In his work, Nekrasov does not shy away from using a rich picture of images in his works, the largest of which belongs to the disclosure of female images. He observes female characters, studies them, trying not to limit himself to any class and level, especially the noble one. The creative situation in Nekrasov’s works is created with the help of the subtlest intuition and the unique poetic imagination of the author, which penetrate into the very soul of both a peasant woman, the wife of a Decembrist, and even a fallen woman. Nekrasov very sensitively experiences cases of injustice that befall the Russian woman of that time, and it does not matter what place she occupies in society: the highest, or she is subordinate, or does not have one at all. Nekrasov perfectly senses the truth that if a simple woman from the people suffers from backbreaking labor, then a noble lady also does not have any freedoms, she is obliged to follow the written and unwritten laws established in her circle.
Nekrasov's heroines are selfless, strong women who are capable of self-sacrifice for the sake of those they love.
Princess Trubetskoy is Nekrasov’s brightest female image. Princess Trubetskoy in the work is an example of nobility, perseverance and self-denial. Accustomed to secular splendor, luxury and prosperity, she renounces all these benefits in order to follow her Decembrist husband, exiled to Siberia. The deceitful, stupid high society has become for her a “masquerade,” an “insolent rubbish celebration,” where hypocrisy reigns, and the men in it are a bunch of “Judas.” Trubetskoy despises men from secular society, whose vanity and pride did not allow them to share the fate of the Decembrists, to sacrifice their benefits for the sake of freedom, justice and happiness.
Princess Trubetskoy exchanges the bustle of the secular world “for the feat of selfless love.” She, just like her husband, wants to suffer for freedom and for the fate of the Russian people, who groan as barge haulers on the banks of the Volga.
Princess Trubetskoy is doomed to injustice, her fate is unhappy, predetermined by the society in which she finds herself. Nekrasov prescribes for her a miserable, miserable existence. And neither beauty nor a strong, cheerful disposition will help her change her difficult female lot.
Already at the beginning of the work, Trubetskoy says goodbye to her father. She is not happy about the separation, but she cannot refuse her duty - to be close to her husband. She has already made her decision and is ready for all the difficulties that she will face. In Irkutsk she is met by the governor, who also tries to dissuade her. He uses all the tricks and opportunities that he has, but Trubetskoy is adamant. At first, the governor tries, through family feelings, to dissuade the princess from the trip; he claims that her departure simply killed her father. But Trubetskoy says that she loves her father, but the duty of marriage for her is “higher and holier.” The governor is trying to scare the woman with the terrible living conditions in Siberia, and that if she loses heart in such conditions, this will weaken and upset her husband even more. But Trubetskoy replies “... I won’t bring tears.” The governor is trying to draw a vivid parallel between the cheerful social life and the dark, unattractive prison life. But Trubetskoy replies that she has no place in such a society without her husband. And even life with other convicts without a title and proper relationships does not frighten Trubetskoy. The governor is amazed by the woman’s inflexibility, fearlessness, and determination, and gives up, giving the order to harness the horses.
The image of Princess Trubetskoy glorifies the wonderful features of Russian women, their enormous willpower, devotion, pride and self-esteem.
See also:
- The image of Princess Volkonskaya in Nekrasov’s poem “Russian Women”
- “Russian Women”, a summary of the chapters of Nekrasov’s poem
- “Russian Women” - an essay based on Nekrasov’s poem
- “It’s stuffy! Without happiness and will...", analysis of Nekrasov’s poem
A gallery of female images occupies a special place in the work of N. Nekrasov. In his poems, the poet described not only women of noble origin, but also ordinary peasant women. Nekrasov had a special interest in the fate of the wives of the Decembrists. Below will be presented a description of Princess Trubetskoy.
The history of the poem
Before proceeding with the characterization of Princess Trubetskoy, the reader should learn about the history of writing the poem "Russian Women". It consists of two parts. The central character of the first part is Ekaterina Ivanovna. The first poem was written in 1871 and published in the journal Otechestvennye zapiski in 1872.
