In which works is the little man. The theme of the little man in Russian literature of the 19th century

Subject " little man“becomes especially relevant in Russian literature in the second half of the 19th century, when authors and readers are already tired of reading about extremely smart and talented “supermen”, they want to see in the works ordinary people.

The appearance of the theme of the little man in Pushkin

The first in this tradition was A.S. Pushkin in his “Tales of the late Ivan Petrovich Belkin” (1830), which contain five short stories: “The Young Lady-Peasant Woman”, “The Station Warden”, “The Blizzard”, “The Undertaker” and “The Shot”.

The heroes of all of them are ordinary people who do not differ in any outstanding features. They are not superfluous in their society, they occupy their insignificant place in it - this is typical representatives Russian society after the Decembrist uprising. And they are told by the same simple storyteller - a little man who reliably conveys simple life.

Particularly expressive in this regard is the story “The Station Agent”, in which, using the example of the main character, we understand that there are no “little” people; Each of them has their own problems that are important to someone, to which society does not want to react.

The reader feels sorry " little hero" Samson Vyrin and his daughter Dunya, the reader understands that any person deserves happiness.

Development of the theme of the little man in Gogol

It was this story that was a kind of basis for N.V. Gogol, when he comes up with a plot for his story “The Overcoat” (1842). Here we, as in “The Station Agent,” see an ordinary petty person whose problems society does not want to accept.

Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin sadly serves every day in his department, his only joy in life is his tattered overcoat. When she is kidnapped, no one wants to help the “little man” in his grief, and in the end Bashmachkin dies of frustration.

After death, he flies in the form of a ghost through the streets of St. Petersburg, tearing off the greatcoat from passers-by - in this way he strives to achieve the highest justice.

The role of the story “The Overcoat” in Russian literature was enormous - it was considered the “starting point” by the authors, who later called their movement the “natural school.”

The focus of the literature of this period is on ordinary people and their usual life, without understatement and without embellishment. Consequently, the “little man” became a typical character for this movement, as well as his rather big problems.

The theme of the little man in Dostoevsky

F.M. also belonged to this direction. Dostoevsky, whose favorite theme was the description of the life of the “humiliated and insulted.”

He develops this same theme partially in the story Poor People, but mainly in his novel Crime and Punishment. Particularly interesting here is the image of the main character Rodion Raskolnikov - although he imagines himself above all other people, in fact he is the same “little man”.

However, Dostoevsky’s “little man” goes further than the previous ones: he himself talks about his difficult life, he does not silently submit to circumstances. Other heroes of the novel are the same characters - the unfortunate Sonechka Marmeladova, Raskolnikov’s sister Dunya, Marmeladov himself...

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………...3

Chapter 2. Comparison of the theme of the little man in the works of Pushkin and the works of other authors……………………………………………………………...9

2.1. “Little Man” in the works of A.S. Griboedova…………………9

2.2. Development of the image of the “little man” by N.V. Gogol………………..10

2.3. The theme of the “little man” in the works of M.Yu. Lermontov…………..10

2.4. F.M. Dostoevsky, as a continuator of the “little man” theme….11

2.5. Vision of the image of the “little man” by L.N. Tolstoy…………………..13

2.6. The theme of the “little man” in the works of N.S. Leskova……………16

2.7. A.P. Chekhov and the “little man” in his stories………………………17

2.8. Creation of the image of the “little man” by Maxim Gorky…………..20

2.9. "Little Man" in " Garnet bracelet» A.I. Kuprina…………21

2.10. The theme of “Little Man” by A.N. Ostrovsky……………………...21

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….23

List of references……………………………………………………………...25

Definition "small man" applied to the category of literary heroes of the era realism, usually occupying a rather low place in the social hierarchy: a minor official, a tradesman or even a poor nobleman. The image of the “little man” turned out to be more relevant the more democratic literature became. The very concept of “little man” is most likely in use introduced by Belinsky(article 1840 “Woe from Wit”). The theme of the “little man” is raised by many writers. It has always been relevant because its task is reflect life common man with all her experiences, problems, troubles and little joys. The writer takes on the hard work of showing and explaining the lives of ordinary people. “The little man is a representative of the entire people. And each writer represents him in his own way.

In world literature one can distinguish a parable novel Franz Kafka“A castle that reveals the tragic powerlessness of a little man and his unwillingness to reconcile himself with fate.

