Mizgir Snow Maiden. Magic kingdom of Berendey

ON THE. Rimsky-Korsakov's opera The Snow Maiden

The opera "The Snow Maiden" did not immediately fall in love with musicians and listeners. Like a play, it reveals its facets only to the most sensitive perception. But having once managed to comprehend her true cosmic beauty, no one will be able to stop loving her. Like a young heroine, out of modesty, she does not show all the depth at once. But through a fairy tale in Rus' since ancient times, the most valuable thoughts were conveyed.

Summary

The libretto was based on dramatic play Alexander Ostrovsky "Snow Maiden". The second title of the work is "Spring Tale". There is a lot of allegorical in it - in the spring such transformations take place with nature that this process can be compared with magic. The fairy tale is inhabited by fairy-tale characters, and the development of the plot is not built on the canons usual for that time.

The daughter of Spring and Frost, the Snow Maiden, grew up in the forest under the protection of mystical forest creatures. But for a long time he has been watching people, and with all his might strives to understand their world. She begs her parents to let her live among people.

Once in the house of Bobyl and Bobylikh, she begins to explore the world of human relations. It turns out that people are looking for love and get married when they meet it. The heart of the Snow Maiden is cold from birth. She listens to Lel's songs, talks with her friend Kupava, but does not feel anything.

Measured move village life violates the appearance of Mizgir - the groom of Kupava. The wedding has already been scheduled, when suddenly Mizgir meets the Snow Maiden and is captivated by her coldly restrained beauty. He rushes after the Snow Maiden, begging her to become his wife.

• This is one of the heralds of the fantasy genre - the plot involves fabulous (Leshy, Frost, Spring) and realistic (Lel, Kupava, Mizgir) characters, the plot itself has an archetypal structure.
• The image of the Snow Maiden is unique in the entire world culture - there is nothing like it anywhere else, except for Russian folklore. It is shrouded in mystery, there are no clear ideas about its origin, but this image is present in fine arts, stories, songs.
• V. Dal mentioned that snowmen, bullfinches, snowmen were called "boobs made of snow", having the image of a man.
• It is believed that the image of the Snow Maiden appeared after the baptism of Rus'.
• For Viktor Vasnetsov, the image of the Snow Maiden has become a key in his work.
• In 1952, a cartoon was filmed to the music from the opera by N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov.

Famous arias and numbers from the opera:

Snegurochka's aria "Walk for berries with girlfriends" (prologue) - listen

Lel's third song "A cloud conspired with thunder" ( III act) - listen

choir "Ay, in the field there is a linden" (III act) - listen

duet of the Snow Maiden and Mizgir "Wait, wait!" (IV act) - listen

final chorus "Light and power, god Yarilo" (IV act) - listen

Music

WITH early childhood Nikolai Andreevich Rimsky-Korsakov very fond of Russian folk music, its special rhythm, close to colloquial, expressive intonations, melodious melody. In The Snow Maiden, he expressed this love with skill mature composer. He almost never uses direct quotes. folk songs, but he stylizes very precisely, creating his songs, amazingly similar in spirit to folk ones.

This music is very picturesque - the imagination vividly draws pictures winter forest, the chirping of birds, the appearance of Spring-Red, the coldness and detachment of the Snow Maiden. The gradual awakening of nature and the Snow Maiden's desire for human warmth and love are also shown in music, it becomes passionate, even expressive. At the same time, the fantastic character of the fairy tale is sustained.

The opera opens with a prologue in which musical means the main characters are presented - the forces of nature, the severe Frost, the tender Spring, the fragile Snow Maiden. The orchestra imitates bird trills, ringing streams, natural metamorphoses. The Maslenitsa scene at the end of the prologue almost completely illustrates the ancient rite of the meeting of spring with winter, the choral episodes colorfully describe festivities. The scene is so colorful that it is often performed in gala concerts.

Creating images of the main characters, the author carefully thought out the melodic and dramatic characteristics of each. For each category actors (fairy tale characters, real people, representatives of the elements) created a separate intonational-rhythmic and timbre sphere. Rimsky-Korsakov's operatic vocal numbers are notable for their melodiousness combined with simplicity. The chorus is often another character for him - the people, and also brings additional color to the whole sound. The richness of the orchestration, however, never argues with vocal start on the contrary, it complements and enriches it.

It is typical for a composer special treatment to the feminine lyrical image. His Snow Maiden Martha from The Tsar's Bride , Olga from "The Maid of Pskov" are examples of touching, sublime, reverent femininity, the embodiment of captivating ideal beauty. The transformation of the image of the Snow Maiden is also reflected in her vocal part. If at the beginning of the opera its melody is close to instrumental (and is accompanied by flute overflows), then the more it reaches out to people, the more melodiousness, melody, and ardor appear in the music (there are now more strings in the orchestra).

Generally, complete musical analysis opera composer provided himself in the book "Chronicle of my musical life"And the article" Analysis of the "Snow Maiden". In it, the author spoke in detail about artistic intent and its implementation. It should be noted that the need for such documents was caused by the dissatisfaction of the author with the first productions. Like Ostrovsky's play itself, the opera production did not initially meet with a response from the performers, conductor, and critics. Later, after the appearance of explanations, a more successful performance took place, close to the author's interpretation.

