Comparative characteristics of Zhilin and Kostylina. Zhilin and Kostylin: different destinies

The brightest are those works in which the main characters are completely different. It is these characters that are the basis of Leo Tolstoy's story "The Caucasian Captive." The characters are Zhilin and Kostylin. Different fates and characters of these men. Byl tells of their life in captivity with the Tatars and attempted escape. But the road to freedom is thorny, and in particular because these two officers are the exact opposite of each other.

The first meeting of comrades

Events take place during the war for the annexation of the Caucasus to Russia. Officer Zhilin received a letter from his mother. She asks for her son to return. Ivan, that's the name of the man, he thinks about the offer and agrees. It was dangerous to travel alone, so the soldiers marched in a column. The group dragged on slowly, and the thought came to him that it was better to go alone. As if hearing his thoughts, another officer, Kostylin, asked him to continue the journey together.

The first comparative characteristic of Zhilin and Kostylin is very important for the further development of events. The author does not talk about how the main character looks, but gives a description of Kostylin. It's a rough, full-blown man with a red face. Because of the heat, sweat drips from it. Convinced that he has a loaded weapon, and taking the floor to stay together, Zhilin agrees to an invitation.

Ambush and unexpected betrayal of a friend

Comrades go. All the way lies through the steppe, where you can clearly see the enemy. But further the road lies between two mountains. At this point, there is a conflict of views. In the scene there is a comparison of Zhilin and Kostylin on the sense of danger.

Two distinct warriors perceive the gorge of the mountains in different ways. Zhilin sees a potential threat and is confident that the Turks can ambush the rock. Kostylin is ready to go ahead, despite the possible risk. Leaving a friend from below, Ivan climbs a mountain and sees a group of horsemen. Enemies notice the officer and gallop to meet. Zhilin shouted to Kostylin that he should pull out his gun. But he, seeing the Tatars, rushes into the fortress.

Comparative characteristics of Zhilin and Kostylin will be incomplete, if not to consider this situation in more detail. The first took care of the safety of both, the latter, in difficult circumstances, thought only of his own life. Kostylin left his comrade unarmed. Ivan fought for a long time, but the forces were unequal. He was taken prisoner. But already at the Tatars he learns that his grief-friend, too, was ambushed.

The second and unexpected meeting of former friends

For some time the man spent in a closed barn. Then he was taken to the house to the Tatars. They explained to him that the man who captured the soldier sold it to another Tatar. And he, in turn, wants to get a ransom for Ivan in the amount of 3000 rubles. The officer, without hesitation, refused and said that he could not afford such a sum. The biggest that he has to offer is 500 gold. The last word was firm and unshakable. A friend enters his room.

The emotional state and appearance of Zhilin and Kostylina are very different. The second officer is fat, barefoot, exhausted, tattered, a shoe on his feet. Appearance of Zilina is not better, but the thirst for struggle has not faded in him yet. The new owner puts Kostylin in the example and says that he will be accepted for a ransom of 5000 rubles.

The author shows how humbly he accepts the offer at such a great price. Ivan also achieved that the payment for his soul would be 500 rubles. But still he understands that the mother who lives on the money that he himself sends to her would have to sell everything to free his son. Therefore, the officer writes the wrong address so that the letter does not reach. Comparative characteristics of Zhilin and Kostylina in determining the amount of ransom indicate that the first officer cares for his mother, even if he is threatened with death. Kostylina does not bother how to collect money for his release.

Trying to escape from the enemy

Time passes. Leo Tolstoy vividly describes the everyday life of Zhilin. A man conquers the heart of the owner's daughter, when he sculpts clay dolls for her. Gets respect in the village as a master, and even through cunning as a doctor. But every night, when they remove the shackles, he digs the passage under the wall. He also works during the day, thinking about which way to run to him. Characteristic of Zhilin and Kostylin in captivity is absolutely the opposite. Zhilin does not sit still, unlike his comrade. And he keeps sleeping or sick all the time, waiting for the storm to pass, connected with the death of one of the Tatars' soldiers.

One night, Zhilin decides to flee. He also offers this to a fellow in the "cell". Kostylin is skeptical about this. He declares that they do not know the way and will get lost at night. But the argument that because of the death of the Tatar they, as a Russian, can take revenge, he finally convinces.

Combating your own abilities

The prisoners are acting. Trying to get out, the clumsy Kostylin raises a noise. The dogs snarled. But the prudent Ivan for a long time fed dogs. Therefore quickly calmed their alarm. They get out of the village, but the fat man suffocates and lags behind. Very quickly surrenders and asks to leave it.

Comparative characteristics of Zhilin and Kostylina are competitions of faint-heartedness with force. Both are tired. The night is impenetrable, they are forced to walk almost to the touch. Bad boots rub their feet to the blood. Kostylin stops and rests time after time. Subsequently, he is exhausted and says that he is not able to continue the path.

Then the friend draws him on his back. Because of the scream from the pain of Kostylina they are noticed and hunted down. Before dawn, the comrades were caught and this time thrown into the pit. And there is a portrait of Zhilin and Kostylin opposite. A thirsty freedom officer tries to undermine, but there is nowhere to lay earth and stones.

More and more often there is talk of enemies saying that Russians need to be killed.

Final and will

The daughter of the owner comes to the rescue. She drops a pole into the pit, along which, not without the help of a friend, Zhilin gets out onto the mountain. Weak Kostylin remains with the Tatars. He runs away with his feet chained, but nevertheless he gets to his troops.

After a while they pay money for Kostylina. He returns hardly alive. This concludes the work. The author does not say that he is waiting for the characters with the surnames Zhilin and Kostylin. Different fate of the heroes, the first relied only on their own capabilities, the second was waiting for the manna of heaven. They are two poles, which are guided by different principles and rules. If Zhilin stubborn, courageous and freedom-loving, then his partner in misfortune - weak, lazy and cowardly.

Lovely Hearted Officer

The main characters of Leo Tolstoy are Zhilin and Kostylin. This story is about two officers. The first bravely fought, the second with humility took everything that prepared his life for him. Zhilin has such a trait as caring. He thinks about the old mother when they asked for a ransom, worries about the fate of a friend, so he does not leave him in the village of enemies, for the girl who helped get out of the pit.

She orders to hide the pole, which she brought, so that Zhilin could rise. His heart is full of good and love. The officer fell in love with a simple, peaceful people of the Tatars. Therefore in every possible way facilitates their life. He is the symbol of everything light and sincere in a work.

Kostylin - a hero or an anti-hero?

Often Kostylina is considered a hero negative. He threw his comrade in trouble, distinguished himself by laziness and weakness, brought on both the danger. About the cowardice of a man and say nothing, because every now and then his actions show helplessness.

But is it really that Kostylin is so weak in the soul, as outside? Somewhere deep in his heart he is brave and strong. Although in part it borders on irrationality. It was he who suggested to the friend to separate from the group and jump first. I was also ready to walk between the mountains, without even making sure it was safe there. No less courage was needed to decide on the escape, which he did not plan and to which he was not ready neither physically nor morally.

The characteristic of Zhilin and Kostylina is the analysis of two opposite types of courage. But more courage Kostylin showed when he refused to repeat the attempt to escape. Moreover, as he could, he helped get out of the pit to a friend. He understood all his weakness and did not dare to substitute his comrade again. Here in such actions lies the secret of his essence.