IN German literature gravitated towards the image of the “little man” Gerhart Hauptmann in his dramas Before Sunrise and Alone. The wealth of images of the “little man” in Hauptmann’s works gives rise to many different options (from a poorly educated carter to a subtle intellectual). Continued the tradition of Hauptmann Hans Fallada .

In Russian literature of the 19th century, the depiction of the image of a small man became especially popular. They were working on it Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Gribodoev, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, Leo Tolstoy and many other writers.

The idea of ​​the “little man” changed throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. Each writer also had his own personal views on of this hero. But already from the second third of the 20th century this image disappears from the pages literary works, since the method socialist realism does not imply such a hero.

Chapter 1. The image of the “little man” in the works of A.S.

Pushkin

The greatest poet of the 19th century, A.S. Pushkin, also did not leave the theme of the “little man” unnoticed, only he turned his gaze not to the image of the kneeling man, but to the fate of the unfortunate man, showing us his pure soul, unspoiled by wealth and prosperity, who knows how to rejoice and love , suffer. This is a story "Stationmaster" part of a cycle "Tales of Belkin". Pushkin sympathizes with his hero.

Initially, his life is not easy.

“Who hasn’t cursed the stationmasters, who hasn’t scolded them? Who, in a moment of anger, hasn’t demanded from them a fatal book in order to write into it their useless complaint about oppression, rudeness and malfunction? Who doesn’t consider them monsters of the human race, equal to the deceased clerks, or at least the Murom robbers? Let us, however, be fair, try to enter into their position and, perhaps, begin to judge them much more leniently. What is a stationmaster? A real martyr of the fourteenth class, protected by his rank only from beatings. not always... There is peace, neither day nor night. him as an enemy; it would be good if he soon managed to get rid of the uninvited guest; but if the horses didn’t happen, what curses and threats would fall on his head! In the rain and slush, he is forced to run around the yards; in a storm, in the Epiphany frost, he goes into the hallway, just to rest for a minute from the screams and pushes of an irritated guest... Let’s look into all this carefully, and instead of indignation, our hearts will be filled with sincere compassion.”

But, the hero of the story Samson Vyrin, remains a happy and calm person. He is accustomed to his service and has a good assistant, his daughter.

He dreams of simple happiness, grandchildren, big family, but fate has other plans. Hussar Minsky, while passing through their place, takes his daughter Dunya with him. After an unsuccessful attempt to return his daughter, when the hussar " strong hand“, grabbing the old man by the collar, he pushed him onto the stairs,” Vyrin was no longer able to fight. And the unfortunate old man dies of melancholy, grieving over her possible pitiful fate.

Eugene, the hero of The Bronze Horseman, looks like Samson Vyrin.
Our hero lives in Kolomna, serves somewhere, and shuns the nobles. He does not make great plans for the future; he is satisfied with a quiet, inconspicuous life.

He also hopes for his personal, albeit small, but much-needed family happiness.

But all his dreams are in vain, because evil fate bursts into his life: the elements destroy his beloved. Evgeniy cannot resist fate; he quietly experiences his loss. And only in a state of madness does he threaten the Bronze Horseman, considering the culprit of his misfortune to be the man who built the city on this bad place. Pushkin looks at his heroes from the outside. They do not stand out for their intelligence or their position in society, but they are kind and decent people, and therefore worthy of respect and sympathy. In the novel "Captain's daughter" The category of "little people" includes Petr Andreevich Grinev And Captain Mironov. They are distinguished by the same qualities: kindness, justice, decency, the ability to love and respect people. But they have one more thing good quality- stay true to your word. Pushkin included the saying in the epigraph: “Take care of your honor from a young age.” They saved their honor. And they are just as dear to A.S. Pushkin, as are the heroes of his previously mentioned works.

Pushkin puts forward a democratic theme in them
a little man (the story "The Station Agent"), which precedes Gogol's "The Overcoat".

This is what he writes in his critical article"Pushkin's fiction" literary critic S.M. Petrov:

"Belkin's Tales" appeared in print first realistic work Russian prose. Along with traditional themes from the life of the nobility and estate (“The Young Lady-Peasant”), Pushkin puts forward in them democratic theme of the little man(the story "The Station Agent"), which precedes Gogol's "The Overcoat".

