Shvabrin and Grinev
While reading the story by A.S. Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" brings to the fore, among others, the theme of honor and dishonor. The work contrasts two heroes who hold different positions regarding the concept of honor - Shvabrin and Grinev.
Both heroes belong to the nobility and are approximately the same age. Fate brought them together in the Belogorsk fortress against their will. Grinev was sent to serve by his father, and Shvabrin was exiled here because of his participation in a duel that was prohibited at that time.
Duels have always been associated with valor and honor. Therefore, at the beginning of the story, Shvabrin appears to the reader as a person with high moral principles. However, in the minds of the common people, whose representative is Vasilisa Egorovna, a duel is an ordinary murder. This definition of the duel of the positive heroine of the story calls into question the nobility of the hero.
Testing heroes under difficult circumstances
The true essence of a person is revealed in the most difficult moments of life. For the characters in The Captain's Daughter, such a test is the capture of the fortress by Pugachev's rebels. For Shvabrin, the main thing is to preserve his own life. For this reason, he goes over to the side of the rebels, becoming Emelyan’s right hand in the process of reprisal against the inhabitants of the Belogorsk fortress.
Petya Grinev does not stoop to servility. He is determined to share the fate of Captain Mironov. Self-esteem is more important to him than the fear of death. This is evident in the scene of refusing to kiss the impostor's hand.
The attitude of the heroes towards Masha Mironova
The attitude of Shvabrin and Grinev towards Masha Mironova is different. Peter admires the girl and shows her his admiration in the form of poems dedicated to her. Shvabrin, on the contrary, tramples the reputation of the girl and her family into the mud. He doesn't love Masha. This proves the attitude towards Masha after the capture of the fortress by robbers - Shvabrin tortured her, threatened to hand her over to the rebels, tortured her with hunger, blackmailed her.
Conclusion
Consequently, Peter Grinev becomes an adherent of true honor in the story, having defended his principles and dignity, loyalty to his word and love. Shvabrin, even at the end of the story, continues to slander Grinev, trying to drown him along with himself in court.
Russian literature in all centuries and times has amazed readers with the depth of its analysis of the moral problems posed. More than one generation has decided for itself issues of moral choice, the confrontation between good and evil, fidelity to duty and betrayal, love and hatred, honor, dignity, relying on the best works of A. S. Pushkin, M. Yu. Lermontov, F. M. Dostoevsky, L.N. Tolstoy and so on.
A. S. Pushkin defined the cross-cutting idea of his work as follows: “...I awakened good feelings with the lyre...”
Therefore, from his works, modern people learn to comprehend love, friendship, freedom and compassion. One of the most saturated with moral problems is the story “The Captain's Daughter”. Her characters go through a difficult journey, during which their ideas about honor and duty are formed.
The very first lesson of morality is already contained in the epigraph to the work: “Take care of honor from a young age.” The hero of the story, Pyotr Grinev, acts in all situations as a man of honor. That is, when making his choice, he is worried about maintaining the code of noble honor, inherited from his father, who did not want his son to serve in St. Petersburg and to be a “shamaton” and not a soldier, and, in addition, Grinev listens to his voice conscience, which makes him distinguish good from bad.
For Petrusha Grinev, who “lived as a teenager, chasing pigeons and playing leapfrog with the yard boys,” the time has come to make independent decisions. And it turns out that this man, who is not yet very prepared for life, this boy, whom Savelich calls “child,” does not hesitate to act in accordance with the laws of morality, regardless of the seriousness of the problems that have arisen in his life. So, Grinev forces his uncle to give back a hundred rubles, which he lost to the captain of the hussar regiment, Zurin, and although the young man was tormented by a “restless conscience and silent repentance,” as well as pity for the “poor old man,” the sense of honor turns out to be stronger.
By his behavior, Pyotr Grinev teaches the reader to be honest in love. The hero does not tolerate the shameless speeches of his opponent - Shvabrin - about Masha Mironova, the captain's daughter, and challenges him to a duel, although no one knew about their conversation and Grinev would compromise only with his conscience. However, the honor and dignity of his beloved girl becomes the honor and dignity of himself. How differently Grinev and Shvabrin perceive the concept of honor can be judged from Masha’s statement: “How strange men are! For one word, which they would surely forget about in a week, they are ready to cut themselves and sacrifice not only their lives, but also the conscience and well-being of those who...”
