Subject little man especially relevant in Russian literature of the 19th century, including in the works of A.S. Pushkin. His poem " Bronze Horseman"tells about the sad fate of such a person who became a victim of tragic circumstances.

The main character of the poem is a poor official from Kostroma, Evgeniy. He lives with one dream - to marry his beloved girl, simple and modest Parasha. He is a typical “little man”, incapable of cunning, deception and flattery for career advancement and his own selfish goals. Pushkin does not consider his hero as a separate person. Evgeny is only part of the gray St. Petersburg landscape; he is far from important government affairs, reforms, and transformations. The author does not even give him a last name: “We don’t need his nickname” to emphasize the insignificance of his personality.

The hero lives a simple, routine life, so Pushkin himself does not share his life position. Eugene's desires and ambitions are limited to everyday concerns. However, a revolution occurs in the life of the main character - a terrible flood in the city, because of which his only meaning in life and love - Parasha - dies. Evgeniy is going crazy, losing his mind from grief, and he does not have the strength to analyze the event and live on. This is how Pushkin shows how small the hero is, how pitiful his insignificant personality is.

The opposite of the image of Eugene is the image of Peter, an imperious and sometimes cruel master. This image characterizes the entire powerful class, for which the problems and troubles of the common people have no meaning. Eugene blames Peter for all his troubles, which is why the copper statue of the emperor begins to haunt him.

The entire poem “The Bronze Horseman” is based on the opposition of the “little man” and the strong, powerful sovereign. Eugene’s quiet, weak protest to the copper emperor is a rebellion of a simple official against ruling class, whose fate ordinary people not at all interesting.

Along with the article “Essay on the topic: The rebellion of a little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”” read:

The transforming king appears before us at the moment when he accepts the most important thing for all subsequent Russian history decision: “The city will be founded here...”.

The author contrasts the monumental figure of the king with the image of harsh and wild nature. The picture, against the background of which the figure of the king appears before us, is bleak (a lonely boat, mossy and marshy banks, wretched huts of the “Chukhons”). Before Peter’s gaze is a wide-spread river rushing into the distance; There is a forest around, “unknown to the rays of the hidden sun in the fog.” But the ruler's gaze is directed to the future. Russia must establish itself on the shores of the Baltic; this is necessary for the country’s prosperity:

All the flags will visit us,
And we’ll record it in the open air.

A hundred years passed, and Peter’s great dream came true:

Young city,
There is beauty and wonder in full countries,
From the darkness of the forests, from the swamps of blat
He ascended magnificently, proudly...

Pushkin pronounces an enthusiastic hymn to the creation of Peter, confesses his love for the “young city”, before whose splendor “old Moscow faded.”

However, the poet's attitude towards Peter was contradictory.

The image of a shining, lively, lush city is replaced in the first part of the poem by a picture of a terrible, destructive flood, expressive images of a raging element over which man has no control. The element sweeps away everything in its path, carrying away in streams of water fragments of buildings and destroyed bridges, “belongings of pale poverty” and even coffins “from a washed-out cemetery.” The image of indomitable natural forces appears here as a symbol of a “senseless and merciless” popular revolt. Among those whose lives were destroyed by the flood is Eugene, whose peaceful concerns the author speaks of at the beginning of the first part of the poem.

The main character of the poem is the poor official Eugene. He is an “ordinary man” who has neither money nor rank. Evgeny “serves somewhere” and dreams of setting up a “humble and simple shelter” for himself in order to marry the girl he loves and go through life’s journey with her:

And we will live like this until the grave,
We'll both get there hand in hand...

Evgeniy's life is spent in work and in modest dreams of personal happiness. But his bride Parasha dies in a flood, and the hero finds himself faced with terrible questions: what is human life? Isn’t she just an empty dream, “the mockery of heaven over earth”?

Evgeniy’s “confused mind” cannot withstand the “terrible shocks.” He goes crazy, leaves his home and wanders around the city in tattered and shabby clothes, indifferent to everything except the “noise of internal anxiety” that fills him. Like an ancient prophet who comprehended the unrighteousness of the world, Eugene is fenced off from people and despised by them. The similarity between Pushkin's hero and the prophet becomes especially clear when Eugene, in his madness, suddenly begins to see the light and unleashes his anger on the “proud idol” - the bronze horseman.

