In my humble opinion of course =)
10. Tess Durbeyfield
The main character of the novel by the English writer Thomas Hardy "Tess of the d" Urbervilles. " A peasant girl who stood out from her friends with her beauty, intelligence, sensitivity and kind heart.
“She was a beautiful girl, perhaps no more beautiful than some others, but a mobile scarlet mouth and large innocent eyes emphasized her good looks. She adorned her hair with a red ribbon and among women dressed in white, she was the only one who could boast of such a bright decoration.
There was still something childlike about her face. And today, despite her bright femininity, her cheeks sometimes suggested a twelve-year-old girl, shining eyes - a nine-year-old, and the curve of her mouth - a five-year-old baby.
This is the image of Tess from the films.
9. Rosa del Valle
The character of the novel by Isabel Allende "House of Spirits", the sister of the main character Clara. The first beauty of magical realism.
"Her striking beauty caused confusion even in her mother; it seemed to be made of some other material, different from human nature. Nivea knew that the girl did not belong to this world even before Rosa was born, because she saw her in her dreams. Therefore, she was not surprised by the scream of the midwife when she looked at the girl. Rose was white, smooth, wrinkle-free, like a porcelain doll, with green hair and yellow eyes. The most beautiful creature ever born on earth since original sin, as the midwife exclaimed, crossing herself. At the very first bath, the Nanny rinsed the girl's hair with an infusion of manzanilla, which had the property of softening the color of the hair, giving it a shade of old bronze, and then began to take it out into the sun to harden the transparent skin. These tricks were in vain: very soon a rumor spread that an angel was born in the del Valle family. Nivea expected that while the girl was growing, any imperfections would open, but nothing of the sort happened. By the age of eighteen, Rosa had not grown fat, acne did not appear on her face, and her grace, bestowed only by the sea element, became even more beautiful. The color of her skin with a slight bluish tinge, the color of her hair, the slowness of her movements, her silence betrayed in her a dweller of the waters. In some ways, she resembled fish, and if she had a scaly tail instead of legs, she would clearly become a siren.
8. Juliet Capulet
No need to say where from?;))) We look at this heroine through the eyes of Romeo in love with her, and this is a wonderful feeling...
"She eclipsed the rays of torches,
Her beauty shines in the night
As in already the Moor's pearls are incomparable
The rarest gift for the world is too valuable.
And I loved? .. No, renounce the look
I haven't seen beauty yet.
7. Margarita
Bulgakovskaya Margarita.
"A naturally curly-haired, black-haired woman of about twenty was looking at the thirty-year-old Magarita from the mirror, laughing uncontrollably, grinning her teeth.
"His beloved was called Margarita Nikolaevna. Everything that the master said about her was the absolute truth. He described his beloved correctly. She was beautiful and smart. One more thing must be added to this - we can say with confidence that many women are anything , would have given for exchanging her life for the life of Margarita Nikolaevna. The thirty-year-old childless Margarita was the wife of a very prominent specialist, who, moreover, made the most important discovery of national importance.
6. Tatyana Larina
But what about without her? Smart, beautiful, modest, feminine...=)) She has everything.
"So, her name was Tatyana.
Nor the beauty of his sister,
Nor the freshness of her ruddy
She would not attract eyes.
Dika, sad, silent,
Like a forest doe is timid,
She is in her family
She seemed like a stranger."
5. Esmeralda
The gypsy from Hugo's novel, who still captivates our hearts with her beauty and dancing.
“She was short in stature, but seemed tall - her thin frame was so slender. She was swarthy, but it was not difficult to guess that during the day her skin had a wonderful golden hue, inherent in Andalusians and Romans. The small foot was also an Andalusian foot, so lightly did she step in her narrow elegant shoe. The girl danced, fluttered, whirled on an old Persian carpet carelessly thrown under her feet, and every time her radiant face appeared before you, the look of her large black eyes blinded you like lightning. The eyes of the crowd were riveted to her, all mouths gaped. She danced to the rumble of a tambourine, which her rounded virgin hands raised high above her head. Thin, fragile, with bare shoulders and slender legs occasionally flashing from under her skirt, black-haired, quick as a wasp, in a golden bodice tightly fitting her waist, in a motley swollen dress, shining with her eyes, she seemed to be a truly unearthly creature ... "
4. Assol
I don’t even know, maybe she wasn’t a beauty, but for me Assol is the living embodiment of a Dream. Isn't the dream beautiful?
