Why Taras Bulba is the most historical thing of Gogol. Works. Character Creation History

Nikolai Gogol was born in the Poltava province. There he spent his childhood and youth, and later moved to St. Petersburg. But history and customs native land continued to interest the writer throughout creative way. "Evenings on a farm near Dikanka", "Viy" and other works describe the customs and mentality of the Ukrainian people. In the story "Taras Bulba" the history of Ukraine is refracted through the lyrical creative consciousness of the author himself.

The idea of ​​"Taras Bulba" came to Gogol around 1830. It is known that the writer worked on the text for about 10 years, but the story never received a final revision. In 1835, the author's manuscript was published in the Mirgorod collection, but already in 1842 another edition of the work was published. It should be said that Gogol was not very pleased with the printed version, not considering the amendments made as final. Gogol rewrote the work about eight times.

Gogol continued to work on the manuscript. Among the significant changes, one can notice an increase in the volume of the story: three more chapters were added to the original nine chapters. Critics note that in the new version, the characters have become more textured, vivid descriptions of battle scenes have been added, and new details from life in the Sich have appeared. The author proofread every word, trying to find the combination that would most fully reveal not only his talent as a writer and the characters of the characters, but also the uniqueness of the Ukrainian consciousness.

The history of the creation of "Taras Bulba" is really interesting. Gogol responsibly approached the task: it is known that the author, with the help of newspapers, turned to readers with a request to transfer to him previously unpublished information about the history of Ukraine, manuscripts from personal archives, memoirs, and so on. In addition, among the sources one can mention the “Description of Ukraine” edited by Beauplan, “The History of the Zaporizhian Cossacks” (Myshetsky) and lists of Ukrainian chronicles (for example, the chronicles of Samovydets, G. Grabyanka and Velichko). All the information gathered would look unpoetic and unemotional without one incredibly important component. The dry facts of history could not fully satisfy the writer, who sought to understand and reflect in the work the ideals of the past era.

Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol greatly appreciated folk art and folklore. Ukrainian songs and thoughts became the basis for creating the national color of the story and the characters of the characters. For example, the image of Andriy is similar to the images of Savva Chaly and the apostate Teterenka from the songs of the same name. Everyday details, plot moves and motifs were drawn from the thoughts. And if the orientation historical facts in the story is not in doubt, then in the case of folklore, some clarification needs to be given. Influence folk art noticeable not only at the narrative, but also at the structural level of the text. So, in the text you can easily find vivid epithets and comparisons (“like a grain ear cut with a sickle ...”, “black eyebrows, like mourning velvet ...”).

The appearance of trinity, characteristic of fairy tales, in the text of the work is associated with trials, as in folklore. This can be seen in the scene where, under the walls of Dubno, Andriy meets a Tatar woman who asks a young Cossack to help a lady: she may die of hunger. This is receiving a task from an old woman (in the folklore tradition, usually from Baba Yaga). The Cossacks have eaten everything cooked, and his brother is sleeping on a bag of supplies. Kozak tries to pull the bag out from under the sleeping Ostap, but he wakes up for a moment. This is the first test, and Andriy passes it with ease. Further tension increases: Andria and the female silhouette are noticed by Taras Bulba. Andriy stands "neither dead nor alive", and his father warns him against possible dangers. Here Bulba Sr. simultaneously acts both as an opponent of Andriy and as a wise adviser. Without answering his father's words, Andriy moves on. The young man must overcome another obstacle before meeting his beloved - to walk through the streets of the city, seeing how the inhabitants are dying of hunger. It is characteristic that Andrii also meets three victims: a man, a mother with a child, and an old woman.

In the pannochka's monologue, there are also rhetorical questions that are often found in folk songs: “Am I not worthy of eternal regrets? Is not the mother who gave birth to me unhappy? Did not the bitter share fall on me? The stringing of sentences with the union "and" is also characteristic of folklore: "And she lowered her hand, and put the bread, and ... looked into his eyes." Thanks to the songs, the artistic language of the story itself becomes more lyrical.

It is no coincidence that Gogol refers to history. Being an educated person, Gogol understood how important the past is for a particular person and people. However, one should not regard "Taras Bulba" as historical story. Fantasy, hyperbole and idealization of images are organically woven into the text of the work. The history of the story "Taras Bulba" is notable for its complexity and contradictions, but this in no way detracts from the artistic value of the work.

