Who is a literary character? We devote our article to this issue. In it we will tell you where this name came from, what are literary characters and images and how to describe them in literature lessons at your own request or the teacher's request.
Also from our article you will learn what an "eternal" image is and what images are called eternal.
Literary hero or character. Who is this?
Often we hear the concept of "literary character". But what it is about, few can explain. And even schoolchildren who have recently returned from a literature lesson often find it difficult to answer a question. What is this mysterious word "character"?
Came to us from ancient latin(persona, personnage). Meaning - "person", "person", "person".
So, a literary character is a character. It is mainly about prose genres, since the images in poetry are usually called "lyrical hero".
Without actors it is impossible to write a story or a poem, a novel or a short story. Otherwise, it will be a meaningless set, if not of words, then perhaps of events. The heroes are people and animals, mythological and fantasy creatures, inanimate objects, for example, Andersen's steadfast tin soldier, historical figures and even entire nations.
Classification of literary heroes
They can confuse with their number any connoisseur of literature. It's especially hard for middle school students. And especially those who prefer to play their favorite game instead of doing homework. How to classify heroes if this is required by a teacher or, even worse, an examiner?
The most win-win option: classify the characters according to their importance in the work. On this basis, literary heroes are divided into main and secondary. Without the protagonist, the work and its plot will be a collection of words. But in case of loss secondary characters we will lose a certain branch storyline or expressiveness of events. But in general, the work will not suffer.
The second classification option is more limited and will not suit all works, but fairy tales and fantastic genres. This is the division of heroes into positive and negative. For example, in the tale of Cinderella, poor Cinderella - positive hero, it causes pleasant emotions, you sympathize with her. Here are the sisters evil stepmother- clearly heroes of a completely different warehouse.
Character characteristic. How to write?
Heroes literary works sometimes (especially in a literature lesson at school) they need a detailed description. But how to write it? The option "there once was such a hero. He is from a fairy tale about this and that" is clearly not suitable if the assessment is important. We will share with you a win-win option for writing the characteristics of a literary (and any other) hero. We offer you a plan brief explanations what and how to write.
- Introduction. Name the work and the character you will be talking about. You can also add here why you want to describe it.
- The place of the hero in the story (novel, story, etc.). Here you can write whether he is main or secondary, positive or negative, a person or a mythical or historical person.
- Appearance. It will not be superfluous with quotes, which will show you as an attentive reader, and even add volume to your characterization.
- Character. Everything is clear here.
- Actions and their characteristics in your opinion.
- Findings.
That's all. Save this plan for yourself, and it will come in handy more than once.
Notable literary characters
Although the very concept of a literary hero may seem completely unfamiliar to you, if you tell you the name of a hero, you will most likely remember a lot. Especially it concerns famous characters literature, such as Robinson Crusoe, Don Quixote, Sherlock Holmes or Robin Hood, Assol or Cinderella, Alice or Pippi Longstocking.
Such heroes are called famous literary characters. These names are familiar to children and adults from many countries and even continents. Not knowing them is a sign of narrow-mindedness and lack of education. Therefore, if you have no time to read the work itself, ask someone to tell you about these heroes.
The concept of image in literature
Along with the character, you can often hear the concept of "image". What is it? The same as the hero, or not? The answer will be both positive and negative, because a literary character may well be in a literary way, but the image itself does not have to be a character.
Often we call this or that character an image, but nature can appear in the same image in a work. And then the topic of the examination sheet can be "the image of nature in the story ...". How to be in that case? The answer is in the question itself: if we are talking about nature, you need to characterize its place in the work. Start with a description, add character elements, such as "the sky was frowning", "the sun was mercilessly hot", "the night was frightening with its darkness", and the characteristic is ready. Well, if you need a characterization of the image of the hero, then how to write it, see the plan and tips above.
What are the images?
Our next question. Here we highlight several classifications. Above, we considered one - the images of heroes, that is, people / animals / mythical creatures and images of nature, images of peoples and states.
Also images can be so-called "eternal". What's happened " eternal image"? This concept names a hero once created by an author or folklore. But he was so "characteristic" and special that years and epochs later other authors write their characters from him, perhaps giving them other names, but the essence of this is not These heroes include the fighter against Don Quixote, the hero-lover Don Juan, and many others.
Unfortunately, modern fantasy characters do not become eternal, despite the love of fans. Why? What's better than this funny Don Quixote of Spider-Man, for example? It is difficult to explain it in two words. Only reading the book will give you the answer.