Grinev is no longer perceived as a “minor”, but as an adult man who can take responsibility for the woman he loves and her fate. It is not surprising that when it comes to a situation in which one must choose between loyalty and betrayal, and therefore between death and life, the hero, without hesitation, goes to his death, because he swore allegiance to the empress, and Pugachev is a “thief and impostor” . But not only Grinev’s honor as an officer is manifested here; his moral sense is so organic that even after pardoning him, he refuses to kiss the hand of the “sovereign”: “I would prefer the most brutal execution to such vile humiliation.” The young man teaches by his example how to behave with dignity in all situations: after all, kissing the hand of the “villain” would not have changed anything, Grinev would not have violated the oath and would not have betrayed the empress, but he would not have risked his life (Savelich tells him: “Don’t be stubborn! What do you care?” is it worth it? Spit and kiss... he has a pen"), but he would betray himself, and this is no less scary for Grinev.
The hero risks his life two more times. The first time he returns to the Belogorsk fortress for Masha, having learned that “Shvabrin is forcing her to marry him,” realizing that his love and sense of responsibility for the orphan is deeper than fear for his life. And the second, when he does not pronounce the name of the captain’s daughter in court, although in doing so he may lose not only his life, but also his honorable name. But “the idea of entangling her name among the vile reports of villains and bringing her to a confrontation with him - this terrible thought struck me so much that I hesitated and became confused.”
However, not only for Pyotr Grinev morality is natural property nature, but other heroes also act in accordance with their moral ideal and teach readers to distinguish between good and evil. Commandant of the Belogorsk fortress Ivan Kuzmich, who in ordinary
in life he obeys his wife in everything, in an extreme situation he organizes the defense of the fortress, does not want to surrender to Pugachev’s mercy and is ready for death: “To die like that: it’s a service!” To Pugachev’s question: “How dare you resist me, your sovereign?” - the commandant, exhausted from the wound, gathered his last strength and answered in a firm voice: “You are not my sovereign, you are a thief and an impostor, hear you!” After the death of her husband, Vasilisa Egorovna calls Pugachev “an escaped convict” and, dying, remains true to her feelings of love and pride for her husband.
Marya Ivanovna, who at the beginning of the story seems quiet, modest, not even very attractive, cowardly, subsequently shows her best qualities. Left an orphan and completely dependent on Shvabrin, the sick woman refuses to marry him: “I will never be his wife! I decided better to die, and I will die if they don’t deliver me.” Love, loyalty, self-esteem, pride - that's what this scene teaches.
At the end of the work, Masha Mironova, like many other heroines of Russian literature, rescues her beloved from trouble. It was thanks to her efforts that the innocence of Marya Ivanovna’s fiancé was proven; in this situation, as in the duel scene, the honor and dignity of Pyotr Grinev become the honor and dignity of the captain’s daughter.
The moral laws by which the heroes of A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter” live were not acquired by them during their lives. They are an organic, natural property of the nature of the characters in question. These same moral categories are part of the national consciousness, which is most clearly embodied in the works of oral folk art. It was in fairy tales, songs, proverbs and sayings that the wisdom of the people, the idea of good and evil, and dreams of happiness were revealed. Moral lessons unite Pushkin's story and the creations of folklore; It is not without reason that the author chooses, in particular, proverbs and fragments of folk songs (wedding, soldier, historical) as epigraphs for the entire work and for its individual chapters. Thus, we can talk about the true nationality of A.S. Pushkin’s story.
The very form of the work - memoirs - suggests that their author shares his life experience and wants the reader to learn from his mistakes. It feels like these notes are addressed to the future - to our “cruel age”, in order to remind modern people about those moral laws that are violated every day in our time. Russian literature has always been distinguished by its teaching character, and A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter” is a clear confirmation of this.
In the work of A.S. Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter" shows honor as one of the main values of a person. I think all the main characters have their own opinion about this.
First you need to understand what it is. Honor is a virtue, something that evokes and maintains general respect and a sense of pride. Dishonor is a reproach, an insult, a shame.
