The court adviser Podkolesin, lying on the sofa with a pipe and thinking that it would not hurt to get married, calls on the servant Stepan, whom he asks both about whether the matchmaker has come in, and about his visit to the tailor, about the quality of the cloth put on the tailcoat and not did the tailor ask why the master's tailcoat was of such fine cloth and whether, they say, the master wanted to marry. Turning then to waxing and discussing it in the same detail, Podkolesin laments that marriage is such a troublesome thing. The matchmaker Fekla Ivanovna appears and talks about the bride Agafya Tikhonovna, a merchant's daughter, her appearance (“like refined sugar!”), Her unwillingness to marry a merchant, but only a nobleman (“such a great man”). Satisfied Podkolesin tells the matchmaker to come the day after tomorrow (“I’ll lie down, and you will tell”), she reproaches him for laziness and says that he will soon be unfit for marriage. His friend Kochkarev runs in, scolds Thekla for marrying him, but, realizing that Podkolesin is thinking of marrying, he takes the most active part in this. Having asked the matchmaker where the bride lives, he sees Thekla off, intending to marry Podkolesin himself. He paints the delights of family life to an unsure friend and was already convincing him, but Podkolesin again thinks about the strangeness of the fact that "everyone was unmarried, and now suddenly married." Kochkarev explains that now Podkolesin is just a log and does not matter, otherwise there will be “sort of little canals” around him, and everyone looks like him. Already quite ready to go, Podkolesin says that tomorrow is better. With abuse, Kochkarev takes him away.
Agafya Tikhonovna with her aunt, Arina Panteleymonovna, fortune-telling on the cards, she commemorates the late father Agafya, his greatness and solidity, and thereby tries to attract the attention of her niece to the merchant "on the cloth line" Alexei Dmitrievich Starikov. But Agafya is stubborn: he is a merchant, and his beard grows, and a nobleman is always better. Thekla comes, complains about the troublesomeness of her work: she went all the way home, went through the offices, but six people found suitors. She describes the suitors, but the displeased aunt will quarrel with Thekla about who is better - a merchant or a nobleman. The doorbell is ringing. In terrible confusion, everyone scatters, Dunyasha runs to open it. Entered Ivan Pavlovich Yaichnitsa, an executor, rereads the painting of the dowry and compares it with what is available. Nikanor Ivanovich Anuchkin appears, slender and "great", looking for knowledge of the French language in the bride. Mutually concealing the true reason for their appearance, both suitors wait further. Baltazar Baltazarovich Zhevakin, a retired lieutenant of the naval service, comes, from the threshold he commemorates Sicily, which forms a general conversation. Anuchkin is interested in the education of Sicilian women and is shocked by Zhevakin's statement that everyone, including men, speaks French. Fried eggs are curious about the physique of the local men and their habits. Discussions about the strangeness of some surnames are interrupted by the appearance of Kochkarev and Podkolesin. Kochkarev, who wants to immediately evaluate the bride, falls to the keyhole, causing Fekla's horror.
The bride, accompanied by her aunt, comes out, the grooms introduce themselves, Kochkarev is recommended by a relative of a somewhat vague nature, and Podkolesin is put forward almost as the head of the department. Starikov also appears. The general conversation about the weather, interrupted by a direct question from Yaichnitsa about what service Agafya Tikhonovna would like to see her husband in, is interrupted by the embarrassed flight of the bride. The grooms, believing to come in the evening "for a cup of tea" and discussing whether the bride's nose is big, disperse. Podkolesin, having already decided that her nose is too big, and she hardly knows French, tells her friend that he does not like the bride. Kochkarev easily convinces him of the incomparable virtues of the bride and, having taken the word that Podkolesin will not back down, he undertakes to send the rest of the suitors away.