The main conflict of Pushkin’s work is the conflict between the individual and the state: St. Petersburg, the creation of which was dictated by state interests, was built in a place unsuitable for human life. The common man in his private interests is opposed to the state. But Pushkin shows that neglect of the interests of a little person can lead to rebellion, rampant elements, which is embodied in the rebellious image of the rebellious Neva.

In the work of the great Russian poet A.S. Pushkin, a monument to Emperor Peter is presented in the image of power. The main character of the work is Evgeniy, who is described as completely ordinary person. The flood that occurred in the city darkens all his plans. Arriving at the house of his beloved Parasha, he sees that the river has destroyed everything he could dream of.

"Little Man" in literature

The image of the “little man” in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is far from the only attempt in Russian literature to describe a similar type. Other examples include the work “Poor People” by Dostoevsky, “The Overcoat” by Gogol. In his work, the great Russian poet sought to show the meaninglessness of the struggle of the “little man” with the omnipotent natural elements, as well as the power of the autocracy.

Main character

The theme of the little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is revealed through a detailed description of its main character, Eugene. According to established tradition, a poem is a work that has a narrative character. And if once it was considered rather historical work, then over time began to be of a romantic nature. In the poem, central characters began to emerge, who are independent actors, and not just vague images snatched from the historical stream.

Evgeniy's interests

The main character of the work is Evgeny, who is a representative of the “St. Petersburg” period in the history of the country. He is that “little” person whose meaning of life lies in organizing his life and quiet, bourgeois happiness. His life is limited to a close circle of concerns about his own home and family.

And these are the character traits that make the image of the main character unacceptable for the poet himself; they are the ones that turn him into a “little man.” The great Russian poet deliberately refuses to describe the image of Eugene. He even deprives him of any last name, emphasizing that any one can be put in its place - the image of Evgeniy reflects the life of many representatives of St. Petersburg at that time.

Contrast between personality and power

The problem of the little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is a question of a helpless unit confronting the omnipotence of the autocracy. And in this comparison of the Bronze Horseman with the main character, the main difference is determined. Evgeny has a soul, and he can suffer, be sad, and dream about something. The Emperor cares about the fate of people, including Eugene, who will one day live in the capital. And the main character’s thoughts are hovering around own life. However, despite this, it is he who evokes the greatest sympathy of the reader, his image evokes active participation.

Riot in the soul

The flood that befell Eugene's life makes him a real hero. He is going crazy (as you know, this is one of the frequent attributes of the main character romantic work). The main character wanders through the streets of the city, which has become hostile to him, and hears the sound of the river. It also reflects the rebellion of the little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman,” which filled the soul of the protagonist. The natural elements awaken in his heart what Pushkin considered the main thing for a person - memory. It is the memories of the flood he experienced that push him to Senate Square. There he meets the monument for the second time.

He finally understands what the cause of all his suffering and misfortune is. Evgeniy recognizes the culprit and begins to threaten him - now he only feels hatred for the “ruler of half the world” and wants to take revenge on him.

What does protest lead to?

The spiritual evolution of the protagonist also gives rise to the naturalness of protest. The great Russian poet also shows Eugene’s transformation. An internal protest raises him to a new life filled with tragedy, which must end in imminent death. And Eugene dares to threaten Peter himself with his retribution. This threat causes fear in the emperor, as he realizes what power lies in the spiritual protest of the human heart.

And when Eugene finally “sees the light,” he becomes a Man in the true sense of the word. It should be noted that not once in this passage does the poet call the main character by name - he again becomes faceless, like everyone else. Here the reader sees the confrontation between a formidable king and a Man who has a heart and memory. Eugene’s rebellion reflects a threat to the entire autocracy, a promise of popular retribution. But the revived statue punishes the “poor madman.” This is the tragedy of the little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman”.

Holy madness

It is also symbolic that Pushkin calls his main character “mad.” After all, a single person’s speech against the autocracy system does not fit into the framework of common sense. This is true madness. However, the poet emphasizes that it is “holy,” because silence and humility bring death. Only protest can save an individual from moral death in conditions where cruelty and violence reign.

