Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky is a writer, playwright and a person whose work has become an important stage in the development of the Russian national theater. Alexander Nikolayevich was born on March 31, 1823, his father was a lawyer official, and his mother was from the lower clergy. He was born and raised in Moscow, as a child he lived in Zamoskvorechye, and he studied for five years at the First Moscow Gymnasium, later for three years at Moscow University at the Faculty of Law, and in 1843 he left the university. From that year until 1851, he served in the Moscow courts, the first work was written directly under the influence of this work, this work was “Notes of a Zamoskvoretsky Resident”, written in 1847. The same year was the start of his dramatic direction, the first work “Family Picture” was written, which was originally called “The Picture of Family Happiness”. A little later, three years later, he published the comedy "Bankrupt", later it was called "Own people - let's settle!", It was this work that opened Ostrovsky as a writer for such famous personalities as Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol, Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov, Timofei Nikolaevich Granovsky and other. But this comedy also made a lot of noise, as a result of which Ostrovsky was placed under police supervision.

Ostrovsky ridiculed in his works the merchants, their way of life, behavior. In 1851, he wrote the work "The Poor Bride", in which he colorfully described the bureaucratic life. At this time, he actively works both as a writer and as an editor in the Moskvityanin magazine. A certain “young editorial board” was created there, which included Alexander Nikolayevich, this community was close friends outside of work. In 1852, Ostrovsky wrote the play “Do not sit in your own sleigh”, in 1853 “Poverty is not a vice”, and in 1854 “Do not live as you want”. In the works of Ostrovsky, a change in his attitude towards the merchant class can be traced.
Starting with the last works written by Ostrovsky, his dramatic abilities are growing, and over the next three decades in the Moscow Maly and St. Petersburg Alexandrinsky theaters every season they staged a new play of his.

Ostrovsky has been working in the Sovremennik magazine since 1856. Since 1851, his attitude to the merchants, his style of criticism in his works becomes the same. In 1855, the work "Hangover at a stranger's feast" was written. It was in this comedy that Ostrovsky first used the word "tyrant", which was fixed in the work of Alexander Nikolaevich for a long time.

In 1856, the comedy "Profitable Place" was written, which demonstrated the bribery of officials, two years later the play "The Pupil" was written. And the following year, the drama "Thunderstorm" was written. This work has become a cult. It describes aspects of rudeness, hypocrisy, the power of the rich and "senior" in a provincial town. At the age of 60, he writes one everyday comedy or drama every year. 1863 - "Hard Days", 1864 - "Jokers", 1865 - "Abyss". At the same time, historical plays are also released: 1861 - "Kozma Zakharyich Minin-Sukhoruk", 1864 - "Voevoda", 1866 - "Dmitry the Pretender and Vasily Shuisky", as well as the work "Tushino".

A new breath regarding satirical comedies was marked by the release in 1868 of the work “Enough Stupidity for Every Wise Man”, “A Warm Heart”, in 1869 the work “Mad Money”, in 1870 - “Forest”, and in 1875 “Wolves and Sheep ". In the early 1870s, the play "Labor Bread" and the fairy tale "The Snow Maiden" were written.

The last years of creativity have become significant for his biography, as he wrote many well-known works to date. "Dowry" 1878, "The Last Victim" at the same time, "Talents and Admirers" 1882. Ostrovsky's plays made a huge contribution to the development of the Russian stage. His dramaturgy gave many people an understanding of man. Alexander Nikolaevich lived interesting life which has benefited many. The playwright died in 1886 on June 2.

A. N. Ostrovsky

Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky is one of the most prominent Russian playwrights, whose work has become an important stage in the development of Russian literature and the national theater. We can safely say that it was the works of Ostrovsky that laid the foundation for the Russian repertoire in the theater.

Ostrovsky's plays are known and loved by many generations of Russian viewers and readers. Feature films were shot on them, the questions that Ostrovsky raises in his works are still relevant today.