The concept of "proximity" of the hero, or My favorite character
Sometimes the hero of a work or movie becomes so close and loved that we try to imitate him, to be like him. This happens for a reason, and it is not in vain that the choice falls on this particular character. Often the favorite character becomes an image that already somewhat resembles us. Perhaps the similarity is in character, or experienced by both the hero and you. Or this character is in a situation similar to yours, and you understand and sympathize with him. In any case, it's not bad. The main thing is that you imitate only worthy heroes. And there are plenty of them in the literature. We wish you to meet only with good heroes and imitate only the positive traits of their character.
Literary characters are usually fiction author. But some of them still have real prototypes who lived at the time of the author, or famous historical figures. We will tell you who these strangers were a wide range figure readers.
1. Sherlock Holmes
Even the author himself admitted that Sherlock Holmes has a lot common features with his mentor Joe Bell. On the pages of his autobiography, one could read that the writer often recalled his teacher, spoke of his eagle profile, inquisitive mind and amazing intuition. According to him, the doctor could turn any business into an accurate, systematic scientific discipline.
Often, Dr. Bell used deductive methods of inquiry. Only by one type of person could he tell about his habits, about his biography, and sometimes even made a diagnosis. After the release of the novel Conan Doyle corresponded with the "prototype" of Holmes, and he told him that perhaps this is how his career would have developed if he had chosen a different path.
2. James Bond
The literary history of James Bond began with a series of books that were written by intelligence agent Ian Fleming. The first book in the series - "Casino Royale" - was published in 1953, a few years after Fleming was assigned to follow Prince Bernard, who had defected from German service to British intelligence. After long mutual suspicions, the scouts began good friends. Bond took over from Prince Bernard to order a Vodka Martini, while adding the legendary "Shake, don't stir."
3. Ostap Bender
The man who became the prototype of the great combinator from the "12 chairs" of Ilf and Petrov at the age of 80 still worked as a conductor on railway on the train from Moscow to Tashkent. Born in Odessa, Ostap Shor, from tender nails, was prone to adventures. He presented himself either as an artist, or as a chess grandmaster, and even acted as a member of one of the anti-Soviet parties.
Only thanks to his remarkable imagination, Ostap Shor managed to return from Moscow to Odessa, where he served in the criminal investigation department and fought against local banditry. Probably, hence the respectful attitude of Ostap Bender to the Criminal Code.
4. Professor Preobrazhensky
Professor Preobrazhensky from the famous Bulgakov novel " dog heart» was also real prototype- French surgeon of Russian origin Samuil Abramovich Voronov. This man at the beginning of the 20th century made a splash in Europe, transplanting monkey glands to humans to rejuvenate the body. The first operations showed a simply amazing effect: in elderly patients, there was a resumption of sexual activity, an improvement in memory and vision, ease of movement, and mentally retarded children gained mental alertness.
Thousands of people underwent treatment in Voronova, and the doctor himself opened his own monkey nursery on the French Riviera. But very little time passed, the patients of the miracle doctor began to feel worse. There were rumors that the result of the treatment was just self-hypnosis, and Voronov was called a charlatan.
5. Peter Pan
The boy with the beautiful Tinker Bell fairy was presented to the world and to James Barry himself, the author of the written work, by the Davis couple (Arthur and Sylvia). The prototype for Peter Pan was Michael, one of their sons. fairy tale hero received from real boy not only age and character, but also nightmares. And the novel itself is a dedication to the author's brother, David, who died a day before his 14th birthday while skating.
6. Dorian Gray
Annoying, but main character novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" significantly spoiled the reputation of his life original. John Gray, who in his youth was Oscar Wilde's protégé and close friend, was handsome, solid, and had the appearance of a 15-year-old boy. But their happy union came to an end when journalists became aware of their relationship. Enraged, Gray went to court, got an apology from the editors of the newspaper, but after that his friendship with Wilde ended. Soon John Gray met Andre Raffalovich - a poet and a native of Russia. They converted to Catholicism, and after a while Gray became a priest at St. Patrick's Church in Edinburgh.
7. Alice
The story of Alice in Wonderland began on the day Lewis Carroll walked with the daughters of the rector of Oxford University, Henry Lidell, among whom was Alice Lidell. Carroll came up with a story on the go at the request of the children, but the next time he did not forget about it, but began to compose a sequel. Two years later, the author presented Alice with a manuscript consisting of four chapters, to which was attached a photograph of Alice herself at the age of seven. It was entitled "Christmas present for a dear girl in memory of a summer day."
8. Karabas-Barabas
As you know, Alexei Tolstoy only planned to present "Pinocchio" by Carlo Collodio in Russian, but it turned out that he wrote an independent story, in which analogies with cultural figures of that time were clearly drawn. Since Tolstoy had no weakness for the Meyerhold theater and its biomechanics, it was the director of this theater that got the role of Karabas-Barabas. You can guess the parody even in the name: Karabas is the Marquis of Carabas from Perro's fairy tale, and Barabas is from the Italian word for swindler - baraba. But no less speaking role the seller of leeches Duremar went to Meyerhold's assistant, who worked under the pseudonym Voldemar Luscinius.