It is amazing how mathematically accurately he designed the dramaturgy and the development of the action. The depth and innovation of the composer could not meet with instant acceptance of this music. They did not coincide with the main themes in the art of that time. However, already a decade later, it becomes the locomotive of artistic transformation in national art.

History of creation

Nikolai Andreevich began work on the opera in the summer of 1880. As a basis for the plot, he took Alexander Ostrovsky's verse play "The Snow Maiden", which was published in 1873. The play itself caused a great resonance in society. Few appreciated it. The fairy tale was admired by F.M. Dostoevsky, A.I. Goncharov, I.S. Turgenev. Young at that time, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, at the request of the author, was invited to write music for the theatrical production of The Snow Maiden.

But most of the public and especially the critics received the play coldly. Her images and allegory were incomprehensible to contemporaries. Oral Russian folk art, ritual-song folklore and mythology, the cult and beliefs of the ancient Slavs were something distant and uninteresting for the then audience. Superficially perceiving the play, critics immediately accused the author of escaping from reality. Having become accustomed to his already established role as a exposer of the vices of Russian society, the audience was not ready to plunge into complex world fairy tale allegories.

Ostrovsky was accused of being seduced decorative images and a light fairy-tale subject, "fantastic" and "meaningless". The poetic syllable with which the play was written also complicated the perception. The ingenious Russian playwright traveled to the farthest provinces, collecting motifs and rhythms of folk songs and legends, the play contains many Old Slavonic words and phrases. To truly understand and appreciate the beauty of the style of these verses can only true connoisseur and a connoisseur of Russian folklore.

And Rimsky-Korsakov himself, on his first acquaintance with the play, was not too imbued with it. Only after a while, upon re-reading (in the winter of 1879-1880), did he suddenly “see the light”, the whole depth and poetry of the work was revealed to him. He was instantly ignited by the desire to write an opera on this plot. This desire led him first to Ostrovsky - to ask permission to write music on his magical work, and then - to the Stelevo estate, where the opera was written in unison.

The composer himself acted as a librettist, making changes to original text Ostrovsky. All work was completed in a matter of months. By the end of March 1881, the opera was completed, and in January 1882 the premiere took place. Rimsky-Korsakov himself described the period of creation of the opera as creatively filled, he wrote extremely quickly and easily, with inspiration. The Snow Maiden became his favorite opera.

Allegory in fairy tale and opera

Rimsky-Korsakov's music is most often said to be light, pure, sublime. The fairy tale "The Snow Maiden" has a truly naive plot, which attracted the composer. It contains a description of the way of life of an ideal society, the Berendeys, with a surprisingly wise and unusual ruler - Tsar Berendey, who teaches his people to live according to their hearts, to keep moral purity and nobility. This is a utopian picture even for a resident of the 19th century. However, in Russian ancient epic she was not uncommon.

Russian land can be fertile and fruitful. But the climate is harsh and unpredictable. They survived the long winter at the expense of the summer harvest. And the yield depended on the vagaries of nature, and not on the diligence or talent of the peasant. Under such conditions, the sun, which gives warmth and growth to plants and animals, became the main deity. But he was not just worshiped, people were looking for (and found) a connection between their behavior and thoughts - and the answer of the Sun-God. Therefore, Berendey was worried and complained that the god Yarilo turned away from the Berendey kingdom, believing that its inhabitants began to think too much about self-interest.

Allegories in a fairy tale:

• Frost is the opposition to the Sun, a deity that brings death and destruction. Their confrontation escalated when Spring and Frost had a child - the Snow Maiden, a beautiful maiden with a cold heart, unable to love. The sun turned away from the people in punishment for their coldness to each other. And the Snow Maiden became a symbolic embodiment of the conflict of heat and cold of the soul.

• When, at the end of the tale, she asks Mother Spring to grant the ability to love, and receives it, and dies from the heat of the sun, this symbolizes the sacrifice that the heroine makes in the name of people. She consciously went down this path. With her death, Yarilo will return the favor of the people, and the people themselves, having seen the sacrifice and fieryness of her act, will return to their ethical ideals.

• The name of the merchant Mizgir is indicative. Translated from Old Slavonic, it means "spider", "tarantula". The very occupation of the merchant is alien peasant image life, he is perceived as a stranger, carrying a vague threat. And according to ancient belief, the one who kills the spider will receive the forgiveness of seven sins during his lifetime. The very appearance of Mizgir in the settlement excited the villagers. And his death from longing for the Snow Maiden became a symbolic atonement for the Berendeys.

• Shepherd Lel, awakening with his poetic songs and sweet voice all living things to love and feelings - no doubt unique character for everything operatic art. By the power of his talent, he influences people, forcing them to transform. According to one version, Lel in the Russian epic epic is a deity personifying Love. Some researchers are inclined to this, seeing in the frequently encountered phrases “Oh, Lado-Lel”, “Lada Lel-lyuli” an appeal to him.

