Being in many ways a turning point for Russian society as a whole, the 19th century suffered many cardinal changes in all areas of public life. Since this process could not but be very significant for the Russian people, it became necessary to draw public attention to it. This function has been taken over by the literature. To raise the most pressing issues of our time, many bright, colorful characters were created. It should be noted that male images traditionally dominated in the works, reflecting the most socially active representatives of the society of that time. However, if you pay attention to the works of many Russian classics, starting with Fonvizin and Griboedov, it is impossible not to notice their interest in depicting female characters. Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky was no exception. On the contrary, he created a number of very expressive female characters, capable, according to Goncharov, “to think, speak and act as they think, speak and act themselves”, each of which is deeply typical and at the same time individual and valuable in itself.
It is easy to note that, in general, Ostrovsky's work is dominated by family conflicts, in which the dominant role is played not by a man, but by a woman. The underlying motive here is often the confrontation between the old and the new. Usually it is expressed by a conflict between a strong, despotic woman of the older generation and a young, socially helpless girl (a kind of motive for the relationship between the “executioner and the victim”). This alignment is typical both for Ostrovsky's comedy "The Forest" and for his drama "Thunderstorm".
It should be emphasized that in the comedy "Forest" this conflict is revealed in a more simplified (compared to "Thunderstorm") form. The older generation is represented here by Gurmyzhskaya. Ostrovsky creates a very colorful image of a wealthy landowner, who once shone in the world, now living in the provinces. As one of the most eloquent characteristics, the author cites her imaginary penchant for charity. According to her, she is only “a clerk with her money, and every poor, every unfortunate one is their master.” Gurmyzhskaya is a characteristic type of heroine, which is a noble variant of the “tyranny” principle, so fully revealed by Ostrovsky in The Thunderstorm. In the comedy "The Forest" this motif is not so pronounced. Gurmyzhskaya lives with the knowledge of her former life and does not want to part with them. To do this, she writes out from St. Petersburg the half-educated high school student Bulanov. Ostrovsky very clearly draws a grotesque-comedy image of a careerist and a “resident”. Gurmyzhskaya falls in love with him, and Aksyusha becomes her “opponent”, according to Strakhov, “an honestly and mentally strong girl”, but in many ways inferior to Katerina from “Thunderstorm”, despite the fact that parallels in the construction of the image are clearly traced. For example, she also lives under the auspices of a strong, powerful woman, she also falls in love with young man, who is under the command of his father and wholly and completely dependent on him (it’s hard not to remember Boris and Dikoy from Thunderstorm); finally, it also strives for personal freedom, for independent self-determination. However, despite some psychological sketches that are deep in their semantic load (for example, her conversation with Peter, in which she admits: “I have no tears, and there is no great longing, but, I tell you, my heart is empty here”), the image is much more simplified, devoid of deep psychological analysis characteristic of Ostrovsky in The Thunderstorm. N. A. Dobrolyubov points out that “he does not punish either the villain or the victim.” Indeed, neither Gurmyzhskaya with Bulanov, nor Aksyusha with Peter, and other heroes receive a harsh assessment: Ostrovsky draws the attention of readers not to specific heroes, but to the social types that they represent.
The same situation can be traced in The Thunderstorm, but here a much more detailed construction of the psychological portrait is obvious. local nobility gives way in this case to the merchant class. The role of Gurmyzhskaya is played by Kabanikha, "a typical tyrant of Russian life."
This is a very colorful figure, symbolizing one of the most significant parts of the “dark kingdom” and speaking on behalf of patriarchal principles. It represents the impersonal “we”, the old order, doomed to perish even in such a “provincial” city of Kalinov, where it still has sufficient strength. The new time frightens the Kabanikha, she feels the changes, notices that “they don’t really respect the elders today,” and tries to maintain Her authority in every way. Ostrovsky emphasizes that she is not doing this out of malice, that her trouble is that she sincerely believes that the young "know nothing, no order" and that "it's good, whoever has elders in the house, they the house is holding on as long as they are alive.” Just like Gurmyzhskaya, Kabanikha has a strongly developed motive of imaginary charity, she welcomes “wanderers, shows them favors”, listens to their words, at the same time keeping her household in strictness and obedience.
