Images of peasants in the poem: Who lives well in Rus' essay. Images of peasants in the poem by N.A. Nekrasov “Who Lives Well in Rus'” (School Essays)

Nekrasov conceived “Who Lives Well in Rus'” shortly after the reform of 1861, as a result of which millions of peasants were actually robbed. The government managed to suppress the popular uprisings, but the peasant masses did not calm down for a long time. In this difficult time, without losing hope for a better future, the poet took up comprehensive artistic research people's life.

At the center of the poem is a collective image of a Russian peasant. The poem reflects peasant joys and sorrows, a peasant thirst for will and happiness. The reform of 1861 did not improve the situation of the people, and it is not without reason that the peasants say about it:

You are good, royal letter,

Yes, you are not writing about us...

The plot of the poem is very close to the folk tale about the search for happiness and truth. The heroes of the poem are looking for “The unworn province, the ungutted volost, the Izbytkov village.” As in folk tales about truth and falsehood, on " pillar path"Seven men came together." And just like in fairy tales, the disputants disagree, quarrel, and then, with the help of a wonderful bird that speaks human language, they make peace and set off to look for the happy one. A description of what the truth-seekers saw during their wanderings in Rus', stories about themselves from people who consider themselves happy, form the content of the poem. Walkers looking for happiness see a joyless, powerless, hungry life people in provinces with self-explanatory names: Frightened, Shot, Illiterate. A peasant’s “happiness,” the poet exclaims bitterly, “holey with patches, hunchbacked with calluses!” There are no happy peasants. Who is busy searching for happiness in the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'”?

First of all, these are seven men-truth seekers, whose inquisitive thoughts made them think about the fundamental question of life: “Who lives cheerfully, freely in Rus'?” Peasant types are represented in a variety of ways. These are peasants from different villages. Everyone was going about their own business, but then they met and argued. The villages are named, the provinces are named, and the men are listed by name, but we understand that events cannot be attributed to any specific year or to any specific place. All of Rus' is here with its eternal painful worries. In principle, each of the seven already has their own answer to the question:

Who has fun?

Free in Rus'?

Roman said: to the landowner,

Demyan said: to the official,

Luke said: ass.

To the fat-bellied merchant! -

The Gubin brothers said,

Ivan and Metrodor.

Old man Pakhom looked down

And he said, looking at the ground:

To the noble boyar,

To the sovereign minister.

And Prov said: to the king...

They did not receive the direct answer that the peasants were looking for. The answer arose in a different sense. The priest has his own claims to the new life, the landowner and merchant have theirs. Nobody praises the new time, everyone remembers the old.

The great chain has broken,

It tore and splintered,

One way for the master,

Others don't care.

Isn't our current situation similar to that recreated by Nekrasov? Men are deprived - both in the past and in the present. With bitter irony, Nekrasov describes in the chapter “Happy” how the wanderers prepared a whole bucket of vodka to treat the luckiest man. But the result was only a bitter list of people's misfortunes. The old woman is happy that turnips grew in her garden, the soldier is happy that he was mercilessly beaten with sticks, but remained alive. The stonecutter is happy with his youthful strength, and the weak one is happy that he returned alive from hard work. The men are disgusted by another “happy” one - a footman, who, after forty years of service, is sick not with some peasant hernia, but with a “noble” lordly disease - gout.

Happiness, according to Nekrasov, does not lie at all in the primitive sense in which the seven peasant walkers understood it, but in resistance, struggle, opposition to grief and untruth; it is not simply divided between men and masters. The author's sympathies demonstrate his undoubted spiritual closeness with the democratic, raznochinsky movement. It is not for nothing that he writes with such sympathy about the disturbers of social peace: the former convict Savely, who raised “the whole Korezhina” against the landowner Shalashnikov, who buried the cruel mayor alive; Ermil Girin, who was imprisoned for defending the interests of peasants, the robber Kudeyar. Among the peasants who have risen to the consciousness of their powerless situation is Yakim Nagoy, who realized who gets the fruits of peasant labor. The author creates in the poem the image of another seeker of peasant happiness - “ people's defender» Grisha Dobrosklonova. Hungry childhood, the harsh youth of the son of a farm laborer and a rural sexton brought him closer to the people, accelerated his spiritual maturation and determined his life path:

... about fifteen years old

Gregory already knew for sure

What will live for happiness

Wretched and dark

Native corner.

Grisha Dobrosklonov resembles Dobrolyubov in many traits of his character, in whom Nekrasov saw the “ideal of a public figure.” He is a fighter for people's happiness who wants to be there “where it’s hard to breathe, where grief is heard.” He sees that a people of many millions is awakening to fight:

The army rises

Countless!

The strength in her will affect

Indestructible!