9. Lolita
According to the memoirs of Brian Boyd, the biographer of Vladimir Nabokov, when the writer was working on his scandalous romance"Lolita", he regularly scanned the newspaper columns, which published reports of murders and violence. His attention was drawn to the sensational story of Sally Horner and Frank LaSalle, which took place in 1948: a middle-aged man kidnapped 12-year-old Sally Horner and kept her for almost 2 years until the police found her in a common California hotel. Lasalle, like the hero of Nabokov, passed off the girl as his daughter. Nabokov even casually mentions this incident in the book in the words of Humbert: "Did I do to Dolly what Frank Lasalle, a 50-year-old mechanic, did to eleven-year-old Sally Horner in '48?"
10. Carlson
The history of the creation of Carlson is mythologized and incredible. Literary critics claim that possible prototype this funny character was Hermann Goering. And although the relatives of Astrid Lindgren refute this version, such rumors still exist today.
Astrid Lindgren met Göring in the 1920s when he was organizing an air show in Sweden. At that time, Goering was just "in his prime", a famous ace pilot, a man with charisma and an excellent appetite. The motor behind Carlson's back is an interpretation of Goering's flight experience.
Adherents of this version note that for some time Astrid Lindgren was an ardent admirer of the National Socialist Party of Sweden. The book about Carlson was published in 1955, so there could be no direct analogy. Nevertheless, it is possible that the charismatic image of the young Goering influenced the appearance of the charming Carlson.
11. One-legged John Silver
Robert Louis Stevenson in the novel "Treasure Island" portrayed his friend Williams Hansley not at all as a critic and poet, which he was in fact, but as a real villain. As a child, William suffered from tuberculosis, and his leg was amputated to the knee. Before the book hit store shelves, Stevenson told a friend, “I have to tell you, Evil-looking but kind-hearted, John Silver was based on you. You're not offended, are you?"
12. Bear cub Winnie the Pooh
According to one version, known to the whole world Teddy bear got its name in honor of the favorite toy of the son of the writer Milne Christopher Robin. However, like all the other characters in the book. But in fact, this name is from the nickname Winnipeg - that was the name of the bear who lived in London Zoo from 1915 to 1934. This bear had a lot of kids-admirers, including Christopher Robin.
13. Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise
Despite the fact that the main characters in the book are called Sal and Dean, Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road is purely autobiographical. One can only guess why Kerouac abandoned his name in the famous book for beatniks.
14. Daisy Buchanan
In the novel The Great Gatsby, its author Francis Scott Fitzgerald described Ginevra King, his first love, deeply and penetratingly. Their romance lasted from 1915 to 1917. But due to different social statuses they separated, after which Fitzgerald wrote that "poor boys should not even think of marrying rich girls". This phrase was included not only in the book, but also in the film of the same name. Ginevra King also inspired Isabelle Borge in Beyond Paradise and Judy Jones in Winter Dreams.
Especially for those who like to sit up for reading. If you choose these books, you won't be disappointed.
Recently, the BBC showed a series based on Tolstoy's "War and Peace". In the West, everything is like ours - there, too, the release of a film (television) adaptation dramatically increases interest in the literary source. And now the masterpiece of Lev Nikolaevich suddenly became one of the bestsellers, and with it the readers became interested in all Russian literature. On this wave, the popular literary site Literary Hub published the article "10 Russian Literary Heroines You Should Know" (The 10 Russian Literary Heroines You Should Know). It seemed to me that this is a curious look from the outside on our classics and I translated the article for my blog. I post it here too. The illustrations are taken from the original article.
Attention! The text contains spoilers.
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We know that all happy heroines are equally happy, and each unhappy heroine is unhappy in her own way. But the fact is that there are few happy characters in Russian literature. Russian heroines tend to complicate their lives. It should be so, because their beauty as literary characters largely comes from their ability to suffer, from their tragic destinies, from their “Russianness”.
The most important thing to understand about Russians female characters: their destinies are not stories of overcoming obstacles to achieve "and they lived happily ever after." Keepers of primordial Russian values, they know that there is more to life than happiness.
1. Tatyana Larina (A.S. Pushkin "Eugene Onegin")
In the beginning there was Tatyana. This is a kind of Eve of Russian literature. And not only because it is chronologically the first, but also because Pushkin occupies a special place in Russian hearts. Almost any Russian is able to recite the poems of the father of Russian literature by heart (and after a few shots of vodka, many will do this). Pushkin's masterpiece, the poem "Eugene Onegin", is the story not only of Onegin, but also of Tatyana, a young innocent girl from the provinces, who falls in love with the protagonist. Unlike Onegin, who is shown as a cynical bon vivant spoiled by fashionable European values, Tatyana embodies the essence and purity of the mysterious Russian soul. Including a penchant for self-sacrifice and neglect of happiness, which is shown by her famous rejection of the person she loves.
