Analysis of Pushkin's poem “The Bronze Horseman. The history of creation and analysis of the poem "The Bronze Horseman" by A.S. Pushkin

Poem " Bronze Horseman» A.S. Pushkin is one of the most perfect creations of the poet. In its style it resembles “Eugene Onegin”, and in its content it is close to both history and mythology. This work reflects the thoughts of A.S. Pushkin about Peter the Great and absorbed different opinions about the reformer.

The poem became the final work written during the Boldino autumn. At the end of 1833, “The Bronze Horseman” was completed.

At the time of Pushkin, there were two types of people - some idolized Peter the Great, while others attributed to him a relationship with Satan. On this basis, myths were born: in the first case, the reformer was called the Father of the Fatherland, they talked about an unprecedented mind, the creation of a paradise city (Petersburg), in the second, they prophesied the collapse of the city on the Neva, accused Peter the Great of having connections with dark forces, and called him the Antichrist.

The essence of the poem

The poem begins with a description of St. Petersburg, A.S. Pushkin emphasizes the uniqueness of the place for construction. Evgeniy lives in the city - the most ordinary employee, poor, does not want to get rich, it is more important for him to remain an honest and happy family man. Financial well-being is required only to provide for your beloved Parasha. The hero dreams of marriage and children, dreams of meeting old age hand in hand with his beloved girl. But his dreams are not destined to come true. The work describes the flood of 1824. A terrible time, when people died in layers of water, when the Neva raged and swallowed the city with its waves. It is in such a flood that Parasha dies. Evgeny, on the other hand, shows courage during a disaster, does not think about himself, tries to see his beloved’s house in the distance and runs to it. When the storm subsides, the hero hurries to the familiar gate: there is a willow tree, but there is no gate and no house either. This picture broke young man, he drags doomedly through the streets northern capital, leads the life of a wanderer and every day relives the events of that fateful night. During one of these cloudings, he comes across the house where he used to live and sees a statue of Peter the Great on a horse - the Bronze Horseman. He hates the reformer because he built a city on the water that killed his beloved. But suddenly the rider comes to life and angrily rushes towards the offender. The tramp will later die.

In the poem, the interests of the state and the ordinary person collide. On the one hand, Petrograd was called the northern Rome, on the other, its foundation on the Neva was dangerous for its inhabitants, and the flood of 1824 confirms this. Eugene’s malicious speeches addressed to the reformer ruler are interpreted in different ways: first, it is a rebellion against the autocracy; the second is the revolt of Christianity against paganism; the third is the pathetic murmur of a small person, whose opinion is not compared with the force necessary for changes on a national scale (that is, in order to achieve grandiose goals, something always has to be sacrificed, and the mechanism of collective will will not be stopped by the misfortune of one person).

Genre, verse meter and composition

The genre of The Bronze Horseman is a poem written, like Eugene Onegin, in iambic tetrameter. The composition is quite strange. It has an excessively large introduction, which can generally be considered as a separate independent work. Next are 2 parts, which tell about the main character, the flood and the clash with the Bronze Horseman. There is no epilogue in the poem, or rather, it is not highlighted separately by the poet himself - the last 18 lines are about the island at the seaside and the death of Eugene.

Despite the non-standard structure, the work is perceived as integral. This effect create compositional parallelisms. Peter the Great lived 100 years earlier than main character, but this does not prevent one from creating the feeling of the presence of a reformer ruler. His personality is expressed through the Bronze Horseman monument; but the person of Peter himself appears at the beginning of the poem, in the introduction, when the military and economic significance of St. Petersburg is discussed. A.S. Pushkin also carries the idea of ​​the immortality of the reformer, since even after his death, innovations appeared and the old ones remained in force for a long time, that is, he launched that heavy and clumsy machine of change in Russia.

So, the figure of the ruler appears throughout the entire poem, either in person or in the form of a monument; he is revived by Eugene’s clouded mind. The time period of the narrative between the introduction and the first part is 100 years, but despite such a sharp jump, the reader does not feel it, since A.S. Pushkin connected the events of 1824 with the so-called “culprit” of the flood, because it was Peter who built the city on the Neva. It is interesting to note that this book on composition is completely uncharacteristic of Pushkin’s style; it is an experiment.

