The Captain's Daughter Heroes of The Captain's Daughter

“The Captain's Daughter” - a story by A.S. Pushkin, published in 1836, representing the memoirs of landowner Pyotr Andreevich Grinev about his youth. This is a story about eternal values ​​- duty, loyalty, love and gratitude against the backdrop of historical events unfolding in the country - the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev.

Interesting fact. The first edition of the story was published in one of the issues of the Sovremennik magazine without indicating the author of the work.

In the school curriculum, a mandatory item is an essay on this work, where it is necessary to indicate quotes that characterize this or that hero of the story. We offer examples, using which you can supplement your text with the necessary details.

Petr Andreevich Grinev

Petrusha Grinev appears before us as a very young man.

...Meanwhile, I was sixteen years old...

He is of noble origin.

...I am a natural nobleman...

The only son of a rather rich, by the standards of that time, landowner.

...There were nine of us children. All my brothers and sisters died in infancy...

...father has three hundred souls of peasants...

The hero is not very educated, but not so much through his own fault, but because of the very principle of education at that time.

...in my twelfth year I learned to read and write in Russian and could very sensibly judge the properties of a greyhound dog. At this time, the priest hired a Frenchman for me, Monsieur Beaupré...<…>and although according to the contract he was obliged to teach me French, German and all sciences, he preferred to quickly learn from me how to chat in Russian - and then each of us went about our own business...

Yes, this is especially unnecessary for him, because his future has already been predetermined by his father.

...Mother was still pregnant with me, when I was already enlisted in the Semenovsky regiment as a sergeant...

However, he suddenly changes his decision and sends his son to serve in Orenburg.

...to the side, deaf and distant...

...No, let him serve in the army, let him pull the strap, let him smell gunpowder, let him be a soldier, not a chamaton...

There, Grinev quickly advances in his career without making significant efforts.

...I was promoted to officer. The service did not burden me...

Personal qualities:
Peter is a man of word and honor.

...Just don’t demand what is contrary to my honor and Christian conscience...
...the duty of honor required my presence in the army of the empress...

At the same time, the young man is quite ambitious and stubborn.

...My pride triumphed...
...Shvabrin was more skillful than me, but I am stronger and braver...
...The reasoning of the prudent lieutenant did not sway me. I stuck to my intention...
...I would prefer the most brutal execution to such vile humiliation... (kissing Pugachev's hands)...

Generosity is not alien to him.

...I did not want to triumph over the destroyed enemy and turned my eyes in the other direction...

One of the strengths of the hero's character is his truthfulness.

...decided to declare the real truth before the court, believing this method of justification to be the simplest, and at the same time the most reliable...

At the same time, he has the strength to admit his guilt if he was wrong.

...Finally I told him: “Well, well, Savelich! that's enough, let's make peace, it's my fault; I see for myself that I am to blame...

In personal relationships, Peter's romantic but very serious attitude is manifested.

...I imagined myself as her knight. I longed to prove that I was worthy of her trust, and began to eagerly await the decisive moment...

...But love strongly advised me to stay with Marya Ivanovna and be her protector and patron...

In relation to the girl he loves, he is sensitive and sincere.

...I took the poor girl’s hand and kissed it, watering it with tears...
..Farewell, my angel, - I said, - goodbye, my dear, my desired one! Whatever happens to me, believe that my last thought and last prayer will be about you!

Maria Ivanovna Mironova

A young girl, two years older than Pyotr Grinev, has an ordinary appearance.

...Then a girl of about eighteen came in, chubby, ruddy, with light brown hair combed smoothly behind her ears, which were on fire...

Masha is the only daughter of Ivan Kuzmich and Vasilisa Egorovna Mironov, poor nobles.

...a girl of marriageable age, what is her dowry? a fine comb, a broom, and an altyn of money (God forgive me!), with which to go to the bathhouse...

The girl, although gullible and naive, behaves modestly and judiciously.

...with all the credulity of youth and love...
...I found in her a prudent and sensitive girl...
...was extremely gifted with modesty and caution...

The heroine differs from the cutesy girls of the noble circle of that era in her naturalness and sincerity.

...She, without any affectation, admitted to me her heartfelt inclination...
...Marya Ivanovna listened to me simply, without feigned shyness, without fancy excuses...

One of the most beautiful features of Masha’s character is her ability to truly love herself and wish her beloved only happiness, even if not with her.

...Whether we will have to see each other or not, God alone knows; but I will never forget you; Until your grave you will remain alone in my heart...

...If you find yourself a betrothed, if you fall in love with another, God be with you, Pyotr Andreich; and I am for both of you...

For all her timidity and gentleness, the girl is devoted to her fiancé and can decide to take extreme measures if necessary.

…My husband! – she repeated. - He is not my husband. I will never be his wife! I better decided to die, and I will die if they don’t deliver me... (About Shvabrina)

Emelyan Pugachev

A middle-aged man whose most notable feature was his eyes.

...His appearance seemed remarkable to me: he was about forty, average height, thin and broad-shouldered. His black beard showed streaks of gray; the lively big eyes kept darting around. His face had a rather pleasant, but roguish expression. The hair was cut into a circle; he was wearing a tattered overcoat and Tatar trousers...
...living big eyes just ran around...
...Pugachev fixed his fiery eyes on me...
...his sparkling eyes...
...I looked at the lady and saw a black beard and two sparkling eyes...
...A tall sable hat with golden tassels was pulled down over his sparkling eyes...