Pyotr Grinev, the protagonist of the novel, appears to the reader as a noble man. He remains faithful to Masha during the war and the trial, at which he could have been justified if he had told the truth about his love, even when his parents forbade him to marry such a girl, Grinev is still ready to do it, in defiance of everyone. Various trials could have hindered him, there were many opportunities to leave the girl, but main character, guided by his concepts of honor, does the almost impossible - having agreed with Pugachev, he snatches the loot from the villains, while remaining unsullied. This character is portrayed as an ideal - an example of a noble person. One could stop there, but the author introduces Emelyan Pugachev into the narrative, an antagonist who personifies the pinnacle of vice. But is this really so? Is it likely that the writer showed something completely different from what he intended? Who is he - a terrible villain or an ordinary person who has the right to make mistakes?
I believe that the answer to the last question should be sought not only in the text, but also in certain historical sources, because a lot of the prototype is transferred to the character.
Emelyan Ivanovich Pugachev, as historical figure- Don Cossack, leader Peasant War 1773 - 1775 His family belonged to Orthodox faith. Big influence Pugachev and his subsequent activities were influenced by his temporary residence with the Old Believers, known for their rebellious nature. He was a good leader, but he trusted people too much. This became a fatal mistake.
Emelyan was betrayed by his subordinates. But even standing on the scaffold, this man was distinguished by his courage. He was baptized at the councils and asked for forgiveness from the entire Orthodox people, mainly from the peasants.
Pushkin's hero is very similar to a real person. He is also cunning, smart, cunning, but knows how to be noble. He has a lively character, he is a completely independent character, independent of the author, but even the writer himself shows sympathy for him in the form of Grinev’s thoughts: “But meanwhile, a strange feeling poisoned my joy: the thought of a villain, spattered with the blood of so many innocent victims, and I couldn’t help but worry about the execution awaiting him... The thought of him was inseparable from me with the thought of mercy given to me in one of the terrible moments of my life, and of the deliverance of my bride from the hands of Shvabrin.”
Having read this novel, I was struck by the disdain for Emelyan Pugachev, albeit with some notes of sympathy. It seems to me that everyone who has made a mistake should have the opportunity to correct it. Unfortunately, most often this is not applicable in practice. I know of at least three examples from books and from real life, proving this statement. Sometimes we are not given a “second chance” and that is unfortunate. Being a believer, I can have the courage to assert that if Emelyan Pugachev could pacify his pride and truly repent with all his heart, then perhaps his mistake would be forgotten, perhaps he could be saved.
As I stated earlier, Pugachev stumbled only once. He called himself Peter III. This was precisely his miscalculation, and not at all what Grinev claimed. It seems to me that those actions that Pushkin considers “dishonest” cannot, in fact, be characterized that way. In war conditions, murder is not considered a serious sin, in my opinion, since it was committed in defense of one’s homeland, opinion, life, etc. Therefore, Emelyan Pugachev in A.S. Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter” can well be considered a noble and honest person in everything except deception - adopting a different name. If this is not the case, as those to whom I am addressing may think, then I dare to remind you of the WWII veterans. If we follow the principle “murder is a terrible sin, followed by prison,” then all, without exception, the heroes of World War II should go to hell after death, and now they must be isolated from society, that is, be in prison. Based on this, it is quite possible to call Pugachev noble. And probably this person should be considered a role model, why not? After all, the determination with which he defends his opinion and tries to help his people is commendable.
Does this mean that there are no completely dishonest heroes in The Captain's Daughter?
Unfortunately, I think it’s worth paying attention to Shvabrin. This is the same hero who deserved “thirty pieces of silver”, more than once. He is capable of murder, as we can guess from the story of the duel, and this man also does not know how to love. After all, he only confuses Masha with dirt, telling Grinev about her, he wrote a denunciation, when he should have only been happy for the lovers, even though he might have been hurt. When Grinev arrived to free the girl, he saw her “pale, thin, with disheveled hair, in a peasant dress.” Isn’t this an indicator of Shvabrin’s “love”? The only crime of this character that is not considered such is his defection to Pugachev’s side. Fear pushes you to do many things, including betrayal. But, even standing on his own scaffold, Shvabrin slanderes others. Truly they say: “He who betrays once will betray twice”...
