The main theme of the Bronze Horseman. Analysis of “The Bronze Horseman” by Pushkin. The torment of the main character

Main idea

The poem “The Bronze Horseman” was written by A. S. Pushkin in 1833. It was not immediately allowed to be published due to the presence of the theme of the relationship between the individual and the authorities. However, in 1837, with some censorship changes, the poem was published in Sovremennik. This is Pushkin's last work on the theme of the formidable Tsar Peter I and his transformations. In it, the monumental figure of the king is contrasted with harsh nature. Despite the fact that Peter I was able to conquer the elements and build a royal city on the banks of the Neva, nature remained adamant.

It still rebelled from time to time, and with each new storm hundreds of civilians died.

A. S. Pushkin based his poem on the relationship between the individual and the authorities and the relationship between man and nature. An ordinary person risks his life and well-being to carry out the will of the authorities. The same situation can be seen in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. While a poor young official named Eugene is making plans for the future, a destructive storm breaks out in the city, built on the banks of an eccentric river at the behest of Peter I. During this disaster, the protagonist’s girlfriend, his only hope, dies

for a peaceful existence. Only with her did he connect all his dreams and hopes for the future. I wanted to build a family with her, have children and continue to live.

However, fate is inexorable. She deprives Eugene of the meaning of life, and at the same time he loses his reason. At the time of the events, Peter I had already become part of history. He is depicted as a gigantic idol on a bronze horse. Despite this, he remains an object of worship and a symbol of autocracy. Ordinary people bow when passing by and are afraid to look up at him. Only the insane Evgeniy decided to go during the next storm and look the rider in the eyes angrily, which he later very much regretted. All night after that it seemed to him that the rider was chasing him on his bronze horse.

Thus, the poor St. Petersburg official became a victim of “historical necessity.” On the one hand, he is a victim of the authorities, on whose orders a city was once built on the banks of an eccentric river. On the other hand, he is a victim of elemental nature, against the background of which even the figure of the king fades and becomes bleak. It is noteworthy that throughout the entire poem the author carried the duality of characters and images. So, in it there are two Peters (a living and proud idol), two Eugenes (a poor official and a madman), two Nevas (the decoration of the city and its threat) and two Petersburgs (the majestic city of Peter’s creation and the killer city). This compositional bifurcation is the main philosophical idea of the poem - the thought of man and his value.

Images in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”

The introduction to the poem talks about Emperor Peter: he built St. Petersburg without thinking about ordinary people, without thinking that life in a city in a swamp could be dangerous... But for the emperor, the greatness of Russia was more important.

The main character of the poem- a young man named Evgeniy, an official. He wants little: just to live his ordinary life in peace... He has a fiancée - Parasha, a simple girl. But happiness does not come true: they become victims of the St. Petersburg flood of 1824. The bride dies, and Evgeny himself manages to escape by climbing onto one of the St. Petersburg lions. But, even though he survived, after the death of his bride, Evgeny goes crazy.

His madness is caused by the awareness of his own powerlessness in the face of the disaster that happened in St. Petersburg. He begins to be angry with the emperor, who allowed such troubles in the city of his name. And thus he angers Peter: one fine night, when he approaches the monument to the emperor, he imagines that the Bronze Horseman (the equestrian statue of Peter the Great on Senate Square) comes down from his pedestal and chases him all night through the streets of St. Petersburg. After such a shock, Evgeniy cannot stand it - the shock was too strong, and in the end the poor fellow died.

In this poem, Pushkin compares two truths: the truth of Eugene, a private person, and the truth of Peter - the state. In fact, the entire poem is their unequal conflict. On the one hand, it is impossible to make an unambiguous conclusion about who is right: both are pursuing their own interests, both positions have the right to exist. However, the fact that in the end Evgeny still gives up (dies) makes it clear that, in the opinion of Pushkin himself, Peter is right. The greatness of the empire is more important than the tragedy of little people. A private person is obliged to submit to the will of the emperor.

It is interesting that in addition to Peter, Alexander the First also appears in the poem. He looks at the flood from the palace balcony and understands: the kings cannot cope with God’s elements. Thus, Pushkin builds a hierarchy: the emperor is higher common man, but God is higher than the emperor.

In 1833, while in Boldin, Pushkin wrote the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. What questions did the poet raise in this work? Questions about social contradictions and the future of Russia. But his contemporaries, unfortunately, did not know about this. The poem was banned by Nicholas I. It was first published without censorship edits only in 1904.

Below is summary and analysis of The Bronze Horseman. It was in this work that the “little man” first appeared - an image that became the most popular in Russian literature of the 19th century. Offended, oppressed and lonely - this is main character"The Bronze Horseman" The problem of Pushkin's character is his social insecurity, his inability to withstand the blows of fate.

