Afanasyeva Anastasia
This scientific work provides evidence that the story of L.N. Tolstoy's "Prisoner of the Caucasus" can be safely called the "book of life".
Municipal educational institution
"Lyceum No. 4"
Section "My main books of life"
"Prisoner of the Caucasus" L. N. Tolstoy -
my main book of life
5th grade student
MOU "Lyceum No. 4", Saratov
Scientific adviser: Abakumenko S. V.,
Teacher of Russian language and literature
Saratov, 2010
Introduction ……………………………………………………………….2
Chapter I “The Prisoner of the Caucasus” by L. N. Tolstoy is a book of life……...3
Conclusion……………………………………………………………..7
Literature……………………………………………………………...8
APPENDIX………………………………………………..……….9
Introduction
In the history of Russian culture there are many names of outstanding figures, scientists, thinkers, artists, writers who make up the glory and pride of the nation. Among them, one of the most honorable places rightfully belongs to Leo Tolstoy, the great creator who created immortal images and characters that remain relevant today. This is also the image of the “Caucasian prisoner” – a man of high morality.
In general, in the 19th century, the Caucasus was an emblematic space of freedom, an unrestricted spiritual movement as opposed to the world of “civilization” fettered by conventions. We noticed that in Tolstoy's prose, the Caucasus began to acquire details of everyday life, details of relationships, and the little things of everyday life.
So, in the story “The Prisoner of the Caucasus”, Tolstoy wants to tell the main thing - the truth, the truth about a person and about this person’s place in society, and in a society alien to him, completely alien. This theme does not lose its relevance for several centuries now.
Objective consist in tracking and explaining the reasons for the formation and development of the characters of the heroes of the story, their morality.
We have the following tasks:
1. to analyze the story of L. N. Tolstoy "Prisoner of the Caucasus";
2. highlight the distinctive features of each of the characters;
3. to determine what is the moral value of the "Prisoner of the Caucasus".
object research advocates the character of the hero as a carrier of morality, moral values.
Subject research becomes directly the artistic text itself - "Prisoner of the Caucasus".
Chapter 1
"Prisoner of the Caucasus" L. N. Tolstoy- the book of life
"The Prisoner of the Caucasus" is the last work in the "Russian Book for Reading". In a letter to N. N. Strakhov, the writer called this story his best work, because, in his opinion, it was here that he managed to most naturally use the best artistic means of folk poetics.
Leo Tolstoy worked on it in 1872, stubbornly striving for simplicity, naturalness of the narrative, the work was written during the writer's sharp thoughts about life, the search for its meaning. Here, as in his great epic, the separation and enmity of people, "war" is opposed to what binds them together - "peace". And here there is its own “folk idea” - the assertion that ordinary people of different nationalities can find mutual understanding, because universal human moral values are the same - love for work, respect for a person, friendship, honesty, mutual assistance. And vice versa, evil, hostility, selfishness, self-interest are inherently anti-people and anti-human. Tolstoy is convinced that “the most beautiful thing in a person is love for people, which makes it possible to live a full life. Love is hindered by all sorts of social foundations, ossified national barriers, protected by the state and giving rise to false values: the desire for rank, wealth, career - all that seems familiar and normal to people. .
Therefore, Tolstoy addresses children who have not yet been "spoiled" by social and national abnormal relations. He wants to tell them the truth, to teach them to distinguish good from evil, to help them follow the good. He creates a work where the beautiful is clearly distinguished from the ugly, the work is extremely simple and clear, and at the same time deep and significant, like a parable. “Tolstoy is proud of this story. This is beautiful prose - calm, there are no decorations in it, and there is not even what is called psychological analysis. Human interests collide, and we sympathize with Zhilin - a good person, and what we know about him is enough for us, and he himself does not want to know much about himself " .
The plot of the story is simple and clear. The Russian officer Zhilin, who served in the Caucasus, where the war was going on at that time, goes on vacation and on the way is captured by the Tatars. He escapes from captivity, but unsuccessfully. The secondary escape succeeds. Zhilin, pursued by the Tatars, escapes and returns to the military unit. The content of the story is the impressions and experiences of the hero. This makes the story emotional and exciting. The life of the Tatars, the nature of the Caucasus are revealed by the author realistically, through the perception of Zhilin. Tatars in the view of Zhilin are divided into kind, warm-hearted and those who are offended by the Russians and take revenge on them for the murder of relatives and the ruin of auls (old Tatar). Customs, way of life, mores are depicted as the hero perceives them.
It must be said that Tolstoy's detailed, "everyday" description of events does not obscure the ugliness of human relations. There is no romantic intensity in his narrative.
Tolstoy's "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is a true story. Zhilin is captured by the Gentiles on completely legal grounds. He is an adversary, a warrior, according to the customs of the highlanders, he can be captured and ransomed for him. The character of the protagonist corresponds to the surname, he is strong, persistent, sinewy. He has golden hands, in captivity he helped the highlanders, repaired something, they even came to him for treatment. The author does not indicate the name, only that he is called Ivan, but that was the name of all Russian captives. Kostylin - as if on crutches, props. But pay attention: in fact, Tolstoy has one prisoner, as the title speaks eloquently, although there are two heroes in the story. Zhilin managed to escape from captivity, and Kostylin remained not only and not so much in Tatar captivity, but in captivity of his weakness, his selfishness.
Let us remember how helpless, how physically weak Kostylin turns out to be, how he only hopes for a ransom that his mother will send.
