The history of the creation of "The Captain's Daughter". The main characters of "The Captain's Daughter", the genre of the work. Genre and artistic idea of ​​the novel “The Captain's Daughter”

Outwardly, “The Captain's Daughter” is similar to the “family legends” highly valued by Pushkin. All events are conveyed through the gaze of Grinev, the record-keeper, and are instructive for his grandson, that is, Pushkin’s contemporary, and therefore for the nobility of his day. Pushkin and many researchers of his work called The Captain's Daughter a novel; the poet himself defined the novel as “a historical era developed in fictional narrative».

However, there is another point of view, according to which “The Captain’s Daughter” is a lyrical story with a bright and strong historical basis.

Novel- epic prose genre, in which a comprehensive picture of an entire way of life is recreated, unfolded into a complex and complete action, tending to be dramatic and closed.

Tale- an epic prose genre, smaller in volume than a novel, but larger than a short story or short story. The plot of the story covers a certain chain of episodes (events) that tend to be chronicle.

While working on “The History of Pugachev” and “The Captain’s Daughter,” Pushkin clearly understood: there could be no union of the noble class with the peasantry. At the same time, the only force capable of public administration in Russia, he saw the nobility. This social contradiction manifested itself with enormous artistic power in the novel. One of the researchers of creativity A.S. Pushkina Yu.M. Lotman noted: “The entire artistic fabric of The Captain’s Daughter clearly falls into two ideological and stylistic layers, subordinate to the depiction of the worlds - noble and peasant. It would be an unacceptable simplification, preventing penetration into Pushkin’s true plan, to consider that noble world is portrayed in the story only satirically, and the peasant - only sympathetically, as well as to assert that everything poetic in the noble camp belongs, but to Pushkin’s opinion, not to a specifically noble, but to a national principle.”

The imaginative world of the “captain’s daughter”

The artistic idea of ​​the novel is concentrated in its epigraph, folk proverb“Take care of your honor from a young age.” It is expressed through the disclosure of the images of almost all the main characters of the work - Grinev and Shvabrin, Pugachev and Captain Mironov.

“The central figure of the work is Pugachev. All the plot lines of the story converge to him. The love affair of “The Captain’s Daughter”, the relationship between Masha Mironova and Grinev is of significant importance only because the plot motivates the climax of the “strange” relationship between Grinev and Pugachev: the virtually unauthorized (under cover of chance) appearance of a nobleman faithful to his military duty, an officer of government troops, to Pugachev’s camp for help,” writes E.N. Kupreyanova, a researcher of Pushkin’s novel.

Illustration for the novel by A.S. Pushkin “The Captain’s Daughter” - woodcuts by N.V. Favorsky

Pugachev Pushkin - a talented leader of a spontaneous movement, the first full-blooded folk character in the works of Pushkin and in Russian literature in general. Without idealizing his hero, showing him tough, and in some moments - scary, Pushkin simultaneously emphasizes his most important qualities: determination and willpower, the ability to remember and appreciate goodness, readiness to Hard time to come to the rescue and, what may seem strange at first glance, justice. Characteristic in this regard are his actions towards Shvabrin, Grinev, and Masha Mironova. There are no figures close to this character in “The Captain’s Daughter” either among Pugachev’s closest associates or among his opponents. To some extent, Pugachev, in Pushkin’s perception, is a lonely and tragic person: he realizes the futility of his enterprise, understands the inevitability of his death. But he cannot give up rebellion. The moral of the Kalmyk fairy tale, which he tells to Grinev, helps to understand the motives of his behavior, his attitude to what is happening: “... rather than eat carrion for three hundred years, better time drink living blood, and then what God will give!”

Pyotr Andreevich Grinev looks quite ordinary, in comparison with Pugachev, but it is precisely this perception that fully corresponds to Pushkin’s plan. Pugachev is a historical figure, significant and exceptional. The figure of Grinev is fictional and ordinary.

The name Grinev (in the draft version he was called Bulanin) was not chosen by chance. On January 10, 1755, the end of the trial of Pugachev and the Pugachevites was announced. The name of Second Lieutenant Grinev is listed among those who “were on guard, being at first suspected of communicating with the villains, but as a result they turned out to be innocent.”

Grinev - representative of the impoverished noble nobility Catherine's times, to which Pushkin was proud to belong and whose “humiliation” of social status he regretted.

At first glance, a kind of “mama’s boy” who cannot be allowed to go anywhere without the constant supervision of Uncle Savelich, a kind of fool and immature, Grinev subsequently appears to the reader as a person capable of extraordinary actions (the episode with the sheepskin coat given to the “counselor”). It is this independence, and not just the fact of donating a hare sheepskin coat, that, as it turns out, sets Grinev apart from many. He is able not only to love sincerely, but also to go to the end in the fight for his feelings, for the honor and dignity of both himself and his beloved girl. In this struggle, he will again demonstrate his ability, without betraying anyone, to make independent decisions and bear responsibility for them. His coming to Pugachev does not look like a betrayal in comparison with the actions of Shvabria and in relation to the oath and duty to the Fatherland.

There is also a character trait of Grinev hidden from first glance. The novel was written on his behalf, by his hand. These are his notes for his grandson, and in them Pyotr Andreevich Grinev does not present himself as better than he really was. He is truthful and sometimes merciless to himself: in assessments, in conveying actions, in characterizing thoughts.

By the will of fate, old people dear to Pushkin’s heart find themselves drawn into the whirlpool of events: servant Savelich, captain Mironov and his endlessly devoted wife.

Of course, Savelich, whom Grinev treats with tender love and warmth, could not be otherwise. Too warm memories were left in Pushkin’s heart by his “mother and nanny”: both Arina Rodionovna and uncle Nikita Kozlov, who remained sincerely devoted to him all his life. The guy knew how to do things that Pushkin valued. Once in St. Petersburg, immediately after the Lyceum, when the master turned the sovereign against himself with his “outrageous” poems, Nikita Kozlov, in the absence of Alexander, did not allow the gendarmes into the apartment with a search: “The master is not at home, but there is no way to live without him.”

Sometimes taking offense at the strict Savelich, grumbling about his grumbling and “extra” troubles, Grinev, however, repays his uncle with sincere, almost filial love. Love for love.

Grinev also has a warm attitude towards the Mironov family. Pushkin could also have drawn materials for the plot of the novel, in particular about the family of the commandant of the fortress, from the stories of I.A. Krylov, whose childhood was spent in Yaitsky town and Orenburg. The image of Captain Ivan Kuzmich Mironov, a modest and inconspicuous officer of a provincial garrison, but a firm and prudent commander, rising to true heroism during the siege of the fortress, was probably suggested by the fabulist’s memories of his father, Captain Andrei Krylov, an officer of the Yaitsky town besieged by the Pugachevites.