Artwork test

The gray and inexpressive reality of life in Ukraine in the first half of the 19th century did not at all inspire the imagination of the great talent that seethed in the soul of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. The writer, a Ukrainian at heart, was more interested in the past. He was completely embraced by the times when Ukraine lived a stormy life filled with historical events. These were the hours of the birth of the free Ukrainian Cossacks, when the life of every Cossack without a trace was filled with the struggle for freedom, fatherland and faith in Christ.

Thus, the idea of ​​writing a small but capacious epic work from the life of the Ukrainian Cossacks at the end of the 15th century arose. Gogol writes a vivid historical narrative "Taras Bulba". All essence artistic images and actors displayed on the pages of the work are real, almost epic Cossack heroes, elevating the soul of the reader.

Gogol - researcher of Ukrainian antiquity

Being an artist and poet, Gogol, like no one else, managed to be inspired by the chants and legends of the people of Ukraine. It was this environment that influenced the formation of the spirit of the Ukrainian Cossacks. On the other hand, Gogol can be fully called a historian-researcher of the Ukrainian “long time ago”. And this activity was very organic for him. Even the youthful historical experiences of the writer Gogol show how deeply and penetratingly he was interested in the almost mystical images of the same Pan Danila in the story "Terrible Revenge" or Pan Chub in the fairy tale "The Night Before Christmas".

Being an educated man of his time, Gogol conscientiously studied all the primary sources that told about the great past. And these were the works of scientists, and folk works, and records of contemporaries. But, first of all, he was interested in Zaporizhzhya Sich. This is the source for the historical, heroic and artistic understanding of the past of their homeland. Gogol, a romantic at heart, could not ignore such a deep historical theme.

The idea of ​​writing a story

According to Gogol himself, the idea of ​​writing "Taras Bulba" arose overnight. Shortly before this, Nikolai Vasilievich finished writing "Evenings on a farm near Dikanka" - a programmatic ethnic work about life ordinary people dear to him Ukraine. After that, he takes up writing a historical cycle called "Mirgorod". Part one of this epic just consisted of two narratives - “Taras Bulba” and “ old world landowners". They were printed in 1835. Such is the historical basis of the story "Taras Bulba".

The main character of the conceived story is an already elderly Cossack, the father of two beautiful sons, the colonel of the Zaporozhian army - Taras Bulba. It is in it that the author embodies the best qualities of the Zaporizhzhya Cossack of the late 15th century. The story itself is, without a doubt, a historical work. It contains a wide variety of both domestic and battle scenes with a description of a huge number of characters.

The plot of the story

The historical basis of the story "Taras Bulba" is confirmed by the very plot of this literary masterpiece. The story begins merrily and beautifully. Two former students come to their parents' house. The father of the Bursaks, an experienced Cossack Taras Bulba, immediately arranges a test for his adult sons, checking their behavior in battle. Being a real Cossack, the father strives for his sons to adopt courage and militancy from him. Therefore, immediately upon the arrival of their sons, they all go together to the Zaporizhzhya Sich, despite the prohibitions of the mother.

Reading and rereading the scenes of the movement of Taras Bulba and his sons to the Sich, you understand that Gogol simply rested his soul when he wrote this work. What a colorful description of the steppe, nature, life, life and mood of the Cossack community! The scope of Gogol's creative vein in this short story is grandiose. In the images of the characters in the story, the author managed to embody the entire epoch-making moment of the war and the history of the entire people of Ukraine.

Fortress siege

The historical basis of the story "Taras Bulba" is quite accurately revealed in the episodes that describe the siege of the Dubno fortress. It is in these plots that the historical peculiarity of "Taras Bulba" and the main characters of the story are verified. At first, Taras Bulba, together with his sons, fight bravely. The offspring behave very boldly, but the main test of their characters is already on the way. The glorious Cossack Taras is proud of his sons. Yes, and he himself is faithful to his main purpose as a defender. native land and the Orthodox faith.

The image of Taras Bulba

Taras Bulba in the history of the Zaporozhye Cossacks is very organic. He is endowed with specific historical features and fully corresponds to the essence of the hero of the era of the Hetmanate in Ukraine. The historical events in the story "Taras Bulba" reveal all the features of the character of this extraordinary Cossack. In the constant and intense struggle and in the actions of Bulba, as in a mirror, the times of the glorious past of Ukraine are reflected.

Cossack colonel Taras Bulba. Historical figures like him came to the fore at a time when fierce liberation wars. It was a grandiose time when the fight against the insatiable Poles and the irresistible Mongol-Tatars was waged by one Ukrainian Cossacks - the main military and spiritual force of the Hetmanate.