Of course, there are other characters in the text who explore the theme of honor and dishonor. But in this essay the three most important representatives of nobility are presented according to the degree of gradation of vice. Using their example, Pushkin slowly but surely explains his choice of epigraph: “Take care of your honor from a young age...” This is a saying, the continuation of which sounds like this: “... and the caftan is new.” This wisdom moves from line to line, from word to word, acquiring its own special qualities. And now, we see not a caftan, but a hare sheepskin coat, which becomes not just a gift to a tramp, but a thing that saved the lives of more than four people. And honor imperceptibly flows into the reader’s mind as one of the main human values. Isn’t this the pinnacle of a writer’s skill - to influence people so that they think about something completely different? Revealing the meaning of one little phrase through a great novel and surprising people with symbolism?
This is my opinion, but whether there are any blind spots in it is up to you to decide. The main characters of the novel "The Captain's Daughter" have honor, like few individuals in modern world. Are you one of them?
One of the main themes in Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter” is the theme of honor and duty. This theme is already set by the epigraph to the work - the Russian proverb “Take care of your honor from a young age.” The father gives the same parting words to Petrusha Grinev, seeing off his son to military service.
And the very act of Andrei Petrovich Grinev, who instead of St. Petersburg sends his son to a “deaf and distant side” so that Petrusha becomes a real officer, characterizes him as a man of honor and duty. The Grinevs are an old noble family. Pushkin emphasizes the strictness of Andrei Petrovich’s morals, his wisdom, and self-esteem.
It is characteristic that the concept of “honor and duty” in the story is ambiguous. In the story of Petrusha Grinev’s acquaintance with Zurin, when the young man lost a hundred rubles to his new acquaintance, we are talking about noble honor. Petrusha’s money was kept by Savelich, and the young man had to quarrel with his uncle in order to get the required amount. Amazed by the size of this amount, Savelich tries to dissuade Grinev from paying the debt. “You are my light! listen to me, the old man: write to this robber that you were joking, that we don’t even have that kind of money,” he persuades his pupil. However, Grinev cannot help but pay his billiard debt - for him it is a matter of noble honor.
The theme of honor is also realized in the history of Grinev’s relationship with Masha Mironova. Defending the honor of his beloved girl, the hero challenges his rival, Shvabrin, to a duel. However, the intervention of the commandant prevented the duel, and only then did it resume. Here we are talking about the lady’s honor, about the duty to her.
Having fallen in love with the daughter of Captain Mironov, Grinev feels responsible for her fate. He sees his duty as protecting and preserving his beloved girl. When Masha becomes Shvabrin's prisoner, Grinev is ready to do anything to free her. Not finding support from the official authorities, he turns to Pugachev for help. And Pugachev helps young people despite the fact that Masha is the daughter of the commandant of the Belogorsk fortress, the daughter of an officer of the enemy troops. Here, along with the theme of knightly honor, the motif of male honor arises. By rescuing Masha, his bride, from Shvabrin’s captivity, Grinev simultaneously defends his masculine honor.
After Grinev's arrest, a trial took place. However, while defending himself, the hero could not reveal the true state of affairs, because he was afraid to involve Masha Mironova in this story. “It occurred to me that if I named her, the commission would demand her to answer; and the idea of entangling her name among the vile reports of villains and bringing her herself into a confrontation with them - this terrible thought struck me so much that I hesitated and became confused.” Grinev prefers to suffer an undeserved punishment rather than insult the good name of Marya Ivanovna. Thus, in relation to Masha, the hero behaves like a true knight protecting his lady.
Another meaning of the concept of “honor and duty” in the story is military honor, loyalty to the oath, loyalty to duty to the Fatherland. This theme is also embodied in the history of the relationship between Grinev and Pugachev. After the capture of the Belogorsk fortress, Pugachev saved the hero from the death penalty and pardoned him. However, Grinev cannot recognize him as the sovereign, since he understands who he really is. “I was again brought to the impostor and made to kneel before him. Pugachev extended his sinewy hand to me. “Kiss the hand, kiss the hand!” they said around me. But I would prefer the most brutal execution to such vile humiliation,” recalls Grinev. However, this time everything worked out: Pugachev only joked that the young man was “stupified with joy,” and let him go.