Zhilin, on the contrary, does not count on his mother, does not want to shift his difficulties onto her shoulders. He is included in the life of the Tatars, the aul, he is constantly doing something, he knows how to win over even his enemies - he is strong in spirit. It is this idea that the author wants to convey to the readers first of all.
The main device of the story is opposition; the prisoners Zhilin and Kostylin are shown in contrast. Even their appearance is depicted in contrast. Zhilin is outwardly energetic and mobile. "There was a master for every needlework" , “Although small in stature, but he was daring” , - emphasizes the author. And in the guise of Kostylin, L. Tolstoy brings to the fore unpleasant features: “a man is heavy, plump, sweaty” . Not only Zhilin and Kostylin are shown in contrast, but also the life, customs, and people of the village. Residents are depicted as Zhilin sees them. In the guise of an old Tatar, cruelty, hatred, malice are emphasized: “the nose is hooked like a hawk, and the eyes are gray, angry and there are no teeth - only two fangs” .
Kostylin - is in double captivity, as we said above. The writer, drawing this image, says that without getting out of the internal captivity, it is impossible to get out of the external captivity.
But L.N. Tolstoy - an artist and a man - wanted Kostylin to arouse in the reader not anger and contempt, but pity and compassion. The author has similar feelings for him, who sees every person as a person, and the main way to change life is in self-improvement, and not in revolutions. So in this story, the favorite thoughts of L. N. Tolstoy are affirmed, his knowledge of human psychology and the ability to depict the inner world, experience are manifested; the ability to clearly and simply draw a portrait of a hero, a landscape, an environment in which the heroes live.
The image of the Tatar girl Dina evokes the warmest sympathy. In Dean, traits of sincerity and spontaneity are noticed. She squatted down, began to turn the stone: “Yes, the little hands are thin, like twigs, there is nothing to be strong. Threw a stone, cried " . This little girl, obviously deprived of affection, constantly left unattended, reached out to the kind, paternal attitude towards her Zhilin.
“The Prisoner of the Caucasus” is a realistic work in which the life of the highlanders is vividly and vividly described, the nature of the Caucasus is depicted. It is written in accessible language, close to fabulous. The story is told from the point of view of the narrator.
By the time the story was written, Tolstoy finally affirmed the need to learn from the people of their morality, their views on the world, simplicity and wisdom, the ability to "take root" in any situation, survive in any situation, without grumbling and without shifting their troubles onto other people's shoulders. The writer at that time was completely occupied with public education, he wrote the ABC for peasant children, all the literary texts in which are simple, entertaining, instructive. "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is published in the 4th book of "Russian Children's Books for Reading", that is, the story was written by Tolstoy specifically for children, and therefore it is so instructive.
Also, we conducted a survey among 5-7 classes (60 people) of our lyceum. The results of the survey are presented in the appendix.
Conclusion
So, reading the story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" captivates the reader. Everyone sympathizes with Zhilin, despise Kostylin, admire Dina. The emotionality of perception, the ability to empathize, up to identifying yourself with your favorite characters, faith in the reality of what is happening in the story - these are the features of the perception of a literary work, but the reader must also develop, enrich perception, learn to penetrate the thoughts of the writer, experience aesthetic pleasure from reading. The moral issues of the story are noteworthy in order to realize Tolstoy's ideal of a beautiful person.
In the story “The Prisoner of the Caucasus”, L. Tolstoy solves the following problem: can people live in peace and friendship, what separates them and what connects them, is it possible to overcome the eternal enmity of people with each other? This leads to the second problem: are there qualities in a person that make it possible for people to unite? Which people have these qualities, and which do not, and why?
Both of these problems are not only quite accessible to readers, but are also deeply relevant, because relationships of friendship and comradeship occupy an ever greater place in life.
Literature
APPENDIX
“Yes, I am familiar” - 54 people.
“I heard something” - 5 people.
“Difficult to answer” – 1 person.
“Yes, I remember” - 54 people.
“Difficult to answer” – 6 people.
"Courage, Courage" - 45 people.
"Honesty, devotion, gratitude" - 31 people.
"Caring, benevolence" - 22 people.
"Caution, foresight" - 14 people.
“Yes, I think” – 48 people.
“Rather no than yes” - 8 people.
“No, this is not a “people's character” - 4 people.
“Yes, I think” – 40 people.
“Rather no than yes” – 16 people.
"No" - 4 people.
Zhuravlev V.P., Korovina V.Ya., Korovin V.I. Literature. Grade 5 In 2 parts. Part 1. Enlightenment, 2007
Zhuravlev V.P., Korovina V.Ya., Korovin V.I. Literature. Grade 5 In 2 parts. Part 1. Enlightenment, 2007
While in the middle of the 19th century in the Caucasus, Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy became participants in a dangerous event that inspired him to write The Prisoner of the Caucasus. While escorting the convoy to the Groznaya fortress, he and a friend fell into a trap for the Chechens. The life of the great writer was saved by the fact that the highlanders did not want to kill his companion, so they did not shoot. Tolstoy and his partner managed to ride to the fortress, where they were covered by the Cossacks.
The key idea of the work is the opposition of an optimistic and strong-willed person to another - sluggish, lack of initiative, grouchy and compassionate. The first character retains courage, honor, courage and achieves release from captivity. The main message: in no case should you give up and give up, there are hopeless situations only for those who do not want to act.
The events of the story unfold in parallel with the Caucasian War and tell about the officer Zhilin, who at the beginning of the work, at the written request of his mother, leaves with a convoy to visit her. On the way, he meets another officer - Kostylin - and continues on his way with him. Having met the highlanders, Zhilin's fellow traveler runs away, and the main character is captured and sold to the rich Abdul-Marat from the mountain village. The fugitive officer is caught later and the prisoners are kept together in a barn.
