Nekrasov, "The Railroad": analysis. "Railway" Nekrasov: theme, the idea of a poem

In early 1842, Nicholas I issued a decree on the beginning of the construction of the first railway in Russia. It was supposed to connect Moscow and St. Petersburg. All the work, which led the chief manager of the roads PA Kleinmichel, ended in record time. Already in 1852 the road was launched.

The Russian poet, Nekrasov Nikolai Alekseevich, devoted to this event one of the most significant poems of a civilian orientation. It's only his attention that is more attracted not so much by the benefits that the road gave, which made it possible to shorten the journey from one week to a day, but how much it cost Russia.

From the history of creation of the work

The poem "Railway" Nekrasov was written in 1864 and published in the journal Sovremennik. By that time the railroad between Moscow and St. Petersburg was named Nikolayevskaya, and PA Kleinmichel, who was extremely unlawful towards his subordinates and compromised power, was removed from office by Alexander II.

However, the problem raised by the author of the work in the 60s of the XIX century was very topical. At this time, the construction of railways in other parts of the country began. However, the working conditions and the content of the peasants involved in the work differed little from those described by Nekrasov.

Working on the poem, the poet studied a number of journalistic documents, including articles by N. Dobrolyubov and V. Sleptsov on the cruel attitude of managers to subordinates, published in 1860-61, which extends the time limits of the work. The name of Kleinmichel was to be more distracting attention of censorship from the topicality of the topic. But even this did not make it less exposing, which allows us to understand the detailed analysis. The "railway" Nekrasov many contemporaries perceived as a bold exposure of the existing and under Alexander II orders.

Composition of the poem

The work consists of 4 chapters, united by the images of the narrator (lyric hero), the general and his son Vanyusha, caught together in the train car Moscow-Petersburg. The role of the exhibition is played by an epigraph, designed in the form of a dialogue between father and son. It was the general's answer to the son's question about who built this railroad, made the narrator intervene in their conversation. The resulting dispute and was the basis of the poem (below is the plan) "Railroad".

Nekrasov addresses his work to the same children as Vanya. According to the poet, they must certainly know the bitter but still truthful history of their country, as the future of Russia is behind them.

Chapter 1. Autumn Landscape

The beginning of the poem "Railway" Nekrasov imbued with a sense of admiration and pacification. This tone is set by the first line: "Glorious autumn!" For the author of the picture of nature, flashing outside the car window, personify the entire native Russia (from the name itself, ancient and already departed into the past, warm and loving), so unique and dear to the heart. Here everything is fine and harmonious, even "kochi", "moss bogs and stumps" that come into view. Of the general plan, only one word is knocked out, which causes the reader to be alert: "There are no ugliness in nature ...". Involuntarily the question arises: "Then where is it?"

Chapter 2. Builders of the railway

Further Nekrasov Nikolay Alekseevich returns the reader to the epigraph and asks "daddy" not to "keep him" (here - the error) to keep his son, but to tell him the bitter truth about the creation of the road. At the beginning of the conversation, the narrator notes the fact that "this work ... is not up to one", and therefore Kleinmichel could not himself build. Stronger than the manager and even the Russian emperor could be only one king - the Hunger. It was he who at all times decided the fate of millions of people. To what extent the narrator is right in this statement, one can understand the following pictures and their analysis, drawn by the author.

The "railway" of Nekrasov continues with a story about how incalculable were the misfortunes and sufferings of the people during the construction of the road. The first conclusion that the author makes is that these marvelous ways were built on the bones of Russians. "How many of them ?!" - a rhetorical exclamation-the question in this case speaks volumes of all words and figures. And suddenly Vanya, who sleeps at the wheel, sees an eerie picture. Until recently, such a beautiful landscape is replaced by a description of the dead after the car - the builders of the road. Silence and peace are disturbed by the sound of shovels, gnashing of teeth, moaning, crying and a loud song about the sufferings experienced. Many instead of bread and money found a grave here, since the work was conducted all daylight hours from early spring to late autumn, and sometimes even in winter. But the words of the dead are filled with triumph (the author speaks on their behalf, which further adds credibility to the depicted): "Let us see our work." It is to this "habit ... noble" - to work - and draws the boy's attention to the narrator.

