Hope!”, “You believe!” He sees no other relief for people than dreams and illusions. The whole philosophy of Luke is compressed in one of his sayings "What you believe is what you are" Dying Anna the old man advises not to be afraid of death, because she brings peace, which the eternally hungry Anna never knew. The drunken Actor Luka inspires hope for a cure in a free clinic for alcoholics, although he knows that there is no such clinic, and Vaska Peplu talks about the possibility of starting new life together with Natasha in Siberia. One of the ideological centers of the play is the wanderer's story about how he saved two runaway convicts. This happened when he served as a watchman at the dacha of an engineer near Tomsk Kholodnaya. winter night thieves infiltrated the dacha Luke made them repent, regretted, fed He says " good men!" If I hadn't had pity on them, they might have killed me or something. And then - the court, but the prison and Siberia, what's the point? Prison - does not teach good, and Siberia does not teach, but a person - yes, a person can teach good very simply1 ”The same thought about great power good sounds in his story about " righteous land"There lived one poor man, he lived badly, but did not lose heart, endured and dreamed of leaving this life and leaving for the righteous land" There must, he said, be a righteous land in the world in that, they say, land - special people inhabit good people 1 they respect each other, they help each other in every way, and everything is nice and good with them. ”In the most difficult moments This man's life was sustained by the thought of a “righteous land.” He said to himself, “Nothing! I will endure! A few more - I'll wait and then - I'll give up this whole life and
- I will go to the righteous land. He had one joy - this land "He lived in Siberia. There he met the exiled scientist and asked him to show on the map where this most righteous land is located. That's right, all the lands are shown, but the righteous one is not!” The man did not believe this scientist. How is it that “lived and lived, endured, endured and believed everything - there is, but according to the plans it turns out - no!” He got angry at the scientist, hit him in the ear, and then went home - and strangled himself. a instructive meaning. The listeners were imbued with sympathy for the poor man, whose hopes were not justified. Natasha concludes, “It's a pity for a person. Can't stand the deception." Ashes says “ Well, yes, those righteous land didn’t turn out to mean." These words suggest that both Natasha and Pepel were also ready to believe in the existence of such a land where they could find shelter and work. He says to Natasha, “I will be literate work. So he says (points to Luka) - you have to go to Siberia of your own free will. Let's go there, well, do you think - my life - doesn't suit me? I don't believe in conscience. But I feel like I need to live differently! It is better to JUST! We must live in such a way that I can respect myself.” The parable told by Luke had a sad end. By this, Luka, as it were, prepared his listeners for the fact that much of what Nastya, Natasha, Actor Baron, Klesh Pepel dream of can turn out to be a utopia, an unattainable hope. The seeds sown by Luke fell on fertile soil. The actor is excited about looking for a mythical city with a marble hospital for alcoholics. Ashes, convinced by the old man that he needs to go to Siberia, dreams of escaping from reality into a fantastic realm of justice and taking the pure Natasha with him. Unhappy Anna tries to love before her death afterworld. Nastya believes in " true love”and waiting for her, Luka skillfully uses the bright that is still preserved in the minds of these people to blossom and decorate the world. When the collapse of hopes begins, he imperceptibly disappears. The finale is as tragic as in the parable of the “righteous land”. The actor commits suicide, Pepel is arrested for the murder of Kostylev, Natasha's life is deeply unhappy and distorted, Anna dies. At the close of the third act, the distraught, crippled Natasha screams heart-rendingly, “Take them, judge them. Take me too, jail me for Christ's sake, jail me! » In the play “At the bottom”, Luke acts as not just a comforter. He philosophically substantiates his position. the main idea Gorky's character is that it is not violence or prison that can save a person and teach goodness, but only kindness.

Literature lesson in 11th grade.

"Three Truths" in M. Gorky's play "At the Bottom": the truth of a fact (Bubnov), the truth of a comforting lie (Luke), the truth of faith in Man (Satin). Author's position and ways of its expression.

