Captain's daughter characterization of the image Shvabrin Alexey Ivanovich. The image and characteristics of Shvabrin in Pushkin's novel "The Captain's Daughter": description of appearance and character in quotes

"The Captain's Daughter" is the pinnacle prose work of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. The author himself called his story historical, since it was based on the true events of the peasant uprising led by Emelyan Pugachev. The author recreates the atmosphere of those times, depicts characters typical of that era.

The story is a memoir, "family notes", the narration in which is conducted on behalf of Pyotr Grinev, a witness and participant in the events described. In the work, the main characters are: the Grinev family, Savelich, the Mironov family, Pugachev and rebellious peasants, as well as Shvabrin. It is on it that I want to dwell in more detail.

This hero in the story is the direct opposite of Grinev. The latter “preserves honor from a young age”, embodies the best features of a Russian person: breadth of soul, resourcefulness, courage, readiness to help. Shvabrin, on the contrary, is petty and selfish, cowardly and vile. Only one thing unites them - love for Masha Mironova.

Shvabrin is an aristocrat who previously served in the guard. He is smart, educated, eloquent, witty, resourceful. He has been serving in the Belogorsk fortress for the fifth year, transferred to it for murder - in a duel he stabbed a lieutenant. Shvabrin once proposed to Masha Mironova, was refused, and therefore often insulted the girl. This was the reason for his duel with Grinev. But a fair duel is not for Shvabrin. Cunningly, he wounds Peter when he looks back at the servant's unexpected call.

To everything that does not concern his personal interests, Shvabrin is deeply indifferent. The concepts of honor and duty are alien to the hero. As soon as the Belogorsk fortress is captured by Pugachev, Shvarin goes over to the side of the rebels and becomes one of their commanders. He went over to the side of Pugachev, not out of high ideological impulses, but to reprisal Grinev and marry Masha, who lived under the guise of a niece at a local priest.

A morally devastated person, Shvabrin evokes a sharply negative attitude in Pushkin. The author's assessment of this character is sharply negative, in the story he is called by his last name, or only his initials are indicated: A.I.

What, in the end, does the neglect of male and official honor turn out for the hero? Pugachev, who learned from Grinev that Shvabrin is holding the girl, is angry. A traitor aristocrat is literally lying at the feet of a runaway Cossack in search of mercy and forgiveness. Meanness, thus, turns into shame, which, unfortunately, did not teach the hero anything. Having fallen into the hands of government troops, Shvabrin points to Grinev as a traitor Pugachev.

Probably, you should not condemn this hero, but pity and sympathize with him. Personally, he does not cause any feelings in me, except for pity. A person who has not been able to overcome his fears, who cannot see anything beyond his own nose, is weak and insignificant. It's not even about an aristocratic origin and a brilliant education, but about the lack of spiritual qualities. What could be worse than constantly being dependent on someone because of the fear of expressing your thoughts and desires directly, because of the habit of going with the flow? Why fight Pugachev when it is easier to take his side? Why do you need to wait until you fall in love, because you can force a girl to marry!
What honor can we talk about if a person thinks in this way?

Unfortunately, there are a lot of people like Shvabrin around us. Because of them, others suffer, similar in spiritual qualities to Grineva and Masha. But, as a rule, committed meanness and betrayal turn against the mop. This is their trouble: fear breeds lies and hypocrisy, and they, in turn, are the causes of failure.

Why did I like the image of Shvabrin? Perhaps the fact that on his example you can clearly see what meanness and submission to circumstances lead to. Each of our actions has a consequence, so the epigraph to the story "Take care of honor from a young age" after analyzing the image of Shvabrin acquires a new meaning. Once having sacrificed honor, a person dooms himself to lifelong failures.

Publication (abridged), especially for the Russian People's Line (according to the publication: Chernyaev N.I. Pushkin's "Captain's Daughter": Historical-critical study. - M .: Univ. type., 1897. - 207, III p. (print from: Russian Review. - 1897. -NN2-4, 8-12; 1898.- N8) was prepared by Professor A. D. Kaplin.

Shvabrin.- He has nothing in common with melodramatic villains. - His past. - The main features of his mind and character, his views and his relationship to Grinev, to Marya Ivanovna, to Pugachev and to other characters in the "Captain's Daughter".

