Makar Chudra characteristics of heroes. The main characters of Gorky's story "Makar Chudra", characteristics with quotes

“Makar Chudra” is Maxim Gorky’s first story, so it showed all the sincerity of the young artist, his romantic nature. The story was written based on the impressions of the future writer’s wanderings in Bessarabia, his acquaintance with the free wandering life of the gypsies, bright characters, and the spirit of freedom characteristic of the expanses of those places. The dependence of Gorky’s story on Pushkin’s poem “The Gypsies” (1824) is undeniable. But “Makar Chudra” is not a repetition at all Pushkin's work in new images to another historical time. For Gorky, Pushkin’s poem became a source of inspiration, serving as an example of the development of a plot situation and the creation of images.

Gorky uses a traditional scheme of interaction between heroes in the story. There are four heroes. First of all, this is the listener and the author-narrator of the story, that is, this image is simultaneously “in” the story being told and “outside” it. The second important figure is the narrator - the old gypsy Makar Chudra. Note that in Pushkin, the old gypsy sometimes appears in this capacity, but not in those cases when direct events occur in the poem. And finally, the rod romantic story- the love of two bright natures: a young gypsy, who embodied the very prowess and freedom, Loiko Zobar, and the beautiful gypsy Radda, in whose image all earthly beauty and indomitable will were united. Thus, the reader learns an extraordinary story-legend about love and freedom from the story of an old gypsy, which, in turn, is retold by the author-narrator. It turns out that history passes through like three “filters”: personal experience its direct participants, the assessment and reasoning of the gypsy and the artistic rethinking of the author-narrator.

The conflict in the story “Makar Chudra” can be presented from two perspectives. First of all, he continues Pushkin theme in "Gypsies". However, if Pushkin romantic poem embodies ideas that go beyond this literary direction, then Gorky, on the contrary, affirms the romantic ideal in spite of reality. That is why love conflict in Pushkin's poem, which involves the Russian exile Aleko, the gypsy Zemfira and the young gypsy, Gorky replaced it with a conflict between two gypsies, between whom there is no barrier except the will that they value more life. Consequently, the conflict in Gorky’s story is not realistic, like Pushkin’s, but romantic.

Why did Gorky call the story “Makar Chudra”, because he is just a storyteller? It seems that the role of the old gypsy is very important in the work and is not limited to the function of the narrator. Makar Chudra serves as an exponent of the ideas of the story from the position of a person outside social life, outside the yoke of morality and obligations. Thanks to the ideological purpose of this image, the plot role of Makar Chudra grows to the role of a wise teacher expressing the innermost thoughts of a young writer.

The romantic spirit of Gorky's early works was in demand in Russian society of that time, which needed a voice affirming freedom, love, and human dignity. A very characteristic visual technique of early Gorky was that he expanded the traditional possibilities of prose by attracting other types of art, such as painting and graphics. This is, for example, the description of the hero: “Here is a horse cut out of the darkness, and a man sits on it and plays, riding up to us.” The verb “cut out” is akin to a colorful epithet, and Gorky needed it in order to clearly and visibly highlight main image his early creativity- a proud and free person.

Source: Moskvin G.V. Literature: 9th grade: in 2 hours. Part 2 / G.V. Moskvin, N.N. Puryaeva, E.L. Erokhin. - M.: Ventana-Graf, 2016

Chekhov highly valued Gorky’s stories “On Rafts” and “In the Steppe”: they were in tune with the work of Chekhov and his contemporaries with their strict, sad and merciful attitude towards the world and man everyday life. The novelty of Gorky's position was manifested, however, in a new approach to man. It was not enough for him to say how badly people lived. It was not enough for him to teach the reader to pity and love the humiliated and oppressed. In all spheres of life, Gorky began to look for those who were capable of heroism.

The semi-legendary tale of the “experienced man” Makar Chudra about the young gypsies Loiko Zobar and Radda, the daughter of the glorious soldier Danila, sounded like a hymn to freedom and love. The beautiful Radda, lovingly, smiled like a queen. Loiko was like a mountain eagle. Their love burned with a bright, sizzling flame. But in the gloomy life that people have created, lovers would have to “submit to the tightness that squeezed them.” Like a flash of lightning, their love could not get along with the world of ordinary, dimly living people, ready to either sell or buy what they called love. Radda and Loiko, both of them, preferred death to such love. It’s hard to believe that the legend about their love, their rapture of will and their fearless death is based on reality. Gorky painted such unusual characters, so strongly feeling souls, that the reader imagines heroes of heroic proportions: they wanted love-will, which can be seen in a dream or which can be heard about in a fairy tale.