Childhood and youth

The Russian playwright was born on March 13, 1823 in Moscow, in the family of a court official. The mother of the future playwright died early, the family had six children. Ostrovsky's father really wanted his son to follow in his footsteps. After graduating from the Moscow gymnasium, Alexander enters the law faculty of Moscow University. Ostrovsky never finished it.

In 1843, Ostrovsky was hired as a court clerk and worked in various Moscow courts until 1851. This period of life helped Ostrovsky a lot in his future work. Working in the courts, he perfectly studied the world of the Russian merchant class and the petty-bourgeois class, which he later brilliantly described in his works. Many characters, characters are taken by the playwright from his real life.

First plays

In 1847, Ostrovsky's essays were published in the Moscow City Leaf newspaper under the title "Notes of a Zamoskvoretsky Resident". However, the playwright gained wide popularity after the publication of the play "Our people - let's get along." This work, written in the comedy genre, was enthusiastically received by the public and received excellent reviews from critics. Gogol and Goncharov spoke approvingly of this play.

However, the representatives of the merchant class did not like the work very much, and after their complaint to the authorities, the play was forbidden to be staged, and its author was fired from his job. “Our people - we will settle” was allowed to be staged only after the death of Emperor Nicholas, in 1861. With the second play, Alexander Nikolayevich was much more fortunate. “Don’t get into your sleigh” was written by him in 1852 and already in 1853 appeared on the stage of theaters. Since 1856, Ostrovsky has been constantly working in the Sovremennik magazine.

Since 1853, every year Moscow and St. Petersburg theaters staged new plays by the playwright, and all of them were favorably received by both the public and domestic critics.

At the peak of popularity

In 1856, Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky went to the Volga region to study the life and life of the inhabitants of the region. It was after this trip that Ostrovsky wrote one of his most striking plays, The Thunderstorm. In 1859, the first collected works of Ostrovsky were published, which was enthusiastically received by critics. In 1860, Ostrovsky began to study Russian history, he was especially interested in the period of the Time of Troubles.

In 1863 he was awarded the Uvarov Prize and became a corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences. In the 60s, the playwright founded the Artistic Circle, which gave a start in life to many future stars of the Russian stage. In 1874, on the initiative of Ostrovsky, the Society of Russian Dramatic Writers and opera composers. In 1885, Alexander Nikolaevich became the head of the repertoire of all Moscow theaters.

Ostrovsky worked hard all his life, this seriously undermined his health. In June 1886 he died on his estate in the Kostroma province. Emperor Alexander III granted a large sum to the funeral of the playwright, and also granted a pension to his widow and provided funds for the education of his children.

The significance of Ostrovsky for Russian literature and his role in the development of the Russian theater are undeniable and enormous. For Russian theater he was a figure of the same stature as Molière was for the French theater and Shakespeare for the English. On account of his 47 plays written by him personally, several more were written in collaboration.

Ostrovsky's plays show the life and everyday life of ordinary people, his works are very realistic, but at the same time they pose deep and eternal problems for the viewer.

Ostrovsky can be called the founder of the Russian theater, he created a new theater school and a new concept of acting.

The greatest Russian playwright Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky was born on March 31 (April 12), 1823 in Moscow on Malaya Ordynka.

The beginning of the way

The father of Alexander Nikolayevich first graduated from the Kostroma Theological Seminary, then the Moscow Theological Academy, but in the end he began to work, saying modern language, lawyer. In 1839 he received the noble rank.

The mother of the future playwright was the daughter of junior church employees, she died when Alexander was not even eight years old.

The family was wealthy and enlightened. A lot of time and money was spent on educating children. Since childhood, Alexander knew several languages ​​and read a lot. From an early age, he felt the desire to write, but his father saw him in the future only as a lawyer.

In 1835, Ostrovsky entered the 1st Moscow Gymnasium. After 5 years - becomes a student of the Faculty of Law at Moscow University. The future profession does not attract him, and perhaps that is why the conflict with one of the teachers becomes the reason for leaving the educational institution in 1843.

