One of the main problems that Pushkin touches on in the work “Dubrovsky” is revenge and generosity. The author shows that even fierce hatred passes if love intervenes. This happened to the central character who wanted to destroy his father's enemy. But the feelings that arose for his enemy’s daughter softened Vladimir’s heart and he forgives Troekurov for his meanness and lies.
Essay text
In Pushkin's novel Dubrovsky, the main character witnesses the death of his father from a heart attack. After all, the elderly man could not withstand the betrayal of his best friend, who not only publicly insulted, but also bribed officials in order to take away the estate by dishonest means.
Vladimir Dubrovsky decides to take revenge on Troekurov, because he believes that he cannot be left unpunished:
- the untimely death of his father;
- a blow dealt to the honor of the entire Dubrovsky family.
The young man sets the house on fire, but his inherent gentleness of character does not allow him to destroy the deceitful officials with a terrible death, and he orders the door to be left open. Despite the loyalty and devotion of the servants, this time they disobeyed and left the house locked.
After the death of the clerks, Vladimir, together with the peasants, organized a gang. They were hiding from the law in the forest. Rumors about the generosity of the robber Dubrovsky spread throughout the area. Vladimir and his gang do not touch the honest and poor. It was worth fearing corrupt officials, whose greed knew no bounds, and whose vile actions ruined the destinies of innocent people.
In many works of both Russian and foreign literature, the problem of combating the outrageous nobility was solved by introducing a hero into the story - a noble robber who takes money from the rich and gives it to the poor.
Pushkin also used this technique in his novel. He endows the main character with nobility, but puts him in a situation from which he cannot get out any other way than by becoming a robber. And Vladimir begins his revenge on Troekurov, acting strictly according to plan:
- Scare your enemy with the fact that a gang appears in the area.
- Make the vile rich man freeze in anticipation and bewilderment as to why the robbers bypass his estate.
- Troekurov relaxes, believing that his security is working flawlessly, causing fear among the gang.
- At this time, Dubrovsky enters the house under the guise of the French teacher Deforge in order to understand how best to carry out his revenge.
The wayward Troekurov decides to play a joke on the “weak” teacher and locks Vladimir in the same room with the bear. But the shot, which sounded unexpectedly for everyone, becomes a powerful argument for those around him to change their opinion about Deforge. The master saw courage in the guy, and his daughter immediately falls in love with the undaunted man. Vladimir faces a choice between love and revenge. He is generous and replaces anger with mercy.
Manifestation of cruelty and humanity in the novel “Dubrovsky” (A.S. Pushkin)
The authors of Literary Studies offer an essay on the works of A.S. Pushkin on the topic “Manifestation of cruelty and humanity in the novel “Dubrovsky” (A.S. Pushkin)”, in which they will tell in which actions and actions of the heroes of the work cruelty is manifested, and in which humanity is manifested.
Roman A.S. Pushkin’s “Dubrovsky” has been read by more than one generation of readers who empathize with the heroes, rejoice with them, sympathize with them, support them in some way or condemn them for their deeds and actions. The moral problems that the writer raises in his work have not remained in the distant past; they still concern people in today’s world, and today people think about cruelty and humanity, greed and generosity, envy, selflessness, generosity.
Before the readers of the novel there are heroes who show different spiritual qualities. Kirila Petrovich Troekurov, one of the main characters of the work, is a cruel, heartless, selfish person; such people are usually called “tyrant.” His cruelty extends not only to serfs, but also to neighbors, acquaintances and even his own children. The blind revenge of this master knows no bounds: he brought his neighbor and friend Andrei Gavrilovich to the death, taking away his only small estate, Kistenevka. Dubrovsky remained poor. Unable to withstand this injustice and permissiveness, he died, and his only son Vladimir was left without a parent and without a home.
Troekurov's cruelty is also manifested in some of his entertainments. He “tested” his new guests in a unique way by locking them alone in a small room with a bear sitting on a chain. Not every person remained cool-headed while in a cramped room face to face with an angry bear, so many left the room extremely frightened. The owner was just amused by all this.