Agafya Tikhonovna cannot decide which of the suitors she will choose (“If only Nikanor Ivanovich’s lips were put to Ivan Kuzmich’s nose ...”), and wants to cast lots. Kochkarev appears, urging him to take Podkolesin, and decisively only him, because he is a miracle man, and the rest are all rubbish. After explaining how to refuse suitors (saying that she is not yet married, or simply: get out, fools), Kochkarev runs away after Podkolesin. Fried Eggs arrives, demanding a direct yes or no answer. Zhevakin and Anuchkin are next. Confused Agafya Tikhonovna blurts out "let's go out" and, frightened by the sight of Fried Eggs ("Wow, she'll kill you! .."), runs away. Kochkarev enters, leaving Podkolesin in the hallway to straighten his stirrup, and explains to the taken aback suitors that the bride is a fool, she has almost no dowry, and in French she is not a belmes. The suitors scold Thekla and leave, leaving Zhevakin, who did not hesitate to marry. Kochkarev also sends him away, promising his participation and undoubted success in matchmaking. To the embarrassed bride, Kochkarev certifies Zhevakin as a fool and a drunkard. Zhevakin eavesdropped and was amazed at the strange behavior of his intercessor. Agafya Tikhonovna does not want to talk to him, multiplying his bewilderment: the seventeenth bride refuses, but why?
Kochkarev brings Podkolesin and forces him, left alone with the bride, to open his heart to her. The conversation about the pleasures of riding in a boat, the desirability of a good summer and the proximity of the Ekateriningof festivities ends in nothing: Podkolesin takes his leave. However, he was returned by Kochkarev, who had already ordered dinner, agreed to go to church in an hour and begged his friend to marry without delay. But Podkolesin leaves. Having rewarded his friend with many unflattering nicknames, Kochkarev hurries to return him. Agafya Tikhonovna, thinking that she has not spent twenty-seven years in girls, is waiting for the groom. Kicked into the room, Podkolyosin is unable to get down to business, and finally Kochkarev himself asks Agafya Tikhonovna for his hand. Everything is arranged, and the bride hurries to get dressed. Podkolyosin, already satisfied and grateful, remains alone, as Kochkarev leaves to see if the table is ready (Podkolyosin’s hat, however, he prudently cleans up), and reflects that he has been so far and whether he understood the meaning of life. He is surprised that many people live in such blindness, and if he happened to be a sovereign, he would order everyone to marry. The thought of the irreparability of what will happen now is somewhat embarrassing, and then it frightens him in earnest. He decides to run away, even if through the window, if it is impossible to enter the door, even if without a hat, since it is not there, he jumps out the window and leaves in a cab.
Agafya Tikhonovna, Fyokla, Arina Panteleymonovna and Kochkarev, appearing one after another, in bewilderment, which is resolved by the summoned Dunyashka, who has seen the entire passage. Arina Panteleimonovna showers abuse on Kochkarev (“Yes, after that you are a scoundrel, if you are an honest person!”), He runs away after the groom, but Fekla considers the case to be lost: “if the groom darted out the window, then here, just my respect!”
retold
The play was created by Nikolai Gogol for nine years: from 1833 to 1842. It was staged in St. Petersburg at the Alexandrinsky Theatre. "Marriage" is a comedy of everyday life and customs, opening a series of plays about merchant life, subsequently continued by Alexander Ostrovsky. We will consider the idea of Gogol, the features of the work and the image of the characters, for which we will analyze the play "Marriage". Let's take a look at the plot first. Everything will be presented here in a concise form, but on our website you can also read a summary of the play "Marriage".
The plot of the play "Marriage" by Gogol
Indeed, it is impossible to imagine an analysis of the play "The Marriage" without understanding the storyline. The entire work of Gogol is built around the central event - the alleged marriage of Podkolosin and his matchmaking with the merchant's daughter Agafya Tikhonovna. She certainly wants a groom from the nobility. The matchmaker and friend Kochkarev hardly convince the protagonist to get up from the sofa and go to see the bride. It turns out that several more suitors come to her, each with his own demand: one needs a good dowry, the other needs the knowledge of the future wife of French. And what?
As a result, Kochkarev arranges for Podkolyosin to remain the only groom and the girl gives preference to him. However, when a friend is away on business, the groom, tormented by indecision, runs away through the window from the bride's house.
The comic content does not negate the seriousness in the depiction of various types of Russian society. Although this is not a summary of the play, the gist is clear. Let's continue the analysis of the play "Marriage".
The image of the characters in the play "Marriage" by Gogol
In the work we see representatives of several classes and professions: the merchant's daughter Agafya Tikhonovna, court adviser Podkolyosin, retired officer Anuchkin, sailor Zhevakin, matchmaker Fyokla Ivanovna.