The highlanders seek to get a ransom for Russian officers and force them to write letters home, but Zhilin writes a false address so that his mother, who cannot collect so much money, does not find out about anything. During the day, prisoners are allowed to walk around the village in stocks and the main character makes dolls for local children, thanks to which he wins the favor of 13-year-old Dina, the daughter of Abdul-Marat. In parallel, he plans an escape and prepares a tunnel from the barn.
Upon learning that the villagers are worried about the death of one of the mountaineers in battle, the officers decide to flee. They exit through the tunnel and go towards the Russian positions, but the highlanders quickly discover and return the fugitives, throwing them into the pit. Now the captives are forced to sit in stocks around the clock, but from time to time Dina brings Zhilin mutton and cakes. Kostylin finally loses heart, begins to get sick.
One night, the main character, with the help of a long stick brought by Dina, gets out of the pit and, right in the stocks, runs away through the forest to the Russians. Kostylin remains in captivity until the end, until the highlanders receive a ransom for him.
Tolstoy portrayed the main character as an honest and authoritative person who treats his subordinates, relatives and even those who captivated him with respect and responsibility. Despite obstinacy and initiative, he is cautious, prudent and cold-blooded, has an inquisitive mind (he navigates by the stars, learns the language of the highlanders). He has self-respect and demands from the "Tatars" respect for the captives. A jack-of-all-trades, he repairs guns, watches and even makes dolls.
Despite the meanness of Kostylin, because of which Ivan was captured, he does not hold a grudge and does not blame his prisoner, plans to run away together and does not leave him after the first almost successful attempt. Zhilin is a hero, noble in relation to enemies and allies, who retains a human face and honor even in the most difficult and insurmountable circumstances.
Kostylin is a wealthy, overweight and clumsy officer, portrayed by Tolstoy as weak both physically and mentally. Because of his cowardice and meanness, the heroes are captured and fail the first attempt to escape. He meekly and unquestioningly accepts the fate of a prisoner, agrees to any conditions of detention and does not even believe Zhilin's words that it is possible to escape. For days on end, he complains about his situation, sits idle, and becomes more and more “limp” from his own pity. As a result, Kostylin is overtaken by illness, and at the time of Zhilin's second attempt to escape, he refuses, saying that he does not even have the strength to turn around. Barely alive, he is brought from captivity a month after the ransom comes from his relatives.
Kostylin in the story of Leo Tolstoy is a reflection of cowardice, meanness and weakness of will. This is a person who is not able, under the yoke of circumstances, to show respect for himself and, moreover, for others. He is afraid only for himself, not thinking about risk and brave actions, because of which he becomes a burden for the active and energetic Zhilin, prolonging the joint imprisonment.
One of the most famous stories by Leo Tolstoy, “The Prisoner of the Caucasus,” is based on a comparison of two extremely opposite characters. The author makes them antagonists not only in character, but even in appearance:
Tolstoy acts in his story as a bearer of justice, telling a parable about how fate rewards an enterprising and brave person with salvation.
An important idea lies in the title of the work. Kostylin is a prisoner of the Caucasus in the literal sense of the word, even after the ransom, because he did nothing to deserve freedom. However, Tolstoy seems to be ironic about Zhilin - he showed his will and escaped from captivity, but does not leave the region, because he considers his service to be fate and duty. The Caucasus will captivate not only Russian officers who are forced to fight for their homeland, but also mountaineers, who also have no moral right to give up this land. In a certain sense, all the actors here remain Caucasian captives, even the generous Dina, who is destined to continue to live in her native society.
Almost every classical writer of the 19th century wrote about the Caucasus. This region, engulfed in almost endless war (1817-1864), attracted authors with its beauty, rebelliousness and exoticism. L.N. Tolstoy was no exception and wrote a simple and vital story "Prisoner of the Caucasus".
L. N. Tolstoy, who became famous all over the world after the novels "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina" and others, in the 70s of the 19th century renounced his past work, because his worldview had changed. The writer developed his neo-Christian teaching, according to which he decided to remake himself by "simplifying" life and his future works. And earlier literary works were written incomprehensibly for the people, who were the measure of morality and the producer of all blessings.
Deciding to write in a new way, Tolstoy created the "ABC" (1871-1872) and "New ABC" (1874-1875), distinguished by simplicity, clarity and power of language. The first book also included The Prisoner of the Caucasus, based on the impressions of the author himself, who was almost captured by the highlanders in 1853. In 1872, the story was published in the Zarya magazine. The writer highly appreciated his work, ranking the "Prisoner of the Caucasus" as "an art that conveys the simplest everyday feelings, such that are accessible to all people of the whole world - the art of the world."
A poor officer Zhilin, who serves in the Caucasus, is going home to see his mother and, possibly, get married. The road was dangerous, because the hero went along with the convoy, slowly dragging under the protection of the soldiers. Unable to bear the heat, stuffiness and slow movement, the rider rode forward. Directly towards the highlanders, who captured him together with his colleague Kostylin, who met him.
The heroes live in a barn, chained in stocks during the day. Zhilin makes toys for local children, which especially attracts Dina, the daughter of their "master". The girl takes pity on the craftsman, brings him cakes. Zhilin cannot hope for a ransom, he decides to escape through a tunnel. Taking Kostylin with him, he heads for freedom, but his comrade, clumsy and obese, ruined the whole plan, the prisoners were returned. Conditions became worse, they were transferred to the pit and the blocks were no longer removed for the night. With the help of Dina, Zhilin runs again, but his friend categorically refuses. The fugitive, in spite of his legs shackled with blocks, got to his own, and his friend was later ransomed.
