2. Sholokhov. WOMEN'S FATES IN THE NOVEL "QUIET DON"

2.1 HISTORY OF THE NOVEL

1925 Sholokhov began a work about the Cossacks during the Kornilov rebellion, entitled " Quiet Don" (and not "Donshchina", according to the legend). However, this plan was abandoned, but a year later the writer again takes up the "Quiet Flows the Don", widely unfolding the picture of the pre-war life of the Cossacks and the events of the First World War. The first two books of the epic novel were published in 1928 in the Krasnaya Nov magazine. Almost immediately there are doubts about their authorship, too much knowledge and experience required a work of this magnitude. Sholokhov brought the manuscripts to Moscow for examination (in the 1990s, the Moscow journalist L. E. Kolodny gave their description, although not strictly scientific, and comments on them). The young writer was full of energy, had a phenomenal memory, read a lot (in the 1920s even the memoirs of white generals were available), asked the Cossacks in the Don farms about the "German" and civil wars, and knew the life and customs of his native Don like no one else . The release of the third book (the sixth part) was delayed due to a rather sympathetic depiction of the participants in the anti-Bolshevik Upper Don uprising of 1919. Sholokhov turned to Gorky and with his help obtained permission from Stalin to publish this book without cuts (1932), and in 1934 basically completed the fourth , the latter, but began to rewrite it again, probably not without increased ideological pressure. In two recent books Quiet Flows the Don (the seventh part of the fourth book was published in 1937-1938, the eighth - in 1940), a lot of journalistic, often didactic, unequivocally pro-Bolshevik declarations appeared, quite often contradicting the plot and figurative structure of the epic novel. But this does not add arguments to the theory of "two authors" or "author" and "co-author", developed by skeptics who irrevocably do not believe in the authorship of Sholokhov (A.I. Solzhenitsyn, I.B. Tomashevskaya among them). Apparently, Sholokhov himself was his "co-author", retaining mainly the artistic world that he created in the early 1930s, and fastening an ideological orientation in a purely external way. In 1935, the already mentioned Levitskaya admired Sholokhov, finding that he had turned "from a 'doubting', staggering into a solid communist, who knew where he was going, clearly seeing both the goal and the means to achieve it." Undoubtedly, the writer convinced himself of this and, although in 1938 he almost fell victim to a false political accusation, he found the courage to end The Quiet Flows the Don with the complete collapse of his beloved hero Grigory Melekhov, crushed by the wheel of cruel history.

2.2 WOMEN'S FATES IN THE NOVEL

Aksinya was attractive, her beauty was not spoiled even by wrinkles that appeared from a difficult life. Another heroine, Daria, delights readers with her femininity and energy. Outwardly, Natalya can be compared with a gray duck. The author himself often emphasizes in Aksinya - “greedy lips”, in Natalia - “big hands”, in Daria - “thin eyebrow rims”. The heroines of M. Sholokhov are very different, but they are united by the fullness of the perception of life. In those years, the fate of women, as, indeed, in our time, was not easy. If a husband beat his wife, then it was considered in the order of things: before, the father taught the mind, and now, therefore, the husband. Here are the consequences of such an attitude of Panteley Prokopyevich towards his wife: “... in anger he went to unconsciousness, and, apparently, this prematurely aged his once beautiful, and now completely entangled in a web of wrinkles, portly wife.”

But this has always been the case in almost every family. And people perceived it as inevitable and given from above. There was a house, there was a family, there was work on the land, there were children who had to be taken care of. And no matter how difficult her fate was, she firmly knew her purpose. And it helped her survive.

But something terrible happened - the war began. And not just a war, but a fratricidal war. When yesterday's neighbors became enemies, when the father did not understand his son, and the brother killed his brother...

It was difficult to make sense of what was happening, even for clever Gregory. What is a woman to do? How can she live?.. Husbands leave, but their wives remain.

The fates of Aksinya and Natalya are intertwined, dependent on each other. It turns out that if one is happy, the other is unhappy. M. Sholokhov depicted, as it were, a love triangle that existed at all times.

Natalya loved her husband with all her heart: “... she lived, cultivating an unconscious hope for the return of her husband, leaning on her with a broken spirit. She did not write anything to Gregory, but there was no person in the family who would have expected a letter from him with such anguish and pain.