Shvabrin is usually considered a failed face for Pushkin. Prince Odoevsky refused to understand him; Belinsky called him a melodramatic hero. Meanwhile, Shvabrin, both as a type and as a character, is described in The Captain's Daughter with the same amazing skill as the Grinevs, Mironovs, Pugachev, etc. This is a living person in the full sense of the word, and all the misunderstandings about him are explained solely by the fact that Pushkin, following the laconism of presentation he learned in The Captain's Daughter, does not tell the reader what motives Shvabrin is guided by in some cases of his life. The duty of criticism is to clarify these motives and thereby put an end to the wrong, but, unfortunately, very common view of Shvabrin among us.

There is nothing in common between melodramatic heroes and Shvabrin. If Shvabrin is included among them, then he will need to be categorized as the so-called villains. Belinsky, obviously, was of the same opinion. But is Shvabrin really like the traditional villains of the Western European scene, who breathe crime and dream about poisoning, strangling, destroying someone, etc. Shvabrin is not this or that walking passion, not this or that walking vice , but a complex character and a living being in the full sense of the word, bearing, moreover, the features of that era, which is reproduced in The Captain's Daughter.

Shvabrin is young, "of a good surname and has a fortune." He speaks French, is familiar with French literature, and, apparently, received, in his time, a good education. He calls Trediakovsky his teacher and, possessing a literary taste and some literary training, laughs at his love couplets. He served in the guards, but he ended up in the Belogorsk fortress five years before Grinev appeared in it. He was transferred here for killing some officer in a duel. Shvabrin does not say anything about his religious, philosophical and political views, but they can be judged by his actions and some hints scattered in the novel. Shvabrin obviously belonged to our freethinkers of the last century, who, under the influence of Voltaire, the French encyclopedists and the general spirit of the times, adopted a negative attitude towards the Church and towards everything Russian, looked at the demand for duty and morality as prejudices, and, in general, adhered to grossly materialistic views. “He doesn’t believe in the Lord God either,” Vasilisa Yegorovna says with horror about Shvabrin (in the fourth chapter), and this alone could not but repel Marya Ivanovna from him, to whom he proposed a year before Grinev’s arrival in the Belogorsk fortress.

“Shvabrin was very intelligent,” says Grinev, “his conversation was sharp and entertaining.” Having a sociable character and accustomed to moving around in the big world in St. Petersburg, he was extremely weary of being in the wilderness where fate had thrown him, looked down on the people with whom he was surrounded, and was genuinely delighted at Grinev's arrival, for he thought to find in him any suitable interlocutor and comrade. From the very first time he charmed the inexperienced young man with his liveliness, his ability to speak and present others in a caricature form. Grinev only later realized that Shvabrin's gaiety concealed an unkind feeling. Shvabrin did not spare even such harmless people as the old Mironovs and Ivan Ignatich. From this, however, it does not follow that he was truly observant and knew the human heart well.

He was funny, that's all. Shvabrin's mind was a shallow, superficial mind, devoid of that subtlety and depth, without which there can be neither foresight, nor a true assessment of one's own and others' actions and intentions. True, Shvabrin was cunning, crafty and interesting as an interlocutor, but if Pechorin met with him, he could safely say about his mind what he says in Princess Mary about Grushnitsky's mind: Shvabrin, like Grushnitsky, was " pretty sharp"; his inventions and witticisms were often amusing, but there were never marks and evil, even in those cases when they were generated by the most genuine anger; he could not kill anyone with a single word, for he did not know people and their weak strings, being busy all his life with only himself. Shvabrin could have imagined that Ivan Ignatich was in touch with Vasilisa Yegorovna and that Marya Ivanovna was selling her caresses; but he, despite all his cunning, did not know how to use people as instruments of his goals, did not know how to subordinate them to his influence, despite the fact that he passionately desired this; he did not even know how to skillfully wear the mask put on himself and be in the eyes of others what he wanted to appear.

That is why he constantly fell into the nets he spread for others and did not mislead anyone about his person, except for the inexperienced and gullible Pyotr Andreevich. Not only Marya Ivanovna, but even Vasilisa Yegorovna and Ivan Ignatich had no doubt that Shvabrin was a bad person. Shvabrin felt this and took revenge on them with slander. About his relationship to Pugachev, one can say the same thing that Pushkin says about Shvanvich: "He had the cowardice to stick to the impostor and the stupidity to serve him with all diligence." This also gives a not particularly favorable idea of ​​Shvabrin's far-sightedness and insight.

