretive, laconic, but Gavrilo says about him: "How do you want him to talk, if he has millions? ... And he goes to Moscow, to Petersburg and abroad to talk, there is more room for him there." Moky
Parmenych is also distinguished by his determination, seeking Larissa, although his attitude towards her is swinish. In his opinion, Larisa is an "expensive diamond" that requires an expensive setting, so Knurov offers the girl the humiliating position of a kept woman.

Vozhevatov, unlike Knurov, was young and could marry Larisa.
But he does not know the feeling of love, he is cold, practical and caustic. “What is my closeness?” - says Vozhevatov. - "I will sometimes pour an extra glass of champagne from mother [Larisa's mother], I will learn a song, I drive novels that girls are not allowed to read." And he adds: “I don’t impose by force. Why should I care about her morality; I'm not her guardian. " Vasily Danilovich is irresponsible towards Larisa, she is like a toy for him. When a girl asks for help
Vozhevatova, he says: “Larisa Dmitrievna, I respect you and would be glad ... I can’t do anything. Trust my word! " By the way, it is Vozhevatov who comes to mind to decide the fate of Larissa with the help of a toss.

So, we can say that in this work A.N. Ostrovsky wanted to show that they make money with people. Even in the title of the play, you can already guess what will be discussed. Money kills love, conscience, makes you look down on those people who do not have them. The coin decides the fate of a person in the literal and figurative sense.

"The Dowry" (1878) is considered the best psychological drama by A.N. Ostrovsky. In this play, the playwright turns to the life of the new, bourgeois Russia. Ostrovsky's focus is on the lives of people of many classes: nobles, merchants, officials.
In the post-reform years, sharp changes take place in society: the nobles, even the richest, gradually go bankrupt, merchants turn into masters of life with a fortune of millions, their children become the main force of society - educated bourgeois. Against the background of these events, the tragedy of the main character of the play, Larisa Ogudalova, unfolds.

At the very beginning of the drama - in the second phenomenon of the first act - we hear a conversation between Mokiy Parmenych Knurov and Vasily Danilych Vozhevatov. Knurov is "one of the big businessmen of recent times, an elderly man with a huge fortune." Vozhevatov is "a very young man, one of the representatives of a rich trading company, European in costume." In the course of a casual conversation of these "new" people, we get to know the main characters of the play, learn about the events taking place in their lives.

At the very beginning of the conversation, the figure of Sergei Sergeevich Paratov, a wealthy master, arrives at Bryakhimov on his steamer. According to the merchants, this hero lives "in style", "dull", but does not know how to conduct business. It can be assumed that his financial affairs are bad: Paratov sells a steamer to Vozhevatov cheaply: "You know, he does not find any profit."

But both Vozhevatov and Knurov can see her perfectly. Their practical mind is primarily aimed at extracting profit, at making money. The heroes do this brilliantly - they are both rich and successful. Knurov and Vozhevatov enjoy life: they drink champagne in the morning, are going to go to an exhibition in Paris, dream that it would be nice to take the first beauty of the city, Larisa Ogudalova, on a trip.

This is how we get to know the main character of the play. From the conversation between Knurov and Vozhevatov, we learn about her fate, about her life. Larisa is going to marry a petty official Karandyshev. The merchants are perplexed: “What nonsense! Here's a fantasy! Well, what is Karandyshev! He's not a match for her ... ”But Larisa is a dowry, it is difficult for her to find a good groom. Therefore, the girl's mother - Kharita Ignatievna - until recently collected "bachelors" in her house. These evenings were known to all Bryakhimov, "because it is a lot of fun: the young lady is pretty, plays different instruments, sings, the appeal is free ..."

Thanks to "agility, agility and dexterity" Kharita Ignatievna married her two eldest daughters. But their fate is unhappy: one was allegedly stabbed to death by a jealous husband, and the other turned out to be a sharpie. So, already at the beginning of the play, the motive of an unhappy female fate, disappointment in love appears, which will develop in the image of Larisa.

Here, in the conversation between Knurov and Vozhevatov, the leading motive of the play appears - the motive of buying and selling. It applies not only to things, but also to people: “Grooms are paid. As anyone liked your daughter, just shell out ... "Vozhevatov himself, who has known Larisa since childhood, buys the pleasure of being in her house:" What can you do, you have to pay for the pleasure: they don't get it for nothing; and it is a great pleasure to be in their house. " Knurov, a married man, dreams: "It would be nice to take such a young lady to Paris for a ride to the exhibition."

Cold and calculating, these new masters of life are not capable of sincere feelings. Vozhevatov shares with Knurov: “No, somehow I… I don’t notice this in myself… that they call it love”. For which he receives the approval of an experienced merchant: "It is commendable, you will be a good merchant." The main thing for these people is calculation, benefit. Both Knurov and Vozhevatov use people selfishly. “Why should I care about her morality! I am not a guardian ... "- says Vasily Danilych, whom Larisa considers her friend.

The heroine herself, according to Vozhevatov, is "simple-minded", "there is no cunning in her ... all of a sudden, all of a sudden, and ... the truth." The girl sincerely expresses her feelings, does not know how to be hypocritical: "To whom she is disposed, she does not hide it at all." The young merchant says that last year Larisa was in love with Paratov: "... I couldn't get enough of him, but he traveled for a month ... and his trace was gone ..." The heroine was very worried: "she almost died of grief ... rushed to catch up with him ... "

After Paratov, an old man and an eternally drunk manager approached Larisa, then a thieving cashier appeared, who was arrested right in the house of the Ogudalovs. The heroine was in despair. She could no longer endure all this "shame" and decided to marry the first one who wooed her. This first turned out to be Karandyshev.

In Larisa's house, he was a "fallback": they paid attention to him when there was no one more interesting around. And the pitiful Karandyshev, seeing this, "plays different roles, throws wild looks ..."

Vozhevatov characterizes Karandyshev as "a proud, envious person." Having achieved his goal, Yuliy Kapitonich began to "shine like an orange." Karandyshev brags about his "prey" - takes Larisa to the boulevard, walks with her arm in arm. In his behavior, one can see the same motive of buying and selling: the hero is proud of Larisa as a beautiful and expensive thing that increases his prestige in society.

At the end of the conversation, the heroes feel sorry for Larisa, presenting her future life with Karandyshev: “In a beggarly atmosphere, and even for a foolish husband, she will either die or become vulgar”.

Thus, the conversation between Knurov and Vozhevatov at the beginning of the play gives an idea of ​​all the main characters of the drama, outlines their characters, and describes their fate. In addition, the leading motives of the play are already indicated here: the motive of buying and selling a person as a beautiful thing, the motive of an unhappy woman's fate, disappointment in love.