"Belkin's Tales" were Pushkin's polemical response to the main trends of contemporary Russian prose. The truthfulness of the image, deep insight into a person's character, the absence of any didacticism "The Station Agent" by Pushkin put an end to it influence
sentimental and didactic story about a little man like " Poor Lisa" Karamzin. Idealized images, plot situations deliberately created for didactic purposes in a sentimental story are replaced by real types and everyday paintings, depicting the true joys and sorrows of life.

Deep humanism Pushkin's story is opposed to the abstract sensitivity of a sentimental story. The mannered language of a sentimental story, falling into moralizing rhetoric, gives way to a simple and ingenuous narrative, like the old caretaker’s story about his Duna. Realism is replacing sentimentalism in Russian prose.”

D. Blagoy considers the crown of Pushkin's realism, its consistent completion, the image of a “little man,” an unassuming “college registrar,” even going so far as to directly identify Eugene’s life ideals (“ Bronze Horseman“), the most typical of a series of similar heroes, - with the aspirations of the poet himself.

“In reality, Pushkin of the 30s, who more than once sympathetically depicted the life and way of life of “little people,” endowed them with warm human feelings, could not at the same time fail to see the limitations, the poverty of the spiritual needs of a petty official, a tradesman, a seedy nobleman. While pitying the “little man,” Pushkin at the same time shows the petty-bourgeois narrowness of his requests.

How typical is the type of French teacher in “Dubrovsky”:

“I have an old mother, I will send half of my salary to her for food, from the rest of the money I can save up a small capital in five years - sufficient for my future independence, and then bonsoir, I go to Paris and embark on commercial activities.” – A. Grushkin emphasizes in article “Image folk hero in the works of Pushkin of the 30s."

Sometimes image of a little man from Alexander Sergeevich turn into a description of a folk hero. Let us turn to a fragment of the same article by Grushkin:

"In "Songs Western Slavs“He found this hero. The latter, it would seem, is endowed with all the features of a “little man.” At first glance, we have before us an undemanding, simple man, whose way of life is primitive to the extreme. What, for example, would the hero of “Funeral Song” want to tell his old father, who is already “beyond the grave?”

The problem of the “little man” in the works of writers of the 1840s was not a new phenomenon in general for Russian literature.

Domestic writers XVIII - early XIX centuries could not ignore the suffering of little ones in their own way social status and importance in the huge hierarchical state of people, those who were sometimes undeservedly humiliated and offended. The theme of the “poor official,” which later evolved into the theme of the “little man” in its traditional understanding, originated in Russian literature back in the 17th century (“The Tale of Frol Skobeev”), and was outlined in the Russian novel of the 18th century and the story of the early 19th century. Meanwhile, the concept of “little man” was firmly attached to the heroes of works of the 1840s.

The literary type of the “little man” developed in Russian prose of 1830-1840. For its time, this type of literary hero was a kind of revolution in the understanding and depiction of man. And indeed, the “little man” was not like the exceptional romantic heroes who preceded him with their complex spiritual world [Murzak, 2007, p. 1].

This type of hero is born in the era of sentimentalism. Social source for the development of the image of the “little man” in Russian literature, undoubtedly, the third estate appeared, consisting of various kinds of impoverished nobles, former students and seminarians, and later philistines, seeking to establish themselves in the status of prosperous and trustworthy citizens through the acquisition of nobility. It is no coincidence that H.A. Berdyaev spoke about the great gulf that formed in the 18th century between the upper stratum and the people. While the lower and uppermost strata in Russia (the peasantry and nobility) were relatively stable, the middle class - the most mobile part of the population, cut off from its roots and despising these very roots, sought to penetrate the upper strata of society. This process was reflected in the literature of the 40s of the 19th century.

For the first time in the history of criticism, the concept of “little man” appears in an article by V.G. Belinsky “Woe from Wit” (1840) when analyzing the image of the mayor in Gogol’s “The Inspector General”: “Our mayor become a general - and when he lives in county town, woe to the little man, if he, who considers himself “not having the honor of being acquainted with Mr. General,” does not bow to him or give up his seat at the ball, even if this little man was preparing to be a great man!.. then the comedy could come out tragedy for the “little man” [Ibid. p. 3-4].

In the article “Russian Literature in 1845,” the critic speaks of Gogol as the founder of a new direction in Russian literature. Belinsky gives the author of “The Overcoat,” the creator of the sample story about the “little man,” an honorable place among his younger brothers in the pen, those who paid attention to the “crowd.” “If we were asked what is the essential merit of the new literary school“, writes Vissarion Grigorievich, “we would answer: precisely for what short-sighted mediocrity or low envy attacks her, in the fact that from the highest ideals of human nature and life she turned to the so-called “crowd”, exclusively chose her as her hero, studies her with deep attention and introduces her to herself. This meant finally achieving the aspiration of our literature, which wanted to become completely national, Russian, original and original.”