However, further the drama and tension in the story increase. Pugachev asks Grinev if he recognizes his “sovereign” and if he promises to serve him. Position young man It is very ambiguous: he cannot recognize the impostor as the sovereign, and, at the same time, he does not want to expose himself to useless risks. Grinev hesitates, but the sense of duty triumphs “over human weakness.” He overcomes his own cowardice and frankly admits to Pugachev that he cannot consider him a sovereign. A young officer cannot serve an impostor: Grinev is a natural nobleman who swore allegiance to the empress.
Then the situation becomes even more dramatic. Pugachev is trying to make Grinev promise not to oppose the rebels. But the hero cannot promise him this either: he is obliged to obey the requirements of military duty, to obey orders. However, this time Pugachev’s soul softened - he let the young man go.
The theme of honor and duty is also embodied in other episodes of the story. Here Ivan Kuzmich Mironov refuses to recognize the impostor as sovereign. Despite the injury, he fulfills his duty as the commandant of the fortress to the end. He prefers to die rather than betray his military duty. Ivan Ignatyich, the garrison lieutenant who refused to swear allegiance to Pugachev, also dies heroically.
Thus, the theme of honor and duty receives the most varied embodiment in Pushkin’s story. This is noble honor, knightly honor and lady's honor, male honor, military honor, human duty. All these motives, merging together, form a semantic polyphony in the plot of the story.
Russian writers have always addressed the problem of honor and morality in their works. It seems to me that this problem was and is one of the central ones in Russian literature. Honor ranks first among moral symbols. You can survive many troubles and hardships, but, probably, not a single people on earth will come to terms with the decay of morality. Loss of honor is a decline in moral principles, which is always followed by punishment. The concept of honor is brought up in a person from childhood. Thus, using the example of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin’s story “The Captain’s Daughter,” it is clearly visible how this happens in life and what results it leads to.
The main character of the story, Pyotr Andreevich Grinev, has been brought up since childhood in an environment of high everyday morality. In Grinev, good things seemed to unite, loving heart his mother with honesty, integrity, courage - qualities that are inherent in his father. Andrei Petrovich Grinev has a negative attitude towards easy but dishonest ways to make a career at court. That is why he did not want to send his son Petrusha to serve in St. Petersburg, in the guard: “What will he learn by serving in St. Petersburg? Wander and hang out? - Andrei Petrovich says to his wife. “No, let him serve in the army, let him pull the strap, let him smell gunpowder, let him be a soldier, not a chamaton.” In his parting words to his son, Grinev especially emphasizes the need to maintain honor: “Serve faithfully to whom you swear allegiance, obey your superiors; Don’t chase their affection; don’t ask for service; don’t talk yourself out of serving and remember the proverb: take care of your dress again, but take care of your honor from a young age.” This parting word from his father stays with Grinev for the rest of his life and helps Petrushi not to stray from the right path.
Since childhood, Grinev has been greatly influenced by his faithful servant, but at the same time also by his friend, Savelich. Savelich considers it his duty to serve Petrusha and be devoted to him from beginning to end. His devotion to his masters is far from slavish. In Petrusha's childhood, Savelich not only teaches him to write and judge the merits of a greyhound dog, but he also gives Grinev important advice that helped Petrusha Grinev in the future. With these words, for example, an old servant educates his ward Pyotr Grinev, who got drunk for the first time and behaved unsightly: “It seems that neither the father nor the grandfather were drunkards; There’s nothing to say about mother...” Thus, Grinev’s father and his faithful servant Savelich raised Peter from childhood to be a nobleman who did not consider it possible to change his oath and go over to the side of his enemies for his own good.
The first time, Pyotr Grinev acted honorably, returning the gambling debt, although in that situation Savelich tried to persuade him to evade payment. But nobility prevailed. It would seem like such a small thing, but it’s with these little things that everything begins.
A man of honor, in my opinion, is always kind and selfless in his interactions with others. For example, Pyotr Grinev, despite Savelich’s dissatisfaction, thanked the tramp for his service by giving him a hare sheepskin coat. This act saved both of their lives in the future. This episode seems to say that fate itself protects a person who lives by honor. But, of course, it’s not a matter of fate, but simply on earth more people who remember good rather than evil means that a noble person has a greater chance of worldly happiness.