Shvabrin belonged to the same category of people as Shakespeare's Iago and Walter Scott's Rashley (from the novel "Rob Roy"). He swims smaller than them, but he is just as soulless and immoral as they are. Strongly developed pride, terrible vindictiveness, the habit of going roundabout ways and complete promiscuity in means are the main features of his character. He vividly felt the bitterness of every offense inflicted on him and did not forgive his enemies. Sometimes he put on a mask of generosity and sincerity in order to lull their vigilance, but he could never reconcile with those whom he once planned as his victims.

Double-mindedness and pretense did not leave Shvabrin for a minute. After a duel with Grinev, he comes to him, asks him for forgiveness and confesses that he himself was to blame, but at the same time he writes a letter to old Grinev, in which, of course, he did not spare either Pyotr Andreevich or Marya Ivanovna, and if it were not for the Pugachev attack would have achieved its goal - the transfer of young Grinev from the Belogorsk fortress to some other "fortress". Seeking Marya Ivanovna's hand, Shvabrin denigrates the young girl in order to drop her in Grinev's eyes, and thus distract them from each other. In this case, he remained true to himself. His favorite means of intrigue were lies, slander, slander and denunciations. He resorted to them in relations with Pugachev, and with the old man Grinev, and in the Commission of Inquiry.

Nervous, intrusive, nimble, restless and mocking Shvabrin, completely alien to sincerity and kindness, could not help but have clashes with people close to him. No details are given about his first duel in St. Petersburg in The Captain's Daughter, but we are well aware of the circumstances under which the duel took place over Marya Ivanovna. Shvabrin was not a Bretter of the Pechorin type. He did not look for dangers and was afraid of them. True, he was not averse to playing the role of a brave man, but only if this could be achieved without putting his life at stake. This is evident from his collision with Grinev.

Mocking Marya Ivanovna in Grinev's presence, Shvabrin obviously did not think that his young comrade, whom he considered a boy, would take his words so close to his heart and answer him with a sharp insult. Shvabrin challenges Grinev to a duel, carried away by a momentary flash and a feeling of envy and hatred long overdue in him. Having made a challenge to Grinev, they are not looking for seconds. "Why do we need them?" - he says to Grinev, having learned about his conversation with Ivan Ignatich, who flatly refused to "be a witness to the duel."

“We can do without them.” The fact is that Shvabrin was more skillful than Grinev in fencing, looked at him as a non-dangerous opponent, and, challenging him to a duel, was sure that he was playing for sure. Preparing to put an end to Grinev, Shvabrin did not at all intend to fight him like a knight and, of course, prepared in advance not to miss the opportunity to deal him a treacherous blow (after all, he did not disdain to do this at the time when Grinev heard his name pronounced by Savelich and looked back). Here is the clue why Shvabrin did not look for seconds. They would only get in the way.

Shvabrin was a coward. There is no doubt about this. He was afraid of death and was incapable of sacrificing his life in the name of duty and honor.

“How do you think this will all end?” - Grinev asks him, after the first meeting with Ivan Ignatich about Pugachev.

God knows, answered Shvabrin: - we'll see. I don't see anything important yet. If...

Here he fell into thought and in his distraction began to whistle a French aria.

Shvabrin's "if" meant that he had no intention of going to the gallows under any circumstances, and that he would go over to Pugachev's side if the impostor was really as strong as he said.

The idea of ​​betrayal came to Shvabrin at the first hint of danger and finally matured by the time the Pugachevites appeared near the Belogorsk fortress. He did not follow Captain Mironov, Ivan Ignatich and Grinev when they rushed to the sortie, but joined the Cossacks who had turned over to Pugachev. All this could be explained by Shvabrin's political unprincipledness and the ease with which he was accustomed to play with the oath, like an unbeliever.

Shvabrin's subsequent behavior shows, however, that in betraying the Empress, he acted mainly under the influence of cowardice. When Pugachev arrives at the Belogorsk fortress, together with Grinev, Shvabrin, noticing that the impostor is dissatisfied with him, trembles, turns pale and positively loses his presence of mind. When Pugachev finds out that Marya Ivanovna is not Shvabrin's wife, he says menacingly to him: “And you dared to deceive me! Do you know, slacker, what you deserve? - Shvabrin falls to his knees and thus begs for forgiveness. In the Commission of Inquiry, when Shvabrin is not threatened with immediate massacre, and when he has already become accustomed to the position of a convicted criminal, he has the courage to testify against Grinev in a “bold voice”: he had nothing to fear from Grinev.