This tender and fragile woman took upon herself the full measure of the suffering released by life. She wanted to do everything to save the family. And, only feeling the futility of this, he decides to commit suicide. Maybe it was selfishness, caused by jealousy, that prompted her to this act. Was there such a revolution in Aksinya's life? Perhaps he came after the death of Tanya. Having lost her daughter, she did not know anything, did not think about anything ... Terrible. The mother is alive, and her children are in the earth. There are no continuers of your life, it is as if interrupted ... And at this most difficult moment of her life, Aksinya found herself completely alone. And there was no one to help her ... But there was one compassionate person, closeness with whom led to Aksinya's break with Grigory. The fate of Natalia in this regard was more merciful. This heroine possessed truly maternal feelings, which united her with Ilyinichnaya, but somewhat alienated her from Daria, whose only child died.

It was said briefly about what happened to Daria's child: "... and Daria's child died..." And that's it. No extra feelings, emotions ... By this, M. Sholokhov once again emphasizes that Daria lived only for herself. Even the death of her husband briefly saddened her, she quickly recovered. Obviously, Daria did not have deep feelings for Peter, she just got used to him. Fearing the inevitable, lost in loneliness, she decided to commit suicide. And before merging with the waters of the Don, she shouted not to anyone, but to women, since only they could understand her: “Farewell, babonki!”

Shortly before this, Natalya also passed away. After their death, Aksinya became close to Grigory's mother. It is unfortunate that the feelings that connected these two women arose so late, literally one step before the death that awaited each of them.

Aksinya and Natalya died, thus punishing the top of the triangle, leaving Grigory at a crossroads.

Maybe M. Sholokhov spoke bitterly about the fate of women. But try to portray better - it won't work! Reality is real only if it is true, otherwise it is not reality, but only a parody of it.

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(338 words) Without a doubt, Vasilisa Ilyinichna Melekhova is one of the most profound images of the famous epic novel by Mikhail Alexandrovich Sholokhov "Quiet Don".

The creator of the work endowed the elderly Cossack woman with the main qualities of a Russian woman, these include patience, wisdom, morality and, most importantly, a loving mother's heart.

The image of Ilyinichna is firmly embedded in my memory, because she is the guardian of the independent culture of the Cossacks and personifies the great resilience of the common people in the face of life's difficulties.

It seems to me that among the many trials that Vasilisa Melekhova had to go through, one of the most terrible was the war and the death of the people closest to her heart, but even with such a disaster, the woman did not lose faith in a brighter future. She was sick a lot, grew old early, nevertheless, she always remained a careful and restless hostess.

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It was not easy for her to live with her husband, in a temper, he beat and insulted his wife, but only she knew how to tame the attacks of his rage, endured betrayal and assault. This is probably why the writer calls the heroine "a staunch and arrogant old woman." At the same time, she is characterized by righteousness and rationality.

For example, the mother tried to protect Grigory from excessive ferocity: “You are God ... God, son, do not leave ...”.

On the life path Vasilisa Melekhova rarely met happiness. She is used to resentment, and does not expect joy from fate, however, she tries to instill justice and kindness in her children. In a disagreement between her son and daughter-in-law, she shows intelligence and sanity.

On the one hand, she explains to Natalya the injustice of her intention to renounce the child Gregory. But on the other hand, she does not regret Gregory either, she talks about how his heart turns into a "wolf" one. She doesn't go over to either side.

I believe that such a wise upbringing influenced Grigory's later life, he also does not take any particular side, he remains with his own opinion.

Ilyinichna died without saying goodbye to her son. Realizing the nearness of the end, she leaves home to say goodbye to her dear child in the steppe: “Gryshenka! My darling! My kravinushka!" The fate of this Cossack woman ends deplorably and bitterly.

Nevertheless, the image of Ilyinichna is a portrait of the mother's soul, of Russia itself in miniature. But, despite the highest moral qualities that Vasilisa Ilyinichna lived for, her portrait became a reflection of a gloomy time and a broken female fate.

Together with it, the patriarchal world of the Cossacks is becoming obsolete.

The image and characteristics of Grigory Melekhov. The protagonist of the novel by Mikhail Sholokhov "Quiet Flows the Don" - war and love in the life of Grigory Melekhov

Quiet Don is a unique classic, the uniqueness of which lies in its heroes. The main character will be discussed in the article.

The novel "Quiet Flows the Don", written by Sholokhov M.A., became a great literary work of the 20th century. The book is devoted to the problems of the Russian Cossacks in the revolutionary and war period.

It reveals the problems of mankind in the era of historical events. Many broken destinies are described. The author spent more than ten years writing the novel. Some of the events and characters described in the book are taken from real life.