Moral tests awaited Grinev in the Belgorod fortress, where he served. There Peter met the daughter of boss Mironov. Because of Masha, Peter quarreled with his vile comrade Shvabrin, who, as it later turned out, wooed her, but was refused. Not wanting anyone to discredit Masha’s good name with impunity, Grinev challenges the offender to a duel. He acted like a real man.
Shvabrin is the complete opposite of Grinev. He is a selfish and ungrateful person. For the sake of his personal goals, Shvabrin is ready to commit any dishonorable act. This shows up in everything. Even during the duel, he did not hesitate to take advantage of a dishonorable situation to strike. The duel almost ended with the death of Grinev due to Shvabrin’s meanness, if not for Savelich. When Savelich found out about Grinev’s duel with Shvabrin, he rushed to the place of the duel with the intention of protecting his master. “God knows, I ran to shield you with my chest from Alexei Ivanovich’s sword.” However, Grinev not only did not thank the old man, but also accused him of informing his parents. Although, having recovered, Grinev learned that it was Shvabrin who had once been his best friend, wrote a denunciation against him to Grinev’s father. No wonder they say: “Never talk bad about yourself, your friends will tell you everything themselves.” Naturally, this aroused in Peter hatred of his enemy. Grinev’s righteous anger is close and understandable to me. After all, Shvabrin was always a “stone” in Grinev’s path. However, fate did not deprive Shvabrin of its attention for his sins. He got what he deserved. Shvabrin will side with Pugachev, and he will be condemned as an officer who took the oath.
It seems to me that Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin wanted to show that external culture has little influence on the development of a person’s personality and character. After all, Shvabrin was more educated than Grinev. He read French novels, he was a smart conversationalist. Shvabrin even got Grinev addicted to reading. Apparently, the family in which a person is raised is of decisive importance.
In the life of every person there is an intersection of two roads, and at the crossroads there is a stone with the inscription: “If you walk through life with honor, you will die.” If you go against honor, you will live.” It was in front of this stone that the inhabitants of the fortress, including Grinev and Shvabrin, now stood. During the Pugachev rebellion, the moral qualities of some heroes of the story and the baseness of the feelings of others were especially evident.
I learned that Captain Mironov and his wife chose death, but did not surrender to the mercy of the rebels. Honor and duty in their understanding are above all. The Mironovs’ concept of honor and duty does not go beyond the scope of the charter, but you can always rely on such people. They are right in their own way. Mironov is characterized by a sense of loyalty to duty, word, oath. He is not capable of treason and betrayal for the sake of his own well-being; he will accept death, but will not change, will not renounce his service. His courage, fidelity to duty and oath, his moral value and deep humanity are traits of a true Russian character. Vasilisa Egorovna was of the same opinion as her husband. Masha's mother was an exemplary wife who understood her husband well and tried to help him in every possible way. In my memory she remained like this until the last.
Shvabrin was filled with indifference and contempt for the common people and honest petty service people, for Mironov, who was fulfilling his duty and morally standing above Shvabrin. The sense of honor in Shvabrin was very poorly developed. Shvabrin, as one would expect, went over to Pugachev’s side, but did not do so out of ideological convictions: he hoped to save his life, hoped to make a career with him if Pugachev was successful, and most importantly, he wanted, having dealt with his enemy, to forcibly marry Masha who didn't love him. Shvabrin did not understand what honor and duty were. Perhaps, deep down in his soul, he knew that such noble feelings existed, but they were not inherent in him. In extreme situations, he first of all wanted to survive, even through humiliation.
As for Grinev, it is quite clear that he chose death. After all, having sworn allegiance to Pugachev, the killer of Masha’s parents, Petrusha became an accomplice in the crime. To kiss Pugachev’s hand meant to betray all life’s ideals, to betray honor. Grinev could not break the moral code and live the vile life of a traitor. It was better to die, but to die a hero. Peter still did not kiss Pugachev’s hand. If it were not for Savelich’s intervention at the time of trial and oath, Grinev would have been hanged. This is how Grinev himself spoke about this scene: “Suddenly I heard a cry: “Wait, you damned ones!” Wait!” The executioners stopped. I look: Savelich is lying at Pugachev’s feet. “Dear father! - said the poor guy - What do you want in the death of the master’s child? Let him go; They will give you a ransom for it; and for the sake of example and fear, order them to hang even me as an old man!” Pugachev gave a sign, and they immediately untied me and left me.” I think that in this episode Savelich accomplished a real feat. He always fussed and cared about his “master,” and Grinev did not take this into account, as if this was how everything should be, and yet Savelich saved his life for the second time. This is what it meant for Savelich to be truly devoted and to observe his duty.