The hero has special signs.

...And in the bathhouse, you can hear, he showed his royal signs on his chest: on one, a double-headed eagle the size of a nickel, and on the other, his person...

The fact that Pugachev is from the Don is also evidenced by his manner of dressing.

...Don Cossack and schismatic...
...He was wearing a red Cossack caftan trimmed with braid...

Given his background, it is not surprising that he is illiterate, but he himself does not want to openly admit it.

...Pugachev accepted the paper and looked at it for a long time with a significant air. “Why are you writing so cleverly? - he said finally. “Our bright eyes can’t make out anything here.” Where is my chief secretary?

...Gentlemen enarals! - Pugachev proclaimed importantly...

A rebel is a freedom-loving, ambitious and arrogant person, but with clear leadership qualities and the ability to influence people.

...God knows. My street is cramped; I have little will...
... committing unforgivable insolence by taking on the name of the late Emperor Peter III...
...a drunkard wandering around inns, besieging fortresses and shaking the state!...
...I fight anywhere...
...The impostor's face depicted satisfied pride...
...The appeal was written in rude but strong terms and was intended to make a dangerous impression on the minds of ordinary people...

Pugachev is smart, cunning, far-sighted and cold-blooded.

...His sharpness and subtlety of instinct amazed me...
…I have to keep my ears open; at the first failure, they will ransom their neck with my head...
...His composure encouraged me...
aware of his actions and accepting responsibility for his actions
…it’s too late for me to repent. There will be no mercy for me. I will continue as I started...

A nobleman from a noble wealthy family.

...has a good surname, and has a fortune...

She has a rather ugly appearance, and over time she undergoes strong changes for the worse.

...short stature, with a dark and distinctly ugly face, but extremely lively...

...I was amazed at his change. He was terribly thin and pale. His hair, recently jet black, was completely grey; the long beard was disheveled...

Shvabrin was transferred to the Belogorsk fortress from the guard as punishment.

...this is the fifth year since he was transferred to us for murder. God knows what sin befell him; As you can see, he went out of town with one lieutenant, and they took swords with them, and, well, they stabbed each other; and Alexey Ivanovich stabbed the lieutenant, and in front of two witnesses!...

Proud and smart, the hero uses these qualities for bad purposes.

...In his slander I saw the annoyance of offended pride...
...I understood the persistent slander with which Shvabrin pursued her...
...instead of rude and obscene ridicule, I saw in them deliberate slander...”
...I really didn’t like his constant jokes about the commandant’s family, especially his caustic remarks about Marya Ivanovna...

Sometimes the character shows outright cruelty and is quite capable of vile acts.

...I saw Shvabrin standing. His face depicted gloomy anger...
...expressing his joy and zeal in vile terms...
...He grinned with an evil grin and, lifting his chains, got ahead of me...
...He treats me very cruelly...
...Alexey Ivanovich is forcing me to marry him...

His character is characterized by vindictiveness and even treachery.

...all the tests that the vile Shvabrin subjected her to...
...And what is Shvabrin like, Alexey Ivanovich? After all, he cut his hair into a circle and now he’s feasting with them right there! Agile, nothing to say!..
...Alexei Ivanovich, who commands us in place of the late priest...

Ivan Kuzmich Mironov

Simple, uneducated, from the poor nobles.

...Ivan Kuzmich, who became an officer from the children of soldiers, was an uneducated and simple man, but the most honest and kind...
...And we, my father, only have one shower, one girl Palashka...

A man of respectable age, who gave 40 years of service, 22 of which were in the Belogorsk fortress, participating in numerous battles.

...cheerful old man...
..the commandant, a cheerful and tall old man, wearing a cap and a Chinese robe...
...Why is Belogorskaya unreliable? Thank God, we have been living in it for twenty-two years. We saw both Bashkirs and Kyrgyzs...
...neither Prussian bayonets nor Turkish bullets touched you...

A true officer, true to his word.

...The proximity of danger animated the old warrior with extraordinary vigor...
...Ivan Kuzmich, although he respected his wife very much, would never have told her the secret entrusted to him in his service...

At the same time, the commandant is not a very good leader due to his soft character.

...Only glory that you teach the soldiers: neither they are given the service, nor do you know much about it. I would sit at home and pray to God; it would be better...
...Ivan Kuzmich! Why are you yawning? Now seat them in different corners on bread and water so that their stupidity goes away...
...In the God-saved fortress there were no inspections, no exercises, no guards. The commandant, of his own accord, sometimes taught his soldiers; but I still couldn’t get them all to know which side was right and which was left...

He is an honest and loyal man, fearless in his devotion to duty.

...The commandant, exhausted from the wound, gathered his last strength and answered in a firm voice: “You are not my sovereign, you are a thief and an impostor, hear you!”...

An elderly woman, the wife of the commandant of the Belogorsk fortress.

...An old woman in a padded jacket and with a scarf on her head was sitting by the window...
...It’s been twenty years since we were transferred here from the regiment...

She is a good and hospitable hostess.

...what a master at salting mushrooms!......Vasilisa Egorovna received us easily and cordially and treated me as if she had known her for centuries...
...In the commandant's house I was received like family...

She perceives the fortress as her home, and herself as the mistress of it.

...Vasilisa Egorovna looked at the affairs of the service as if they were her master’s, and ruled the fortress as accurately as she ruled her house...
...His wife managed him, which was consistent with his carelessness...

This is a brave and determined woman.

