Literary character, hero. Images and characters

Epics about Ilya Muromets

Hero Ilya Muromets, son of Ivan Timofeevich and Efrosinya Yakovlevna, peasants of the village of Karacharova near Murom. The most popular epic character, the second most powerful (after Svyatogor) Russian hero and the first domestic superman.

Sometimes with epic Ilya Muromets is identified a real man, Reverend Elijah of the Caves, nicknamed Chobotok, buried in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra and canonized in 1643.

Years of creation. 12th–16th centuries

What is the point. Until the age of 33, Ilya lay, paralyzed, on the stove in his parents' house, until he was miraculously healed by wanderers ("passing stones"). Having gained strength, he arranged his father's household and went to Kyiv, along the way capturing Nightingale the Robber, who terrorized the neighborhood. In Kyiv, Ilya Muromets joined the squad of Prince Vladimir and found the hero Svyatogor, who gave him the sword-treasurer and the mystical "real power". In this episode, he demonstrated not only physical strength, but also high moral qualities, not responding to the advances of Svyatogor's wife. Later, Ilya Muromets defeated the “great force” near Chernigov, paved the direct road from Chernigov to Kyiv, inspected the roads from Alatyr-stone, tested the young hero Dobrynya Nikitich, saved the hero Mikhail Potyk from captivity in the Saracen kingdom, defeated Idolishche, walked with his squad to Tsargrad, one defeated the army of Kalin Tsar.

Ilya Muromets was not alien to simple human joys: in one of the epic episodes, he walks around Kyiv with “tavern goals”, and his offspring Sokolnik was born out of wedlock, which later leads to a fight between father and son.

What does it look like. Superman. Epics describe Ilya Muromets as "a remote, burly good fellow", he fights with a club "in ninety pounds" (1440 kilograms)!

What is he fighting for? Ilya Muromets and his squad very clearly formulate the purpose of their service:

“... stand alone for the faith for the fatherland,

... to stand alone for Kyiv-grad,

... to stand alone for the churches for the cathedral,

... he will save the prince and Vladimir.

But Ilya Muromets is not only a statesman - he is also one of the most democratic fighters against evil, as he is always ready to fight "for widows, for orphans, for poor people."

The way to fight. A duel with the enemy or a battle with superior enemy forces.

With what result. Despite the difficulties caused by the numerical superiority of the enemy or the dismissive attitude of Prince Vladimir and the boyars, he invariably wins.

What is it fighting against? against internal and external enemies Russia and their allies, violators of law and order, illegal migrants, invaders and aggressors.

2. Archpriest Avvakum

"The Life of Archpriest Avvakum"

Hero. Archpriest Avvakum made his way from a village priest to the leader of the resistance to church reform, Patriarch Nikon, and became one of the leaders of the Old Believers, or schismatics. Avvakum is the first religious figure of this magnitude, who not only suffered for his beliefs, but also described it himself.

Years of creation. Approximately 1672–1675.

What is the point. A native of the Volga village, Avvakum from his youth was distinguished by both piety and violent temper. Having moved to Moscow, he took an active part in church and educational activities, was close to Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich, but sharply opposed the church reforms carried out by Patriarch Nikon. With his characteristic temperament, Avvakum waged a fierce struggle against Nikon, advocating the old order of church ritual. Avvakum, not at all embarrassed in expressions, conducted public and journalistic activities, for which he repeatedly went to prison, was cursed and defrocked, and was exiled to Tobolsk, Transbaikalia, Mezen and Pustozersk. From the place of the last exile, he continued to write appeals, for which he was imprisoned in an "earthen pit". Had many followers. Church hierarchs tried to persuade Avvakum to renounce his "delusions", but he remained adamant and was eventually burned.

What does it look like. One can only guess: Avvakum did not describe himself. Maybe this is how the priest looks like in Surikov’s painting “Boyar Morozova” - Feodosia Prokopyevna Morozova was a faithful follower of Avvakum.

What is he fighting for? For the purity of the Orthodox faith, for the preservation of tradition.

The way to fight. Word and deed. Avvakum wrote accusatory pamphlets, but he could personally beat the buffoons who entered the village and break them musical instruments. Considered self-immolation as a form of possible resistance.

With what result. Habakkuk's passionate sermon against church reform made resistance to her massive, but he himself, along with three of his associates, was executed in 1682 in Pustozersk.

What is it fighting against? Against the desecration of Orthodoxy by "heretical novelties", against everything alien, "external wisdom", that is, scientific knowledge, against entertainment. He suspects the imminent coming of the Antichrist and the reign of the devil.

3. Taras Bulba

"Taras Bulba"

Hero.“Taras was one of the indigenous, old colonels: he was all created for abusive anxiety and was distinguished by the rude directness of his temper. Then the influence of Poland was already beginning to appear on the Russian nobility. Many already adopted Polish customs, started luxury, magnificent servants, falcons, hunters, dinners, courtyards. Taras didn't like it. He loved the simple life of the Cossacks and quarreled with those of his comrades who were inclined towards the Warsaw side, calling them serfs of the Polish lords. Eternally restless, he considered himself the legitimate defender of Orthodoxy. Arbitrarily entered the villages, where they only complained about the harassment of tenants and the increase in new duties on smoke. He himself carried out reprisals against his Cossacks and made it a rule for himself that in three cases one should always take up a saber, namely: when the commissars did not respect the elders in anything and stood in front of them in hats, when they mocked Orthodoxy and did not honor the ancestral law, and, finally, when the enemies were the Busurmans and the Turks, against whom he considered it at least permissible to raise arms for the glory of Christianity.

Year of creation. The story was first published in 1835 in the collection Mirgorod. The edition of 1842, in which, in fact, we all read Taras Bulba, differs significantly from the original version.

What is the point. Throughout his life, the dashing Cossack Taras Bulba has been fighting for the liberation of Ukraine from oppressors. He, the glorious ataman, cannot bear the thought that his own children, flesh of his flesh, may not follow his example. Therefore, Taras kills Andriy's son, who betrayed the sacred cause, without hesitation. When another son, Ostap, is captured, our hero deliberately penetrates into the heart of the enemy camp - but not in order to try to save his son. His only goal is to make sure that Ostap, under torture, did not show cowardice and did not renounce high ideals. Taras himself dies like Joan of Arc, having previously presented Russian culture with the immortal phrase: “There are no bonds holier than camaraderie!”

What does it look like. Extremely heavy and fat (20 pounds, in terms of - 320 kg), gloomy eyes, black-white eyebrows, mustache and forelock.

What is he fighting for? For the liberation of the Zaporozhian Sich, for independence.

The way to fight. Military actions.

With what result. With deplorable. All died.

What is it fighting against? Against oppressor Poles, foreign yoke, police despotism, old-world landowners and court satraps.

4. Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov

"A song about Tsar Ivan Vasilievich, a young guardsman and a daring merchant Kalashnikov"

Hero. Stepan Paramonovich Kalashnikov, merchant class. Trades in silks - with varying degrees of success. Moskvich. Orthodox. Has two younger brothers. He is married to the beautiful Alena Dmitrievna, because of whom the whole story came out.

Year of creation. 1838

What is the point. Lermontov was not fond of the theme of Russian heroism. He wrote romantic poems about nobles, officers, Chechens and Jews. But he was one of the first to find out that the 19th century is rich only in the heroes of his time, but heroes for all time should be sought in the deep past. There, in the Moscow of Ivan the Terrible, a hero was found (or rather, invented) with the now speaking surname Kalashnikov. The young oprichnik Kiribeevich falls in love with his wife and attacks her at night, persuading her to surrender. The next day, the offended husband challenges the oprichnik to a fistfight and kills him with one blow. For the murder of his beloved oprichnik and for the fact that Kalashnikov refuses to name the reason for his act, Tsar Ivan Vasilyevich orders the young merchant to be executed, but does not leave his widow and children with mercy and care. Such is royal justice.

What does it look like.

"His falcon eyes are burning,

He looks at the oprichnik intently.