Atmosphere romantic fairy tale supports her with a corresponding description of nature: gusts of cold wind, the severity of the endless steppe, the splash of water running onto the shore sea ​​wave, bright flame fire, parting the darkness of the autumn night. The romantic flavor is enhanced by the story of the daring robber life of Zobar, who was not afraid of Satan himself and his retinue. And even more so - hints at the demonic nature of Radda’s image: Makar Chudra alternately calls her “the devil’s wench,” “the damned Radda,” and then “the devil’s wench.” However, despite the seemingly ominous epithets and comparisons, the general tone of the legend story is magical, fairy-tale, highly romantic.

Makar Chudra is the main character from the story of the same name by M. Gorky. The old gypsy is the personification of the entire freedom-loving gypsy people, proud and strong man. He has a heroic physique, reminiscent of an old, but mighty and strong oak. He is 58 years old, but he still loves freedom and free life, wandering with his camp, not staying long in one place.

In this work, an old gypsy shares his philosophical thoughts about life. He says that you shouldn’t live in one place, but you should wander the earth all your life and look, having seen enough, you can die. He doesn't need other people. Makar Chudra is sure that every person should live on his own and for himself. He says that a person cannot be a teacher for another until he himself has lived life and gained worldly wisdom. The old gypsy walked the earth all his life, saw a lot, and learned a lot. He believes that freedom and will are the main thing in human life. The sound of the sea surf, the free and fresh wind of the endless steppes are close and understandable to him. And the one who works on the earth all his life, giving it all his health and strength, is simply a slave, he is born a slave and dies a slave.

Makar Chudra tells his random interlocutor the legend of the great gypsy love of Loiko Zobar and Radda. With great pride and love, Makar describes the fearless and brave gypsy Zobar, who was the pride of the entire gypsy people. He speaks of Zobar as a wise and competent comrade, talented musician and a singer. In his story, Loiko is a man from whom human warmth emanates; in his presence, those around him become kinder and better. Makar Chudra says no less about the proud, beautiful gypsy Radda. This freedom-loving gypsy conquered everyone with her unearthly beauty and rebellious character.

The characters of Loiko and Radda embodied the image of Makar Chudra himself, for whom the ideal is a proud and independent person, alien to everyday life problems. The love story of Zobar and Radda is close and understandable to the old gypsy; for him there is nothing unusual in it, and the death of two loving people correspond to the whole philosophy of his life.

Proud Loiko Zobar and beautiful Radda, both of them experienced strong love to each other, but what they liked even more was will and freedom. The pride of these outstanding characters did not allow them to make concessions, and they took death for granted.

Makar Chudra is one of the heroes who made this decision.

Essay by Makar Chudra

Makar Chudra is an old, freedom-loving, proud gypsy, a storyteller about the real free gypsy life and main character story of the same name Maxim Gorky. He is the personification of everything the gypsy people love will more than life. Makar has lived a long life at the age of 58 and has a daughter, Nonku. Despite the wandering lifestyle of the gypsies, it looks dignified, and the interlocutor compares it with an ancient, mighty oak tree.

Chudra wanders around the world, enjoying freedom, and does not stay long in one place. He considers his motto to be that you should not sit in one place, you need to wander around the world and look. And only when you’ve seen enough of everything, you can lie down and prepare for death. With his interlocutor, Makar shares his thoughts about people, calling them strange because they live in crowds, despite the fact that there is plenty of space around and people work, giving drops of their strength into the ground, and then die without having time to dig their own graves. In his opinion, a person cannot be a teacher for another until he himself has gained the highest worldly wisdom.

Makar himself claimed that he had already been everywhere without staying anywhere for long. Once he was even imprisoned and thought about taking his own life due to lack of freedom.

Chudra also told his interlocutor tragic story about a daring couple of gypsies, the wayward beauty Radda and the beloved Loiko Zobar, who, loving each other, could not lose their personal freedom and preferred an independent and proud death. With admiration and pride for his entire gypsy people, Makar described the brave gypsy Loiko. Talking about him, Makar characterizes Zobar as endowed great wisdom and a fearless comrade, also a talented musician. He uses no less laudatory epithets in relation to Radda. This gypsy was able to conquer anyone with her beauty, but her pride and love of freedom left no one a chance to win her love.