• But opponents of this version believe that Lel (Lalya) is the son of Lada, the goddess of fertility. He is not romantic hero, he awakens in a woman the desire for motherhood. Fertility for a woman is the opportunity to give birth. According to ancient Slavic belief, to earn the attention of Lel means to get a child. And this is the highest good for the Slavs.

First productions

Despite the fact that Ostrovsky spoke about Rimsky-Korsakov's music to his " spring fairy tale very enthusiastically, but much closer to him was the music of Tchaikovsky, written for the play. And the thrill that Nikolai Andreevich himself experienced for his opera was not supported by the musicians and the audience of the first performances. So the first performances were saturated with disappointment.

The scenery for the stage was made by Viktor Vasnetsov, an itinerant artist, moreover, he designed and theatrical production plays and opera. Using specific elements of Russian architecture, architecture, embroidery motifs, he achieved a realistic embodiment of the atmosphere of peasant life.

The basis of the plot of the fairy tale is the life story of the Snow Maiden, the daughter of Spring and Frost. The girl really wanted to be free to people, so her parents allowed her to live with the childless Bobyls. The Snow Maiden does not know love. She asks her mother to reward her with this feeling, despite the fact that she may melt with love. The Snow Maiden falls in love with Mizgir, who is also in love with her, and melts with the first rays of the summer sun. Mizgir also dies from his grief - he throws himself from the mountain into the lake.

The main idea of ​​the work is a great feeling of love, for which it is not a pity to give one's life. It is absolutely natural and inevitable for all people.

Read the summary of Ostrovsky's fairy tale Snegurochka

The events of this tale take place in prehistoric times in the country of the Berendeys.

The beginning of spring, the threshold of Maslenitsa. Red hill, all covered with snow. At midnight, Spring-Krasna appears with her retinue of birds. hard frost, the blizzard begins.

Spring admits that she herself is to blame for the fact that she and the birds are freezing. Shouldn't have flirted with old Santa Claus sixteen years ago. They have common daughter- Snow Maiden. Therefore, Spring cannot quarrel with Frost. And he takes advantage of this - he enveloped Spring itself and the Berendeys with cold.

The sun is angry with them for prolonged cold.

Santa Claus appears.

Frost's peaceful conversation with Spring about his daughter turns into an argument. Spring thinks that she is bored in the forest to live among the animals. The Snow Maiden needs freedom, communication with people, girlfriends and guys, love. Frost is categorically against it. He insists that the girl's place in the forest is with hares, martens and squirrels. As a result, they agree to give the Snow Maiden to the childless Bobyl family. There, the girl will have a lot of work, and the guys have no self-interest to pester her.

There is a rumor that if the Snow Maiden falls in love with someone, then there is no salvation for her - the Sun will melt her.

Santa Claus calls the Snow Maiden. He wonders if the girl wants to go live with people. The Snow Maiden admits that she has long dreamed of this. She likes the songs of the shepherd Lel and round dances. Frost was upset by his daughter's answer. But he, reluctantly, let the Snow Maiden go to the people, giving at the same time a punishment - to be afraid of the shepherd Lel and the Sun.

Frost takes a promise from the goblin to protect and protect the Snow Maiden from evil people and leaves. Spring begins.

Berendeys greet spring with merry festivities and celebrate Maslenitsa. Bobyl went to the forest to chop wood and met the Snow Maiden there. He was very surprised and called his wife Bobylikha. Having got acquainted with them, the Snow Maiden asks Bobylya to take her to her adopted daughter. Bobyl took the girl to her, hoping to find her a rich groom and cash in on it.

It is not easy for the Snow Maiden at the Bobyls. The girl is unnecessarily bashful and modest, which caused dissatisfaction with the named parents. She refused all suitors, she cannot fall in love with anyone.

Many guys in the suburb are smitten with the beauty of the Snow Maiden, and they quarreled with their girls. Therefore, she had almost no girlfriends. One Kupava, the daughter of Murash, is friends with the Snow Maiden.

Kupava shared with her friend her happiness that she had mutual love with a guest from the royal settlement - Mizgir. The girl wants to introduce the Snow Maiden to her fiancé.

Then Mizgir appears with expensive gifts and woo Kupava. But as soon as he saw the Snow Maiden, he immediately forgot about his bride. Kupava is offended by her friend and offended, her heart is broken. Mizgir brings his gifts to the Bobyls and woo the Snow Maiden. The beans force their named daughter to accept Mizgir. The Snow Maiden obediently fulfills their order.

Meanwhile, Tsar Berendey is talking with his subject about the affairs of the state. Yarilo, God of the sun, is angry with the Berendeys. For fifteen years, cold and crop failure in the kingdom. The warmth in the hearts of people has disappeared. And Berendey decides on Yarilin's day to make a sacrifice to the god of the sun - to marry all the young. Only now all the guys and girls quarreled because of some Snow Maiden.

