Brief description of the merchant Kalashnikov. Characteristics of the merchant Kalashnikov

30.06.2020

Lermontov's poem is a song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, about his beloved guardsman and about a brave merchant, about Kalashnikov. How does Lermontov describe the merchant Kalashnikov?

A young merchant sits behind the counter,

Stately fellow Stepan Paramonovich.

The merchant Stepan Paramonovich is one of the main characters of M. Lermontov’s poem “Song about Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich...”; one can even call him the main image in the poem, since he plays a positive role.

Here he sits at the counter and “lays out silk goods,” “with gentle speech he lures guests, counts gold and silver.” And as soon as “vespers are rung in the holy churches,” “Stepan Paramonovich locks his shop with an oak door...” and goes home to his young wife and children.

Only at the very beginning of the description of the merchant Kalashnikov do we already see that “a bad day fell upon him.” So far this is only expressed in the fact that “rich people walk past the bar and don’t look into his shop,” and when he comes home he sees that something is wrong in the house: “his young wife doesn’t meet him, the oak table isn’t covered with a white tablecloth, but a candle I barely feel warm before the image.”

And when Stepan Paramonovich asks his worker what is going on at home, he finds out that his wife, Alena Dmitrievna, has not yet returned from Vespers.

Upon his wife’s return, he will not recognize her, will not understand what has happened to her: “... a young wife stands in front of him, pale, bare-haired, her brown braids unbraided with snow and frost, her eyes looking like crazy; the mouth whispers incomprehensible words.” When his wife told him that the “evil guardsman Tsar Kiribeevich” had “disgraced her, put her to shame,” the daring merchant Kalashnikov could not stand the insult - he called his smaller brothers and told them that tomorrow he would challenge his offender to a fist fight and would fight with him to death, and asked them, if he was beaten, to go out and fight in his place “for the holy mother truth.”

The image of the merchant Kalashnikov amazes us with its fortitude. This is a defender of the Russian land, a defender of his family, of truth.

In his work, Lermontov contrasts the oprichnik Kiribeevich with the merchant Kalashnikov. He shows the merchant not only as a “daring fighter”, but also as a fighter for a just cause. His image is that of a Russian hero: “his falcon eyes are burning,” “he straightens his mighty shoulders,” “he pulls on his fighting gloves.”

In all the actions and actions of the merchant it is clear that he is fighting for a just cause. So, going out to battle, he “bowed first to the terrible Tsar, then to the white Kremlin and the holy churches, and then to the entire Russian people,” and he says to his offender that “he lived according to the law of the Lord: he did not disgrace another man’s wife, he did not rob at night dark, did not hide from the heavenly light..."

That is why the tsar’s oprichnik, who had disgraced the merchant’s wife, “turned pale in face like an autumn leaf.”

Merchant Kalashnikov is not just a brave and courageous man, he is strong in spirit and therefore wins.

And Stepan Paramonovich thought:

What is destined to be will come true;

I will stand for the truth until the last day!

And having defeated the guardsman, the faithful servant of Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich, he is not afraid to answer to him that he killed him “of his own free will,” just for what he killed, he cannot tell the tsar, so as not to expose his and his wife’s honor to desecration.

So he goes to the chopping block for his honesty and courage. And even the tsar liked the fact that “he gave his answer out of conscience.” But the king could not let him go just like that, because his best guardsman, his faithful servant, had been killed. That is why they are preparing an ax for the merchant, and the king granted his young wife and children from the treasury, and ordered his brothers to trade “freely, duty-free.”

The image of the merchant Stepan Paramonovich is the image of a strong, brave man, a “daring fighter”, a “young merchant”, honest and persistent in his rightness. That’s why a song was composed about him, and people don’t forget his grave:

An old man will pass by and cross himself,

The good fellow will pass - he will become poised,

If a girl passes by, she will become sad,

And the guslar players will pass by and sing a song.