Despite the fact that Belinsky’s articles of the early 1840s were guided largely by aesthetic considerations (he contrasted a new image of reality with a sentimental and romantic depiction of reality), the image of the “little man” takes on a more definite meaning. This is a man of the crowd, socially oppressed, poor, and therefore in need of the sympathy and attention of society. In the article “Russian Literature in 1847,” the critic develops a previously expressed idea: “Former poets also presented pictures of poverty, but neat, washed poverty, expressed modestly and nobly; Moreover, at the end of the story, a sensitive young lady or maiden, the daughter of rich parents, or sometimes a beneficent young man always appeared, and in the name of a sweet or sweet heart they established contentment and happiness where there was poverty and misery, and grateful tears watered the beneficent hand - and the reader involuntarily brought his cambric handkerchief to his eyes and felt that he was becoming kinder and more sensitive. And now! - look what they write now! The men are in bast shoes and sheepskin coats, they often smell like fusel, the woman is a kind of Centauri, you can’t suddenly tell by the clothes what gender the creature is; the corners are refuges of poverty, despair and depravity, which must be reached through a knee-deep dirty yard; some drunkard - a clerk or a seminarian teacher expelled from service - all this is copied from life, in the nakedness of a terrible truth, so if you read it, expect difficult dreams at night.” [Belinsky, 1898, p. 16].

Of course, in the concept of “crowd” Belinsky included quite diverse social classes (from a janitor to a petty employee of the bourgeois or noble rank), united, however, by one thing: a miserable existence and low social status. This understanding of the “little man” was fully consistent with literary reality. Writers of the 40s of the 19th century, belonging to the “natural school,” flooded Russian literature with organ grinders, janitors, peasants, inhabitants of city shelters, poor artists and others.

“Little people” work in some department and dream of career growth. It should be noted that the bureaucratic world was depicted in a very diverse way: there were such stories where the poor official not only suffered, but also did successful career thanks to his resourcefulness and ability to adapt.

Thus, in the 19th century, the concept of “little man” was quite broad. Writers of the 1840s did not put into it the meaning that would be attached to it later. Only in Soviet literary criticism did the concept of “little man” become identical to a petty St. Petersburg official. This is, first of all, an official of the Nikolaev period. Then his social address expanded, and the “little man” began to be understood as generally a poor person occupying low levels in the social hierarchy [Berdnikov, 1989, p. 414].

For the first time, Russian literature so poignantly and clearly showed the distortion of personality by an environment hostile to it. For the first time, it was possible not only to dramatically depict contradictory human behavior, but also to condemn the evil and inhuman forces of society.

Karamzin in “Poor Liza” embodied the main thesis of sentimentalism about the extra-class value of a person - “even peasant women know how to love.” Social inequality and natural complexity human soul becomes an obstacle to happiness main character. The girl’s fate takes shape against the backdrop of the dramatic history of Russia. The classical scheme, which extremely expressively reveals the character of the “little man” in the works of sentimentalism, is practically unchanged: idyllic pictures of life “ natural people“are violated by the invasion of representatives of a vicious civilization.

A new impetus was given to the specified type realistic literature. “Belkin’s Tales” by Pushkin, “The Overcoat” by Gogol, “Poor People” by Dostoevsky, and Chekhov’s stories presented the type of “little man” in a multifaceted way. Writers artistically formed the characterological characteristics of a literary type: ordinary appearance, age from thirty to fifty years; limited existential possibilities; the wretchedness of material existence; the hero’s conflict with a high-ranking official or offender; the collapse of your life's dreams; spontaneous rebellion of the character; tragic outcome [Berkowski, 1962, p.329]

Of course, one of the creators of the “little man” type is A. Pushkin. M. Bakhtin absolutely accurately noted that Belinsky “overlooked” Samson Vyrin, saying that N. Gogol is the founder of the “little man” theme.

Pushkin deliberately moves away from depicting the social arguments of the tragedy of the unfortunate official and creates a utopian picture of relations between representatives of different strata, which is not devoid of sentimentality. Be that as it may, the psychology of the “little man” was outlined by Pushkin in all the evidence of his social existence. An equally significant aspect of the topic is the analysis of dramatic family relationships.