History of creation

In 1812, Alexander I wanted to remove the monument to Peter from the capital. However, the day before, one of the majors had a bizarre dream: the monument suddenly came to life and began to gallop through the streets of St. Petersburg. At the same time, the major assured that the bronze Peter I in a dream, which was in some way significant, uttered terrible words. Namely: “What Russia has been brought to!” As long as I’m here, my city has nothing to fear!” The emperor was informed about the major's dream, and the monument was left in its original place.

There is a version that it was this story that inspired Pushkin to write the famous poem “The Bronze Horseman”. True, some researchers claim that the work is based on a completely different legend. However, the bronze statue at one time gave rise to many myths. It is unknown which of them began the creation of the poem.

The work “The Bronze Horseman” was completed in 1833 in Boldin. Not long before this, Pushkin traveled to the Urals to collect materials about the Pugachev uprising. According to Pushkinists, work on the work about the monument to Peter did not last long - about a month. Although, undoubtedly, the idea arose even before arriving in Boldino.

Despite the fact that the poem was written in a short time, it cost the author incredible strength. Pushkin rewrote each verse many times, and thus he managed to achieve the ideal form. "The Bronze Horseman" is a small work. You can read it in 15-20 minutes. The poem consists of five hundred verses, and includes the reflections of the Great Reformer after the significant Battle of Poltava, and the events of the 19th century. And most importantly, this work conveys the sad events of 1824 in a very vivid and original way.

At that time, it was impossible to simply publish a work of art. Moreover, the creation of Pushkin, who did not inspire confidence in the emperor. The writer sent The Bronze Horseman to the censors. They, in turn, made many edits to the poem, which almost significantly distorted the author’s intention.

The poet sincerely believed that the emperor personally made corrections to his works. However, researchers claim that this was done by employees of the Third Department. The poem was not officially banned. But with numerous comments from the “highest censorship,” there was no talk of any publication.

The poem was never published during the author's lifetime. Only a small excerpt was published, namely “Introduction,” which has no direct connection with the main plot. In 1837, after Pushkin’s death, the work appeared in the Sovremennik magazine. But it was an incomplete publication. Before going into print, the poem was revised by Zhukovsky, who had to comply with all the wishes of official criticism. Thus, a scene expressing the main idea of the poem was cut out of the work.

Pushkin’s work was first published in its entirety, without extraneous edits, only in the twentieth century. Below is a summary. The poem is short, consists of an “Introduction” and two parts. The content is presented according to the following plan:

Introduction.
Evgeny.
The torment of the main character.
Dreams.
After.
Tsar.
On Petrova Square.
Life is an empty dream.
The misfortune of the Neva banks.
Idol on a bronze horse.
Madness.

Introduction

The Great Reformer stands there and dreams of a new city, which will soon be built here “to spite the arrogant neighbor,” that is, the Swede. As you know, Peter I realized his dream. A hundred years pass, a beautiful city rises on the banks of the river, built, as they will later say, on human bones.

Moscow faded before St. Petersburg, “like a porphyry-bearing widow before a new queen” - this is the metaphor Pushkin uses in the introduction to the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” The author admires the beauty of the city of Petra. And then he warns the reader: his story will be sad.

Evgeniy

The main character of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” has the same name as Onegin. It is no coincidence: this name sounds pleasant, and besides, the author’s pen “is friendly to it.” Events take place in November. The waves of the Neva lash noisily. The weather is restless, windy, in a word, typical for autumn St. Petersburg.

Evgeniy heads towards his house. He lives in Kolomna, serves somewhere - he probably works in one of the faceless St. Petersburg departments. It just so happens that in Russian literature the most touching characters are petty officials. The main character of Pushkin's poem "The Bronze Horseman" is a "little man", a modest, socially vulnerable person. Literary scholars compare Evgeny with Bashmachkin from Gogol’s “The Overcoat.”

The torment of the main character

So, Evgeniy came home. He took off his overcoat and lay down, but could not sleep. The main character of “The Bronze Horseman” is in thought. What is he worried about? First of all, he is poor, and therefore forced to earn at least relative independence through hard work. He has neither money nor talent. But there are idle lucky people who live easily and naturally! Alas, Evgeniy is not one of them.

The hero of The Bronze Horseman is in love with a certain Parasha, who lives on the other bank of the Neva. And on this day he is also upset that the bridges were removed. This means that Eugene will not see his beloved for another two or three days. He sighs heartily and daydreams.