The work is really written simply and even its meaning lies on the surface. The main idea of the story “The Prisoner of the Caucasus” is that one should never give up in the face of difficulties, one must overcome them, and not wait for help from others, and no matter what conditions, a way out can always be found. At least try.
It would seem, who is more likely to escape from captivity: poor Zhilin or rich Kostylin? Of course, the latter. However, the first one has courage and willpower, so he does not wait for mercy, ransom, divine intervention, but simply acts as best he can. At the same time, he does not go over the heads, believing that the end justifies the means, he remains a person even in a difficult situation. The protagonist is close to the people, who, according to the author, still have decency and nobility in their souls, and not in their pedigree. That is why he conquered all hostile circumstances.
The main lesson that the reader can take away from the "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is that you should never give up. Even if everyone is against you, even if it seems that there is no hope, then someday everything will change for the better if you direct all efforts to achieve your goal. And although, fortunately, few are familiar with such an extreme situation as Zhilin's, he should learn stamina from him.
Another important thing that the story teaches is that war and national strife are meaningless. These phenomena can be beneficial to immoral people in power, but a normal person should try not to allow this for himself, not to be a chauvinist and a nationalist, because, despite some differences in values and lifestyles, each of us always and everywhere strives for one - Tranquility, happiness and peace.
The story of L.N. Tolstoy, after almost 150 years, has not lost its relevance. It is written simply and clearly, but this does not at all affect its deep meaning. Therefore, this book is a must-read.
Interesting? Save it on your wall!Introduction
In the history of Russian literature there are such facts when writers of different trends, aesthetic positions refer to the same titles of their works. I was interested in three "Prisoners of the Caucasus" by A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, L.N. Tolstoy. Why do authors name their works the same way? Maybe this indicates the continuity between the works? Or maybe they are polemically opposed to each other?
Objective: to reveal the features of the plot of A.S. Pushkin and M.Yu. Lermontov "Prisoner of the Caucasus", story by L.N. Tolstoy "Prisoner of the Caucasus".
Tasks:
Object of study- works by A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, L.N. Tolstoy “Prisoner of the Caucasus”.
Subject of study: plots of the named works.
Practical significance: the work can be used in literature lessons, as well as in preparation for olympiads, for the exam in literature.
Research methods: comparison, juxtaposition.
Hypothesis: We believe that the realization of the plot about the Caucasian prisoner depends entirely on the author's concept and the literary movement to which the author belongs.
A. S. Pushkin's poem "Prisoner of the Caucasus"
"The Prisoner of the Caucasus" is a romantic poem written by Pushkin during his southern exile in 1822. The author set himself the goal of reproducing the character of a young man of his time, dissatisfied with reality and seized with a thirst for freedom. The hero, who has neither a name nor a past, went to the Caucasus - the land of strong and freedom-loving people - to find such a desired and necessary freedom of spirit, but was captured.
In the romantic poem, the epic line (the Caucasus, the exotic life of the highlanders, the arrival of Russian conquerors) is intertwined with the lyrical one (the love of a captive Russian and a Circassian woman). Highlanders are "natural" people living in harmony with the world. Alien to the wild world, the captive brings destruction to it: because of him, a young Circassian woman throws herself into the abyss of the sea.
It is in the poem by A. S. Pushkin that the main structural elements of the so-called Caucasian plot can be distinguished, which were transformed in the works of the same name by M. Yu. Lermontov and L. N. Tolstoy.
The main elements of the plot:
Poem by M.Yu. Lermontov "Prisoner of the Caucasus"
His romantic poem M.Yu. Lermontov wrote in 1828 when he was only 14 years old. The poem was created under the strong influence of Pushkin's poem of the same name. It is clear that, giving the same name to his work, the young poet consciously refers to the plot of A.S. Pushkin "Prisoner of the Caucasus". In his poem, he raises the same problems as his idol, showing the moral superiority of the "children of nature" over the "children of civilization". To show that over time the issues raised by A.S. Pushkin, have not lost their relevance, Lermontov uses the technique of poetic roll call. Some of Pushkin's poems are entirely included in the poem, others - in a slightly modified form.
The author of the poem is a novice poet, trying to give expression to his own moods, thoughts and feelings on someone else's material. Calling his poem so, the young Lermontov boldly strives to measure his strength with the greatest poet of our time, he wants to tell the story that excited, captured him in his own way, to convey it somehow in his own way. Lermontov did not imitate, did not copy, but assimilated in Pushkin's experience that which could contribute to the expression of his own creative individuality.
Common and different in poems
Both are romantic poems. Like A. S. Pushkin, Lermontov's hero is nameless. There is a lot of Pushkin in the depiction of the prisoner; the hero is a lonely wanderer. It is not surprising that some features, such as proud loneliness, mystery, ardent passion, unite the heroes of the two poems:
And the sparkle of his eyes is cold ... / ... Feelings, passions,
Burning down forever in the eyes / Lurking like a lion in a cave / Deep in the heart ...
The plot of Lermontov's "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is close to the work of the same name by Pushkin, but Lermontov's number of characters is increased, their characters are different. The prisoner is devoid of traits of disappointment and satiety with life. The hero yearns for his homeland and freedom, looking for the support of friends. The Circassian woman has a more resolute character than the Pushkin heroine, she demands the love of a captive.