Then Kupava comes to Berendey and talks about his grief, asks to punish Mizgir. The king orders to call the criminal. Mizgir appears and talks about his love for the Snow Maiden. And he also assures Berendey that he must certainly see this girl in order to understand everything.

The Snow Maiden appears with the Berendeys. Seeing her, the king is amazed at such beauty. He decides that the one who melts the heart of the Snow Maiden before dawn will be her husband.

The festivities begin. In the center of the round dance Lel and the Snow Maiden. At the request of the king to choose a mate, Lel chooses Kupava. The Snow Maiden is very offended and runs away in tears. In the forest, she meets Mizgir, begins to pester. The girl pushes him away, and the goblin leads the guy all night through the forest.

The Snow Maiden asks Spring for love at least for a moment. The mother endows her daughter with this feeling and promises that the Snow Maiden will fall in love with the first person she meets, who turns out to be Mizgir. The girl falls in love with him. Mizgir is immensely happy and leads the Snow Maiden to the Tsar. The first rays of the summer sun appear, and she melts in the arms of her beloved. Mizgir from grief throws himself off a cliff into the lake and dies. The king decides that the sacrifice has been made to Yarila, and orders the festivities to continue.

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Ostrovsky. All works

• Poverty is not a vice
• Snow Maiden
• talents and fans

Snow Maiden. Picture for the story

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The action takes place in prehistoric time in the kingdom of the Berendeys. Spring begins, but Krasnaya Gorka is still covered with snow. Not far away is Berendeyev Posad, the capital of Tsar Berendey. All houses and the palace itself are wooden, decorated with intricate carvings.

Goblin sits on Krasnaya Gorka and watches how Spring-Krasna descends on cranes, swans and geese. However, the country of the Berendeys meets her with cold - the birds freeze. Spring admits that all this is happening, since she once began to flirt with the old Frost and is now in his captivity. She would have to leave the old one, but they have a daughter - the Snow Maiden. Therefore, Spring, and with it the Berendeys, endure the whims of Frost: either heat or severe cold. And the “jealous Sun” frowns, which is why cruel winters and spring colds happen.

Spring invites the birds to warm up with dancing, but from the beginning of the fun the wind rises, snow falls and Frost appears. He says that he had a good time this winter, which the Berendeys will not forget. Spring invites Frost to go north. He replies that he will soon leave for Siberia, where his dominion is eternal, and here Yarilo interferes with him.

Spring is concerned about where their daughter Snegurochka will stay. Her father believes that her place in the deep forest is in a chamber among the animals of the forest, so that "neither on foot nor on horseback" there was no road. But the mother says that the Snow Maiden is alive, which means she needs girlfriends, funny Games, and then she will fall in love with one of the guys. Then Frost tells her terrible secret: Yarilo vowed to take revenge on Frost through his daughter. When the Snow Maiden truly loves, he will melt her. Spring does not want to believe it, and she and Frost quarrel, and then decide to give the girl to be raised in the family of a childless Bobyl.

Frost calls the Snow Maiden from the forest, and Spring asks her where she wants to live. The girl admits that she dreams of living among the Berendeys: she wants to sing songs with the girls and dance round dances to the music of the young shepherd Lel. Father asks to beware of Lelya, because "It is pierced through and through by the ardent sun". But the Snow Maiden replies that she is not afraid of either Lelya or the Sun, but will obey her father. And the mother says goodbye that if she becomes sad, let her come to Yarilina Valley and call her, Spring.

Frost punishes Leshem to follow the Snow Maiden, and if a stranger or Lel sticks, he would confuse him in the forest thicket. Frost leaves along with snowstorms and blizzards, giving way to Spring. Berendey meet Shrovetide with a scarecrow of winter - folk festivals begin.

There is a quarrel in Bobyl's family: Bobylikh's wife swears that there is no firewood in the house, and he has to go to the forest. He notices the Snow Maiden, dressed as "hawthorn". He is surprised, amazed and Berendey. The Snow Maiden tells who she is and says that whoever found her first will become an adopted daughter. She says goodbye to the forest. The trees bow to her, and the Berendeys scatter in horror. Bobyl and his wife take the Snow Maiden away.

Act I

Soon in the settlement they learned about the beauty of the Snow Maiden, the guys quarreled with their girls and began to woo her. But the Snow Maiden refuses everyone, for which she is scolded by Bobyl and Bobilykha. They hoped that happiness had come to them, that now future suitors would give gifts to their adoptive mother, and give honey and homemade water to their foster father. But the Snow Maiden scared everyone away with her stern appearance. The girl explains that she will marry the one she loves, but she does not know what love is.

Lel stays at Bobyl's house to stay. The Snow Maiden asks to sing a song for her. Lel agrees and asks only for a kiss, but the girl does not agree. Then the shepherd offers to give him a flower and pins on his chest. He begins to sing, but the other girls beckon him and he runs away, throwing the withered flower on the ground. The Snow Maiden is offended, so she decides that her heart will be cold for everyone.