Dreams

Evgeniy is sad, but at the same time full of hope. He is young, healthy, will work hard and someday will certainly marry Parasha. Evgeniy does not dream of anything unattainable. Just about a modest house, about a service that will bring him a small income. He marries Parasha. She will take care of the house and children. They will live this way until their death, and their grandchildren will bury them. The dreams of the hero of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” by Pushkin are quite earthly. But they are not destined to come true.

Flood

Evgeny dreams, while the wind outside the window howls sadly. The young official falls asleep, and the next day something terrible happens. The Neva is overflowing its banks. In the morning, people admire the splashes, the “foam of angry waters.” Pushkin compares the river with a beast that, going berserk, rushed at the city. The Neva sweeps away everything in its path: fragments of huts, roofing, logs, the goods of a spare merchant, the modest belongings of residents, coffins from the cemetery.

Tsar

People are powerless in the face of nature's violence. Who should they ask for help, who will save them from the flood? According to the then tradition, they go to the king. He goes out onto the balcony, sad and embarrassed. And he announces to the people: kings cannot control the elements. This episode is worth paying attention to. Pushkin emphasizes that the autocrat, despite his seemingly unlimited power, should not compete in strength with nature.

However, in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” the image of the ruler Russian state embodied in a huge monument towering in the center of St. Petersburg. After all, it was Peter who at the beginning of the 18th century dared to build a city on the Neva. His idea cost a lot of blood. The above-mentioned expression “a city built on human bones” did not appear by chance. More than a hundred years after the founding of St. Petersburg, a flood occurs that destroys ordinary people. The predecessor of the Great Reformer hastily leaves the capital.

Here it is worth making a short excursion into history. The flood depicted in Pushkin's poem "The Bronze Horseman" is not a work of fiction. The event took place in 1824. This is the most destructive flood in the entire history of St. Petersburg.

On January 7, it was raining and a strong southeast wind was blowing. A sharp rise in water began in the canals. This initially attracted onlookers, as the author of “The Bronze Horseman” also mentions. But very quickly almost the entire city was under water. Only a small part of St. Petersburg was not damaged. The next day there was a severe frost. Several hundred St. Petersburg residents drowned; later researchers were unable to determine the exact number of deaths.

On Petrova Square

While the Tsar is leaving St. Petersburg, Eugene, pale, amazed, sits on a marble beast. What kind of animal is this? This is one of the most famous attractions of St. Petersburg. Evgeny perched himself on the marble beast, the rain lashing his face. He is afraid, but not for himself. His desperate gaze is directed to the other bank of the Neva. Evgeny tries to look at his beloved's house.

The contents of “The Bronze Horseman” can be summarized in a nutshell. But we will not do this, because, firstly, this poem is one of the greatest creations of Russian literature, and secondly, there are many interesting episodes related to the history of St. Petersburg. So, what are these guard lions that, as the author of “The Bronze Horseman” said, stand as if alive?

Many illustrations have been created for Pushkin’s poem. The author of one of the most famous is the artist Ostroumova-Lebedeva. However, there is a factual error in this work. The illustration shows a lion from the Palace Pier. This monument was erected several years after the flood. In fact, the hero of the poem “The Bronze Horseman,” which depicts the tragic days in the history of the Northern capital, was sitting astride a lion near the house of Lobanov-Rostovsky. This building was erected in 1817. In everyday life it is called the “house of lions.” In the photo below you can see how this building looks today. Of course, the “house with lions” has undergone repeated restoration.

Life is an empty dream

It is this thought that comes to Evgeniy’s head when the next day he sees terrible destruction. Reading the summary of “The Bronze Horseman” may inspire you to get acquainted with the original source. This is a wonderful work, filled with vivid metaphors and images. Pushkin compares the Neva with a ferocious bandit gang that burst into the village, destroyed and robbed everything for a long time, and then disappeared in a hurry. The river was saturated with the destruction it caused in St. Petersburg, and then “pulled back.”

The water has left the pavement. Evgeny hurries to the shore in alarm: he wants to see Parasha. Sees the boat, finds the carrier. He transports him to the other side to his beloved for a dime. Finally, Eugene reached the shore. He walks along familiar streets and is horrified. Everything around was destroyed, demolished, bodies all around, as if “in a battlefield.” He rushes headlong, not remembering anything and exhausted from torment, to where his bride is waiting. But suddenly he stops. There are no more gates or the house in which the widow and her daughter Parasha lived. Only a lonely willow...

The misfortune of the Neva banks

Petersburg came to life again, as if there had never been a flood. True, a certain Count Khvostov immediately wrote a poem dedicated to the tragedy. Still, people walk along the free streets with “cold insensibility.” Officials go to work. The merchant is also not discouraged, opening his shop, plundered by the Neva. And it seems that in St. Petersburg on this day there is only one person who, after a terrible flood, cannot continue ordinary life. This is Eugene, the main character of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”.