In the pair of these real gypsies, the image of Makar Chudra himself was reflected, who considered his ideal to be a proud and independent person, not burdened with everyday worries. Only death can deprive a person of freedom, such is Makar’s philosophy.

Several interesting essays

  • The image and characterization of Varya in the play The Cherry Orchard by Chekhov essay

    It was this play that was the last that the writer was able to finish. In this work, he showed the reader the whole truth about the landowners, and what they really are

  • The image and characterization of Vasilisa in the play At the Bottom of Gorky

    In his play “At the Depths,” Maxim Gorky describes the life of people of the lower social society. Drunkards, tramps, and tramps inhabit the shelter run by Mikhail Ivanovich Kostylev

  • Essay Bazarov and parents in Turgenev’s novel Fathers and Sons

    Bazarov's parents are almost the complete opposite of their son. His mother, Arina Vlasyevna, was a typical Russian woman of that time - kind, somewhat superstitious

  • How impatiently we wait for the first snow, how excited we are at the sight of giant falling snow flakes in the window. And how pleasant it is to wake up in the morning and suddenly discover that the earth, which was still black the day before, is now immaculately white.

  • Analysis of Turgenev's work Asya (story)

    There is probably not a single person who, at least once in his life, has not said something that he sincerely regretted. People often say something offensive in an impulse, then realize that they are wrong, but it’s already too late.

The problem of freedom has always worried word artists. Exactly Liberty was attractive to romantic heroes. For her sake they were ready to die. After all, romanticism is like literary movement formed a very specific canon: exceptional personality, making exceptional demands on the world. Therefore, the hero is an order of magnitude higher than the people around him, therefore society as such is rejected by him. This also determines the typical loneliness of the hero: for him this is a natural state, and the hero finds an outlet only in communication with nature, and more often with the elements.

Maxim Gorky in his early works refers to traditions of romanticism, but in the context of the twentieth century his work is defined neo-romantic.

In 1892 the first romantic story "Makar Chudra", in which an old gypsy appears before the reader surrounded by romantic landscape: envelops him "the darkness of an autumn night", opening on the left a boundless steppe and on the right an endless sea. The writer gives him the opportunity to talk about himself, about his views, and the story of Loiko Zobar and Radda, told by the old shepherd, becomes the main means of revealing image of the main character, because the story is named after him.

Talking about Radda and Loiko, Chudra speaks more about himself. The basis of his character is the only principle that he considers the most valuable - the maximum desire for freedom. For heroes, will is also more valuable than anything in the world. In Radda, the manifestation of pride is so strong that even love for Loiko Zobar cannot break it: “I’ve never loved anyone, Loiko, but I love you. And I also love freedom! Will, Loiko, I love you more than you.”.

Such an insoluble contradiction between love and pride in romantic character is perceived by Makar Chudra as absolutely natural, and it can only be resolved by death: romantic hero can't sacrifice any of his boundless love, nor absolute pride. But love presupposes humility, self-sacrifice and the ability to submit to a loved one. And this is precisely what the heroes of the legend told by Chudra cannot do.

What assessment does Makar Chudra give to this position? He believes that this is the only way he should understand life real man, which is worthy of imitation, and only with such a position can personal freedom be preserved.

But does the author agree with his hero? What is it author's position and what are the means of its expression? To answer this question, it is important to note compositional feature Gorky's early works - availability narrator's image. At first glance, this is an inconspicuous image, because it does not manifest itself in any actions. But it is precisely the position of this man, a wanderer who meets on his way different people, is especially important for the writer himself.

In almost all early romantic works Maxim Gorky will also be embodied in negative consciousness, distorting real picture being, and the positive, filling life with higher meaning and content. And the gaze of the autobiographical hero seems to snatch out the brightest characters - such as Makar Chudra.

And even though he listens rather skeptically to the objections of the hero-narrator, it is the ending that dots all the i’s in the author’s position. When the narrator, looking into the darkness of the endless steppe, sees the gypsies Loiko Zobar and Radda “were spinning in the darkness of the night smoothly and silently”, and no way “The handsome Loiko could not compare with the proud Radda”, he reveals his position. Yes, these words contain admiration, but the thinking reader realizes the futility of such a bloody outcome: even after death, Loiko cannot become equal to the beautiful Radda.