Under such conditions, it turns out main character"Thunderstorms" Katerina. This is an incomparably more complex (compared to Aksyusha) image, causing a lot of controversy in Russian criticism. In view of its deep internal inconsistency, modern critics tend to highlight the "light and dark sides of the soul" of Katerina. The “bright side” includes her poetry and romanticism, sincere religiosity, as well as her “complete opposition to any arrogant beginnings.” Ostrovsky draws an example of a "female energetic character." Not distinguished by a special education and striving for high ideals, Katerina has a strong sense of inner freedom. Any attempts to impose any restrictions on her turn all her strength and energy into protest. And here the “dark side” of her soul opens, indicating her connection with the “dark kingdom”. Although, according to Dobrolyubov, “Katerina does not at all belong to violent characters, never dissatisfied, loving to destroy at all costs,” she nevertheless becomes a slave to her emotions. Her wounded pride and offended conceit come to the fore, pushing her onto the sinful path of adultery. It should be noted that, despite her great social dependence, in Ostrovsky it is the woman who plays the leading role in the love triangle, and the lover does not always correspond to the deep inner decency of the heroine. This situation is observed both in "Thunderstorm" and in "Forest". Actually, Katerina's love for Boris is part of a protest against the growing oppression of the "dark kingdom", a short-term consolation for her. However, completely confused in the current situation, she acutely feels the need for liberation and, being an idealist in her soul, sees it only in death. Ostrovsky emphasizes that this is the only way out in this case, emphasizing this with the words of Boris: “There is only one thing we need to ask God for her to die as soon as possible so that she does not suffer for a long time!”, And also a short but expressive remark by Tikhon, uttered over the dead Katerina: “It’s good for you, Katya!”
Speaking about the image of Katerina, one cannot fail to mention the figure of Varvara, who here performs the function of a carefree, windy soubrette. Ostrovsky consciously pushes the reader to compare these two images, focuses even more on positive traits ah the main character. “You are kind of tricky, God is with you!” - says Varvara, favorably emphasizing this “sophistication” with her frivolity and, albeit practical, but superficial “grip”. If we turn to the comedy “Forest”, then here the role of soubrette is played by Julitta, the housekeeper of Turmyzhskaya, but she is by no means an antipode, but, on the contrary, a double of her ardent and amorous mistress, she is also possessed by dreams (“So sometimes she will find something like a cloud,” - recognized). Gurmyzhskaya's love affair with Bulanov is emphasized by Ulita's love for Schastlivtsev.
Many female characters are satirical and grotesque in Ostrovsky. In the comedy "The Forest", according to the laws of the genre, this applies to all characters; As for the "Thunderstorm", here it was precisely the satirical female images that were one of the expressions of the comedic principle. This includes the wanderer Feklusha and the “girl” Glasha. Both images can be safely called grotesque-comedy. Feklusha is presented as a narrator of folk tales and legends, appeasing those around her with her stories about how “the Sal-tans rule the earth” and “whatever they judge, everything is wrong”, and about the lands “where all the people are with dog heads”. Glasha, on the other hand, is a typical reflection of ordinary “Kalinovites”, who listen with reverence to such Feklush, confident that “it’s still good that there are good people; no, no, yes, and you will hear what is happening in the world, otherwise you would have died like fools. Both Feklusha and Glasha belong to the “dark kingdom”, dividing this world into “ours” and “alien”, into patriarchal “virtue”, where everything is “cool and decent”, and into external fuss, from which the old order and time begin "come to belittlement." With these characters, Ostrovsky introduces the problem of absurd ignorance and lack of enlightenment of the old conservative way of life, its inconsistency with modern trends.
Thus, drawing a line under all of the above, it should be emphasized that, while firmly aware of all the changes and trends in society, Ostrovsky was nonetheless opposed to the ideas of violent transformations and saw his educational activities in a fairly traditional aspect: in moral re-education, exposure of vice, the discovery of the virtue of simple and eternal life values. And an important role in the disclosure of this topic was played by such accurately selected and “written out” characters, including female ones, as dominant in many of his plays, including “Thunderstorm” and “Forest”. It was their presence that made possible such plot moves as the conflict between the old and the new generation, the confrontation or, on the contrary, the union of a strong, thoughtful personality and a carefree, but practical staff, the introduction of comedy-grotesque images, and much more, which ultimately ensured the fulfillment of the task. and made Ostrovsky one of the most prominent Russian playwrights of the 19th century.