It seems to me that Pugachev showed generosity towards the young officer not only out of gratitude for the old service. Although Pugachev and Grinev were even for a long time: Pugachev gave Grinev a ride home, and in gratitude he gave him a sheepskin coat. Pugachev equally, it seemed to me, appreciated Grinev as a man of honor. The leader himself popular uprising He set himself noble goals - the liberation of serfs and the fight for their personal independence, so Pugachev was not alien to the concepts of honor.
At the feast, a verbal duel arises between Pugachev and Grinev. But unexpectedly for both of them, a warrior wakes up in Grinev the child. He stands with dignity for his ideals, his honor before Russia and is ready to accept death. But at the same time, a man wakes up in Pugachev the robber. He begins to understand Petrusha: “But he’s right!” He is a man of honor. It doesn’t matter that he is still young, and most importantly, he does not evaluate life in a childish way!” It was at this stage that Pugachev and Grinev found a common language. Their souls seemed to merge into a single whole and mutually enriched.
Grinev's morality even influenced Pugachev himself. The chieftain told the officer a fairy tale he had heard from an old Kalmyk woman, in which it was said that it was better to drink blood once than to eat carrion for three hundred years. Of course, the fairy eagle and the raven argued in this moment, solving a purely human problem at the moment. Discussing this fairy tale, Pugachev and Grinev express their position in life. Pugachev has no choice, he cannot live otherwise, for him rebellion is the meaning of life, for Grinev, “to live by murder and robbery means, for me, to peck at carrion.” The heroes do not agree on the definition of the basis of life and nevertheless are friendly to each other. After their conversation, Pugachev then plunges into deep thoughts. Therefore, deep down in his soul, Pugachev had noble roots.
When Pugachev freed Masha Mironova, he invited Grinev to get married right away, and he himself wanted to be his imprisoned father. However, Grinev politely refused, and Pugachev managed to understand him and let him go. This episode reveals the amazing humanity of Pugachev’s morality. Having learned that two young people loved each other, he sought to promote their happiness. Do you like it? Then get together, get married, be happy: “Take your beauty; take her wherever you want, and God give you love and advice!”
Shvabrin, too, was powerless in implementing his insidious and selfish plans. Pugachev not only did not support Shvabrin, but also clearly made it clear to him that he was dishonest and therefore not a competitor to Grinev.
It would seem that a connection with the rebellious ataman would become fatal for Grinev. He is actually arrested based on a denunciation. He faces the death penalty, but Grinev decides, for reasons of honor, not to name his beloved. If he had told the whole truth about such a situation, he would probably have been acquitted. But at the very last moment justice has prevailed. Masha herself turns to a lady close to the Empress for Grinev’s pardon. In trouble, Masha revealed such spiritual depths that at the beginning of the story I could not have imagined in a young girl who blushed every time at the mere mention of her name. It would seem that Masha is so weak. But, deciding that she will never marry the vile Shvabrin in her life, she gathers courage and for the sake of her lover goes all the way to the empress herself to defend her love. These are her principles that she will not compromise. The lady takes the poor girl at her word. This fact suggests that in a society where most people live by honor, justice is always easier to prevail. The lady turns out to be the empress herself, and the fate of her beloved Masha is decided for the better.
Grinev remains a man of honor to the end. He was present at the execution of Pugachev, to whom he owed his happiness. Pugachev recognized him and nodded from the scaffold. Pyotr Grinev proved himself from the very beginning in all the trials that befell him from the very the best side. In all his actions, he was guided by his convictions, without betraying his oath and the concept of honor and morality.
So, the proverb “take care of your honor from a young age” has the meaning of a life talisman that helps you overcome harsh life trials.