2. Anna Karenina (L.N. Tolstoy "Anna Karenina")
Unlike Pushkin's Tatyana, who resists the temptation to get along with Onegin, Anna Tolstoy leaves both her husband and son to run away with Vronsky. Like a real dramatic heroine, Anna voluntarily does not right choice, an option for which she will have to pay. Anna's sin and its source tragic fate not in the fact that she left the child, but in the fact that selfishly indulging her sexual and romantic desires, she forgot the lesson of Tatyana's selflessness. If you see a light at the end of a tunnel, make no mistake, it could be a train.
3. Sonya Marmeladova (F.M. Dostoevsky "Crime and Punishment")
In Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, Sonya appears as the antipode of Raskolnikov. A whore and a saint at the same time, Sonya accepts her existence as a path of martyrdom. Upon learning of Raskolnikov's crime, she does not push him away, on the contrary, she attracts him to herself in order to save his soul. Characteristic here is the famous scene when they read biblical history about the resurrection of Lazarus. Sonya is able to forgive Raskolnikov, because she believes that everyone is equal before God, and God forgives. For a repentant killer, this is a real find.
4. Natalia Rostova (L.N. Tolstoy "War and Peace")
Natalia is everyone's dream: smart, funny, sincere. But if Pushkin's Tatyana is too good to be true, Natalya seems alive, real. Partly because Tolstoy added other qualities to her image: she is capricious, naive, flirtatious and, for the mores of the early 19th century, a little daring. In War and Peace, Natalia starts out as a charming teenager, exuding joy and vitality. Throughout the novel, she grows older, learns the lessons of life, tames her fickle heart, becomes wiser, her character acquires integrity. And this woman, which is generally uncharacteristic for Russian heroines, after more than a thousand pages, is still smiling.
5. Irina Prozorova (A.P. Chekhov "Three Sisters")
At the beginning of Chekhov's play Three Sisters, Irina is the youngest and full of hope. Her older brothers and sisters are whiny and capricious, they are tired of life in the provinces, and Irina's naive soul is filled with optimism. She dreams of returning to Moscow, where, in her opinion, she will find her true love and will be happy. But as the chance to move to Moscow fades, she becomes increasingly aware that she is stuck in the countryside and is losing her spark. Through Irina and her sisters, Chekhov shows us that life is just a series of dull moments, only occasionally punctuated by short bursts of joy. Like Irina, we waste our time on trifles, dreaming of a better future, but gradually we realize the insignificance of our existence.
6. Lisa Kalitina (I.S. Turgenev "The Noble Nest")
In the novel " Noble Nest» Turgenev created a sample of the Russian heroine. Liza is young, naive, pure in heart. She is torn between two suitors: a young, handsome, cheerful officer and an old, sad, married man. Guess who she chose? The choice of Lisa says a lot about the mysterious Russian soul. She is clearly on her way to suffering. The choice of Lisa shows that the desire for sadness and melancholy is no worse than any other option. At the end of the story, Lisa is disappointed in love and goes to a monastery, choosing the path of sacrifice and deprivation. “Happiness is not for me,” she explains her act. “Even when I hoped for happiness, my heart was always heavy.”
7. Margarita (M. Bulgakov "The Master and Margarita")
Chronologically last on the list, Bulgakovskaya Margarita, an extremely strange heroine. At the beginning of the novel, this is an unhappy woman in marriage, then she becomes the lover and muse of the Master, in order to later turn into a witch flying on a broomstick. For Master Margarita, this is not only a source of inspiration. She becomes, like Sonya for Raskolnikov, his healer, lover, savior. When the Master is in trouble, Margarita turns to none other than Satan himself for help. Having concluded, like Faust, a contract with the Devil, she nevertheless reunites with her lover, albeit not quite in this world.
8. Olga Semyonova (A.P. Chekhov "Darling")
In Darling, Chekhov tells the story of Olga Semyonova, who loves and gentle soul, common man who is said to live by love. Olga becomes a widow early. Twice. When there is no one around to love, she closes herself in the company of a cat. In a review of Darling, Tolstoy wrote that, intending to ridicule a narrow-minded woman, Chekhov accidentally created a very endearing character. Tolstoy went even further, he condemned Chekhov for being too harsh on Olga, urging her to judge her soul, not her intellect. According to Tolstoy, Olga embodies the ability of Russian women to love unconditionally, a virtue unknown to men.