Bright female images in the play by A.N. Ostrovsky "Thunderstorm"

A.N. Ostrovsky is not only a remarkable playwright, but also a true innovator in the field of plays. No one before him had considered so many-sided merchant environment, her characters, types, destinies.

Ostrovsky introduced the problem of the "dark kingdom" into Russian literature. He showed that lawlessness, tyranny and cruelty were going on behind the walls of fine merchant houses. Here, young lives and destinies are ruined, any attempts to bring something new, free, individual into life are thwarted.

It is especially hard for women in this atmosphere. One of the most striking and famous female images of A.N. Ostrovsky is Katerina, the main character of the play "Thunderstorm". This is a young woman who ended up in the Kabanovs' house, having married a weak-willed Tikhon. In her husband's family, Katerina met with an abyss of misunderstanding, rejection, the atmosphere of the "dark kingdom". All this oppresses her, but Katerina endures, because she considers it her duty and God's providence.

There is another young woman in the Kabanovs' house - Tikhon's sister Varvara. She is also oppressed by the atmosphere in the family, the tyranny of her mother, the lack of will of her brother. But with all the outward similarities, Varvara and Katerina are strikingly different from each other.

As you know, a person takes out the basis of his nature from childhood. Therefore, it is important to remember that these heroines grew up in completely different families. Katerina grew up in a patriarchal but loving family: “I lived, didn’t grieve about anything, like a bird in the wild. Mother did not have a soul in me, dressed me up like a doll, did not force me to work; I do what I want, I do it." The atmosphere of kindness, light, understanding, love for God and people reigned in the heroine's house. The girl grew up free-spirited. The ideal of a family was firmly established in her head. The heroine dreamed of a loving husband who would become her support and protection. In addition, Katerina could not imagine her life without a large number of children. The main thing in life for her was peace and harmony in the family.

Varvara was born and raised in the Kabanikha family. Their family is one of the most respected and influential in Kalinov. Therefore, the heroine always had to comply. This meant that in the eyes of the whole city, she had to live according to the laws of Domostroy. But for a young girl, such a life was tantamount to voluntary slavery. Possessing a rather cheerful character, Barbara could not exist like that.

Thus, both heroines are faced with a choice: to live, obeying the laws of the "dark kingdom" and destroying their souls, or try to live in their own way. Katerina and Varvara solve this problem each in their own way. Katerina tries to obey the laws of Domostroy, because they correspond to her internal laws. She feels an obligation to love her husband, to please her mother-in-law, to work around the house. Therefore, Katerina regards her love for Boris as an inexcusable sin.

Barbara only outwardly observes the laws of the "dark kingdom". But in fact, these laws do not correspond to her internal ideas about life. Therefore, since childhood, the heroine has become accustomed to lying, dodging, hiding and, as a result, adjusting. She herself says about this: “After all, our house rests on that. And I was not a liar, but I learned when it became necessary. Barbara will never protest openly. But she will always do what she wants.

So, the heroine indulges her whim to walk with Curly. At night, she secretly leaves the house and returns only in the morning.