Peter I is mentioned in the work, of course, not only in the “Introduction”. This is an important image, symbolizing power and strength, against which the “little man” is absolutely defenseless. It is worth saying a few words about the monument depicting the founder of St. Petersburg.

Idol on a bronze horse

The central image in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is the famous monument to Peter. Pushkin calls him “Idol on a bronze horse.” Monuments to Peter were erected in 1782. The name “copper” was assigned to this moment because before the 19th century in Russian copper was often called bronze.

The model of the statue was designed by Etienne Falconet, a French sculptor and representative of classicism. Several other urban legends are associated with this monument. Including the story of how Emperor Paul I saw the ghost of Peter. Moreover, he dreamed of it exactly where the “Bronze Horseman” is located today.

It is worth saying that the sculpture depicting Peter I received its name precisely because of Pushkin’s work. Later, Dostoevsky conveyed the motif of the revived monument in his novel “The Teenager.” He is also mentioned in the works of later authors. However, let's return to Pushkin's hero. What happened to him after he learned about the death of his beloved?

Madness

Poor Evgeniy could not control his shock. He couldn't resist. For a long time, the rebellious noise of the river and the terrible whistle of the Neva winds resounded in his mind. Having learned about the death of Parasha, he did not return home. I went wandering. About a month former official, who once thought about simple earthly happiness, wandered the city streets, slept on the pier, and ate alms. Angry children threw stones after Evgeniy, and the coachman's fences lashed him on the back. From now on, he could not make out the roads and seemed to see nothing around him. Evgeniy lost his mind from grief.

The miraculous builder

One day, Eugene’s inflamed consciousness was visited by a terrible thought. He decided that the “idol with an outstretched hand” - that is, Peter - was to blame for his tragedy. A terrible and brilliant ruler once founded a city on the Neva. This means that it is he, this “miraculous builder,” who is responsible for the death of Parasha.

Eugene seemed to have forgotten about the event that turned him into a madman. And suddenly he woke up, saw the square, and the lions, and the Bronze Horseman. And he stood calmly in the darkness. Peter I, on whose whim the city under the sea was once founded, looked into the distance sternly and calmly.

The madman approached the monument. He stopped at the foot and looked into the face of the bronze king and began to threaten the “proud idol.” But suddenly it seemed to Eugene that the formidable king came to life. The madman started to run, and the rider, as it seemed to him, was overtaking him on his bronze horse. Soon the body of poor Eugene was discovered by fishermen on a small deserted island. This is the summary of The Bronze Horseman.

The image of the “little man” in Pushkin’s poem

The theme of an individual who is offended, whose rights are infringed, has been raised more than once in the works of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. It was quite topical in his time, and has not lost its relevance today. What is the main idea of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”? The main idea of this work is that people who do not have connections and money and are incapable of cunning and meanness often become victims of a terrible combination of circumstances. There is no one to take care of people like Samson Vyrin from “The Station Agent”, Evgeniy from the poem discussed in today’s article. The theme of “The Bronze Horseman” is the criminal indifference of others.

Pushkin introduces the reader to his hero at the beginning of the first chapter. All of Evgeniy’s ambitions and aspirations are centered around the dream of marrying Parasha. He indulges in dreams about his upcoming family life, and that is why the image of a poor petty official is so touching. After all, he never finds happiness. The dreams of a little man are consumed by harsh natural elements.

Pushkin did not give the main character a surname. This emphasized his facelessness. There were many people like Eugene in St. Petersburg in the 19th century. His position and character are typical of that time. We can say that Eugene from the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is not a person, but a reflection of St. Petersburg society. That society, which was located far from luxurious palaces and estates.

There is a flood. People are dying. The emperor makes a short speech to the people and disappears. It has been this way since time immemorial. The rulers went far ahead, while the common people suffered far from the nobility: timidly, quietly, hard. Eugene from Pushkin's poem symbolizes the suffering of representatives of a low social class.

Pushkin, of course, did not share the views of his hero. Evgeniy does not strive for high goals; he has no ambitions. His desires are limited to everyday joys. There is nothing extraordinary or outstanding about him. At the same time, the author feels compassion for the poor official.

But what is ambition? Are they always attractive and inspiring to implement high ideas? Of course not. The ambitions and ambitions of those in power often lead to tragic consequences. This is what Pushkin showed in his poem “The Bronze Horseman”. The image of the founder of St. Petersburg symbolizes the ruling class, which does not care about the suffering of ordinary people. Those in power have always disposed of their lives carelessly and cruelly. After all, in 1824, when a terrible flood occurred, no one cared about the residents of poor areas of St. Petersburg, no one saved them.