Opposite him, he becomes

Pulls on combat gloves

Mighty shoulders straightens.

What is he fighting for? For the honor of his woman and family. Kiribeevich's attack on Alena Dmitrievna was seen by the neighbors, and now she cannot appear before the eyes of honest people. Although, going out to fight with the guardsman, Kalashnikov solemnly declares that he is fighting "for the holy truth-mother." But heroes sometimes distort.

The way to fight. Fatal fistfight. In fact, a murder in broad daylight in front of thousands of witnesses.

With what result.

“And they executed Stepan Kalashnikov

Death is fierce, shameful;

And the untalented head

She rolled on the chopping block in blood.

But on the other hand, Kiribeevich was also buried.

What is it fighting against? Evil in the poem is personified by an oprichnik with a foreign patronymic Kiribeevich, and even a relative of Malyuta Skuratov, that is, an enemy squared. Kalashnikov calls him "basurman's son", alluding to his enemy's lack of Moscow registration. And the first (and also the last) blow this person of eastern nationality inflicts not on the face of a merchant, but on an Orthodox cross with relics from Kyiv, which hangs on a valiant chest. He says to Alena Dmitrievna: “I am not a thief, a forest murderer, / I am a servant of the king, the terrible king ...” - that is, he hides behind the highest mercy. So the heroic act of Kalashnikov is nothing but a deliberate murder on the basis of ethnic hatred. Lermontov, who himself participated in the Caucasian campaigns and wrote a lot about the wars with the Chechens, the theme of "Moscow for Muscovites" in its anti-Basurman context was close.

5. Danko "Old Woman Izergil"

Hero Danko. Biography unknown.

“In the old days, only people lived in the world, impenetrable forests surrounded the camps of these people on three sides, and on the fourth there was a steppe. They were cheerful, strong and courageous people ... Danko is one of those people ... "

Year of creation. The short story "Old Woman Izergil" was first published in Samarskaya Gazeta in 1895.

What is the point. Danko is the fruit of the irrepressible imagination of the very old woman Izergil, whose name is Gorky's short story. A sultry Bessarabian old woman with a rich past tells a beautiful legend: at the time of the ona, there was a redistribution of property - there were disassemblies between the two tribes. Not wanting to stay in the occupied territory, one of the tribes went into the forest, but there the people experienced a massive depression, because "nothing - neither work nor women exhaust the bodies and souls of people as exhausting dreary thoughts." At a critical moment, Danko did not allow his people to bow to the conquerors, but instead offered to follow him - in an unknown direction.

What does it look like.“Danko… a handsome young man. The beautiful are always bold.

What is he fighting for? Go know. For getting out of the forest and thereby ensuring freedom for your people. Where are the guarantees that freedom is exactly where the forest ends, it is not clear.

The way to fight. An unpleasant physiological operation, indicating a masochistic personality. Self-dismemberment.

With what result. With dual. He got out of the forest, but died immediately. Sophisticated mockery of one's own body does not go in vain. The hero did not receive gratitude for his feat: his heart, torn from his chest with his own hand, was trampled under someone's heartless heel.

What is it fighting against? Against collaborationism, conciliation and cringing before the conquerors.

6. Colonel Isaev (Stirlitz)

Corpus of texts, from "Diamonds for the Dictatorship of the Proletariat" to "Bomb for the Chairman", the most important of the novels - "Seventeen Moments of Spring"

Hero. Vsevolod Vladimirovich Vladimirov, aka Maxim Maksimovich Isaev, aka Max Otto von Stirlitz, aka Estilitz, Bolsen, Brunn. An employee of the press service of the Kolchak government, an underground Chekist, intelligence officer, professor of history, exposing the conspiracy of the followers of Nazism.

Years of creation. Novels about Colonel Isaev were created over 24 years - from 1965 to 1989.

What is the point. In 1921 Chekist Vladimirov liberates Far East from the remnants of the White Army. In 1927, they decided to send him to Europe - it was then that the legend of the German aristocrat Max Otto von Stirlitz was born. In 1944, he saved Krakow from destruction by helping the group of Major Whirlwind. At the very end of the war, he was entrusted with the most important mission - the disruption of separate negotiations between Germany and the West. In Berlin, the hero does his hard work, saving the radio operator Kat along the way, the end of the war is already close, and the Third Reich is collapsing to the song of Marika Rekk "Seventeen Moments of April". In 1945, Stirlitz was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

What does it look like. From the party characteristics of a member of the NSDAP since 1933 von Stirlitz, SS Standartenführer (VI department of the RSHA): “A true Aryan. Character - Nordic, seasoned. Supports with workmates a good relationship. Fulfills his duty without fail. Merciless to the enemies of the Reich. Excellent athlete: Berlin tennis champion. Single; he was not noticed in connections discrediting him. Marked with awards from the Fuhrer and thanks from the Reichsfuehrer SS ... "

What is he fighting for? For the victory of communism. It is unpleasant for oneself to admit this, but in some situations - for the motherland, for Stalin.

The way to fight. Intelligence and espionage, in some places the deductive method, ingenuity, skill-disguise.

With what result. On the one hand, he saves everyone who needs it and successfully carries out subversive activities; reveals covert intelligence networks and defeats the main enemy - Gestapo chief Muller. However, the Soviet country, for the honor and victory of which he is fighting, thanks his hero in his own way: in 1947, he, who had just arrived in the Union on a Soviet ship, was arrested, and by order of Stalin, his wife and son were shot. Stirlitz is released from prison only after the death of Beria.

What is it fighting against? Against whites, Spanish fascists, German Nazis and all enemies of the USSR.

7. Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilyov "Look into the eyes of monsters"

Hero Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilyov, symbolist poet, superman, conquistador, member of the Order of the Fifth Rome, arbiter of Soviet history and fearless destroyer of dragons.

Year of creation. 1997

What is the point. Nikolai Gumilyov was not shot in 1921 in the dungeons of the Cheka. From execution, he was saved by Yakov Wilhelmovich (or James William Bruce), a representative of the secret Order of the Fifth Rome, created back in the 13th century. Having acquired the gift of immortality and power, Gumilyov walks through the history of the 20th century, generously leaving his traces in it. He puts Marilyn Monroe to bed, along the way building chickens to Agatha Christie, gives valuable advice to Ian Fleming, starts a duel with Mayakovsky out of absurdity of character and, leaving his cold corpse in Lubyansky passage, runs, leaving the police and literary critics to compose a version of suicide. He takes part in the congress of writers and sits down on xerion - a magical dope based on dragon blood, which gives immortality to members of the order. Everything would be fine - the problems begin later, when the evil dragon forces begin to threaten not only the world in general, but the Gumilyov family: wife Annushka and son Stepa.

What is he fighting for? First, for goodness and beauty, then he is no longer up to high ideas - he simply saves his wife and son.

The way to fight. Gumilyov participates in an unthinkable number of battles and battles, owns hand-to-hand combat techniques and all kinds of firearms. True, in order to achieve special sleight of hand, fearlessness, omnipotence, invulnerability and even immortality, he has to throw xerion.

With what result. Nobody knows. The novel "Look into the eyes of monsters" ends without giving an answer to this burning question. All the continuations of the novel (both the Hyperborean Plague and the March of the Ecclesiastes), firstly, are much less recognized by the fans of Lazarchuk-Uspensky, and secondly, and most importantly, they also do not offer the reader clues.

What is it fighting against? Having learned about the real causes of the disasters that hit the world in the 20th century, he fights first of all with these misfortunes. In other words, with a civilization of evil lizards.

8. Vasily Terkin

"Vasily Terkin"

Hero. Vasily Terkin, reserve private, infantryman. A native of Smolensk. Single, no children. He has an award for the totality of feats.

