Maxim Gorky’s most famous play “At the Depths” describes three truths - three philosophical views on life: the first truth of Luke, the second truth of Satin and the third truth of Bubnov. All these points of view are defended by arguments, all supported by evidence and examples, but still each person needs to decide what he thinks? A lot depends on the answer, since the question is very important. Before me is the play “At the Bottom”. So which truth is closer to me? The three truths about a person in the play “At the Bottom” are significantly different from each other, so first you need to figure out what they are.

What is Luke's truth? This paradoxical hero appears in a shelter in Kitay-Gorod and promotes white lies. He consoles the poor and ragged inhabitants of the basements, promising them all kinds of benefits that are due to them for their suffering. Many people are really starting to believe his encouraging words. Luke’s “truth” from the play “At the Bottom” is expressed in the fact that he saves a person from the harmful influence of harsh and harsh reality through deception. In order to live, a person needs a lie, because without it he may not be able to withstand the difficult truth and die altogether. Everyone needs consolation, albeit imaginary, to continue the fight against despondency. The hero’s speech is aphoristic, and in it one can see Luke’s life position. For example, he believes that: “What you believe in is what you believe.”

What is Satin's truth? The cheater and alcoholic Konstantin also hears Luke’s sermons, but desperately argues with him. Satin's philosophy is that lying is the religion of slaves and you cannot lie to anyone, anywhere. Whatever the purpose of the deceiver, such means do not justify it. He believes that a person should be respected in any case, and not humiliated with pity. Illusions will sooner or later disappear, and the deceived will come to despair from another collapse of hopes. According to Konstantin, a person should not despair, and it is in his monologues that the author’s position is observed: “Truth is the god of a free man!” The truth and opinion of Gorky are expressed in Satin’s position, because the writer was a supporter of the revolution, which proclaimed truths like “Religion is the opium of the people.” Lenin and his supporters, including Gorky, brought the unvarnished truth to the people. They were already tired of the lies of the tsarist regime, which was supported by the church. It was religion that justified the king in everything, calling him “God’s anointed.” That is, inequality and oppression of the autocracy were determined by this concept, which was hammered into the heads of all subjects. The Bolsheviks wanted equality, freedom and brotherhood, like Gorky. Therefore, the author in image of Luke portrayed a typical priest with his eternal promises and consolations, and in image of Satin– a proletarian revolutionary force with a sober materialistic mind. The preacher of lies escapes, but Satin has the courage to remain true to himself and his beliefs.

What is the third truth, Bubnov’s truth? This philosophy is to tell it straight as it is. The hero believes that there is no point in lying, since everyone will die sooner or later anyway. It seems to me that in Bubnov’s face one can see the features of a nobleman - a native of a degraded class. He is “lazy and a drunkard” and ran away from home because his wife found someone else. Bubnov's restlessness and inability to independently settle in life give rise to his gloomy worldview. He prefers to hide rather than solve the problem. He has the same attitude towards the truth: he doesn’t care, as long as they don’t touch him. Therefore, he does not bother himself with lies, and he is not very burdened with the truth, since he does not care what will happen in life, since no one has canceled death.

Which truth from the play “At the Bottom” is closer to me? I am inclined to choose Satin’s truth, since this philosophy provides for a meaning of life that is close and understandable to me. According to Gorky, life is worth living in order to serve the ideals of truth, freedom and justice. It was this principle that guided him when he wrote such wonderful works. Satin also tries to embody these ideals to the best of his ability. I think I can also contribute.

Maxim Gorky's story "Old Woman Izergil" was written in 1894. This is one of the writer’s early works, but it is already imbued with deep philosophical ideas and reflections on the meaning of life, goodness, love, freedom and self-sacrifice.

The story consists of three chapters, each of which tells one complete story. The first and third chapters are the legends of Larra and Danko, and the second is Izergil’s honest story about her interesting, “greedy,” but difficult life.

We find reflections on the meaning of human existence in all three chapters of the work. The idea of ​​the first chapter, which tells about Larra, the son of a woman and an eagle, is that life has no meaning without people. The name Larra itself means “outcast.” People rejected this young man because he was proud and believed that “there are no others like him.” To top it all off, Larra was cruel and killed an innocent girl in front of his fellow tribesmen.

For a long time people tried to “come up with an execution worthy of the crime” and in the end they decided that Larre’s punishment was “in himself” and released the young man. Since then, under the “invisible cover of the highest punishment,” he is doomed to forever wander around the world, knowing no peace.

The opposite of Larra in the story is the young man Danko, who sacrificed himself to save his fellow tribesmen: Danko tore out his heart, and, like a torch, illuminated their path from the impenetrable forest to the saving steppes. The meaning of life for this young man was selfless service to people whom he loved very much, despite their “bestial” nature.

Both of these legends (both about Danko and Larra) are heard from the lips of the heroine Izergil. It is not by chance that the author gives her the right to judge these heroes, since this elderly woman lived a long life, also filled with meaning. All her experience suggests that you can live with people and at the same time - only for yourself.