The character of captain Vasilisa Egorovna Mironova was also written out with the greatest respect. At the first meeting with Grinev, she appears as an old woman “in a padded jacket and with a scarf on her head. She unwinds the threads” - a sort of classic patriarchal image. In fact, Vasilisa Egorovna Mironova is the de facto commander of the fortress; out of the kindness of her heart, Captain Mironov and all the servants in the garrison report to her in everyday life. And at the decisive moment this does not make you feel ashamed and bitter.

Here is a heroic and tragic scene in which her true character is revealed: “Several robbers dragged Vasilisa Yegorovna onto the porch, disheveled and stripped naked. One of them had already dressed up in her warmer. Others carried feather beds, chests, tea utensils, linen and all the junk. “My fathers!” - screamed the poor old woman. - Release your soul to repentance. Dear fathers, take me to Ivan Kuzmich." Suddenly she looked at the gallows and recognized her husband. “Villains!” she screamed in a frenzy. “What did you do to him? You are my light, Ivan Kuzmich, you daring soldier’s head!” They didn’t touch him. You didn’t get Prussian bayonets or Turkish bullets; you didn’t give up your life in a fair fight, but you died from an escaped convict!” “Quiet the old witch!” said Pugachev. Then the young Cossack hit her on the head with a saber, and she fell dead on the steps of the porch.”

“The name of the girl Mironova,” noted Pushkin in a letter to censor P.A. Korsakov, - fictitiously. My novel is based on a legend I once heard, as if one of the officers who betrayed his duty and joined the Pugachev gangs was pardoned by the empress at the request of his elderly father, who threw himself at her feet. The novel, as you please see, has gone far from the truth.”

Masha Mironova is a modest, shy, silent girl. Raised in a Christian spirit, she respects her mother and father, behaves without affectation and coquetry in front of guest officers, and experiences all the events that happen with dignity and humility. Having a heartfelt inclination towards Grinev, Masha does not give her consent to the marriage without the blessing of his parents. Sensitive and meek Masha, who faints at the sound of gunfire, at a difficult moment in her life, for the sake of saving her loved one, makes a decisive and a brave deed. Masha is the spiritual and moral reference point in the novel named after her. She asks the empress for mercy, not justice. This is a very important topic for Pushkin. The basis of the writer’s position is the affirmation of humanity as the highest moral law. That is why his main characters do not die: Masha is saved by Pugachev, who acts as he is told not by political considerations, but by human feeling. Grinev's pardon is in the hands of the empress, who follows not a sketchy law, but mercy.

Pushkin was not an ideologist of the peasant revolution; he was far from “calling Rus' to the axe.” With his novel, he warns his contemporaries and descendants about the bloody lawlessness that always comes with rebellion, about its despoticism and uselessness. Pushkin himself will derive this exact warning formula: “God forbid that we see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless.”

After the brutal suppression of the rebellious uprising of military settlers in Staraya Russa in the early 30s of the 19th century, Pushkin draws attention to the “troubled” times in the history of the fatherland. This is where the story of the creation of “The Captain's Daughter” begins. The image of the rebel Pugachev fascinates and attracts the poet’s attention. And this theme runs through two of Pushkin’s works at once: the historical work “The History of Pugachev” and “The Captain’s Daughter”. Both works are dedicated to events peasant war 1773-1775 under the leadership of Emelyan Pugachev.

Initial stage: collecting information, creating “The History of Pugachev”

The history of the creation of “The Captain's Daughter” takes more than 3 years. Pushkin was the first to write the work “The History of Pugachev,” for which he carefully collected facts and evidence. He had to travel around several provinces in the Volga region and Orenburg region, where the uprising took place and witnesses to those events still lived. By decree of the tsar, the poet was given access to secret documents relating to the uprising and its suppression by the authorities. Family archives and private collections of documents constituted a significant part of the sources of information. Pushkin’s “Archival Notebooks” contain copies of personal decrees and letters from Emelyan Pugachev himself. The poet communicated with old people who knew Pugachev and passed on legends about him. The poet questioned, wrote down, and examined the battle sites. He carefully and punctually wrote down all the information he collected in the historical work “The History of Pugachev.” A short novel reveals to us one of the most exciting pages in Russian history - the period of Pugachevism. This work was called “The History of the Pugachev Rebellion” and was published in 1834. Only after creating a historical work, the poet began to write a literary work - “The Captain's Daughter”.

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Prototypes of heroes, plotting a storyline

The novel is narrated from the perspective of a young officer Pyotr Grinev, who is serving in Belogorsk fortress. Several times the author changed the plan of the work, structured the plot differently and renamed the characters. At the beginning, the hero of the work was thought to be a young nobleman who went over to Pugachev’s side. The poet studied the history of the nobleman Shvanvich, who voluntarily went over to the side of the rebels, and the officer Basharin, who was captured by Pugachev. Based on their real deeds, two characters were formed, one of whom was a nobleman who became a traitor, whose image required passing through the moral and censorship barriers of that time. We can say that Shvabrin’s prototype was officer Shvanovich. This name was mentioned in the royal decree “On punishing with death the traitor rebel and impostor Pugachev and his accomplices.” And the main character of “The Captain’s Daughter,” Grinev, was created by the author based on the true story of an officer taken into custody by the authorities. He was suspected of having connections with Emelyan Pugachev, but later this was not confirmed, the officer was found innocent and released.

Publication and history of the creation of Pushkin’s “The Captain’s Daughter”

For Pushkin, covering such a sensitive political topic was not an easy task, as evidenced by the history of the creation of “The Captain’s Daughter”: numerous changes in the construction of the plan of the work, changes in the names of the characters and the storyline.

The story “The Captain's Daughter” was first mentioned in mid-1832. The work itself appeared in print in December 1836 in the Sovremennik magazine without the author’s signature. However, censorship prohibited the publication of a chapter about a peasant revolt in the village of Grineva, which the poet himself later called “The Missing Chapter.” Pushkin’s creation of “The Captain’s Daughter” took last years his life, after the work was published, the poet tragically died in a duel.