Goals:

educational – continue to work on ideological content play and an in-depth analysis of the work; based on the text of the play, determine the author's position on the question: “Which is better, truth or compassion? Is it necessary to bring compassion to the point of using a lie, like Luke?

developing - to develop the skills of thoughtful reading, the ability to reason on issues of a problematic nature, to express and argue one's opinion;

educational - to cultivate faith in a person, in his limitless possibilities and exceptional potential forces.

Planned results:

personal - the formation of a respectful attitude towards a person, his opinion, worldview, culture; development of competence in solving moral problems and formation moral qualities personality;

meta-subject - development of the ability to formulate, argue and defend one's opinion; possession of oral monologue speech;

subject - understanding of literature as special way knowledge of life; educating a reader with a formed aesthetic taste, able to participate in the discussion of what they read, argue their opinion and create detailed statements of an analytical nature.

Equipment:

the text of the play "At the bottom";

portrait of Maxim Gorky;

portraits of I. Moskvin (1902), M. Tarkhanov (1922), K. Stanislavsky, artists of the Moscow Art Theater, performers of the role of Luke and Satin.

Epigraph: Man is the truth!

M. Gorky. The play "At the Bottom"

Epigraph under the portrait of M. Gorky: Everything is in a person, everything is for a person! Only man exists, everything else is the work of his hands and his brain! Human! It's great! It sounds ... proud! .. One must respect a person! Do not pity ... do not humiliate him with pity ... you must respect!

Dictionary:

skeptic - a person who doubts everything, treats everything incredulously;

parable - a moralizing story;

illusion - deception;

preacher - (transl.) distributor of some doctrine, ideas, views (book);

creed - someone's beliefs, worldview.

Work in the classroom.

Motivation. Teacher's word.

One of the heroes of the play "At the Bottom" Satin said about Luke that he acted on him, "like acid on an old and dirty coin." The play had the same resonance in society at the beginning of the 20th century when it was written. 103 years after its creation, it continues to excite the minds of thinking people. Not by chance. You are reading a play-reflection, all situations of which are caused by one idea - TRUTH. "Man - that's the truth!" - Gorky M. proclaimed through the mouth of Satin. The writer himself said this about the main question posed in the play: “Which is better, truth or compassion? What is more needed? Is it necessary to bring compassion to the point of using lies, like Luke?

In the lesson, we will consider the truth of Bubnov, Luka and Satin and find out what position the author takes in the dispute about a person.

Record the topic of the lesson and the epigraph.

Work on the topic of the lesson.

Question-answer conversation with elements of reasoning.

Difficulty reading and understanding dramatic work in that it lacks the author's speech. You can understand a character (his attitude to the world, people, etc.) if you carefully read what the character says and how.

- What does Bubnov say about the man?

(An exemplary performance by students. Life has made Bubnov an indifferent cynic, a person who does not believe in anything. He states the truth of life: “But I don’t know how to lie! Why? In my opinion, tell the whole truth as it is! Why be shy?” And Bubnov is not shy. He speaks his truths like a croaking raven. It is no coincidence that Pepel calls him that: a raven. Here Anna begs the roommates not to make noise, to give her the opportunity to die peacefully. Bubnov states: "The noise of death is not a hindrance." Here Pepel says to Natasha about his love, promises to make her happy. And Bubnov says: "But the threads are rotten. He seems to be talking about his own, because he sews a cap using rotten threads, but this phrase has another meaning: everything Pepel says is sewn rotten threads. Nastya, who decided to leave the basement, exclaims: “I’m superfluous here!”, To which Bubnov reacts like this: “You’re superfluous everywhere ... and all the people on earth are superfluous ... "Announce the death of Anna. Bubnov indifferently says:" Cough stopped, that means.” Bubnov declares the dreams of all people unnecessary. “Paint, crow, feathers ... go ahead!” - he says to Nastya, who dreams of happy love.)

- What is the truth of Bubnov?