Agafya Tikhonovna demonstrates the desire to break out into the nobility, characteristic of wealthy representatives of the merchant class. To do this, she is looking for a groom-nobleman. Making a choice between several applicants, she is guided only by their external data, therefore she cannot make a decision in any way: if the lips of the other were added to the nose of one, and combined with the corpulence of the third, it would turn out to be an ideal husband. When doing an analysis of the play "Marriage", do not miss one more character. This is Podkolyosin.
Podkolyosin is a type of indecisive person, because of this, incapable of action. At first, he lies on the couch, postponing everything for tomorrow. Then he cannot decide whether he needs to get married: how it was unmarried, but suddenly became married. Then, due to doubts, she runs away before the wedding. Podkolyosin is a parody of the hero-lover, who usually climbs through the window to his beloved. In addition, running away from the crown is the prerogative of girls, thereby emphasizing the weakness and lack of male will in the hero.
Kochkarev, on the contrary, is an active and energetic person. However, he does not know why he wants to marry a friend and what his efforts will lead to. He is also a kind of parody of the traditional image of a friend and confidante in love.
The rest of the grooms are caricatures, each of them emphasizes one exaggerated character trait.
However, an analysis of the play "Marriage" shows that Gogol is not just ridiculing a failed attempt to marry. It shows the hypocrisy and pretense that accompany family relationships in today's society. In their choice, the heroes are guided not by feelings, but by profit.
In addition, analyzing the play "Marriage", it can be noted that Gogol emphasizes a typical feature of a Russian person: a desire to dream, but an inability to live. In his dreams, Podkolyosin imagines himself with his family, but escapes reality through a window. It turns out a comic and dramatic clash of ideal ideas and reality at the same time.
We hope that the analysis of the play "The Marriage" by Gogol presented in this article turned out to be useful to you. Visit our blog - there are many interesting articles on this topic. You may also be interested
"Marriage" has a subtitle: "An absolutely incredible event in two acts." This is a way to draw the reader's attention to a problem. First published in The Works of Nikolai Gogol in 1842. The first productions of the comedy took place in December 1842 at the Alexandrinsky Theater and in February 1843 in Moscow at the Maly Theater.
The comedy was created for about 9 years, was started in 1833 and was originally called "Grooms". According to the first plan, it was a three-act, the action took place not in St. Petersburg, but in the countryside, in the landowner's environment (later the bride became a merchant's wife). There were suitors, but there were no main characters: Podkolesin and Kochkareva. The plot of the comedy is traditionally farcical: rival grooms push each other aside with flattery, cunning, fists, and the bride does not know who to choose.
In 1835, a new edition of the play was ready, it was already called "The Marriage". Gogol interrupted work because of The Inspector General and resumed it in 1836 at the insistence of Shchepkin, who was promised a benefit performance. Completed comedy in 1842
Genre and art direction
"Marriage" is considered the first Russian household comedy. Gogol abandoned the original idea to portray the Little Russian landowners and turned to the bureaucratic environment. Through his characters, Gogol manages to show the lifestyle of St. Petersburg in the 1930s. Heroes at home manifest themselves primarily as social types, therefore Gogol's comedy is social. Many researchers believe that The Marriage, like The Inspector General, belongs to the realist trend in literature. Podkolesin is the direct predecessor of Oblomov. He is ready to give up happiness, if only not to take action. But the character of Oblomov is explained by the circumstances of his life and, ultimately, by serfdom. Why Podkolesin is timid, the viewer does not know. This example can show the logic of those researchers who consider Gogol a romantic. Podkolesin's indecisiveness in matchmaking can be considered a typical phenomenon, but the fact that the groom jumped out the window is in no way explained by realism.
"Marriage", like "The Government Inspector", is a satirical comedy. Not only the character traits and individual characteristics of the characters are ridiculed, as in a classic comedy, but also certain social phenomena, for example, marriage as a way to change social status. Life without sincere feelings is subjected to satire, marriage without love and responsibility.
Theme, plot and composition
The theme of the play is in the title. Marriage is not the result of the love relationship of the characters, but a deal, a business venture. The structure of the play is very harmonious, has a clear plan. Gogol found a formula for the unity of the situation around which the action is built. Everything is determined by marriage and the rivalry of suitors. In the final version, the motive of fear of change is added.
The composition of the play is looped: the comedy ends and begins in the same way. Yu.Mann called the intrigue of the play a mirage. "Mirage" and looping convey the essence and properties of Russian reality.