How did Shvabrin behave before the judges at first? One must think that he was lying at their feet. It is very possible that he would have humbly asked for forgiveness from Grinev during the duel, if he had seriously feared for his life.

Did Shvabrin love Marya Ivanovna? Yes, as far as selfish and mean people can love. As an intelligent person, he could not fail to understand and appreciate her high moral merits. He knew that Marya Ivanovna would be an exemplary wife, that she would brighten up the life of the one whom she chose as her husband, and he, as a proud man, would be pleased to subject the wonderful girl to his influence. When his proposal was not accepted, and when he noticed that Marya Ivanovna preferred Grinev to him, he considered himself deeply offended. Since that time, a hidden feeling of hatred and revenge has been mixed with his feeling of love, and this is expressed in the slander that he decided to spread about her. Reviling Marya Ivanovna in front of Grinev, Shvabrin not only acted as his tool against the young people's nascent affection, but also took revenge on the girl who rejected him, cooling the enmity with slander.

Having become the commandant of the Belogorsk fortress, Shvabrin tries to force Marya Ivanovna with threats to marry him. He doesn't succeed. Prince Odoevsky was perplexed why Shvabrin did not take advantage of those moments when Marya Ivanovna was in his power, that is, why he did not satisfy his passion by violence or forced Father Gerasim to marry him to a poor orphan against her will. Yes, because Shvabrin is not Pugachev and not Khlopusha: in his relations with Marya Ivanovna, coarse sensuality did not play a big role. In addition, Shvabrin was not a man whose blood could befool his mind. He knew, finally, that Marya Ivanovna was not one of those girls who could be forced into marriage, and that Father Gerasim would not agree to perform the sacrament of marriage over the daughter of his old friend, contrary to her wishes. Shvabrin wanted Marya Ivanovna to become his wife, and not his concubine, for he still continued to love her, be jealous, and suffered at the thought that she treated him with disgust. Trying to defeat her stubbornness, he used those means that most corresponded to his character: intimidation with a denunciation, all sorts of harassment and threats, and, in general, a kind of moral and physical torture.

Slandering Grinev before the Investigative Commission, Shvabrin does not say a word about Marya Ivanovna. Why is this? Answering this question, Grinev notes: “Is it because his pride suffered at the thought of the one who rejected him with contempt; Is it because there was a spark of the same feeling in his heart that made me keep silent - be that as it may, the name of the daughter of the Belogorsky commandant was not uttered in the presence of the commission! Grinev's words perfectly explain what motives guided Shvabrin in this case. He felt all the bitterness of resentment, which consisted in the refusal of Marya Ivanovna to be his wife, he experienced the pangs of jealousy and envy for his rival; but he still continued to love Marya Ivanovna, felt guilty before her and did not want to entangle her in political criminality, exposing her to all the consequences of close acquaintance with the harsh Themis of the time of Shishkovsky. Love for Marya Ivanovna had an ennobling effect even on Shvabrin.

It is possible, however, to admit another clue to Shvabrin's behavior in the Investigative Commission regarding Captain Mironov's daughter, a clue that Pyotr Andreevich Grinev overlooks, always somewhat idealizing his rival and enemy. It was simply unprofitable for Shvabrin to involve Marya Ivanovna in the case, for she could show many things not in his favor and easily expose his lies and slander; Shvabrin, of course, firmly remembered this at the confrontation with Grinev.

So, what is Shvabrin? This is not a melodramatic villain; he is a lively, witty, intelligent, proud, envious, vindictive, cunning, low and cowardly, deeply corrupted egoist, mocking and arrogant with those whom he is not afraid of, obsequiously obsequious with those who inspire fear in him. Like Shvanvich, he was always ready to prefer a shameful life to an honest death. Under the influence of malice and a sense of self-preservation, he is capable of any meanness. Regarding his betrayal of loyal and official duty, one can say what Catherine II says about Grinev: “He stuck to the impostor not out of ignorance and gullibility, but as an immoral and harmful scoundrel.”

For Shvabrin, nothing is sacred, and he stopped at nothing to achieve his goals. In addition to the thirteenth chapter of The Captain's Daughter, it is said that Shvabrin did not allow the Grinevs' house to be plundered, "preserving in his very humiliation an involuntary disgust from dishonest self-interest." It is understandable. Shvabrin received a gentlemanly and, to a certain extent, refined education; therefore, much of what seemed very natural to some semi-savage of runaway convicts inspired him with a feeling of disgust.