Characteristics of the main characters

  1. Evgeniy – we know little about him; lived in Kolomna, served there. He was poor, but had no addiction to money. Despite the complete ordinariness of the hero, and he could easily get lost among thousands of the same gray residents of St. Petersburg, he has a high and bright dream that fully meets the ideals of many people - marrying the girl he loves. He, as Pushkin himself liked to call his characters, is “the hero of a French novel.” But his dreams are not destined to come true, Parasha dies in the flood of 1824, and Evgeniy goes crazy. The poet painted for us a weak and insignificant young man, whose face is instantly lost against the background of the figure of Peter the Great, but even this everyman has his own goal, which in strength and nobility is commensurate with or even surpasses the personality of the Bronze Horseman.
  2. Peter the Great - in the introduction his figure is presented as a portrait of the Creator; Pushkin recognizes an incredible mind in the ruler, but emphasizes despotism. First, the poet shows that although the emperor is higher than Eugene, he is not higher than God and the elements, which are not subject to him, but the power Russia will take place through all adversity and will remain unharmed and unshakable. The author has noticed more than once that the reformer was too autocratic and did not pay attention to the troubles of ordinary people who became victims of his global transformations. Probably, opinions on this topic will always differ: on the one hand, tyranny is a bad quality that a ruler should not have, but on the other hand, would such extensive changes be possible if Peter had been softer? Everyone answers this question for themselves.

Subjects

The clash between power and the ordinary person is the main theme of the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” In this work A.S. Pushkin reflects on the role of the individual in the fate of the entire state.

The Bronze Horseman personifies Peter the Great, whose reign was close to despotism and tyranny. With his hand, reforms were introduced that completely changed the course of ordinary Russian life. But when a forest is cut down, chips inevitably fly. Can small man find his happiness when such a lumberjack does not take into account his interests? The poem answers - no. A clash of interests between the authorities and people in this case is inevitable; of course, the latter remain the losers. A.S. Pushkin reflects on the structure of the state in Peter's times and on the fate of an individual hero in it - Eugene, coming to the conclusion that the empire is cruel to people in any case, and whether its greatness is worth such sacrifices is an open question.

The creator also addresses the topic of the tragic loss of a loved one. Evgeniy cannot stand the loneliness and grief of loss and does not find anything to cling to in life if there is no love.

Issues

  • In the poem “The Bronze Horseman” by A.S. Pushkin raises the problem of the individual and the state. Evgeniy comes from the people. He is an ordinary petty official, living from hand to mouth. His soul is full of high feelings for Parasha, with whom he dreams of marrying. The monument to the Bronze Horseman becomes the face of the state. In the oblivion of reason, a young man comes across the house in which he lived before the death of his beloved and before his madness. His gaze stumbles upon the monument, and his sick mind brings the statue to life. Here it is, the inevitable clash between the individual and the state. But the horseman angrily chases after Evgeniy, pursues him. How dare the hero grumble against the emperor?! The reformer thought on a larger scale, considering plans for the future in a full-length dimension, as if from a bird's eye view he looked at his creations, without peering at the people who were overwhelmed by his innovations. The people sometimes suffered from Peter’s decisions, just as they sometimes suffer now from ruling hand. The monarch built a beautiful city, which during the flood of 1824 became a cemetery for many residents. But he does not take into account the opinions of ordinary people; one gets the feeling that with his thoughts he went far ahead of his time, and even after a hundred years not everyone was able to comprehend his plan. Thus, the individual is in no way protected from the arbitrariness of superiors; her rights are grossly trampled upon with impunity.
  • The problem of loneliness also bothered the author. The hero could not bear a day of life without his other half. Pushkin reflects on how vulnerable and vulnerable we still are, how the mind is not strong and subject to suffering.
  • The problem of indifference. No one helped the townspeople evacuate, no one corrected the consequences of the storm, and compensation to the families of the victims and social support the victims were never even dreamed of by officials. The state apparatus showed surprising indifference to the fate of its subjects.

The State in the Image of the Bronze Horseman

For the first time we encounter the image of Peter the Great in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” in the introduction. Here the ruler is depicted as the Creator, who conquered the elements and built a city on the water.

The emperor's reforms were disastrous for ordinary people, since they were aimed only at the nobility. Yes, and she had a hard time: let us remember how Peter forcibly cut the beards of the boyars. But the main victim of the monarch’s ambitions was ordinary working people: it was they who paved the way for the northern capital with hundreds of lives. A city on bones - here it is - the personification of the state machine. It was comfortable for Peter himself and his entourage to live in the innovations, because they saw only one side of the new things - progressive and beneficial, but the destructive action and “ side effects“These changes fell on the shoulders of “small” people and no one cared. The elite looked at St. Petersburg drowning in the Neva from “high balconies” and did not feel all the sorrows of the city’s watery foundation. Peter perfectly reflects the categorical absolutist state system– there will be reforms, but the people will “live somehow.”