Before this, Nekrasov met Mikhail, the son of Maria Volkonskaya, the heroine of the second part of the poem. His memoirs, as well as “Notes of a Decembrist,” written by Andrei Rosen, served as material for the poem “Grandfather.” The publication of this work did not weaken Nekrasov’s interest in the fate of the wives of the Decembrists.
In the winter of 1871, he began collecting material for the poem "Russian Women." While writing, the poet faced several difficulties - censorship and virtually no facts about the life of Ekaterina Ivanovna. Because of this, according to some contemporaries, the characterization of Princess Trubetskoy slightly did not coincide with the real image. But the lack of facts was compensated by the imagination of the poet, who imagined her departure.
The first part of the poem "Russian Women. Princess Trubetskaya" begins with Ekaterina Ivanovna's farewell to her father. The brave woman followed her husband to Siberia. On the way to Irkutsk, the heroine recalls her childhood, carefree youth, balls, how she got married and traveled with her husband.
The following describes the meeting between the princess and the governor of Irkutsk. There is a confrontation between Trubetskoy and the governor. He is trying to scare the woman with the hardships of the journey, the conditions of hard labor. He says she will have to give up everything she has. But nothing stops a brave woman. Then the governor, admiring her courage and loyalty, gives permission to leave the city.
The act of Princess Trubetskoy
The key moment of the poem is the confrontation with the governor, in which the woman’s character is revealed. Knowing that her husband was sentenced to indefinite hard labor for participating in the Decembrist uprising, she decides to go after him. In “Princess Trubetskoy,” Nekrasov told how the governor tried by all means to dissuade Ekaterina Ivanovna from this decision.
To do this, he tries to play on her family feelings, saying that the decision to go to Siberia is disastrous for her father. But the princess replies that despite all her love for her father, her wife’s duty is more important to her. Then the governor begins to describe to her all the hardships of the journey, warning that the road is so difficult that it could undermine her health. But even this does not frighten the purposeful Ekaterina Trubetskoy.
The governor tries to intimidate her with stories about the dangers of life with convicts, reminds her of the prosperous life she led. The princess remains adamant. Then he reports that, having followed her husband, she is deprived of all rights and no longer belongs to the noble class, and the princess will get to the Nerchinsk mines under escort. But Trubetskoy is ready to sign all the papers, if only she could see her husband.
Struck and admired by her fortitude, courage, devotion to her husband and sense of duty, the governor tells her the truth. He was tasked with stopping her by any means necessary. Finally, he gives her permission to leave Irkutsk to join her husband.
The image of the princess in the poem
Among the critical comments to the work were those concerning the image of the main character. Many noted that the characterization of Princess Trubetskoy given in the poem did not quite correspond to the real image of Ekaterina Ivanovna. But perhaps the poet did not strive to accurately convey Trubetskoy’s character. He managed to show the courage of her action.
The image of Princess Trubetskoy in the poem “Russian Women” turned out to be bright and expressive. Ekaterina Ivanovna is shown as brave and decisive, ready to overcome all obstacles. She is a faithful and loving wife, for whom the marriage bond is most important.
For her, society is just a bunch of hypocritical people, cowards who were afraid to join the Decembrists. Readiness for difficulties, the belief that they can overcome everything with their husband, the desire to be his support - this is how we see the image of Princess Trubetskoy, who amazed Nekrasov.
Decoration
The poem "Russian Women. Princess Trubetskoy" consists of two parts, written in iambic. This adds dynamism and tension to the story. At the beginning, the scene of the heroine’s farewell to her father and her memories of childhood, youth, and marriage are shown. The second part describes a meeting between Trubetskoy and the governor of Irkutsk, during which she shows will and perseverance.