...Yes, hear you,” said Ivan Kuzmich, “the woman is not a timid woman...

Curiosity is no stranger to her.

...She called Ivan Ignatyich, with the firm intention of finding out from him the secret that tormented her ladylike curiosity...

Devoted to her husband until her last breath.

...You are my light, Ivan Kuzmich, you brave little soldier! Neither Prussian bayonets nor Turkish bullets touched you; You didn’t put your belly in a fair fight...
...Live together, die together...

Arkhip Savelich

The Grinev serf family, who was entrusted with the upbringing and management of the affairs of Barchuk Petrusha.

...From the age of five I was given into the hands of the eager Savelich, who was granted my uncle for his sober behavior...
...To Savelich, who was a steward of money, linen, and my affairs...

At the time when the events unfold, he is already an old man.

...God knows, I ran to shield you with my chest from Alexei Ivanovich’s sword! Damn old age got in the way...

...you deign to be angry with me, your servant...
...I, not an old dog, but your faithful servant, obey the master’s orders and have always served you diligently and lived to see my gray hair...
...that’s your boyar’s will. For this I bow slavishly...
...Your faithful servant...
...If you have already decided to go, then I will follow you even on foot, but I will not leave you. So that I could sit behind a stone wall without you! Am I crazy? Your will, sir, and I won’t leave you alone...
...Savelich lies at Pugachev’s feet. “Dear father! - said the poor guy. “What do you care about the death of the master’s child?” Let him go; They will give you a ransom for it; and for the sake of example and fear, order them to hang me, even an old man!”...

Tells about the events of the second half of the 18th century. The plot is based on a peasant uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. This historical event is called one of the largest and bloodiest people's wars. In “The Captain's Daughter,” Pushkin clearly demonstrates to the reader how much suffering the “senseless and merciless Russian rebellion” brings not only to the “enemies of the people” - the nobles, but also to the rebels themselves. The work reveals the stories of the characters in such a way that we can empathize with them, exploring new sides of this conflict. We offer you a list of the main characters of “The Captain’s Daughter” with characteristics.

Petr Grinev- the main character on whose behalf the story is told. The son of a rich landowner. From birth he prepared for military service in St. Petersburg, but, to his disappointment, at the age of 16 he was sent by his father to Orenburg, to the Belgorod fortress. Here his new life begins, filled with significant meetings, frightening events and losses.

A kind person who knows how to help. This character trait is revealed in the episode with the hare sheepskin coat that he gives. Grinev becomes good at fulfilling his military duty (commanders praise him for his services), becomes interested in poetry, and easily gets along with people.

Masha Mironova- the title character. This is the same captain’s daughter, 18 years old. Grinev falls in love with her upon arrival at the fortress, and she reciprocates his feelings. , unlike Peter, is an insolvent noblewoman, “a girl without a dowry.” Dresses “simple and sweet.” Grinev notes that she has an angelic voice. She is smart, kind and has enviable courage (the episode with Catherine's petition). A peasant revolt takes her parents away from her - Pugachev kills them during the capture of the fortress.

Emelyan Pugachev- a real historical figure, Don Cossack, the main instigator of the rebellion. In the novel, he is presented simultaneously as a bloody robber, a merciless villain and swindler, and as a savvy, intelligent, freedom-loving person. His attitude to life is presented in the episode with the eagle and the raven: “than to feed on carrion for 300 years, it is better to drink living blood once.” At the end of the novel he is executed.

Alexey Shvabrin- minor character. A young man from a wealthy family. At the beginning of the novel, he gets along with Grinev, the latter considers him his friend. A demoted guardsman, for the murder of a colleague, he was transferred to the Belgorod fortress. During the course of the novel, he gets along with Pugachev, thereby betraying the Russian army, and in the end he becomes a prisoner. Grinev is attracted by his intelligence, but repelled by his desire for slander and malicious ridicule.

Shvabrin is a character more negative than positive. There is more evil in his character: he is endowed with shamelessness and cruelty. He is angry, narcissistic and mean: “...Alexey Ivanovich is forcing me to marry him<…>He treats me very cruelly...” (Masha’s words).

Arkhip Savelyev (Savelich)- servant of Pyotr Grinev, sent along with his master to the Belgorod fortress. This old man has been faithfully serving the Grinevs for many years. He is a typical serf, kind, accustomed to obeying orders and obeying his masters. tries to teach Peter about life, sometimes argues with him, but always forgives him.

Based on the characteristics of the main characters in the novel, one can get a more or less complete picture of the Peasant War. Of course, all this is the author’s interpretation, and not a documentary chronicle, so you cannot blindly believe in the truth. But the atmosphere created by Pushkin, the mood of the era conveyed and human feelings are fair and true. Perhaps, after reading The Captain's Daughter, it will be easier for readers to understand the motives of the actions of the peasants who organized such a merciless war.

Analysis of Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" helps to better understand and understand the famous historical novel by Alexander Pushkin. It tells about the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev. The novel was first published in 1836, it was published in the Sovremennik magazine.

Plot of the novel

To make a detailed analysis of "The Captain's Daughter", you need to know the plot of this work well. The work is written in the form of memoirs of the elderly landowner Pyotr Grinev about the turbulent events of his youth.

He tells how at the age of 16 his father sent him to serve in the army.

On the way to his place of duty, he accidentally meets Emelyan Pugachev, who was then a fugitive Cossack, just thinking about a large-scale uprising. They meet during a snowstorm, Pugachev agrees to accompany Grinev along with his elderly servant to the inn, so as not to perish in the elements. As a token of gratitude, Grinev gives him his sheepskin coat.