If at first we see the Creator, then closer to the middle of the poem the poet propagates the idea that Peter the Great is not God and it is completely beyond his power to cope with the elements. At the end of the work we see only a stone likeness of the former, sensational ruler in Russia. Years later, the Bronze Horseman became only a reason for unreasonable worry and fear, but this is only a fleeting feeling of a madman.

What is the meaning of the poem?

Pushkin created a multifaceted and ambiguous work, which must be assessed from the point of view of ideological and thematic content. The meaning of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” lies in the confrontation between Eugene and the Bronze Horseman, the individual and the state, which criticism deciphers in different ways. So, the first meaning is the confrontation between paganism and Christianity. Peter was often awarded the title of Antichrist, and Eugene opposes such thoughts. One more thought: the hero is an everyman, and the reformer is a genius, they live in different worlds and don't understand each other. The author, however, recognizes that both types are needed for the harmonious existence of civilization. The third meaning is that the main character personified the rebellion against autocracy and despotism, which the poet propagated, because he belonged to the Decembrists. He allegorically retold the same helplessness of the uprising in the poem. And another interpretation of the idea is a pathetic and doomed to failure attempt by a “little” man to change and turn the course of the state machine in the other direction.

FI__________________________________________________________________________________________

Educational research

Historical and “private” themes in the poem by A.S. Pushkin "The Bronze Horseman".

Conflict between the interests of the individual and the state. Image of the elements

Problem:

Target:

Tasks:

Main part

1. The history of the creation of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”:

2. Disputes surrounding the poem “The Bronze Horseman”:

3. The main characters of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. Their role in the story:

4. Historical theme in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”:

5. “Private” theme in the poem “The Bronze Horseman:

6. How does the poem present the conflict between the interests of the individual and the state?

7. How is the image of the elements shown?

Conclusion

How do you think, The rebellion of Eugene, who has gone crazy, threatening the idol on a bronze horse (“Wow!..”) can lead to any positive changes for the hero, or is this a senseless and punishable rebellion?

Give reasons for your answer.

Thematic direction(emphasize):

    "Reason and Feeling";

    "Honor and Dishonor";

    "Victory and defeat";

    “Experience and mistakes”;

    "Friendship and enmity."

Literature:

    Didactic material.

    Yu.V. Lebedev. Literature. Grade 10. Part 1. – M.: Education, 2007 (pp. 142-146).

Self-esteem:

Didactic material

A.S. Pushkin. Poem "The Bronze Horseman"

The poem “The Bronze Horseman” is one of Pushkin’s most capacious, mysterious and complex poems. He wrote it in the fall of 1833 in the famous Boldin. The idea of ​​Pushkin’s “Bronze Horseman” clearly echoes the works of writers who lived much later and dedicated their works, firstly, to the theme of St. Petersburg, and secondly, to the theme of the clash between the great power idea and the interests of the “little man.” The poem has two opposing characters and an insoluble conflict between them.

Pushkin worked intensively on the poem and finished it very quickly - in just twenty-five October days. The history of the creation of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is closely connected not only with realistic motives and documents of the era, but also with the mythology that has developed around the great man and the city that arose according to his highest will.

Censorship restrictions and controversy surrounding the poem

“The Petersburg Tale,” as the author designated its genre, was censored by Emperor Nicholas I himself, who returned the manuscript with nine pencil marks. The disgruntled poet printed the text of the introduction to the poem “The Bronze Horseman” (the history of the creation of the poetic story is overshadowed by this fact) with eloquent voids in place of the king’s notes. Later, Pushkin nevertheless rewrote these passages, but in such a way that the meaning embedded in them did not change. Reluctantly, the sovereign allowed the publication of the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” The history of the creation of the work is also connected with the heated controversy that flared up around the poem after its publication.

Points of view of literary scholars

The controversy continues to this day. It is traditional to talk about three groups of interpreters of the poem. The first includes researchers who affirm the “state” aspect that shines in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. This group of literary scholars, led by Vissarion Belinsky, put forward the version that Pushkin in the poem substantiated the right to carry out fateful deeds for the country, sacrificing the interests and the very life of a simple, inconspicuous person.

Humanistic interpretation

Representatives of another group, led by the poet Valery Bryusov, Professor Makagonenko and other authors, completely took the side of another character - Eugene, arguing that the death of even the most insignificant person from the point of view of the idea of ​​power cannot be justified by great achievements. This point of view is called humanistic.