In Pushkin's poem, a prisoner offers a Circassian woman to leave with him:
"Oh my friend! - the Russian cried out, / - I am yours forever, I am yours to the grave.
Let us both leave the terrible land. / Run with me!"
The Circassian woman, knowing that he loves another, refuses to follow him and commits suicide. The prisoner happily leaves captivity.
Lermontov gives a completely different outcome. His heroine is a more resolute and courageous nature. She says to Russian:
"But you said, / What do you love, Russian, you are different.
Forget it, I'm ready / With you to run to the edge of the universe!
Forget her, love me, / Your unchanging friend.
The prisoner cannot reciprocate her feelings. The Circassian woman helps him free himself from the chains, but the hero did not have to return to his homeland. The father of a Circassian woman (a new character introduced by Lermontov) kills a fugitive. The daughter, like Pushkin's heroine, throws herself into the river and drowns. Her father is tormented by remorse, not finding peace of mind.
We see that in his poem "Prisoner of the Caucasus" the young poet is looking for new plot points, in his own way describes the characters of the characters, although the main structural elements of the Caucasian plot remain Pushkin's.
The story of L. N. Tolstoy "Prisoner of the Caucasus"
Tolstoy creates a realistic work with Pushkin's title "Prisoner of the Caucasus", starting from the same title, Tolstoy, as it were, declares his desire to write about the same thing in a new way.
“The Prisoner of the Caucasus” by Leo Tolstoy is a true story, the material for which was the events from the life of the writer and the stories he heard in the service in the Caucasus. The story was written in 1872 and belongs to realistic works.
Why Lermontov gives his youthful poem the name "Prisoner of the Caucasus", we found out. But why does L.N. Tolstoy, after almost half a century, give the same name to his work? Let's try to figure this out.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Tolstoy thought a lot about the true purpose of literature. An analysis of the critical literature on this work allows us to conclude that L.N. Tolstoy himself, by the time the work on the story began, was finally affirmed in the need to learn from the people their morality, their views on the world, simplicity and wisdom, the ability to "take root" in any environment, to survive in any situation, not grumbling and not shifting their troubles onto other people's shoulders. The writer at that time was completely occupied with public education, he wrote the ABC for peasant children, all the literary texts in which are simple, entertaining, instructive.
"Prisoner of the Caucasus" was originally published in the Zarya magazine, designed exclusively for adults, and then placed in the 4th book of Russian Children's Books for Reading, that is, the story was written by Tolstoy specifically for children. Tolstoy addresses children who are not yet “spoiled” by social and national abnormal relations. He wants to tell us the truth, to teach us to distinguish good from evil, to help us follow good.
Leo Tolstoy's "Prisoner of the Caucasus" is not just a story written specifically for children, and that is why it is so instructive. It was a sample of his new prose, a kind of experiment in the field of language and style. Therefore, sending criticism to Nikolai Strakhov of the story “Prisoner of the Caucasus” written by him for children, Tolstoy explains: “This is an example of those techniques and language that I write and will write for adults.” This testimony of Leo Tolstoy is highly remarkable. He, at that time already a renowned author of "Sevastopol Tales", "Cossacks", "Childhood and Adolescence" and "War and Peace", seemed to learn to write again while working on a book for children. Yes, at the same time, he also claimed that he would write for adults in the same way, with the same “techniques of the language”.
It is precisely in order to emphasize the polemical nature of his position that Tolstoy gives his story the title "Prisoner of the Caucasus" - a title that evokes direct associations with the poems of Pushkin and Lermontov. With his story, he wanted to expose the "false" poetics of romanticism. In romantic literature, Tolstoy was annoyed by many things: both the characters and the environment that surrounds them. Tolstoy highly valued Pushkin's prose and spoke negatively about his poems. It was surprising to read in Leo Tolstoy's diary dated June 7, 1856, where he wrote: "Gypsies" are charming<...>, the rest of the poems, excluding Onegin, are terrible rubbish"
Comparative analysis of works
General
In his “Prisoner of the Caucasus”, L.N. Tolstoy leaves intact the main structural elements of the Caucasian plot:
Russian is captured by the highlanders;
· meets a Circassian/Tatar woman who brings him food;
With her help, he manages to escape. (In Lermontov's poem, the hero could not get to his native place: he was overtaken by a Circassian bullet).
But otherwise, Tolstoy's story in all respects is a complete antithesis to the other two "Prisoners of the Caucasus" Pushkin and Lermontov.
Miscellaneous
Subtitle
The very subtitle of the story (true story) opposes the truthfully told story to romantic "fables". It is known that the story is based on a real incident - the attack of the highlanders on Leo Tolstoy and four other officers who broke away from the convoy.
Hero names
The heroes of both poems do not have names, with the exception of Girey, who delivered the captive to the village. (In Lermontov's poem). In Tolstoy's story, all the main characters have names, and the main characters are given "speaking" surnames. (Zhilin and Kostylin)
Age
The characters of Pushkin and Lermontov are young men (typical of romantic poetry). Zhilin is a man in years. We learn about this at the mention of the old mother.
The reasons why the heroes ended up in the Caucasus
The hero of Pushkin, disappointed in the "unfaithful life" and "dreams of love", goes to the Caucasus to find freedom there, and is captured.
We know practically nothing about the motives for the stay of Lermontov's hero in the Caucasus. Lermontov says that "in his native country" the captive "destroyed the holy hearts of hope." But the reason that forced him to leave his father's house is not named.
Zhilin serves in the Caucasus, sends money to his mother and is going to marry after leaving the service.
