Comparative characteristics of Katerina and Larissa ("Groza" and "Bespridnitsa")

Between the two works, the play "Storm" and the drama "The Dowry", it costs twenty years. The country has changed a lot during this time, and the writer himself has changed. All this can be traced by analyzing these works. In this article we will carry out a comparative analysis of Katerina and Larisa, the main characters of the two plays.

Features of the merchant in two works

In the "Storm" merchants only become a bourgeoisie. This is evident from the fact that traditional patriarchal attitudes are becoming obsolete for them, hypocrisy and deception (Varvara, Kabanikha) are asserted, which are disgusting to Kateryna.

In "The Dowry", the later creation of Ostrovsky, merchants are no longer the ignorant and ignorant representatives of the so-called "dark kingdom" but people who claim to be educated, dressed in a European way, reading foreign newspapers.

This should be taken into account when the comparative characteristics of Katerina and Larisa are carried out. After all, the merchant's environment in many ways influenced the development of the characters and destinies of these girls.

The social situation of the heroines

Our comparative characteristics of Katerina and Larisa begin with the definition of the social status of girls. In two plays, the main characters essentially differ in this criterion, but they are very tragic in destiny. In "The Storm" Katerina is the wife of a weak-willed, but rich merchant who is completely under the influence of her despotic mother.

In "The Dowry" Larissa is an unmarried beautiful girl who lost her father early and is brought up by her mother, a very energetic, poor woman who is not inclined to tyranny. Kabanikha, in its own way, cares about the happiness of Tikhon, his son. Ogudalova Harita Ignatyevna also zealously cares about the well-being of Larissa, her daughter, in his own understanding of it. As a result, Katerina rushes to the Volga, and Larissa dies at the hands of her fiancé. Heroines in both cases are destined to die, despite the fact that relatives and relatives seem to wish them only good.

What unites these girls?

The comparative characteristics of Katerina and Larisa reveal other common features. Both of these girls aspired to freedom, but found it not in our world; Both are bright and pure natures and love the unworthy. They show by their whole nature a protest against the so-called dark kingdom (the company of the "Bride" fits under this definition as well as its representatives in the "Thunderstorm").

Time and place of action of two plays

Katerina Kabanova lives in a small town in the Volga, where life is in many ways still patriarchal. The very operation "Thunderstorms" occurs before the reform that occurred in 1861, which had a huge impact on the province's life. Larisa Ogudalova lives in a big city, which is also on the Volga, long lost patriarchy in various spheres, including in family relations. The Volga River unites such girls as Katerina and Larissa. Comparative characteristics of the heroines show that it symbolizes both death and freedom for both of them: both Larissa and Katerina are caught by death on the river. It should be noted and differences: Bryakhimov opened - come here and leave here. The Volga River in the "Groza" is perceived primarily as a border, and in the play "The Dowry" becomes a peculiar means of communication with the outside world.

In the drama "The Dowry" the action takes place approximately in the late 1870s, when the second after the abolition of serfdom the decade was ending. At this time, capitalism is developing rapidly. Former merchants, as we have already noted, become millionaire entrepreneurs.

Differences in upbringing and character

We continue the comparison of Katerina and Larissa in "The Thunderstorm" and "The Dowry". The Ogudalov family is not rich, but Larissa's mother's perseverance helps to get acquainted with wealthy and influential people. She inspires her daughter that she must marry for surely a rich man. The choice for Katerina was done long ago, having given out for the weak-willed, but unlucky, but secured Tikhon. The heroine of "Bride" is accustomed to the easy life of "light" - dances, music, parties. She has abilities herself - the girl sings well. In this situation it is impossible to imagine Catherine. It is connected much more with folk beliefs, with nature, religiously. In difficult times, Larisa also remembers God and dreams, agreeing to link her fate with Karandyshev, a petty official, to go to the village with him, away from wealthy friends and urban temptations. In general, it is, however, a man of a different environment and era than the main heroine of "The Thunderstorms." Katerina and Larisa, whose comparative characteristics we have conducted, are of a different nature. Larissa has a more subtle psychological store, she feels beautiful more subtly than Katerina. This makes her more vulnerable to adverse circumstances.

Larissa is also a victim of hypocrisy and deceit, but her life values are different, which for another heroine are unthinkable. Their source is, first of all, in education. The heroine of "Dowryless" received a Europeanized education. She longs to find beautiful, sublime love and the same life. It requires, in the end, wealth, for this. But the integrity of nature, the strength of character in this girl does not. Cultural and educated Larissa, it would seem, should express, in contrast to Catherine, at least some kind of protest. But this girl is a weak nature. And it helps us to understand what different they are, Katerina and Larissa, comparative characteristics of girls.

Different conflicts in the works

In drams, the essence of the conflict is also different. The clash in the "Thunderstorm" occurs between the victims of the tyrants and the tyrants themselves. The motives of closed space, suppression, stuffiness, lack of freedom are very strong in the play. Katerina can not subordinate herself to the laws of the world in which she was after her marriage. Her situation is tragic: the love for Boris comes in conflict with the heroine's religiousness, the inability of this girl to live in sin. The culmination of the work is the recognition of Katerina. Final - the death of the main character.

At first glance, in "Dowry" everything is the opposite. Larisa is idolized, admired, not opposed to the heroes surrounding her. There can be no question of despotism and repression. However, the play is very strong motive, which in the "Thunderstorm" was not - the motive of money. The conflict of drama is formed by him. Larissa is a homeless woman, which determines her position in the drama. All the surrounding people talk only about money, buying and selling, profit, profit. The feeling of a person in this world is also a subject of trade. To the tragic finale results the clash of material, monetary interests with the personal feelings of the heroine.

Katerina and Larisa: two women - one fate. "Thunderstorm" (Ostrovsky) and "Bespridnitsa" (the same author) show that the fate of girls is tragic both before the abolition of serfdom, and after it. Ostrovsky offers us to think about many eternal and pressing issues of our time.