Eternal conflict

Representatives of the third group of researchers express a system of views about the tragic intractability of this conflict. They believe that Pushkin gave an objective picture in the story “The Bronze Horseman”. History itself has resolved the eternal conflict between the “miraculous builder” Peter the Great and “poor” Eugene, an ordinary city dweller with his modest needs and dreams. Two truths - common man And statesman- remain equal in size, and none is inferior to the other.

Terrible events and the poem “The Bronze Horseman”

The history of the creation of the poem, of course, fits firmly into the cultural and historical context of the time when it was created. Those were the times of debate about the place of personality in history and the influence of great transformations on the destinies of ordinary people. This topic worried Pushkin since the late 1820s. Taking as a basis the documentary information about the flood that happened in St. Petersburg on November 7, 1824, about which newspapers published, the brilliant poet and thinker comes to major philosophical and social generalizations. The personality of the great and brilliant reformer Peter, who “put Russia on its hind legs,” appears in the context of the personal tragedy of the insignificant official Eugene with his narrow-philistine dreams of his little happiness, which is not so unconditionally great and worthy of praise. Therefore, Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman” is not limited to odic praise of the transformer who opened the “window to Europe.”

Contrasting Petersburg

The northern capital arose thanks to the strong-willed decision of Tsar Peter the Great after the victory over the Swedes. Its foundation was intended to confirm this victory, to show the strength and power of Russia, and also to open the paths of free cultural and trade exchange with European countries. The city, in which the greatness of the human spirit was felt, manifested in a strict and harmonious architectural appearance, the telling symbolism of sculptures and monuments, appears before us in the story “The Bronze Horseman”. The history of the creation of St. Petersburg is based, however, not only on greatness. Built on topi blat, which contained the bones of thousands of unknown builders, the city is engulfed in an ominous and mysterious atmosphere. Oppressive poverty, high mortality, superiority in diseases and the number of suicides - this is the other side of the magnificent crowned capital in the times about which Alexander Pushkin wrote. The two faces of the city, appearing one through the other, enhance the mythological component of the poem. The “transparent twilight” of pale city lighting gives the inhabitants the feeling that they live in some mysteriously symbolic place in which monuments and statues can come to life and move with ominous determination. And the history of the creation of the “Bronze Horseman” is also to a large extent connected with this. Pushkin, as a poet, could not help but be interested in such a transformation, which became the culmination of the plot. In the artistic space of the story, a cold bronze monument, echoing along the deserted pavement, came to life, pursuing Eugene, distraught with grief after the loss of his beloved and the collapse of all his hopes.

Introduction idea

But before we hear how the earth shakes under the hoof of an iron horse, we have to experience the sad and cruel events that happened in the life of the unfortunate Eugene, who will blame the great Builder for building the city on lands prone to destructive floods, and also realize the bright and the majestic introduction with which the poem “The Bronze Horseman” opens. Peter stands on the bank of a wild river, on the waves of which a frail boat sways, and dense gloomy forests rustle around, and here and there wretched huts of the “Chukhons” stick out. But in his mind’s eye, the founder of the northern capital already sees a “wonderful city”, rising “proudly” and “magnificently” above the granite-clad Neva, a city associated with future state successes and great achievements. Pushkin does not name Peter - the emperor is mentioned here using the pronoun “he”, and this emphasizes the ambiguity of the odic structure of the introduction. Reflecting on how Russia will someday “threaten the Swede” from here, the great figure does not at all see today’s “Finnish fisherman” who threw his “decrepit” net into the water. The Emperor sees a future in which ships are heading to rich marinas from all over the world, but does not notice those who sail in a lonely canoe and huddle in rare huts on the shore. When creating a state, the ruler forgets about those for whose sake it is created. And this painful discrepancy fuels the idea of ​​the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” Pushkin, for whom history was not just a collection of archival documents, but a bridge thrown into the present and future, feels especially keenly and expressively conveys this conflict.

Why did the bronze horseman turn out to be copper in the poet’s mouth?

The point, of course, is not only that the writers of the 19th century did not see a significant semantic difference between bronze and copper. It is deeply symbolic that this is the Bronze Horseman. The history of writing the poem in this case merges with the biblical allegory. It is no coincidence that the poet calls the statue of Peter a “graven” and an “idol” - the authors of the Bible use exactly the same words when talking about the golden calves, which the Jews worshiped instead of the Living God. Here the idol is not even gold, but only copper - this is how the author reduces the brilliance and grandeur of the image, sparkling with external dazzling luxury, but hiding inside it is not at all precious content. These are the subtexts behind the creation of The Bronze Horseman.