(Exemplary student performance. All people on earth are superfluous. A person is dominated by ruthless laws that govern him. A person helplessly swims with the flow of life, powerless to change anything in his fate: “People all live ... like chips floating in a river ... "For Bubnov, a person is a thing, and a thing cannot resist the surrounding reality, cannot experience feelings: "Everything is like this: they will be born, live, die. And I will die ... and you ... why regret it? "His person is nothing more than a dirty animal, and it is at the "bottom" that it opens real essence: a thief, a sharpie, a pimp, a parasite - everything else is just a blush with which everyone tints the soul, not wanting to speak in their dirty authenticity: “Here ... everything has faded, one naked man remained".)

Teacher. The truth of Bubnov is the truth of the fact against which from the very beginning of his creative way Gorky rebelled. It contains contempt for a person, skepticism, which is based on the denial of wonderful inclinations in a person. True, Bubnov is devoid of spirituality, and this is scary.

- How does Luke feel about the truth of the fact?

(He doesn’t recognize her. “It’s true, maybe she’s blown up for you ...” - he says to Ash. She, really, - it’s not always a person’s illness ... you can’t always cure a person with the truth. And he tells a parable about the righteous land It sounds after Klesh, who had just buried Anna, entered into a dispute about the truth. He shouts in a frenzied voice: "What is the truth? Where is the truth? (He ruffles rags on himself with his hands). That's the truth! There is no work ... there is no strength Here's the truth! There's no shelter... there's no shelter! I need to die... here it is, really! The devil! Why... what is it to me - the truth? Let me breathe... let me breathe! you can’t ... here it is - the truth!

Against the background of this outburst of human rage from his impotence before the circumstances of life, Luke's story sounds about a man who believed in the existence of a righteous land, but, disappointed that there was no such land on the scientist's map, he hanged himself.)

- What is the meaning of the parable of the righteous Earth?

(Luke wants to confirm his words about how dangerous and destructive it is for people cruel truth.)

What is the truth about Luke? What does he say about the person?

(“Someone needs to be kind ... people need to be pitied! Christ - from everyone he pitied and ordered us to do so ... to take pity on a person in time ... it happens well!”

"To caress a person is never harmful."

“He (man) - whatever it is - is always worth its price ...”

"A man can do anything, as long as he wants to."

“Whoever seeks - will find ... Whoever wants hard - will find!”

“A person lives in every way ... as the heart is adjusted, so it lives ... today - good, tomorrow - evil ... "

“All of them are people! No matter how you pretend, no matter how you wobble, but you were born a man, you will die a man ... And that’s all, I look, smarter people become, more and more interesting ... and even though they live - it’s getting worse, but they want everything better - stubborn!”

"For better people live! That is why every person must be respected ... after all, we don’t know who he is, why he was born and what he can do ... maybe he was born for our happiness, for our great benefit? .. Children should be especially respected ... children! The kids need space! Don’t interfere with children’s lives ... Respect children! ”

"I don't care! I respect crooks too, in my opinion, not a single flea is bad ... "

“We are all wanderers on earth ... They say that our earth is also a wanderer in the sky.”

"Everyone suffers life in their own way."

- How does Luka feel about the inhabitants of the rooming house: Anna, Nastya, Ash, Actor?

- What is Luka guided by when consoling Anna, promising a hospital to the Actor and a new life to Ash?

(To relieve suffering is what Elder Luke wants. Satin understood this best of all: “I understand the old man ... He lied ... but - this is out of pity for you ... There are many people who lie out of pity for their neighbor ... They lie beautifully, inspiringly, excitingly! There is a comforting lie, a reconciling lie... Those who are weak in soul... and who live on other people's juices need a lie... it supports some, others hide behind it...")

- Why is Luka accused of lying?

(Ash: You lie well ... you tell fairy tales, it’s nice! Lie, nothing ... not enough, brother, pleasant in the world!

Bubnov: Here is Luka, approximately ... he lies a lot ... and without any benefit to himself)

– Do you agree with this?