This thought fills his soul with joy and confidence in victory. To answer the main question of the poem - who lives well in Rus'? - Nekrasov responds with the image of Grisha Dobrosklonov, “the people's intercessor”. That's why the poet says:

If only our wanderers could be under their own roof,

If only they could know what was happening to Grisha.

The path that Grisha Dobrosklonov follows is difficult, but beautiful. But it is precisely here that true happiness awaits a person, since, according to Nekrasov, only those who devote themselves to the struggle for the good and happiness of the people can be happy. The title of Nekrasov's poem has long been catchphrase, which has received a second life today, since society again faces questions posed by the great classics of the 19th century centuries: “Who is to blame?”, “What to do?” and “Who can live well in Rus'?”

Essays on literature: Images of peasants in the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'”

In the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'” N.A. shows the life of the Russian peasantry in post-reform Russia, their difficult situation. The main problem This work is a search for an answer to the question, “who lives happily and freely in Rus'”, who is worthy and not worthy of happiness? The author introduces into the poem the image of seven wandering peasants traveling around the country in search of the lucky ones. This is a group portrait, so in the image of the seven “temporarily obliged” only common features, characteristic of the Russian peasant: poverty, curiosity, unpretentiousness. Men do not seek happiness among the working people: peasants, soldiers. Their idea of ​​happiness is associated with the images of the clergy, merchants, nobility, and the tsar. Peasant truth-seekers have a sense of self-esteem. They are deeply convinced that the working people are better, taller, and smarter than the landowner. The author shows the hatred of the peasants for those who live at their expense. Nekrasov also emphasizes the people’s love for work and their desire to help other people. Having learned that Matryona Timofeevna’s crop is dying, the men without hesitation offer her help; they also help the peasants of the Illiterate province with mowing.

Traveling around Russia, the men meet different people. Revealing the images of the heroes encountered by the truth-seekers allows the author to characterize not only the situation of the peasantry, but also the life of the merchants, clergy, and nobility... But the author still pays the main attention to the peasants.

The images of Yakim Nagogo, Ermila Girin, Savely, Matryona Timofeevna combine both general, typical features the peasantry, such as, for example, hatred of all “shareholders” who drain their vitality from them, as well as individual traits.

Yakim Nagoy, personifying the mass of the poor peasantry, “works himself to death,” but lives as a poor man, like the majority of the peasants of the village of Bosovo. His portrait shows constant hard work:

And to Mother Earth myself

He looks like: brown neck,

Like a layer cut off by a plow,

Brick face...

Yakim understands that the peasantry is great power; he is proud to belong to it. He knows what the strength and weakness of the “peasant soul” is:

Soul, like a black cloud -

Angry, menacing - and it should be

Thunder will roar from there...

And it all ends with wine...

Yakim refutes the opinion that the peasant is poor because he drinks. He reveals the real reason This situation means the need to work for the “interest holders”. The fate of Yakim is typical for the peasants of post-reform Rus': he “once lived in St. Petersburg,” but, having lost a lawsuit with a merchant, he ended up in prison, from where he returned, “torn like a piece of Velcro” and “took up his plow.”

Another image of the Russian peasant is Ermila Girin. The author endows him with incorruptible honesty and natural intelligence. The peasants respect him because he

In seven years the world's penny

I didn’t squeeze it under my nail,

At the age of seven I didn’t touch the right one,

Didn't let the culprit go

I didn’t bend my heart...

Having gone against the “peace”, sacrificing public interests for the sake of personal ones - having given up a neighbor’s guy as a soldier instead of her brother - Yermila is tormented by remorse and comes to the point of thinking about suicide. However, he does not hang himself, but goes to the people to repent.

The episode with the purchase of the mill is important. Nekrasov shows the solidarity of the peasantry. They trust Ermila, and he takes the side of the peasants during the riot.

The author’s idea that Russian peasants are heroes is also important. For this purpose, the image of Savely, the Holy Russian hero, is introduced. Despite the unbearable hard life, the hero has not lost his best qualities. He treats Matryona Timofeevna with sincere love and deeply worries about Demushka’s death. About himself he says: “Branded, but not a slave!” Savely acts as a folk philosopher. He ponders whether the people should continue to endure their lack of rights and oppressed state. Savely comes to the conclusion: it is better to “understand” than to “endure,” and he calls for protest.

Savelia's combination of sincerity, kindness, simplicity, sympathy for the oppressed and hatred of the oppressors makes this image vital and typical.

A special place in the poem, as in all of Nekrasov’s work, is occupied by the display of " female share". In the poem, the author reveals it using the example of the image of Matryona Timofeevna. This is a strong and persistent woman, fighting for her freedom and her female happiness. But, despite all her efforts, the heroine says: “It’s not a matter of looking for a happy woman among women.”