Pushkin cannot be suspected of unconditional sympathy for the sovereign idea. However, his attitude towards the fictional idyll constructed in Eugene’s dreams is ambiguous. The hopes and plans of the “little man” are far from deep spiritual quests, and in this Pushkin sees their limitations.

Climax and resolution of the plot

After a colorful introduction and a declaration of love for the city, Pushkin warns that what follows will be about “terrible” events. A hundred years after what happened on the shores of the Gulf of Finland, St. Petersburg official Evgeniy returns home after serving and dreams of his bride Parasha. He is no longer destined to see her, since she, like her modest house, will be carried away by the “frenzied” waters of the “enraged” Neva. When the elements fall silent, Eugene will rush to search for his beloved and make sure that she is no longer alive. His consciousness cannot withstand the blow, and the young man goes crazy. He wanders around the unpleasant city, becomes a target for ridicule from the local children, and completely forgets the way home. For his troubles, Eugene blames Peter, who built the city in an inappropriate place and thereby exposed people to mortal danger. In despair, the madman threatens the bronze idol: “Too bad for you!..” Following that inflamed consciousness, he hears a heavy and ringing “jumping” on the stones of the pavement and sees a Horseman rushing after him with an outstretched hand. After some time, Evgeniy is found dead at the threshold of his house and buried. This is how the poem ends.

Poem and monument

Unveiling of the monument to Peter the Great on Senate Square in St. Petersburg took place at the end of the summer of 1782. The monument, impressive with grace and grandeur, was erected by Catherine the Second. The French sculptors Etienne Falconet, Marie Anne Collot and the Russian master Fyodor Gordeev, who sculpted a bronze snake under the frantic hoof of Petrov's horse, worked on the creation of the equestrian statue. A monolith, nicknamed the thunder stone, was installed at the foot of the statue; its weight was slightly less than two and a half tons (the entire monument weighs about 22 tons). From the place where the block was discovered and found suitable for the monument, the stone was carefully transported for about four months.

After the publication of Alexander Pushkin’s poem, the hero of which the poet made this particular monument, the sculpture was named the Bronze Horseman. Residents and guests of St. Petersburg have an excellent opportunity to contemplate this monument, which, without exaggeration, can be called a symbol of the city, almost in its original architectural ensemble.

The Bronze Horseman is one of Pushkin's famous poems. It is written in an interesting style, since among the main characters there are only the man Eugene and the Bronze Horseman monument.

At the beginning of the work, the monument is shown as a living creature that is capable of feeling and thinking. The meaning of the horseman is that he symbolizes Peter 1, the ruler who built the city of Petersburg.

Actions take place in autumn. Evgeniy is a hardworking young man who believes that all his deeds will definitely lead to honor and independence. He has a beloved Parasha.

One day a heavy downpour began, a real flood that threw the whole city into confusion. People fled in panic. Eugene himself was able to climb onto the lion statue. All the time he thought about his beloved, since her house was located near the bay.

The second part of the poem describes what happened after the flood. Evgeny hurries to his beloved to make sure of her safety. But he sees that everything has been demolished. There are not even the usual trees.

From shock, the main character begins to go crazy, he laughs wildly and cannot pull himself together. Soon the city began to live its own life again, only Evgeniy could not recover. He began to live on the street, eating what he found.

For a long time he existed in this way, until he returned to the Bronze Horseman again. His insanity made him think that the monument was chasing him. The end of the poem is the quick death of the main character.

The theme and idea of ​​the work lie in the most pressing issues, which Pushkin often understood in his works. He wanted to understand what exactly the people needed in order to be free. Pushkin greatly lost faith in the Tsar’s rule and dreamed of freedom. He described his experiences in this poem.

Effective preparation for the Unified State Exam (all subjects) - start preparing


Updated: 2017-08-06

Attention!
If you notice an error or typo, highlight the text and click Ctrl+Enter.
By doing so, you will provide invaluable benefit to the project and other readers.

Thank you for your attention.

.

In the second Boldino autumn, Pushkin wrote the poem “The Bronze Horseman,” one of the highest and most eternal creations of his poetic spirit. The initial theme of the poem is the theme of Peter: everything in the poem begins with it. This topic in its historical and moral aspect occupied Pushkin for a long time. The Stanzas were largely dedicated to her. She had to play important role in the unfinished novel “Arap of Peter the Great”. She was one of the leaders in the poem “Poltava”.