A feature of the first part of the poem “Russian Women. Princess Trubetskoy” is the mixture of “dream and reality.” The heroine looks at the winter road, then suddenly falls into a dream in which she remembers important moments of her life. According to some literary scholars, the poet deliberately structured the first part this way. This shows that the princess is overwhelmed by an emotional impulse, a desire to meet her husband quickly. When writing this poem, Nekrasov relied on the memories of people who knew Ekaterina Ivanovna, and on “Notes of the Decembrist” by A. Rosen.
Before the Decembrist uprising
Princess Trubetskoy was born Countess Laval, the daughter of a French emigrant and heiress to capital I.S. Myasnikov. Parents provided Catherine and her sisters with a carefree childhood. They were never denied anything, received an excellent education and were able to live with their parents in Europe for a long time.
According to the descriptions of contemporaries, Catherine Laval was not considered a beauty, but she had a unique charm. In 1819, in Paris, she met Prince Sergei Petrovich Trubetskoy. In 1820 the couple got married. Everyone considered the prince an enviable groom. He was of noble birth, rich, fought with Napoleon, intelligent, and had the rank of colonel. Ekaterina Ivanovna had every chance of becoming a general. After 5 years of family life, she learns about her husband’s participation in the Decembrist uprising.
The princess's decision to go after her husband
Ekaterina Ivanovna was one of the first wives who managed to obtain permission to follow their husbands to Siberia. In 1826, she reached Irkutsk, where for some time she was in the dark about where her husband was. Governor Zeidler received orders to dissuade Trubetskoy from her decision.
The woman stayed in Irkutsk for 5 months before she was allowed to go to her husband in the Nerchinsky mines. In 1845, the Trubetskoy family received permission to settle in Irkutsk. The main centers of the Irkutsk Decembrists were the houses of Trubetskoy and Volkonsky. Ekaterina Ivanovna, according to the memoirs of her contemporaries, was smart, educated, charming and unusually warm-hearted.
The poem "Princess Trubetskaya" by Nekrasov showed all the strength and fortitude of Russian women.
1) The history of the creation of the poem by N.A. Nekrasov "Russian Women".
In the 70s of the 19th century, another social upsurge was planned in Russia. Many Russian writers and poets respond to this social movement and write their own literary works, which center on social problems. So, N.A. Nekrasov addresses the theme of the feat of the wives of the Decembrists, who followed their husbands to Siberia and thereby lost their social and material position in society. In 1872-1873, two parts of N.A.’s poem were published in the journal Otechestvennye zapiski. Nekrasov “Russian Women” (“Princess Trubetskaya” and “Princess M.N. Volkonskaya”). In this poem N.A. Nekrasov glorifies a woman from the noble circle.
2) Features of the genre. Work by N.A. Nekrasov “Russian Women” belongs to the genre of the poem. The poem is a large form of lyric poetry; a large poetic work with a narrative or lyrical plot, based on a combination of narrative characteristics of characters, events and their disclosure through the perception and assessment of the lyrical hero, the narrator.
3) Features of the plot of the 1st part of the poem by N.A. Nekrasov “Russian Women” (Princess Trubetskoy).
How does this part of the poem begin? (from the description of a “wonderfully well-coordinated carriage” and the experiences of the count-father sending his daughter to Siberia)
How does Princess Trubetskoy explain her departure? (“But another duty, higher and more difficult, calls me...”)
What does the daughter ask from her father? (blessings on the long journey) What feeling should a father’s daughter’s action, according to Princess Trubetskoy, have? (feeling of pride)
4) Features of the narrative in the poem. The main part of the 1st part of the poem (Princess Trubetskoy) is built in the form of a dialogue between Princess Trubetskoy and the governor, who is trying to persuade the princess to return home.
How long did Princess Trubetskoy spend on the road before meeting with the governor? (almost two months)
How on. Nekrasov shows that the princess’s path is really very difficult? (The poet uses the technique of comparison: the princess’s companion was so tired that he became seriously ill, and Princess Trubetskoy continued her further journey alone.)