This does not mean, however, that he was superior to Pugachev or Khlopushi. Morally, he is immeasurably inferior to them. He did not have those bright sides that they had, and if he abhorred some of their exploits, it was only because he was more civilized and more pampered than they were. They rushed at the enemies, like lions and tigers, and took the prey from the battle, but he sneaked up on his victims, like a fox, and, like a snake, stung them at a time when they least expected it: He was disgusted with robberies and robbery, but he, without hesitation, struck blows at his enemies of betrayal and with a light heart would let them go around the world with the help of forgeries and all sorts of lies, if he wanted to take possession of their wealth.

Shvabrin was neither Richard III nor Franz Moor, but he would have been a perfectly suitable person for the retinue of Caesar Borgia. He could have neither friends nor selfless affections, for he sincerely loved only himself and was completely incapable of self-sacrifice. He was not a monster by vocation, but he did not know how to love strongly and knew how to hate strongly.

Pushkin endowed Shvabrin with an ugly face for a reason: as a man inclined to rule over others and, probably, far from being indifferent to the impression he made on women, Shvabrin, one must think, cursed his unfortunate appearance, suffered many injections for his pride thanks to her, and already , of course, did not forgive those who guessed his soul from his face.

There is nothing Russian in Shvabrin: everything Russian was etched out in him by his upbringing, but he was still a Russian degenerate, a type that could only arise on Russian soil under the influence of the eighteenth century and its peculiarities. Despising the faith of his grandfathers and fathers, Shvabrin despised, at the same time, the concepts of honor and duty that guide both Grinevs.

Fatherland, oath, etc. - for Shvabrin all these words are devoid of any meaning. Shvabrin, as an everyday phenomenon, belongs to the same type as Fonvizin's caricature of our young Westerners of the eighteenth century - Ivanushka in The Brigadier. Shvabrin is smarter than Ivanushka; besides, there is not a single comical feature in it. Ivanushka can only arouse laughter and contempt; Shvabrin is not at all suitable for the heroes of a cheerful comedy. Nevertheless, he still has much in common with the foreman's son, as a product of the same spirit of the times.

The image of Shvabrin in the story is very convexly outlined, it leaves no white spots, no opportunities to “think out, finish writing” his biography. A detailed description of Shvabrin is given at the time Grinev arrives at the service. "An officer of short stature, with a swarthy face and remarkably ugly, but extremely lively." He seems to be happy with his new friend. “Yesterday I learned about your arrival; the desire to finally see a human face took possession of me so much that I could not bear it.

Alexey Ivanovich is an educated young man who knows languages, a freethinker, with a small track record as a lieutenant, with his own ideas about good and evil. It seems to him that he is not doing anything special, but, seeking Masha's favor, he crosses the line of decency and sanity. What, tell me, girl will marry a man who threatens to take her by force?

Shvabrin was exiled to a remote garrison for his quick temper and participation in duels. Very soon he will see in Grinev a rival for Masha's heart, he will decide to slander her. But he does not expect such a rebuff. The conflict is growing, it will end in a duel and severely wounded Peter.

The further behavior of the victim of a fiasco on a personal, love front does not go beyond the once set framework. At the most difficult, culminating moment of the story, Shvabrin betrays the commandant of the fortress, going over to the side of Pugachev. Thus, violates the oath. The traitor has been rewarded: now he is in charge of the Belogorsk fortress.

Subsequently, Shvabrin prevents the rescue of Masha, even later writes a denunciation to the investigating authorities about the cooperation of a colleague with the rebels. But the disorderly and chaotic actions to shield oneself and denigrate the eternal rival do not reach the goal: Grinev loves and is loved, he is justified by the empress, and hard labor awaits the intriguer and traitor.

To a large extent, the image of Shvabrin in the story The Captain's Daughter is written in bright, in many ways "stinging" colors, which directly indicates the author's attitude towards this type of people. The unworthy behavior of an officer and a man only emphasizes the nobility and infallibility of the protagonist of the story, rewarded for diligence, steadfastness, selflessness.