Izergil is close to the image of Danko, and she admires the dedication of this young man, but the woman herself cannot do this, since Danko is a romantic hero, and she is a real person. But in her life there was also a place for exploits for the sake of people, and she also performed them in the name of love. So, at the risk of being captured and killed, she ventured to rescue her beloved Arcadek from captivity.

It was in love that Izergil saw the main meaning of her existence, and there was enough love in her life. This woman herself loved many men, and many loved her. But now, at the age of forty, having encountered Arcadek’s unrequited love and having discerned the unsightly essence of this man (“What a lying dog that was”), Izergil was able to find a new meaning for herself: she decided to “start a nest” and get married.

At the time of communication with the author, this woman is already about seventy years old. Izergil’s husband died, “time bent her in half,” the look of her black eyes dimmed, her hair turned gray, and her skin became wrinkled, but despite this, the old woman finds the strength to enjoy life, the meaning of which she now sees in communication with young Moldovans working together with her at the grape harvest. The woman feels that they need her and that they love her. Now Izergil, thanks to the experience accumulated over the years, can serve people almost in the same way as Danko, telling them instructive stories and illuminating their path with the light of his calm wisdom.

The best writers of all times and peoples asked themselves and their readers about the existence of man. To be or not to be is a philosophical question. The meaning of life is different for every person. Well-being and prosperity are enough for one, give peace and freedom to another, and the third carefully monitors his own health, believing that it is most important.

Alexey Maksimovich Peshkov wondered about the purpose of existence in almost all of his works. His characters follow their path in different ways, among them there are egoists who think only about their own good, and those who are ready to devote themselves to serving bright ideals. By contrasting the philosophy of sacrifice with the way of thinking of an opportunist, the writer indicates his own position. Renunciation of one's own material interests in the name of a bright future - this is the meaning of life according to Gorky.

The meaning of life of the old woman Izergil

Three storylines are woven into the story “Old Woman Izergil”. The main character had to live a difficult life, in which there was a place for both happiness and grief. The men, by the will of fate in her destiny, are very different, but she recklessly and generously gave both the young man, like an oriental flower, and the arrogant Polish duelist, what she owned - her love, without sparing her. Has she ever thought about the question of what is the meaning of life? From the old woman’s bitter story about Danko’s tragic fate, we can conclude that she was not alien to thoughts about the purpose of human existence. At the same time, when talking about Larra, she, without any condemnation, sets out the concept of a carefree and comfortable life.

Petrel and already

A similar ideological confrontation is also manifested in the dialogue between the “wise” grass snake and the petrel. Freedom is the meaning of life according to Gorky. It can be defined as the will to do what one wants, the whole question is what the slave wants and what the true citizen wants. The average person, being captive of his own petty goals, is simply unable to understand high heroic aspirations; he does not like the feeling of free flight, especially if it ends in a clumsy fall from a height, albeit a small one. I really like a warm and damp coziness, familiar and comfortable. The high emotional intensity elevates this fable to the rank of a real parable with an almost biblical plot.

The meaning of a mother's life

The idea of ​​serving high ideals also dominates the novel “Mother”. In this work, the interpretation of human relations is not as schematic as in “Song of the Petrel.” The narrative is complicated by the understanding of simple human feelings experienced by an ordinary woman who raised a son obsessed with class struggle. Like any mother, she wants her child to be happy, and she is very afraid for Pavel, who is not afraid of anything. A revolutionary is ready to step over any obstacle, without thinking about the consequences, seeing only an unclear and distant goal. And the mother is always on the side of her son.

Was the Petrel of the Revolution happy?

So what is the meaning of life according to Gorky? Is it only in serving high ideals, or are more mundane, universal issues important to him? By declaring Maxim Gorky as the main proletarian writer, the Soviet leadership of the thirties hoped to tame the “petrel of the revolution” and reduce his complex, ambiguous work to a simplified scheme in which there was only room for heroes, enemies and ordinary people, a “wavering swamp” to be eradicated. But the world is much more complex and varied than the formula “who is not with us is against us”... But from school, children were instilled with the idea that the meaning of life, according to Gorky, lies in continuous struggle.

Happiness is the main goal of every person, and everyone has their own. Gorky's characters almost never experience it; they suffer. Did he himself become a great writer, despite all the honors that the authorities showered on him? Hardly.

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What is the meaning of life according to Gorky, and is it equivalent to happiness?

The best writers of all times and peoples asked themselves and their readers about why man lives in the world. To be or not to be is a philosophical question. The meaning of life is different for every person. Well-being and prosperity are enough for one, give peace and freedom to another, and the third carefully monitors his own health, believing that it is most important.