Years of creation. 1941–1945

What is the point. Contrary to popular belief, the need for such a hero appeared even before the Great Patriotic War. Tvardovsky invented Terkin during the Finnish campaign, where he, along with the Pulkins, Mushkins, Protirkins and other characters in newspaper feuilletons, fought with the White Finns for their homeland. So in 1941, Terkin entered an already experienced fighter. By 1943, Tvardovsky was tired of his unsinkable hero and wanted to send him into retirement due to injury, but letters from readers returned Terkin to the front, where he spent another two years, was shell-shocked and surrounded three times, conquered high and low heights, led fights in the swamps, liberated villages, took Berlin and even spoke with Death. His rustic but sparkling wit invariably saved him from enemies and censors, but he definitely did not attract girls. Tvardovsky even turned to readers with an appeal to love his hero - just like that, from the heart. Still, Soviet heroes do not have the dexterity of James Bond.

What does it look like. Endowed with beauty He was not excellent, Not tall, not that small, But a hero - a hero.

What is he fighting for? For the cause of peace for the sake of life on earth, that is, his task, like that of any soldier-liberator, is global. Terkin himself is sure that he is fighting “for Russia, for the people / And for everything in the world”, but sometimes, just in case, he also mentions the Soviet government - no matter what happens.

The way to fight. In war, as you know, any means are good, so everything is used: a tank, a machine gun, a knife, a wooden spoon, fists, teeth, vodka, the power of persuasion, a joke, a song, an accordion ...

With what result. Several times he was on the verge of death. He was supposed to receive a medal, but due to a typo in the list, the award did not find the hero.

But imitators found him: by the end of the war, almost every company already had its own “Terkin”, and some even had two.

What is it fighting against? First against the Finns, then against the Nazis, and sometimes against Death. In fact, Terkin was called upon to fight depressive moods at the front, which he did with success.

9. Anastasia Kamenskaya

A series of detective stories about Anastasia Kamenskaya

Heroine. Nastya Kamenskaya, major of MUR, the best analyst of Petrovka, a brilliant operative, in the manner of Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot investigating serious crimes.

Years of creation. 1992–2006

What is the point. The work of an operative involves hard everyday life (the first evidence of this is the television series "Streets of Broken Lights"). But it is difficult for Nastya Kamenskaya to rush around the city and catch bandits in dark alleys: she is lazy, in poor health, and loves peace more than anything in the world. Because of this, she periodically has difficulties in relations with management. Only her first boss and teacher, nicknamed Kolobok, believed in her analytical abilities without limit; the rest have to prove that she is the best at investigating bloody crimes, sitting in the office, drinking coffee and analyzing, analyzing.

What does it look like. Tall, lean blonde, her features expressionless. She never wears make-up and prefers casual, comfortable clothes.

What is he fighting for? Definitely not for a modest police salary: knowing five foreign languages and having some connections, Nastya can leave Petrovka at any moment, but does not do it. It turns out that he is fighting for the triumph of law and order.

The way to fight. First of all, analytics. But sometimes Nastya has to change her habits and go on the warpath on her own. In this case, acting skills, the art of reincarnation and female charm are used.

With what result. Most often - with brilliant: criminals are exposed, caught, punished. But in rare cases, some of them manage to hide, and then Nastya does not sleep at night, smokes one cigarette after another, goes crazy and tries to come to terms with the injustice of life. However, so far there are clearly more happy endings.

What is it fighting against? Against crime.

10. Erast Fandorin

A series of novels about Erast Fandorin

Hero. Erast Petrovich Fandorin, a nobleman, the son of a small landowner who lost his family fortune at cards. He began his career in the detective police as a collegiate registrar, managed to visit the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, serve in the diplomatic corps in Japan and incur the disfavor of Nicholas II. He rose to the rank of State Councilor and retired. Private detective and consultant to various influential people since 1892. Phenomenally successful in everything, especially in gambling. Single. Has a number of children and other descendants.

Years of creation. 1998–2006

What is the point. The turn of the XX-XXI centuries again turned out to be an era that is looking for heroes in the past. Akunin found his defender of the weak and oppressed in the gallant 19th century, but in the professional field that is becoming especially popular right now - in the special services. Of all Akunin's stylistic undertakings, Fandorin is the most charming and therefore the most enduring. His biography begins in 1856, the action of the last novel dates back to 1905, and the end of the story has not yet been written, so you can always expect new achievements from Erast Petrovich. Although Akunin, like Tvardovsky before, since 2000 has been trying to end his hero and write about him last novel. The Coronation is subtitled The Last of the Novels; the “Lover of Death” and “The Mistress of Death” written after her were published as a bonus, but then it became clear that Fandorin's readers would not let go so easily. The people need, need an elegant detective, linguist and wildly popular with women. Not all the same "Cops", in fact!

What does it look like.“He was a very pretty young man, with black hair (which he was secretly proud of) and blue (alas, it would be better also black) eyes, rather tall, with white skin and a cursed, indestructible blush on his cheeks.” After the experience of misfortune, his appearance acquires an intriguing detail for ladies - gray temples.

What is he fighting for? For an enlightened monarchy, order and law. Fandorin dreams of new Russia- ennobled in the Japanese manner, with firmly and reasonably established laws and their scrupulous execution. About Russia, which did not go through the Russo-Japanese and First world war, revolution and civil war. That is, about Russia, which could be if we had enough luck and common sense to build it.

The way to fight. A combination of the deductive method, meditation techniques and Japanese martial arts with almost mystical luck. By the way, there is also female love, which Fandorin uses in every sense.

With what result. As we know, the Russia that Fandorin dreams about did not happen. So globally, he suffers a crushing defeat. Yes, and in small things too: those whom he tries to save most often die, and the criminals never go to jail (they die, or pay off the court, or simply disappear). However, Fandorin himself invariably remains alive, as does the hope for the final triumph of justice.

What is it fighting against? Against the unenlightened monarchy, revolutionary bombers, nihilists and socio-political chaos, which in Russia can come at any moment. Along the way, he has to fight bureaucracy, corruption in the highest echelons of power, fools, roads and ordinary criminals.

Illustrations: Maria Sosnina

Literary heroes, as a rule, are the fiction of the author. But some of them still have real prototypes who lived at the time of the author, or famous historical figures. We will tell you who these figures, unfamiliar to a wide range of readers, were.

1. Sherlock Holmes

Even the author himself admitted that Sherlock Holmes has a lot common features with his mentor Joe Bell. On the pages of his autobiography, one could read that the writer often recalled his teacher, spoke of his eagle profile, inquisitive mind and amazing intuition. According to him, the doctor could turn any business into an accurate, systematic scientific discipline.

Often, Dr. Bell used deductive methods of inquiry. Only by one type of person could he tell about his habits, about his biography, and sometimes even made a diagnosis. After the release of the novel, Conan Doyle corresponded with the "prototype" Holmes, and he told him that perhaps this is how his career would have developed if he had chosen a different path.

2. James Bond

The literary history of James Bond began with a series of books that were written by intelligence officer Ian Fleming. The first book in the series - "Casino Royale" - was published in 1953, a few years after Fleming was assigned to follow Prince Bernard, who had defected from German service to British intelligence. After long mutual suspicions, the scouts began good friends. Bond took over from Prince Bernard to order a Vodka Martini, while adding the legendary "Shake, don't stir."

3. Ostap Bender

The man who became the prototype of the great combinator from the "12 chairs" of Ilf and Petrov at the age of 80 still worked as a conductor on the railway on the train from Moscow to Tashkent. Born in Odessa, Ostap Shor, from tender nails, was prone to adventures. He presented himself either as an artist, or as a chess grandmaster, and even acted as a member of one of the anti-Soviet parties.

Only thanks to his remarkable imagination, Ostap Shor managed to return from Moscow to Odessa, where he served in the criminal investigation department and fought against local banditry. Probably, hence the respectful attitude of Ostap Bender to the Criminal Code.

4. Professor Preobrazhensky

Professor Preobrazhensky from the famous Bulgakov novel " dog heart"There was also a real prototype - a French surgeon of Russian origin Samuil Abramovich Voronov. This man at the beginning of the 20th century made a splash in Europe, transplanting monkey glands to humans to rejuvenate the body. The first operations demonstrated a simply amazing effect: in elderly patients, there was a resumption of sexual activity, an improvement in memory and vision, ease of movement, and children lagging behind in mental development gained vivacity of mind.