“The Bronze Horseman” has particularly close points of contact with the latter. Written in 1828, “Poltava”, not only in its final part, but also as a whole, was inspired by the thought of Peter. From here many important features poems – ideological and stylistic. The shadow of the great Peter fell over the entire creation of Pushkin and determined the overall coloring of the historical picture; it determined, in particular, the author’s attitude towards all the characters in the poem. Consciously or unconsciously, Pushkin judges all the heroes in the name of Peter and in his name pronounces a sentence on them. Connected with this is a certain one-dimensionality and unambiguousness in the depiction of heroes, which is unusual for Pushkin in other cases. Belinsky wrote about this in relation to Mazepa: “... in Mazepa we see one baseness of an intriguer who grew old in intrigues.” Let us remember that Pushkin showed the Pretender in “Boris Godunov” in a far less unilinear way.

Unlike “Boris Godunov,” “Poltava” is filled not only with historical, but also with moralizing pathos. This is a “single-centered” poem, in in a certain sense“one-hero”. Everything in it, one way or another, is connected with Peter, directed at Peter, everything is checked by him. From a moral point of view, and historical too, there is only one unconditional positive value in the poem - Peter and everything that is close to him, that serves his cause. With this approach, opponents of his cause become villains, historically insignificant and flawed. This is exactly what Mazepa is. Everything in it causes repulsion in the reader, a feeling of hostility. And even; the love he inspired in Mary seems strange to the reader and, most importantly, almost completely devoid of poetry.

The third part of the poem, entirely dedicated to Peter, is filled with truly high poetry. This part truly crowns the poem; for Pushkin it is the most important. From the very beginning to the end, and in the description Battle of Poltava, and in subsequent pictures and reasoning, it sounds like a high ode to Peter, like praise to Peter and his valleys. At the very end of the poem about Peter it is said:

A hundred years have passed - and what remains of these strong, proud men, So full of willful passions? Their generation has passed and with it the bloody trail of Efforts, disasters and victories has disappeared. In the citizenship of the northern power, In its warlike destiny, Only you, hero of Poltava, erected a huge monument to yourself.

It is remarkable that these final motifs of “Poltava” (“a hundred years have passed”, monument to Peter) become the main motifs of “The Bronze Horseman”. Moreover, “The Bronze Horseman” begins where “Poltava” ends: with a high ode to Peter and his cause. Peter's theme in its sublimely odic solution is heard in “The Bronze Horseman” and further:

“Show off, city of Petrov, and stand unshakably, like Russia, May the defeated element be pacified with you.”

All this is very similar to “Poltava”. But this, however, is where the similarities end and the differences begin. And fundamentally important differences. First of all, in “The Bronze Horseman” there is no plot “one-story” and “one-hero”, and there is no morality of the author’s pathos, even if we understand it in the highest sense of the word. In Pushkin's new poem, along with Peter, there is another hero opposed to him. This is a small man, a simple official named Evgeniy:

So, having arrived home, Evgeniy shook off his overcoat, undressed, and lay down. But for a long time he could not fall asleep, in the excitement of various thoughts. What was he thinking about? That he was poor, that through labor he had to gain himself both independence and honor; That God could give him more intelligence and money. That there are such idle happy people, mindless sloths, for whom life is so easy!

Eugene is contrasted to Peter not only by his position, not just as a small man, but also stylistically, by the way he is characterized by the author. If Peter's characterization is maintained in a high speech style, then the very first characteristic of Evgeny - the introductory characteristic - looks linguistically very ordinary and even deliberately reduced. All this is determined by emotional background, on which the heroes are perceived. They are not just opposed, they are sharply opposed, they are antipodes.

But in an artistic and ideological-moral sense, they are at the same time equivalent. They embody different spheres historical life, but at the same time having the same right to exist, equally legal. Furthermore: Their position as the tall and short hero is not absolute. A little hero with a well-known attitude towards him, with human point When looking at him, it turns out that he is not small at all, but equally great and, perhaps, even greater and taller than the one who is traditionally called that way. With Pushkin's little man, with Evgeny, in the course of the poetic narrative, this is exactly the kind of revaluation that occurs.