But the guys continue to look at the Snow Maiden, causing jealousy among the girls. Only Kupava is kind to the Snow Maiden. She says that she met a young man: handsome, handsome, ruddy. This is Mizgir, the son of a rich father, "trading guest from the royal town". Mizgir promised to marry Kupava, and she dreams of being a mistress in a big house. She says that Mizgir will soon come to get acquainted, and invites the Snow Maiden to be happy for her.

Mizgir appears with two bags of gifts to ransom his bride Kupava. Everyone is having fun and joking, and Kupava leads Mizgir to the house of the Snow Maiden to introduce them and invite them to last time before the wedding, play on Red Hill. But Mizgir, seeing the Snow Maiden, falls in love with her so much that he is ready to leave Kupava for her. Kupava curses her friend, but the Snow Maiden does not want to upset her and tells Mizgir that she cannot love him. He tries to appease her with expensive gifts, but the Snow Maiden replies that her love cannot be bought.

Only Bobyl and Bobilykha want to get hold of Mizgir's money in order to drink plenty of brew. Mizgir orders Lel to be driven away, and the Snow Maiden, forced to obey this demand, hears from him words that she, too, will learn why people cry. Kupava tells the Berendeys about the frivolity of Mizgir, and they demand an answer from ex-fiance Kupava. Mizgir explains that modesty and modesty are above all for him in a girl - he saw them in the Snow Maiden. A Kupava “I loved without looking back, hugged with both hands and looked merrily”, and Mizgir decided that she could replace him with another.

Kupava asks to protect her honor from natural forces: at the end she turns to the river and runs to her to drown herself, but Lel stops her, consoling her that the melancholy will soon pass. The Berendeys offer to turn to the king for help.

Act II

Tsar Berendey sits on a golden chair surrounded by buffoons and harpists. The king personally paints one of the pillars, and the buffoons argue about what is depicted. At some point, their quarrel comes to a fistfight, but the tsar separates them, and the nearby boyar Bermyata, who appears, drives them away.

Berendey asks how things are in the Berendey kingdom, and Bermyata claims that everything is fine. However, Berendey is not sure that everything is all right, because for fifteen years they have been very short summer, springs are cold, like autumn, and even in the middle of summer there is snow in the ravines. And the reason is that Yarilo is angry with the Berendeys: in the hearts of people there is no longer the former "hotness of love", people have ceased to serve beauty, there is no sublime love longing. Other feelings live now in the hearts: "vanity, envy of other people's outfits". Therefore, Berendey makes a disappointing conclusion: “For the cold of our feelings and angry at us, Yarilo-Sun takes revenge with a cold”.

He proposes his plan: tomorrow, on Yarilin Day, at dawn, all the brides and grooms should gather to unite in a marriage union. This will be the best victim of Yarile. However, Bermyata reports that this is impossible, since all the brides quarreled with their suitors because of the Snow Maiden, who settled in the settlement. Berendey does not believe and demands that his order be carried out. Then a boy appears who brings Kupava, and she tells how the Snow Maiden stole her fiancé Mizgir from her.

Berendey orders to bring Mizgir to "court of sovereigns". In front of all the honest people, the tsar accuses him of deceiving poor Kupava, and asks for advice on how best to punish Mizgir so that punishment does not fall on all the Berendeys. Bermyata proposes to force Mizgir to marry the bride he has abandoned, but he objects: now his bride is Snegurochka. Yes, and Kupava says that her heart is broken and now there will only be hatred for Mizgir in it. Then the king offers to expel him forever from the country of the Berendeys.

Mizgir invites the tsar to look at the Snow Maiden himself. When Bobyl brings his adopted daughter, the tsar is struck by her beauty and wants to find her a worthy groom so that this sacrifice will appease Yarila. But the Snow Maiden admits that her heart does not yet know love. Bermyata's wife, Elena the Beautiful, says that only Lel can melt the heart of the Snow Maiden. The shepherd calls the girl to make wreaths until morning: he promises that love will wake up in the heart of the Snow Maiden. But Mizgir also wants to get love from the Snow Maiden.

Act III

At the evening dawn, boys and girls lead round dances. In the center - Lel with the Snow Maiden. Berendey is amazed by Lel's singing and offers to choose a girl for him, who will reward him with her kiss. The Snow Maiden asks to choose her, but the shepherd chooses Kupava. The rest of the girls put up with their boyfriends, and the Snow Maiden cries. Lel says that this is not love, but resentment. If the Snow Maiden really loves him, then he is ready to take her to meet the Sun in the morning.

Mizgir confesses his feelings to the Snow Maiden, but frightens her with his passion and readiness to die. She is not attracted to priceless pearls either. Then Mizgir wants to achieve reciprocity by force. Goblin comes to the rescue, who takes Mizgir aside with the ghost of the Snow Maiden. Lel, with her singing, drives crazy not only Kupava, who confesses her love, but also Elena the Beautiful.