The image of the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks

The artistic dominant of the story is the way of life of the Zaporozhye Cossacks romanticized by Gogol. From this point of view, the very historical basis of the story "Taras Bulba" is called into question. But this is far from true. Historical penetration in the plot of the story leads to the realization that Gogol in this case acts as the compiler of a new original epic about the unique characters and glorious deeds of our distant Cossack ancestors.

The spiritual basis of the image of Taras Bulba is majestic, first of all, with its deep and conscious sacrifice. Taras is destined to carry a quarter sacrifice for the honor of his Cossack family, which in its magnitude flows into a sacrifice for the nation and faith. The plot essence of this sacrifice is very cruel: the father kills his son Andrei, who committed treason, with his own hand. The same father accepts the heroic death of another heroic son, Ostap, and then the death of his dear wife and mother of his sons. Before our eyes, the father, husband and warrior Taras turns into that spirit that with all its strength opposes the enemies of the native land and faith.

Historical figures

Gogol did not set himself the goal of describing specific historical figures in the story. He was fascinated not by them, but by the general image of the heroes of the liberation movement of Ukraine at the end of the 15th century. The author emphasizes the historical basis of the story Taras Bulba in chapter twelve: “young, but strong-willed Hetman Ostrazhy led all the innumerable Cossack forces.

It is in the lines of the narrative of "Taras Bulba" that the powerful and unrestrained desire of the people of Ukraine to defend their independence and will is reflected. Through historical centuries Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol addresses all the Slav brothers from the pages of his immortal story.

Taras Bulba is a true patriot of his land

The real spirit of patriotism pervades the whole story, emphasizing the dramatic events. Taras Bulba is a hero who is not characterized by hesitation. He is a patriotic warrior and considers it his highest duty to serve his homeland. He is a courageous and fearless defender of his land and faith. Even the last moments of Taras' life are overflowing with true love for his brothers in struggle and faith.

Answer left Guest

The story "Taras Bulba" is one of the most perfect creations of N.V. Gogol. It cost the writer
huge labor. In the story, Gogol tells about the heroic struggle of the Ukrainian people for their national liberation. Major events take place in Zaporozhian Sich, in the realm of freedom and equality. This is a free republic in which people of wide scope live, absolutely free and equal, where strong and courageous characters are brought up. For people of this nature, there is nothing higher in the world than the interests of the people, than the freedom and independence of the Fatherland. The story perfectly reveals the atmosphere of a mighty popular movement. The image of the main character of the story, Taras Bulba, is remarkable.

Taras Bulba is the central character in the story by N.V. Gogol. This man is a real warrior, a true Cossack. And his character was appropriate. Here is what N.V. Gogol says about his character: “Taras was one of the native, old colonels: he was all created for abusive anxiety and was distinguished by the rough directness of his temper. Restless forever, he considered himself the legitimate defender of Orthodoxy. Taras is very strong. And, despite his advanced age, the military prowess and spirit of the Cossack have not yet died out in him. In battle, Ta-ras is no worse than young Cossacks. He is cruel and merciless to his enemies. Taras Bulba did not even forgive his son Andriy for betrayal. He personally took the life of his son: “I gave birth to you, I will kill you! » . Taras did not kill his son, he shot at the enemy. Our hero respected his comrades, he never left the Cossacks in trouble. For him, the meaning of life was military campaigns. Like all Cossacks, he was a patriot of the Orthodox Russian land, and saw his duty in protecting it from the hated infidels. Taras cannot be called definitely kind or cruel. Everything depends on the position of the person in the consciousness of Taras. For example, he was cruel to Andriy, because he became an enemy, and even when Ostap offered to bury his brother, Taras refused. “They will row him without us! He will have mourners and comforters! " Taras said. But when Ostap died, our hero arranged a magnificent wake for his son. He robbed and killed all the Poles. And the Polish government decided to stop Taras. Hetman Potocki was instructed to kill the Cossack. For several days the Ukrainian soldiers left the chase. But still, Pototsky caught up with Taras's regiment. Taras decided to break through the ranks of the Poles. But in the heat of battle, the Cossack dropped the cradle that accompanied him in all battles. He bent down to pick it up and suddenly Pototsky's soldiers jumped on him. Taras was tied up and decided to execute. A tree was chosen for execution, the top of which was broken by a thunderstorm. The Cossack was chained to a tree and set on fire. During the execution, Taras behaved courageously. Even at the stake, he remained an ataman and, in a word, helped the Cossacks to escape. I think Taras is a hero of his time.