Alexander Sergeevich had to put a lot of effort into creating the characters. He consulted unpublished documents family archives, ardently studied the history of the uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. Pushkin visited many cities of the Volga region, including Kazan and Astrakhan, where the “exploits” of the rebel began. He even found relatives of the participants to more reliably study all the information. From the materials received, a historical work, “The History of Pugachev,” was compiled, which was used by him to create his own Pugachev for “The Captain’s Daughter.” I had to simultaneously think about censorship and a character who contradicted not only the moral and ethical values ​​of the time, but also raised political discussions. His renegade nobleman was initially supposed to take Pugachev’s side, but even during the collection of information the plan changed many times.

As a result, we had to divide the character into two - “light” and “dark”, that is, the defender Grinev and the traitor Shvabrin. Shvabrin absorbed all the worst qualities, from betrayal to cowardice.

The world of the heroes of "The Captain's Daughter"

The poet managed to describe truly Russian qualities and character traits on the pages of the story. Pushkin very clearly and colorfully manages to convey the contrasting characters of people from the same class. In the work “Onegin” he vividly described the opposing types of nobility in the images of Tatiana and Onegin, and in “The Captain’s Daughter” he managed to show the contrasting characters of the types of the Russian peasantry: the prudent, loyal to the owners, prudent and prudent Savelich and the rebellious, frantic, rebellious Pugachev. In the story “The Captain's Daughter,” the characters are described very plausibly and expressively.

Nobleman Grinev

The main characters in our story deserve special attention. The hero of “The Captain's Daughter,” the young officer Grinev, on whose behalf the story is told, was brought up in ancient traditions. From an early age he was placed under the care of Savelich, whose influence only intensified after the expulsion of the Frenchman Beaupre from his teachers. Before he was born, Peter was enrolled in the Semenovsky regiment as a sergeant, which determined his entire future.

Pyotr Alekseevich Grinev, the main character of The Captain's Daughter, was created in the image of a real person, information about whom Pushkin found in archival documents from the Pugachev era. Grinev's prototype is officer Basharin, who was captured by the rebels and escaped. The creation of the story “The Captain's Daughter” was accompanied by a change in the hero's surname. It changed several times (Bulanin, Valuev), until the author settled on Grinev. The image of the main character is associated with mercy, " family thought", free choice in difficult and tough circumstances.

Describing through the lips of Grinev the terrible consequences of Pugachevism, Pushkin calls the rebellion senseless and merciless. Mountains of dead bodies, a bunch of people chained, whipped and hanged - these are the terrible consequences of the uprising. Seeing robbed and devastated villages, fires, and innocent victims, Grinev exclaims: “God forbid we see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless.”

Serf Savelich

The creation of the story “The Captain's Daughter” would have been impossible without the vivid image of a native of the people. Serf Savelich firmly believed that he was born only to serve his master. He could not imagine any other life. But his service to the masters is not servility, he is full of self-esteem and nobility.

Savelich is rich in inner warmth, selfless affection and self-sacrifice. He loves his young master like a father, takes care of him and suffers from unfair reproaches addressed to him. This old man suffers from loneliness, because he devoted his whole life to serving the masters.

Rebel Pugachev

The poet managed to convey another vivid image of the Russian character through Emelyan Pugachev. This hero of The Captain's Daughter is viewed by Pushkin from two different sides. One Pugachev is an intelligent, with great ingenuity and insightful man, whom we see as a simple person, described in his personal relationship with Grinev. He remembers the kindness shown to him and feels deep gratitude. Another Pugachev is a cruel and merciless executioner, sending people to the gallows and executing the middle-aged widow of Commandant Mironov. This side of Pugachev is disgusting, striking in its bloody cruelty.

The story “The Captain's Daughter” makes it clear that Pugachev is a reluctant villain. He was chosen for the role of “counselor” by the elders and was later betrayed by them. Pugachev himself believed that Russia was destined to be punished through his damnation. He understood that he was doomed, that he was just a player leading role in a rebellious element. But at the same time, Pugachev is not a soulless puppet in the hands of the elders; he puts forth all his courage, perseverance and mental strength for the success of the uprising.

The antagonist of the main character is Shvabrin

Nobleman Shvabrin, the hero of "The Captain's Daughter", another a real man, references to which were found by Pushkin in archival documents. In contrast to the noble and honest Grinev, Shvabrin is a scoundrel with a dishonest soul. He easily goes over to Pugachev’s side as soon as he captured the Belgorod fortress. He tries to gain Masha's favor by force.

But at the same time, Shvabrin is far from stupid, he is a witty and entertaining conversationalist, who ended up serving in the Belgorod fortress for his love of duels. It is because of Shvabrin that Grinev comes under suspicion of treason and almost loses his life.

Captain's daughter Maria Mironova

The story “The Captain's Daughter” also tells about love in a difficult time of popular uprising. The main character of "The Captain's Daughter" is Maria Mironova, a dowry girl brought up on French novels, the daughter of the captain of the Belogorsk fortress. It is because of her that Grinev and Shvabrin fight a duel, although she cannot belong to either of them. Petrusha's parents forbade her to even think about marrying a dowry girl, and the scoundrel Shvabrin, who practically won the duel, has no place in the girl's heart.

She did not give in to him during the capture of the fortress, when he tried to force her favor. Everything is collected in Masha best features The character of a Russian woman is innocence and purity of character, warmth, patience and readiness for self-sacrifice, fortitude and the ability not to betray one’s principles. In order to save Masha from the hands of Shvabrin, Grinev goes to Pugachev to ask him for the release of his beloved.

Description of events in the story

The description of events is based on the memoirs of a fifty-year-old nobleman Pyotr Alekseevich Grinev. They were written during the reign of Emperor Alexander and dedicated to the peasant uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. As fate would have it, the young officer had to take an involuntary part in it.

Petrusha's childhood

The story of “The Captain’s Daughter” begins with Pyotr Andreevich’s ironic memories of his childhood. His father is a retired prime minister, his mother is the daughter of a poor nobleman. All eight of Petrusha's brothers and sisters died in childhood, and the hero himself was enlisted in the Semenovsky regiment as a sergeant while still in his mother's womb. At the age of five, the eager Savelych is assigned to the boy, who is promoted to Petrusha’s uncle. Under his leadership, he learned Russian literacy and “could sensibly judge the properties of a greyhound dog.” Afterwards, the young master was assigned a Frenchman, Beaupre, as a teacher, whose teaching ended in shameful expulsion for drunkenness and spoiling of courtyard girls.

Young Petrusha lives a carefree life until the age of sixteen, chasing pigeons and playing leapfrog. At the age of seventeen, the father decides to send the youngster to serve, but not in the Semenovsky regiment, but in the active army, so that he can smell gunpowder. This was a reason for disappointment for the young nobleman, who had hoped for a fun and carefree life in the capital.