Why did the governor himself personally meet the princess? (The governor received a paper asking him to bring the princess back home by any means necessary.)
What arguments does the governor give when saying that the princess should return home immediately? (The governor gives many arguments: the fact that his daughter’s departure killed the count-father; and that where she is going, there is “eight months of winter”; and that life in hard labor is terrible, etc.)
Why does Princess Trubetskoy refuse all the governor’s arguments? (“But another duty, higher and holy, calls me...”)
Who turns out to be morally more resilient in this dialogue? (princess)
Why do you think N.A. Does Nekrasov choose the form of dialogue for his poem? (through dialogue, the inner world of the characters, their experiences, feelings are better revealed)
What is the ending of this part of the poem? (The governor realizes the moral superiority of Princess Trubetskoy and promises to take her to her place in three days, even if he is removed from office for this.)
5) The theme of Nekrasov’s poem. Poem “Russian Women” by N.A. Nekrasov - about the courageous and noble feat of the wives of the first Russian Decembrist revolutionaries, who, despite all the difficulties and hardships, followed their husbands into exile, to distant Siberia, to the harsh, uninhabited places of their imprisonment. They renounced wealth, the convenience of their usual life, all civil rights and doomed themselves to the difficult situation of exiles, to painful and onerous living conditions. These trials revealed their strength of character, determination and courage. The best spiritual qualities - willpower, the ability to love, loyalty - these are the qualities inherent in the heroines of N.A.’s poem. Nekrasov "Russian Women". The entire Nekrasov poem “Russian Women” consists of two parts: the first is dedicated to Princess Trubetskoy, and the second to Princess Volkonskaya.
6) Characteristics of the heroes of the poem.
The image of Princess Trubetskoy.
Princess E.I. Trubetskoy is one of the wives of the Decembrists who followed their husbands. Nekrasov shows Princess Trubetskoy as if from the outside, depicting the external difficulties encountered along her path. It is not for nothing that the central place in this part is occupied by the scene with the governor, frightening the princess with the deprivations awaiting her:
Carefully hard cracker
And life locked up
Shame, horror, labor
Staged path...
All the governor’s arguments about the hardships of life in Siberia become shallow and lose their strength in front of the heroine’s courage, her ardent willingness to be faithful to her duty. Serving a higher goal, fulfilling a sacred duty for it is higher than everything purely personal:
But I know: love for the homeland
My rival...
Replacing the original title “Decembrists” with “Russian Women” emphasized that heroism, fortitude, and moral beauty have been inherent in Russian women from time immemorial. Nekrasov showed that the image of the “majestic Slavic woman” does not belong to one social stratum. This type of woman is popular among all the people; it can be found both in a peasant hut and in a high-society living room, since its main component is spiritual beauty. Nekrasov’s Princess Trubetskoy has a generalized image, like the images of other wives of the Decembrists. Nekrasov endows them with the traits of that heroic dedication, that decisive fighting character, examples of which he saw in the best people of his time.
Who does N.A. choose? Nekrasov as the main character for his poem? (female noblewoman)
What character traits does Princess Trubetskoy have? (determination, perseverance, fortitude, etc.)
Why do you think N.A. Nekrasov calls his poem “Russian Women”? (The main thing for the poet in the poem is to show the feat of not just a representative of the noble class, but a Russian woman.)
In the early 70s of the 19th century, N.A. Nekrasov creates the poem “Russian Women”, which tells about the wives of the Decembrists who followed their husbands to hard labor in Siberia.
The first part of the work describes the action of Princess Trubetskoy. ON THE. Nekrasov uses the form of dialogue, characterizing the journey of Princess Trubetskoy to Siberia. The key episode of the poem was the heroine’s conversation with the Irkutsk leader, who makes every effort to dissuade the brave wife from further traveling to the mines. Dialogue form helps
To reveal more deeply the inner world of characters, experiences, to understand their thoughts and feelings. Explaining her action to the governor, the princess says:
... But the duty is different,
And higher and holy,
Calling me.