At his father's insistence, Ostrovsky first served as a clerk in the Moscow Constituent Court, then in the Commercial Court (until 1851).

Observation of his father's clients, then of the stories that were dealt with in court, gave Ostrovsky the richest material for future creativity.

In 1846, Ostrovsky first thought about writing a comedy.

Creative success

His literary views were formed back in his student years under the influence of Belinsky and Gogol - Ostrovsky immediately and irrevocably decides that he will write only in a realistic manner.

In 1847, in collaboration with actor Dmitry Gorev, Ostrovsky wrote the first play, Notes of a Zamoskvoretsky Resident. The following year, his relatives move to live in the Shchelykovo family estate in the Kostroma province. Alexander Nikolayevich also visits these places and remains under an indelible impression of nature and the Volga expanses for life.

In 1850, Ostrovsky published his first big comedy "Our people - let's settle!" in the magazine "Moskvityanin". The play is a great success and rave reviews from writers, but it is forbidden for re-publishing and staging on the complaint of merchants sent directly to the emperor. The author was dismissed from service and placed under police supervision, which was removed only after the accession to the throne of Alexander II. The very first play by Ostrovsky revealed the main features of his dramatic works, which were characteristic of all his work in the future: the ability to show the most complex all-Russian problems through personal and family conflict, create memorable characters for all characters and “voice” them with lively colloquial speech.

The position of the "unreliable" worsened the already difficult affairs of Ostrovsky. Since 1849, without the blessing of his father and without getting married in a church, he began to live with a simple bourgeois Agafya Ivanovna. The father completely deprived his son of material support, and the financial situation of the young family was difficult.

Ostrovsky begins a permanent collaboration with the Moskvityanin magazine. In 1851 he publishes The Poor Bride.

Under the influence of the main ideologist of the journal A. Grigoriev, Ostrovsky’s plays of this period began to sound not so much as motives for exposing class tyranny, as for idealizing old customs and Russian patriarchy (“Don’t get into your sleigh”, “Poverty is not a vice” and others). Such sentiments reduce the criticality of Ostrovsky's works.

Nevertheless, Ostrovsky's dramaturgy becomes the beginning of a "new world" in all theatrical art. A simple everyday life with "live" characters and spoken language enters the scene. Most of the actors accept Ostrovsky's new plays with enthusiasm, they feel their novelty and vitality. Since 1853, almost every season at the Maly Theater in Moscow and the Alexandrinsky Theater in St. Petersburg for 30 years, new plays by Ostrovsky appear.

In 1855-1860, the playwright draws closer to the revolutionary democrats. He goes to the Sovremennik magazine. The main "event" of Ostrovsky's plays of this period is the drama common man opposing the "powerful ones of this world." At this time, he writes: “In a strange feast, a hangover”, “Profitable place”, “Thunderstorm” (1860).

In 1856, at the direction of Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich, the best Russian writers were sent on a business trip around the country with the task of describing industrial production and life in various regions of Russia. Ostrovsky travels by steamboat from the upper reaches of the Volga to Nizhny Novgorod and makes many notes. They become real encyclopedic notes on the culture and economy of the region. At the same time, Ostrovsky remains an artist of the word - he transfers many descriptions of nature and life into his works.

In 1859 the first collected works of Ostrovsky were published in 2 volumes.

Appeal to history

House-Museum: A.N. Ostrovsky.

In the 60s, Alexander Nikolaevich turned his special interest towards history and made acquaintance with the famous historian Kostomarov. At this time, he wrote the psychological drama Vasilisa Melentyeva, the historical chronicles Tushino, Dmitry the Pretender and Vasily Shuisky, and others.

He does not stop creating everyday comedies and dramas (“Hard Days” -1863, “Abysses” -1865, etc.), as well as satirical plays about the life of the nobility (“Enough Simplicity for Every Wise Man” -1868, “Mad Money” -1869 , Wolves and Sheep, etc.).

In 1863, Ostrovsky was awarded the Uvarov Prize for historical writings and was elected a corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences.