Kalashnikov Stepan Paramonovich

SONG ABOUT TSAR IVAN VASILIEVICH, THE YOUNG OPRICHNIKA AND THE DARLING MERCHANT KALASHNIKOV
Poem (1838)

Kalashnikov Stepan Paramonovich is a merchant, keeper of the family foundations and honor of the family. The name “Kalashnikov” was borrowed from a song about Mastryuk Temryukovich (in the versions recorded by P.V. Kireevsky, the Kulashnikov children, the Kalashnikov brothers, and the Kalashnikovs are mentioned). The plot may have been inspired by the story of the official Myasoed-Visly, whose wife was dishonored by the guardsmen (“History of the Russian State” by N. M. Karamzin).

K.'s private life is distinct and measured; everything is predetermined in it. The constancy of the way of life reflects the stability of psychology. Any change in external life means a catastrophe, is perceived as misfortune and grief, and portends trouble. It is not for nothing that, having come “to his high house,” K. “marvels”: “His young wife does not meet him, / The oak table is not covered with a white tablecloth, / And the candle in front of the image barely glows.”

And although social differences have already penetrated into consciousness (K. reproaches his wife: “You’ve already been walking, you’ve been feasting, / Tea, with the sons of all the boyars!..”, and Ivan the Terrible asks K.: “Or knocked you off your feet in a fist fight?” battle / On the Moscow River, a merchant’s son?”); general order and tribal relations still prevail. K., as the head of the family, is responsible for his wife, and for his small children, and for his brothers. He is obliged to stand up for the honor of his wife, for his personal honor and the honor of his family. His brothers also obey him. By seducing K.'s wife, Kiribeevich insults not just a private individual, the merchant K., but the entire Christian people, because K. is the bearer of family, clan foundations, and the existing social order. It is the defense of popular, patriarchal-tribal principles of life that makes K. an epic hero, gives his offense a national scale, and K.’s determination to take revenge on the offender appears as a nationwide protest, sanctified by the sanction of popular opinion.

Therefore, K.’s battle takes place in full view of all Moscow, all honest people. The emotional expression of the mortal duel, its uncompromising nature, the predetermined outcome, and at the same time the height of the moral idea defended by K., is the solemn description of the capital before the battle (“Over the great, golden-domed Moscow ...”). The fight itself is also given symbolic meaning. The ritual of a traditional fist fight - from preparation for it to the end - is extremely important in the context of the artistic meaning of the “Song...”. An amusing fist fight, where daring brave men measured their strength, was turned into an ideological confrontation between the old way of life and the self-will that destroys it. The form of the duel, legitimized by folk custom, where strength honestly fights with strength, is based on a fair law: “Whoever beats someone, the king will reward him, / And whoever is beaten, God will forgive him!” Before the battle, K. addresses the entire Orthodox world: “I bowed first to the terrible Tsar, / After the white Kremlin and the holy churches, / And then to the entire Russian people.”

However, the national cause, for which K is ready to fight, takes the form of personal protest. K. does not go to the king, the guardian of order and traditions, to achieve justice, but takes personal responsibility. Man no longer trusts the royal power, but to a certain extent opposes himself to it, not seeing in the king the guarantor of folk customs and Christian law. Moreover: while defending the old foundations, K. simultaneously commits a crime, for he turns an amusing battle into revenge. The motives driving K. are high, but his action puts K. outside the ancestral law that he honors. To protect age-old customs, an individual must break them.

K. embodies the image of an avenger hero fighting for justice, and - and this is characteristic of Lermontov - it is the individual who takes upon himself the right to defend the people's truth. The deepening of the popular, democratic principle is associated with overcoming the canon of the Byronic poem: a “common” person is chosen as an avenging hero. Contemporary issues are immersed in history, and history is recreated from the perspective of the present. Feeling the relevance of the “Song...”, its plot was compared with the real events of those years: with the family tragedy of Pushkin and the story of a Moscow merchant’s wife being taken away by a hussar.