Thousands of people underwent treatment in Voronova, and the doctor himself opened his own monkey nursery on the French Riviera. But very little time passed, the patients of the miracle doctor began to feel worse. There were rumors that the result of the treatment was just self-hypnosis, and Voronov was called a charlatan.

5. Peter Pan

The boy with the beautiful Tinker Bell fairy was presented to the world and to James Barry himself, the author of the written work, by the Davis couple (Arthur and Sylvia). The prototype for Peter Pan was Michael, one of their sons. The fairy-tale hero received from a real boy not only age and character, but also nightmares. And the novel itself is a dedication to the author's brother, David, who died a day before his 14th birthday while skating.

6. Dorian Gray

Annoying, but main character novel "The Picture of Dorian Gray" significantly spoiled the reputation of his life original. John Gray, who in his youth was Oscar Wilde's protégé and close friend, was handsome, solid, and had the appearance of a 15-year-old boy. But their happy union came to an end when journalists became aware of their connection. Enraged, Gray went to court, got an apology from the editors of the newspaper, but after that his friendship with Wilde ended. Soon John Gray met Andre Raffalovich - a poet and a native of Russia. They converted to Catholicism, and after a while Gray became a priest at St. Patrick's Church in Edinburgh.

7. Alice

The story of Alice in Wonderland began on the day Lewis Carroll walked with the daughters of the rector of Oxford University, Henry Lidell, among whom was Alice Lidell. Carroll came up with a story on the go at the request of the children, but the next time he did not forget about it, but began to compose a sequel. Two years later, the author presented Alice with a manuscript consisting of four chapters, to which was attached a photograph of Alice herself at the age of seven. It was entitled "Christmas present for a dear girl in memory of a summer day."

8. Karabas-Barabas

As you know, Alexei Tolstoy only planned to present Carlo Collodio's Pinocchio in Russian, but it turned out that he wrote an independent story, in which analogies with cultural figures of that time were clearly drawn. Since Tolstoy had no weakness for the Meyerhold theater and its biomechanics, it was the director of this theater that got the role of Karabas-Barabas. You can guess the parody even in the name: Karabas is the Marquis of Carabas from Perro's fairy tale, and Barabas is from the Italian word for swindler - baraba. But the no less telling role of the seller of leeches Duremar went to Meyerhold's assistant, who works under the pseudonym Voldemar Luscinius.

9. Lolita

According to the memoirs of Brian Boyd, the biographer of Vladimir Nabokov, when the writer was working on his scandalous novel Lolita, he regularly looked through the newspaper columns, which published reports of murders and violence. His attention was drawn to the sensational story of Sally Horner and Frank LaSalle, which took place in 1948: a middle-aged man kidnapped 12-year-old Sally Horner and kept her for almost 2 years until the police found her in a common California hotel. Lasalle, like the hero of Nabokov, passed off the girl as his daughter. Nabokov even casually mentions this incident in the book in Humbert's words: "Did I do to Dolly what Frank LaSalle, a 50-year-old mechanic, did to eleven-year-old Sally Horner in '48?"

10. Carlson

The history of the creation of Carlson is mythologized and incredible. Literary critics assure that Hermann Goering became a possible prototype of this funny character. And although the relatives of Astrid Lindgren refute this version, such rumors still exist today.

Astrid Lindgren met Göring in the 1920s when he was organizing an air show in Sweden. At that time, Goering was just "in his prime", a famous ace pilot, a man with charisma and an excellent appetite. The motor behind Carlson's back is an interpretation of Goering's flight experience.

Adherents of this version note that for some time Astrid Lindgren was an ardent admirer of the National Socialist Party of Sweden. The book about Carlson was published in 1955, so there could be no direct analogy. Nevertheless, it is possible that the charismatic image of the young Goering influenced the appearance of the charming Carlson.

11. One-legged John Silver

Robert Louis Stevenson in the novel "Treasure Island" portrayed his friend Williams Hansley not at all as a critic and poet, which he was in fact, but as a real villain. As a child, William suffered from tuberculosis, and his leg was amputated to the knee. Before the book hit store shelves, Stevenson told a friend, “I have to tell you, Evil-looking but kind-hearted, John Silver was based on you. You're not offended, are you?"

12. Bear cub Winnie the Pooh

According to one version, the world-famous teddy bear got its name in honor of the favorite toy of the writer Milne's son Christopher Robin. However, like all the other characters in the book. But in fact, this name is from the nickname Winnipeg - that was the name of a bear who lived in the London Zoo from 1915 to 1934. This bear had a lot of kids-admirers, including Christopher Robin.

13. Dean Moriarty and Sal Paradise

Despite the fact that the main characters in the book are called Sal and Dean, Jack Kerouac's novel On the Road is purely autobiographical. One can only guess why Kerouac dropped his name in the most famous book for beatniks.

14. Daisy Buchanan

In the novel The Great Gatsby, its author Francis Scott Fitzgerald described Ginevra King, his first love, deeply and penetratingly. Their romance lasted from 1915 to 1917. But due to different social statuses, they broke up, after which Fitzgerald wrote that "poor boys should not even think about marrying rich girls." This phrase was included not only in the book, but also in the film of the same name. Ginevra King also inspired Isabelle Borge in Beyond Paradise and Judy Jones in Winter Dreams.

Especially for those who like to sit up for reading. If you choose these books, you won't be disappointed.

Russian literature has given us a cavalcade of both positive and negative characters. We decided to recall the second group. Beware, spoilers.

20. Alexei Molchalin (Alexander Griboyedov, "Woe from Wit")

Molchalin is the hero of "nothing", Famusov's secretary. He is faithful to his father's behest: "to please all people without exception - the owner, the boss, his servant, the janitor's dog."

In a conversation with Chatsky, he sets out his life principles, consisting in the fact that "in my years one should not dare to have one's own judgment."

Molchalin is sure that you need to think and act as is customary in the "famus" society, otherwise they will gossip about you, but, as you know, " gossips scarier than pistols.

He despises Sophia, but is ready to please Famusov to sit with her all night long, playing the role of a lover.

19. Grushnitsky (Mikhail Lermontov, "A Hero of Our Time")

Grushnitsky is very fond of pathos. There is not an ounce of sincerity in him. Grushnitsky is in love with Princess Mary, and at first she answers him with special attention, but then falls in love with Pechorin.

The case ends in a duel. Grushnitsky is so low that he conspires with friends and they do not load Pechorin's pistol. The hero cannot forgive such frank meanness. He reloads the pistol and kills Grushnitsky.

18. Afanasy Totsky (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot)

Extremely greedy to the female, at the age of 55, Totsky decided to connect his life with the daughter of General Yepanchin Alexandra, deciding to marry Nastasya to Ganya Ivolgin. However, neither of these things worked out. As a result, Totsky "was captivated by a visiting Frenchwoman, a Marquise and a Legitimist."

17. Alena Ivanovna (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment)

The old pawnbroker is a character that has become a household name. Even those who have not read Dostoevsky's novel have heard of her. Alena Ivanovna is not so old by today's standards, she is “60 years old”, but the author describes her like this: “... a dry old woman with sharp and angry eyes with a small pointed nose ... Her blond, slightly graying hair was oiled with oil. Some kind of flannel rag was wrapped around her thin and long neck, similar to a chicken leg ... ".

The old woman pawnbroker is engaged in usury and profits from the grief of people. She takes valuable things at huge interest, treats her younger sister Lizaveta, and beats her.

16. Arkady Svidrigailov (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment)

Due to Svidrigailov's harassment, Raskolnikov's sister lost her job. Upon learning that Raskolnikov is a murderer, Luzhin blackmails Dunya. The girl shoots at Svidrigailov and misses.

Svidrigailov is an ideological scoundrel, he does not experience moral torment and experiences "world boredom", eternity seems to him "a bathhouse with spiders." As a result, he commits suicide with a shot from a revolver.