(After the words of the children. The actor, Natasha, Pepel, Nastya are having a hard time living at the “day” of life, and Luka seeks to help them change their fate. The crafty old man awakens HOPE in the rooming houses, since hope certainly implies that there are conditions in the world, necessary for its realization, but they exist in the world, not in man himself. internal forces person, but seeks support for him outside of him. )

- How does M. Gorky feel about Luka?

(One more work by Gorky, written a year after the creation of the play “At the Bottom”, will help to find the answer to this question. This is the poem “The Man” (1903), which the author called his credo.

(Man, the hero of the poem, proudly marches across the expanses of the Universe, forward and higher. He is invariably accompanied by a hostile retinue: Love, Friendship, Faith, Hope, Lies and the eternal companion - Death. About Hope in the poem it says this: “Thought looks vigilant, with a sharp eye and mercilessly illuminates everything ... the shy impotence of Hope and the Lie behind her - her sister, smart, painted Lie ... In alliance with the Lie, timid Hope sings to him about the joys of peace, sings about the quiet happiness of reconciliation and soft, beautiful words cradles the slumbering spirit, pushing it into the mire of sweet Leni and into the paws of Boredom, her daughter. So, Nadezhda is the sister of Lies, she reconciles the Man with life, puts him to sleep and deceives him with “beautiful words”.

So Luke is not lying in literally words, but, according to Gorky, he lies in principle. That is why Luke is a representative of lies. The actor speaks several times about the need for a person to believe in himself, in his opinion, because of the lack of faith in himself, he died. Instead of building faith in own forces, in his ability to change lives, Luke offers the heroes of the play the miserable crutches of Hope. The lines of the poem French poet Berenger:

"Lord, if the truth is holy

The world can't find the way

Honor to the madman who will inspire

Mankind has a golden dream, ”-

of course, addressed to Luke. Luke seduces people with hope and destroys them. Perhaps the association is based on this: Luke is crafty).

Working with illustrative material.

- Why did the writer give the wanderer the name Luke?

(Luke is the name of one of the four apostles, the creators of the Gospel. Luke is a preacher of Christian morality. The evil one is insidious, cunning.)

- What side of Luke's character was reflected by I. Moskvin and M. Tarkhanov?

(K. Stanislavsky - Satin. Gorky entrusted him with the most intimate thoughts about a person. Why? This truth is expressed in Satin's famous monologue).

3. Reading Sateen's monologue "Man - that's the truth!" students.

- What kind of person is Sateen talking about?

(Student presentations).

Reflection.

Both Satin and Luca argue that a person must be respected. For Luke, a person is not superfluous on earth, he is the center of the universe, but still he is an accident in the world, just a wanderer on earth: “We are all wanderers on earth ... They say,” I heard, “that our earth is also a wanderer in the sky ". And if this is so, then the main thing is to endure: “Everyone endures life in his own way.” It is here at the level of the goal human existence and the divergence between Luke and Gorky begins. No matter how much Gorky sympathizes with Luka, their union is impossible. At the heart of the truth of Satin-Gorky is a deep faith in man, in his limitless possibilities, in his exceptional potential forces. Such truth is God free man. Such a person does not need pity, he deserves respect. Man, that sounds proud.

Homework.

Write an essay "Who is right in a dispute about the truth?"

"You - believe!" He sees no other relief for people than dreams and illusions. The whole philosophy of Luke is compressed in one of his sayings “What you believe is what you are.” The old man advises the dying Anna not to be afraid of death, because she brings peace, which the eternally hungry Anna never knew.

The drunken Actor Luka inspires hope for a cure in a free clinic for alcoholics, although he knows that there is no such clinic, and Vaska Peplu talks about the opportunity to start a new life with Natasha in Siberia. One of the ideological centers of the play is the wanderer's story about how he saved two runaway convicts. This happened when he served as a watchman at the dacha of an engineer near Tomsk. On a cold winter night, thieves entered the dacha. Luka made them repent, regretted, fed him. He says, “Good men!”