The heroine’s own monologue allows the reader to see her loyalty to the decision she made until the end. The princess’s speech is a hidden pain for her husband’s fate, tears for her father’s experiences, indignation at the governor’s words:
Ah!.. Save these speeches
You are better for others.
All your tortures cannot be extracted
Tears from my eyes!
It is difficult to explain to the leader a woman who is ready for many trials, delaying the departure
With his strong-willed decision, he tries with all his might to dissuade the heroine from further continuing her journey. His speech contains expressive epithets (“deep forests”, “terrible land”, “stale biscuit”), complex metaphors (“darkness and cold all year round”, “a hundred-day night will hang over the country”, “five thousand convicts there are embittered by fate” ), vivid comparisons (“spring is shorter than ours”). The Irkutsk governor describes without embellishment the difficult life in penal servitude, talks about the harsh natural conditions of the Siberian region, and the inhuman living conditions of convicts. The leader also uses forbidden techniques in his speech, evoking pity for the abandoned father, speaking about female pride:
And he... was carried away by an empty ghost
And - this is his fate!..
So what?.. you run after him,
What a pathetic slave!
But none of the old governor’s beliefs influence the princess’s decision to share her husband’s fate. The reader also learns about this from the conversation of the heroes.
Thus, the dialogue form reveals to the reader the complex spiritual world of the characters, their attitude to life, to duty and honor, their understanding of fate and current circumstances.
(Option 2)
Dialogue, a conversation between two people, most often gives an idea of the character of each speaker. In the literature of the 19th century, it also made it possible to judge the social status of those talking.
“Bless your own daughter // And let me go in peace!”, “I will remember deeply // In a distant place... // I don’t cry, but it’s not easy // It’s not easy for me to part with you!” On the road, the princess talks with the secretary, with the coachman, with the exiles at the stage. There is also not dialogue, but replicas: “But at the beginning of the first part of the poem, dedicated to Ekaterina Trubetskoy, we do not have a dialogue, but rather a monologue. Everything has already been said by the father, he did everything in his power both to stop his daughter and to give her the opportunity to get to her husband unhindered. The princess seems to answer her father: “Yes, we tear our hearts in half // Each other, but, dear, // Tell me, what more should we do?” We do not hear the voice of old Trubetskoy, but still we have a “dialogue” before us. This is evidenced by the gaps that we can fill in by putting ourselves in the place of the hero: “One who could help us // Now... Forgive me, forgive me! // tundra!”, “We’ll see the Yenisei soon,” // The secretary told the princess, “/ The Emperor doesn’t drive like that!..”, “Hey, coachman, wait!”, Hurry, coachman, hurry!..”. “Thank you, bon voyage!” - the exiles thank her. In numerous dreams, her father and her beloved speak to her, she “sees and hears” conversations on December 14th. Mental dialogue is a commentary, a response to road impressions, to persistent thoughts: “And that party was here... // Yes... there are no other ways...”, “Why, damned country, // Did Ermak find you?..”
The brightest, most lively dialogues are the conversations between the governor of Irkutsk and Ekaterina Trubetskoy. The governor asks, begs, threatens, reproaches, stalls for time, avoids answering, almost mocks, calls for prudence. The princess calls the general a torturer. Despite the fact that in this case both heroes speak, convince each other, pause for a while and again continue the painful dialogue, again one gets the feeling that only one is speaking, since all the governor’s arguments are broken by Trubetskoy’s firmness. But the general can’t stand it either, her persistence overpowered: “And even if I can’t hold my head // On my shoulders, // I can’t, I don’t want // To tyrannize more than you... // I’ll get you there in three days...”
The woman’s love and determination defeated reasonable arguments and won his heart.