Kirila Petrovich remains deaf and indifferent to her own children. Marya Kirilovna begged her father not to marry her to the old and unloved Prince Vereisky, but the parent did not heed his daughter’s pleas. Neither her tears nor her words touched him. He did not think for a minute about the feelings and experiences of his daughter, about her future.
There are also positive characters in the work, whom the author endows with a kind heart, emotional sensitivity, mercy, and humanity. Such heroes include Vladimir Dubrovsky, the son of the deceased Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky. The sensitivity, understanding, and humanity of a young man are manifested in his actions and the decisions he makes. When he, not wanting his parents’ house to go to his father’s killer, gives the order to burn down his native nest, asks not to lock the doors from the outside so that drunken bailiffs can get out of the fire. Dubrovsky cares about people who are not to blame for the current circumstances. However, the blacksmith Arkhip decided differently: he closed the door, so the people died in the fire.
Dubrovsky's humanity is also visible in his relationship with Masha Troekurova. After the death of his father, Vladimir decided to take revenge on his enemy and, in the guise of Deforge, a French tutor, ended up in Troekurov’s house. However, having loved Marya Kirilovna with all his heart, he refuses revenge, since he does not want to cause pain, suffering and trouble to his beloved. He himself knows how difficult it is to be left without parental care.
There is no place for cruelty, malice, or callousness in the heart of a young man. He feels responsible for the peasants who refused to go over to Troekurov, but remained faithful to their young master. Engaged in robbery, Dubrovsky's gang robs only those who get money dishonestly, and gives it to the poor and needy. Not a single rich man robbed by Dubrovsky's peasants received any physical injuries or was beaten. In my opinion, this is also a manifestation of humanity when the “robber” takes care of his victims.
Vladimir Dubrovsky is trying to save Marya Kirilovna from marriage. He loves her with all his heart, knows that she reciprocates his feelings, so he rushes to her aid. But, unfortunately, he is late.
Thus, the heroes of the work are capable of both cruel acts and manifestations of humanity. Kirila Petrovich Troekurov, an extremely selfish and despotic person, is unable to show humanity, while Vladimir Dubrovsky, a conscientious, generous, decent hero, does not accept cruelty and indifference towards people.
Working with the work
When studying Pushkin's novel, schoolchildren are given the task of writing an essay. The story "Dubrovsky" touches on many problems. Revenge and generosity are topics for exam essays.
It is very important that students understand:
- Revenge does not always bring mental relief;
- anger does not make a person noble and right;
- you must be held accountable for any action;
- need to fight by legal means.
The generosity that Vladimir showed towards the enemy cleansed his soul. It is forgiveness that turns a person into a strong and noble man, and Dubrovsky’s unfulfilled revenge on Troekurov will most likely remind him of his tricks and will not allow his conscience to remain silent all his life.
After all, he was very surprised that the guy was able to get so close to him, thereby destroying his unshakable faith in his own guards. It is unlikely that the dishonest rich man will be able to forget what he did to his former friend.
Students must also understand the difference between generosity and nobility. In the first case, this is a manifestation of goodness, the absence of rancor. The second is selflessness, honesty and high morality.
Schoolchildren need to understand the phrase “noble revenge”; they must understand that Dubrovsky had no desire to get rich, he took away the stolen wealth by dishonest means. Vladimir punished exclusively corrupt officials and liars so that higher authorities would pay attention to what was happening and think about why the gang acted in such a selective way.
Theses on the problem “Revenge and generosity”
- Revenge. Reasons for revenge: resentment, envy, etc. The influence of revenge on the “avenger” himself and the object of revenge (revenge-retribution). Consequences of revenge. Forgiveness and its consequences.
- Revenge and forgiveness as a difficult moral choice. Revenge and generosity are like two sides of the same coin.
- Generosity and cruelty in a socio-historical context. Moral choice in war or in difficult conditions. Generosity towards the enemy.
- Ideas about good and evil, about mercy and cruelty, about peacefulness and aggression as a determining factor in human behavior, in particular, when choosing between revenge and forgiveness.
- Revenge as a feeling and action.