If I hadn't had pity on them, they might have killed me or something. And then - the court, but the prison and Siberia, what's the point? Prison - does not teach good, and Siberia will not teach, but man - yes Man - can teach good very simply1 "The same thought about the great power of good sounds in his story about the "righteous land" Once upon a time there was a poor man, he lived badly, but did not lose heart, endured and dreamed of leaving this life and leaving for the righteous land “There must, he said, be a righteous land in the world in that, they say, land - special people inhabit good people1 they respect each other, each other - in every way - they help and everyone they are gloriously good.” In the most difficult moments of his life, this man was supported by the thought of a “righteous land.” He said to himself, “Nothing! I will endure! A few more - I'll wait and then - I'll give up this whole life and

I will go to the righteous land. He had one joy - this land "He lived in Siberia. There he met the exiled scientist and asked him to show on the map where this most righteous land is located. That's right, all the lands are shown, but the righteous one is not!” The man did not believe this scientist. How is it that “lived and lived, endured, endured and believed everything - there is, but according to the plans it turns out - no!” He got angry at the scientist, hit him in the ear, and then went home - and strangled the instructive meaning. The listeners were imbued with sympathy for the poor man, whose hopes were not justified. Natasha concludes, “It's a pity for a person. Can't stand the deception." Ashes says “ Well, yes, those righteous land didn’t turn out to mean." These words suggest that both Natasha and Pepel were also ready to believe in the existence of such a land where they could find shelter and work. He says to Natasha, “I will be literate work. So he says (points to Luka) - you have to go to Siberia of your own free will. Let's go there, well, do you think - my life - doesn't suit me? I don't believe in conscience.

But I feel like I need to live differently! It is better to JUST! We must live in such a way that I can respect myself.” The parable told by Luke had a sad end. By this, Luka, as it were, prepared his listeners for the fact that much of what Nastya, Natasha, Actor Baron, Klesh Pepel dream of can turn out to be a utopia, an unattainable hope. The seeds sown by Luke fell on fertile soil.

sown by Luke fell on fertile soil. The actor is excited about looking for a mythical city with a marble hospital for alcoholics. Ashes, convinced by the old man that he needs to go to Siberia, dreams of escaping from reality into a fantastic realm of justice and taking the pure Natasha with him. Unfortunate Anna tries to love the afterlife before her death. Nastya believes in “true love” and is waiting for it. Luka skillfully uses the bright things that are still preserved in the minds of these people to color and decorate the world around them. When the collapse of hopes begins, he imperceptibly disappears. The finale is as tragic as in the parable of the “righteous land”. The actor commits suicide, Pepel is arrested for the murder of Kostylev, Natasha's life is deeply unhappy and distorted, Anna dies. At the close of the third act, the distraught, crippled Natasha screams heart-rendingly, “Take them, judge them. Take me too, jail me for Christ's sake, jail me! » In the play “At the bottom”, Luke acts as not just a comforter. He philosophically substantiates his position. The main idea of ​​Gorky's character is that it is not violence or prison that can save a person and teach goodness, but only kindness.