Each of the heroines has a lover. Katerina, unfortunately, is not her husband, but Boris, Dikiy's nephew. The heroine resists this forbidden feeling for a long time, she denies her obvious love for Boris Grigorievich. But when Tikhon leaves home for a long time, Katerina, yielding to Varvara's persuasion, goes on a date with Diky's nephew. In this regard, the episode with the key is very important. In this scene, not just two heroines come into conflict, but their worldviews, their theories regarding truth, honesty, righteousness. Barbara's theory - do whatever you want, as long as everything is "sewn and covered" - prevails over Katerina's desire to remain faithful to herself and her moral ideals. Katerina goes on a date with Boris, becomes his mistress and betrays herself. From this moment on inner world the heroine splits. Now she has nowhere to rest. No one except Varvara knows about her betrayal, there is no one to condemn her, but Katerina condemns and punishes herself. A woman cannot live with such a heavy burden on her heart. Upon the arrival of her husband, she confesses everything to Tikhon and Kabanikh and commits suicide.

I think that Varvara is largely to blame for the death of the heroine, because it was she who pushed Katerina to treason. But she proceeded from her life ideas. I don't think Barbara has ever loved anyone. She is not capable of sacrificing her life for love. This heroine in the first place is herself, her desires and whims. Barbara is unfamiliar with life "according to God's laws", she even loves for herself, not knowing how to give, to sacrifice. Therefore, she will never suffer the fate of Katerina.

In the play "Thunderstorm" the reader gets acquainted with two bright female images. Both heroines suffer in the atmosphere of the "dark kingdom", but each has her own path in life, because each of them has her own vital basis, its "inner core". Katerina dies, unable to withstand the internal discord, and Varvara ... I think this heroine will sooner or later leave her parents' house and will live simply for herself, for her own pleasure.

Two dramas by A. N. Ostrovsky are devoted to the same problem - the position of women in Russian society. Before us are the fates of three young women: Katerina, Varvara, Larisa. Three images, three destinies.

Katerina is different in character from all actors Drama Storm. Honest, sincere and principled, she is not capable of deceit and falsehood, of resourcefulness and opportunism. Therefore, in a cruel world where wild and wild boars reign, her life turns out to be unbearable, impossible and ends so tragically. Katerina's protest against Kabanikha is a struggle of the bright, pure, human against the darkness of lies and cruelty of the "dark kingdom". No wonder Ostrovsky, who paid great attention to names and surnames, gave the heroine of "Thunderstorm" the name Ekaterina, which means "eternally pure" in Greek. Katerina is a poetic nature. Unlike the rude people around her, she feels the beauty of nature and loves it. It is the beauty of nature that is natural and sincere. “I used to get up early in the morning; in the summer, I’ll go to the spring, I’ll wash myself, I’ll bring water with me and that’s it, I’ll water all the flowers in the house. I had many, many flowers,” she says about her childhood. Her soul is constantly drawn to beauty. Dreams were filled with miracles, fabulous visions. She often dreamed that she was flying like a bird. She talks about her desire to fly several times. By this, Ostrovsky emphasizes the romantic sublimity of Katerina's soul. Married early, she tries to get along with her mother-in-law, to love her husband, but no one needs sincere feelings in the Kabanovs' house. The tenderness that overwhelms her soul finds no use for itself. Deep melancholy sounds in her words about children: “If only someone’s children! Eco grief! I don’t have children: all I would do is sit with them and amuse them. What a loving wife and mother she would have been under other conditions!

Katerina's sincere faith differs from Kabanikh's religiosity. For Kabanikh, religion is a gloomy force that suppresses the will of a person, and for Katerina, faith is a poetic world of fairy-tale images and supreme justice. “... I loved going to church to death! It’s like, it happened, I’ll go into paradise, and I don’t see anyone, and I don’t remember the time, and I don’t hear when the service is over,” she recalls.