Image of Peter I

Pushkin had previously turned to the image of the reformer tsar. This historical figure present in the works “Poltava” and “Arap of Peter the Great”. It is worth saying that the writer’s attitude towards the emperor was ambiguous. In the poem "Poltava", for example, the tsar is depicted as a romantic hero. And this image is radically different from that created in the last poem.

At the early stage of his work, Pushkin saw in him an active sovereign who knew exactly what was necessary for his state. The reforms carried out by Peter I, according to Pushkin, were aimed at the benefit of Russia. After all, the victory over the Swedes strengthened the country’s position in the eyes of Europeans. At the same time, the author of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” was critical of the despotism of the founders of St. Petersburg.

Pushkin collected materials about Peter for many years. In one of his works he said: “This king despised humanity more than Napoleon.” But such a vision of Peter’s character and activities appeared later. More realistically than in “Poltava”, the tsar is depicted in the story “Arap of Peter the Great”. And in "The Bronze Horseman". the features of the unlimited power of the Great Reformer are taken to the limit.

The "Introduction" depicts a visionary politician. The author cites Peter's reasoning about the role of the future capital in the fate of Russia. In the construction of the new city, the king pursued trade, military, and other goals. The Tsar, admiring the beauty of the Neva, does not pay attention to the shuttle sailing along it, to the blackening poor huts. He is passionate about his dream and does not care about ordinary people.

In the first part, which talks about the consequences of the natural disaster, the author calls the Bronze Horseman a “proud idol.” Peter is a higher being here. His descendant, Alexander I, humbly declares that he cannot control the natural elements. Peter, meanwhile, proudly rises above the raging waves.

In the second part, the author uses an even more emotional expression in relation to Peter - “Lord of Fate.” The emperor, with his fatal will, once changed the life of an entire people. Beautiful St. Petersburg was built “under the sea.” Peter, choosing a place for the new capital, thought about the greatness and wealth of the country, but not about ordinary people who will live here. Against the background of the great power plans of Peter I, the happiness of Eugene and others like him seems, of course, a trifle.

In the poem “The Bronze Horseman”, in the form of an allegory, the author expressed another important thought for him. Evgeniy, distraught with grief, wanders around the city for some time. Suddenly he turns his gaze to the monument and realizes that this “proud idol” is to blame for all its troubles. The unfortunate official plucks up courage, approaches the monument and makes angry speeches.

But Evgeniy’s fuse doesn’t last long. Suddenly he sees with horror, or rather, he imagines, that the bronze Peter comes to life. This deprives Pushkin’s hero of the remnants of his sanity. Soon he dies. What is this episode about?

It is no coincidence that Pushkin’s work was banned by Nicholas the First. The last lines of the poem, in a veiled form, talk about a popular uprising, which always ends tragically. The power of an autocrat cannot be defeated. At least, that’s what Pushkin, who died eighty years before the revolution, believed.

Poem “The Bronze Horseman” by A.S. Pushkin is one of the most perfect creations of the poet. In its style it resembles “Eugene Onegin”, and in its content it is close to both history and mythology. This work reflects the thoughts of A.S. Pushkin about Peter the Great and absorbed various opinions about the reformer.

The poem became the final work written during the Boldino autumn. At the end of 1833, “The Bronze Horseman” was completed.

At the time of Pushkin, there were two types of people - some idolized Peter the Great, while others attributed to him a relationship with Satan. On this basis, myths were born: in the first case, the reformer was called the Father of the Fatherland, they talked about an unprecedented mind, the creation of a paradise city (Petersburg), in the second, they prophesied the collapse of the city on the Neva, accused Peter the Great of having connections with dark forces, and called him the Antichrist.

The essence of the poem

The poem begins with a description of St. Petersburg, A.S. Pushkin emphasizes the uniqueness of the place for construction. Evgeniy lives in the city - the most ordinary employee, poor, does not want to get rich, it is more important for him to remain an honest and happy family man. Financial well-being is required only to provide for your beloved Parasha. The hero dreams of marriage and children, dreams of meeting old age hand in hand with his beloved girl. But his dreams are not destined to come true. The work describes the flood of 1824. A terrible time, when people died in layers of water, when the Neva raged and swallowed the city with its waves. It is in such a flood that Parasha dies. Evgeny, on the other hand, shows courage during a disaster, does not think about himself, tries to see his beloved’s house in the distance and runs to it. When the storm subsides, the hero hurries to the familiar gate: there is a willow tree, but there is no gate and no house either. This picture broke the young man; he drags doomedly along the streets of the northern capital, leads the life of a wanderer and every day relives the events of that fateful night. During one of these cloudings, he comes across the house in which he used to live and sees a statue of Peter the Great on a horse - the Bronze Horseman. He hates the reformer because he built a city on the water that killed his beloved. But suddenly the rider comes to life and angrily rushes towards the offender. The tramp will later die.