In accordance with the best traditions Romanticism Maxim Gorky used many means of expression in his story. Describing the main characters, he uses hyperbole: Radda’s beauty can only be played on the violin, and Loiko’s mustache fell on his shoulders and mixed with his curls. To convey the peculiarities of speech, especially of the old Chudra, he introduces appeals, interjections, and rhetorical exclamations.

A significant role is played by the landscape, but not simple, but animated, where Makar controls the waves, and the sea sings a gloomy, but at the same time solemn hymn to a pair of proud, handsome gypsies.

  • “Childhood”, a summary of the chapters of the story by Maxim Gorky
  • “At the Bottom”, analysis of the drama by Maxim Gorky

1. The theme of freedom in the works of Gorky.
2. Images of lovers.
3. The tragic ending of the story.

The great Russian writer M. Gorky had the opportunity to live and work at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. The peculiarities of the era could not but leave their mark on his worldview. At that time, everything in society was changing, the most severe social contradictions. Gorky in his work refers to a number of critical issues, which have worried people for a long time. One of these issues is the problem of freedom. IN early stories Gorky pays special attention to this topic. Early works Gorky are romantic. The writer noticeably idealizes his heroes. They are not at all like real people. In the story “Makar Chudra” the theme of freedom is closely intertwined with the theme of love. The writer himself does not hide his conviction: “Freedom for a person is the most important thing in the world.” The writer glorifies freedom using the example of the love of two extraordinary people, Laiko Zobar and Radda. These people are extremely freedom-loving and sincere. “I’ve never loved anyone, Laiko, but I love you. And I also love freedom. Will, Laiko, I love more than you,” these are the words of Radda. Love comes second for her, and the desire for freedom comes first. The dramatic ending of the work makes us think that, on the one hand, a person needs freedom, but on the other hand, it can turn out to be very dangerous. The story “Makar Chudra” cannot but leave the reader with a feeling of some disappointment. The idealized heroic lovers are not as beautiful as they seem at first.

The poetic love story that lies at the heart of the story cannot but attract. Of course, the bright and independent characters of the heroes, their desire for freedom cannot but arouse admiration. However, upon a more careful reading, it seems that the lovers are, as it were, powerless in front of their passions - both love passion and passion for freedom. Powerlessness becomes akin to helplessness, and this leads Zobar and Radda to death.

The writer uses the “story within a story” technique. He uses details that prepare the reader for proper perception. It’s a cold autumn night, a strong damp wind is blowing from the sea, a fire is burning brightly, a young gypsy is singing, and an old gypsy is telling a fascinating story. The setting helps the reader perceive the story as a legend or a fairy tale, so different are the main characters from ordinary people, to which we are accustomed. It is no coincidence that the author makes the main characters the gypsies, whose life seems mysterious and incomprehensible to us. A proud girl and an equally proud guy. Zobar looks not only proud, but also cruel. After all, it is he who kills his beloved. However, everything is predetermined. Young gypsies grew up in an atmosphere of freedom from childhood. They appear before us as poetic natures; the writer uses amazing, sophisticated comparisons to characterize them. Radda's beauty "could be played on a violin." The girl seems unearthly creature, she is so beautiful and harmonious. It’s no wonder that Zobar loves her so much, he says: “I would tear my heart out of my chest and give it to you, if only it would make you feel good.”

Gorky creates living, harmonious images. Their harmony is manifested primarily in the fact that Zobar and Radda act impulsively, doing everything that they themselves want, first of all. They are very freedom-loving, and any action they perform testifies to this. Radda is indifferent to wealth, she does not go away with a rich man who offers her a lot of gold. This contradicts her desire for freedom. And Zobar steals a horse, which is guarded by a regiment of soldiers. This is not a desire for personal enrichment, but a desire to once again feel free and happy.

Radda and Zobar never overstep themselves, which can be considered a tribute to their freedom-loving nature.

The girl and the boy are so harmonious. But when they fall in love with each other, a harmonious union does not happen. They are not capable of compromise; they put their own and only their desires above all else. Zobar kills his beloved. The author does not justify his hero, despite the fact that he understands him. The reader can also understand Zobar. However, his act contradicts universal humanity. A man kills his beloved... This is a crime, and there can be no other assessment of events. We can say that Radda left Zobar no other choice. Her own actions once again indicate that freedom was above all else for the girl. Zobar's life without his beloved was short-lived. Radda's father kills him, so Zobar gets what he deserves. Last words dying girl: “I knew you would do that!” That is, before her death, she justifies her beloved. After all, Zobar did not betray his ideas and did not disappoint Radda. There is nothing ordinary in the story “Makar Chudra”. The images of the heroes are devoid of falseness and a touch of everyday life. They are divorced from reality; in essence, there is nothing particularly important or valuable for them. Zobar and Radda don’t even value their own lives; they readily part with it. This means that the desire for freedom and love for it is not always positive; on the contrary, in most cases it is destructive. Gorky the romantic, idealizing his heroes, warns us about this.