1. As the title suggests, the main character is Snow Maiden- daughter of Frost and Spring. Lovely girl with unearthly beauty, heart of ice and boundless desire to love. To understand what it means to love, the Snow Maiden is ready to make any sacrifice.
2. Snow Maiden's parents: Freezing And Spring-Red. Frost is tough, formidable lord of cold winds and winter cold. He is ready to give everything just to save his daughter from mistakes. From her mother Vesna, the Snow Maiden received the ability to love.
3. Lel- a carefree shepherd, thirsty for the attention of girls. It is he who will be able to awaken love in the Snow Maiden.
4. Mizgir- a passing merchant who fell in love with the Snow Maiden with all his heart for her beauty and naivety, who left his bride only to be with his beloved.

Prologue

In the center of the plot is the kingdom of the Berendeys. Spring should have come long ago, but the mountains of the kingdom are covered with snow. Leshy stands on Krasnaya Gorka and watches as Spring-Krasna descends from heaven. But Berendeev Posad is not ready to meet the spring sun and birdsong.

Frost filled the entire kingdom of the Berendeys. And all because of the fact that Spring played with Frost bad joke Now she is in his captivity. Spring confesses to Leshem that she and Frost have a daughter, the Snow Maiden.

Dispute of Spring and Frost

Frost descends on Krasnaya Gorka in order to decide who will take care of the Snow Maiden. Frost wants to hide his daughter in the forest to protect her from human problems. Spring, on the contrary, wants her daughter to live among people. Frost convinces Vesna to give him the child, warning her of the evil intent of the sun god Yarilo.

Yarilo wants to destroy the Snow Maiden - as soon as the flame of love lights up in her heart, she will melt. Spring-Red does not believe the words of Frost. To resolve the dispute, Frost asks his daughter: "Where would she like to live?" The girl admits that she always dreamed of living among people, dancing, singing songs and enjoying the spring sun. For a long time, the Snow Maiden has been dreaming of a beautiful young shepherd, whose name is Lel.

Snow Maiden in the kingdom of the Berendeys

The girl is given to be raised by a childless Bobyl. Spring comes to the kingdom of the Berendeys, the people meet it with loud dances, round dances and songs. The Snow Maiden lives quietly at the Bobyls. Because of her naivety, modesty and bashfulness, she has no girlfriends at all, and suitors do not line up behind her.

One day, a young shepherd Lel drops in on Bobyl. Other villagers are wary of leaving a poor shepherd at home, fearing that their daughters will fall in love with young guy. The fellow villagers give Lel money, and the Bobyls, coveting the money, invite the young man to spend the night.

The inexperience of the Snow Maiden

The beauty of the Snow Maiden captivates the shepherd. However, innate modesty and bashfulness does not allow the girl to show her feelings. With all her kindness, she gives the young man a flower for the song he has performed.

But Lel is not disinterested and asks the girl for more meaningful gifts- kisses. Tired of waiting for reciprocal actions from the Snow Maiden, the shepherd goes to the city to seduce other girls with his dances and songs.

Acquaintance of the Snow Maiden with the rich blacksmith Mizgir

The Snow Maiden has no friends among her fellow villagers, only Kupava shares all the hardships and sorrows with her daughter Vesna. Kupava is preparing for a wedding with a young, wealthy blacksmith Mizgir. She frankly tells the Snow Maiden about her love for a young man, about her boundless happiness.

Kupava decides to introduce the Snow Maiden to her fiancé at a bachelorette party. The merchant has recently arrived in the village, with gifts for the bride's relatives. At the first glance at the Snow Maiden, Mizgir's heart stops, he forgets about the wedding, about his bride and love for Kupava.

He publicly confesses his love to the Snow Maiden and terminates the engagement. The abandoned bride commits suicide on the river bank, but Lel manages to save her. All young girls hate the Snow Maiden, and Kupava sends Berendeys to the king with curses against the former groom.

Acquaintance of the Snow Maiden with the Tsar

The enraged Tsar Berendey drives the merchant out of the country. Mizgir worthily accepts the royal punishment, but asks the king to see his beloved. The king himself wants to meet mysterious beauty. At the invitation of the tsar, Bobyli and the Snow Maiden arrive at the royal palace.

Berendey is struck by the mysterious, icy beauty of the Snow Maiden, her naivety and chastity. He decides to marry the girl to a rich nobleman in order to please the sun god Yarilo.

However, the girl does not want to get married, human feelings are now disgusting to her. Berendey consults with his wife Elena the Beautiful about the marriage of the Snow Maiden. The queen understands that melt the heart beautiful girl only her first lover, the shepherd Lel, can.

Spring's last gift

Lel falls in love with Kupava, but invites the Snow Maiden to the Spring Festival. Lel is not going to confess his love to the daughter of Vesna, he wants to show her how painful it is when you are rejected. The Snow Maiden hopes for reciprocity from Lel, but in response she receives only reproaches. The Snow Maiden will never understand human, carnal feelings.

Mizgir tries to interest the Snow Maiden with expensive gifts and his love. But the girl does not need the rich gifts of the merchant, she wants to learn to love Lelya. The angry Mizgir grabs the girl and drags her into the forest, trying to take the girl by force. Fortunately, magical forest dwellers protect the Snow Maiden at the behest of her father.