Officer Grinev's service

On the way to Orenburg, the master and his servant find themselves in a strong snowstorm, and were completely lost when they met a black-bearded gypsy, who led them to the edge. On the way to housing, Pyotr Andreevich has a prophetic and terrible dream. Grateful Grinev gives his savior a hare sheepskin coat and treats him to a glass of wine. After mutual gratitude, the gypsies and Grinev part.

Arriving at the place, Peter was surprised to discover that the Belgorod fortress did not at all look like an impregnable bastion - it was just a cute small village behind a wooden fence. Instead of brave soldiers there are military invalids, and instead of formidable artillery there is an old cannon with old garbage stuffed into its muzzle.

The head of the fortress - an honest and kind officer Mironov - is not strong in education and is completely under the influence of his wife. The wife runs the fortress as if it were her own household. The Mironovs accept young Petrusha as their own, and he himself becomes attached to them and falls in love with their daughter Maria. The easy service encourages reading books and writing poetry.

At the beginning of his service, Pyotr Grinev feels a friendly sympathy for Lieutenant Shvabrin, who is close to him in education and occupation. But Shvabrin’s causticity, with which he criticized Grinev’s poems, served as a reason for a quarrel between them, and dirty hints towards Masha became a reason for a duel, during which Grinev was basely wounded by Shvabrin.

Maria takes care of the wounded Peter, and they confess their mutual feelings to each other. Peter writes a letter to his parents, asking for their blessing for his marriage. However, having learned that Maria does not have a dowry, the father forbids his son to even think about the girl.

Pugachev's rebellion

The creation of "The Captain's Daughter" is associated with a popular uprising. In the story, events developed as follows. A mute Bashkir with outrageous messages was caught in a fortress village. Residents of the Belogorsk fortress fearfully await the attack of the rebel peasants led by Pugachev. And the rebel attack happened unexpectedly; at the very first military attack, the fortress surrendered its position. Residents came out to meet Pugachev with bread and salt, and they are led to the city square to swear allegiance to the new “sovereign.” The commandant and his wife die, refusing to swear allegiance to the impostor Pugachev. Grinev faces the gallows, but later Emelyan himself pardons him, recognizing in him the fellow traveler whom he saved in a snowstorm and received a hare’s fur coat as a gift from him.

Pugachev releases the officer, and he sets off for help towards Orenburg. He wants to save sick Masha from captivity, whom the priest passes off as his niece. He is very worried about her safety, because Shvabrin, who went over to the side of the rebels, was appointed commandant. In Orenburg they did not take his reports seriously and refused to help. And soon the city itself found itself under a long siege. By chance, Grinev receives a letter from Masha asking for help, and he again heads to the fortress. There, with the help of Pugachev, he frees Masha, and he himself comes under suspicion of espionage at the suggestion of the same Shvabrin.

Final Analysis

The main text of the story is compiled from the notes of Pyotr Andreevich Grinev. Critics characterized the story “The Captain's Daughter” as follows: it is a historically important story. The era of Pugachevism is seen through the eyes of a nobleman who took an oath of allegiance to the empress and religiously followed his duty as an officer. And even in a difficult situation, among mountains of dead bodies and a sea of ​​​​people's blood, he did not break his word and preserved the honor of his uniform.

The popular uprising led by Pugachev is viewed in The Captain's Daughter as a national tragedy. Pushkin contrasts the people and the authorities.

Critics call the story "The Captain's Daughter" the pinnacle literary prose Pushkin. The work brought to life truly Russian characters and types. All of Pushkin’s poetry is permeated by a rebellious spirit, he transcends the boundaries of everyday life. And in the story, in the story of Pugachev’s rebellion, the poet glorifies freedom and rebellion. Russian classics gave the story “The Captain's Daughter” a positive review. Russian literature has added another masterpiece.

"The Captain's Daughter": genre affiliation

Can we consider that the story “The Captain's Daughter” belongs to the genre of a historical novel? After all, the poet himself believed that having covered an entire historical era in his work, he could consider it a novel. However, according to the volume accepted in literary criticism, the work is classified as a story. Few critics admit that “The Captain's Daughter” is a novel; more often it is called a story or story.

"The Captain's Daughter" in the theater and in productions

To date, many theatrical and film productions of the story “The Captain's Daughter” have been carried out. The most popular was the feature film by Pavel Reznikov with same name. The film was released in 1978 and is essentially a film performance. The roles of the main characters were given to well-known actors familiar to television viewers. Unusuality acting is that no one gets used to the character, no one is given special makeup, and in general there is nothing that connects the actors and the book except the text. It is the text that creates the mood, makes the viewer feel, and the actors simply read it in their own voice. Despite the originality of the production of the story “The Captain's Daughter,” the film received amazing reviews. Many theaters still follow the principle of just reading Pushkin's text.

Such is the general outline, the history of the creation of the story "The Captain's Daughter" by A. S. Pushkin.

Pushkin was consummate master laconic, succinct words. His meaningful phrases sometimes carry more information than entire newspaper articles. Until now, literary scholars argue and argue about what “The Captain's Daughter” is: a story or a novel.

In Russian literary criticism, it is customary to call a novel a large, multifaceted work that depicts significant historical events and covers eras. Additional ones are intertwined with the main storyline.

The genre of the story is prose work with the main protagonist, a limited number of storylines, time frames, and volume of work.

The Captain's Daughter is a small book of medium thickness. Pushkin himself defined the genre of this work as a story. But modern literary scholars are more inclined towards the genre of historical novel. Indeed, against the backdrop of Tolstoy’s novels “War and Peace”, Anna Karenina or “The Idiot” by Dostoevsky, Pushkin’s “novel” looks more than modest.

This work describes quite significant events in a concise form; fiction is intertwined with historical truth, real historical heroes. Although, if we remember that Pushkin went to the Orenburg province to collect material about the Pugachev rebellion, it is possible that he brought the story about the events that happened in the Belogorsk fortress from there.

One chapter covers the growing up and education of a young nobleman who was brought up at first, and then a French tutor was assigned to him from Moscow, who did not bother himself very much with raising the young nobleman.

At the age of 17, Pyotr Grinev’s father sent him to serve. But not to St. Petersburg, which, in the father’s opinion, would corrupt the young man, but further away, to Orenburg, under the command of a former colleague.

Subsequent chapters describe the acquaintance, the Pugachev riot and the death of Captain Mironov, his wife, and the captivity of their daughter. The image of Shvabrin, his actions are a separate storyline in Pushkin’s work.