Thus, rational and quite prosaic motives are opposed to the romantic motives of flight from civilization, disappointment in love.
Capture
All three heroes are captured. Neither Pushkin nor Lermontov, we do not see the reasons why this happened. For them, the very fact of the loss of freedom is important. Tolstoy tells in detail how and why this happened. Zhilin is captured by the Tatars, among other things, because it is important for him to emphasize that Kostylin's cowardice is to blame.
The hero of Pushkin - Lermontov is captured by a lone warrior who drags his captives to the village on a lasso. The situation described by Tolstoy is more realistic. A whole detachment attacks Zhilin and Kostylin, the bound Zhilin is mounted on a horse. Tolstoy draws attention to the everydayness of the prisoner's sensations. “Zhilin is sitting behind a Tatar, swaying, poking his face into the stinking Tatar back. All he sees in front of him is a hefty Tatar back, and a sinewy neck, and the shaved back of the head turns blue from under the cap.
The description of the hero's appearance is also emphatically unromantic: "Zhilina's head is broken, the blood is caked over his eyes." The heroes of the poems of Pushkin and Lermontov also suffered ( Pushkin:"cold and dumb prisoner, / with a disfigured head";
From Lermontov:"pale face, washed in blood")
In captivity
The heroes of both poems, brought to the village, "lie in heavy oblivion" until noon. Zhilin, on the contrary, maintains clarity of thought throughout the entire journey and even tries to notice the road.
The behavior of the characters in captivity is completely opposite. The heroes of the poems mostly contemplate what surrounds them and indulge in fruitless hopes.
(from Pushkin: “After the night, the night goes after; / In vain does he yearn for freedom"). The captives in the poems are absolutely inactive: passionately dreaming of escape, they do nothing to achieve liberation.
Zhilin in captivity is constantly busy with some kind of "needlework" and at the first opportunity begins preparations for the escape. It should be noted that in Tolstoy's story, much attention is paid to the non-romantic issue of the ransom. In the poems of Pushkin and Lermontov, this issue is not addressed at all.
All three characters are watching the life of the highlanders with interest. Tolstoy debunks the romantic notion of the "free sons of the Caucasus", showing readers that the Tatars are the most ordinary people.
In Pushkin, the “hopeless prisoner” often climbs a mountain near the village, where “magnificent pictures” open before him: “Eternal thrones of snow, / Their peaks seemed to the eyes / An immovable chain of clouds, / And in their circle a two-headed colossus, / in a crown of shining ice, / Elbrus is huge, majestic, / It turned white in the blue sky ". Zhilin also climbs the mountain and sees the same landscape: “From the village there is another mountain, even steeper; And behind that mountain is another mountain. Between the mountains, the forest turns blue, and there are still mountains - they rise higher and higher. And above all, white as sugar, the mountains stand under the snow. And one snow mountain is higher than the others with a hat.. The non-romantic description is emphasized: “white as sugar”, “worth a hat”.
The very idea of climbing a mountain in chains to admire the beautiful landscape seems ridiculous to Tolstoy. His hero climbs a mountain to choose a route where to head for a future escape.
Heroines
In all three works, the heroine helps the prisoner escape. In the poems of Pushkin and Lermontov, these are young black-haired, black-eyed beauties. ( Pushkin: “And fall in a black wave / Her hair on her chest and shoulders.” At Lermontov's : "And the tears of the black-eyed maiden / The soul did not touch him".) Typically romantic heroines. Tolstoy, seeking to exclude any romantic situation, turns his heroine into a "thin, skinny", black-eyed girl of thirteen with a black braid.
The Circassian woman, on her own initiative, brings a saw and frees the captive from the shackles herself. Zhilin escapes from captivity twice and each time the initiative comes from him. Tolstoy includes in his story the scene of the failed release from the shackles, when Dina tries to knock the lock off Zhilin's block with a stone. “Yes, the little hands are thin, like twigs - there is nothing strength. Threw a stone, cried ".
The image of the moon
Young Caucasian captives leave the village on a moonlit night, without thinking at all about the conspiracy. ( Pushkin:“Across the white huts of the village / The pale light of the moon flashes”. From Lermontov: “And above him the golden moon / surfaced on a white cloud”.) The moon also appears in Tolstoy's story, but gives the hero nothing but trouble. “He began to approach the forest, a month got out from behind the mountains - white, light, just like during the day. All the leaves are visible on the trees. Quiet, light in the mountains". Tolstoy repeatedly emphasizes that on his first escape, when Zhilin could choose, he was waiting for a moonless night. "The month was just born - the nights were still dark."
The image of the river
For Pushkin and Lermontov, the river is an insurmountable barrier separating the hero from freedom. In both poems it is a mighty current. Zhilin and Kostylin ford the river, barely getting their feet wet. “We went across the yard under the steep to the river, crossed the river, went through the hollow.”
Conclusion
Thus, having considered the works of the same name by A.S. Pushkin, M.Yu. Lermontov, L.N. Tolstoy, we can conclude that the realization of the plot about the Caucasian prisoner depends entirely on the author's concept and the literary direction to which the author belongs.
In romanticism (Pushkin and Lermontov), the main points are the disillusioned fugitive and the ideal of a free, natural world, and in realism (Tolstoy) - the description of war and hostilities.
Formed on the basis of the plot of the poem by A.S. Pushkin, the theme of the Caucasian prisoner in the future passes through the plots of other works, enriching themselves in them and at the same time influencing them, that is, it appears as an invariant for all subsequent post-Pushkin plots.