In the poem, the interests of the state and ordinary person. On the one hand, Petrograd was called the northern Rome, on the other, its foundation on the Neva was dangerous for its inhabitants, and the flood of 1824 confirms this. Eugene’s malicious speeches addressed to the reformer ruler are interpreted in different ways: the first is a rebellion against the autocracy; the second is the revolt of Christianity against paganism; the third is the pitiful murmur of a small person, whose opinion is not compared with the force necessary for changes on a national scale (that is, in order to achieve grandiose goals, something always has to be sacrificed, and the mechanism of collective will will not be stopped by the misfortune of one person).

Genre, verse meter and composition

The genre of The Bronze Horseman is a poem written, like Eugene Onegin, in iambic tetrameter. The composition is quite strange. It has an excessively large introduction, which can generally be considered as a separate independent work. Next are 2 parts, which tell about the main character, the flood and the clash with the Bronze Horseman. There is no epilogue in the poem, or rather, it is not highlighted separately by the poet himself - the last 18 lines are about the island at the seaside and the death of Eugene.

Despite the non-standard structure, the work is perceived as holistic. This effect create compositional parallelisms. Peter the Great lived 100 years earlier than the main character, but this does not prevent him from creating the feeling of the presence of a reformer ruler. His personality is expressed through the Bronze Horseman monument; but the person of Peter himself appears at the beginning of the poem, in the introduction, when the military and economic significance of St. Petersburg is discussed. A.S. Pushkin also carries the idea of the immortality of the reformer, since even after his death, innovations appeared and the old ones remained in force for a long time, that is, he launched that heavy and clumsy machine of change in Russia.

So, the figure of the ruler appears throughout the entire poem, either in his own person or in the form of a monument; he is revived by Eugene’s clouded mind. The time period of the narrative between the introduction and the first part is 100 years, but despite such a sharp jump, the reader does not feel it, since A.S. Pushkin connected the events of 1824 with the so-called “culprit” of the flood, because it was Peter who built the city on the Neva. It is interesting to note that this book on composition is completely uncharacteristic of Pushkin’s style; it is an experiment.

Characteristics of the main characters

Evgeniy – we know little about him; lived in Kolomna, served there. He was poor, but had no addiction to money. Despite the complete ordinariness of the hero, and he could easily get lost among thousands of the same gray residents of St. Petersburg, he has a high and bright dream that fully meets the ideals of many people - marrying the girl he loves. He, as Pushkin himself liked to call his characters, is “the hero of a French novel.” But his dreams are not destined to come true, Parasha dies in the flood of 1824, and Evgeniy goes crazy. The poet painted for us a weak and insignificant young man, whose face is instantly lost against the background of the figure of Peter the Great, but even this everyman has his own goal, which in strength and nobility is commensurate with or even surpasses the personality of the Bronze Horseman.
Peter the Great - in the introduction his figure is presented as a portrait of the Creator; Pushkin recognizes an incredible mind in the ruler, but emphasizes despotism. First, the poet shows that although the emperor is higher than Eugene, he is not higher than God and the elements, which are not subject to him, but the power of Russia will pass through all adversity and remain unharmed and unshakable. The author has noticed more than once that the reformer was too autocratic and did not pay attention to the troubles of ordinary people who became victims of his global transformations. Probably, opinions on this topic will always differ: on the one hand, tyranny is a bad quality that a ruler should not have, but on the other hand, would such extensive changes be possible if Peter had been softer? Everyone answers this question for themselves.

Subjects

The clash between power and an ordinary person is the main theme of the poem “The Bronze Horseman.” In this work A.S. Pushkin reflects on the role of the individual in the fate of the entire state.

The Bronze Horseman personifies Peter the Great, whose reign was close to despotism and tyranny. With his hand, reforms were introduced that completely changed the course of ordinary Russian life. But when a forest is cut down, chips inevitably fly. Can a little man find his happiness when such a lumberjack does not take into account his interests? The poem answers - no. A clash of interests between the authorities and people in this case is inevitable; of course, the latter remain the losers. A.S. Pushkin reflects on the structure of the state in Peter's times and on the fate of an individual hero in it - Eugene, coming to the conclusion that the empire is cruel to people in any case, and whether its greatness is worth such sacrifices is an open question.

The creator also addresses the theme of tragic loss loved one. Evgeniy cannot stand the loneliness and grief of loss and does not find anything to cling to in life if there is no love.