The following year pleases him with the birth of his first son, Alexander. In total, Ostrovsky will become the father of six children.

From 1865-1866 (the exact date has not been determined), Alexander Nikolaevich created an Artistic Circle in Moscow, from which many talented theater workers would subsequently emerge. In 1870 (according to other sources - in 1874), the Society of Russian Drama Writers and Opera Composers was organized in Russia, the head of which the playwright would remain until the end of his life. During this period, the whole color of the Russian stays in Ostrovsky's house. cultural society. I. S. Turgenev, F. M. Dostoevsky, P. M. Sadovsky, M. N. Ermolova, L. N. Tolstoy and many other outstanding personalities of our time will become his sincere friends and buddies.

In 1873, Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky and the young composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, in a few months, would write the opera The Snow Maiden, amazing in its beauty of style and sound, created on the basis of folk tales and customs. Both the playwright and the composer will be proud of their creation all their lives.

With the theater - to the end

IN last years life Ostrovsky often refers to women's destinies in their works. He writes comedies, but more - deep socio-psychological dramas about the fate of spiritually gifted women in the world of practicality and self-interest. “The Dowry”, “The Last Victim”, “Talents and Admirers” and other plays are published.

In 1881, under the directorate of the imperial theaters, a special commission was organized to create new legislative acts on the work of theaters throughout the country. Ostrovsky takes an active part in the work of the commission: he writes many "notes", "considerations" and "projects" on the topic of organizing work in theaters. Thanks to him, many changes are adopted that significantly improve the pay of acting.

Since 1883, Ostrovsky received from Emperor Alexander III the right to an annual pension in the amount of three thousand rubles. In the same year, the last literary masterpiece of Alexander Nikolayevich, the play Guilty Without Guilt, is released - a classic melodrama that amazes with the strength of the characters of its heroes and impresses with its plot. It was a new surge of great dramatic talent under the influence of a memorable trip to the Caucasus.

After 2 years, Ostrovsky was appointed head of the repertoire of Moscow theaters and head of the theater school. The playwright tries to form in the country new school realistic acting, highlighting the most talented actors.

Ostrovsky works with theatrical figures, he has a lot of ideas and plans in his head, he is busy translating foreign (including antique) dramatic literature. But his health fails more often. The body is depleted.

On June 2 (14), 1886, in the Shchelykovo estate, Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky died of angina pectoris.

He was buried at the church cemetery near the Church in the name of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in the village of Nikolo-Berezhki, Kostroma province.

The funeral was carried out with funds provided by Alexander III. A widow with children was granted a pension.

Interesting facts about Ostrovsky:

From childhood, the playwright knew Greek, French and German languages. Later he learned English, Italian and Spanish.

The play "Thunderstorm" was not immediately censored. But the empress liked her, and the censor made concessions to the author.

It is hardly possible to briefly describe the work of Alexander Ostrovsky, since this person left a great contribution to the development of literature.

He wrote about many things, but most of all in the history of literature he is remembered as a good playwright.

Popularity and features of creativity

The popularity of A.N. Ostrovsky was brought the work "Our people - we will settle down." After it was published, his work was appreciated by many writers of that time.

This gave confidence and inspiration to Alexander Nikolayevich himself.

After such a successful debut, he wrote many works that played a significant role in his work. Among them are the following:

• "Forest"
• "Talents and Admirers"
• "Dowry".

All his plays can be called psychological dramas, because in order to understand what the writer wrote about, you need to delve deeply into his work. The characters in his plays were versatile personalities that not everyone could understand. In his works, Ostrovsky considered how the values ​​of the country were collapsing.

Each of his plays has a realistic ending, the author did not try to end everything with a positive ending, like many writers, it was more important for him to show real, not fictional life in his works. In his works, Ostrovsky tried to reflect the life of the Russian people, and, moreover, he did not embellish it at all - but wrote what he saw around him.