Captivity is Katerina's main enemy. The external conditions of her life in Kalinovo seem to be no different from those of her childhood. The same motives, the same rituals, that is, the same activities, but "everything here seems to be from captivity," says Katerina. Bondage is incompatible with the freedom-loving soul of the heroine. “And bondage is bitter, oh, how bitter,” she says in the scene with the key, and these words, these thoughts push her to the decision to see Boris. In Katerina's behavior, as Dobrolyubov said, a "resolute, integral Russian character" appeared, which "will endure itself, in spite of any obstacles, and when there is not enough strength, it will die, but will not betray itself."

Barbara is the exact opposite of Katerina. She is not superstitious, she is not afraid of thunderstorms, she does not consider it necessary to strictly observe established customs. Due to her position, she cannot openly oppose her mother and therefore cunning and deceiving her. She hopes that marriage will give her the opportunity to leave this house, to escape from the "dark kingdom". To Katerina's words that | she can't hide anything, Varvara replies: "Well, you can't do without it! You remember where you live! when needed." Varvara despises her brother's spinelessness and resents her mother's heartlessness, but she does not understand Katerina. She is only interested in and concerned about the outer side of life. She reconciled herself and adapted to the laws of the old world around her.

Larisa, unlike Katerina, grew up and was brought up in conditions where the weak are humiliated, where the strongest survive. In her character there is no integrity that is in Katerina. Therefore, Larisa does not strive, and cannot make her dreams and desires come true. Her name means "Seagull" in Greek. This bird is associated with something white, light, piercingly screaming. And this image is fully consistent with Larisa.

Katerina and Larisa have different upbringings, different characters, different ages, but they are united by the desire to love and be loved, to find understanding, in a word, to become happy. And each goes to this goal, overcoming the obstacles created by the foundations of society.

Katerina cannot connect with her loved one and finds a way out in death.

Larisa's situation is more complicated. She was disappointed in the person she loved and stopped believing in the existence of love and happiness. Realizing that she is surrounded by lies and deceit, Larisa sees two ways out of the current situation: either the search for material values, or death. And under the circumstances, she chooses the first. But the author does not want to see her as an ordinary dependent woman, and she passes away.

Two dramas by A. N. Ostrovsky are devoted to the same problem - the position of women in Russian society. Before us are the fates of three young women: Katerina, Varvara, Larisa. Three images, three destinies.
Katerina differs in character from all the characters in the drama "Thunderstorm". Honest, sincere and principled, she is not capable of deceit and falsehood, of resourcefulness and opportunism. Therefore, in a cruel world where wild and wild boars reign, her life turns out to be unbearable, impossible and ends so tragically. Katerina's protest against Kabanikha is a struggle of light, pure, human against the darkness of lies and cruelty of the "dark kingdom". No wonder Ostrovsky, who paid great attention to names and surnames, gave the heroine of "Thunderstorm" the name Ekaterina, which in Greek means "eternally pure." Katerina is a poetic nature. Unlike the rude people around her, she feels the beauty of nature and loves it. It is the beauty of nature that is natural and sincere. “I used to get up early in the morning; in the summer, so I go to the key, I wash myself, I bring some water with me and that's it, I water all the flowers in the house. I had many, many flowers,” she says of her childhood. Her soul is constantly drawn to beauty. Dreams were filled with miracles, fabulous visions. She often dreamed that she was flying like a bird. She talks about her desire to fly several times. By this, Ostrovsky emphasizes the romantic sublimity of Katerina's soul. Married early, she tries to get along with her mother-in-law, to love her husband, but no one needs sincere feelings in the Kabanovs' house. The tenderness that overwhelms her soul finds no use for itself. Deep melancholy sounds in her words about children: “If only someone’s children! Eco grief! I don’t have children: all I would do is sit with them and amuse them. I love to talk with children very much - they are angels, after all. What a loving wife and mother she would have been under other conditions!
Katerina's sincere faith differs from Kabanikh's religiosity. For Kabanikh, religion is a gloomy force that suppresses the will of a person, and for Katerina, faith is a poetic world of fairy-tale images and supreme justice. “... Until death, I loved to go to church! For sure, it used to happen that I would go into paradise, and I don’t see anyone, and I don’t remember the time, and I don’t hear when the service is over, ”she recalls.
Captivity is Katerina's main enemy. The external conditions of her life in Kalinovo seem to be no different from those of her childhood. The same motives, the same rituals, that is, the same activities, but “everything here seems to be from captivity,” says Katerina. Bondage is incompatible with the freedom-loving soul of the heroine. “And bondage is bitter, oh, how bitter,” she says in the scene with the key, and these words, these thoughts push her to the decision to see Boris. In the behavior of Katerina, as Dobrolyubov said, a “resolute, integral Russian character” appeared, which “will withstand itself, despite any obstacles, and when there is not enough strength, it will die, but will not betray itself.”
Barbara is the exact opposite of Katerina. She is not superstitious, she is not afraid of thunderstorms, she does not consider it necessary to strictly observe established customs. Due to her position, she cannot openly oppose her mother and therefore cunning and deceiving her. She hopes that marriage will give her the opportunity to leave this house, to escape.