9. Anna Sergeevna Odintsova (I.S. Turgenev "Fathers and Sons")
In the novel "Fathers and Sons" (often mistranslated "Fathers and Sons"), Mrs. Odintsova is a lonely woman middle age, the sound of her surname in Russian also hints at loneliness. Odintsova is an atypical heroine who has become a kind of pioneer among female literary characters. Unlike other women in the novel, who follow the obligations imposed on them by society, Mrs. Odintsova is childless, she has no mother and husband (she is a widow). She stubbornly defends her independence, like Pushkin's Tatyana, refusing the only chance to find true love.
10. Nastasya Filippovna (F.M. Dostoevsky "The Idiot")
The heroine of The Idiot, Nastasya Filippovna, gives an idea of how complex Dostoevsky is. Beauty makes her a victim. Orphaned as a child, Nastasya becomes a kept woman and mistress of the elderly man who picked her up. But every time she tries to break free from the clutches of her position and build her own destiny, she continues to feel humiliated. Guilt casts a fatal shadow on all her decisions. According to tradition, like many other Russian heroines, Nastasya has several options for fate, mainly associated with men. And in keeping with tradition, she fails to make the right choice. Resigned to fate instead of fighting, the heroine drifts to her tragic end.
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The author of this text is the writer and diplomatic worker Guillermo Erades. He worked in Russia for some time, knows Russian literature well, is a fan of Chekhov and the author of Back to Moscow. So this view is not entirely outsider. On the other hand, how to write about Russian literary heroines without knowing the Russian classics?
Guillermo does not explain his choice of characters in any way. In my opinion, the absence of Princess Mary is surprising or " poor Lisa"(which, by the way, was written earlier than Pushkin's Tatyana) and Katerina Kabanova (from Ostrosky's Thunderstorm). It seems to me that these Russians literary heroines better known to us than Lisa Kalitina or Olga Semyonova. However, this is my subjective opinion. Who would you add to this list?
Boss
Everything is controlled, requires obedience and respect. The end justifies the means for him. An example is Don Corleone from " Godfather» M. Puzo.
bad boy
Smart and charismatic. In the past, misfortune happened to him and this seriously affected him. Society accuses Bad Boy of all mortal sins, but he never makes excuses and does not let anyone into his heart. The bad boy becomes a man early, constantly rebels, but his rebellion is a means of self-defense. At heart, he is kind and somewhat sentimental. Example: Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind by M. Mitchell.
Best friend
Stable, peaceful, always ready to help. He is often torn between duty and own desires. Example: Christopher Robin in A. A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh.
Charming
Creative, witty, constantly manipulating people. He can find the key to any heart and knows how to please the crowd. Charming is an actor, he constantly plays in his own theater. Example: Ostap Bender in "12 Chairs" by I. Ilf and E. Petrov.
Lost soul
Lives on past mistakes. Vulnerable, insightful, he sees through people. He is lonely and unsociable and often does not fit into any society. Example: Eddie from "It's me, Eddie" by E. Limonov.
Professor
All immersed in work. He is an expert - often with oddities. His credo: logic and knowledge. Example: Sherlock Holmes from the stories of A. Conan Doyle.
Seeker of adventures
Can't sit in one place. He is fearless, resourceful and selfish. His curiosity is insatiable, he hates theory and always wants to get to the bottom of the truth - even if it is fraught with danger. He inspires others and solves problems on his own. Example: James Bond from Ian Fleming's Casino Royale.
Warrior
Noble, principled and stern. He knows no mercy in the pursuit of justice. Money and power are of secondary importance to him. He is honest and persistent. Takes revenge on enemies or saves beauties. Example: Edmond Dantes from "The Count of Monte Cristo" by A. Dumas.
female characters
boss
Demands attention and respect. She is sharp, adventurous and arrogant. Example: Princess Sophia from "Peter I" by A. Tolstoy.
Temptress
Smart and beautiful, she knows how to attract the attention of men. She is cynical and often manipulates people. Appreciates friends for what they can give her. Uses his attractiveness as a weapon. Always plays a part. Example: Lolita from novel of the same name V. Nabokov.
brave girl
Whole nature, sincere, kind and friendly. She has great feeling humor, you can rely on it. At the same time, she is skeptical and does not know how to value herself at all. Everyone loves her. AT difficult situations she will always lend a helping hand. Brave and persistent. Example: Natasha Rostova from "War and Peace" by L. Tolstoy.
Reckless
This lady is eccentric, talkative and impulsive. She tends to exaggerate, is easily distracted, and believes any lie. No discipline. Indifferent to tradition. She wants to try everything herself and often makes decisions based on emotions. Example: Alice from L. Carroll's Alice in Wonderland.