Issues

In the poem “The Bronze Horseman” by A.S. Pushkin raises the problem of the individual and the state. Evgeniy comes from the people. He is an ordinary petty official, living from hand to mouth. His soul is full of high feelings for Parasha, with whom he dreams of marrying. The monument to the Bronze Horseman becomes the face of the state. In the oblivion of reason, a young man comes across the house in which he lived before the death of his beloved and before his madness. His gaze stumbles upon the monument, and his sick mind brings the statue to life. Here it is, the inevitable clash between the individual and the state. But the horseman angrily chases after Evgeniy, pursues him. How dare the hero grumble against the emperor?! The reformer thought on a larger scale, considering plans for the future in a full-length dimension, as if from a bird's eye view he looked at his creations, without peering at the people who were overwhelmed by his innovations. The people sometimes suffered from Peter’s decisions, just as they now sometimes suffer from the ruling hand. The monarch built a beautiful city, which during the flood of 1824 became a cemetery for many residents. But he does not take into account the opinions of ordinary people; one gets the feeling that with his thoughts he went far ahead of his time, and even after a hundred years not everyone was able to comprehend his plan. Thus, the individual is in no way protected from the arbitrariness of superiors; her rights are grossly trampled upon with impunity.
The problem of loneliness also bothered the author. The hero could not bear a day of life without his other half. Pushkin reflects on how vulnerable and vulnerable we still are, how the mind is not strong and subject to suffering.
The problem of indifference. No one helped the townspeople evacuate, no one corrected the consequences of the storm, and compensation for the families of the victims and social support for the victims were not even dreamed of by officials. The state apparatus showed surprising indifference to the fate of its subjects.

The State in the Image of the Bronze Horseman

For the first time we encounter the image of Peter the Great in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” in the introduction. Here the ruler is depicted as the Creator, who conquered the elements and built a city on the water.

The emperor's reforms were disastrous for ordinary people, since they were aimed only at the nobility. Yes, and she had a hard time: let us remember how Peter forcibly cut the beards of the boyars. But the main victim of the monarch’s ambitions was ordinary working people: it was they who paved the way for the northern capital with hundreds of lives. A city on bones - here it is - the personification of the state machine. It was comfortable for Peter himself and his entourage to live in the innovations, because they saw only one side of the new things - progressive and beneficial, and the fact that the destructive effects and “side effects” of these changes fell on the shoulders of “little” people did not bother anyone. The elite looked at St. Petersburg drowning in the Neva from “high balconies” and did not feel all the sorrows of the city’s watery foundation. Peter perfectly reflects the categorical absolutist state system– there will be reforms, but the people will “live somehow.”

If at first we see the Creator, then closer to the middle of the poem the poet propagates the idea that Peter the Great is not God and it is completely beyond his power to cope with the elements. At the end of the work we see only a stone likeness of the former, sensational ruler in Russia. Years later, the Bronze Horseman became only a reason for unreasonable worry and fear, but this is only a fleeting feeling of a madman.

What is the meaning of the poem?

Pushkin created a multifaceted and ambiguous work, which must be assessed from the point of view of ideological and thematic content. The meaning of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” lies in the confrontation between Eugene and the Bronze Horseman, the individual and the state, which criticism deciphers in different ways. So, the first meaning is the confrontation between paganism and Christianity. Peter was often awarded the title of Antichrist, and Eugene opposes such thoughts. One more thought: the hero is an everyman, and the reformer is a genius, they live in different worlds and don't understand each other. The author, however, recognizes that both types are needed for the harmonious existence of civilization. The third meaning is that the main character personified the rebellion against autocracy and despotism, which the poet propagated, because he belonged to the Decembrists. He allegorically retold the same helplessness of the uprising in the poem. And another interpretation of the idea is a pathetic and doomed to failure attempt by a “little” man to change and turn the course of the state machine in the other direction.

Little man

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This poem can be considered one of the best works of the writer; in it the poet expressed his thoughts about Peter the Great, as well as various opinions of the people. During the life of Alexander Sergeevich, opinions about the great reformer were extremely contradictory. Some believed that Peter the Great was awarded a great mind, they talked about the creation of an ideal city (St. Petersburg). And others believed that the city on the Neva would fall and called the king the Antichrist.

The essence of the work

The poem shows the struggle between the state and the ordinary person. The main character Eugene, during the flood of 1824, loses his beloved Parasha. Eugene blames Peter the Great for this, since it was he who founded the city on such a troubled river. Eugene made angry speeches against the reformer and their meaning can be deciphered in different ways:

Like a rebellion against autocracy
Like the revolt of Christianity against paganism
How the inability of an ordinary person to influence changes on a national scale

Poem idea

In this work, Alexander Sergeevich examines one of the most pressing problems of that time. This problem lies in the relationship between the individual and society. The question is raised of what to do when state and public opinion differs from the opinion of one person. Is it possible for a person to defend his rights or should he submit to the opinions of others?