- Blood feud as a socio-historical phenomenon
Character behavior
Vladimir is not the only one who takes revenge in the novel. It must be taken into account that Troekurov also took revenge on Dubrovsky Sr. for his refusal to obey and obey. But this process does not bring him any pleasure; the rich man is tormented by remorse.
And also the peasants are taking revenge for a dishonest and vile act towards their old master. They do not want to put up with arbitrariness, with the fact that Troekurov decided to dispose of the lives of others, without taking into account anyone’s opinion.
The servants are afraid of the new master's tyranny:
- He could take girls into his harem, and then marry them off to whomever he wanted.
- He beat the guilty, in his opinion, to death in the stable.
- The peasants wasted away from overwork and heavy taxes.
Vladimir himself takes revenge, but his revenge did not reach completion. He shows generosity, which played a cruel joke on him. After all, Maria never became his. But the morality of the main character saves Vereisky’s life.
Another example of generosity in the story is given by a blacksmith who saved a cat from a fire, although before that he mercilessly locked the door to the burning house where the officials died.
Thus, the problem of manifestation of revenge and generosity is acute in the novel . It is inherent in all participants in the story. Perhaps Pushkin wanted to show that anger does not lead to mental healing, it poisons the mind. Dubrovsky himself says at the end of the work: “I gave up revenge as if it were madness.”
Getting ready for the final essay. Direction "Revenge and generosity"
Direction "Revenge and generosity"
REVENGE
, revenge, plural No. wives Intentional infliction of harm or trouble in order to repay an insult, insult or suffering. Revenge. Blood feud..|| The desire for revenge. “And the boyar writes all night long, his pen breathes revenge.” A.K. Tolstoy. Slander for revenge.
Synonyms
: vengeance, retaliation, return, revenge, vengeance, retribution, retribution
GENEROSITY
pl.
no, cf. A character trait expressed in selfless compliance, condescension, lack of rancor, and the ability to sacrifice one’s interests. Generosity
- -I; Wed Having high spiritual qualities; generosity of soul, nobility, condescension. Show in. In a fit of generosity.
Synonyms
: unselfishness, nobility, nobility, generosity, greatness of soul, sublimity, moral greatness, generosity
Theses on the topic “Revenge and generosity”
Revenge. Reasons for revenge: resentment, envy, etc. The influence of revenge on the “avenger” himself and the object of revenge (revenge-retribution). Consequences of revenge. Forgiveness and its consequences.
Revenge and forgiveness as a difficult moral choice. Revenge and generosity are like two sides of the same coin.
Generosity and cruelty in a socio-historical context. Moral choice in war or in difficult conditions. Generosity towards the enemy.
Ideas about good and evil, about mercy and cruelty, about peacefulness and aggression as a determining factor in human behavior, in particular, when choosing between revenge and forgiveness.
Revenge as a feeling and action.
Blood feud as a socio-historical phenomenon
Revenge
- this is the force that guides the actions of an offended person who has suffered cruelty and injustice against him. In most cases, the reason for revenge is tragic events in life. Manifestations of injustice can be very different and are limited only by the level of human consciousness. The desire to take revenge at any cost sometimes creeps into the heart of a person who is not previously familiar with spiritual malice. Life itself is difficult, and everyone fights for it with all their might, sometimes inflicting the most cruel insults on their neighbors in this struggle. And few find the strength to forgive generously; the desire to return evil for evil turns out to be stronger. And the question arises: why does a person devote his life to “punishing” another. Probably, the majority simply find peace in their revenge, which is sometimes so difficult to find. Retribution brings pleasure precisely due to the satisfaction of one’s anger and mental pain. Only a truly generous person can step over his pain, break the chain of evil and not inflict offense in return. What is generosity? If we read the definition of this word in any dictionary, we will see that this quality is interpreted as positive, inherent in strong and wise people.