Childhood memories also served as plots for his works. A distinctive feature of his work can be called the fact that his works were not entirely censored, but despite this, they remained popular. Perhaps the reason for his popularity was that the playwright tried to present Russia to readers for what it is. Nationality and realism are the main criteria that Ostrovsky adhered to when writing his works.

Work in recent years

A.N. Ostrovsky was especially engaged in creativity in the last years of his life, it was then that he wrote the most significant dramas and comedies for his work. All of them were written for a reason, mainly his works describe the tragic fate of women who have to deal with their problems alone. Ostrovsky was a playwright from God, it would seem that he managed to write very easily, thoughts themselves came to his head. But he also wrote such works where he had to work hard.

IN latest works the playwright developed new methods of presenting the text and expressiveness - which became distinctive in his work. Chekhov highly appreciated his writing style, which for Alexander Nikolaevich is beyond praise. He tried in his work to show the inner struggle of the characters.

Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky V.G. Perov. Portrait of A.N. Ostrovsky (1877) Date of birth: March 31 (April 12) 1823 (18230412) Place of birth ... Wikipedia

Ostrovsky, Alexander Nikolaevich- Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky. OSTROVSKY Alexander Nikolaevich (1823-86), Russian playwright. Creativity Ostrovsky laid the foundation for the national repertoire of the Russian theater. In comedies and socio-psychological dramas, Ostrovsky brought a gallery ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

Ostrovsky, Alexander Nikolaevich, famous dramatic writer. Born March 31, 1823 in Moscow, where his father served in the civil chamber, and then engaged in private advocacy. Ostrovsky lost his mother in childhood and no ... ... Biographical Dictionary

Russian playwright. Born in the family of a lawyer official; mother - comes from the lower clergy. He spent his childhood and early youth in Zamoskvorechye - special ... ... Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich- (18231886), playwright. He came to St. Petersburg repeatedly from 1853, was closely associated with social, literary and cultural life capital Cities. Most of Ostrovsky's plays were first published in St. Petersburg in the journals Sovremennik, ... ... Encyclopedic reference book "St. Petersburg"

- (1823 86) Russian playwright, corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1863). Creativity Ostrovsky laid the foundation for the national repertoire of the Russian theater. In comedies and socio-psychological dramas, Ostrovsky brought out a gallery of types from those covered by ... ... Big encyclopedic Dictionary

- (1823 1886), playwright. He came to St. Petersburg repeatedly from 1853, was closely connected with the social, literary and cultural life of the capital. Most of O.'s plays were first published in St. Petersburg in the journals Sovremennik and Vremya. In the journal… … St. Petersburg (encyclopedia)

Dramatic writer, head of the repertoire of the Imperial Moscow Theater and director of the Moscow Theater School. A. N. Ostrovsky was born in Moscow on January 31, 1823. His father, Nikolai Fedorovich, came from a spiritual rank, and according to ... ... Big biographical encyclopedia

- (1823 1886), Russian playwright, corresponding member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1863). Brother of M. N. Ostrovsky. Creativity Ostrovsky laid the foundation for the national repertoire of the Russian theater. In comedies and socio-psychological dramas, Ostrovsky brought out ... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

OSTROVSKY Alexander Nikolaevich- (182386), Russian playwright. Organizer and Prev. About va rus. dramatic writers and opera composers (since 1870). Plays (comedies and dramas): in prose "Family Picture" (1847, post. 1855), "Our people let's get along" (1850, post. 1861), ... ... Literary Encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

• Dowry. Thunderstorm (CDmp3), Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich. Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich (1823 - 1886) - Russian playwright, whose work laid the foundation for the national repertoire of the Russian theater. In the plays of A. N. Ostrovsky, the color is captured ...
• Plays: Ostrovsky A. N., Chekhov A. P., Gorky M., Gorky Maxim, Ostrovsky Alexander Nikolaevich, Chekhov Anton Pavlovich. A. Ostrovsky, A. Chekhov and M. Gorky are brilliant reformers and innovators of the stage, who radically changed the theater. This book includes five famous plays by great playwrights - "Thunderstorm", ...