"Quiet Flows the Don" brought Sholokhov worldwide popularity.

The image of Grigory Melekhov

Sholokhov grew up on the banks of the Don. The problems of the Cossacks were closely intertwined with his life and left their indelible significant mark. In the work, you can get acquainted in detail with the Cossack life, the features of their life.

The novel contains part of the historical events that have documentary evidence.

The central figure in the novel is Cossack Grigory Melekhov. In this man, the author presented many versatile contradictory qualities, personifying the strength of the national spirit.

Throughout the novel, the military courage of a Cossack and a sensitive soul are intertwined in the protagonist. ordinary person. Sholokhov does not attribute image of Grigory Melekhov to negative or positive characters.

• The representative of an old Cossack family was born in 1982 on the Tatar farm on the banks of the Don River in a working family with prosperity. From birth, he is instilled with a love for the land and hard work. He likes to go fishing, take care of horses, mow grass. His youth passes in happy and carefree everyday life. On the example of a duck cut with a scythe, the author emphasizes his compassion for all living things.

The image of Melekhov

• At the beginning of the novel, Gregory appears to the reader as a handsome young guy with bright features. Melekhov's grandmother was Turkish, so the author points to his similarity with typical Turkish features - swarthy skin, curly black hair, dark eyes.
• The Cossack has a cheeky type of face with a cartilaginous nose. His gaze was like that of a wild beast. Extraordinary appearance emphasizes his peculiar character and distinguishes him from the crowd.
• The beauty of his facial features Sholokhov mentions throughout the novel. The author emphasizes the Cossack roots of Gregory with his traditional clothes - red trousers with stripes, white woolen stockings, tweets on his legs.

Characteristics of Grigory Melekhov

Gregory had a fiery temper. The blood boiled in him, pushing him to desperate and thoughtless actions. Melekhov always expresses his opinion and does not listen to the advice of others. The Cossack did not tolerate ridicule and did not forgive them even to his relatives.

• His older brother Peter becomes his companion in life. In their youth, Gregory and Peter help each other with the housework, and later they go to war together. The ideals of the brothers drastically diverge. For Gregory, honor and dignity always come first. Peter did not experience any mental suffering, for him the war opened up new prospects for his own self-realization.
• Melekhov's father was a prominent representative of the indigenous Cossacks. It is he who instills Grigory valiant Cossack qualities. Throughout the novel, the father teaches his son, but Grigory persistently pursues his goals. In conflict situations, Gregory never allows himself to be hit. During the war, the father takes pride in the achievements of his son.
• Living in a Cossack farm, Grigory enjoys the beauties native land. He is an ardent patriot native land: “... I won’t touch the ground anywhere. There is a steppe here, there is something to breathe, but there? ..». Is in complete mutual understanding with the surrounding people. The heart of a young and energetic Cossack is open to selfless love. Following the taste of the passion experienced, Melikhov is unable to stop and acts contrary to parental orders.
• The first significant event in the life of Gregory is love and passion for a married woman Aksinya. He stubbornly and persistently cared for her. Contrary to moral principles, the Cossack was not afraid to make his feelings public. This is below his dignity.
• The relationship between Aksinya and Grigory is perceived by the natives as a protest against the legalized traditions and mores of the Cossacks. People gloat and shun their company.

With a beloved woman

• The affected honor of the family forces Father Gregory to marry his son as soon as possible. A conscientious Cossack follows the lead of his relatives and marries a girl from a wealthy family.
• Grigory's wife Natalya is infinitely devoted to him and passionately in love with her husband, but they never come to an understanding. Despite the marriage, Melekhov does not stop his relationship with Aksinya.
• Feelings for this woman take over and Melekhov leaves his wife without thinking about her future fate. Gregory is always open and honest with everyone. He will not hide the truth, even if it hurts a lot. Tears do not evoke compassion in him, he is able to say directly to his face about his dislike for a woman.

The image of Ilyinichna

The mainstay of the Melikhov family is the mother of Grigory, Peter and Dunyashka - Ilyinichna. This is an elderly Cossack woman who has adult sons, and the youngest daughter Dunyashka is a teenager.

The old woman, restless and busy, always busy with endless household chores, seems invisible at first, and takes little part in the events taking place. Even her portrait characteristics are not in the first chapters of the book, but only some details by which it can be judged that this woman has experienced a lot: “completely entangled in a web of wrinkles, a burly woman”, “knotty and heavy hands”, “shuffling with senile flabby bare feet” . And only in the last parts of The Quiet Flows the Don is the rich inner world of Ilyinichna revealed.