The significance of the theme of the “little man” for Pushkin was not in exposing the downtroddenness of the hero, but in the discovery in the “little man” of a compassionate and sensitive soul, endowed with the gift of responding to other people’s misfortune and pain.

Pushkin’s concept becomes the source of subsequent literary generalizations, predetermines the stories of Dostoevsky and Tolstoy about “unhappy families”, conflict situations, where “each family is unhappy in its own way.”

The “little man” becomes the dominant type in the “natural school.” L. Lotman wrote that “the man appeared to the writers natural school cast social form distorting human nature."

The further evolution of the literary type of the “little man” is associated with a shift in emphasis, according to Bakhtin, “from the environment to the person.” Already in early work“Poor People” Dostoevsky focuses on the spiritual world of the hero, although dependence on social circumstances still determines the misfortunes of Makar Devushkin. Dobrolyubov in the article “Downtrodden People” noted: “In the works of Dostoevsky we find common feature, more or less noticeable in everything he wrote: this is pain about a person who recognizes himself as unable or, finally, not even entitled to be a real person, a complete, independent person, in himself.” [Dobrolyubov, 1986, p. 12].

The novel “Poor People” combines two views on the “little man” - Pushkin’s and Gogol’s; Makar Devushkin, after reading both stories, comes to the conclusion that we are all “Vyrina’s Samsons.” This calling indicates a dramatic discovery - the tragedy is predetermined, there is no way to fight circumstances that are insurmountable. Famous phrase Dostoevsky: “We all came out of Gogol’s Overcoat” - implies not so much apprenticeship as the continuation and development of the theme of mercy, immeasurable love for a person rejected by society.

Dostoevsky represents the type of dreamer who is content with little, and all his actions are dictated by the fear of losing the modest gift of fate.

Dostoevsky reconsiders famous type a romantic hero who plunges into the world of an ideal dream, despising reality. Dostoevsky's heroes doomedly preach humility in life, which leads them to death.

A. Chekhov closes the circle of writers who touched upon the problem of the “little man”. He does not express compassion for the “little man,” but shows the real “smallness” of his soul.

Chekhov proved with all his creativity that a person should not conform to the boundaries allowed by society. The spiritual needs of the individual must triumph over vulgarity and insignificance: “a person needs not three arshins of land, but the entire globe.”

The writer rightly noted that a person must have a goal to achieve which he will strive, and if there is none or it is completely small and insignificant, then the person becomes just as small and insignificant.

Thus, the theme of the “little man” has undergone significant changes in the work of writers since its inception. It is very important for understanding all Russian literature, since in the 20th century it was developed in the images of the heroes I. Bunin, A. Kuprin, M. Gorky, and even at the end of the 20th century one can find its reflection in the works of V. Shukshin, V. Rasputin and other writers.

1.2. general characteristics"little man" type

"Small man" - literary hero era of realism, occupying a rather low position in the social hierarchy: an official, a tradesman, or even a poor nobleman. The hero is quite poor and unprotected, which determines the peculiarity of his psychology and the plot role - a victim of social injustice and a soulless state mechanism, often personified in the image of “ significant person" “Little people” are characterized by fear of life, humility, and meekness, which, however, can be combined with a feeling of injustice of the existing order of things, with wounded pride and even a short-term rebellious impulse, which, as a rule, does not lead to a change in the current situation. Spiritual world such a hero is meager and uninteresting. However, the authors of works about “little people” portrayed them from a humanistic perspective, emphasizing that even such a pitiful, defenseless and powerless creature is worthy of respect and compassion. [Sokolov, 2000, p. 263].

The development of the “little man” type was literary type a “humiliated and insulted” person, who is most clearly represented in the works of Dostoevsky.

The “humiliated and insulted” type has become genuine artistic discovery Dostoevsky. In his portrayal, petty officials, students, unhappy women and children from the bottom of society are proud people who think deeply.

The image of the “little man” turned out to be more and more relevant the more democratic literature became.

The theme of the “little man” is raised by many classics of Russian literature. It has always been relevant because its task is to reflect the life of an ordinary person with all its experiences, problems, troubles and little joys. The writer takes on the hard work of showing and explaining the lives of ordinary people. The “little man” is a representative of the people as a whole. And every writer presents it differently.