The fate of Matryona Timofeevna is typical for a Russian woman: after marriage she went to hell from a “maiden holiday”; Misfortunes fell upon her one after another... Finally, Matryona Timofeevna, just like the men, is forced to work hard at work in order to feed her family.

The image of Matryona Timofeevna also contains features of the heroic character of the Russian peasantry.

In the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus',” the author showed how serfdom morally cripples people. He leads us through a procession of courtyard people, servants, serfs, who, over many years of groveling before the master, have completely lost their own “I” and human dignity. This is the faithful Yakov, who takes revenge on the master by killing himself in front of his eyes, and Ipat, the slave of the Utyatin princes, and Klim. Some peasants even become oppressors, receiving insignificant power from the landowner. The peasants hate these slave slaves even more than the landowners, they despise them.

Thus, Nekrasov showed the stratification among the peasantry associated with the reform of 1861.

The poem also notes such a feature of the Russian peasantry as religiosity. It's a way to escape reality. God is the supreme judge from whom the peasants seek protection and justice. Faith in God is hope for a better life.

So, N.A. Nekrasov, in the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus',” recreated the life of the peasantry in post-reform Russia, revealed the typical character traits of Russian peasants, showing that this is a force to be reckoned with, which is gradually beginning to realize its rights.

// Images of peasants in Nekrasov’s poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'”

The famous poem by N.A. Nekrasova's "" opens and describes to readers the images of peasants who happened to experience the hardships and difficulties of the post-reform era in Russia. Nekrasov introduces us to ordinary peasant men who decided to find out who is really happy in Russia - a landowner, a merchant, a priest, or the Tsar himself?

Seven wanderers travel around Russian lands in search of truth. They meet different characters along the way, but never refuse to help anyone. The travelers help out Matryona Timofeevna after learning that her crop is dying. The Illiterate Province also felt the help of the men.

Thanks to the wanderings of the heroes, Nikolai Alekseevich introduces readers to various persons who occupy completely different position in society. This includes the clergy, the merchants, and the nobility. And against the background of them, the author can contrast the representatives of the peasantry - the travelers themselves, with their distinctive features character and behavior.

While reading the poem, we meet a poor peasant named Yakim Nagoy. He, working all his life, remained in the lavas of the most impoverished sections of the population. Most of the residents of the village of Bosovo are like him.

Analyzing a portrait of this hero, in which Nekrasov compares him to Mother Earth herself, calling his neck brown and his face brick, one can guess what kind of work he does and performs every day for the benefit of others. However, Yakim is not upset about his situation, because he believes in the peasants, that they have a bright and decent future.

Another Nekrasov character was distinguished by his incorruptibility and honesty. In addition, he was unusually smart.

Using the example of this hero, Nekrasov shows how united the peasants were. The people trusted Ermila during the purchase of the mill, for which he takes the side of the peasants and supports their rebellion.

Repeatedly, when describing the image of a real peasant, Nekrasov mentions the heroes that many of them resembled. The image of Savely is a clear confirmation of this. He is tall, powerful and strong. And despite such peasant traits, Savely is an unusually sincere, kind and pure person. He treats Matryona Timofeevna with trepidation and love. Savely often falls into philosophical thoughts about whether the common people should endure all the humiliations and burdens that have fallen on the working shoulders.

As for female images, to whom Nekrasov paid considerable attention, their description merged together in the person of Matryona Timofeevna. This is a woman who strived with all her might to fight for happiness, for freedom. She was strong and had extraordinary endurance and perseverance. Her fate was not easy. Having got married, she endured the trials of misfortunes and, ultimately, took up hard work along with the men.

Very often she poured out her emotions through songs. Nekrasov calls the song the soul of the people, because in it the peasants poured out all their pain, all the bitterness that burdened their difficult lives.

In addition, the text of the poem also contains characters of landowner servants who took the abolition of serfdom seriously. They are so used to serving and doing errands that they have completely lost their self-esteem and become faceless.

This is Yakov, who deals with himself in front of the master in order to take revenge on him. This is both Klim and Ipat. Ordinary peasants despise these people, and they hate the landowners even more. After all, they sold out and became spineless and low creatures.

In this field, Nikolai Nekrasov describes the strong stratification that occurred among the peasants. And the reason for it all was the reform of 1861.

Nekrasov, in the text of his poem, did not forget to mention that the peasants were unusually religious. Their faith in God, in the Almighty, was strongest. They turned to him for help, looking for protection and support. Only with hope and faith could the peasant representatives move forward to a happy life.

In the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus',” Nikolai Alekseevich revealed the images of typical representatives of the peasant class. The writer is trying to say that peasants are not just slaves, they are a force that can ultimately manifest and show itself. Therefore, it must be taken into account and endowed with its own rights and freedoms.