1. Features of Ostrovsky's creativity.
2. The image of Kabanikh in the play "Thunderstorm".
3. Varvara, daughter of Kabanikhi.
4. Katerina, daughter-in-law of Kabanikhi.

Several dozen plays were written by A. N. Ostrovsky during his life, and in all these works, as in a mirror, certain aspects of life, contemporary to the author, were reflected. But did Ostrovsky write only about his time? Undoubtedly, the color of his plays belongs to a certain time, but the characters of people basically remain unchanged. Isn't that why the plays of the playwright still sound so modern today? The formidable figure of the owner-tyrant (or hostess), towering over the trembling household, the calculation that equally reigns in the business sphere, and in the field of feelings, human relations, the suffering of an exalted soul and the torment of petty egoism ... Behind all this eternal flickering human life observes the gaze of the master, who sometimes managed to convey the features of a particular character with a few strokes.

A lot of Ostrovsky's works are devoted to the life of the merchant class, whose life the playwright recreated with amazing accuracy and brightness. In other plays, Ostrovsky showed life noble estate, vicissitudes of acting existence. The playwright's attention was also attracted by the description of women's destinies - in his plays he showed many memorable, peculiar female characters. As an example of a vivid female image in the work of Ostrovsky, the image of Katerina from the play "Thunderstorm" is often cited. However, there are other bright female images in this play - these are Katerina's mother-in-law, Marfa Ignatievna Kabanova, the formidable Kabanikha, and the Kabanikha's daughter, Varvara.

When analyzing these images, you need to remember that they are all products of the same environment. To better understand the essence of each character, it is advisable to compare them. From the text of the play it is clear that life in Kabanova's house and in parental home Katherine was practically no different. When Katerina talks about her childhood, Varvara remarks: “Why, it’s the same with us.” It is easy to imagine that the stern Kabanikha herself in her youth, just like Katerina, endured the taunts of her mother-in-law. The tyrannical rule that Kabanikha established in her house, remaining a widow, becoming a full-fledged mistress, is the embodiment of her desire for freedom. Kabanikha herself most likely does not suspect this - she is sincerely convinced that she cares about the happiness of her son and daughter-in-law, that everything goes according to routine, as it should be with them. good people. The boar is not without positive features when it comes to communicating with people who are not members of her family. She cordially welcomes wanderers and pilgrims in her house, judiciously talks with the petty tyrant Wild, who is afraid of almost all of his household. Kabanikha can rightfully be called an integral nature - she is devoid of painful internal contradictions, on the contrary, she is convinced that her way of behavior is the only correct one. It would seem that the life of Kabanikha, who does not meet open resistance to her power, enjoys the advantages of wealth and external manifestations of respect and humility of others, can be called an enviable fate. But the indestructible power of Kabanikha is overshadowed by the shadows of the future - the apocalyptic ghosts of an inevitable catastrophe.