All characteristics in alphabetical order:

The image of the merchant Kalashnikov. Turning to the theme of the heroic past was not accidental in the work of M.Yu. Lermontov. This theme made it possible to depict strong, integral, heroic characters, which the poet did not find in modern times. Lermontov creates one of these characters in “Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov.”

In this poem, Lermontov reproduces the era of Ivan the Terrible, the end of the 16th century. The main character of "Song..." is the merchant Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov. The plot of the work is based on the motive of resentment and defense of honor. The theme of love, family relationships, restrictions on the freedom of human will, and state despotism also seems important here.

Stepan Paramonovich is a simple Russian man who values family relationships and home comfort. He lives with his young wife and children in a tall house, where the table is “covered with a white tablecloth,” a candle glows in front of the image, and old Eremeevna is in charge of everything. This description contains a complete picture of “home life and simple, uncomplicated, simple-minded family relationships among our ancestors.”

The hero has an attractive appearance. This is a “stately fellow”, with “falcon eyes”, “mighty shoulders”, “a curly beard”. He reminds us of the epic heroes, of whom there were so many in Russia.

Stepan Paramonovich’s speech also evokes associations with folklore, “affectionate,” poetic, inspired, reflecting his inner world. (“... a bad misfortune befell me...”, “... a soul cannot bear an insult, but a brave heart cannot bear it.”

Kalashnikov behaves confidently, with merchant-like sedateness and dignity. He leisurely runs the shop: he lays out goods, invites customers, and counts the “gold and silver.” He feels like the same master in his own home, his family. Alena Dmitrievna loves and respects him, and his brothers respect him.

And suddenly the peace and tranquility reigning in his family is grossly violated. Alena Dmitrievna is publicly pursued by the Tsar's guardsman, Kiribeevich, who is in love with her. Having learned about this, Kalashnikov decides to stand up for the honor of his wife in order to restore her good name, his masculine honor, and the reputation of his family. The hero’s soul cannot bear dishonor: “And the soul cannot bear such an insult, Yes, the brave heart cannot bear.” Stepan Paramonovich decides to fight the guardsman tooth and nail in a fist fight that will take place on the Moscow River.

The Russian heroic character is depicted in the image of the merchant Kalashnikov. This is a courageous and honest person, strong in spirit, integral and uncompromising, with self-esteem. Stepan Paramonovich is patriarchal, he is sincerely attached to his family, takes care of his children and wife, and sacredly honors Orthodox customs.

The persecution of Alena Dmitrievna by the Tsar's oprichnik in front of all the neighbors is a shame and dishonor for Kalashnikov. Kiribeevich in the eyes of the merchant is a “busurman” who has encroached on the most sacred thing - the inviolability of family ties. The oprichnik is not stopped even by the fact that Alena Dmitrievna “was re-married in the Church of God... According to our Christian law.” Deciding on a fair fist fight, Kalashnikov also defends the inviolability of Christian concepts of family and marriage.

Kalashnikov kills Kiribeevich in a fist fight. The judge in this battle is the sovereign himself. Ivan the Terrible does not hide his dissatisfaction with the result of the duel and demands an answer from the merchant about whether he killed the Tsar’s guardsman “willingly or unwillingly.”

And here Stepan Paramonovich will have to pass another test. He perfectly understands how terrible the tsar’s anger can be, but he tells the tsar the truth, hiding, however, the reason for his battle with Kiribeevich:

I killed him freely

I won’t tell you why about what.

I will only tell God alone.

Belinsky, who admired this scene, wrote that “Kalashnikov could still save himself with a lie, but for this noble soul, twice so terribly shocked - both by the shame of his wife, who destroyed his family bliss, and by bloody revenge on the enemy, who did not return his former bliss - for this For a noble soul, life no longer represented anything seductive, and death seemed necessary to heal its incurable wounds... There are souls who are content with something - even the remnants of former happiness; but there are souls whose slogan is all or nothing... such was the soul... of Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov.”