There are several storylines. Some of them are mentioned here. It is worth adding the siege of Orenburg, Grinev’s participation in the fighting against the Pugachev regime under the command of Zurin, Grinev’s arrest and Masha’s meeting with the empress. All this allows us to classify “The Captain’s Daughter” as a novel genre.

The entire work is written in a brief, abstract form of memoir. This brevity allows the reader to conjecture the plots, reflect on the actions and characters of the characters, and complete the poorly outlined images.

Can The Captain's Daughter be classified as a novel? Literary scholars answer this question in the affirmative. We can agree with them or accept the opinion of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin himself.

“The Captain's Daughter” is a coming-of-age novel. This is the story of the coming of age of Pyotr Grinev, who transforms from a “green” youth into a responsible man, having gone through severe life trials. He had a chance to take a direct part in the Pugachev uprising, and all his principles were thoroughly tested. He passed it, maintaining his dignity and remaining faithful to the oath. The narration is conducted in the form of memoirs, and the hero himself sums up his life from the height of his own experience.

Many readers think that “The Captain's Daughter” is just a story, but they are mistaken: a work of such length cannot belong to short prose. But whether it’s a story or a novel is an open question.

The writer himself lived at a time when only those multi-volume works that were comparable in volume to “Anna Karenina,” for example, or “ Noble nest“, so he without a doubt called his creation a story. In Soviet literary criticism this was also considered.

However, the work has all the hallmarks of a novel: the action covers a long period of time in the lives of the heroes; the book contains many minor characters, described in detail and not directly related to the main storyline, throughout the narrative characters undergoing spiritual evolution. In addition, the author shows all the stages of Grinev’s growing up, which also clearly indicates the genre. That is, we have before us a typical historical novel, since the writer, while working on it, took as a basis facts from the past and the scientific research that he undertook to understand the phenomenon of the peasant war and convey it to descendants in the form of objective knowledge.

But the mysteries don’t end there; we have to decide what kind of direction lies at the origins of the work “The Captain’s Daughter”: realism or romanticism? Pushkin's colleagues, in particular Gogol and Odoevsky, argued that his book more than any other influenced the development of realism in Russia. However, what speaks in favor of romanticism is the fact that it is based on historical material, and the reader’s focus is on the controversial and tragic personality of the rebel Pugachev - exactly romantic hero. Therefore, both answers will be correct, because after the successful literary discovery of the sun of Russian poetry, Russia was swept by the fashion for prose, and realistic one at that.

History of creation

Pushkin was partly inspired to create The Captain's Daughter by Walter Scott, the master of the historical novel. His works began to be translated, and the Russian public was delighted with the adventurous plots and mysterious immersion in another era. Then the writer was just working on a chronicle of the uprising, scientific work, dedicated to the peasant revolt of Pugachev. He has accumulated a lot of useful material for implementation artistic design reveal to the reader a treasure trove of eventful Russian history.

At first, he planned to describe precisely the betrayal of a Russian nobleman, and not moral feat. The author wanted to focus on the personality of Emelyan Pugachev, and at the same time show the motives of the officer who violated the oath and joined the riot. The prototype would be Mikhail Shvanvich, really existing person, who, out of fear for his fate, was attached to the rebel’s office, and then also testified against him. However, for censorship reasons, the book could hardly be published, so the writer had to step on the throat of his own song and depict a more patriotic plot, especially since he had enough historical examples of valor. But a negative example was suitable for creating the image of Shvabrin.

The book was published a month before the author’s death in his own magazine Sovremennik, published on behalf of Grinev. Many noted that the style of narration of that time was conveyed by the writer, so many readers were confused and did not understand who the true creator of the memoirs was. By the way, censorship still took its toll, removing from public access the chapter about the peasant revolt in the Simbirsk province, where Peter himself was from.

Meaning of the name

The work, oddly enough, is not titled in honor of Grinev or Pugachev, so you can’t immediately tell what it’s about. The novel is called "The Captain's Daughter" in honor of Maria Mirova, the main character of the book. Pushkin, thus, pays tribute to the girl’s courage, which no one expected from her. She dared to ask the Empress herself for the traitor! And she begged forgiveness for her savior.

In addition, this story is also called so because Marya was driving force narratives. Out of love for her, the young man always chose a feat. Until she occupied all his thoughts, he was pathetic: he did not want to serve, lost large sums at cards, and behaved arrogantly with the servant. As soon as a sincere feeling awakened courage, nobility and boldness in him, the reader did not recognize Petrusha: he turned from an undergrowth into a responsible and brave man, to whom patriotism and awareness of his own self came through strong emotions addressed to a woman.

Historical background

The events in the work took place during the reign of Catherine II. The historical phenomenon in the novel “The Captain's Daughter” is called “Pugachevism” (this phenomenon was studied by Pushkin). This is Emelyan Pugachev's rebellion against tsarist power. It occurred in the 18th century. The described actions take place in the Belgorod fortress, where the rebel went, gathering strength to storm the capital.

The Peasant War of 1773 - 1775 unfolded in the southeast Russian Empire. It was attended by serfs and factory peasants, representatives of national minorities (Kyrgyz, Bashkirs) and Ural Cossacks. All of them were outraged by the predatory policies of the ruling elite and the increasing enslavement common people. People who did not agree with the fate of slaves fled to the outskirts of the country and formed armed gangs for the purpose of robbery. The fugitive “souls” were already outlaws, so there was nothing else left for them. The author reflects on their tragic fate, portraying the leader of the uprising, not devoid of virtue and commendable character traits.

But Catherine the Second demonstrates a tough temper and remarkable cruelty. The Empress, according to historians, was indeed a strong-willed person, but she did not shy away from tyranny and other delights of absolute power. Her policy strengthened the nobility, giving it all sorts of privileges, but the common people were forced to bear the burden of these benefits. The royal court lived in grand style, and not noble people starved, endured violence and humiliation of the slave position, lost, and were sold under the hammer. Naturally, social tension only grew, and Catherine did not enjoy popular love. A foreign woman was involved in a conspiracy and, with the help of the military, overthrew her husband, the legitimate ruler of Russia. Downtrodden and squeezed in the grip of injustice, the serfs believed that the murdered Peter the Third was preparing a decree for their release, and his wife killed him for this. Emelyan Pugachev, a Don Cossack, took advantage of superstition and rumors and declared himself a saved tsar. He fueled the discontent of the armed Cossacks, whose petitions were not listened to, and inspired the peasants, tortured by tyranny and corvée, to revolt.

What is the work about?