Job prospects
Pushkin's poem opens the theme of the tragic confrontation between Russia and the Caucasus, a theme that, apparently, will never be exhausted. We would like to continue this work by examining the plot of a prisoner in the Caucasus on the example of works of Russian literature of the 20th century: Vladimir Makanin's story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" (1995) and Irina Kolontaevskaya's documentary story "Prisoner of the Caucasus" (2001)
LEV NIKOLAEVICH TOLSTOY
4 HOURS
First lesson.
L. N. Tolstoy: childhood, the beginning of literary activity.
"Prisoner of the Caucasus" — story-truth
I. L. N. Tolstoy: childhood, the beginning of literary activity. "Prisoner of the Caucasus" — story-truth
Fifth-graders read stories by L. N. Tolstoy for children from the ABC, for example: “Father and Sons”, “Liar”, “Two Comrades”, “Lion and Dog”, “Filipok”, “Shark”, “Jump”; usually know about the novels "War and Peace", "Anna Karenina". In reading lessons, they were told about the school for peasant children organized by Leo Tolstoy in Yasnaya Polyana.
A brief and informative introductory article is given in the textbook.
The teacher can talk about Tolstoy by selecting facts that will be of interest to children.
Leo Tolstoy was 23 years old when his brother Nikolai persuaded him to go with him to the Caucasus. The Caucasus at that time was the most dangerous place in the Russian Empire. At the beginning of the XIX century. At the persistent request of the Georgian king George XII, Georgia was annexed to Russia. Then, during the Russian-Iranian and Russian-Turkish wars, Azerbaijan was annexed to Russia, and then Armenia. Thus, the whole of Transcaucasia was under the rule of the Russian tsar. But the highlanders lived in the Caucasus, who prevented free movement on the roads, robbed and robbed.
In 1817, the tsarist government began the Caucasian War, which continued until 1864, then calming down for a while, then resuming with renewed vigor. As a result, the Caucasus was annexed to Russia. At the beginning of the war, the fortresses Groznaya, Sneak, Strong Trench and others were built on the border, troops were stationed in them. Cossacks were settled along the entire border. They lived with their families in the villages, cultivated the land and took part in military operations. On the other side of the border lived the Circassians (the so-called Chechens and Ingush). They fought against the power of the Russian tsar, attacking detachments, fortresses and villages. The Caucasian war was very cruel.
How many years had the war been going on by the time Tolstoy arrived there?
The war lasted 31 years (from 1817 to 1851, when Leo Tolstoy arrived in the Caucasus).
Leo Tolstoy thought to find incredible adventures in the Caucasus and was initially disappointed. In the future, L. Tolstoy realized what was special about the people he had to meet. The Caucasus forever remained in the soul of the writer. Twenty years later, especially for children, Tolstoy wrote the story "Prisoner of the Caucasus", which he calledstory-truth.
- How old was Tolstoy when he wrote the story "Prisoner of the Caucasus"?
- What do you think isstory-truth?
The writer in art form tells a story that really happened in life.
Then you can read the materials of the textbook "From the history of the story" Prisoner of the Caucasus ""Another approach to this work is also possible: to learn about the history of the creation of the story after it has been read, and to compare the real story with a work of fiction.
II. "Prisoner of the Caucasus". Commented reading
Before introducing the story, let us explain that Tolstoy calls the highlanders Tatars, but this is not a designation of nationality: in Tolstoy's time, all Muslims were called that in general.
The teacher starts reading the story.
The story was written for the "ABC" intended for peasant children, and it contains many words and expressions that are considered obsolete in modern speech. Some of these words and expressions can be commented on as you read, while others deserve special attention.
Homework
Read the story to the end.
Lesson two.
Zhilin and Kostylin —
I. Articulation warm-up
II. Zhilin and Kostylin — two different characters, two different fates
Conversation
Let's start the work with clarifying the impressions of the story.
Did you enjoy reading the story? What episodes caused sadness, sympathy, joy? What episodes would you like to re-read?
- Which of the characters aroused respect, which dislike?
- Why is the story called "Prisoner of the Caucasus", and not "Prisoners of the Caucasus", because there were two captives?
The story is called "Prisoner of the Caucasus", and not "Prisoners of the Caucasus", because the writer pays the main attention to the story about Zhilin. Zhilin and Kostylin are the heroes of the story, but only Zhilin can be called a true hero.
Compilation of a comparative table
First, let's discuss the meaning of the names of the characters.
Progress:Students take turns reading the story. Finding definitions or facts that characterize the characters from one side or the other, the students, at the suggestion of the teacher, stop reading and write out a quote, character trait or act of the hero in the table. The spreadsheet will be completed at home.