Generosity
- this is the ability to think not only about yourself and put other people's interests above your own. This is a character quality that is expressed in compliance, condescension and attentive attitude towards people. Since ancient times, everyone has valued and respected generous people as those who have a big, loving heart. Even this word itself is complex, it consists of two parts: “great soul.” What kind of person can be called generous? A great soul is the one who is touched by the problems of other people, who sympathizes with the grief of his neighbor, who is able to be noble towards his offender. A generous person is not vindictive, he knows how to forgive and accept the imperfections of people, and knows how to sacrifice his own interests. A child who feels the love of his parents and sees their generous actions can become like this in the future. Being generous is very difficult, and a person who learns to think not only about himself, but also about others, will receive the love and respect of everyone around him. The concepts of “revenge” and “magnanimity” are diametrically opposed, but often in literary works they are manifested in the actions of the same hero.
A.S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”
In the novel “Eugene Onegin,” Pushkin raises the problem of revenge and generosity using the example of the actions of the main character. Evgeny Onegin decided to take revenge on his friend Lensky, who persuaded him to come to the ball in honor of Tatyana’s birth. Onegin did not like the gatherings of his village neighbors and gave in to his friend’s persuasion only because Lensky assured that there would be only his own. Onegin decided to take revenge on his comrade through the frivolous Olga. Lensky, in love, was furious when he saw his bride dancing with Onegin. He challenged a recent friend to a duel. Here Onegin could have shown generosity: talked to Lensky, explained the reason for his behavior, but the fear of being the subject of ridicule did not allow him to do this. Onegin accepted the challenge and killed his friend.
A.S. Pushkin “Dubrovsky”
In the work “Dubrovsky” A.S. Pushkin thinks about the problem of revenge and generosity using the example of two families: the Troyekurovs and the Dubrovskys. The conflict between the fathers began because of a stupid joke by one of Troekurov’s hounds and ended with Dubrovsky’s estate being taken away in retaliation for his pride. Dubrovsky's son decided to take revenge on his rich neighbor after his father's death. Having lost his home, Vladimir, together with his people, becomes a robber and robber. Only love for Masha Troekurova made him give up revenge. He generously disappears from his native place, leaving everything as it is.
M.Yu. Lermontov “Song about the merchant Kalashnikov”
In “Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov,” M.Yu. Lermontov spoke about the cruel morals of the times of Ivan the Terrible, when the power of the Tsar’s guardsmen was limitless, so the outrages of the Tsar’s servants were common. The merchant Kalashnikov in Lermontov's work decided to take revenge on Kiribeevich for the insult inflicted on his wife. This revenge is justified, since it is closely related to the manifestation of generosity, which is based on the desire to protect one’s family from shame and reproach. Only the tsar does not show the same generosity, and Kalashnikov’s execution becomes revenge for the merchant’s victory in a fair battle with the guardsman Kiribeevich. The people consider Kalashnikov their hero.
N.V. Gogol “Terrible Revenge”
Gogol's story deals with the nature of human revenge - the plot of the entire work is connected with this phenomenon. The sorcerer - the last descendant of Peter, who killed his brother and nephew, was born terribly ugly, it always seemed to him that they were laughing at him, in revenge he killed people, and he has many atrocities on his conscience. Peter killed two people, and his descendant killed countless others. Evil grows and multiplies. Peter himself suffers underground, grows along with the evil that his descendant does, and experiences terrible suffering. Ivan, who took such terrible revenge on his brother, also suffers, as he is forced to observe the consequences of his punishment. But it all started with the envy of brother towards brother: if Petro had not killed Ivan, nothing would have happened. Everyone would live and enjoy life, the sorcerer would be born a normal person and would not call the dead from their graves, causing them terrible suffering. But there was no generosity in the souls of the brothers, which alone is capable of forgiving others and rejoicing in their happiness and success.
V.A. Zakrutkin “Mother of Man”
The story “Mother of Man” by V.A. Zakrutkin can be called a hymn to the generosity of a Russian woman. This work tells the story of a woman from whom the war took away her most precious thing - her beloved people: her husband and son. The atrocities of the fascists are so inhumane that Maria, seeing the German, grabbed a pitchfork and was ready to kill the enemy in order to avenge all the evil that the fascists inflicted on her. But the word “Mom” stopped her. The generosity of this woman is so boundless that she finds the strength to treat this warrior like a mother.