The great Russian poet emphasizes both the tragedy and the comedy of the situation. Eugene is the “little man” who challenges the powerful force of autocracy. And he dares to threaten the emperor - not the real one, but his monument cast in bronze. This action is an attempt to resist evil circumstances, to cast one’s voice.

People's lives depend on power

The image of a little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is very indicative: as a result of the flood main character loses his lover, goes crazy and ultimately dies. One might argue, what do all these events have to do with the problem of the state? But having become more closely acquainted with the work, one can understand that in reality it is the most immediate. After all, the events unfold in St. Petersburg, which, by the will of the emperor, was built on the banks of the Neva.

The skill with which the great Russian poet conveyed his ideas

The theme of the little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is a man’s confrontation with a merciless state system. After all, it turns out that if the autocrat had not founded the city in this very place, then the main character of the work would have remained alive. Alexander Sergeevich embodies this deep and at the same time paradoxical idea with the help of a system of images described in the poem. It is no coincidence that, having lost his mind, Eugene sees his enemy in the form of a bronze horseman, and it is no coincidence that this horseman chases him through the streets of the city and ultimately kills him. With the help of the image of a little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman,” Pushkin makes it absolutely clear that the interests of an individual person cannot oppose the interests of the state in which he lives. Rulers always think big and do not take into account what fate awaits the inhabitants of their countries.

Whose side is Pushkin himself on?

It is impossible to unambiguously answer the question on whose side the author of the poem “The Bronze Horseman” himself is. The rebellion of a little man is the leitmotif of the work, but the historical justification of the emperor’s actions is no less important for the great Russian poet. After all, it is in this work that an inspired hymn to the city on the Neva sounds. With its splendor, St. Petersburg embodied the idea of ​​a great Russian state (and it was Peter’s deeds that made it so).

Alexander Sergeevich did not set himself the task of stigmatizing the empire or, on the contrary, elevating it. On the one hand, the poet preserved his humanity, speaking about an individual person and feeling sympathy for him. After all, the image of a little man in the poem “The Bronze Horseman” is still the main one. On the other hand, he saw that great country- this is also an important value. And without resolving the issue of the relationship between the individual and the entire state, the great Russian poet wrote about their inevitable confrontation and the tragedy of the relationship.