“Behind the walnut frame, in the light emptiness of the reflected room, stood a thin, short girl dressed in cheap white muslin with pink flowers. A gray silk scarf lay on her shoulders. Half-childish, in a light tan, her face was mobile and expressive; beautiful, somewhat serious for her age her eyes gazed with the timid concentration of deep souls.Her irregular face could touch with the subtle purity of outlines; every curve, every bulge of this face, of course, would have found a place in a multitude of female forms, but their totality, style - was completely original, - originally sweet ; we will stop there. The rest is not subject to words, except for the word "charm."
3. Scarlett O'Hara
Every woman has something of Scarlett. But as a hero of a literary work, she is unique. So far, no one has been able to repeat such a strong female image.
"Scarlett O'Hara was not a beauty, but men were hardly aware of this if, like the Tarleton twins, they fell prey to her charms. Very bizarrely combined in her face were the refined features of her mother - a local aristocrat of French origin - and the large, expressive features of her father - a healthy Irishman. Scarlett's broad-cheeked, chiseled-chin face was involuntarily drawn to her gaze. Especially the eyes - slightly slanted, light green, transparent, framed by dark eyelashes. On a forehead as white as a magnolia petal - ah, this white skin, which the women of the American South are so proud of, carefully protecting it with hats, veils and mitts from the hot Georgia sun! - two impeccably clear lines of eyebrows rapidly flew up obliquely - from the bridge of the nose to the temples.
2. Arwen
For me, Arwen is the embodiment of magical beauty. It combines all the best from people and magical creatures. She is Harmony and Light itself.
Opposite Elrond, in an armchair under a canopy, sat a beautiful, like a fairy, guest, but in the features of her face, feminine and tender, the masculine appearance of the owner of the house was repeated, or rather, guessed, and, peering more closely, Frodo realized that she was not a guest. and a relative of Elrond. Was she young? Yes and no. The hoarfrost of gray hair did not silver her hair, and her face was youthful fresh, as if she had just washed her face with dew, and her pale gray eyes shone with the pure brilliance of predawn stars but they contained a mature wisdom that only life experience gives, only the experience of years lived on Earth.In her low silver diadem, round pearls shone softly, and a barely noticeable garland of leaves embroidered with thin silver stretched along the collar of her gray, unadorned dress. It was the daughter of Elrond, Arwen, who was seen by few mortals - in her, as the people said, the beauty of Lucien returned to Earth, and the Elves gave her the name Andomiel; for them she was the Evening Star. Sienna Guillory as Elena.
FavoritesWho is a literary character? We devote our article to this issue. In it, we will tell you where this name came from, what literary characters and images are, 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"?
It came to us from ancient Latin (persona, personnage). Meaning - "person", "person", "person".
So, a literary character is a protagonist. We are mainly talking about prose genres, since images in poetry are usually called "lyrical hero".
It is impossible to write a story or a poem, a novel or a story without characters. Otherwise, it will be a meaningless set, if not of words, then perhaps of events. The heroes are people and animals, mythological and fantastic creatures, inanimate objects, for example, Andersen's tenacious 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 with the loss of secondary characters, we will lose a certain branch of the storyline or the 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 fairy tale about Cinderella, the poor Cinderella herself is a positive hero, she evokes pleasant emotions, you sympathize with her. But the sisters and the evil stepmother are clearly heroes of a completely different warehouse.
Character characteristic. How to write?
Heroes of literary works sometimes (especially in a literature lesson at school) 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 with brief explanations of 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.
- Conclusions.