15. Boar (Alexander Ostrovsky, Thunderstorm)

The boar is very domineering and strong, she is religious, but more outwardly, because she does not believe in forgiveness or mercy. She is as practical as possible and lives by earthly interests.

Kabanikha is sure that the family way of life can only be maintained on fear and orders: “After all, out of love, parents are strict with you, out of love they scold you, everyone thinks to teach good.” She perceives the departure of the former order as a personal tragedy: “That’s how the old days are brought out ... What will happen, as the elders die, ... I don’t know.”

14. Lady (Ivan Turgenev, "Mumu")

We all know the sad story that Gerasim drowned Mumu, but not everyone remembers why he did it, but he did it because the despotic lady ordered him to do so.

The same landowner had previously given the washerwoman Tatyana, with whom Gerasim was in love, to the drunkard shoemaker Kapiton, which ruined both.
The lady, at her own discretion, decides the fate of her serfs, not at all considering their wishes, and sometimes even common sense.

13. Footman Yasha (Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard)

Yasha tries to behave decently in public, tries to appear educated and well-mannered, but at the same time, alone with Firs, she says to the old man: “You are tired, grandfather. If only you'd die sooner."

Yasha is very proud of the fact that he lived abroad. With a foreign gloss, he wins the heart of the maid Dunyasha, but uses her location for his own benefit. After the sale of the estate, the lackey persuades Ranevskaya to take him back to Paris with her. It is impossible for him to stay in Russia: "the country is uneducated, the people are immoral, moreover, boredom ...".

12. Pavel Smerdyakov (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov)

Smerdyakov serves as a cook in Karamazov's house, and, apparently, he cooks quite well. However, this is "a man with rottenness." This is evidenced by at least Smerdyakov’s reasoning about history: “In the twelfth year there was a great invasion of Russia by Emperor Napoleon the First of France, and it would be good if these very French had conquered us then, a smart nation would have conquered a very stupid one, sir, and annexed to itself. There would even be other orders.”

Smerdyakov is the murderer of Karamazov's father.

11. Pyotr Luzhin (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment)

Luzhin is another of the twins of Rodion Raskolnikov, a business man of 45 years old, "with a cautious and obnoxious physiognomy."

Having broken out "from rags to riches", Luzhin is proud of his pseudo-education, behaves arrogantly and stiffly. Having made an offer to Dunya, he anticipates that she will be grateful to him all her life for the fact that he "brought her to the people."

He also wooed Dunya by calculation, believing that she would be useful to him for his career. Luzhin hates Raskolnikov because he opposes their alliance with Dunya. Luzhin, on the other hand, pockets Sonya Marmeladova one hundred rubles at her father's funeral, accusing her of stealing.

10. Kirila Troyekurov (Alexander Pushkin, "Dubrovsky")

The master loves his daughter Masha, but passes her off as an old man she does not love. Troekurov's serfs look like their master - the Troekurov kennel is insolent to Dubrovsky Sr. - and thereby quarrels old friends.

9. Sergei Talberg (Mikhail Bulgakov, White Guard)

Talberg was the first to put on a red armband at the military school in March 1917 and, as a member of the military committee, arrested the famous General Petrov.

8. Alexey Shvabrin (Alexander Pushkin, The Captain's Daughter)

Shvabrin is the antipode of the protagonist of Pushkin's story " Captain's daughter» Petr Grinev. He was exiled to the Belogorsk fortress for murder in a duel. Shvabrin is undoubtedly smart, but at the same time he is cunning, impudent, cynical, and mocking. Having received Masha Mironova's refusal, he spreads dirty rumors about her, wounds him in the back in a duel with Grinev, goes over to Pugachev's side, and, having been captured by government troops, spreads rumors that Grinev is a traitor. In general, a rubbish person.

7. Vasilisa Kostyleva (Maxim Gorky, "At the Bottom")

In Gorky's play "At the Bottom" everything is sad and melancholy. Such an atmosphere is diligently maintained by the owners of the rooming house where the action takes place - the Kostylevs. The husband is a nasty cowardly and greedy old man, Vasilisa's wife is a prudent, dodgy opportunist, forcing her lover Vaska Ash to steal for her sake. When she finds out that he himself is in love with her sister, she promises to give her away in exchange for killing her husband.

6. Mazepa (Alexander Pushkin, Poltava)

Mazepa is a historical character, but if in history the role of Mazepa is ambiguous, then in Pushkin's poem Mazepa is definitely negative character. Mazepa appears in the poem as an absolutely immoral, dishonorable, vengeful, spiteful person, like a treacherous hypocrite for whom nothing is sacred (he “does not know the shrine”, “does not remember goodness”), a person who is accustomed to achieve his goal at any cost.

The seducer of his young goddaughter Maria, he publicly executes her father Kochubey and - already sentenced to death - subjected to severe torture in order to find out where he hid his treasures. Without equivocation, Pushkin denounces Mazepa's political activity, which is determined only by the love of power and the thirst for revenge on Peter.

5. Foma Opiskin (Fyodor Dostoevsky, "The Village of Stepanchikovo and Its Inhabitants")

When he gets his hands on power, he shows his true nature. “The low soul, having come out from under oppression, oppresses itself. Thomas was oppressed - and he immediately felt the need to oppress himself; they broke down on him - and he himself began to break down on others. He was a jester and immediately felt the need to have his own jesters. He boasted to the point of absurdity, broke down to the point of impossibility, demanded bird's milk, tyrannized without measure, and it came to the point that good people, having not yet witnessed all these tricks, but listening only to stories, considered all this to be a miracle, an obsession, they were baptized and spat…”

4. Viktor Komarovsky (Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago)

Lawyer Komarovsky is a negative character in Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago. In the fates of the main characters - Zhivago and Lara, Komarovsky is an "evil genius" and a "grey eminence". He is guilty of the ruin of the Zhivago family and the death of the protagonist's father, he cohabits with Lara's mother and with Lara herself. Finally, Komarovsky deceives Zhivago and his wife apart. Komarovsky is smart, prudent, greedy, cynical. All in all, a bad person. He himself understands this, but it suits him perfectly.

3. Judas Golovlev (Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, "Gentlemen Golovlevs")

Porfiry Vladimirovich Golovlev, nicknamed Yudushka and Krovopivushka, is "the last representative of a swindled family." He is hypocritical, greedy, cowardly, prudent. He spends his life in endless slander and litigation, drives his son to suicide, while imitating extreme religiosity, reading prayers "without the participation of the heart."

Toward the end of his dark life, Golovlev gets drunk and runs wild, goes into a March blizzard. In the morning, his stiff corpse is found.

2. Andriy (Nikolai Gogol, Taras Bulba)

Andriy - younger son Taras Bulba, the hero of the novel of the same name by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. Andriy, as Gogol writes, from early youth began to feel the "need for love." This need brings him down. He falls in love with a panochka, betrays his homeland, and friends, and his father. Andriy admits: “Who said that my homeland is Ukraine? Who gave it to me in the homeland? The fatherland is what our soul seeks, which is sweeter for it than anything. My homeland is you! ... and everything that is, I will sell, give, destroy for such a homeland!
Andrew is a traitor. He is killed by his own father.

1. Fyodor Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov)

He is voluptuous, greedy, envious, stupid. By maturity, he was flabby, began to drink a lot, opened several taverns, made many countrymen his debtors ... He began to compete with his eldest son Dmitry for the heart of Grushenka Svetlova, which paved the way for the crime - Karamazov was killed by his illegitimate son Peter Smerdyakov.

Russian literature has given us a cavalcade of both positive and negative characters. Let's remember the second group.
Beware, spoilers!)

1. Alexei Molchalin (Alexander Griboyedov, "Woe from Wit")

Molchalin is the hero of "nothing", Famusov's secretary. He is faithful to his father's behest: "to please all people without exception - the owner, the boss, his servant, the janitor's dog." In a conversation with Chatsky, he sets out his life principles, which are that "at my age one should not dare to have one's own judgment." Molchalin is sure that you need to think and act as is customary in the "famus" society, otherwise they will gossip about you, and, as you know, "evil tongues are worse than pistols." He despises Sophia, but is ready to please Famusov to sit with her all night long, playing the role of a lover.