The main character goes to the Belogorsk fortress for service. Almost immediately he falls in love with the commandant's daughter Masha Mironova. His colleague Shvabrin is also partial to the girl and challenges Peter to a duel. During the fight he is wounded. His father finds out about the incident and refuses to bless this marriage.

Pugachev riot

The rebels also come to the Belogorsk fortress. Masha's parents are killed. Shvabrin demonstrates his essence by swearing allegiance to Pugachev, but Grinev refuses to do this. Peter is saved from execution by Savelich, who reminds Pugachev that this is the same young man who once gave him a hare sheepskin coat.

But Grinev still refuses to fight on the side of the rebels; he is released to besieged Orenburg. Peter begins to fight against Pugachev. One day he receives a letter from Masha, who, due to illness, was unable to leave the Belogorsk fortress. She writes that Shvabrin is forcing her to marry him.

Grinev rushes about, choosing between feeling and duty. As a result, he voluntarily leaves the unit, comes to Belogorye and, with the help of Pugachev, saves Masha. Soon, following Shvabrin’s denunciation, he is arrested by government troops. Grinev is awaiting sentencing in prison.

Masha is trying to do everything to prevent the death penalty for her lover. She goes to Tsarskoe Selo to receive Empress Catherine II. She accidentally meets the empress on a walk. Alone and without a retinue. She honestly tells the circumstances of the case, thinking that this is one of the empress's ladies-in-waiting.

Catherine II is impressed by this story. She lets Grinev go, he returns to his parents, and soon gets married to Masha. This is the summary of Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter".

History of creation

This novel is a living response of Russian literature to the historical novels of Walter Scott, which were extremely popular in Russia at that time. It is worth noting that Pushkin planned to write a historical novel back in the 1820s. This is how “Arap of Peter the Great” appeared.

The first classic Russian historical novel is considered to be “Yuri Miloslavsky” by Mikhail Zagoskin. Literary scholars note the influence of Zagoskin on Pushkin. For example, a meeting with a counselor repeats one of the scenes from Yuri Miloslavsky.

The history of the creation of "The Captain's Daughter" is interesting. The idea for the novel came to Pushkin when he was working on the chronicle “The History of the Pugachev Rebellion.” For the sake of documentary information, he specially traveled to the Southern Urals and met with eyewitnesses of those terrible years.

Initially, Pushkin intended to make the main character of the novel the real officer Mikhail Shvanvich, who went over to Pugachev’s side. But apparently, the plot about a nobleman who becomes a robber was realized by him in Dubrovsky. Therefore, this time Pushkin decided to turn to the memoir form, and make the main character an honest officer who remained faithful to the oath, despite the temptation to go over to the side of the rebels in order to save his life.

Analyzing the history of the creation of "The Captain's Daughter", many note that the scene of Masha's meeting with the Empress in Tsarskoe Selo was most likely invented by Pushkin after learning a historical anecdote about the mercy of the German King Joseph II towards the daughter of a low-ranking officer. The homely image of Catherine herself was obviously inspired by Utkin’s engraving.

Novel or story?

An important question that all researchers of Pushkin’s work ask is how to determine the genre of this work. "The Captain's Daughter" - a novel or a story? There is still no consensus on this issue.

Those who claim that this is a story insist that the work itself is very small in volume. This is an important formal sign that indicates belonging to the story. In addition, the events described cover a short period of time, which, as a rule, is not typical for a novel. Supporters of this hypothesis also point to the mediocrity of the personality of Pyotr Grinev, as well as his entourage, arguing that such heroes cannot be characters in a real novel.

In the debate about whether “The Captain's Daughter” is a novel or a story, there is a second point of view. Despite its small volume, researchers still note that the text raises a large number of serious questions and problems and covers important, eternal topics. Therefore, in terms of its semantic content, it can easily be classified as a novel, they believe.

There is still no clear answer to the question about the genre of this work.

Petr Grinev

One of the main characters in "The Captain's Daughter" is Grinev. At the time of the events described, he was only 17 years old. He is an undergrowth who, almost from birth, was enlisted in the Semenovsky Guard Regiment. At that time, this was done to young men in almost all noble families. Therefore, when they reached adulthood, they were sent to the army as officers.

Grinev appears to the reader with the rank of ensign. This is the main character on whose behalf the story is told. At the same time, it is mentioned that by that time the country was already ruled by Alexander I. The story is regularly interrupted by old-fashioned maxims.

Grinev's action in The Captain's Daughter, when he leaves Orenburg for the fortress captured by Pugachev, is still discussed. A Russian officer, faced with a choice between duty and feeling, chooses the latter. He actually deserts, leaving his duty station, and receives help from the rebel leader. All this for the love of a girl.

It is noteworthy that the original version contained information that Grinev died in 1817, but then Pushkin got rid of this fact. Belinsky characterizes Grinev's character as insensitive and insignificant. A well-known critic believes that Pushkin needed him only as an impartial witness to Pugachev’s actions.

Masha Mironova

Masha Mironova in "The Captain's Daughter" is the main female character. Pushkin describes her as an 18-year-old girl with light brown hair, ruddy and chubby. She is the daughter of the commandant of the Belogorsk fortress, where Grinev comes to serve.