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. This is especially true of famous characters in 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 this? The same as the hero, or not? The answer will be both positive and negative, because a literary character may well be a literary image, 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 is an "eternal image"? This concept names a hero created at some time by an author or folklore. But he was so "characteristic" and special that after years and epochs other authors write their characters from him, perhaps giving them other names, but without changing the essence of this. Such heroes include the fighter with 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 good heroes and imitate only the positive traits of their character.
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 Russian female characters is that 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 true dramatic heroine, Anna voluntarily makes the wrong choice, a choice she will have to pay for. Anna's sin and the source of her tragic fate is not that she left the child, but 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 the biblical story of 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 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 "The Nest of Nobles" Turgenev created an example of a Russian heroine. Liza is young, naive, pure in heart. She is torn between two boyfriends: 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, the last on the list is Bulgakov's 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, a loving and tender soul, a simple person 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 of mature 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 or “poor Liza” (which, incidentally, was written earlier than Pushkin's Tatyana) and Katerina Kabanova (from Ostrosky's Thunderstorm) is surprising. It seems to me that these Russian literary heroines are better known among us than Liza Kalitina or Olga Semyonova. However, this is my subjective opinion. Who would you add to this list?
Literary heroes, as a rule, are the fiction of the 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 figures, unfamiliar to a wide range of readers, were.
1. Sherlock Holmes
Even the author himself admitted that Sherlock Holmes has many similarities 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" 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 became 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 the 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 Bulgakov's famous novel Heart of a Dog also had a real prototype - a 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. The fairy-tale hero received from a 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
It's a shame, but the protagonist of the 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 connection. 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 the no less telling role of the seller of leeches Duremar went to Meyerhold's assistant, who works 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 novel Lolita, he regularly looked through 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 assure that Hermann Goering became a possible prototype of this funny character. 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, the world-famous teddy bear got its name in honor of the favorite toy of the writer Milne's son 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 a bear who lived in the 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 dropped his name in the most 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 broke up, after which Fitzgerald wrote that "poor boys should not even think about 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.
Epics about Ilya Muromets
Hero Ilya Muromets, son of Ivan Timofeevich and Efrosinya Yakovlevna, peasants of the village of Karacharova near Murom. The most popular epic character, the second most powerful (after Svyatogor) Russian hero and the first domestic superman.
Sometimes a real person is identified with the epic Ilya Muromets, the Monk Ilya of the Caves, nicknamed Chobotok, buried in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and canonized in 1643.
Years of creation. 12th–16th centuries
What is the point. Until the age of 33, Ilya lay, paralyzed, on the stove in his parents' house, until he was miraculously healed by wanderers ("passing stones"). Having gained strength, he arranged his father's household and went to Kyiv, along the way capturing Nightingale the Robber, who terrorized the neighborhood. In Kyiv, Ilya Muromets joined the squad of Prince Vladimir and found the hero Svyatogor, who gave him the sword-treasurer and the mystical "real power". In this episode, he demonstrated not only physical strength, but also high moral qualities, not responding to the advances of Svyatogor's wife. Later, Ilya Muromets defeated the “great force” near Chernigov, paved the direct road from Chernigov to Kiev, inspected the roads from Alatyr-stone, tested the young hero Dobrynya Nikitich, rescued the hero Mikhail Potyk from captivity in the Saracen kingdom, defeated Idolishche, walked with his squad to Tsargrad, one defeated the army of Kalin Tsar.
Ilya Muromets was not alien to simple human joys: in one of the epic episodes, he walks around Kiev with “tavern goals”, and his offspring Sokolnik was born out of wedlock, which later leads to a fight between father and son.
What does it look like. Superman. Epics describe Ilya Muromets as "a remote, burly good fellow", he fights with a club "in ninety pounds" (1440 kilograms)!
What is he fighting for. Ilya Muromets and his squad very clearly formulate the purpose of their service:
“... stand alone for the faith for the fatherland,
... to stand alone for Kyiv-grad,
... to stand alone for the churches for the cathedral,
... he will save the prince and Vladimir.