Description of the Belarusians

From the crowd following the train, a frozen figure of one of the workers stands out. He does not move, but only "rusty shovel frozen ground."

To fully understand the consequences of unbearable work and inhuman living conditions allow a detailed description of his figure and appearance, as well as their analysis (Nekrasov's "Railway" is a deeply realistic work showing everything without embellishment). Fallen eyelids and bloodless lips, covered with ulcers, skinny hands and swollen legs ("always in the water"), "yamoyu chest" and hunchbacked back ... The author describes even a coarse hair - a sign of unsanitary conditions and constant painful illness. And even monotonous, brought to automatism movement. Here the distinction between the dead and the living, but very sick man, as depicted by the Belarusian Nikolai Nekrasov, is blurred. The railway as a result for some becomes a source of glory, for others - a grave. It buried thousands of unknown tortured people.

So the feeling of delight caused by the beauty of nature in Chapter 1 is replaced by a description of the cruel exploitation of some people by others.

Chapter 3. The Role of the People in History

The locomotive whistle, like the rooster's scream, dispelled such seemingly real visions (the ballad features that Nekrasov successfully uses in the poem "The Railroad" are recalled). The idea of the narrator about the great feat accomplished by the people, and Vanya's story about the amazing dream, cause the general only to laugh. For him, simple peasants are no more than drunkards, barbarians and destroyers. In his submission of admiration only true creators of the beautiful are worthy, and this must certainly be talented spiritualized people. An esthete in the shower, who recently saw the best works of art in Rome and in Vienna, the general despises the uneducated peasant, to no avail, in his opinion. Including the construction of the railway. In this debate, the heroes reflected the actual confrontation of materialists and aesthetes in the middle of the century about what is more useful: practicality (ie, a clay pot) or beauty - a statue of Apollo (A. Pushkin, "The Poet and the Crowd").

Father believes that such stories are initially harmful to the child's heart, and asks to show the "bright side" of the construction. The poem "Railway" Nekrasov ends with a story about what kind of reward people received for their work.

Chapter 4. "The Bright Side" of Construction

And the rails are laid, the dead are buried, the sick - in the dugouts lie. It's time to get a reward for the labors. All counted the foremen during their work: "Did I take a bath to the bath, or was the patient lying?" As a result, every clerk still had to stay. Against this background, ironically sounded the words of the fender farmer, who rolled out a barrel of wine: "I am giving you arrears!" The final chapter and its analysis bring to cheerless thoughts. The "railway" of Nekrasov is a work not only about the labor feat of the Russian people, but also about its servile essence, which can not be broken. Tortured, poor, accustomed to obedience, the peasant rejoiced and "the merchant with a cry of" hurray! "" On the road rushed ... "

The image of the lyric hero in the poem "Railway"

Nekrasov, the theme of humiliation and enslavement of the people for whom was one of the main, showed himself as a citizen who feels personally responsible for the fate of his native country.

The lyric hero openly declares his position and attitude to what becomes the subject of the picture. Recognizing the crookedness and obedience, in fact, inherent in the Russian peasant, he admires his strength of spirit, strength of character, endurance and incredible diligence. Therefore, he does not give up hope that there will come a time when the sense of human dignity will prevail, and the humiliated masses of the people will be able to stand up for their own defense.

The attitude of contemporaries to the poem

A new work by N. Nekrasov caused a wide public response. Not casually, one of the censors called it "a terrible slander, which can not be read without shudder." And the magazine Sovremennik, the first to publish the text, received a warning about the closure.

G. Plekhanov recalled the acquaintance with the poem in the graduating class of the military gymnasium. According to his testimony, the first desire of him and his comrades was one thing: to take a gun and go "to fight for the Russian people."