The Snow Maiden asks Mother Vesna to teach her human love. Spring-Krasna warns her daughter, reminding her of cruelty human feelings. But she cannot refuse her beloved daughter. Spring gives her daughter a wreath woven from flowers: the first one the Snow Maiden meets will become her lover for life.

Death of the Snow Maiden

Mizgir becomes the beloved of the Snow Maiden. A rich merchant cannot hide his happiness and does not worry about the destructive rays of the Sun, which can take away his beloved from him. Mizgir brings the girl to Yarilina Gora, where all the fellow villagers and the king are preparing to marry a beautiful couple.

The first rays of the sun prevent the Snow Maiden from becoming Mizgir's wife. So, the prediction of her father comes true - the Snow Maiden melts in the sun from human love.

Folk tales occupy a rather serious place in the Russian ethnos. They express the aspirations, hopes, fears, and even just people. Most Russian fairy tales are permeated with kindness and faith in justice. Sometimes we are faced with the fact that the writer takes as a basis the plot of some folk tale and develop it in his own way. An example is the work of such a writer as Nikolai Ostrovsky. "Snow Maiden", summary which everyone has known since childhood, under the pen of the author received a new and instructive round.

Frost and Spring Love

Let's take a closer look at what N. Ostrovsky writes about. "The Snow Maiden", a summary of which can be conveyed in a few sentences, is filled with a lot of instructive messages to readers. Imagine the ancient mythical land of the Berendeys. And then one day, an unprecedented event happened in her. Spring comes to Krasnaya Gorka near Berendeev Posad (the royal capital). Yes, not alone, but with all her magnificent retinue. Her retinue is noble - cranes and swans. However, the country of the Berendeys unkindly meets Spring (as it seems to her, the reason for this is their relationship with the old Frost). After all, the father of her daughter named Snegurochka is Frost.

Not only in the country of the Berendeys are dissatisfied with this course of things. The sun also expresses dissatisfaction, threatening to no longer warm the earth. Therefore, Spring, in order to somehow help the animals warm up, invites them to sing and dance. However, as soon as they begin to move, an angry cold blizzard immediately rises. Spring gathers all the birds and hides them in the bushes in the hope that the next day will bring the long-awaited warmth.

Father's warning

In addition, old Frost appears from the forest, reminding Vesna of caring for a common child. He offers to hide the Snow Maiden in the depths of the forest, where a warm tower is located. Mother Spring also takes care in her own way - she wants her child to live among people, to enjoy life with them. The meeting turns into a fight. Frost knows that the hot Yarilo wants to destroy the Snow Maiden, making it so that when the fire of love ignites in her heart, she will simply melt. He tells all this to Spring. But she does not believe Moroz's arguments.

From the very beginning we see the difference in the plots folk tale and the one that Ostrovsky wrote. "The Snow Maiden", a summary of the chapters of which we are considering, continues like this. After a long argument, the parents decided to give the girl to be raised by a childless Bobyl. Say, there are no guys there, which means that the heart of the Snow Maiden will be safe. The girl herself admits that she has long dreamed of living with people, singing songs and having fun round dances. In addition, it turns out that the Snow Maiden is not completely indifferent to the young shepherd Lelya. This especially alarmed Frost. He warns his daughter with all paternal severity to stay away from the shepherd, communication with which can ruin her.

Adoptive parents

The summary of the story “The Snow Maiden” (Ostrovsky perfectly describes the farewell to Shrovetide) will continue with the fact that the Berendeys rejoice at the arrival of Spring, meeting her with songs and dances. Bobyl meets in the deaf more often a beautiful, rich dressed girl, who asks for foster daughters. The life of the Snow Maiden is not easy. The thing is that, being too bashful, she, according to the Bobyls, discouraged all potential suitors. But they so wanted to get rich at the expense of the family in which they would take the girl in marriage.

Suddenly, the shepherd Lel comes to stay at the Bobyls. Nobody wanted to take a handsome and charming guy into their house, fearing that the master's daughters would not resist him. And what to take from the poor shepherd? A very unfavorable party. Therefore, fellow villagers collect money and give it to Lelya so that he can find a place to live somewhere, but not with them. Tempted by money, Bobyls let the young man into the house.

The inexperience of the Snow Maiden

How accurately and deeply Ostrovsky reveals his characters! "The Snow Maiden" is a play, the summary of which cannot convey the entire palette of characters. Let's look at the relationship between the handsome shepherd and the innocent, modest Snow Maiden. Despite the fact that she likes Lel's songs, and the guy himself, the girl's innate modesty clearly prevents young people from getting close.

Yes, and the shepherd was not entirely disinterested. He does not want to sing just for the pleasure of hearing. He asks for more material gifts. For example, kisses. But the Snow Maiden does not understand Lel's aspirations. She wholeheartedly gave the young man a flower for the song performed. The shepherd, tired of explaining the obvious, threw him out and went to other girls who, in his opinion, could better appreciate talent and beauty.