One of the main character traits of this woman is calm wisdom. Otherwise, she simply could not get along with her emotional and quick-tempered husband. Without any fuss, Ilyinichna manages the household, takes care of children and grandchildren, not forgetting their emotional experiences.

Ilyinichna is an economical and prudent hostess. She maintains not only external order in the house, but also monitors the moral atmosphere in the family. She condemns Grigory’s relationship with Aksinya, and, realizing how hard it is for Grigory’s legal wife Natalya to live with her husband, treat her like her own daughter, trying in every possible way to facilitate her work, pity her, sometimes even give her an extra hour to sleep. The fact that Natalya lives in the house of the Melekhovs after a suicide attempt says a lot: this house has the warmth that a young woman so needed.

At any life situation Ilyinichna is deeply decent and sincere. She understands Natalya, who was tormented by her husband's betrayals, lets her cry, and then tries to dissuade her from rash acts: “You young people have a great temper, a true god! A little something - you're pissed off. If you lived the way I lived from a young age, what would you do then? Grishka hasn’t laid a finger on you all his life, and you’re dissatisfied, what a miracle you’ve done: and you were about to leave him, and you were shattered, and no matter what you did, you confused God in your filthy deeds ... Well tell me, tell me, sick, and is it good? And my good idol from a young age killed to death, but for no reason at all, my guilt before him was not in the least. He messed up himself, but plucked it out of spite. He would come at dawn, cry out with bitter tears, reproach him, well, he would give free rein to his fists ... For a month, she was all blue, like iron, but she survived, and she fed the children, she never thought to leave the house.

She carefully cares for the sick Natalya, for her grandchildren. Condemning Daria for too free behavior, nevertheless hides her illness from her husband so that he does not kick her out of the house. There is some greatness in her, the ability not to pay attention to trifles, but to see the main thing in family life.

The strong, wise Ilyinichna is constantly busy, worried and takes care of all the household members, trying in every possible way to protect them from troubles, adversities, from rash acts; stands between her husband, uncontrollable in anger, and proud, temperamental sons, for which he receives blows from her husband, who, feeling the advantage of his wife in everything, is thus affirmed.

Ilyinichna did not understand the events of the revolution and civil war, but she turned out to be much more humane, smarter, more perspicacious than Grigory and Panteley Prokofievich. So, for example, she reproaches her youngest son, who chopped sailors in battle, supports Panteley Prokofievich, who kicks Mitka Korshunov out of his convoy. “So you and I, and Mishatka and Polyushka, could have been chopped up for Grisha, but if they didn’t, they had mercy,” says the indignant Ilyinichna Natalya. When Darya shot the captive Kotlyarov, Ilyinichna, according to Dunyasha, "was afraid to spend the night with her in the same hut, went to her neighbors."

All her life she, not sparing her health, worked, making good bit by bit. And when the situation forces her to give up everything and leave the farm, she declares: “Let them kill you at the threshold - everything is easier than dying under someone else's wattle fence!” This is not greed, but the fear of losing one's nest, roots, without which a person loses the meaning of life. She understands this with a feminine, maternal instinct, and it is impossible to convince her.

Ilyinichna values ​​honesty, decency, and purity in people. She is afraid that the cruelty surrounding them will affect the soul and consciousness of Mishatka's grandson. She resigned herself to the idea that the murderer of her son Peter became a member of their family by marrying Dunyasha. The old mother does not want to go against the feelings of her daughter, and man's strength is needed in the household. Ilyinichna reconciles, seeing how Dunyasha reaches out to this man, how the nervous, hard look of Koshevoy warms up at the sight of her grandson, Mishatka. She blesses them, knowing that the life she has known so far cannot be returned, and she has no power to fix it. This shows the wisdom of Ilyinichna.