We meet Petrusha the underage, who can only “reasonably judge the properties of a greyhound dog.” All his aspirations lie in “dust-free service” in St. Petersburg. However, we see that the father has a huge influence on the young man. He teaches his son to serve the fatherland, cherish family traditions, and not attach much importance to awards. Having received such a strict upbringing, the young man goes to serve. What is described in his “tale of bitter torment” is plot outline works. The fact is that we learn all this from the lips of the venerable old nobleman that Peter became.

There, far from his father's house, the hero goes through a harsh school of life: first he loses at cards and offends a faithful servant, experiencing pangs of conscience. Later, he falls in love with Maria Mironova and risks his life in a duel with Shvabrin, defending the honor of his beloved. The father, having learned about the reason for the fight, refuses to bless the marriage with the dowry. After the capture of the Belogorsk fortress, Peter remains faithful to the oath, and his nobility grants him Pugachev’s leniency: he respects the young man’s choice and does not touch him. The rebel’s decision was influenced by the kindness of the captive: once on the road he gave the Cossack a sheepskin coat and treated him very kindly. The common man appreciated the master's mercy and returned the favor. Pushkin confronts them more than once, and the nobleman is always saved by his straightforwardness and generosity.

His trials did not end there: life presented him with a choice between saving his beloved and serving, and the good name of an officer. Then the hero chooses love and disobeys the boss’s order, freeing his beloved on his own from Shvabrin’s hands. Alexey forced the girl to marry him. Pugachev again shows respect for the daredevil and releases the captive. However, the autocratic government does not forgive free will, and Grinev is arrested. Fortunately, Masha managed to beg clemency from Catherine II. This is what is said in the novel “The Captain's Daughter,” which ended with a happy ending: young people get married with the blessing they received. But now the leader of the uprising is sentenced to quartering.

The main characters and their characteristics

The main characters of the novel are Pyotr Grinev, Maria Mironova, Emelyan Pugachev, Arkhip Savelyev, Alesey Shvabrin and Catherine the Second. The characters are so numerous that their description would take more than one article, so we neglect them.

1. - nobleman, officer, main character. He received a strict upbringing in the house of his father, a retired military man. He is only 16 years old, but his parents felt that he was ready for service. He is poorly educated, does not particularly strive for anything and does not in any way resemble an ideal man. Setting out on a journey, the young man bears little resemblance to a soldier: good-natured, gullible, unstable to temptations and not knowledgeable of life. He is spoiled, because at first he loses a significant amount at cards and does not understand why Savelich (his servant) reacts emotionally to this. He does not know the value of money, but he shows arrogance and rudeness towards his devoted servant. However, his innate conscientiousness does not allow him to continue to be carried away by garrison pity. Soon he seriously falls in love with the daughter of the captain of the fortress, and from that moment his growing up begins: he becomes brave, courageous and courageous. For example, in a duel with Shvabrin, the young man fought honestly and bravely, unlike his opponent. Next we see an ardent and passionate lover in his face, and after some time he is ready to risk his life for the sake of honor, refusing to swear allegiance to Pugachev. This act reveals him as a highly moral person who is firm in his convictions. Later, he will show valor more than once while fighting the enemy, but when the fate of his beloved is at stake, he will disregard caution and set out to save her. This reveals the depth of feeling in him. Even in captivity, Peter does not blame the woman and is ready to accept unfair punishment, as long as everything is fine with her. In addition, one cannot help but note the self-criticism and maturity of judgment inherent in Grinev in old age.
2. Marya Mironova- daughter of the captain of the fortress, main character. She is 18 years old. Masha’s appearance is described in detail: “...Then a girl of about eighteen came in, chubby, ruddy, with light brown hair, smoothly combed behind her ears, which were on fire...”. In addition, it is mentioned that she has an “angelic” voice and kind heart. Her family is poor, owns only one serf, so she cannot possibly qualify for marriage with Peter (who has 300 souls). But the young charmer is distinguished by prudence, sensitivity and generosity, because she sincerely worries about the fate of her lover. Naturalness and gullibility make the heroine an easy prey for the wicked Shvabrin, who is trying to gain her favor through meanness. But Marya is careful and not stupid, so she easily recognizes the falseness and depravity in Alexei and avoids him. She is also characterized by loyalty and courage: the girl does not betray her beloved and bravely travels to an unfamiliar city to achieve an audience with the empress herself.
3. Pugachev in the novel “The Captain's Daughter” appears before readers in two guises: a brave and noble person who is able to appreciate loyalty and honor, and a cruel tyrant who carries out executions and reprisals without restraint. We understand that the rebel’s message is noble, he wants to defend rights ordinary people. However, the way he fights lawlessness does not justify it in any way. Although we sympathize with Pugachev - decisive, brave, intelligent - his cruelty makes us doubt the correctness of his path. In the episode of the first meeting, we see a smart and cunning governor, in a dialogue with Grinev - an unhappy man who knows that he is doomed. Kalmyk fairy tale, told by Pugachev, reveals his attitude towards life: he wants to live it freely, albeit fleetingly. It is impossible not to note his personal qualities: he is a leader, first among equals. They obey him unconditionally, and this corrupts his nature. For example, the scenes of the capture of the fortress demonstrate the cruelty of Pugachev’s power; such despotism is unlikely to lead to freedom (the death of the Mironovs, the kidnapping of Masha, destruction). Idea of ​​the image: Pugachev is naturally endowed with a heightened sense of justice, intelligence and talent, but he does not pass the test of war and unlimited power: the people's choice has become as much a tyrant as the empress against whom he rebelled.
4. Catherine II. A sweet woman in a house dress turns into an unyielding ruler when she listens to a request for a state traitor. Masha Mironova, at Catherine’s reception, tries to talk about Peter’s mitigating circumstances, but the Empress does not want to hear reasonable arguments and evidence, she is only interested in her own opinion. She condemned the “traitor” without trial, which is very indicative of an autocratic government. That is, its monarchy is hardly better than Pugachevism.
5. Alexey Shvabrin- Officer. Peter and Alexey seem to be similar in their social status and age, but circumstances separate them different sides barricades After the first test, Shvabrin, unlike Grinev, commits moral failure, and the more rapidly the plot develops, the more obvious that Alexey is a vile and cowardly person who achieves everything in life by cunning and meanness. The peculiarities of his character are revealed during love conflict: He wins Masha's favor through hypocrisy, secretly slandering her and her family. The capture of the fortress finally puts everything in its place: he was ready for betrayal (he found a peasant dress, cut his hair), and Grinev would rather prefer death to breaking the oath. The final disappointment in him comes when the hero tries to force the girl to marry him by force and blackmail.
6. Savelich (Arkhip Savelyev)- an elderly servant. He is kind, caring and devoted to the young master. It is his resourcefulness that helps Peter avoid reprisals. Risking his life, the peasant stands up for the master and speaks with Pugachev himself. He is distinguished by thriftiness, a sober lifestyle, stubbornness and a tendency to read notations. He is distrustful, loves to grumble, argue and bargain. Knows the value of money and saves it for the owner.