The plot of the story “Makar Chudra” by Maxim Gorky is based on the story of the love of two proud and strong people. The writer shows how such concepts as love and freedom oppose each other. The heroes' inability to choose between pride and affection leads them to a tragic ending.

In contact with

Who is Makar Chudra

The narrator of the work is old gypsy Makar Chudra. The author talks with him while grazing a herd belonging to the camp. From the first lines, Gorky creates romantic image Main character.

The conversation is happening against the backdrop of raging bad weather. Cold gusts of wind hit the gypsy's open chest, but do not cause him discomfort. Everything about his appearance is strong and beautiful. You involuntarily get imbued with admiration to romantic and to the freedom-loving spirit of the gypsy.

Important! Chudra preaches the philosophy of freedom, active life. This is what all gypsies absorb with their mother's milk. In his opinion, there is nothing more important in life than the love of life and freedom.

Peasant labor seems to him like something useless and slavish, this is just “picking the earth” the result of which is death. The basic principle of life of Makara Chudra simple and uncomplicated, which is what he talks about in a night conversation, it’s a necessity “ live in such a way that you go and go all the time" Only by constantly traveling can you comprehend all the beauty and diversity of the world . This is the only way to experience unlimited freedom.

When the song of Nonka, Makar’s daughter, is heard in the silence of the night, he starts talking about female love. Chudra believes that a girl's love is dangerous, deceitful and full of false promises. This deception becomes an insurmountable obstacle to freedom even for the strongest souls. To confirm his words, he decides tell a story to your listener about beautiful and proud Radda and desperate Loiko Zobar. This story is designed to protect the heart of his interlocutor from the chains of love.

A brief retelling of this story will help to reveal the main conflict of the work. The gypsy says that a long time ago there was a desperate gypsy, Loiko Zobar. He was an incredibly daring and dexterous man. If he liked a certain horse, it was impossible to hide it from Zobar. He could outwit any guard and get the coveted horse. But as soon as he got tired of it, he sold it without regret, leaving no money for himself. Image of Loiko Zobar- this is an image free gypsy, not attached to anyone or anything. Only the road, his faithful horse and the violin were his companions. One can only guess how many girls' hearts were broken by the young gypsy.

Makar Chudra recalls a long time ago when he the camp roamed throughout Bukovina. There lived a young gypsy woman there, Radda. The narrator pays special attention to her description. She was beautiful so much so that there were no words to adequately describe her beauty.

Makar's story about Radda begins with the story of how a very rich man fell in love with her. At their first meeting, he offered her a lot of gold for one kiss, but received a dismissive refusal from the girl.

Afterwards he appeared to her father, Danila, and asked sell him the beauty. The gypsy replied that he would not sell either his honor or my own daughter. For the third time, a gentleman galloped into the camp, tormented by passion for the proud girl, asked for her hand and made a promise to share all his wealth with the camp. Rada just laughed at him, saying that the eagle would never go to the raven.

Confrontation between love and pride

One day a famous man comes to the camp Loiko Zobar, whose heart Radda conquers very quickly. Even a man like him cannot resist the girl's charms. It arises in his soul passionate love for a young gypsy. But she only makes fun of him.

After Loiko asks her to become his wife in front of everyone, she knocks him off his feet. Later, Radda confesses to him that she loves him too, but values ​​freedom much more, so Loiko must recognize her primacy, bow at her feet and kiss her hand.

These lines reveal the main conflict of the story “Makar Chudra”confrontation between love of freedom and human passion. Zobar was exhausted, reflecting on this order.

The next day, having gathered the entire camp around, he said that he was ready to fulfill Radda’s demands, but wanted to test whether her heart was strong. Loiko kills Radda by plunging a dagger into her heart. The girl dies with a smile on her lips. Her father takes the same dagger and kills Loiko with it.

This is where the old gypsy’s story ends, and for a long time the author has visions in the darkness of the night the image of Loiko Zobar and the proud beauty Radda.