The plot of the comedy is to find a profitable groom. A merchant's daughter wants a noble husband, and noble suitors are looking for a rich bride. The main characters of the comedy are indecisive. In these features, Gogol's psychologism is revealed: habits in a person are stronger than the desire to improve social status (bride) or improve things (groom). Fear of people of another class, misunderstanding of them also matters. Indecision leads to the immobility of events ("mirage"). On the clash of desires and immobility, comic tricks arise. The bride hesitates, making up of all the suitors a single ideal one. Podkolesin also doubts. Indecision leads to a denouement - Podkolesin's jump into the window, the only purpose of which was to move away from the desired object at a great distance.
Comic catastrophe happens at the moment when the common efforts almost led to success.
Heroes and images
The system of characters in the comedy, according to A. Bely, is “two-relief”, that is, the characters form pairs. In each pair, such heroes, when united, cause laughter, because their activity does not lead to the goal, but is extinguished by the other of the pair. The first couple - Agafya Tikhonovna and Podkolesin. They have a similar goal and a similar obstacle - fear. The second couple is a professional matchmaker Fyokla and a friend of the groom Kochkarev. Kochkarev, unlike Fyokla, does not know why he is engaged in the marriage of a friend. The third couple - Podkolesin and Kochkarev - losers groom and matchmaker. Two-relief parallelism leads to "mirage": the activity is ineffective, everything happens the other way around. Comedy roles are rethought or parodied: the groom travestes the lover, the friend of the groom is the confidante, which helps to unite the lovers.
If we analyze comedy from the point of view of realism, then several types emerge. Podkolesin is a type of person who goes to the goal only in words, but in fact is inactive. Such is the whole bureaucratic system of Russia in the 1930s.
Kochkarev is a person who wastes his energy on an empty cause and does not understand why. His desire to marry a friend has no motive (unless out of harm, so as not to be free). But to achieve his mirage goal, Kochkarev resorts to any means: he deceives, composes.
Agafya Tikhonovna is a type of rich bride who cannot make a choice. Her argument about how to make a husband perfect (lips from one, nose from another, etc.) is the most famous place in comedy. It is the bride's view of the wedding as a trade that destroys the very essence of marriage.
Conflict
The conflict in comedy is external and internal. The external conflict between the suitors is easily resolved by Kochkarev, but the internal conflict between Podkolesin (to marry or not to marry) and Agafya Tikhonovna (whom to choose) is unresolvable and leads to a comic finale.
Artistic originality
The main trope that creates the artistic world of comedy is hyperbole. Fried eggs are too wide, Anuchkin is too slender. The character traits of the characters are exaggerated to the point of ridicule: the indecision of Podkolesin, the efficiency of Fried eggs, the energy of Kochkarev.
Gogol resorts to a favorite technique that was widely used by playwrights of the 20th century. He brings the situation and the actions of the characters to the point of absurdity. But the heroes perceive it as normal and even mundane. Except for one single event - jumping out the window. It is he who gives Gogol the right to call the comedy an incredible event in the subtitle.
The play "Marriage" by Gogol Nikolai Vasilievich at one time caused a lot of gossip, criticism and discussion. It was written in 1842, the author was accused of describing the life of "little people", which was not accepted at that time. Nikolai Vasilyevich in most of his works made petty officials or merchants heroes, talked about their problems, concerns, interests and habits, while he did not embellish reality at all.
The plot of the play "Marriage" by Gogol
The main character of the story is Agafya Tikhonovna, the daughter of a merchant, who decided to find a worthy groom with the help of the matchmaker Fekla Ivanovna. The main contenders for the hand and heart of an enviable bride are the executor Yaichnitsa, the court adviser Podkolesin, the sailor Zhevakin and the infantry officer Anuchkin. Agafya Tikhonovna has her own requirements for her future spouse, because she is not just anyone, but the daughter of a merchant of the third guild. The husband must be a nobleman.
The writer reliably described the heroine and in her image collected all the typical features of girls of this class. Agafya Tikhonovna did nothing for days on end, sat at home, indulged in dreams of a chosen one and was bored. Nikolai Vasilyevich showed the lack of education and ignorance of the merchant environment, because the heroine trusted superstitions and fortune-telling without hesitation, she built her life, starting only from them.