At first, she seems weak and spineless, but her true colors are revealed when Masha goes to the capital, to the empress, to ask for Grinev’s life. Prince Vyazemsky, giving an analysis of "The Captain's Daughter", notes that the image of this heroine is a peculiar variation on the theme of Tatyana Larina.

But Tchaikovsky considered her not a very interesting character, but at the same time an honest and kind girl. Marina Tsvetaeva expresses herself even more harshly about Masha Mironova in “The Captain's Daughter” - “the empty place of every first love.”

Alexey Shvabrin

The antagonist of Pyotr Grinev in the work "The Captain's Daughter" is the young officer Alexey Ivanovich Shvabrin. Pushkin describes him as a short and dark officer with a remarkably ugly face.

When Grinev finds himself in the Belogorsk fortress, the character of “The Captain’s Daughter” Shvabrin has been serving there for five years. He ended up in this distant division because of a duel. He was transferred from the guard. As we see, the punishment did not teach this hero anything, since he soon calls another opponent to the barrier. This time Grinev himself.

In the fortress, Shvabrin from “The Captain’s Daughter” is considered by many to be a freethinker. At the same time, he is well versed in literature and speaks French fluently. But when one of the decisive moments in his life comes, he has to choose which side to take, he betrays his oath and goes over to the side of the rebels, Pugachev’s troops. Subsequently, he uses his position for selfish purposes, forcing Masha Mironova, who remained an orphan in the fortress, to marry him.

According to many literary critics, he is a classic romantic scoundrel.

Emelyan Pugachev

The figure of Emelyan Pugachev in “The Captain's Daughter” looks large-scale and colorful. For example, Marina Tsvetaeva, a big fan of Pushkin, saw in him the only real character in the work, believing that he completely overshadowed the nondescript Grinev.

It is noteworthy that for a long time Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky harbored the idea of ​​staging an opera based on this work by Pushkin. But in the end he abandoned this idea. He decided that censorship would never allow this opera to pass because of the image of Pugachev in The Captain's Daughter. This character is written so powerfully that the viewer will be forced to leave the theater, fascinated by the rebel. Since Pushkin, according to Tchaikovsky, in the work “The Captain's Daughter” turned out to be a surprisingly sympathetic villain.

Epigraph of the novel

Researchers of Pushkin's work always attach great importance to the epigraph in The Captain's Daughter. It becomes the famous Russian proverb “Take care of your honor from a young age.”

It very accurately reflects what is happening to Pyotr Grinev. For this hero, events develop in such a way that he is forced to make one of the most difficult choices in his life. To act like an honest person or, afraid of mortal danger and possible punishment after that, to betray those closest to him and his ideals, in which he believed all these years.

Remembering the heroes of "The Captain's Daughter", we need to mention Peter's father, who mentors his son before leaving for the army. He calls on him to faithfully serve the one to whom he swore allegiance, to obey his superiors, not to chase approval without a reason, not to ask for service, but not to shirk from it, and also to remember the proverb “take care of your dress again, but take care of your honor from a young age.” This is how the father formulates the basic values ​​for Peter, pointing out what should be the most important in this life.

It is worth noting that not only upbringing, but also key character traits help Grinev fulfill his father’s orders. He is always sincere and directly tells people what he thinks about them. He saves Masha Mironova from Shvabrin, rescues his servant Savelich from the hands of Pugachev’s henchmen. At the same time, he remains true to his word and oath that he gave to the empress. This integrity conquers Pugachev. Because of her, he first lets Peter live, and then helps him leave with his beloved.

Grinev’s honesty and loyalty to the oath are especially clearly demonstrated against the background of Shvabrin. The latter is an educated and eloquent officer, but he thinks and cares only about himself. While remaining absolutely indifferent to others. To save his life, he easily renounces the oath and goes over to the enemy’s side. Such different characters in The Captain's Daughter.

Grinev's personality is made up of sincerity and a sense of duty. He tries exactly to follow the proverb that his father admonished and which is included in the epigraph of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin’s novel “The Captain’s Daughter.” Moreover, we can observe a completely realistic hero who is at times afraid, doubts the correctness of his decisions, but still does not give up his convictions, committing truly heroic deeds for the sake of his loved ones and those close to him. For Grinev, in addition to duty and service, it is extremely important to always remain a person with a kind and loving heart who cannot tolerate injustice. Moreover, he tries to see only the good in those around him. Even in Pugachev, what primarily distinguishes him is his intelligence, generosity and courage, and the fact that he tries to act as a defender of the poor and disadvantaged.

In the work of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter" the image of Pyotr Grinev is given in development. Each episode of the novel gives him the opportunity to show himself in one way or another.

Analysis of "The Captain's Daughter"

Analyzing this work, the first thing to note is that it is written in the form of memoirs. Its structure consists of 14 chapters, each of them has its own title and epigraph. The work is based on a real historical event - the uprising of Emelyan Pugachev, which occurred during the reign of Empress Catherine II from 1773 to 1775. Many of the problems of "The Captain's Daughter" that are raised in the work remain relevant to this day.

Let's take a closer look at the composition. In the beginning, Grinev briefly recalls his childhood and adolescence, about life in his parents’ house.

But there are two climaxes in the novel. In the first, Pugachev’s army captures the Belogorsk fortress. Many officers are executed, including Masha’s father, commandant Captain Mironov.

The second climax of the novel is the heroic rescue of Masha by Pyotr Grinev, who remained in the fortress in the power of Shvabrin. The denouement is the news of the pardon of the main character, which Masha Mironova achieved from the empress herself. The novel ends with an epilogue.