The main characters of the story "Taras Bulba" by Nikolai Vasilevich Gogol - Ostap and Andriy
Highly big influence they had their father - an experienced colonel Taras Bulba. Ostap fully agreed with his father, his goal in life was to visit the Zaporizhzhya Sich and accomplish a feat. Its motto is "fight and feast". Andriy saw a different meaning in life. He studied more willingly than his brother, was interested in art. He did not despise women, like his father and other Cossacks. Andriy, like Ostap, recognized his father as his only judge.

The historical basis of the story of N. V. Gogol "Taras Bulba".
N.V. Gogol's story "Taras Bulba" reflects the main events of the 16th century: in Ukraine at that time, Polish gentry - "pans" became large landowners, who introduced Polish laws in their lands and planted "their faith" - Catholicism.
The bulk of the population of Ukraine professed Orthodoxy and did not want to convert to Catholicism: apostasy has always been considered a terrible sin by the Russian people. In addition, the arrival of the Polish lords on the Ukrainian lands was accompanied by a deterioration in the life of the people: the peasants were deprived of the best land plots that had belonged to their families for centuries, many were simply driven off their land or resettled on unsuitable for agriculture, infertile lands. Large taxes were imposed on free peasants in order to force them to sell their land to a large landowner.
A “quiet” expansion of foreign territory began: everything Ukrainian, everything national was persecuted, the language, way of life and customs of the Polish people were planted. Some Ukrainian landlords adopted the customs and way of life of the Poles, but the people resisted desperately, resisted Polonization as best they could (Poland in Latin sounds like Polonia) and, if possible, waged an open struggle against the new owners and the new faith.

Expansion (lat. expansio) - expansion, expansion of boundaries or influence beyond the original limits, for example. trade expansion - the capture of new markets. — (Newest
vocabulary foreign words and expressions. — M.: AST; Minsk: Harvest, 2002. - P. 933.)

In order to somehow “pull” the Ukrainian people to their side, the Polish and Ukrainian landlords, under the leadership of the Roman Catholic Church, came up with a “unia” - an “agreement” between the Orthodox and Catholics, in fact new version Christian religion - Uniatism. Many church rites in Uniatism outwardly resembled the ritual side of Orthodoxy, but in fact Uniatism was and remains an offshoot of the Roman Catholic Church with its dogmas and ideas about how a Christian should live.
Ukrainians opposed the encroachment on the faith and moral foundations of their people in
XVI-XVII centuries, the fictional hero Taras Bulba is also fighting against the "damned pans", "poles".
The story of N.V. Gogol describes Zaporizhzhya Sich is a real historical object, originated in Ukraine in the Middle Ages: often the peasants of the western and middle regions of Ukraine, fleeing the Polish oppression, went to the east, many settled in the lower reaches of the Dnieper. Here, at the Dnieper rapids, on the island of Khortitsa, a large fortified camp of Cossacks and runaway peasants from Great Russia arose. (After the construction of the Dneproges in the 1940s, the island of Khortitsa, like part of the rapids, went under water.) They began to be called Zaporizhzhya Cossacks.
Zaporizhzhya Cossacks usually surrounded their camps with fences - fences made of cut down trees, pointed upwards. From Ukrainian word Sich, (in Russian - notch) is the largest camp on Khortitsa and got its name - Zaporizhzhya Sich.
The Cossacks is a conditional name, since there was no permanent population in the Zaporizhzhya Sich: as a rule, in the spring the bulk of the Cossacks gathered in the Sich, united in kurens - a kind of detachment that lived in one hut (kuren - hut), elected their kuren chieftain. For better management of such a combined population, kurens were united in camps, or kosh, which were headed by kosh chieftains. All the affairs of the Sich were decided at a general meeting - a council.
Many Cossacks were engaged in cattle breeding, hunting or various crafts, less often - agriculture. More often they went on long trips to Poland or the Crimea, to Turkish cities or Tatar settlements on the Black Sea coast. It is not worth idealizing the Cossacks: their campaigns were predatory, in the spirit of the Middle Ages.
However, by the end of the 16th century, the oppression of Poland became unbearable for the population of all Ukraine, so the Zaporizhzhya Cossacks, fugitive peasants and the population of the enslaved regions actively opposed the expansion of the Poles: they attacked Polish lands, burned crops and cities, drove away Polish landowners and "put them in their place" their landlords.
This went on for almost a hundred years. In the second half of the 17th century, Ukraine voluntarily joined the Muscovite state (1654). Now a strong Orthodox state protected the interests of its citizens, most of whom were
Ukrainians - related to the Russian people.