White and fluffy
naive, touching, a pure soul. She is easy to convince and easy to offend. She is passive and constantly needs a prince on a white horse. Often falls in love with the wrong person, defending himself only in desperate situations. He understands and accepts everyone. Example: Cinderella from the fairy tale of the same name by Ch. Perrault.
librarian
Clever, bookish. Persistent, serious, you can rely on her. She is unsociable and tries to hide her feelings from others. Perfectionist. She considers herself ugly and does not even try to seduce anyone. Lives in own world loves to study. Often, serious passions boil in her soul. Example: Miss Marple from the detectives of Agatha Christie.
Crusader
Fighting for the right cause. Bold, determined, stubborn. Gets out of it quickly. Passionate about business and often forgets about loved ones. She will not go on a date if a protest march is scheduled for the same day. Her goal is always more important than personal experiences. Example: Iskra's mother from the novel "Tomorrow Was a War" by B. Vasiliev.
Comforter
Can handle any challenge. She will comfort, kiss and give advice. She has iron nerves, but she can't stand being alone. She wants to be needed. Feels best in the family and among close friends. Easily compromises. Often suffering undeservedly. Altruist, idealist and everyday sage. Example: Pelageya Nilovna from the novel "Mother" by M. Gorky.
Pure and mixed archetypes
The archetype can be pure, but it can be mixed, with some kind of dominant. For example, Oksana from "The Night Before Christmas" by N. Gogol is a boss and a temptress.
It happens that the hero gradually changes his archetype: Natasha Rostova starts as a brave girl, and ends up as a comforter.
Russian literature has given us a cavalcade of both positive and negative characters. We decided to recall the second group. Beware, spoilers.
20. Alexei Molchalin (Alexander Griboyedov, "Woe from Wit")
Molchalin is the hero of "nothing", Famusov's secretary. He is faithful to his father's behest: "to please all people without exception - the owner, the boss, his servant, the janitor's dog."
In a conversation with Chatsky, he sets out his life principles, consisting in the fact that "in my years one should not dare to have one's own judgment."
Molchalin is sure that you need to think and act as is customary in the "famus" society, otherwise they will gossip about you, but, as you know, " gossips scarier than pistols.
He despises Sophia, but is ready to please Famusov to sit with her all night long, playing the role of a lover.
19. Grushnitsky (Mikhail Lermontov, "A Hero of Our Time")
Grushnitsky has no name in Lermontov's story. He is the "double" of the main character - Pechorin. According to Lermontov’s description, Grushnitsky is “... one of those people who have ready-made lush phrases for all occasions, who are simply not touched by the beautiful and who importantly drape in extraordinary feelings, sublime passions and exceptional suffering. To produce an effect is their delight ... ".
Grushnitsky is very fond of pathos. There is not an ounce of sincerity in him. Grushnitsky is in love with Princess Mary, and at first she answers him with special attention, but then falls in love with Pechorin.
The case ends in a duel. Grushnitsky is so low that he conspires with friends and they do not load Pechorin's pistol. The hero cannot forgive such frank meanness. He reloads the pistol and kills Grushnitsky.
18. Afanasy Totsky (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot)
Afanasy Totsky, having adopted and dependent Nastya Barashkova, the daughter of a deceased neighbor, eventually “became close to her”, developing a suicidal complex in the girl and indirectly becoming one of the culprits of her death.
Extremely greedy to the female, at the age of 55, Totsky decided to connect his life with the daughter of General Yepanchin Alexandra, deciding to marry Nastasya to Ganya Ivolgin. However, neither of these things worked out. As a result, Totsky "was captivated by a visiting Frenchwoman, a Marquise and a Legitimist."
17. Alena Ivanovna (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment)
The old pawnbroker is a character that has become a household name. Even those who have not read Dostoevsky's novel have heard of her. Alena Ivanovna is not so old by today’s standards, she is “60 years old”, but the author describes her like this: “... a dry old woman with sharp and angry eyes with a small pointed nose ... Her blond, slightly graying hair was oiled with oil. Some kind of flannel rag was wrapped around her thin and long neck, similar to a chicken leg ... ".
The old woman pawnbroker is engaged in usury and profits from the grief of people. She takes valuable things at huge interest, treats her younger sister Lizaveta, beats her.
16. Arkady Svidrigailov (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment)
Svidrigailov - one of Raskolnikov's doubles in Dostoevsky's novel, a widower, at one time was bought out of prison by his wife, lived in the village for 7 years. A cynical and depraved person. On his conscience, the suicide of a servant, a 14-year-old girl, possibly the poisoning of his wife.
Due to Svidrigailov's harassment, Raskolnikov's sister lost her job. Upon learning that Raskolnikov is a murderer, Luzhin blackmails Dunya. The girl shoots at Svidrigailov and misses.