The heart of a Russian woman-mother is so easy-going that Ilyinichna, hating the murderer of her eldest son Mishka Koshevoy, sometimes feels maternal pity for him, either sending him a sackcloth so as not to freeze, or darning clothes. However, with the arrival of Koshevoy in the Melekhovsky house, she experiences mental anguish, she remains alone in her house, unnecessary to anyone. Ilyinichna, overcoming the anguish and pain of her losses, took a decisive step towards the new that will come after her, to which others will be witnesses, and with them her grandson Mishatka. And how little Koshevoy needed to show tenderness, not at all to her, but to her grandson Mishatka, so that she would make this breakthrough, reuniting in our minds into a single majestic image of Ilyinichna - both young and old, and Ilyinichna of the last days of her life ... Here , in fact, the culmination of Ilyinichna's spiritual movement towards the new that will come after her. She now firmly knew that the "murderer" could not smile so tenderly at Mishatka - Grisha's son, her grandson ... And Ilyinichna, resigned to the will of her daughter, before the force of circumstances, steps over the natural repulsion from the murderer of her eldest son, takes into the house so hated by her , a person charged with an alien “truth” and even begins to feel “unsolicited pity” for him when he is exhausted, oppressed and tormented by malaria. Here it is - a great, redemptive pity maternal heart to the lost children of this cruel world! And before her death, she gives Dunyasha the most precious thing for Mishka - Grigory's shirt, let him wear it, otherwise he was already soaked with sweat! This is the highest gesture of forgiveness and reconciliation on her part!

V recent chapters Sholokhov reveals the tragedy of a mother who lost her husband, son, many relatives and friends: “She lived, broken by suffering, aged, miserable. She had to experience a lot of grief, perhaps even too much ... ". The “hard old woman” Ilyinichna “did not shed a tear when she learned about the death of her husband, but only closed herself in. Having buried her eldest son, husband, daughter-in-law within a year, Ilyinichna was most afraid of Grigory's death. Ilyinichna thinks only of him. She lived only for them the last days: “I have become old ... And my heart hurts about Grisha ... It hurts so much that nothing is cute for me and it hurts to look at my eyes.” In longing for her son, who still did not return, Ilyinichna takes out his old coat and cap, hangs them in the kitchen. “You enter the base, take a look, and somehow it becomes easier ... As if he is already with us ...”, she says to Dunyasha, smiling guiltily and pathetically.

A short letter from Grigory with a promise to come on a visit in the autumn brings great joy to Ilyinichna. She proudly says: “The little one remembered his mother. How does he write? By patronymic, Ilyinichnaya, he called ... I bow low, I write to my dear mother and dear children ... "

War, death, anxiety for a loved one reconciled Ilyinichna with Aksinya, and through the eyes of Aksinya we see the grief of an inconsolable mother, who understands that she will no longer see her son: an inaccessible distant star, the fire laid out by mowers flickered. Aksinya clearly saw Ilyinichna's swollen face illuminated by the blue moonlight, a strand of gray hair escaping from under the old woman's black shawl. Ilyinichna looked for a long time into the twilight blue of the steppe, and then, not loudly, as if he were standing right there, next to her, she called: “Gryshenka! My dear one! - She paused and already in a different, low and deaf voice she said: - my little blood ... "

If earlier Ilyinichna was restrained in her feelings, then at the end of the novel everything changes, she seems to be all made up of motherly love: “It's amazing how short and poor life turned out to be and how much hard and sadness was in it, in her thoughts she turned to Grigory ... And on her deathbed she lived with Gregory, she thought only of him...”.

The image of Ilyinichna in the novel is a pure image of motherhood, the image of the "Don Madonna". And maternal love, thanks to this image, turns out to be especially naturally deeply connected with metaphysical limits. human life: birth and death. Only a mother, with every cell of her being, with every drop of blood, cannot accept the death of her son, his disappearance from white light where she bore him for life and joy. How many maternal tears, longing, lamentations spilled over the "Quiet Don"! And mothers bury themselves in the shirts left by their dead sons, looking for the smell of sons sweat in their “folds”, at least some, but a material trace and a remnant of the person they most deeply loved.

In his novel, M. A. Sholokhov raises many questions and topics. The images described by the author embody not only their time, but also true human characters. Ilyinichna in the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" acts as an image of a righteous mother, a symbol of patience, diligence and humility. It was these qualities that Sholokhov invested in the heroine, who became the personification of motherhood.

Portrait of the heroine

Vasilisa Ilyinichna Melekhova is the mother of Grigory and Peter Melekhov. At the beginning of the story, the woman is already in her old age. Her portrait, described by the author, suggests that Ilyinichna is a pleasant and wise woman. Vasilisa's "portly camp", her stately gait did not undergo age. The author calls her "a wise and courageous old woman." Of the children, Peter most resembled her.