A. I. Kuprin. "Duel".
The main character of A. I. Kuprin’s story “The Duel,” the dreamy and noble Romashov, finds it difficult to get along in the society of empty and indifferent people. He is burdened by his service in the regiment, he is tired of his relationship with the adventuress Raisa. At the next meeting, Georgy tells her that he wants to break up, but receives threats in response. Raisa decides to compromise the second lieutenant in the face of Lieutenant Nikolaev, accusing him of having an affair with Alexandra Petrovna, the wife of Vladimir Efimych. The slander leads to a duel between the rivals, in which Romashov dies. Revenge led to a tragic ending: an innocent man was killed, and it is impossible to bring him back.
L. N. Tolstoy “War and Peace”
In Tolstoy's epic novel, the main character, Andrei Bolkonsky, only after going through a difficult spiritual path, was destined to get rid of selfishness, which destroyed the generosity in his heart and gave rise to anger. Feeling humiliated and insulted after Natasha Rostova’s offense, Andrei goes to war: his only desire is to find Anatoly Kuragin and kill him. In the struggle of feelings, patriotism wins: Prince Andrei refuses to serve at Kutuzov’s headquarters and becomes regiment commander. He managed to become a fair mentor and even a friend to his subordinates, and during the battle he never hid behind their backs. The culmination of Andrei Bolkonsky's experiences is the Battle of Borodino, during which he, despite the danger, is in the line of fire to support his soldiers, and as a result is seriously wounded. Already during the operation, he remembers Natasha and realizes that he loves her more than ever, and not only her, but the whole world. Noticing Kuragin on the next table, Andrei does not find in his heart the former hatred and thirst for revenge. He felt “ecstatic pity and love” for his defeated enemy. Reflecting on Kuragin, Prince Andrei came to the conclusion that the most important thing in life is what Princess Marya had previously taught him and what he did not understand: “compassion, love for brothers, for those who love, love for those who hate us, love for enemies - ... the love that God preached on earth...” At this moment his final moral insight occurs.
Quotes and aphorisms about generosity and revenge:
When a person is so vulnerable that he is unable to show generosity, at these moments he especially needs sympathy and support. George Bernard Shaw
This man oppresses me with his generosity. A.P. Chekhov
Forgiving is more courageous than punishing. The weak cannot forgive. Forgiveness is a characteristic of the strong. Mahatma Gandhi
The one who takes revenge sometimes regrets what he did, the one who forgives never regrets it. A. Dumas
A person tormented by his demons completely unconsciously takes revenge on his neighbor. Franz Kafka
Forgiving your enemies is a wonderful feat; but there is an even more beautiful feat, even more human - this is the understanding of enemies, because understanding is at once forgiveness, justification, reconciliation. Alexander Ivanovich Herzen
Forgiveness is a two-way street. When we forgive someone, we forgive ourselves at that moment. Paulo Coelho
Revenge is a feeling accessible to the smallest minds, but the ability to forget and forgive, the ability to be generous at the moment of triumph - are inherent only to people with a great soul, remember this! Louis Jacolliot
May man be freed from revenge: here is the bridge leading to the highest hope, and the rainbow sky after a long storm. Nietzsche Friedrich
I am guilty before him, therefore, I must take revenge on him. F. Dostoevsky
The most offensive kind of revenge is to recognize the offender as unworthy of our revenge. Seneca
There is a difference between revenge and punishment: punishment is carried out for the sake of the punished, and revenge is carried out for the sake of the avenger, in order to satisfy his anger. Aristotle
“Revenge is a dish best eaten cold” English proverb.
“Revenge is the inheritance of weak souls. There is no place for him in the chest of a worthy person” (Karl Körner). “The sweetest revenge is forgiveness” (Israel Friedman).
“Justice is always seasoned with a pinch of revenge” (Georges Wolfrom).
“The most offensive kind of revenge is to recognize the offender as unworthy of our revenge” (Seneca). “Revenge is sweet, but not very nourishing” (Mason Cooley).
“It is noble to take revenge only on those equal to oneself and in an equal position” (Thucydides).
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