Svidrigailov is an ideological scoundrel, he does not experience moral torment and experiences "world boredom", eternity seems to him "a bathhouse with spiders." As a result, he commits suicide with a shot from a revolver.
15. Boar (Alexander Ostrovsky, Thunderstorm)
In the form of Kabanikha, one of central characters Ostrovsky's play "Thunderstorm" reflected the outgoing patriarchal, strict archaism. Kabanova Marfa Ignatievna - "a rich merchant's wife, widow", Katerina's mother-in-law, mother of Tikhon and Varvara.
The boar is very domineering and strong, she is religious, but more outwardly, because she does not believe in forgiveness or mercy. She is as practical as possible and lives by earthly interests.
The boar is sure that family life it can only be preserved on fear and orders: “After all, out of love, parents are strict with you, out of love they scold you, everyone thinks to teach good.” She perceives the departure of the former order as a personal tragedy: “That’s how the old days are brought out ... What will happen, as the elders die, ... I don’t know.”
14. Lady (Ivan Turgenev, "Mumu")
We all know sad story about the fact that Gerasim drowned Mumu, but not everyone remembers why he did it, but he did it because the despotic lady ordered him to do so.
The same landowner had previously given the washerwoman Tatyana, with whom Gerasim was in love, to the drunkard shoemaker Kapiton, which ruined both.
The lady, at her own discretion, decides the fate of her serfs, not at all considering their wishes, and sometimes even common sense.
13. Footman Yasha (Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard)
Lackey Yasha in Anton Chekhov's play " The Cherry Orchard"- the character is unpleasant. He openly bows to everything foreign, while he is extremely ignorant, rude and even boorish. When his mother comes to him from the village and waits for him in the servants' room all day, Yasha dismissively declares: "It is very necessary, I could come tomorrow."
Yasha tries to behave decently in public, tries to appear educated and well-mannered, but at the same time, alone with Firs, she says to the old man: “You are tired, grandfather. If only you'd die sooner."
Yasha is very proud of the fact that he lived abroad. With a foreign gloss, he wins the heart of the maid Dunyasha, but uses her location for his own benefit. After the sale of the estate, the lackey persuades Ranevskaya to take him back to Paris with her. It is impossible for him to stay in Russia: "the country is uneducated, the people are immoral, moreover, boredom ...".
12. Pavel Smerdyakov (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov)
Smerdyakov - a character with speaking surname, according to rumors, the illegitimate son of Fyodor Karrmazov from the city's holy fool Lizaveta Smerdyashchaya. The surname Smerdyakov was given to him by Fyodor Pavlovich in honor of his mother.
Smerdyakov serves as a cook in Karamazov's house, and, apparently, he cooks quite well. However, this is "a man with rottenness." This is evidenced by at least Smerdyakov’s reasoning about history: “In the twelfth year there was a great invasion of Russia by Emperor Napoleon french first, and it’s good if these same Frenchmen conquered us then, smart nation would have conquered a very stupid one, sir, and attached to her. There would even be other orders.”
Smerdyakov is the murderer of Karamazov's father.
11. Pyotr Luzhin (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment)
Luzhin is another of the twins of Rodion Raskolnikov, business man 45 years old, "with a cautious and peevish physiognomy."
Having broken out "from rags to riches", Luzhin is proud of his pseudo-education, behaves arrogantly and stiffly. Having made an offer to Dunya, he anticipates that she will be grateful to him all her life for the fact that he "brought her to the people."
He also wooed Dunya by calculation, believing that she would be useful to him for his career. Luzhin hates Raskolnikov because he opposes their union with Dunya. Luzhin, on the other hand, pockets Sonya Marmeladova one hundred rubles at her father's funeral, accusing her of stealing.
10. Kirila Troyekurov (Alexander Pushkin, "Dubrovsky")
Troekurov is an example of a Russian master, spoiled by his power and environment. He spends his time in idleness, drunkenness, voluptuousness. Troekurov sincerely believes in his impunity and unlimited possibilities (“That is the strength to take away the estate without any right”).
The master loves his daughter Masha, but passes her off as an old man she does not love. Troekurov's serfs look like their master - the Troekurov kennel is insolent to Dubrovsky Sr. - and thereby quarrels old friends.
9. Sergei Talberg (Mikhail Bulgakov, White Guard)
Sergei Talberg is the husband of Elena Turbina, a traitor and opportunist. He easily changes his principles, beliefs, without special efforts and remorse. Thalberg is always where it is easier to live, so he runs abroad. He leaves his family and friends. Even Talberg's eyes (which, as you know, are the "mirror of the soul") are "two-story", he is the exact opposite of the Turbins.