But Ilya Muromets is not only a statesman - he is also one of the most democratic fighters against evil, as he is always ready to fight "for widows, for orphans, for poor people."
The way to fight. A duel with the enemy or a battle with superior enemy forces.
With what result. Despite the difficulties caused by the numerical superiority of the enemy or the dismissive attitude of Prince Vladimir and the boyars, he invariably wins.
What is it fighting against? Against the internal and external enemies of Rus' and their allies, violators of law and order, illegal migrants, invaders and aggressors.
2. Archpriest Avvakum
"The Life of Archpriest Avvakum"
Hero. Archpriest Avvakum made his way from a village priest to the leader of the resistance to church reform, Patriarch Nikon, and became one of the leaders of the Old Believers, or schismatics. Avvakum is the first religious figure of this magnitude, who not only suffered for his beliefs, but also described it himself.
Years of creation. Approximately 1672–1675.
What is the point. A native of the Volga village, Avvakum from his youth was distinguished by both piety and violent temper. Having moved to Moscow, he took an active part in church and educational activities, was close to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, but sharply opposed the church reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon. With his characteristic temperament, Avvakum waged a fierce struggle against Nikon, advocating the old order of church ritual. Avvakum, not at all embarrassed in expressions, conducted public and journalistic activities, for which he repeatedly went to prison, was cursed and defrocked, and was exiled to Tobolsk, Transbaikalia, Mezen and Pustozersk. From the place of the last exile, he continued to write appeals, for which he was imprisoned in an "earthen pit". Had many followers. Church hierarchs tried to persuade Avvakum to renounce his "delusions", but he remained adamant and was eventually burned.
What does it look like. One can only guess: Avvakum did not describe himself. Maybe this is how the priest looks like in Surikov’s painting “Boyar Morozova” - Feodosia Prokopyevna Morozova was a faithful follower of Avvakum.
What is he fighting for. For the purity of the Orthodox faith, for the preservation of tradition.
The way to fight. Word and deed. Avvakum wrote accusatory pamphlets, but he could personally beat the buffoons who entered the village and break their musical instruments. Considered self-immolation as a form of possible resistance.
With what result. Avvakum's passionate sermon against church reform made resistance to it massive, but he himself, along with three of his associates, was executed in 1682 in Pustozersk.
What is it fighting against? Against the desecration of Orthodoxy by "heretical novelties", against everything alien, "external wisdom", that is, scientific knowledge, against entertainment. He suspects the imminent coming of the Antichrist and the reign of the devil.
3. Taras Bulba
"Taras Bulba"
Hero.“Taras was one of the indigenous, old colonels: he was all created for abusive anxiety and was distinguished by the rude directness of his temper. Then the influence of Poland was already beginning to appear on the Russian nobility. Many already adopted Polish customs, started luxury, magnificent servants, falcons, hunters, dinners, courtyards. Taras didn't like it. He loved the simple life of the Cossacks and quarreled with those of his comrades who were inclined towards the Warsaw side, calling them serfs of the Polish lords. Eternally restless, he considered himself the legitimate defender of Orthodoxy. Arbitrarily entered the villages, where they only complained about the harassment of tenants and the increase in new duties on smoke. He himself carried out reprisals against his Cossacks and made it a rule for himself that in three cases one should always take up a saber, namely: when the commissars did not respect the foremen in anything and stood in front of them in hats, when they mocked Orthodoxy and did not honor the ancestral law, and, finally, when the enemies were the Busurmans and the Turks, against whom he considered it at least permissible to take up arms for the glory of Christianity.
Year of creation. The story was first published in 1835 in the collection Mirgorod. The edition of 1842, in which, in fact, we all read Taras Bulba, differs significantly from the original version.