Evgeniy acts as a person whose opinion differs from the public. He protested against the king and was punished. Does this mean that Pushkin believes that such people should die and remain silent? But no, the writer believes that such senseless deaths cannot be called normal, but unfortunately we will have to come to terms with this, otherwise the development of the world will stop in place. And yet, the author hopes that someday a time will come where everyone will live in harmony.

The meaning of the work

The poem turned out to be very large-scale and multifaceted. The author put a lot of meaning into it and you can think about it for a long time. Pushkin put a lot of meaning into the struggle between Eugene and Peter the Great (Bronze Horseman). This confrontation can be deciphered in different ways. The three main meanings are discussed above, where the essence of the work was discussed. But there is another option: that the ruler is a genius, and the main character is a simple person. They cannot understand each other and live in the same world. But Pushkin writes that both types of people are necessary.

Detailed literature analysis

The work is a poetic combination of historical and social issues, carrying a certain philosophical meaning.

The compositional structure of the poem is built in the form of a significant introductory part, intended as a separate work, as well as the following two chapters, which tell about the events occurring with the main character of the poem, Eugene. Distinctive feature The composition of the work is its non-standard design, expressed in the absence of a traditional epilogue, but at the same time, with the help of compositional parallelisms, creating an impression of the integrity of the poem.

The genre literary direction of the poem is realism, which consists in describing actual historical events, using artistic means of expression in the form of personifications and allegories.

As poetic size the poet chooses iambic tetrameter, which, when describing the images of Emperor Peter and the St. Petersburg capital, sounds pathetic, majestic, powerful, while in the depiction of the main character, Eugene, it becomes ordinary language expressing the essence of a little man.

The main theme of the poem is the relationship between a little man and an omnipotent government, which results in the death of an ordinary citizen who cannot cope with the state machine. The title of the poem is closely related to the theme of the work, demonstrating the power of the state, characterized by indifference to the problems of small people who suffer from autocratic power.

The main characters of the poem are Eugene, depicted in the image of an ordinary Russian man, rather poor, but having bright and lofty dreams of starting a family with his beloved girl, as well as the figure of Peter the Great, whose image is revealed by the poet throughout the narrative of the work, emphasizing not only his extraordinary abilities and excellent mind, but despotic characteristic features tyrant and ruler. The image of Peter is demonstrated by the author not only as a versatile and multifaceted personality capable of reforming the foundations of state, but also as a great autocrat who does not pay attention to the mental and physical suffering of his own common people, who is presented in the poem using the example of the tragic fate of Eugene.

The storyline of the work confronts the main characters of the poem, revealing numerous problems modern society in the form of contradictions between the state and the individual, as well as the problems of indifference and loneliness, illustrated by the inclusion in the content of the work of a description of a city flood that claimed the lives of many people, including the beloved of the protagonist.

Option 3

The poem “The Bronze Horseman” is recognized as the best work of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. At the same time, there were quite contradictory opinions about Peter during the author’s life: some considered him a great ruler, others that he was a charlatan and a swindler, and that the city on the Neva would soon be destroyed.

At the center of events is the confrontation between the state and the common man. Evgeniy lost his only love, Parasha, due to the flood that occurred last year. The young man is sure that Peter is to blame for what happened.

Pushkin raises the question of what to do when state opinion differs from public opinion. Is it worth standing up for your own rights and fighting? Or should he humble himself and submit to the opinions of others?

Eugene was punished for trying to rebel against the Tsar's opinion. The author is not against people who defend their point of view, he is against stupid deaths, but at the same time he does not reproach the power of the state.

Realism becomes the genre direction of the work; it consists in describing events that actually happened in history. The author also uses personifications and allegories that emphasize the reality of what is happening.

The poem is written in iambic four feet. It helps to convey the pathos of speech and sublimity over the people, when Emperor Peter speaks, his words sound powerful and majestic. But when the words come from Eugene’s words, they seem completely ordinary and simple, they emphasize his insignificance compared to a large state.

The theme of the work is the difficult relationship between man and power, which can be considered virtually omnipotent. The result is the death of an ordinary citizen who could not cope with the cruel machine of state power. The enormous power of the state is not able to pay attention to the individual, his feelings and attitude to life.

The storyline becomes a clash of the characters of the main characters, it tries to reveal various problems of modern society. The problems of indifference and cruelty that virtually every person faces, it’s just that everyone decides to deal with the difficulties that arise differently.

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