The Tsar decides to execute the merchant Kalashnikov. And Stepan Paramonovich says goodbye to his brothers, giving them the last instructions:

Take a bow from me to Alena Dmitrievna,

Order her to be less sad,

Don’t tell my kids about me;

Bow down to your parents' house,

Bow to all our comrades,

Pray yourself in God's church

You are for my soul, my sinful soul!

Love for his family and thirst for justice, hatred for his offender, self-esteem and boundless faith in the right of his sovereign to decide the destinies of people - these are the main feelings experienced by the hero. That is why he agrees to accept death.

Let's consider the relationship between Kalashnikov and other characters. Kiribeevich, it seems, did not feel obvious hatred towards Stepan Paramonovich and, moreover, felt remorse during the fight. That is why he “turned pale,” “like autumn snow,” “his lively eyes became clouded,” “the word froze on his open lips.” It is characteristic that Lermontov creates multifaceted characters here. So, Kiribeevich is not only a “wild fellow”, accustomed to not denying himself anything, he is also a brave man, a “daring fighter”, capable of strong feelings:

Whenever I see her, I’m not myself -

Brave hands give up,

The lively eyes are darkened;

I'm bored, sad, Orthodox Tsar,

To wander around the world alone.

Light horses are sick of me,

Tired of brocade outfits

And I don’t need a gold treasury...

“Kiribeevich’s love is not a joke, not mere red tape, but the passion of a strong nature, a powerful soul. ...For this person there is no middle ground: either receive or perish! He left the tutelage of the natural morality of his society, and did not acquire another, higher, more human one: such depravity, such immorality in a person with a strong nature and wild passions is dangerous and terrible. And with all this, he has support in the formidable king, who will not regret or spare anyone...” 97.

The Tsar is truly indignant and angry at the action of the merchant Kalashnikov and considers himself to have the right to dispose of his life at his own discretion. Lermontov emphasizes the cruelty and despotism of Ivan the Terrible. The king in the poem personifies the fate of Kalashnikov.

Kalashnikov is truly dear only to his family - Alena Dmitrievna, his younger brothers, who revered him as a father. The merchant Kalashnikov and the author's sympathy are on the side. He glorifies his hero:

And the wild winds roar and roar

Above his unmarked grave.

And good people pass by:

An old man will pass by and cross himself.

The good fellow will pass - he will become poised,

If a girl passes by, she will become sad,

And the guslar players will pass by and sing a song.

Thus, in “Song... about the merchant Kalashnikov” Lermontov examines the theme of resentment and defense of honor in the spirit of the popular worldview, for which the price of dishonor is human life. And in this regard, the epic pathos is palpable in the poem: harsh morals are justified by folk morality, without any excessive dramatization.

Lermontov's creativity has always remained a mystery, and it is not without reason that his works are called unique. They reflected the poet’s spiritual mood. Take, for example, the variety of forms and themes that are observed in his work: the fantastic alternates with the real, laughter with sadness, strength with fatigue, prayer with jokes, romantic impulses with cold skepticism.

Who would have thought that the same author is capable of creating works that are completely different in thoughts, mood and tempo at the same time? In recent years, the poet’s soul has been increasingly overwhelmed by peaceful feelings. The best example of this is the “Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov” written in 1837. Characteristics of the main character in this article.

A story in the spirit of a folk song

“Song about the merchant Kalashnikov” was created by the poet in 1837 in exile in the Caucasus. This work by Lermontov is exceptional in its style. It is written in the spirit of a folk song and is presented to the reader as a legend sung by guslars.

The “song” is also interesting because of the religious mood with which it is colored. The main idea of the poem is the humility of a person strong with truth before an unfair, but obligatory trial. The author tells the tragic fate of a merchant's son, who stood up for his offended wife and washed away the insult with blood, but was executed.

The merchant Kalashnikov (characteristics of the hero below) humbly endures his fate, he submits to the court of the king and God. He does not speak a word against injustice, does not show the slightest threat.