What is the point. Throughout his life, the dashing Cossack Taras Bulba has been fighting for the liberation of Ukraine from oppressors. He, the glorious ataman, cannot bear the thought that his own children, flesh of his flesh, may not follow his example. Therefore, Taras kills Andriy's son, who betrayed the sacred cause, without hesitation. When another son, Ostap, is captured, our hero deliberately penetrates into the heart of the enemy camp - but not in order to try to save his son. His only goal is to make sure that Ostap, under torture, did not show cowardice and did not renounce high ideals. Taras himself dies like Joan of Arc, having previously presented Russian culture with the immortal phrase: “There are no bonds holier than camaraderie!”
What does it look like. Extremely heavy and fat (20 pounds, in terms of - 320 kg), gloomy eyes, black-white eyebrows, mustache and forelock.
What is he fighting for. For the liberation of the Zaporozhian Sich, for independence.
The way to fight. Hostilities.
With what result. With deplorable. All died.
What is it fighting against? Against oppressor Poles, foreign yoke, police despotism, old-world landowners and court satraps.
4. Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov
"A song about Tsar Ivan Vasilievich, a young guardsman and a daring merchant Kalashnikov"
Hero. Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov, merchant class. Trades in silks - with varying degrees of success. Moskvich. Orthodox. Has two younger brothers. He is married to the beautiful Alena Dmitrievna, because of whom the whole story came out.
Year of creation. 1838
What is the point. Lermontov was not fond of the theme of Russian heroism. He wrote romantic poems about nobles, officers, Chechens and Jews. But he was one of the first to find out that the 19th century is rich only in the heroes of his time, but heroes for all time should be sought in the deep past. There, in the Moscow of Ivan the Terrible, a hero was found (or rather, invented) with the now speaking surname Kalashnikov. The young oprichnik Kiribeevich falls in love with his wife and attacks her at night, persuading her to surrender. The next day, the offended husband challenges the oprichnik to a fistfight and kills him with one blow. For the murder of his beloved oprichnik and for the fact that Kalashnikov refuses to name the reason for his act, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich orders the execution of a young merchant, but does not leave his widow and children with mercy and care. Such is royal justice.
What does it look like.
"His falcon eyes are burning,
He looks at the oprichnik intently.
Opposite him, he becomes
Pulls on combat gloves
Mighty shoulders straightens.
What is he fighting for. For the honor of his woman and family. Kiribeevich's attack on Alena Dmitrievna was seen by the neighbors, and now she cannot appear before the eyes of honest people. Although, going out to fight with the guardsman, Kalashnikov solemnly declares that he is fighting "for the holy truth-mother." But heroes sometimes distort.
The way to fight. Fatal fistfight. In fact, a murder in broad daylight in front of thousands of witnesses.
With what result.
“And they executed Stepan Kalashnikov
Death is fierce, shameful;
And the untalented head
She rolled on the chopping block in blood.
But on the other hand, Kiribeevich was also buried.
What is it fighting against? Evil in the poem is personified by an oprichnik with a foreign patronymic Kiribeevich, and even a relative of Malyuta Skuratov, that is, an enemy squared. Kalashnikov calls him "basurman's son", alluding to his enemy's lack of Moscow registration. And the first (and also the last) blow this person of eastern nationality inflicts not on the face of a merchant, but on an Orthodox cross with relics from Kyiv, which hangs on a valiant chest. He says to Alena Dmitrievna: “I am not a thief, a forest murderer, / I am a servant of the king, the terrible king ...” - that is, he hides behind the highest mercy. So the heroic act of Kalashnikov is nothing but a deliberate murder on the basis of ethnic hatred. Lermontov, who himself participated in the Caucasian campaigns and wrote a lot about the wars with the Chechens, the theme of "Moscow for Muscovites" in its anti-Basurman section was close.
5. Danko "Old Woman Izergil"
Hero Danko. Biography unknown.
“In the old days, only people lived in the world, impenetrable forests surrounded the camps of these people on three sides, and on the fourth there was a steppe. They were cheerful, strong and courageous people ... Danko is one of those people ... "
Year of creation. The short story "Old Woman Izergil" was first published in Samarskaya Gazeta in 1895.