An important historical period is reflected in the work of N.A. Nekrasov. The peasants in the poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'” are typical and very real. Their images help to understand what happened in the country after the abolition of serfdom, and what the reforms led to.

Wanderers of the People

Seven men - all of peasant origin. How are they different from other characters? Why doesn’t the author choose representatives as walkers? different classes? Nekrasov is a genius. The author suggests that a movement begins among the peasants. Russia has “awakened from its sleep.” But the movement is slow; not everyone has realized that they have gained freedom and can live in a new way. Nekrasov makes heroes of ordinary men. Previously, only beggars, pilgrims and buffoons roamed the country. Now men from different provinces and volosts have gone looking for answers to their questions. The poet does not idealize literary characters, does not try to separate them from the people. He understands that all peasants are different. Centuries-old oppression has become a habit for the majority; men do not know what to do with the rights they received, or how to continue to live.

Yakim Nagoy

A peasant lives in a village with a telling name - Bosovo. A poor man from the same village. The peasant went to work, but fell into litigation with the merchant. Yakim ended up in prison. Realizing that nothing good awaits him in the city, Nagoy returns to his homeland. He works on the earth without complaint, merging with it in his image and likeness. Like a lump, a layer cut out by a plow, Yakim

“He works himself to death and drinks until he is half to death.”

A man does not get joy from hard work. Most of goes to the landowner, but he himself is poor and hungry. Yakim is sure that no amount of drunkenness can overcome a Russian peasant, so there is no point in blaming the peasants for drunkenness. The versatility of the soul is revealed during a fire. Yakim and his wife save paintings, icons, not money. The spirituality of the people is higher than material wealth.

Serf Yakov

From a cruel landowner long years lives in the service of Yakov. He is exemplary, diligent, faithful. The slave serves his master until old age and takes care of him during illness. The author shows how a man can show disobedience. He condemns such decisions, but also understands them. It is difficult for Yakov to stand up against the landowner. Throughout his life he had proven his devotion to him, but he did not deserve even a little attention. The slave takes the debilitated landowner into the forest and commits suicide in front of his eyes. A sad picture, but it is precisely this that helps to understand how deeply servility has taken root in the hearts of the peasants.

Favorite Slave

The yard man tries to appear the happiest before the wanderers. What is his happiness? Serf was the favorite slave of the first noble prince Peremetevo. The wife of a slave is a beloved slave. The owner allowed the serf's daughter to study languages ​​and sciences together with the young lady. The little girl sat in the presence of the gentlemen. The peasant slave looks stupid. He prays, asking God to save him from a noble disease - gout. Slavish obedience led the slave to absurd thoughts. He is proud of the noble disease. He boasts to the walkers about the wines he drank: champagne, Burgon, Tokay. The men refuse him vodka. They send us off to lick the plates after the lordly meal. A Russian drink is not on the lips of a peasant slave; let him finish off the glasses of foreign wines. The image of a sick serf is ridiculous.

Headman Gleb

There is no usual intonation in the description of the peasant. The author is indignant. He doesn’t want to write about types like Gleb, but they exist among the peasants, so the truth of life requires the appearance of the image of an elder from the people in the poem. There were few of these among the peasants, but they brought enough grief. Gleb destroyed the freedom that the master gave. He allowed his fellow countrymen to be deceived. A slave at heart, the headman betrayed the men. He hoped for special benefits, for the opportunity to rise above his equals in social status.

Man's happiness

At the fair, many peasants approach the wanderers. They are all trying to prove their happiness, but it is so miserable that it is hard to talk about it.

Which peasants approached the walkers:

• The peasant is Belarusian. His happiness is in bread. Previously, it was barley, it hurt my stomach so much that it can only be compared with contractions during childbirth. Now they give rye bread, you can eat it without fear of consequences.
• A man with a curled cheekbone. The peasant went after the bear. His three friends were broken by forest owners. The man remained alive. The happy hunter cannot look to the left: his cheekbone is curled up like a bear's paw. The walkers laughed and offered to go see the bear again and turn the other cheek to equalize the cheekbones, but they gave me vodka.
• Stonemason. The young Olonchan man enjoys life because he is strong. He has a job, if you get up early, you can earn 5 silver.
• Tryphon. Possessing enormous power, the guy succumbed to the contractor’s ridicule. I tried to pick up as much as they put in. I brought in a load of 14 poods. He didn’t allow himself to be laughed at, but he tore his heart and got sick. The man’s happiness is that he reached his homeland to die on his own land.

N.A. Nekrasov calls peasants differently. Only slaves, serfs and Judases. Other exemplary, faithful, brave heroes of the Russian land. New paths are opening up for the people. Happy life is waiting for them, but we must not be afraid to protest and seek our rights.