The fate of Ilyinichna

Vasilisa Ilyinichna is an exemplary and exemplary wife and mother. She is a true keeper of the hearth. Despite the fact that she had to endure a lot from her husband, she remained faithful to him and was able to raise her children as good people. In a conversation with her daughter-in-law, Ilyinichna admits that in her family life not everything was good and smooth - she had to endure betrayal and beatings. But she managed to forgive her husband, saved her family. Women's duty was above all for her.

Vasilisa Strong woman. Having learned about the death of her husband, she does not give vent to her feelings, copes with the loss at the level of internal experiences, without letting her grief out. This woman spends all her time in labor - the meaning of her life is to work for the sake of children and family.

Ilyinichna rarely saw happiness in her own life, but this did not embitter her. She tries to instill the most moral qualities in her children. Goodness and justice are the main criteria of life for Vasilisa, she wants to raise her children like that. Seeing the disagreements between her son and daughter-in-law, Ilyinichna tries to give wise advice, is the voice of reason. She tries to dissuade Natalia from the decision to get rid of the child, tries to show her the injustice of such an intention.

Many difficult trials fell on the lot of this woman, but the most terrible of them was the war. She took away her beloved people, but even this could not undermine her faith in a bright future, true human virtues.

image of motherhood

The image of Ilyinichna Sholokhov describes as a symbol of motherhood. She is madly in love with her children, ready for anything for them. Until the last moment, she is waiting for the return of Gregory, but fate did not allow her to see her son again.

There are no other people's children for her, and even Mishka Koshevoy, despite his act, she forgives and helps him in every possible way. The attitude towards children shows Ilyinichna wiser than all the warring parties. It does not divide people into "white" and "red". She understands that all of them are people who are someone's sons, they are all loved and expected by their mothers. Shooting at each other, massacres among the two warring parties hurt the heart of Vasilisa Ilyinichna, she tries to reason with her son, calling his mind to God, honor and justice.

The characterization of Ilyinichna in the novel "Quiet Flows the Don" is the embodiment of the female fate of that time, broken, but not broken. Through her image, Sholokhov conveys the virtue of true maternal feelings, the bitterness of losing children, all the fear and injustice of seeing off his sons to the war. Ilyinichna personifies the greatness of the people, their stamina and fortitude, even in such terrible circumstances as war.

This article will help you write an essay on the topic “Characteristics of Ilyinichna in the novel “Quiet Flows the Don”, describe the image and fate of the heroine, indicate the symbolism and depth of the image.

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Cossack Vasilisa Ilyinichna is one of the heroines of the epic novel, the mother of the brothers Pera and Grigory Melekhov, the wife of Panteley Melekhov. The image of Ilyinichna is collective, personifying a simple Russian woman, the keeper of the hearth, a faithful wife, a loving mother.

The appearance of the heroine. It's already elderly woman, with a stately gait, despite the fact that she worked tirelessly all her life, her hands are strained, rough.

Ilyichna is a hereditary Cossack. The life of the villagers was not easy - along with household chores, conscription to protect the borders of the country, so women helped their husbands with the housework, the upbringing of children fell on their shoulders, if necessary, they stood on the same line with men to protect the village. These women of a special “Cossack tempering” harmoniously combined decisiveness and femininity, independence and humility, unshakable devotion to the family way of life and selfless love for the motherland.

Meek Ilyinichna calmly and judiciously manages the household, patiently treats her quick-tempered husband, who cheated on her and beat her mercilessly in her youth, anxiously takes care of restless children and numerous grandchildren. She is the guardian of her family hearth - this is the meaning of her existence.

The main virtue of this woman is a maternal feeling, love for children is sincere and selfless: she affectionately takes care of them, magnifies: my blood. The mother's wisdom opposes violence, she is disgusted by civil fratricidal war, the senseless cruelty of the warring, because every soldier is someone's son. She scolds Gregory, who is killing enemy soldiers, calls to come to his senses and stop. The woman's mercy is truly limitless - she accepts Mishka Koshevoy as a son-in-law, generously forgiving the murder of her own son Peter.

In a feminine way, she understands and supports her daughter-in-law Natalya, who suffered from her son Grigory and almost killed herself, condemns her son for heartlessness and cruelty to his unloved wife, and adventures with Aksinya, but still does not lose hope to see him.

The tragedy of the fate of the heroine lies in the loss of relatives, the expectation of Grisha's son from the front was painful, they did not see each other again.

The author, with special penetration and warmth, presented the reader with the image of the mother of the central character Grigory Melekhov. The harsh life did not spoil her pure soul, she could always give good advice to her daughters-in-law and daughter.

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