The characterization of Matryona (Matrenin yard, AI Solzhenitsyn)

Among the best works of AI Solzhenitsyn, no doubt, is the story "Matrenin Dvor" about a simple Russian woman with a difficult fate. A lot of trials fell on her lot, but the heroine for the rest of her days has preserved in her soul love of life, boundless kindness, willingness to sacrifice herself for the welfare of others. In the article the reader is offered a characterization of the Matryona image.

Matrenin yard: the real basis of the work

Solzhenitsyn wrote his story in 1959 and at first called it "It is not worth a village without a righteous man" (from censorship the title was later changed). Prototype of the main character was Matrena Timofeevna Zakharova, a resident of the village of Miltsevo, located in the Vladimir region. The writer lived with her in the years of his teaching after returning from the camps. Therefore, the feelings and thoughts of the narrator largely reflect the views of the author himself, from the first day, according to his confession, felt something in the house of a woman unfamiliar to him, something native and close to the heart. Why this became possible will help explain the characterization of Matryona.

Matrenin yard: first acquaintance with the heroine

The narrator was taken to Grigorieva's house, when all the variants of apartments for settlement had already been examined. The fact is that Matryona Vasilievna lived alone in the old house. All her belongings were made up of a bed, a table, benches and favorite ficuses. And a lame cat, which the woman picked out of pity on the street, and a goat. She did not receive pensions, since on the collective farm instead of workdays she was credited with sticks. For health reasons she could not. Then, however, with great difficulty I registered a pension for the loss of her husband. At the same time she always silently came to the aid of everyone who addressed her, and did not take anything for her work. This is the first characteristic of Matryona in the story "Matrenin Yard". To this we can add that the peasant woman could not cook, too, although the tenant was uneducated and did not complain. And a couple of times a month she was attacked by a strong sickness, when a woman could not even stand up. But even at that moment she did not complain, and even tried not to moan so as not to bother the tenant. Especially the author emphasizes the blue eyes and radiant smile - a symbol of openness and kindness.

The difficult fate of the heroine

The history of life helps to understand a person better. Without her, the characterization of Matryona in the story "Matrenin Yard" will be incomplete.

The peasant woman had no own children: all six died in infancy. She did not marry because of love: she waited for several years from the front of the groom, and then agreed to become the wife of his younger brother - the time was hard, and the family did not have enough hands. Soon after the wedding of the young, Thaddeus returned, who never forgave Efim and Matryona. It was believed that he imposed a curse on them, and later the husband of the heroine will perish on the second world. And the woman will take up Cyrus, Thaddeus' younger daughter, and give her love and care. The storyteller learned all this from the hostess, and she suddenly appeared before him in a new guise. Even then, the narrator realized how far his real first characterization of Matryona was from his real.

Matrinin's courtyard, meanwhile, began to attract the views of Thaddeus, who wished to take away the dowry assigned to Cyrus by the adoptive mother. This part of the room will cause the death of the heroine.

Live for the sake of others

Matryona Vasilyevna had long foreseen a misfortune. The author describes her suffering when it turned out that during the baptism someone took her bowler hat with holy water. Then suddenly the cat disappeared. And before the analysis of the room, the hostess did not go about her at all. The collapse of the roof meant for her the end of life. From such trifles formed the whole life of the heroine, which she lived not for themselves, but for the sake of others. And when Matryona Vasilyevna went with the others to the railway crossing, she also wanted to help. Sincere, open, not embittered from the injustices of life. I took everything as destined and never grumbled. To this conclusion brings the characterization of Matryona.

"Matrenin yard" ends with a description of the scene of the heroine's funeral. She plays an important role in understanding how this peasant woman was different from the people who surrounded her. The narrator painfully notes that the sisters and Thaddeus immediately began to share the scanty property of the hostess. And even a friend, as if sincerely experiencing loss, managed to snatch her blouse. Against the background of everything that was happening, the narrator suddenly remembered the living Matryona, so unlike everyone else. And I understood: she is the righteous person, without which there is not a single village. Yes there is village - all our land. This is proved by the life and characterization of Matryona.

"Matrenin yard" contains the author's regret that during his lifetime he (as, indeed, others) could not fully understand the greatness of this woman. Because you can perceive the work of Solzhenitsyn as a kind of repentance for the heroine for his and others' mental blindness.

One more point is revealing. On the mutilated body of the heroine, a bright face and a right hand remained untouched. "It will be for us in the next world to pray," said one of the women in the story "Matrenin Yard." The characterization of Matryona, therefore, makes us think about the fact that there are people close to us who are able to maintain human dignity, kindness and humility under unbearable conditions. And partly because of them, there are such concepts in our world filled with cruelty as compassion, compassion, mutual aid.