The play "At the Bottom", written in 1902, showed that an innovative playwright had come to Russian literature. The problems of the play were also unusual, as were its characters, the inhabitants of the rooming house. In it, Gorky acted as the creator of a new type of socio-philosophical drama. He was able to objectively analyze surrounding reality, to penetrate into all its contradictions, which is necessary for writing any play. “At the bottom” is a play that was the result of everything seen, experienced and created earlier.
The play "At the Bottom" is an indictment of capitalist society, which throws people to the bottom of life, depriving them of honor, dignity, eradicating high human feelings. But even here, “at the bottom”, the power of the “masters of life” continues, represented in the play by the sinister figures of the owners of the rooming house.
The inhabitants of the “bottom” are people who “broke out” of life, but, unlike the heroes early stories, Gorky shows them as people devoid of a sense of protest. The writer does not acquaint us with the history of the life of his heroes, it is spoken about briefly. The present of the lodgers is terrible, they have no future. The playwright's attention is focused not so much on the destinies individual people and the contradictions that arise between them, how much during the life of all the characters as a whole.
Gorky did not confine himself to portraying one of the most characteristic social aspects of Russian reality. This is not an everyday, but a socio-philosophical play, which is based on an ideological conflict. It contrasts different views on a person, truth and lies in life, imaginary and genuine humanism.
Almost all the hostels take part in the discussion of these big questions in one way or another. The play is characterized by dialogues and monologues that reveal the social, philosophical and aesthetic positions of the characters. Of the inhabitants of the rooming house, Gorky especially singles out the wanderer Luka.
The passportless vagrant Luka, who had been beaten up a lot in his life, came to the conclusion that a person is worthy of pity and generously bestows it on the overnight stays. He acts as a comforter who wants to encourage or reconcile a person with his bleak existence.
Before leaving the rooming house, Luke tells its inhabitants about the "righteous land". There is such a land where “special people” live, who respect each other, help each other, and everything is “gloriously good” with them. One man Luke knew had a strong faith in this land. It was difficult for him in life, and in especially difficult moments this faith in the "righteous land" helped him not to lose his presence of mind. “He had one joy - this land ...”
But one day his fate collided with one scientist who had a lot of different books, plans and maps. The man asked to show him on the map that land. But the scientist did not find such a land, it turned out that it did not exist in the world. The dream of this man, which he cherished in his soul, shattered. In fact, this “righteous land” was a lie from beginning to end, and he knew this very well, but he lived with this deception, because it gave him at least some hope, helped him to survive. But when he was told to his face that his "righteous land" was a lie, then there was no need to live.
Such a comforting lie only temporarily calms a person, leading him away from the difficult reality. And the more a person deceives himself, the more terrible the perception of reality.
A comforting lie for the benefit of a person, “you can’t always cure the soul with the truth,” such is the philosophical position of Luke. Such a position is unacceptable for Gorky, he calls Luka a swindler, a deceiver. However, these statements should not be taken literally. Lying does not bring Luka any benefits. the judgment of Luke as a deceiver is connected with Gorky's understanding of true humanism. Genuine humanism, according to the writer, affirms the high purpose of a person and actively advocates for his life rights. Imaginary humanism calls for pity for a person, expressing only outward sympathy for him. Preachers like Luke only dull a person's sense of protest against social injustice. They act as reconcilers with life, while humanists are needed, calling for a radical restructuring of the social world order.

(Analysis of an episode from Act III of M. Gorky's play "At the Bottom")

M. Gorky's play "At the Bottom" was written in 1902 and then staged on the stage of the Moscow Art Theater. The dramatic nerve of the play is the wanderer Luke. It is around him that the characters are grouped, it is with his arrival that the long-stagnant life of the rooming house begins to buzz like a beehive. This wandering preacher consoles everyone, promises deliverance from suffering to everyone, says to everyone: “You - hope!”, “You - believe!” He sees no other relief for people than dreams and illusions. The whole philosophy of Luke is condensed into one of his sayings: "What you believe is what you are." The old man advises the dying Anna not to be afraid of death: after all, she brings peace, which the eternally hungry Anna never knew. The drunken Actor Luka inspires hope for a cure in a free clinic for alcoholics, although he knows that there is no such clinic, and Vaska Peplu talks about the opportunity to start a new life with Natasha in Siberia. One of the ideological centers of the play is the wanderer's story about how he saved two runaway convicts. This happened when he served as a watchman at the dacha of an engineer near Tomsk. On a cold winter night, thieves entered the dacha. Luke made them repent, took pity on them, fed them. He says: “Good men! If I hadn't had pity on them, they might have killed me... or something else... And then - a court, yes a prison, yes Siberia... what's the point? Prison does not teach goodness, and Siberia does not teach ... but a person will teach ... yes! A person can teach good things ... very simply!”