The poem “The Bronze Horseman” (1833) is one of Pushkin’s most striking and perfect works. In it, the author convincingly shows the complexity and inconsistency of a turning point in the history of our country. It should be emphasized that the poem occupies a special place in Pushkin’s work. In this work, the poet tried to solve the problem of the relationship between the individual and the state; this problem was the essence of Pushkin’s spiritual quest. The poet saw the possibility of achieving agreement, harmony between the individual and the state, he knew that a person could simultaneously recognize himself as part of a great state and a bright individuality, free from oppression. By what principle should the relationship between the individual and the state be built so that the private and public merge into one whole? Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman” was a kind of attempt to answer this question. By the time of the creation of The Bronze Horseman, there was a need in Russian literature for a verse story about a modern, non-exotic and non-inhuman hero.
The plot of Pushkin's poem is quite traditional. In the exhibition, the author introduces us to Evgeniy, a modest official, a “little man”, whose signs of everyday life are kept to a minimum: “he shook off his overcoat, undressed, and lay down.” Eugene is one of the impoverished nobles, which Pushkin mentions in passing, saying that the hero’s ancestors were listed in the “History of Karamzin”. Evgeny’s life today is very modest: he serves “somewhere,” loves Parasha and dreams of marrying the girl he loves. In The Bronze Horseman, private life and public life are presented as two closed world, each of which has its own laws. Eugene's world - dreams of quiet joys family life. The peace of the state, at the origins of which Peter stood, is great achievements and the subordination of the whole world to his will, his order (“All flags are a visit to us”). The world of the private individual and the world of the state are not just separated from each other, they are hostile, each of them brings evil and destruction to the other. Thus, Peter lays down his city “in spite of his arrogant neighbor” and destroys what is good and evil for the poor fisherman. Peter, who is trying to subdue and tame the elements, evokes its evil revenge, that is, he becomes the culprit for the collapse of all Eugene’s personal hopes. Evgeny wants to take revenge, his threat (“Too bad for you!”) is ridiculous, but full of desire for rebellion against the “idol.” In response, he receives Peter's evil revenge and madness. Those who rebelled against the state were terribly punished.
Thus, the basis of the relationship between the individual and the state is the mutual desire for evil. And this conflict cannot be resolved. But for Pushkin himself there was nothing tragic in this contradiction. How the author resolves the conflict between the individual and the state for himself, we can understand if we turn to the place of entry of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. Pushkin writes:
I love you, Petra creation. I love your strict, slender appearance, the sovereign flow of the Neva, its coastal granite...
According to Pushkin, the basis of the relationship between the private and the public should be love, and therefore the life of the state and the individual should enrich and complement each other. Pushkin resolves the conflict between the individual and the state, overcoming the one-sidedness of both Evgeniy’s worldview and the view of life on the opposite side to the hero. The culmination of this clash is the rebellion of the “little” man. Pushkin, raising the poor madman to the level of Peter, begins to use sublime vocabulary. At the moment of anger, Eugene is truly terrible, because he dared to threaten the Bronze Horseman himself! However, the rebellion of Eugene, who has gone crazy, is a senseless and punishable rebellion. Those who bow to idols become their victims. It is possible that Eugene’s “rebellion” contains a hidden parallel with the fate of the Decembrists. This is confirmed by the tragic ending of The Bronze Horseman.
Analyzing Pushkin's poem, we come to the conclusion that the poet showed himself in it as a true philosopher. “Little” people will rebel against a higher power as long as the state exists. This is the tragedy and contradiction of the eternal struggle between the weak and the strong. Who is to blame after all: the great state, which has lost interest in the individual, or the “little man”, who has ceased to be interested in the greatness of history and has fallen out of it? The reader's perception of the poem turns out to be extremely contradictory: according to Belinsky, Pushkin substantiated the tragic right of the empire with all its state power to dispose of the life of a private person; in the 20th century, some critics suggested that Pushkin was on Eugene’s side; there is also an opinion that the conflict depicted by Pushkin is tragically insoluble. But it is obvious that for the poet himself in “The Bronze Horseman”, according to the formula of the literary critic Yu. Lotman, “the right path is not to move from one camp to another, but to “rise above cruel century", preserving his humanity, human dignity and respect for the lives of others." Understanding and even hatred. He realizes that the willingness to sacrifice oneself is the direct responsibility of the poet.
Poet! do not value people's love. There will be a momentary noise of enthusiastic praise; You will hear the judgment of a fool and the laughter of a cold crowd, But you remain firm, calm and gloomy.
Throughout his life, Pushkin confirmed his own ideals and aspirations expressed in poetry. He wasn't afraid of disfavor powerful of the world Therefore, he boldly spoke out against serfdom; spoke in defense of the Decembrists. The poet's life was not easy; he deliberately refused calm and tranquility, considering the purpose of a poet to be to reveal the truth to the world.
In righteous satire I will depict vice and reveal the morals of these centuries to posterity.
The poet managed to convey his thoughts to posterity. The name of Pushkin will always be dear to those who love and understand Russian history and literature.