An important role in the novel is played by the vividly described picture of a spontaneous and merciless popular uprising. The author dwells in detail on the main reasons for this rebellion, its participants and followers. As often happens in Pushkin’s works, an important role is given to the people. For the writer, he is not some faceless mass that blindly follows the leader. Each representative of the people is a separate independent personality. At the same time, people unite with each other and follow a specific goal. As a result, Pugachev is supported by the Cossacks, Bashkirs, and peasants.

Delving deeper into the characters' characters, it is worth noting that Pushkin attaches great importance to the upbringing and characters of the heroes. The author does not deliberately idealize the Grinev family. Thus, Grinev Sr. has an unstable character, but Peter, on the contrary, immediately evokes sympathy in the reader. Even being at the beginning of his life’s journey, he sacredly remains faithful to his words and actions. He is a brave man who is not afraid of danger, which is why he commands respect from most of the readers of this novel.

It is interesting that Pushkin describes the Mironov family not without irony. The author endows Masha with a courageous and simple character, a pure heart and, most importantly, high moral principles.

Only one character evokes obvious hostility - the slanderer Shvabrin. Very soon the reader learns that he is capable of betrayal and denunciation and does not follow his oath at all. The image of the rebel leader Pugachev is majestic and tragic.

Readers are captivated by the simple and laconic language in which this work is written. This makes the events described as true as possible.

After the brutal suppression of the rebellious uprising of military settlers in Staraya Russa in the early 30s of the 19th century, Pushkin draws attention to the “troubled” times in the history of the fatherland. This is where the story of the creation of “The Captain's Daughter” begins. The image of the rebel Pugachev fascinates and attracts the poet’s attention. And this theme runs through two of Pushkin’s works at once: the historical work “The History of Pugachev” and “The Captain’s Daughter”. Both works are dedicated to the events of 1773-1775 under the leadership of Emelyan Pugachev.

Initial stage: collecting information, creating “The History of Pugachev”

The history of the creation of “The Captain's Daughter” takes more than 3 years. Pushkin was the first to write the work “The History of Pugachev,” for which he carefully collected facts and evidence. He had to travel around several provinces in the Volga region and Orenburg region, where the uprising took place and witnesses to those events still lived. By decree of the tsar, the poet was given access to secret documents relating to the uprising and its suppression by the authorities. Family archives and private collections of documents constituted a significant part of the sources of information. Pushkin’s “Archival Notebooks” contain copies of personal decrees and letters from Emelyan Pugachev himself. The poet communicated with old people who knew Pugachev and passed on legends about him. The poet questioned, wrote down, and examined the battle sites. He carefully and punctually wrote down all the information he collected in the historical work “The History of Pugachev.” A short novel reveals to us one of the most exciting pages in Russian history - the period of Pugachevism. This work was called “The History of the Pugachev Rebellion” and was published in 1834. Only after creating a historical work, the poet began to write a literary work - “The Captain's Daughter”.

Prototypes of heroes, plotting a storyline

The novel is narrated from the perspective of a young officer Pyotr Grinev, who is serving in the Belogorsk fortress. Several times the author changed the plan of the work, structured the plot differently and renamed the characters. At the beginning, the hero of the work was thought to be a young nobleman who went over to Pugachev’s side. The poet studied the history of the nobleman Shvanvich, who voluntarily went over to the side of the rebels, and the officer Basharin, who was captured by Pugachev. Based on their real deeds, two characters were formed, one of whom was a nobleman who became a traitor, whose image required passing through the moral and censorship barriers of that time. We can say that Shvabrin’s prototype was officer Shvanovich. This name was mentioned in the royal decree “On punishing with death the traitor rebel and impostor Pugachev and his accomplices.” And the main character of “The Captain’s Daughter,” Grinev, was created by the author based on the true story of an officer taken into custody by the authorities. He was suspected of having connections with but later this was not confirmed, the officer was found not guilty and released.

Publication and history of the creation of Pushkin’s “The Captain’s Daughter”

For Pushkin, covering such a sensitive political topic was not an easy task, as evidenced by the history of the creation of “The Captain’s Daughter”: numerous changes in the construction of the plan of the work, changes in the names of the characters and the storyline.

The story “The Captain's Daughter” was first mentioned in mid-1832. The work itself appeared in print in December 1836 in the Sovremennik magazine without the author’s signature. However, censorship prohibited the publication of a chapter about a peasant revolt in the village of Grineva, which the poet himself later called “The Missing Chapter.” For Pushkin, the creation of “The Captain’s Daughter” took the last years of his life; after the work was published, the poet tragically died in a duel.

Alexander Sergeevich had to put a lot of effort into creating the characters. He turned to unpublished documents, family archives, and ardently studied the history of the uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. Pushkin visited many cities of the Volga region, including Kazan and Astrakhan, where the “exploits” of the rebel began. He even found relatives of the participants to more reliably study all the information. From the materials received, a historical work, “The History of Pugachev,” was compiled, which was used by him to create his own Pugachev for “The Captain’s Daughter.” I had to simultaneously think about censorship and a character who contradicted not only the moral and ethical values ​​of the time, but also raised political discussions. His renegade nobleman was initially supposed to take Pugachev’s side, but the plan changed many times during the process.

As a result, we had to divide the character into two - “light” and “dark”, that is, the defender Grinev and the traitor Shvabrin. Shvabrin absorbed all the worst qualities, from betrayal to cowardice.