What is the point. Danko is the fruit of the irrepressible imagination of the very old woman Izergil, whose name is Gorky's short story. A sultry Bessarabian old woman with a rich past tells a beautiful legend: at the time of the ona, there was a redistribution of property - there were disassemblies between the two tribes. Not wishing to remain in the occupied territory, one of the tribes went into the forest, but there the people suffered a massive depression, because "nothing - neither work nor women exhaust the bodies and souls of people as exhausting dreary thoughts." At a critical moment, Danko did not allow his people to bow to the conquerors, but instead offered to follow him - in an unknown direction.
What does it look like.“Danko… a handsome young man. The beautiful are always bold.
What is he fighting for. Go know. For getting out of the forest and thereby ensuring freedom for your people. Where are the guarantees that freedom is exactly where the forest ends, it is not clear.
The way to fight. An unpleasant physiological operation, indicating a masochistic personality. Self-dismemberment.
With what result. With dual. He got out of the forest, but died immediately. Sophisticated mockery of one's own body does not go in vain. The hero did not receive gratitude for his feat: his heart, torn from his chest with his own hand, was trampled under someone's heartless heel.
What is it fighting against? Against collaborationism, conciliation and cringing before the conquerors.
6. Colonel Isaev (Stirlitz)
Corpus of texts, from "Diamonds for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat" to "Bomb for the Chairman", the most important of the novels - "Seventeen Moments of Spring"
Hero. Vsevolod Vladimirovich Vladimirov, aka Maxim Maksimovich Isaev, aka Max Otto von Stirlitz, aka Estilitz, Bolsen, Brunn. An employee of the press service of the Kolchak government, an underground Chekist, intelligence officer, professor of history, exposing the conspiracy of the followers of Nazism.
Years of creation. Novels about Colonel Isaev were created over 24 years - from 1965 to 1989.
What is the point. In 1921, Chekist Vladimirov liberates the Far East from the remnants of the White Army. In 1927, they decided to send him to Europe - it was then that the legend of the German aristocrat Max Otto von Stirlitz was born. In 1944, he saved Krakow from destruction by helping the group of Major Whirlwind. At the very end of the war, he was entrusted with the most important mission - the disruption of separate negotiations between Germany and the West. In Berlin, the hero does his hard work, saving the radio operator Kat along the way, the end of the war is already close, and the Third Reich is collapsing to the song of Marika Rekk "Seventeen Moments of April". In 1945, Stirlitz was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
What does it look like. From the party characteristics of a member of the NSDAP since 1933 von Stirlitz, SS Standartenführer (VI department of the RSHA): “A true Aryan. Character - Nordic, seasoned. Maintains good relations with co-workers. Fulfills his duty without fail. Merciless to the enemies of the Reich. Excellent athlete: Berlin tennis champion. Single; he was not noticed in connections discrediting him. Marked with awards from the Fuhrer and thanks from the Reichsfuehrer SS ... "
What is he fighting for. For the victory of communism. It is unpleasant for oneself to admit this, but in some situations - for the motherland, for Stalin.
The way to fight. Intelligence and espionage, in some places the deductive method, ingenuity, skill-disguise.
With what result. On the one hand, he saves everyone who needs it and successfully carries out subversive activities; reveals covert intelligence networks and defeats the main enemy - Gestapo chief Muller. However, the Soviet country, for the honor and victory of which he is fighting, thanks his hero in his own way: in 1947, he, who had just arrived in the Union on a Soviet ship, was arrested, and by order of Stalin, his wife and son were shot. Stirlitz is released from prison only after the death of Beria.
What is it fighting against? Against whites, Spanish fascists, German Nazis and all enemies of the USSR.
7. Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilyov "Look into the eyes of monsters"
Hero Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilyov, symbolist poet, superman, conquistador, member of the Order of the Fifth Rome, arbiter of Soviet history and fearless destroyer of dragons.