The poem “The Bronze Horseman” (1833) is one of Pushkin’s most striking and perfect works. In it, the author convincingly shows the complexity and inconsistency of a turning point in the history of our country. It should be emphasized that the poem occupies a special place in Pushkin’s work. In this work, the poet tried to solve the problem of the relationship between the individual and the state; this problem was the essence of Pushkin’s spiritual quest. The poet saw the possibility of achieving agreement, harmony between the individual and the state, he knew that a person could simultaneously recognize himself as part of a great state and a bright individuality, free from oppression. By what principle should the relationship between the individual and the state be built so that the private and public merge into one whole? Pushkin’s poem “The Bronze Horseman” was a kind of attempt to answer this question. By the time of the creation of The Bronze Horseman, there was a need in Russian literature for a verse story about a modern, non-exotic and non-inhuman hero. The plot of Pushkin's poem is quite traditional. In the exhibition, the author introduces us to Evgeniy, a modest official, a “little man”, whose signs of everyday life are kept to a minimum: “he shook off his overcoat, undressed, and lay down.” Eugene is one of the impoverished nobles, which Pushkin mentions in passing, saying that the hero’s ancestors were listed in the “History of Karamzin”. Evgeny’s life today is very modest: he serves “somewhere,” loves Parasha and dreams of marrying the girl he loves. In The Bronze Horseman, private life and public life are presented as two closed worlds, each of which has its own laws. Eugene's world is dreams of the quiet joys of family life. The peace of the state, at the origins of which Peter stood, is great achievements and the subordination of the whole world to his will, his order (“All flags are a visit to us”). The world of the private individual and the world of the state are not just separated from each other, they are hostile, each of them brings evil and destruction to the other. Thus, Peter lays down his city “in spite of his arrogant neighbor” and destroys what is good and evil for the poor fisherman. Peter, who is trying to subdue and tame the elements, evokes its evil revenge, that is, he becomes the culprit for the collapse of all Eugene’s personal hopes. Evgeny wants to take revenge, his threat (“Too bad for you!”) is ridiculous, but full of desire for rebellion against the “idol.” In response, he receives Peter's evil revenge and madness. Those who rebelled against the state were terribly punished. Thus, the basis of the relationship between the individual and the state is the mutual desire for evil. And this conflict cannot be resolved. But for Pushkin himself there was nothing tragic in this contradiction. How the author resolves the conflict between the individual and the state for himself, we can understand if we turn to the place of entry of the poem “The Bronze Horseman”. Pushkin writes: I love you, Peter of creation. I love your strict, slender appearance, the sovereign current of the Neva, its coastal granite... According to Pushkin, love should be the basis of the relationship between private and public, and therefore the life of the state and the individual should enrich and complement each other. Pushkin resolves the conflict between the individual and the state, overcoming the one-sidedness of both Evgeniy’s worldview and the view of life on the opposite side to the hero. The culmination of this clash is the rebellion of the “little” man. Pushkin, raising the poor madman to the level of Peter, begins to use sublime vocabulary. At the moment of anger, Eugene is truly terrible, because he dared to threaten the Bronze Horseman himself! However, the rebellion of Eugene, who has gone mad, is a senseless and punishable rebellion. Those who bow to idols become their victims. It is possible that Eugene’s “rebellion” contains a hidden parallel with the fate of the Decembrists. This is confirmed by the tragic ending of The Bronze Horseman. Analyzing Pushkin's poem, we come to the conclusion that the poet showed himself in it as a true philosopher. “Little” people will rebel against a higher power as long as the state exists. This is the tragedy and contradiction of the eternal struggle between the weak and the strong. Who is to blame after all: the great state, which has lost interest in the individual, or the “little man”, who has ceased to be interested in the greatness of history and has fallen out of it? The reader's perception of the poem turns out to be extremely contradictory: according to Belinsky, Pushkin substantiated the tragic right of the empire with all its state power to dispose of the life of a private person; in the 20th century, some critics suggested that Pushkin was on Eugene’s side; there is also an opinion that the conflict depicted by Pushkin is tragically insoluble. But it is obvious that for the poet himself in “The Bronze Horseman,” according to the formula of the literary critic Yu. Lotman, “the right path is not to move from one camp to another, but to “rise above the cruel age,” preserving humanity, human dignity and respect for the lives of others." Understanding and even hatred. He realizes that the willingness to sacrifice oneself is the direct responsibility of the poet. Poet! do not value people's love. There will be a momentary noise of enthusiastic praise; You will hear the judgment of a fool and the laughter of a cold crowd, But you remain firm, calm and gloomy. Throughout his life, Pushkin confirmed his own ideals and aspirations expressed in poetry. He was not afraid of the disfavor of the powers that be, he boldly spoke out against serfdom; spoke in defense of the Decembrists. The poet's life was not easy; he deliberately refused calm and tranquility, considering the purpose of a poet to be to reveal the truth to the world. In righteous satire I will depict vice and reveal the morals of these centuries to posterity. The poet managed to convey his thoughts to posterity. The name of Pushkin will always be dear to those who love and understand Russian history and literature.