Pushkin in the novel “The Captain's Daughter” gives detailed description heroes, giving the reader the opportunity to figure out their likes and dislikes for themselves. There is no author's assessment of what is happening in the book, because one of the characters is the memoirist.

Theme of the story

• The themes of moral choice, decency, and dignity come to the fore in the work. Grinev demonstrates high moral values, and Shvabrin demonstrates their absence, and we see the influence of these circumstances on their destinies. Thus, Pushkin shows that moral superiority always gives a person an advantage, even though he disdains cunning that would lead him to his goal faster. Despite the fact that Alesey used all his resourcefulness, the victory still remained with Peter: Maria remained with him as a good name.
• Honor and dishonor. Each hero faced a choice between honor and dishonor, and everyone made it differently: Maria chose devotion over a profitable marriage (Peter’s father initially did not consent to the marriage, so she risked remaining an old maid, driving Alexei away), Grinev more than once decided in favor moral duty, even when it came to life and death, but Shvabrin always chose the benefit, shame was not scary for him. We examined this question in detail in the essay “”.
• Theme of education. The example of the main character will help you understand what a good family upbringing means, that is, what dishonest people lack, and how this affects their lives. Shvabrin's childhood passed us by, but we can say with confidence that he did not receive the most important spiritual foundations on which nobility is built.
• The main themes include love: the union of Peter and Mary is an ideal for loving hearts. Throughout the novel, the hero and heroine defended their right to live together, even against their parents’ will. They were able to prove that they were worthy of each other: Grinev repeatedly stood up for the girl, and she saved him from execution. The theme of love is revealed with the sensitivity characteristic of Pushkin: young people vow to each other eternal devotion, even if fate never brings them together again. And they fulfill their obligations.
• Examples from “The Captain’s Daughter” will be useful for the topics “man and state”, “power and man”. They illustrate the violent nature of power, which cannot but be cruel by definition.

Main problems

• The problem of power. Pushkin discusses which government is better and why: anarchic, spontaneous Pugachevism or Catherine’s monarchy? It is obvious that the peasants chose the first over the second, risking their own lives. The nobles, on the contrary, defended the order that was convenient for them. Social contradictions have divided the united people into two opposing camps, and each, it turns out, has its own truth and its own charter. Historical issues also include questions about the justice of the rebellion, the moral assessment of its leader, the legality of the empress’s actions, etc.
• The problem of man and history. What role do historical events play in the fate of a person? Obviously, the rebellion put Peter in a difficult position: he was forced to test his character to the limit. Surrounded by enemies, he did not change his convictions and risked openly not taking their side. He was threatened with certain death, but he chose honor over life, and retained both. Pugachevism is the dark side of history, with the help of which Pushkin shaded the fate of the characters. Even the title of the novel “The Captain's Daughter” speaks about this: the author named it after a fictional heroine, and not Pugachev or Catherine.
• The problem of growing up and raising a person. What must a person go through to become an adult? Thanks to Pugachev's rebellion, the young man matured early and became a real warrior, but the price of such an evolution can be called too expensive.
• The problem of moral choice. The work has antagonistic heroes Shvabrin and Grinev, who behave differently. One chooses betrayal for his own good, the other puts honor above personal interests. Why is their behavior so different? What influenced their moral development? The author comes to the conclusion that the problem of immorality can only be solved individually: if morality is respected in a family, then all its representatives will follow duty, and if not, then the person will not stand the test and will only grovel and cheat, and not take care of honor.
• The problem of honor and duty. The hero sees his destiny in serving the empress, but in reality it turns out that she is not worth much in the eyes of Catherine. And the duty, if you look at it, is very doubtful: while the people were rebelling against tyranny, the army helped to suppress it, and the question of the honor of participating in this violent act is very doubtful.
• One of the main problems of the work “The Captain's Daughter” is social inequality. It was this that stood between the citizens of one country and directed them at each other. Pugachev rebelled against him and, seeing Grinev’s friendly gesture, spared him: he didn’t hate the nobles, but their arrogance towards the people who fed the entire state.

The meaning of the work

Any power is hostile towards the common man, be it the imperial crown or military leaders. It always involves the suppression of the individual and a harsh regime that is contrary to human nature. “God forbid we see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless,” sums up Pushkin. This is the main idea of ​​the work. Therefore, serving the fatherland and the tsar are not the same thing. Grinev honestly fulfilled his duty, but he could not leave his beloved in the hands of a scoundrel, and his essentially heroic actions were regarded by the empress as betrayal. If Peter had not done this, he would have already been served, become a weak-willed slave of a system to which human life is alien. Therefore, mere mortals, who are not given the opportunity to change the course of history, must maneuver between orders and their moral principles, otherwise a mistake will be too costly.

Beliefs determine a person’s actions: Grinev was raised as a decent nobleman and behaved accordingly, but Shvabrin did not pass the test, he life values limited to the desire to remain a winner at any cost. This is also Pushkin’s idea - to show how to preserve honor if temptations are frolicking on all sides. According to the author, it is necessary to instill in boys and girls from childhood an understanding of morality and true nobility, expressed not in the panache of a dress, but in worthy behavior.

A person’s growing up is inevitably associated with trials that determine his moral maturity. There is no need to be afraid of them; they must be overcome with courage and dignity. This is also the main idea of ​​the novel “The Captain's Daughter”. If Peter had remained an “expert in greyhound cables” and an official in St. Petersburg, then his life would have turned out ordinary and, most likely, he would never have understood anything about it. But the adventures that his stern father pushed him on quickly raised the young man to be a man who understood military affairs, love and the people around him.

What does it teach?

The novel has a pronounced edifying tone. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin calls on people to take care of their honor from a young age and not to succumb to temptations to turn from an honest path onto a crooked path. A minute advantage is not worth the loss of a good name, this statement is illustrated love triangle, where the main character chooses the worthy and virtuous Peter, rather than the cunning and inventive Alexei. One sin inevitably leads to another, and a series of falls ends in complete collapse.