Year of creation. 1997
What is the point. Nikolai Gumilyov was not shot in 1921 in the dungeons of the Cheka. From execution, he was saved by Yakov Wilhelmovich (or James William Bruce), a representative of the secret Order of the Fifth Rome, created back in the 13th century. Having acquired the gift of immortality and power, Gumilyov walks through the history of the 20th century, generously leaving his traces in it. He puts Marilyn Monroe to bed, along the way building chickens to Agatha Christie, gives valuable advice to Ian Fleming, out of absurdity of character starts a duel with Mayakovsky and, leaving his cold corpse in Lubyansky passage, runs, leaving the police and literary critics to compose a version of suicide. He takes part in the congress of writers and sits down on xerion - a magical dope based on dragon blood, which gives immortality to members of the order. Everything would be fine - the problems begin later, when the evil dragon forces begin to threaten not only the world in general, but the Gumilyov family: wife Annushka and son Stepa.
What is he fighting for. First, for goodness and beauty, then he is no longer up to high ideas - he simply saves his wife and son.
The way to fight. Gumilyov participates in an unthinkable number of battles and battles, owns hand-to-hand combat techniques and all types of firearms. True, in order to achieve special sleight of hand, fearlessness, omnipotence, invulnerability and even immortality, he has to throw xerion.
With what result. Nobody knows. The novel "Look into the eyes of monsters" ends without giving an answer to this burning question. All the continuations of the novel (both the Hyperborean Plague and the March of the Ecclesiastes), firstly, are much less recognized by Lazarchuk-Uspensky's fans, and secondly, and most importantly, they also do not offer the reader clues.
What is it fighting against? Having learned about the real causes of the disasters that hit the world in the 20th century, he fights first of all with these misfortunes. In other words, with a civilization of evil lizards.
8. Vasily Terkin
"Vasily Terkin"
Hero. Vasily Terkin, reserve private, infantryman. A native of Smolensk. Single, no children. He has an award for the totality of feats.
Years of creation. 1941–1945
What is the point. Contrary to popular belief, the need for such a hero appeared even before the Great Patriotic War. Tvardovsky came up with Terkin during the Finnish campaign, where he, along with the Pulkins, Mushkins, Protirkins and other characters in newspaper feuilletons, fought with the White Finns for their homeland. So in 1941, Terkin entered an already experienced fighter. By 1943, Tvardovsky was tired of his unsinkable hero and wanted to send him into retirement due to injury, but letters from readers returned Terkin to the front, where he spent another two years, was shell-shocked and surrounded three times, conquered high and low heights, led fights in the swamps, liberated villages, took Berlin and even spoke with Death. His rustic but sparkling wit invariably saved him from enemies and censors, but he definitely did not attract girls. Tvardovsky even turned to readers with an appeal to love his hero - just like that, from the heart. Still, Soviet heroes do not have the dexterity of James Bond.
What does it look like. Endowed with beauty He was not excellent, Not tall, not that small, But a hero - a hero.
What is he fighting for. For the cause of peace for the sake of life on earth, that is, his task, like that of any soldier-liberator, is global. Terkin himself is sure that he is fighting “for Russia, for the people / And for everything in the world”, but sometimes, just in case, he also mentions the Soviet government - no matter what happens.
The way to fight. In war, as you know, any means are good, so everything is used: a tank, a machine gun, a knife, a wooden spoon, fists, teeth, vodka, the power of persuasion, a joke, a song, an accordion ...
With what result. Several times he was on the verge of death. He was supposed to receive a medal, but due to a typo in the list, the award did not find the hero.
But imitators found him: by the end of the war, almost every company already had its own “Terkin”, and some even had two.
What is it fighting against? First against the Finns, then against the Nazis, and sometimes against Death. In fact, Terkin was called upon to fight depressive moods at the front, which he did with success.
9. Anastasia Kamenskaya
A series of detective stories about Anastasia Kamenskaya
Heroine. Nastya Kamenskaya, major of MUR, the best analyst of Petrovka, a brilliant operative, in the manner of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot investigating serious crimes.