The world of the heroes of "The Captain's Daughter"

The poet managed to describe truly Russian qualities and character traits on the pages of the story. Pushkin very clearly and colorfully manages to convey the contrasting characters of people from the same class. In the work “Onegin” he vividly described the opposing types of nobility in the images of Tatiana and Onegin, and in “The Captain’s Daughter” he managed to show the contrasting characters of the types of the Russian peasantry: the prudent, loyal to the owners, prudent and prudent Savelich and the rebellious, frantic, rebellious Pugachev. In the story “The Captain's Daughter,” the characters are described very plausibly and expressively.

Nobleman Grinev

The main characters in our story deserve special attention. The hero of “The Captain's Daughter,” the young officer Grinev, on whose behalf the story is told, was brought up in ancient traditions. From an early age he was placed under the care of Savelich, whose influence only intensified after the expulsion of the Frenchman Beaupre from his teachers. Before he was born, Peter was registered as a sergeant, which determined his entire future.

Pyotr Alekseevich Grinev, the main character of The Captain's Daughter, was created in the image of a real person, information about whom Pushkin found in archival documents from the Pugachev era. Grinev's prototype is officer Basharin, who was captured by the rebels and escaped. The creation of the story “The Captain's Daughter” was accompanied by a change in the hero's surname. It changed several times (Bulanin, Valuev), until the author settled on Grinev. The image of the main character is associated with mercy, “family thought,” and free choice in difficult and harsh circumstances.

Describing through the lips of Grinev the terrible consequences of Pugachevism, Pushkin calls the rebellion senseless and merciless. Mountains of dead bodies, a bunch of people chained, whipped and hanged - these are the terrible consequences of the uprising. Seeing robbed and devastated villages, fires, and innocent victims, Grinev exclaims: “God forbid we see a Russian rebellion, senseless and merciless.”

Serf Savelich

The creation of the story “The Captain's Daughter” would have been impossible without the vivid image of a native of the people. Serf Savelich firmly believed that he was born only to serve his master. He could not imagine any other life. But his service to the masters is not servility, he is full of self-esteem and nobility.

Savelich is rich in inner selfless affection and self-sacrifice. He loves his young master like a father, takes care of him and suffers from unfair reproaches addressed to him. This old man suffers from loneliness, because he devoted his whole life to serving the masters.

Rebel Pugachev

The poet managed to convey another vivid image of the Russian character through Emelyan Pugachev. This hero of The Captain's Daughter is viewed by Pushkin from two different sides. One Pugachev is an intelligent, with great ingenuity and insightful man, whom we see as a simple person, described in his personal relationship with Grinev. He remembers the kindness shown to him and feels deep gratitude. Another Pugachev is a cruel and merciless executioner, sending people to the gallows and executing the middle-aged widow of Commandant Mironov. This side of Pugachev is disgusting, striking in its bloody cruelty.

The story “The Captain's Daughter” makes it clear that Pugachev is a reluctant villain. He was chosen for the role of “counselor” by the elders and was later betrayed by them. Pugachev himself believed that Russia was destined to be punished through his damnation. He understood that he was doomed, that he was only a leading role player in the rebellious elements. But at the same time, Pugachev is not a soulless puppet in the hands of the elders; he puts all his courage, perseverance and mental strength into the success of the uprising.

The antagonist of the main character is Shvabrin

The nobleman Shvabrin, the hero of The Captain's Daughter, is another real person, mentions of whom were found by Pushkin in archival documents. In contrast to the noble and honest Grinev, Shvabrin is a scoundrel with a dishonest soul. He easily goes over to Pugachev’s side as soon as he captured the Belgorod fortress. He tries to gain Masha's favor by force.

But at the same time, Shvabrin is far from stupid, he is a witty and entertaining conversationalist, who ended up serving in the Belgorod fortress for his love of duels. It is because of Shvabrin that Grinev comes under suspicion of treason and almost loses his life.

Captain's daughter Maria Mironova

The story “The Captain's Daughter” also tells about love in a difficult time of popular uprising. The main character of “The Captain's Daughter” is Maria Mironova, a dowry girl brought up on French novels, the daughter of the captain of the Belogorsk fortress. It is because of her that Grinev and Shvabrin fight a duel, although she cannot belong to either of them. Petrusha's parents forbade her to even think about marrying a dowry girl, and the scoundrel Shvabrin, who practically won the duel, has no place in the girl's heart.

She did not give in to him during the capture of the fortress, when he tried to force her favor. Masha contains all the best character traits of a Russian woman - innocence and purity of character, warmth, patience and readiness for self-sacrifice, fortitude and the ability not to betray her principles. In order to save Masha from the hands of Shvabrin, Grinev goes to Pugachev to ask him for the release of his beloved.

Description of events in the story

The description of events is based on the memoirs of a fifty-year-old nobleman Pyotr Alekseevich Grinev. They were written during the reign of Emperor Alexander and dedicated to the peasant uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. As fate would have it, the young officer had to take an involuntary part in it.

Petrusha's childhood

The story of “The Captain’s Daughter” begins with Pyotr Andreevich’s ironic memories of his childhood. His father is a retired prime minister, his mother is the daughter of a poor nobleman. All eight of Petrusha's brothers and sisters died in childhood, and the hero himself was registered as a sergeant while still in his mother's womb. At the age of five, the eager Savelych is assigned to the boy, who is promoted to Petrusha’s uncle. Under his leadership, he learned Russian literacy and “could sensibly judge the properties of a greyhound dog.” Afterwards, the young master was assigned a Frenchman, Beaupre, as a teacher, whose teaching ended in shameful expulsion for drunkenness and spoiling of courtyard girls.