Talberg was the first to put on a red armband at the military school in March 1917 and, as a member of the military committee, arrested the famous General Petrov.
8. Alexey Shvabrin (Alexander Pushkin, The Captain's Daughter)
Shvabrin is the antipode of the protagonist of Pushkin's story " Captain's daughter» Petr Grinev. AT Belogorsk fortress he was exiled for murder in a duel. Shvabrin is undoubtedly smart, but at the same time he is cunning, impudent, cynical, and mocking. Having received Masha Mironova's refusal, he spreads dirty rumors about her, wounds him in the back in a duel with Grinev, goes over to Pugachev's side, and, having been captured by government troops, spreads rumors that Grinev is a traitor. In general, a rubbish person.
7. Vasilisa Kostyleva (Maxim Gorky, "At the Bottom")
In Gorky's play "At the Bottom" everything is sad and melancholy. Such an atmosphere is diligently maintained by the owners of the rooming house where the action takes place - the Kostylevs. The husband is a nasty cowardly and greedy old man, Vasilisa's wife is a prudent, dodgy opportunist, forcing her lover Vaska Ash to steal for her sake. When she finds out that he himself is in love with her sister, she promises to give her away in exchange for killing her husband.
6. Mazepa (Alexander Pushkin, Poltava)
Mazepa is a historical character, but if in history the role of Mazepa is ambiguous, then in Pushkin's poem Mazepa is definitely negative character. Mazepa appears in the poem as an absolutely immoral, dishonorable, vengeful, vicious person, like a treacherous hypocrite for whom nothing is sacred (he “does not know the shrine”, “does not remember goodness”), a person who is accustomed to achieve his goal at any cost.
The seducer of his young goddaughter Maria, he publicly executes her father Kochubey and - already sentenced to death - subjected to severe torture in order to find out where he hid his treasures. Without equivocation denounces Pushkin and political activity Mazepa, which is determined only by the love of power and the thirst for revenge on Peter.
5. Foma Opiskin (Fyodor Dostoevsky, "The Village of Stepanchikovo and Its Inhabitants")
Foma Opiskin is an extremely negative character. Livelier, hypocrite, liar. He diligently portrays piety and education, tells everyone about his supposedly ascetic experience and sparkles with quotes from books...
When he gets his hands on power, he shows his true essence. “The low soul, having come out from under oppression, oppresses itself. Thomas was oppressed - and he immediately felt the need to oppress himself; they broke down on him - and he himself began to break down on others. He was a jester and immediately felt the need to have his own jesters. He boasted to the point of absurdity, broke down to the point of impossibility, demanded bird's milk, tyrannized without measure, and it got to the point that good people, having not yet been witnesses to all these tricks, but listening only to stories, they considered all this to be a miracle, an obsession, they were baptized and spat ... ".
4. Viktor Komarovsky (Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago)
Lawyer Komarovsky is a negative character in Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago. In the fates of the main characters - Zhivago and Lara, Komarovsky is " evil genius" and " gray cardinal". He is guilty of the ruin of the Zhivago family and the death of the protagonist's father, he cohabits with Lara's mother and with Lara herself. Finally, Komarovsky deceives Zhivago and his wife apart. Komarovsky is smart, prudent, greedy, cynical. Overall, bad person. He himself understands this, but it suits him perfectly.
3. Judas Golovlev (Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, "Gentlemen Golovlevs")
Porfiry Vladimirovich Golovlev, nicknamed Yudushka and Krovopivushka, is "the last representative of a swindled family." He is hypocritical, greedy, cowardly, prudent. He spends his life in endless slander and litigation, drives his son to suicide, while imitating extreme religiosity, reading prayers "without the participation of the heart."
Toward the end of his dark life, Golovlev gets drunk and runs wild, goes into a March blizzard. In the morning, his stiff corpse is found.
2. Andriy (Nikolai Gogol, Taras Bulba)
Andriy - younger son Taras Bulba, the hero of the novel of the same name by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. Andriy, as Gogol writes, with early youth began to feel the need for love. This need brings him down. He falls in love with a panochka, betrays his homeland, and friends, and his father. Andriy admits: “Who said that my homeland is Ukraine? Who gave it to me in the homeland? The fatherland is what our soul seeks, which is sweeter for it than anything. My homeland is you! ... and everything that is, I will sell, give, destroy for such a homeland!
Andrew is a traitor. He is killed by his own father.
1. Fyodor Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov)
He is voluptuous, greedy, envious, stupid. To maturity, he became flabby, began to drink a lot, opened several taverns, made many countrymen his debtors ... He began to compete with his eldest son Dmitry for the heart of Grushenka Svetlova, which paved the way for the crime - Karamazov was killed by his illegitimate son Peter Smerdyakov.