Sovereign guardsman

The story begins with a feast scene. Among the many persons present in the king's refectory, the author in artistic form highlights the main character: everyone at the table drinks, but only one does not drink. This hero is Kiribeevich. Following this, a dialogue takes place between Ivan the Terrible and the guardsman. In the characterization of the merchant Kalashnikov, this episode plays an important role. It allows you to reveal the characters' personalities more fully.

Ivan the Terrible’s appeal to his guardsman and his questions are built up in an increasing order: first, the king then hit the ground with a stick and finally uttered a word that awakened the guardsman from oblivion. Kiribeevich answers the sovereign. The king’s secondary appeal is based on the same principle: is the caftan worn out, is the treasury spent, is the saber notched?

This episode shows that Kiribeevich is the king's favorite. He enjoys his favor and favor. The guardsman has everything - expensive caftans, money, good weapons. As the sovereign becomes interested, his anger and desire to take part in the fate of Kiribeevich increase. This episode predicts the future fate of the merchant Kalashnikov. The characteristics of the opponent are hidden behind the last question of the sovereign: “Or did the merchant’s son knock you down in a fist fight?”

The oprichnik replies that that hand has not yet been born into the merchant family, his argamak walks cheerfully. The king’s assumption that an invincible fighter lost the battle to a merchant’s son was rejected by Kiribeevich as impossible. In his boasting lies a psychological anticipation of the poem, a kind of prophecy.

The reason for the guardsman's sadness

At the peak of the royal involvement, the cunning and crafty Kiribeevich plays out a heartbreaking scene in front of him: I don’t wet my mustache in a gilded ladle because I fell madly in love with a beauty, and she turns away as if from an infidel. The autocrat, having learned that the sweetheart of his beloved guardsman was only a merchant’s daughter, laughed: take the ring, buy a necklace and send gifts to Alena Dmitrievna. And don’t forget to invite him to the wedding, and bow to the matchmaker.

Kiribeevich played a trick and outwitted Ivan the Terrible himself. It seems like he told everything in spirit, but hid from the king that the beauty was married in the church of God. And why does Kiribeevich need a matchmaker if the sovereign himself is on his side. The author reveals the image of the enemy of the daring merchant Kalashnikov. Kiribeevich's characteristics are fully presented: a cunning, self-confident person, a professional fighter and a noble family. His name indicates non-Russian origin; Kalashnikov calls him the Basurman son.

Wealth and the patronage of the tsar spoiled the guardsman. Kiribeevich became a selfish person, trampling on family foundations. Alena Dmitrievna’s marriage does not stop him. Having watched his sweetheart, he offers her wealth in exchange for love. The presence of his neighbors does not stop him, in front of whose eyes he hugs and kisses his chosen one, knowing full well that this threatens her with dishonor.

Merchant Kalashnikov

Kalashnikov is one of the main characters. We can say that this is the main image of the poem, since it is assigned a positive role. A young merchant is sitting behind the counter. In his shop he lays out goods, lures guests with sweet speech, and counts the gold and silver. He closes the shop as soon as the bells ring for supper, and goes home to his young wife and children.

The merchant had a bad day. So far this can only be seen from the fact that rich boyars walk by, but do not look into his shop. The merchant returned home in the evening and saw that something was wrong here too: his wife did not meet him, the oak table was not covered with a white tablecloth, the candle barely glowed in front of the images. He asked the worker what was going on? They told him that Alena Dmitrievna had not yet returned from the evening.

When his wife returned, he did not recognize her: she stood pale, bare-haired, and her unbraided braids were sprinkled with snow. He looks with crazy eyes and whispers incomprehensible words. His wife told him that the Tsar’s oprichnik, Kiribeevich, had disgraced her. Kalashnikov could not bear such an insult. He called his younger brothers and said that he would challenge the offender to a fight and fight to the death. The merchant asked the brothers, if they beat him, to come out in his place and stand for the holy truth.