Also in “The Captain's Daughter” there is a message to love faithfully and not give up on your dreams, no matter what happens. Marya is without a dowry, and any marriage proposal should have been a great success in her case. However, she rejects Alexei over and over again, although she risks being left with nothing. Peter was denied an engagement, and he would hardly have gone against his parents' blessing. But the girl rejected all rational arguments and remained faithful to Grinev, even when there was no reason for hope. Her lover was the same. For their constancy, both heroes were rewarded by fate.

Criticism

V. F. Odoevsky in a letter to Pushkin expressed his admiration for the story, he especially liked Savelich and Pugachev - they were “masterfully drawn.” However, he considered the image of Shvabrin unviable: he was not passionate and stupid enough to take the side of the rebels and believe in their success. In addition, he demanded marriage from the girl, although he could have used her at any moment, since she was only a captive: “Masha has been in his power for so long, but he does not take advantage of these minutes.”

P. A. Katerinin calls the historical novel “natural, alluring and intelligent,” noting its similarities with “Eugene Onegin.”

V. A. Sollogub highly valued the restraint and logic of the narrative, rejoicing that Pushkin “overcame himself” and did not indulge in lengthy descriptions and “impulses.” He spoke about the style of the work as follows: “calmly distributed all parts of his story in due proportions, established his style with dignity, calmness and laconicism of history and conveyed the historical episode in a simple but harmonious language.” The critic believes that the writer has never been so elevated in the value of his books.

N.V. Gogol said that “The Captain’s Daughter” is much better than anything that was previously published in the world of prose. He said that reality itself seems like a caricature compared to what the writer depicted.

V. G. Belinsky was more restrained in his praise and singled out only minor characters, whose description is “a miracle of perfection.” The main characters did not make any impression on him: “The insignificant, colorless character of the hero of the story and his beloved Marya Ivanovna and the melodramatic character of Shvabrin, although they belong to the sharp shortcomings of the story, do not prevent it from being one of the remarkable works of Russian literature.” P.I. Tchaikovsky also spoke out about the spinelessness of Masha Mironova, who refused to write an opera based on this novel.

A. M. Skabichevsky also analyzed the work, speaking about the book with unwavering respect: “... you see historical impartiality, the complete absence of any patriotic praise and sober realism ... in Pushkin’s “The Captain's Daughter.” He, unlike Bellinsky, praised the image of the main character and noted his exceptional truthfulness and typical features for the depicted era.

Conflicting characteristics were given by critic N.N. Strakhov and historian V.O. Klyuchevsky. The first criticized Pushkin for the fact that he historical story has nothing to do with history, but is a chronicle of the fictional Grinev family. The second, on the contrary, spoke about the exceptional historicism of the book and that even in the author’s research less is said about Pugachevism than in a historical work.

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The genre of A. S. Pushkin’s work “The Captain’s Daughter” is difficult to define unambiguously: some researchers believe that it is a story, others, on the contrary, define it as a novel. The author himself believed that “The Captain’s Daughter” is a description historical era in a fictional story. However, this definition does not provide an indication of a specific genre.

So, let's try to answer the question of whether “The Captain's Daughter” is a novel or a story.

Synthesis of genres

As you know, A. S. Pushkin worked in different genres. However, in this work, the level of his skill goes beyond our understanding. We cannot unequivocally answer the question of whether “The Captain's Daughter” is a novel or a story.

The opinions of researchers of the writer’s creativity contradict each other. It is quite difficult to understand what “The Captain's Daughter” is - a novel or a story. Having determined the genre of a work, we are faced with the question of its character. After all, a novel and a story can be love, historical or family.

So, let's try to look at how this book shows signs of different genres.

“The Captain's Daughter” is a story?

Most researchers who define a work as a story rely primarily on the fact that it is very small in volume and its events cover a short period of time. Those who share this point of view also point to the mediocrity of the personality of Pyotr Grinev and his entourage: such characters cannot be heroes of the novel.

Really, this work much shorter than the usual novels written by the classics. However, we are again faced with the question of what its character is, and the small volume of the narrative still cannot exclude the possibility that this is a novel. Let's consider all possible definitions of genre.

Historical nature of the work

Undoubtedly, “The Captain's Daughter” is a novel or story of a historical nature. Pushkin tells us about the period of the reign of Catherine the Great, namely about the events of the rebellion led by To write “The Captain's Daughter,” the author did a lot of work: he got acquainted with historical documents, talked with surviving witnesses of that time. Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin wrote the story “The Captain's Daughter” very painstakingly. Summary works rarely convey how accurate the author is in describing the life of the small nobility, how expressive the speech of Emelyan Pugachev is, full of sayings and allegories characteristic of the Cossacks.

However, having determined that this work has a historical orientation, we cannot answer unambiguously the question of whether “The Captain's Daughter” is still a story or a novel.

A work of educational nature

Of course, “The Captain's Daughter” has signs of an educational work.

At the beginning of the story, the young nobleman Grinev appears before us as a kind of undergrowth, a noble son, treated kindly by his parents. At the end of the book, they see a real man who has experienced a lot and changed a lot in a short period of time. He learned to overcome dangers and emerge with dignity difficult situations. For most of the work, Pyotr Grinev is on the road, which is very typical for a work of an educational nature.

So, “The Captain's Daughter” is a novel or an educational story?

“The Captain's Daughter” - a work about love

It should be noted that love line, of course, is present in the plot of the book. Main character falls in love with Masha Mironova, he has a rival - Shvabrin. However, the theme of love is not the main one; the relationship between Peter Grinev and Maria, rather, serves as a background against which the author shows how the personality of the main character changes.

Psychological component of the work

A. S. Pushkin attaches great importance to the inner world of the main character, his experiences, feelings, and emotions. It is Petro Grinev who help us understand the reasons for certain of his actions and evaluate the changes in his personality.

The memoir form of presentation is excellent for helping the reader appreciate how much the protagonist’s worldview changes by the end of the work.

So, here we can conclude that this book describes certain historical events, shows the main character, while the narration is very psychological and tells us a touching love story.

However, we did not respond to main question: "The Captain's Daughter" - is it a novel or a story?

It must be said that, as in the case of clarifying the nature of this narrative, it is impossible to draw an unambiguous conclusion when determining its genre. On the one hand, “The Captain's Daughter” is largely focused on a rather short period in the life of the main character, which characterizes the work as a story. However, the fates of the heroes of this book are connected with historical events, which is typical for the novel. In addition, it is known that Pushkin wrote “The Captain's Daughter” under the impression of current events and tried to see the problems that united the recent past and the present, which also allows us to define the work as a novel.