What is a “little man”? In what sense is “small”? This person is small precisely in social terms, since he occupies one of the lower steps of the hierarchical ladder. His place in society is little or not noticeable. This man is also “small” because the world of his spiritual life and human aspirations is also extremely narrowed, impoverished, surrounded by all sorts of prohibitions. For him, for example, there are no historical and philosophical problems. He remains in a narrow and closed circle of his life interests.

People forgotten by everyone and humiliated have never attracted the attention of others. Their lives, their little joys and big troubles They seemed insignificant to everyone, unworthy of attention. The era produced such people and such an attitude towards them. Cruel times and tsarist injustice forced the “little people” to withdraw into themselves, to withdraw completely into their souls, which had suffered, with the painful problems of that period; they lived an unnoticed life and also died unnoticed. But it was precisely such people at some point, by the will of circumstances, obeying the cry of the soul, who began to fight against powerful of the world This, calling for justice, ceased to be nothing. That's why writers turned their attention to them late XVII- XIX centuries With each work, the life of people of the “lower” class was shown more and more clearly and truthfully. Little officials station guards, “little people” who had gone crazy, not of their own free will, began to emerge from the shadows [Kataev, 1998, pp. 5-6].

Interest in the “little man”, his fate and pain for him are constantly and repeatedly observed in the works of great Russian writers.

“The Little Man” is certainly a dramatic character, but he may also have comic features. The comic in the “little man” only emphasizes and reveals the depth of drama of this image. The problem of human dignity of “little people” is closely related to the problem of rank.

The theme of the “little man” presupposes both a certain development of the plot, which is usually constructed as a story of catastrophe, misfortune or resentment, and the presence of a specific conflict: “little man” - “privileged person”. The depiction of the tragedy of the “little man” is most often associated with attention to the social atmosphere, since it is this that determines the tragedy of the situation of the “poor people”.

A little man is a person of low social status and origin, not gifted with outstanding abilities, not distinguished by strength of character, but at the same time kind, does no harm to anyone, and is harmless. Both Pushkin and Gogol, creating the image of a little man, wanted to remind readers who were accustomed to admiring romantic heroes that the most ordinary person is also a person worthy of sympathy, attention, and support.

Writers also turn to the theme of the little man late XIX and the beginning of the 20th century: A. Chekhov, M. Gorky, L. Andreev, F. Sologub, A. Averchenko, K. Trenev, I. Shmelev, S. Yushkevich. The power of tragedy of little people - “heroes of fetid and dark corners” (A. Grigoriev) - was correctly defined by P. Weil:

The little man from the great Russian literature is so small that it cannot be further reduced. Changes could only go upward. This is what the Western followers of our classical tradition did. From our Little Man came the heroes of Kafka, Beckett, Camus, who grew to global proportions […]. Soviet culture threw off Bashmachkin’s overcoat - onto the shoulders of the living Little Man, who, of course, did not disappear anywhere, simply disappeared from the ideological surface, died in literature.

The little man, who did not fit into the canons of socialist realism, migrated to the literary underground and began to exist in the everyday satire of M. Zoshchenko, M. Bulgakov, V. Voinovich.

From the multifaceted literary gallery of little people, heroes stand out who strive to gain universal respect through changing their material status or appearance(“Luka Prokhorovich” - 1838, E. Grebenki; “The Overcoat” - 1842, N. Gogol); gripped by fear of life (“Man in a Case” - 1898, A. Chekhov; “Our Man in a Case” - 1989, V. Pietsukha); who, in conditions of overwhelming bureaucratic reality, fall ill mental disorders(“Double” - 1846, F. Dostoevsky; “Diaboliad” - 1924, M. Bulgakov); in whom an internal protest against social contradictions coexists with a painful desire to elevate oneself, to acquire wealth, which ultimately leads them to loss of reason (“Notes of a Madman” - 1834, N. Gogol; “The Double” by F. Dostoevsky); whose fear of superiors leads to madness or death (“Weak Heart” - 1848, F. Dostoevsky, “Death of an Official” - 1883, A. Chekhov); who, fearing to expose themselves to criticism, change their behavior and thoughts (“Chameleon” - 1884, A. Chekhov; “Jolly Oysters” - 1910, A. Averchenko); who can find happiness only in love for a woman (“Senile Sin” - 1861, A. Pisemsky; “Mountains” - 1989, E. Popova) who want to change their lives through the use of magical means (“The Right Medicine” - 1840, E. Combs; “Little Man” - 1905, F. Sologuba); who, due to failures in life, decide to commit suicide (“Senile sin” - A. Pisemsky; “The Story of Sergei Petrovich” - 1900, L. Andreeva)