The daring merchant Kalashnikov, whose profile you are reading now, goes into battle not out of jealousy, but for the holy truth. Kiribeevich violated the patriarchal way of life and God's law: looking at someone else's wife is a crime. Stepan Paramonovich does not enter the duel out of jealousy, but to defend his honor. First of all, the honor of the family, which is why he asks the brothers to stand up for the truth.

Duel

Before the battle, Kiribeevich comes out and silently bows to the king. Merchant Kalashnikov follows the rules of ancient politeness: first he bows to the Tsar, then to the Kremlin and the holy churches, and then to the Russian people. Kalashnikov sacredly preserves the ancient foundations. He is not just a courageous and brave man, the merchant is strong in his spirit. That's why he wins.

The duel is preceded by a scene of boasting. Kiribeevich's boast is just a ritual, and the merchant's response is an accusation and a challenge to a mortal fight. The duel has ceased to be a competition, it’s all about moral rightness. Kalashnikov answers his offender that he has nothing to fear: he lived according to the law of God, did not disgrace another man’s wife, did not commit robbery, and “did not hide from the light of heaven.” Kiribeevich, having heard Kalashnikov’s words, turned pale in his face, which means he admitted that he was wrong. But nevertheless, he hit his opponent in the chest.

The bones cracked, but the copper cross hanging on the chest of the merchant Kalashnikov saved him. In characterizing the hero, this detail is essential. She says that the outcome of the fight was already, as it were, predetermined. Kiribeevich, by pestering a woman who was married in a church, violated not only human laws, but also God’s. Stepan Paramonovich trusts in God's judgment and tells himself that he will stand for the truth to the last.

Kalashnikov hits the enemy with a swing in the left temple, which is contrary to the rules of combat. Kiribeevich falls dead. In essence, the merchant committed murder. But he is not deprived of sympathy - neither the reader's nor the author's. He goes to administer justice and fulfills his plans. From the point of view of the people's consciousness, Kalashnikov is right.

Kalashnikov trial

The Tsar, and he already knew the rules of battle, angrily asks Kalashnikov whether he killed his faithful servant by accident or by his own will. The merchant admits that he killed Kiribeevich of his own free will, and why he did so, he will only tell God alone. In order not to disgrace the honor of the family, he cannot tell this to the king. He boldly confesses to the king what he has done and is ready to be punished. Only before his death does he entrust his family to the care of the sovereign. And the tsar promises to welcome the orphans, the young widow and the brothers of Stepan Paramonovich.

In the description of the merchant Kalashnikov, it should be noted that without regret he goes to the chopping block for his honesty and courage. The sovereign liked the fact that he did not fuss and kept his answer according to his conscience. But the sovereign could not forgive and let him go just like that. After all, his faithful servant and best guardsman was killed. The merchant holds court arbitrarily. He aggravated his guilt by his denial to the king. And for this he must be punished.

The king is formidable, but fair. For his honesty and courage, he does not leave the merchant with his favor: he orders him to go to a high place. He orders the ax to be sharpened, the executioner to be dressed, and the big bell to be rung. The sovereign gave Kalashnikov's young wife and children gifts from the treasury, and did not offend the brothers either - he ordered them to trade duty-free.

Stately fellow

In the poem, Lermontov contrasts the merchant Kalashnikov with the guardsman Kiribeevich. The author shows the merchant not only as a daring fighter, but as a fighter for the holy truth. The characterization of the merchant Kalashnikov from “The Song about the Merchant Kalashnikov” reflects the image of a stately young man, a Russian hero: his falcon eyes are burning, he straightens his mighty shoulders and pulls on his combat gloves.

The image of the merchant Kalashnikov is the image of a brave and strong man, persistent and honest. That is why the song about the merchant was composed. And even though his grave is unmarked, people do not forget it: an old man passes by and crosses himself; a young man walks by and puts on a dignified face; if a girl passes by, he becomes sad. And the guslar players will pass by and sing a song.