To agree to compromises where this cannot be done, to make a deal with one's conscience, to look for workarounds, to write anonymous letters, to weave intrigues, in other words, to destroy one's own soul is the choice of Alexei himself. This is the opinion of the author, and in his judgments he is quite straightforward. Only once, at the very end of the story, will we hear sympathetic notes in the speeches of Pyotr Grinev. He will pay tribute to the defendant in shackles, because during interrogations he never mentioned the name of Masha Mironova.

Artwork test

The demoted officer Shvabrin Alexei Ivanovich appears, as the captain introduced him to Grinev.

Pushkin gives a portrait of Shvabrin in one line: “An officer of short stature, with a swarthy face and remarkably ugly, but extremely lively,” is how the author describes his appearance. But much more important are his inner qualities.

He is smart, educated, but for him honor and decency are forgotten concepts. This man is not worthy to bear the title of a Russian officer.

Shvabrin has no idea what it means to love. Therefore, despite the lack of suitors, she was not seduced by his courtship and refused to marry. In the depths of her soul she felt his deep dishonesty. And how did Shvabrin repay her refusal? He tried his best to discredit her in the eyes of others. And he did it “behind the eyes” when neither the Mironovs nor Maria herself could hear him. And it doesn’t matter what motives he was guided by - the desire to avenge the refusal, or to fence off potential suitors from Masha, the very fact of such a denigration of the girl speaks of the meanness of the Shvabrinsky soul. However, this man blasphemed not only Masha. He, like a village woman, gossiped about the captain and other inhabitants of the fortress, without feeling the slightest remorse.

The next episode, which reveals the image of Shvabrin not from the best side, is a quarrel with and subsequent. Peter Andreevich wrote a song. In fact, it was a light, poetic pampering, which he wanted to boast of in his youth to Shvabrin. A more experienced retired officer ridiculed the young poet and once again slandered Masha, reproaching her for venality. The young man, who during his service in the fortress had time to get to know the daughter of captain Mironov, flared up and called Shvabrin a liar and scoundrel. To which Shvabrin demanded satisfaction. A boy stood in front of the experienced duelist, and Shvabrin was sure that he could easily deal with him. He knew perfectly well that duels among the nobles were forbidden, but he did not worry much about this, he was sure that with the help of deceit and slander he could easily get out of the situation. If he had an experienced fighter and swordsman in front of him, Shvabrin would probably have swallowed the offense and retaliated on the sly. Which, however, he will later do anyway.

But the lessons of the French tutor, as it turned out, were not in vain for Grinev, and the "boy" quite well wielded a sword. The wound that Shvabrin inflicted on Grinev was inflicted at the moment when Savelyich called out to his master, and thereby distracted him. Shvabrin vilely took advantage of the moment.

While Pyotr Andreevich was lying in a fever, the enemy scribbled an anonymous letter to his father, in the secret hope that the old warrior would connect all his connections and transfer his beloved child from the fortress.

What do you see in this duel episode, denunciation, slander, a blow inflicted when the opponent turned away. All these traits are inherent in people with a low soul. This can be added disbelief in God. In Rus', Christianity, faith has always been a stronghold of morality and morality.

Shvabrin showed all his baseness to the fullest during the capture of the fortress by robbers. In the face of this soldier, the reader does not see a brave warrior. He was one of the first officers sworn in. Using his "power" and permissiveness, as well as Masha's defenselessness, he tried to persuade her to marry. But he didn't need Masha. He was just furious that she rejected him, and had a nice conversation with Grinev before dinners, loved with all her heart. His goal was to destroy the happiness of Grinev and Masha, to prevail over the one that rejected him. There is no place for love in Shvabrin's heart. Betrayal, hatred, denunciation live in it.

When Shvabrin was arrested for his connection with Pugachev, he also slandered Grinev, although he knew perfectly well that the young man did not swear allegiance to the robber, and was not his secret agent.

Grinev was threatened by Siberia, and only the courage of Masha, who was not afraid to go to St. Petersburg to the Empress, saved the young man from hard labor. The villain received the punishment he deserved.

Making a brief description of the image of Shvabrin, it should be noted that Pushkin introduced this negative character into The Captain's Daughter not only to diversify the plot, but also to remind the reader that, unfortunately, in life there are real bastards who can poison the life of the people around them .

Everything is mixed up in the historical novel by Alexander Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter" - honesty, nobility, betrayal, meanness, love. And the Pugachev rebellion, which formed the basis of the work, turned out to be a real test for the main characters - Pyotr Grinev and Alexei Shvabrin.