One of the most famous narratives of Nikolai Gogol is "Taras Bulba". The work describes the life of the Cossacks against the backdrop of the beautiful landscapes of Ukraine. Like any other creation of Gogol, the history of the creation of "Taras Bulba" is no less interesting.

He devoted more than nine years of his life to the story, returning to it for revisions and improvements. There are several editions of the work, each of which has its own characteristics. The history of the creation of Gogol's "Taras Bulba" is no less fascinating than the plot of the story itself.

Gogol's work on the story

The author began his work by studying historical sources. From them he learned the actual details historical events the era being described. However, there are certain contradictions in the time that is indicated in the plot. The author himself indicated that the protagonist was born at the beginning of the 15th century. At the same time, he smoked a pipe, which could appear on the Cossack lands no earlier than the 17th century.

The prose "Taras Bulba", the history of which is considered, is presented by the author himself as a fantastic work. The image of its main character is collective. However, it has its own prototypes.

One of them is considered Okhrim Makukha, a kuren ataman of the Zaporozhian Army. He was an associate and lived in the 17th century. He had three sons. One of them, Nazar, went over from the Cossacks to the side because he was in love with a Polish lady. The second son, Homa, died, wanting to deliver his traitor brother to his father. The third son, Omelka, was the ancestor of Nikolai Miklukho-Maclay. A descendant of Omelka studied with Nikolai Gogol. He gave the writer the tradition of his family. In the sons, the images of the traitor Andriy and Ostap, faithful to the Cossack partnership, are clearly traced.

Another prototype of Taras Bulba is considered to be He was mistakenly credited with the murder of two sons from his Polish wife. But there is no evidence for such an act.

List of sources used to create the story "Taras Bulba"

The history of the creation of Gogol's work is impossible without considering the historical sources that Gogol studied:

• "Description of Ukraine" by Guillaume de Beauplan;
• "History of the Zaporizhian Cossacks" by Semyon Myshetsky;
• works (handwritten) by Velichko, Samovidets and others.

Of great importance for the study of the life of the Cossacks were Ukrainian folk songs and thoughts, which Gogol also studied for a long time. Some of them took their place in the story. For example, the dramatic story about Mosiah Shila, who was captured by the Turks and saved his comrades from enemy captivity, was inspired by the popular thought about Samyil Kishka.

Why are there multiple editions of the novel?

The history of the creation of the story "Taras Bulba" is quite complicated. The work was first published in 1835 in Mirgorod. Seven years later, in 1842, the writer published the story in the second volume of the Works. The second edition has been revised and supplemented.

Gogol in writing had one remarkable feature, which was that he never considered even a published work to be finished. He continued to improve it even after publication. The writer often expressed the idea that the work would be "quite artistically finished" only after the eighth correspondence with his own hand.

Main differences in the editions of 1835 and 1842

It has already been mentioned that the prose "Taras Bulba", the history of which is presented, has two main editions. They are different from each other. First of all, they differ in volumes. So, for 1835 the story consisted of nine chapters, and for 1842 - of twelve. This allowed the emergence of new characters, descriptions of nature, conflicts, situations.

In the second edition, the everyday and historical background of the story was significantly enriched, details of the Sich view appeared, battle scenes were expanded, and the scene of the election of the koshevoy was presented in a new way. The history of the creation of Gogol's "Taras Bulba" is not limited to these additions.

The images of the main characters in the latest edition are more spelled out. So, Taras Bulba becomes the defender of the oppressed people, although in the "Mirgorod" edition Gogol described him as a great "hunter for raids and riots."

The image of Andriy became more complex. Gogol improved it by making the hero more capacious. His love for the Polish woman acquired a brighter emotional coloring in the story.

However, these are not the main differences between the editions. The main advantage of the story of 1842 is a more vivid and complete disclosure of the theme of the people's liberation movement against Polish self-will. The story acquired the character of a folk-heroic epic.

Popular sayings of "Taras Bulba"

The popularity of a work is often measured by how deeply it has been able to enter the minds of ordinary people. The story "Taras Bulba", the history of which is presented, is known for its expressions, which have become winged:

• "Tolerate a Cossack - you will be an ataman."
• "I gave birth to you, I will kill you."
• "There is life in the old dog yet".