Beauty is an object of envy and resentment

What else does Ostrovsky emphasize? The Snow Maiden (a brief summary of the tale cannot be left without some details) was written a long time ago, but even today we find many instructive moments. So, the Snow Maiden, despite her popularity among young people, cannot find girlfriends. After all, all the guys look at her, and the girls do not want to communicate with the daughter of Spring.

The only one who showed kindness to the Snow Maiden was Kupava, the daughter of a wealthy peasant. She is so frank with the girl that she shares her happiness - the rich merchant Mizgir from the royal settlement has asked for her. Soon to be a wedding. After some time, the groom himself appears. He arrives with many gifts that he wants to give to Kupava's relatives and close people in honor of his marriage.

Kupava introduces the Snow Maiden to her lover and invites her to a bachelorette party arranged on the occasion of her imminent marriage. But Mizgir falls in love with the Snow Maiden at first sight, completely forgetting about Kupava. He officially announces to the girl about the termination of the engagement, arguing this with his unexpected love for the Snow Maiden. Kupava is so shocked that she decides to commit suicide by drowning herself in the river, but the shepherd Lel manages to save her. Of course, Kupava, like all the other girls in the village, harbored a grudge.

The disgrace of the god Yarila

Let's continue with the summary. The fairy tale "Snow Maiden" (Ostrovsky built it on the basis of the ancient folk beliefs) takes us back to the times when people worshiped natural, natural gods. So, it seems to Tsar Berendey that in Lately the god Yarilo is not merciful to his kingdom. It warms a little, does not allow the crop to ripen, and in general rarely appears.

He tells about this to his close Bermyata. The king is sure that Yarilo is angry with his subjects for the lack of warmth of love in their hearts. As a bright and warm deity, this is unpleasant for him.

Berendey's plan: a summary

Ostrovsky N., whose “Snow Maiden” “exposes” all human passions, leads him to an angry Kupava. She asks to punish the traitor. Justifying himself, Mizgir explained to the king that he no longer considers Kupava his bride, and does not want to marry without sincere love. After listening to the merchant, Bermyata, who had previously been silent, offered the king to force him to marry Kupava. However, the girl herself objected, declaring that she did not need such a traitor for nothing. Mizgir replied that from now on he considers Snegurochka his bride.

All this interferes with Berendey's plan, according to which his subjects need to conclude maximum amount marriages. And the sooner the better. This should appease Yarila. Bermyata was skeptical about the royal plans, citing the fact that more and more suburban girls have been quarreling with their boyfriends lately. Those are subdued by the beauty of the Snow Maiden.

Acquaintance of the Tsar with the Snow Maiden

Enraged, Berendey sentences the merchant to exile from the country. Mizgir agrees with the punishment, but invites the king to take a look at the beauty himself, because of which there are so many conversations. Soon, the Bobyls, together with their adopted daughter, appeared before the king.

Berendey was amazed at the beauty and chastity of the Snow Maiden, immediately estimating that if he married her successfully, Yarilo would definitely be satisfied. However, here again the question of suitors arose. The heart of the Snow Maiden is cold, and she does not want to get married. Perplexed, Berendey asks his wife, Elena the Beautiful, for advice. The queen, having understood the situation, explained to her husband that only the shepherd Lel could melt the girl’s heart.

Magic Gift of Spring

It would seem that the denouement is not far off. But passions are only heating up. That is exactly what Ostrovsky thought. The Snow Maiden (a summary of the actions of this tale accurately conveys the libretto to Rimsky-Korsakov's opera) does not interest Lel. He is very passionate about Kupava, so much so that he wants to sing his songs only for her. Inviting the Snow Maiden to a night party, the shepherd is not at all going to give her his heart, hinting that the girl has already once failed to appreciate his aspirations. She does not understand carnal feelings, and Lel rejects the girl.

Mizgir also does not waste time and seeks to win his beloved. But the Snow Maiden is not interested in the wealth of the merchant either. The enraged Mizgir tries to take the girl by force, but the magical inhabitants of the forest protect the daughter of the old Frost. As Ostrovsky wrote, the Snow Maiden (a very brief content does not allow to fully reveal all the nuances of the plot) is under the tutelage of Leshy all the time.

In desperation, she asks Vesna to teach her about human love. The mother on the last day of her dominion (after all, Yarilo rises in the morning) cannot refuse her daughter. But she nevertheless recalled that these feelings are "like death." The Snow Maiden agrees to everything, just to know love. Spring puts a magic wreath on the girl's head: the first man her daughter meets will become her chosen one.

The destructive rays of the sun

The Snow Maiden meets Mizgir, to whom she gives her love. The merchant is happy and does not believe in the fears of the Snow Maiden about the first rays of the Sun. He solemnly brings the girl to Yarilina Gora, where all the Berendeys have gathered, and the king blesses all the couples who are going to get married.

Unfortunately, Ostrovsky ends the tale tragically. The Snow Maiden (the summary does not contain all the experiences of the girl) dies with the first rays of the sun. The merchant is so shocked that he rushes straight from the mountain into the pool, where he drowns. However, their death did not impress Tsar Berendey. He believes that Yarilo received a great sacrifice, and now their life in the kingdom will improve.