Years of creation. 1992–2006
What is the point. The work of an operative involves hard everyday life (the first evidence of this is the television series "Streets of Broken Lights"). But it is difficult for Nastya Kamenskaya to rush around the city and catch bandits in dark alleys: she is lazy, in poor health, and loves peace more than anything in the world. Because of this, she periodically has difficulties in relations with management. Only her first boss and teacher, nicknamed Kolobok, believed in her analytical abilities without limit; the rest have to prove that she is the best at investigating bloody crimes, sitting in the office, drinking coffee and analyzing, analyzing.
What does it look like. Tall, lean blonde, her features expressionless. She never wears make-up and prefers casual, comfortable clothes.
What is he fighting for. Definitely not for a modest police salary: knowing five foreign languages and having some connections, Nastya can leave Petrovka at any moment, but she does not. It turns out that he is fighting for the triumph of law and order.
The way to fight. First of all, analytics. But sometimes Nastya has to change her habits and go on the warpath on her own. In this case, acting skills, the art of reincarnation and female charm are used.
With what result. Most often - with brilliant: criminals are exposed, caught, punished. But in rare cases, some of them manage to hide, and then Nastya does not sleep at night, smokes one cigarette after another, goes crazy and tries to come to terms with the injustice of life. However, so far there are clearly more happy endings.
What is it fighting against? Against crime.
10. Erast Fandorin
A series of novels about Erast Fandorin
Hero. Erast Petrovich Fandorin, a nobleman, the son of a small landowner who lost his family fortune at cards. He began his career in the detective police as a collegiate registrar, managed to visit the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, serve in the diplomatic corps in Japan and incur the disfavor of Nicholas II. He rose to the rank of State Councilor and retired. Private detective and consultant to various influential people since 1892. Phenomenally lucky in everything, especially in gambling. Single. Has a number of children and other descendants.
Years of creation. 1998–2006
What is the point. The turn of the XX-XXI centuries again turned out to be an era that is looking for heroes in the past. Akunin found his defender of the weak and oppressed in the gallant 19th century, but in the professional field that is becoming especially popular right now - in the special services. Of all Akunin's stylistic undertakings, Fandorin is the most charming and therefore the most enduring. His biography begins in 1856, the action of the last novel dates back to 1905, and the end of the story has not yet been written, so you can always expect new achievements from Erast Petrovich. Although Akunin, like Tvardovsky earlier, since 2000 has been trying to end his hero and write his last novel about him. The Coronation is subtitled The Last of the Novels; the “Lover of Death” and “The Mistress of Death” written after her were published as a bonus, but then it became clear that Fandorin's readers would not let go so easily. The people need, need, an elegant detective who knows languages and is wildly popular with women. Not all the same "Cops", in fact!
What does it look like.“He was a very pretty young man, with black hair (which he was secretly proud of) and blue (alas, it would be better also black) eyes, rather tall, with white skin and a cursed, indestructible blush on his cheeks.” After the experience of misfortune, his appearance acquires an intriguing detail for ladies - gray temples.
What is he fighting for. For an enlightened monarchy, order and law. Fandorin dreams of a new Russia - ennobled in the Japanese manner, with firmly and reasonably established laws and their scrupulous execution. About Russia, which did not go through the Russo-Japanese and the First World War, revolution and civil war. That is, about Russia, which could be if we had enough luck and common sense to build it.
The way to fight. A combination of the deductive method, meditation techniques and Japanese martial arts with almost mystical luck. By the way, there is also female love, which Fandorin uses in every sense.
With what result. As we know, the Russia that Fandorin dreams about did not happen. So globally, he suffers a crushing defeat. Yes, and in small things too: those whom he tries to save most often die, and the criminals never go to jail (they die, or pay off the court, or simply disappear). However, Fandorin himself invariably remains alive, as does the hope for the final triumph of justice.
What is it fighting against? Against the unenlightened monarchy, revolutionary bombers, nihilists and socio-political chaos, which in Russia can come at any moment. Along the way, he has to fight bureaucracy, corruption in the highest echelons of power, fools, roads and ordinary criminals.
Illustrations: Maria Sosnina