(No Ratings Yet)

The original theme of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”

Other essays on the topic:

  1. The poem “The Bronze Horseman” was written by Pushkin in 1833. In it, the author, for the first time in Russian literature, contrasted the state, personified in...
  2. “The Bronze Horseman” is a philosophical-historical, lyric-epic poem, reflecting all the complexity and depth of Pushkin’s thoughts on history. At the same time, the poem bears...
  3. The “Introduction,” dedicated to a solemn description of the capital, is interpreted as a glorification of the deeds and personality of Peter, as the king’s victory over the elements. But Belinsky...
  4. One of the main issues of A. S. Pushkin’s creativity was the question of the relationship between the individual and the state, as well as the ensuing problem of the “small...
  5. In 1833, Pushkin wrote the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. One of the ideas of this poem is the idea that autocracy, with...
  6. In one of the poems of the St. Petersburg cycle - “Monument to Peter the Great” - Mitskevich portrayed Pushkin and put into his mouth a freedom-loving,...
  7. “On the shore of the desert waves” of the Neva Peter stands and thinks about the city that will be built here and which will become the window of Russia...
  8. When getting acquainted with the extensive scientific literature about Pushkin - articles and books written long ago and in recent years - one is drawn to...
  9. Goal: Find out why it is necessary to study ancient literature; tell when, where, by what peoples ancient literature was created; draw conclusions about the reasons for it...
  10. Objectives: to introduce students to the features of works of monumental sculpture; teach to identify the artist’s intention and see its implementation in general view monument;...
  11. The action takes place in the 1850s. Vans are driving across the Texas prairie - the bankrupt planter Woodley is moving from Louisiana to Texas...
  12. "Poltava". In 1828, Pushkin, again turning to the theme of Peter, wrote the poem “Poltava”. “Poltava” is a heroic poem. In the center of it...
  13. For that time, undoubtedly, Pushkin’s persistent appeal to the image of Peter I had a progressive socio-political significance. The theme and image of Peter I...
  14. “Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, the young guardsman and the daring merchant Kalashnikov,” written by Lermontov in 1837 (this date is indicated in...
  15. Incomparably less meaningful than the sources that served for the historical storyline of the poem were the materials that Pushkin had at his disposal for constructing its “novelistic”...
  16. The equation of Eugene and Peter in action (the threat of retribution) is emphasized stylistically: “The madman... brought wild glances to the face of the ruler of half the world.” But...
  17. Poems by Ap. Grigoriev of the 1840s, lying together with part of Lermontov’s poetic epic in the side channel of the Onegin tradition, turned out to be not the last...

The key character of the work, along with the Bronze Horseman, is Eugene, presented by the poet in the image of a petty St. Petersburg official who is not distinguished by any talents and has no special merits.

Eugene has noble roots, but since he is currently poor, he avoids meeting with noble people of the aristocratic circle, showing cowardice and melancholy.

The hero's life meaning is the dream of good location work, family, financial well-being, children. Evgeniy connects his dream with an ordinary girl from a poor family, Parasha, who lives with her mother on the banks of the Neva in a dilapidated house.

One day, a disaster strikes the city in the form of a flood, accompanied by a strong storm, as a result of which Parasha dies and her dilapidated house is destroyed, like many others in the city. Heartbroken and having lost hope of happiness in the future, Evgeniy loses his mind and becomes a deranged man, wandering the streets, collecting alms, spending the night on damp ground and sometimes suffering beatings from evil passers-by who treat the man with contempt and ridicule.

At some point, Eugene begins to think that the culprit of all his life's upheavals is the monument to the founder of the city, Peter the Great, created in the form of the Bronze Horseman. The young man imagines that the monumental creation mocks his grief, haunts him even in his dreams, mocking the suffering of a desperate man.

Despite the inclement weather, Eugene approaches the majestic monument, wanting only to look into its insolent eyes, uttering abusive statements towards the iron idol, not realizing that the monument cannot be to blame for the misfortunes that have occurred.

A small and insignificant man dares to threaten the autocrat in the form of a monument, cursing him and promising God's retribution in the future. During Eugene's monologue addressed to the founder of St. Petersburg, a new natural disaster occurs in the form of a destructive storm, as a result of which the hero finds peace by dying.

Narrating the life of the main character of the poem, the author, in the image of Eugene, reveals the transformation of an ordinary person who has experienced life's upheavals into a protesting rebel who dared to raise a protest against existing injustice, entering into an unequal battle and expressing his reluctance to silently resign himself to the cruelty of evil rock and fate.

Essay about Eugene

The main character of Pushkin's poem “The Bronze Horseman” is Evgeniy. The main character is a typical resident of St. Petersburg, thinking only about material wealth and how to quickly move up the career ladder.

Evgeny is all about family troubles, does not think about the future, about his duty and his homeland. If all these components are combined together, you get the image of a small person. Alexander Sergeevich doesn’t like people like that.

This character does not have a last name. This element, in principle, reveals the author’s attitude towards the character. With this technique, Pushkin is trying to prove to the reader that any resident of St. Petersburg is suitable for the role of the main character of this work.