Table option
| Quality | Zhilin | Kostylin |
| The meaning of the surname | Veins - blood vessels, tendons. wiry - lean, muscular, with protruding veins | A crutch is a stick with a crossbar placed under the arm that serves as a support when walking for lame people or those with sore legs. |
| Appearance | “But Zhilin, at least not great in stature, but he was daring” | “And Kostylin is a heavy, fat man, all red, and the sweat is pouring from him” |
| forethought | “We need to go up the mountain to look, otherwise, perhaps, they will jump out from behind the mountain and not see it.” “Zhilin fed her in advance” (dog) | |
| Attitude towards the horse | “The horse near Zhilin was a hunting horse (he paid a hundred rubles for it in the herd as a foal and rode it himself) ...” "... Mother, take it out, do not catch your foot ..." | “The whip fries the horse from that side, then from the other” |
| Courage - cowardice | “—… I won’t give myself up alive…” “—… It’s worse to be shy with them.” | “And Kostylin, instead of waiting, only saw the Tatars, rolled up to the fortress.” "But Kostylin became timid." “Kostylin fell down with fear” |
| behavior in captivity | “Zhilin wrote a letter, but he wrote it wrong on the letter, so that it didn’t get through. He himself thinks: “I will leave.” “And he himself is looking out for everything, trying to find out how he can escape. He walks around the aul, whistles, otherwise he sits, doing some needlework - he either sculpts dolls from clay, or weaves wickerwork from twigs. And Zhilin was a master of all needlework. | “Kostylin wrote home again, kept waiting for the money to be sent and was bored. For whole days he sits in the barn and counts the days when the letter will arrive; or sleeping" |
| The opinion of the Tatars about the prisoners | "Dzhigit" | "Smirny" |
| observation, curiosity | “Zhilin began to understand a little in their language.” “Zhilin got up, dug out a bigger crack, began to look” | |
| Endurance, courage | "Jumping from pebble to pebble and looking at the stars" | "Kostylin keeps lagging behind and groans" |
| Loyalty, devotion | “... it’s not good to leave a comrade” | Kostylin left Zhilin in trouble and rode away on a horse |
Homework
Finish compiling the table.
Prepare an oral essay on the topic "Zhilin and Kostylin".
Lesson three.
Zhilin and Tatars. Zhilin and Dina. The writer's thought about the friendship of different peoples as a natural law of human life. Pictures of nature in the story
I. Checking homework
We summarize the results of the work by comparing two heroes: the writer opposes Zhilin's activity, stamina and humanity to Kostylin's weakness and passivity. Courage and endurance helped him to run to his own, overcoming all obstacles.
The main idea of the story is to show that you can not give up even in the most difficult circumstances, you need to stubbornly achieve your goal.
II. Zhilin and Tatars. Zhilin and Dina. The writer's thought about the friendship of different peoples as a natural law of human life
Conversation
- How is the life of the village shown: through the eyes of Kostylin or through the eyes of Zhilin? Why?
We invite students to find descriptions of the life of the village in the text, read and retell these descriptions close to the text.
The Tatar village presented itself to Zhilin in the morning peaceful, calm. People wake up, everyone is busy with their own business, women bring water, boys play around. Zhilin counted ten houses and a Tatar church with a turret (that is, a mosque with a minaret).
When Zhilin entered the house, he saw that the walls were smoothly plastered with clay, the room was good. Expensive carpets hang on the walls, weapons in silver are on the carpets. The stove is small, and the floor is earthen, clean. The front corner is covered with felts, there are carpets on them, down pillows on the carpets. Tatars sit here and eat.
Zhilin watched how the Tatars dressed - both men and women, noticed that they were very fond of silver. In the house I noticed that they are the first, they leave big shoes at the threshold, and in other, inner shoes they sit on carpets. Zhilin also noticed how they wash their hands and pray after eating. Servants are not allowed on carpets with pillows. The women only serve the food, but do not sit with the men.
Let's draw the children's attention to the description of the funeral of the Tatar, to the details that tell about worship and about the life of women in the village.
Why did the old woman break Dinah's first doll?
Muslim tradition forbids portraying people. Besides, the old woman was probably angry with the Russian.
- How did the Tatars treat Zhilin? Why did Abdul-Murat fall in love with Zhilin?
The Tatars treated Zhilin with respect for the fact that he did not allow himself to be intimidated when they demanded a ransom from him, and for the fact that he knew how to do a lot. Abdul the owner said that he fell in love with Zhilin. The red Tatar and the old man who lived under the mountain hated all Russians, and Zhilin too.
- Tell us about the relationship between Dina and Zhilin. Why did Dina help Zhilin?
Zhilin was grateful to Dina for her help. Dina helped Zhilin, brought him food, because Zhilin showed kindness to her, made her a doll, then a second one. After a thunderstorm, he made a toy for children - a wheel with dolls. Describing the friendship between a girl and a captured Russian officer, Tolstoy wants to say that the feeling of enmity is not innate. Chechen children treat Russians with innocent curiosity, not hostility. And Zhilin is fighting with adult Chechens who attacked him, but not with children. With respect and gratitude, he refers to the courage and kindness of Dina. If the father had found out that Dina was helping Zhilin, he would have severely punished her.
The author wants to say that enmity between peoples is meaningless, that the friendship of people is the norm of human communication, and confirms this with the example of friendship between Zhilin and Dina.
III. Pictures of nature in the story
Expressive reading
Note that there are no long descriptions in the story: the pictures of nature are short and capacious.
Let's read the description of the mountains that Zhilin saw, sitting on the top of the mountain (chapter four), from the words: "I persuaded the little one, let's go" - to the words: "And so he thinks that this is the Russian fortress."
What is special about this description?
Note that there are very few adjectives. The landscape is shown as if in action.
- Where else in the story do we see the image of nature, as if actively accompanying human actions?
We read expressively an episode from chapter six from the words: “Zhilin crossed himself, grabbed the lock on the block with his hand ...” - to the words: “You can only hear, the river murmurs below.”
We will strive to ensure that the text of the story is heard in the classroom in the reading of the students. The story of Zhilin's second escape must be read in its entirety.
Homework
Write out rare, obsolete words and expressions, explain them. (We will divide the class into four or five groups and invite each group to work with the text of one of the chapters.)
Lesson Four
Brevity and expressiveness of the language of the story. Story, plot, composition, idea of the work
Speech development lesson
I. Brevity and expressiveness of the language of the story