Alexey Maksimovich Peshkov wondered about the purpose of existence in almost all of his works. His characters follow their path in different ways, among them there are egoists who think only about their own good, and those who are ready to devote themselves to serving bright ideals. By contrasting the philosophy of sacrifice with the way of thinking of an opportunist, the writer indicates his own position. Renunciation of one's own material interests in the name of a bright future - this is the meaning of life according to Gorky.

The meaning of life of the old woman Izergil

Three storylines are woven into the story “Old Woman Izergil”. The main character had to live a difficult life, in which there was a place for both happiness and grief. The men who, by the will of fate, left their mark on her destiny are very different, but she recklessly and generously gave both the young man, like an oriental flower, and the arrogant Polish duelist, what she owned - her love, without sparing her. Has she ever thought about the question of what is the meaning of life? From the old woman’s bitter story about Danko’s tragic fate, we can conclude that she was not alien to thoughts about the purpose of human existence. At the same time, when talking about Larra, she, without any condemnation, sets out the concept of a carefree and comfortable life. To each his own!

Petrel and already

A similar ideological confrontation is also manifested in the dialogue between the “wise” grass snake and the petrel. Freedom is the meaning of life according to Gorky. It can be defined as the will to do what one wants, the whole question is what the slave wants and what the true citizen wants. The average person, being captive of his own petty goals, is simply unable to understand high heroic aspirations; he does not like the feeling of free flight, especially if it ends in a clumsy fall from a height, albeit a small one. I really like a warm and damp coziness, familiar and comfortable. The high emotional intensity elevates this fable to the rank of a real parable with an almost biblical plot.

The meaning of a mother's life

The idea of ​​serving high ideals also dominates the novel “Mother”. In this work, the interpretation of human relations is not as schematic as in “Song of the Petrel.” The narrative is complicated by the understanding of simple human feelings experienced by an ordinary woman who raised a son obsessed with class struggle. Like any mother, she wants her child to be happy, and she is very afraid for Pavel, who is not afraid of anything. A revolutionary is ready to step over any obstacle, without thinking about the consequences, seeing only an unclear and distant goal. And the mother is always on the side of her son.

Was the Petrel of the Revolution happy?

So what is the meaning of life according to Gorky? Is it only in serving high ideals, or are more mundane, universal issues important to him? By declaring Maxim Gorky as the main proletarian writer, the Soviet leadership of the thirties hoped to tame the “petrel of the revolution” and reduce his complex, ambiguous work to a simplified scheme in which there was only room for heroes, enemies and ordinary people, a “wavering swamp” to be eradicated. But the world is much more complex and varied than the formula “who is not with us is against us”... But from school, children were instilled with the idea that the meaning of life, according to Gorky, lies in continuous struggle.

Happiness is the main goal of every person, and everyone has their own. Gorky's characters almost never experience it; they suffer. Did the great writer himself become a happy person, despite all the honors that the authorities showered on him? Hardly.

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Miscellaneous

While in Bessarabia, Gorky thought about writing the story “The Old Woman Izergil.” For several years, the writer comprehended the essence of human nature, in which good and bad fight and it is not completely known which will win.

The result of the work pleased Gorky. The work fully reflected his views on social relations. Later, Gorky wrote to Chekhov that he would never again be able to write in such a smooth language, in which the story “The Old Woman Izergil” was written. Gorky also strove in his works to show all the best, what every reader could strive for.

In the story "Old Woman Izergil" composition plays a big role, which puts one story into the content of another. An elderly woman tells several stories that present completely opposite views on the world: selfishness, as a form of one’s own good, and altruism, a form of working for society. And in the middle the story is full of reality.

The theme of freedom comes first in the story. All heroes are not dependent on society. Danko, confident that he is right, commands the uncomprehending crowd to move forward, despite the indignation from the outside. Izergil demonstrated complete freedom with her behavior. And Larra even violates the freedom of others with her behavior.

Danko’s universal love opens up the theme of love in the story, which for Larra manifested itself exclusively towards herself. And Izergil, in pursuit of pleasure, comes to the realization that she has lost true love.

The main themes concern the role of man in society. According to the writer, every person should bring his talents to the public good. He opposes Larra’s individualism and Izergil’s emptiness.

The writer also encourages us to make good use of our time, which inexorably runs forward. The image of Izergil makes it clear that such thoughtless behavior is not capable of ultimately bringing a complete feeling of happiness from the life lived.

The fundamental idea of ​​this story is the search for the meaning of life. And the writer found it in altruism. But every person has the right to find his own.

The story also touches on problems of a different nature: moral, ethical, philosophical, which everyone should think about.

The author, solving the problems of his characters, presents their different views on life for everyone to see. It was important for Danko to live for the sake of others. Larra lived solely for himself, and Izergil lived for love pleasures. As a result, only Danko was able to get complete pleasure.

The work “Old Woman Izergil” is presented in the form of three different life stories. By reading and following which everyone can choose the right path for themselves. The writer is trying to convey that man is a social being. And those who try to act for the sake of their own egoism eventually realize that they are left with nothing.

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