During a flood in the city, Evgeniy does not try to help the situation in any way, he simply observes. This is the selfishness of the character; he does not think about anything other than his own benefit and himself. All his thoughts are occupied with very banal things.

After the incident in the city, Evgeniy begins to feel uneasy; it seems to him that he is slowly losing his mind. He constantly wanders through his favorite streets of St. Petersburg. Thoughts about the past come into my head, how good it used to be. For Pushkin this is positive quality a living and real person.

Against the backdrop of all this stress comes nature. The surrounding noise harmonizes well with the noise in Eugene’s soul. After the realization of everything that happened comes to him, Eugene returns to his right mind. He begins to feel a huge loss.

Finally, patriotism awakens in the main characters. He wants to take revenge for everything, which is why he starts a rebellion. Reading the work, at this stage you can notice a fundamental change in the characters.

Pushkino's main task was to show how merciless a little man who started a rebellion can be. Although this case can be called a tragedy, despite the emotions, people can and want to fight for the truth.

We can say that Evgeny is the prototype of the Russian people, who are sometimes blind, but the main thing is to open your eyes in time. The Russian people can and want to change their lives for the better. This is probably the main thing that Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin wanted to convey to his readers. With his work, he urged everyone to go to the end and fight for the truth.

Option 3

Evgeny is the main character of A.S. Pushkin’s immortal poem “The Bronze Horseman”. He is “young and healthy.” Eugene has an aristocratic origin: his pedigree originates from an old boyar family. Despite his honorable origin, Eugene did not gain fame among people of high society, because his once respected family was subjected to oblivion.

The hero works for public service. Evgeniy is a minor official whose financial situation leaves much to be desired. The hero is hardworking: in order to earn a living, Evgeniy is ready to work day and night. He's filming small room in one of the residential areas of St. Petersburg. The hero is in love with a girl named Parasha, with whom he sincerely hopes to create a strong and friendly family, but his plans, unfortunately, did not come true. The tragic death of Parasha cancels out all the lover’s plans for a happy family life.

Shocked by the death of his beloved, Evgeniy finds no place for himself. There is no longer a sparkle in his eyes, and his heart and soul are broken with grief. Like a wild man, he is practically unconscious, wandering the streets of St. Petersburg. A man who was once neat and full of vitality drags out a meaningless and miserable existence.

During natural disaster the hero holds tightly to the bronze horseman. In this episode, the author emphasizes such a small detail as the hero’s gaze: Eugene looks in the same direction as the rider. However, Peter’s gaze is directed into the depths of centuries (the rider thinks about historical achievements, he does not care about people’s destinies), and the official looks at the dilapidated home of his beloved, which, like hundreds of houses, is located in the center of a raging disaster.

By comparing Eugene and the Bronze Horseman, the author makes it clear to the reader that the hero, unlike the founder of St. Petersburg, has loving heart: Eugene worries about the fate of his loved one, while Peter I (and in his person the state) is not capable of this.

The author, in the work “The Bronze Horseman,” emphasizes the conflict between the state and the individual. The monument to Peter I personifies the state, and Eugene appears as a simple poor official, a victim of circumstances. The hero blames Russia for all his troubles, in particular the Bronze Horseman, who built the city in such a disadvantaged place.

The hero's fate is tragic. Eugene's story is the personification of feudal Russia, a state where “historical necessity” prevails over hundreds of human lives.

Several interesting essays

  • Essay on the painting by Bryullov Horsewoman 8th grade description

    One of the most famous portraits painted by the painter is considered to be the painting Horsewoman

  • The history of the creation of Radishchev's Travels from St. Petersburg to Moscow: the history of writing and publishing the book

    The story Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow can confidently be called an encyclopedia of Russian life in the 18th century. It reveals all the vices of Russian society of that period. In this regard, the value of this work

  • Analysis of the novel The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain

    Mark Twain's work “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” is one of the most beloved and famous stories among schoolchildren. This book was first published in 1876, and in 1877 it was already published in the Russian Empire.

  • Analysis of the story by Kuprina Barbos and Zhulka essay

    The story describes childhood memories of two dogs living in the same yard. The dogs are completely different; according to the descriptions, they are complete opposites. Events take place here, in the yard

  • Essay based on the novel Anna Karenina

    It's no secret that "Anna Karenina" by L.N. Tolstoy is one of the most famous works in Russian literature. This novel is known not only here, but all over the world. Based on the novel, performances, musicals, and films are made.