2. Grushnitsky (Mikhail Lermontov, "A Hero of Our Time")

Grushnitsky has no name in Lermontov's story. He is the "double" of the main character - Pechorin. According to Lermontov’s description, Grushnitsky is “... one of those people who have ready-made lush phrases for all occasions, who are simply not touched by the beautiful and who importantly drape in extraordinary feelings, sublime passions and exceptional suffering. To produce an effect is their delight ... ". Grushnitsky is very fond of pathos. There is not an ounce of sincerity in him. Grushnitsky is in love with Princess Mary, and at first she answers him with special attention, but then falls in love with Pechorin. The case ends in a duel. Grushnitsky is so low that he conspires with friends and they do not load Pechorin's pistol. The hero cannot forgive such frank meanness. He reloads the pistol and kills Grushnitsky.

3. Afanasy Totsky (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Idiot)

Afanasy Totsky, having taken Nastya Barashkova, the daughter of a deceased neighbor, for upbringing and dependency, eventually “became close to her”, developing a suicidal complex in the girl and indirectly becoming one of the culprits of her death. Extremely greedy to the female, at the age of 55, Totsky decided to connect his life with the daughter of General Yepanchin Alexandra, deciding to marry Nastasya to Ganya Ivolgin. However, neither of these things worked out. As a result, Totsky "was captivated by a visiting Frenchwoman, a Marquise and a Legitimist."

4. Alena Ivanovna (Fyodor Dostoevsky, "Crime and Punishment")

5. Arkady Svidrigailov (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment)

Svidrigailov - one of Raskolnikov's doubles in Dostoevsky's novel, a widower, at one time was bought out of prison by his wife, lived in the village for 7 years. A cynical and depraved person. On his conscience, the suicide of a servant, a 14-year-old girl, possibly the poisoning of his wife. Due to Svidrigailov's harassment, Raskolnikov's sister lost her job. Upon learning that Raskolnikov is a murderer, Luzhin blackmails Dunya. The girl shoots at Svidrigailov and misses. Svidrigailov is an ideological scoundrel, he does not experience moral torment and experiences "world boredom", eternity seems to him "a bathhouse with spiders." As a result, he commits suicide with a shot from a revolver.

6. Boar (Alexander Ostrovsky, Thunderstorm)

In the image of Kabanikh, one of the central characters in the play "Thunderstorm", Ostrovsky reflected the outgoing patriarchal, strict archaism. Kabanova Marfa Ignatievna - "a rich merchant's wife, widow", Katerina's mother-in-law, mother of Tikhon and Varvara. The boar is very domineering and strong, she is religious, but more outwardly, because she does not believe in forgiveness or mercy. She is as practical as possible and lives by earthly interests. Kabanikha is sure that the family way of life can only be maintained on fear and orders: “After all, out of love, parents are strict with you, out of love they scold you, everyone thinks to teach good.” She perceives the departure of the former order as a personal tragedy: “That’s how the old days are brought out ... What will happen, as the elders die, ... I don’t know.”

7. Lady (Ivan Turgenev, "Mumu")

We all know the sad story that Gerasim drowned Mumu, but not everyone remembers why he did it, but he did it because the despotic lady ordered him to do so. The same landowner had previously given the washerwoman Tatyana, with whom Gerasim was in love, to the drunkard shoemaker Kapiton, which ruined both. The lady, at her own discretion, decides the fate of her serfs, not at all considering their wishes, and sometimes even common sense.

8. Footman Yasha (Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard)

Lackey Yasha in Anton Chekhov's play "The Cherry Orchard" is an unpleasant character. He openly bows to everything foreign, while he is extremely ignorant, rude and even boorish. When his mother comes to him from the village and waits for him in the servants' room all day, Yasha dismissively declares: "It is very necessary, I could come tomorrow." Yasha tries to behave decently in public, tries to appear educated and well-mannered, but at the same time, alone with Firs, she says to the old man: “You are tired, grandfather. If only you'd die sooner." Yasha is very proud of the fact that he lived abroad. With a foreign gloss, he wins the heart of the maid Dunyasha, but uses her location for his own benefit. After the sale of the estate, the lackey persuades Ranevskaya to take him back to Paris with her. It is impossible for him to stay in Russia: "the country is uneducated, the people are immoral, moreover, boredom ...".

9. Pavel Smerdyakov (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov)

Smerdyakov is a character with a speaking surname, according to rumors, the illegitimate son of Fyodor Karrmazov from the city's holy fool Lizaveta Smerdyashchaya. The surname Smerdyakov was given to him by Fyodor Pavlovich in honor of his mother. Smerdyakov serves as a cook in Karamazov's house, and, apparently, he cooks quite well. However, this is "a man with rottenness." This is evidenced by at least Smerdyakov’s reasoning about history: “In the twelfth year there was a great invasion of Russia by Emperor Napoleon the First of France, and it would be good if these very French had conquered us then, a smart nation would have conquered a very stupid one, sir, and annexed to itself. There would even be other orders.” Smerdyakov is the murderer of Karamazov's father.

10. Pyotr Luzhin (Fyodor Dostoevsky, Crime and Punishment)

Luzhin is another of the twins of Rodion Raskolnikov, a business man of 45 years old, "with a cautious and obnoxious physiognomy." Having broken out "from rags to riches", Luzhin is proud of his pseudo-education, behaves arrogantly and stiffly. Having made an offer to Dunya, he anticipates that she will be grateful to him all her life for the fact that he "brought her to the people." He also wooed Dunya by calculation, believing that she would be useful to him for his career. Luzhin hates Raskolnikov because he opposes their alliance with Dunya. Luzhin, on the other hand, pockets Sonya Marmeladova one hundred rubles at her father's funeral, accusing her of stealing.

11. Kirila Troyekurov (Alexander Pushkin, "Dubrovsky")

Troekurov is an example of a Russian master, spoiled by his power and environment. He spends his time in idleness, drunkenness, voluptuousness. Troekurov sincerely believes in his impunity and unlimited possibilities (“That is the strength to take away the estate without any right”). The master loves his daughter Masha, but passes her off as an old man she does not love. Troekurov's serfs look like their master - the Troekurov kennel is insolent to Dubrovsky Sr. - and thereby quarrels old friends.

12. Sergei Talberg (Mikhail Bulgakov, White Guard)

Sergei Talberg is the husband of Elena Turbina, a traitor and opportunist. He easily changes his principles, beliefs, without much effort and remorse. Thalberg is always where it is easier to live, so he runs abroad. He leaves his family and friends. Even Talberg's eyes (which, as you know, are the "mirror of the soul") are "two-story", he is the exact opposite of the Turbins. Talberg was the first to put on a red armband at the military school in March 1917 and, as a member of the military committee, arrested the famous General Petrov.

13. Alexey Shvabrin (Alexander Pushkin, The Captain's Daughter)

Shvabrin is the antipode of the protagonist of Pushkin's story "The Captain's Daughter" by Pyotr Grinev. He was exiled to the Belogorsk fortress for murder in a duel. Shvabrin is undoubtedly smart, but at the same time he is cunning, impudent, cynical, and mocking. Having received Masha Mironova's refusal, he spreads dirty rumors about her, wounds him in the back in a duel with Grinev, goes over to Pugachev's side, and, having been captured by government troops, spreads rumors that Grinev is a traitor. In general, a rubbish person.

14. Vasilisa Kostyleva (Maxim Gorky, "At the Bottom")

15. Mazepa (Alexander Pushkin, Poltava)

Mazepa is a historical character, but if in history the role of Mazepa is ambiguous, then in Pushkin's poem Mazepa is an unambiguously negative character. Mazepa appears in the poem as an absolutely immoral, dishonorable, vengeful, spiteful person, like a treacherous hypocrite for whom nothing is sacred (he “does not know the shrine”, “does not remember goodness”), a person who is accustomed to achieve his goal at any cost. The seducer of his young goddaughter Maria, he publicly executes her father Kochubey and - already sentenced to death - subjected to severe torture in order to find out where he hid his treasures. Without equivocation, Pushkin denounces Mazepa's political activity, which is determined only by the love of power and the thirst for revenge on Peter.