Life's difficulties affect people in different ways: some are hardened, others are broken - it all depends on the strength of character, upbringing, moral principles.

A little about the work of Alexander Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter"

The action of the novel takes place at the end of the 18th century, when rebels under the command of Emelyan Pugachev raged in Russia. The story is told in the first person, by the young nobleman Pyotr Grinev, who by chance finds himself in the very maelstrom of the Pugachev events.

Character traits of Grinev and Shvabrin - attitude towards people

In the novel, two central images attract attention - these are the officers of the Belogorsk fortress Pyotr Grinev and Alexei Shvabrin. But one should not underestimate the figure of Emelyan Pugachev, because all the storylines are connected with this hero.

Grinev is a seventeen-year-old undergrowth, the son of a landowner, sent by his father instead of St. Petersburg to serve in the distant garrison of the Orenburg province with parting words: “Take care of honor from a young age.”

Shvabrin is an educated young man, a nobleman, transferred to a fortress for killing him in a duel.

• Peter is eccentric, groovy, but kind and complacent. Having lost a hundred rubles to the captain Zurin on billiards, he shouts at Savelich, demanding to pay a debt of honor. Having offended the servant, Grinev worries no less than his uncle, having repented, asks for forgiveness. And in the scene with the leader, Pugachev, who leads Grinev's tent out of the snowstorm to the inn, notes of the hero's responsiveness and generosity also appear. In gratitude for the salvation, Peter treats a passer-by peasant with tea, wine, favors him with a hare coat. The meeting turns out to be fateful for the young man. Who knows how the capture of the Belogorsk fortress by rebels would have ended for Peter if the imaginary emperor had not recognized his benefactor?
• Shvabrin is a man with an evil, vengeful character. He speaks with disdain about the people with whom he serves: he scoffs at the kindness of the captain Vasilisa Yegorovna, mocks at Grinev's love, calling his poems complete nonsense. He even calls the captain's daughter, Masha, a fool, in revenge for refusing to marry him.
• Grinev is decent, brave. He, without hesitation, stands up for the honor of Maria Ivanovna, having heard obscene allusions to Shvabrin's account of her.
• Alexei is mean, cold-blooded, ready to defame an innocent person for his own benefit. He scribbles a denunciation of Grinev to the investigating authorities, accusing him of complicity with Pugachev, tells Peter's parents about his traitor son, spreads gossip about a young girl. In the duel scene, Shvabrin behaves extremely unworthily: he basely wounds his opponent.

Character traits of Grinev and Shvabrin - attitude towards the Fatherland

• Pugachev's detachment captures the fortress. Shvabrin without hesitation swears allegiance to the newly-minted king. Alexey is so afraid for his life that he humiliates himself before the ataman, bending in an obsequious bow. It becomes clear that this person has no sense of duty, dignity, devotion. The officer tells the chieftain that Masha is the daughter of the executed captain of the fortress. Shvabrin does this so that Grinev will be punished, and he will get the girl.
• Peter, as an honest man, is ready to die, but remain faithful to his duty to the Fatherland. He directly declares to Pugachev that he has already sworn allegiance to the Empress and would rather die, but will not break his oath.
• For Alexei, unlike Peter, there is nothing sacred. He is easy to betray, he can easily slander the lady of the heart, if this will be useful. It can be said about him that he serves the one with whom it is more profitable.

Character traits of Grinev and Shvabrin - attitude towards love

The love line that runs through the entire work is given against the backdrop of the terrible events of the Pugachev rebellion. They say that in matters of the heart all methods are good, but the way Shvabrin acts, seeking the reciprocity of Maria Mironova, is unacceptable for an honest person.

• Alexey, left by Pugachev in the fortress for the elder, locks Masha, does not feed, trying to persuade the girl to a marriage she hates.
• Pyotr, having learned that his beloved is in the hands of the scoundrel Shvabrin, without thinking about the consequences, rushes to her rescue. Having failed to get help from the authorities, Grinev turns to Pugachev for support, and he helps him. Having freed the captain's daughter, Peter sends her to her parents, calling her his bride. Even at the trial, where the hero ends up because of Shvabrin's slander, he does not mention Masha, so as not to cause her trouble.

Reading the novel, we see the maturing Peter, who sacredly observes the oath of allegiance to the Fatherland and honors the commandment of his father. And fate rewards him - the hero is fully justified and he has a long happy life ahead of him with his beloved woman.