Fantastic stories of wanderers about the intrigues of evil spirits are intertwined in the imagination of a rich merchant's wife with clear signs of a weakening of house-building traditions. The departure from antiquity, according to Kabanikhi, is the first step towards the abyss. “But, too, stupid ones, they want to do their own thing,” Kabanikha laments, thinking about his son and daughter-in-law. In essence, the idea of ​​Kabanikhi is not without meaning - it is also not so easy to live with your own mind, and Tikhon, the son of Kabanikhi, does not have the necessary skills for this. But the daughter of Varvara turns out to be able to independently make significant decisions and carry out her plans. Barbara, despite her youth, was well versed in how to behave in her parents' house in order to avoid unnecessary trouble: "... Do what you want, if only it was sewn and covered." The prudence and practicality of Barbara is constantly manifested. She, like her mother, is a whole person, and her reaction to events is manifested primarily in action, and not in reflection. Barbara is able to sensibly assess the people around her, especially her loved ones and their relationships. The girl understands how hard life is for Katerina, she tries to support her in her own way. sympathizes with her. Barbara realized without a word that Katerina did not love Tikhon, “... and for nothing,” the girl impartially notes, who knows what her brother is like. Varvara is very observant - by subtle signs she guessed who Katerina loves.

So, the lively participation that Varvara shows to Katerina is manifested in an active way. It is interesting to note: Katerina tries to tell the girl about her doubts, but the interlocutor does not take them too seriously: “What a desire to dry up! Even if you die of longing, they will pity you! How about, wait. So what a bondage to torment yourself!” The active nature of Varvara quickly seeks the opportunity to arrange dates without interference - both her own with Kudryash, and Katerina and Boris. In practical matters, Varvara is an indispensable assistant. But as for the internal contradictions that tear Katerina's soul apart, here Varvara cannot help in any way, simply because she herself is devoid of such hesitations. Having determined his line of conduct, Barbara confidently follows the chosen path. Her escape with Curly is only one of the steps. Having walked on "their own will", they are likely to get married and live happily ever after. It is possible that over time Varvara will reproduce some of the behavior of her mother. The domineering spirit of Kabanikhi is already discernible in her daughter. But Varvara acts differently: she does not rudely force, but deftly takes advantage of the human weaknesses of those around her - this is how she forced Katerina to take the key to the garden gate, this is how she lured the weak-willed Boris to the place of rendezvous.

Varvara's character combines various qualities, she has a lot of really good features. However, it should be noted that the false atmosphere of the parental home forever left its mark on her soul. "... Do whatever you want, if only it were sewn and covered" - this is Varvara's hypocritical worldly wisdom, unconsciously borrowed from her mother, who "out of piety" tyrannizes her family.

The tragedy of Katerina, who, following Dobrolyubov, is often called "a ray of light in dark kingdom”, is by no means only in the fact that she fell under the power of her mother-in-law. Katerina's main trouble is that, unlike Kabanikha and Varvara, she is not able to choose for herself a line of behavior that she herself would consider correct. Katerina believes that she must be faithful to her husband, and does not have enough stamina for this, she longs for a meeting with Boris, but instead of joy, these meetings bring her new torments. Oddly enough, upon closer examination, one can find some similarities between Katerina and Kabanikha, primarily in their forebodings, full of drama. But if the gloomy forebodings of Kabanikh concern the fate of the world, they are directed outward, then Katerina's premonitions concern her own fate, they are directed inward. The thought is material: Kabanikha's premonitions are embodied in the collapse of the values ​​of Domostroy and the "shame" that Katerina brought on the family. Katerina's forebodings also come true - after all, she herself actively contributed to this.