16. Foma Opiskin (Fyodor Dostoevsky, "The Village of Stepanchikovo and Its Inhabitants")

Foma Opiskin is an extremely negative character. Livelier, hypocrite, liar. He diligently portrays piety and education, tells everyone about his supposedly ascetic experience and sparkles with quotes from books ... When he gets power into his hands, he shows his true essence. “The low soul, having come out from under oppression, oppresses itself. Thomas was oppressed - and he immediately felt the need to oppress himself; they broke down on him - and he himself began to break down on others. He was a jester and immediately felt the need to have his own jesters. He boasted to the point of absurdity, broke down to the point of impossibility, demanded bird's milk, tyrannized without measure, and it came to the point that good people, having not yet witnessed all these tricks, but listening only to stories, considered all this to be a miracle, an obsession, they were baptized and spat…”

17. Viktor Komarovsky (Boris Pasternak, Doctor Zhivago)

18. Judas Golovlev (Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, "Gentlemen Golovlevs")

19. Andriy (Nikolai Gogol, Taras Bulba)

Andriy is the youngest son of Taras Bulba, the hero of the story of the same name by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. Andriy, as Gogol writes, from early youth began to feel the "need for love." This need brings him down. He falls in love with a panochka, betrays his homeland, and friends, and his father. Andriy admits: “Who said that my homeland is Ukraine? Who gave it to me in the homeland? The fatherland is what our soul seeks, which is sweeter for it than anything. My homeland is you! ... and everything that is, I will sell, give, destroy for such a homeland! Andrew is a traitor. He is killed by his own father.

20. Fyodor Karamazov (Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov)

In the first place in our ranking is Karamazov the father. Fyodor Pavlovich does not live long in Dostoevsky's novel, but the description of his "exploits" raises this character to the anti-pedestal of heroism. He is voluptuous, greedy, envious, stupid. By maturity, he was flabby, began to drink a lot, opened several taverns, made many countrymen his debtors ... He began to compete with his eldest son Dmitry for the heart of Grushenka Svetlova, which paved the way for the crime - Karamazov was killed by his illegitimate son Peter Smerdyakov.

I continue the once started series "Literary Heroes" ...

Heroes of Russian literature

Almost every literary character has its own prototype - a real person. Sometimes it is the author himself (Ostrovsky and Pavka Korchagin, Bulgakov and the Master), sometimes it is a historical figure, sometimes it is an acquaintance or relative of the author.
This story is about the prototypes of Chatsky and Taras Bulba, Ostap Bender, Timur and other heroes of books...

1. Chatsky "Woe from Wit"

The main character of Griboyedov's comedy - Chatsky- most often associated with the name Chaadaeva(in the first version of the comedy, Griboyedov wrote "Chadsky"), although the image of Chatsky is in many ways a social type of the era, a "hero of the time."
Petr Yakovlevich Chaadaev(1796-1856) - participant in the Patriotic War of 1812, was on a foreign campaign. In 1814 he joined the Masonic lodge, and in 1821 he agreed to join a secret society.

From 1823 to 1826, Chaadaev traveled around Europe, comprehended the latest philosophical teachings. After returning to Russia in 1828-1830, he wrote and published a historical and philosophical treatise: "Philosophical Letters". The views, ideas, and judgments of the thirty-six-year-old philosopher turned out to be so unacceptable to Nicholas Russia that the author of the Philosophical Letters suffered an unprecedented punishment: he was declared insane by a royal decree. It so happened that literary character did not repeat the fate of his prototype, but predicted it ...

2. Taras Bulba
Taras Bulba is written out so organically and vividly that the reader does not leave the feeling of his reality.
But there was a man whose fate is similar to the fate of the hero Gogol. And this man also had a surname Gogol!
Ostap Gogol was born at the beginning of the 17th century. On the eve of 1648, he was a captain of the "panzer" Cossacks in the Polish army stationed in Uman under the command of S. Kalinovsky. With the outbreak of the uprising, Gogol, along with his heavy cavalry, went over to the side of the Cossacks.

In October 1657, Hetman Vyhovsky, with a general foreman, of which Ostap Gogol was a member, concluded the Treaty of Korsun between Ukraine and Sweden.

In the summer of 1660, Ostap's regiment took part in the Chudnivsky campaign, after which the Slobodischensky treaty was signed. Gogol took the side of autonomy within the Commonwealth, he was made a gentry.
In 1664, an uprising broke out in Right-Bank Ukraine against the Poles and the hetman Teteri. Gogol at first supported the rebels. However, he again went over to the side of the enemy. The reason for this was his sons, whom Hetman Potocki held hostage in Lvov. When Doroshenko became hetman, Gogol came under his mace and helped him a lot. When he fought with the Turks near Ochakov, Doroshenko at the Rada proposed to recognize the supremacy of the Turkish Sultan, and it was accepted.
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At the end of 1671, the Crown Hetman Sobieski took Mogilev, Gogol's residence. During the defense of the fortress, one of the sons of Ostap died. The colonel himself fled to Moldavia and from there sent Sobieski a letter of his desire to obey.
As a reward for this, Ostap received the village of Vilkhovets. The letter of salary of the estate served the grandfather of the writer Nikolai Gogol as evidence of his nobility.
Colonel Gogol became Hetman of Right-Bank Ukraine on behalf of King Jan III Sobieski. He died in 1679 at his residence in Dymer, and was buried in the Kiev-Mezhigorsky monastery not far from Kyiv.
story analogy is obvious: both heroes are Zaporozhye colonels, both had sons, one of whom died at the hands of the Poles, the other went over to the side of the enemy. In this way, a distant ancestor of the writer and was the prototype of Taras Bulba.

3. Plushkin
Orlovsky landowner Spiridon Matsnev he was extremely stingy, walked around in a greasy dressing gown and dirty clothes, so that few could recognize him as a rich gentleman.
The landowner had 8,000 souls of peasants, but he starved not only them, but also himself.

This stingy landowner N.V. Gogol brought out in "Dead Souls" in the form of Plyushkin. “If Chichikov had met him, dressed up like that, somewhere at the church doors, he would probably have given him a copper penny”...
“This landowner had more than a thousand souls, and someone else would have tried to find so much bread in grain, flour and simply in luggage, who would have pantries, barns and dryers cluttered with such a multitude of canvases, cloths, tanned and rawhide sheepskins ... " .
The image of Plushkin has become a household name.

4. Silvio
"Shot" A.S. Pushkin

Silvio's prototype is Ivan Petrovich Liprandi.
Pushkin's friend, Silvio's prototype in Shot.
Author of the best memories of Pushkin's southern exile.
The son of a Russified Spanish grandee. Participant Napoleonic Wars since 1807 (from the age of 17). Colleague and friend of the Decembrist Raevsky, member of the Union of Welfare. Arrested in the case of the Decembrists in January 1826, he sat in a cell with Griboyedov.

“... His personality was of undoubted interest in terms of his talents, fate and original way of life. He was gloomy and gloomy, but he liked to gather officers at his place and treat them widely. The sources of his income were shrouded in mystery for everyone. A scribbler and book lover, he was famous for his breter, and a rare duel took place without his participation.
Pushkin "Shot"

At the same time, Liprandi, as it turned out, was a member of military intelligence and the secret police.
Since 1813, the head of the secret political police under the army of Vorontsov in France. He was in close contact with the famous Vidocq. Together with the French gendarmerie, he participated in the disclosure of the anti-government Pin Society. Since 1820 he was the chief military intelligence officer at the headquarters of the Russian troops in Bessarabia. At the same time, he became the main theorist and practitioner of military and political espionage.
Since 1828 - the head of the Supreme Secret Foreign Police. Since 1820 - in the direct subordination of Benckendorff. The organizer of the provocation in the circle of Butashevich-Petrashevsky. Organizer of Ogarev's arrest in 1850. The author of the project on the establishment of a school of spies at the universities ...