Gogol chose a very simple and unpretentious theme for his play. "Marriage" - an essay showing the attitude of the "little man" to marriage. From the side of the bride, that from the side of the groom there is not even a hint of feelings, they do not even remember each other's names. Another thing is important - dowry, titles, external dignity. These people approach the choice of a life partner as if they were buying some thing or piece of furniture.
The attitude of the main characters to marriage
Gogol's "marriage" shows what this significant event in his life means for a petty official. As soon as Podkolesin decided to marry, he constantly thinks about marriage, but the bride does not bother him at all, he is more worried about her dowry, the man cannot even remember the name of his betrothed. The official believes that he has taken a very serious step, elevating him not only in his own eyes, but also in the eyes of others. Podkolesin immediately tells about his decision to marry a shoemaker, a tailor, because everyone around should appreciate his act and respect him.
The bride was also not presented in the best light by Gogol. "Marriage", the main characters of which amaze with hypocrisy and falsity, shows the artificiality of the life of "little people". Agafya Tikhonovna chooses a groom, starting from external characteristics, and not the inner world of a person. She treats applicants like things, trying to put together an ideal picture: if you take Ivan Kuzmich's nose, Nikanor Ivanovich's lips, Ivan Pavlovich's corpulence and Baltazar Baltazarych's swagger, then the bride would not hesitate to get married.
Gogol's "marriage" reveals the surface and falsity of these people. They have no idea that you need to get married only if you feel sympathy, respect, affection for a person. That is why Nikolai Vasilyevich met so little in his environment
January 22, 2014The play "Marriage" by Gogol Nikolai Vasilievich at one time caused a lot of gossip, criticism and discussion. It was written in 1842, the author was accused of describing the life of "little people", which was not accepted at that time. Nikolai Vasilyevich in most of his works made petty officials or merchants heroes, talked about their problems, concerns, interests and habits, while he did not embellish reality at all.
The plot of the play "Marriage" by Gogol
The main character of the story is Agafya Tikhonovna, the daughter of a merchant, who decided to find a worthy groom with the help of the matchmaker Fekla Ivanovna. The main contenders for the hand and heart of an enviable bride are the executor Yaichnitsa, the court adviser Podkolesin, the sailor Zhevakin and the infantry officer Anuchkin. Agafya Tikhonovna has her own requirements for her future spouse, because she is not just anyone, but the daughter of a merchant of the third guild. The husband must be a nobleman.
The writer reliably described the heroine and in her image collected all the typical features of girls of this class. Agafya Tikhonovna did nothing for days on end, sat at home, indulged in dreams of a chosen one and was bored. Nikolai Vasilyevich showed the lack of education and ignorance of the merchant environment, because the heroine trusted superstitions and fortune-telling without hesitation, she built her life, starting only from them.
Gogol chose a very simple and unpretentious theme for his play. "Marriage" - an essay showing the attitude of the "little man" to marriage. From the side of the bride, that from the side of the groom there is not even a hint of feelings, they do not even remember each other's names. Another thing is important - dowry, titles, external dignity. These people approach the choice of a life partner as if they were buying some thing or piece of furniture.
The attitude of the main characters to marriage
Gogol's "marriage" shows what this significant event in his life means for a petty official. As soon as Podkolesin decided to marry, he constantly thinks about marriage, but the bride does not bother him at all, he is more worried about her dowry, the man cannot even remember the name of his betrothed. The official believes that he has taken a very serious step, elevating him not only in his own eyes, but also in the eyes of others. Podkolesin immediately tells about his decision to marry a shoemaker, a tailor, because everyone around should appreciate his act and respect him.
The bride was also not presented in the best light by Gogol. "Marriage", the main characters of which amaze with hypocrisy and falsity, shows the artificiality of the life of "little people". Agafya Tikhonovna chooses a groom, starting from external characteristics, and not the inner world of a person. She treats applicants like things, trying to put together an ideal picture: if you take Ivan Kuzmich's nose, Nikanor Ivanovich's lips, Ivan Pavlovich's corpulence and Baltazar Baltazarych's swagger, then the bride would not hesitate to get married.
Gogol's "marriage" reveals the surface and falsity of these people. They have no idea that you need to get married only if you feel sympathy, respect, affection for a person. That is why Nikolai Vasilyevich met so few happy people in his environment.
Source: fb.ruActual
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