Young Petrusha lives a carefree life until the age of sixteen, chasing pigeons and playing leapfrog. At the age of seventeen, the father decides to send the youngster to serve, but not in the Semenovsky regiment, but in the active army, so that he can smell gunpowder. This was a reason for disappointment for the young nobleman, who had hoped for a fun and carefree life in the capital.

Officer Grinev's service

On the way to Orenburg, the master and his servant find themselves in a strong snowstorm, and were completely lost when they met a black-bearded gypsy, who led them to the edge. On the way to housing, Pyotr Andreevich has a prophetic and terrible dream. Grateful Grinev gives his savior a hare sheepskin coat and treats him to a glass of wine. After mutual gratitude, the gypsies and Grinev part.

Arriving at the place, Peter was surprised to discover that the Belgorod fortress did not at all look like an impregnable bastion - it was just a cute small village behind a wooden fence. Instead of brave soldiers there are military invalids, and instead of formidable artillery there is an old cannon with old garbage stuffed into its muzzle.

The head of the fortress - an honest and kind officer Mironov - is not strong in education and is completely under the influence of his wife. The wife runs the fortress as if it were her own household. The Mironovs accept young Petrusha as their own, and he himself becomes attached to them and falls in love with their daughter Maria. The easy service encourages reading books and writing poetry.

At the beginning of his service, Pyotr Grinev feels friendly sympathy for Lieutenant Shvabrin, who is close to him in education and occupation. But Shvabrin’s causticity, with which he criticized Grinev’s poems, served as a reason for a quarrel between them, and dirty hints towards Masha became a reason for a duel, during which Grinev was basely wounded by Shvabrin.

Maria takes care of the wounded Peter, and they confess their mutual feelings to each other. Peter writes a letter to his parents, asking for their blessing for his marriage. However, having learned that Maria does not have a dowry, the father forbids his son to even think about the girl.

Pugachev's rebellion

The creation of "The Captain's Daughter" is associated with a popular uprising. In the story, events developed as follows. A mute Bashkir with outrageous messages was caught in a fortress village. Residents fearfully await the attack of the rebel peasants led by Pugachev. And the rebel attack happened unexpectedly; at the very first military attack, the fortress surrendered its position. Residents came out to meet Pugachev with bread and salt, and they are led to the city square to swear allegiance to the new “sovereign.” The commandant and his wife die, refusing to swear allegiance to the impostor Pugachev. Grinev faces the gallows, but later Emelyan himself pardons him, recognizing in him the fellow traveler whom he saved in a snowstorm and received a hare’s fur coat as a gift from him.

Pugachev releases the officer, and he sets off for help in the direction of Orenburg. He wants to save sick Masha from captivity, whom the priest passes off as his niece. He is very worried about her safety, because Shvabrin, who went over to the side of the rebels, was appointed commandant. In Orenburg they did not take his reports seriously and refused to help. And soon the city itself found itself under a long siege. By chance, Grinev receives a letter from Masha asking for help, and he again heads to the fortress. There, with the help of Pugachev, he frees Masha, and he himself comes under suspicion of espionage at the suggestion of the same Shvabrin.

Final Analysis

The main text of the story is compiled from the notes of Pyotr Andreevich Grinev. Critics characterized the story “The Captain's Daughter” as follows: it is a historically important story. The era of Pugachevism is seen through the eyes of a nobleman who took an oath of allegiance to the empress and religiously followed his duty as an officer. And even in a difficult situation, among mountains of dead bodies and a sea of ​​​​people's blood, he did not break his word and preserved the honor of his uniform.

The popular uprising led by Pugachev is viewed in The Captain's Daughter as a national tragedy. Pushkin contrasts the people and the authorities.

Critics call the story “The Captain's Daughter” the pinnacle of Pushkin’s artistic prose. The work brought to life truly Russian characters and types. All of Pushkin’s poetry is permeated by a rebellious spirit, he transcends the boundaries of everyday life. And in the story, in the story of Pugachev’s rebellion, the poet glorifies freedom and rebellion. Russian classics gave the story “The Captain's Daughter” a positive review. Russian literature has added another masterpiece.

"The Captain's Daughter": genre affiliation

Can we consider that the story “The Captain's Daughter” belongs to the genre of a historical novel? After all, the poet himself believed that having covered an entire historical era in his work, he could consider it a novel. However, according to the volume accepted in literary criticism, the work is classified as a story. Few critics admit that “The Captain's Daughter” is a novel; more often it is called a story or story.

"The Captain's Daughter" in the theater and in productions

To date, many theatrical and film productions of the story “The Captain's Daughter” have been carried out. The most popular was Pavel Reznikov's feature film of the same name. The film was released in 1978 and is essentially a film performance. The roles of the main characters were given to well-known actors familiar to television viewers. The unusual nature of the acting is that no one gets used to the character, no one is given special makeup, and in general there is nothing that connects the actors and the book except the text. It is the text that creates the mood, makes the viewer feel, and the actors simply read it in their own voice. Despite the originality of the production of the story “The Captain's Daughter,” the film received amazing reviews. Many theaters still follow the principle of just reading Pushkin's text.

This, in general terms, is the story of the creation of the story “The Captain's Daughter” by A. S. Pushkin.