5. Andrey Bolkonsky

Prototypes Andrei Bolkonsky there were several. His tragic death was "written off" by Leo Tolstoy from the biography of the real prince Dmitry Golitsyn.
Prince Dmitry Golitsyn was signed up for service in the Moscow archive of the Ministry of Justice. Soon, Emperor Alexander I granted him to the chamber junkers, and then to the actual chamberlains, which was equated to the rank of general.

In 1805, Prince Golitsyn entered the military service and together with the army went through the campaigns of 1805-1807.
In 1812, he filed a report with a request to be enrolled in the army., became an Akhtyrsky hussar, Denis Davydov also served in the same regiment. Golitsin participated in border battles as part of the 2nd Russian army of General Bagration, fought on the Shevardino redoubt, and then ended up on the left flank of the Russian orders on the Borodino field.
In one of the skirmishes, Major Golitsyn was seriously wounded by a grenade fragment., he was taken out of the battlefield. After the operation in the field infirmary, it was decided to take the wounded man further east.
"House of Bolkonsky" in Vladimir.

They made a stop in Vladimir, Major Golitsyn was placed in one of the merchant houses on a steep hill on the Klyazma. But, almost a month after the Battle of Borodino, Dmitry Golitsyn died in Vladimir ...
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Soviet literature

6. Assol
The gentle dreamer Assol had more than one prototype.
First prototype - Maria Sergeevna Alonkina, secretary of the House of Arts, almost everyone living and visiting this House was in love with her.
Once, going up the stairs to his office, Green saw a short, swarthy-faced girl talking to Korney Chukovsky.
There was something unearthly in her appearance: flying gait, radiant look, sonorous happy laughter. It seemed to him that she looked like Assol from the story "Scarlet Sails", on which he was working at that time.
The image of 17-year-old Masha Alonkina occupied Green's imagination and was reflected in the extravaganza story.

"I don't know how much years will pass, only in Kapern one fairy tale will bloom, memorable for a long time. You will be big, Assol. One morning in the distance of the sea, a scarlet sail will sparkle under the sun. The shining bulk of the scarlet sails of the white ship will move, cutting through the waves, straight to you ... "

And in 1921, Green meets with Nina Nikolaevna Mironova, who worked in the newspaper "Petrograd Echo". He, gloomy, lonely, was easy with her, he was amused by her coquetry, he admired her love of life. Soon they got married.

The door is closed, the lamp is on.
In the evening she will come to me
No more aimless, dull days -
I sit and think about her...

On this day she will give me her hand,
I trust quietly and completely.
A terrible world rages around
Come, beautiful, dear friend.

Come, I've been waiting for you for a long time.
It was so dull and dark
But the winter spring has come,
Light knock ... My wife came.

To her, his "winter spring", Green dedicated the extravaganza "Scarlet Sails" and the novel "The Shining World".
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7. Ostap Bender and Children of Lieutenant Schmidt

The man who became the prototype of Ostap Bender is known.
It - Osip (Ostap) Veniaminovich Shor(1899 -1979). Shor was born in Odessa, was an employee of the UGRO, a football player, a traveler .... Was a buddy E. Bagritsky, Y. Olesha, Ilf and Petrov. His brother was the futurist poet Natan Fioletov.

The appearance, character and speech of Ostap Bender are taken from Osip Shor.
Almost all the famous "Bendera" phrases - "The ice has broken, gentlemen of the jury!", "I will command the parade!", "My dad was a Turkish citizen ..." and many others - were gleaned by the authors from Shor's lexicon.
In 1917, Shor entered the first year of the Petrograd Institute of Technology, and in 1919 he left for his homeland. He got home almost two years, with many adventures about which he spoke authors of The Twelve Chairs.
The stories they told about how he, not knowing how to draw, got a job as an artist on a propaganda ship, or about how he gave a simultaneous game session in some remote town, introducing himself as an international grandmaster, was reflected in "12 chairs" with virtually no changes.
By the way, the famous leader of the Odessa bandits, Mishka Jap, with whom the employee of the UGRO Shor fought, became the prototype Beni Krika, from " Odessa stories” by I. Babel.

And here is the episode that gave rise to the creation of the image "children of Lieutenant Schmidt".
In August 1925, a man with an oriental appearance, decently dressed, wearing American glasses, appeared at the Gomel provincial executive committee and introduced himself Chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Uzbek SSR Faizula Khodzhaev. He told Yegorov, chairman of the gubernia executive committee, that he was going from Crimea to Moscow, but money and documents were stolen from him on the train. Instead of a passport, he presented a certificate that he really was Khodzhaev, signed by Ibragimov, chairman of the Central Executive Committee of the Crimean Republic.
He was warmly received, given money, they began to take him to theaters and banquets. But one of the police chiefs decided to compare the personality of the Uzbek with the portraits of the chairmen of the CEC, which he found in an old magazine. Thus, false Khodjays were exposed, who turned out to be a native of Kokand, who was on his way from Tbilisi, where he was serving a term ...
In the same way, posing as a high-ranking official, the former convict had fun in Yalta, Simferopol, Novorossiysk, Kharkov, Poltava, Minsk...
It was a fun time the time of the NEP and such desperate people, adventurers as Shor and false Khodjays.
Later I will write separately about Bender ...
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8. Timur
TIMUR is the hero of the screenplay and A. Gaidar's story "Timur and his team." One of the most famous and popular heroes of Soviet children's literature of the 30s - 40s.
Under the influence of A.P. Gaidar "Timur and his team" in the USSR arose among the pioneers and schoolchildren in the beginning. 1940s "Timurov movement". Timurovites provided assistance to the families of military personnel, the elderly ...
It is believed that the “prototype” of the Timurov team for A. Gaidar was a group of scouts that operated back in the 1910s in a suburban suburb of St. Petersburg.“Timurovites” and “scouts” really have a lot in common (especially in the ideology and practice of “chivalrous” care of children about the people around them, the idea of doing good deeds “in secret”).
The story told by Gaidar turned out to be surprisingly consonant with the mood of a whole generation of guys: the struggle for justice, the underground headquarters, the specific signaling, the ability to rapidly assemble "along the chain", etc.

It is interesting that in the early edition the story was called "Duncan and his team" or "Duncan to the rescue" - the hero of the story was - Vovka Duncan. The influence of the work is obvious Jules Verne: yacht "Duncan"» at the first alarm went to help Captain Grant.

In the spring of 1940, while working on a film based on a still unfinished story, the name "Duncan" was rejected. The Cinematography Committee expressed bewilderment: “Good Soviet boy. Pioneer. useful game and suddenly - "Duncan". We consulted here with comrades - you need to change your name"
And then Gaidar gave the hero the name of his own son, whom he called "the little commander" in life. According to another version - Timur- the name of the boy next door. Here comes the girl Zhenya received the name from the adopted daughter of Gaidar from her second marriage.
The image of Timur embodies ideal type teenage leader with his desire for noble deeds, mysteries, pure ideals.
concept "Timurovets" firmly established in everyday life. Until the end of the 80s, Timurovites were called children who provided selfless help needy.
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9. Captain Vrungel
From the story Andrey Nekrasov "The Adventures of Captain Vrungel"".
Book of the Incredibles sea adventures resourceful and resilient captain Vrungel, his senior assistant Loma and sailor Fuchs.

Christopher Bonifatievich Vrungel- the main character and narrator, on whose behalf the story is being told. An old experienced sailor, with a solid and judicious character, is not without ingenuity.
The first part of the surname uses the word "liar". Vrungel, whose name has become a household name - the marine analogue of Baron Munchausen, telling stories about his sailing adventures.
According to Nekrasov himself, the prototype of Vrungel was his acquaintance with the surname Vronsky, a lover of telling maritime fiction stories with his participation. His surname was so suitable for the protagonist that the original book should have been called " Adventures of Captain Vronsky", however, for fear of offending a friend, the author chose a different surname for the protagonist.
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