The same thought about the great power of good sounds in his story about the "righteous land." There lived one poor man, he lived badly, but did not lose heart, endured and dreamed of leaving this life and going to a righteous land: “There must, he said, be a righteous land in the world ... in that, they say, land - special people inhabit ... good people! They respect each other, they help each other - in any way - simply - they help ... and everything is nice and good with them! In the most difficult moments of his life, this man was supported by the thought of a "righteous land." He said to himself: “Nothing! I will suffer! A few more - I'll wait ... and then - I'll give up this whole life and - go to the righteous land ... He had one joy - this land ... ”He lived in Siberia. There he met the exiled scientist and asked him to show on the map where this most righteous land is located. “The scientist opened the book, laid out the plans ... looked and looked - there is no righteous land anywhere! That's right, all the lands are shown, but the righteous one is not!” The man did not believe this scientist. How is it that “lived and lived, endured, endured and believed everything - there is! but according to the plans it turns out - no! He got angry at the scientist, hit him in the ear, and then went home - and strangled himself! ..

Luke's story can be called a parable because it contains an instructive meaning. The listeners were imbued with sympathy for the poor man, whose hopes were not justified. Natasha concludes: “It’s a pity ... a man ... I couldn’t stand the deception ...” Pepel says: “Well ... those are the righteous land ... it didn’t turn out, that means ...” These words suggest that both Natasha and Pepel were also ready to believe in the existence of such a land where they could find shelter and work. He says to Natasha: “I am literate ... I will work ... So he says (points to Luka) - we must go to Siberia of our own free will .. Let's go there, well? .. Do you think - my life - does not disgust me? ... I don’t repent… I don’t believe in conscience… But I feel one thing: we must live… otherwise! It is better to live! It is necessary to live like this ... so that I can respect myself ... "

The parable told by Luke had a sad ending. By this, Luka, as it were, prepared his listeners for the fact that much of what Nastya, Natasha, Actor, Baron, Kleshch, Pepel dream of could turn out to be a utopia, an unattainable hope. The seeds sown by Luke fell on fertile ground. The actor is excited about looking for a mythical city with a marble hospital for alcoholics. Ashes, convinced by the old man that he needs to go to Siberia, dreams of escaping from reality into a fantastic realm of justice and taking the pure Natasha with him. The unfortunate Anna tries to love the afterlife before her death. Nastya believes in "true love" and is waiting for it. Luke skillfully uses the bright things that are still preserved in the minds of these people in order to color and decorate the world around them. When the collapse of hopes begins, he imperceptibly disappears. The ending is as tragic as in the parable of the "righteous land". The actor commits suicide, Pepel is arrested for the murder of Kostylev, Natasha's life is deeply unhappy and distorted, Anna dies. At the end of the third act, the distraught, crippled Natasha screams heart-rendingly: “Take them ... judge them ... Take me too, take me to prison! For Christ's sake ... in jail me! .. "

In the play "At the bottom" Luke acts as not just a comforter. He philosophically substantiates his position. The main idea of ​​Gorky's character is that it is not violence, not prison, but only goodness that can save a person and teach goodness. Luka says: “It is necessary, girl, to be kind to someone ... you need to feel sorry for people! Christ took pity on everyone and ordered us so ... I’ll tell you - it’s good to feel sorry for a person in time! So, in the play, the main bearer of goodness is Luka, he pities people, sympathizes with them and tries to help in word and deed. The author's position is expressed, in particular, plot. Last event plays - the death of the Actor - confirms the words of Luke: a man believed, then he lost his faith and strangled himself. And although Gorky was in many ways close in his human qualities this wanderer-comforter, he was able to expose the false humanism of Luke. It is by the end of the play that he proves that the saving lie did not save anyone, that one cannot live in captivity of illusions, that the way out and insight are always tragic, and most importantly, that a person living in a world of comforting lies reconciles with his miserable, hopeless life and thereby dooms yourself to death.