Notes

Literature

• Mazurkiewicz E., Mały człowiek, , t. V, pod red. Andrzeja de Lazari, Łódź 2003, s. 152-154.
• Gonczarowa O., Sentymentalism, Idea w Rosji. Leksykon rosyjsko-polsko-angielski, t. V, pod red. Andrzeja de Lazari, Łódź 2003, s. 256-260.
• Sakharova E. M., Semibratova I. V., Encyclopedia of Russian life, Moscow 1981.

Links

• Erofeev, V. Troubling lessons Little devil
• Dmitrievskaya, L.N. A new look at the image of the “little man” in the story by N.V. Gogol’s “The Overcoat” // Russian language, literature, culture at school and university. - Kyiv, No. 4, 2009. P.2-5.
• Epstein, M. Little man in a case: Bashmachkin-Belikov syndrome

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Synonyms

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Little Man Tate Little Man Tate Genre drama Starring Jodie Foster Dienne Wiest Duration 95 min ... Wikipedia

Little Man Tate Genre drama Starring Jodie Foster Dienne Wiest Duration 95 min ... Wikipedia

- “THE LITTLE MAN IN THE BIG WAR”, USSR, UZBEKFILM, 1989, color, 174 min. Tale of the war years. Cast: Pulat Saidkasymov (see SAIDKASYMOV Pulat), Muhammadzhan Rakhimov (see RAKHIMOV Muhammadzhan), Matlyuba Alimova (see ALIMOVA Matlyuba Farkhatovna), ... ... Encyclopedia of Cinema

Books

• Little Man (the story of one child), A. Daudet. Petrograd, 1916. Second edition by V. I. Gubinsky. Owner's binding. Temporary spots. The condition is good. With 65 illustrations. THE LITTLE MAN (later published as...

The greatness of a great man is revealed in the way he treats little people." Thomas Carlyle

“The Station Agent” is a work where, for the first time in history, Pushkin raises the problem of the “little man.” The main idea is the plight ordinary people in society, the indifference with which all superiors treat such people, sometimes not considering them as people. Pushkin focuses on the problem of social inequality, the oppressed position of some and the complete indifference to their suffering of others. Pushkin sympathizes with Varin, raises the issue of the “little man ", helpless and humiliated, and such people deserve respect, according to the author, for little people, honor is above all, and instead of understanding, they receive the "spiritual deafness" of people. Pushkin treats very warmly, with compassion and love, a little with pity to his “little hero”, worries about his bitter fate.

The fate of another "little man" is described by N. Gogol in the story "The Overcoat". The "little" man Bashmachkin has the dream of his whole life - a new overcoat. The insignificant little man, after acquiring a new overcoat, believes that he has suddenly become a man. The dream has come true, he is happy , does not notice that those around him are mocking him. The empty space takes on human characteristics. He has become equal to those around him, the overcoat for him is a sign of equality. He develops weak self-confidence, he rises from the knees on which he placed himself voluntarily. He begins “dare”, but everything collapses with the theft of his overcoat, despair pushes Bashmachkin to an important person, and he is shown his place, he is surrounded by indifference, he is pitiful and helpless, as he was before.

Chekhov's story "Tosca" gives us the image of another "little" man. The indifference of those around him, their indifference and unwillingness to even listen to a person make the grief of the cab driver Jonah unbearable. Not finding sympathy and understanding from people, Jonah pours out his soul to the horse. Shedding tears, he tells about the death of his son to the only close creature, his horse. Chekhov touches on the problem of the indifference of people in society. Everyone is for himself, people are alien to other people's problems and suffering. A “little” person is helpless not only in life, but even in grief.

Many authors in Russian literature of the 19th century show sympathy for the “little people” scattered throughout all corners of Russia, who, day and night, in rain and snow, are subjected to humiliation, insults and who are helpless, without rights before their superiors, officials and any people. . The worst thing is that the “little” heroes are helpless and alone even in the face of their own grief, not finding sympathy and understanding from those around them - that’s why they are “little people.” Writers called on those in power to bear responsibility for the fate of “little” people, ordinary people, to be more merciful and show respect to those on whose work the well-being of both the masters and the entire country depends.