This work presents summary story " Stationmaster", which can be used for reader's diary, and for writing written works on the proposed plan.
The characteristics of all the characters, the definition of the main idea of the work and the conclusion are also briefly given.
In 1830, delayed due to a cholera epidemic in Boldino, Pushkin worked hard and enthusiastically. There he plans to write a cycle of five, completely different from each other, stories on behalf of a fictional author and calls them “Belkin’s Tales.”
On September 9, on the fifth day of his stay in the village, the story “The Undertaker” was completed, on the last page of which Pushkin sketches out the plan for a new one, called “The Station Warden” with a very simple plot.
This work differs from other stories in its mood; it is permeated with a feeling of sadness and tragedy. The composition of the story corresponds to traditional canons: beginning, development, climax and conclusion. But the story is not told in chapters.
It begins with the traveler's lyrical reflections on the thankless lot of caretakers, then follows his story about Samson Vyrin and his daughter, then the caretaker's revelations about the treachery of a passing hussar and Dunya's fate, ends with a description of the narrator's last visit and a visit to the old man's grave, where he learns about Dunya's belated repentance.
The main characters and their characteristics
Ivan Petrovich Belkin- an official traveling on business and telling the story of Samson Vyrin. A caring person who is interested in the lives of the people he meets.
He was born into the family of a respectable second-major and, raised by a village sexton, was inclined to read and study Russian literature. He served, but after his retirement he showed no inclination to manage the estate of his late parents.
Honest, meek, bashful, moderate in excesses, prone to writing.
Samson Vyrin— the story is named after him and that was the name of Dunya’s father. A little man who honestly fulfills his duty. He suffers harassment and humiliation from passing gentlemen. The stationmaster is about fifty years old. He is a widower, but loves his only daughter very much. He endures all adversity with self-esteem.
Dunya- his daughter, very intelligent and efficient. Understanding his father’s situation, he tries to alleviate his fate. Portrait of Dunya: young, beautiful, flirtatious, behaves no worse than society girls. She often manages to soften the anger of the guests with her helpfulness. But one day, succumbing to her feelings, she leaves her father and leaves with the hussar, risking her reputation. Still, she manages to avoid a shameful life, find family peace and happiness.
Captain Minsky- the one who kidnapped Dunya is young, handsome, rich. But, having fallen in love with Dunya, he does not see her father in their life, although a nobleman, but in a plebeian, according to his concepts, service. He tries to pay off his daughter’s honor with money, not realizing that even the caretaker has his own dignity, which he trampled on. In part, he can be considered a minor character.
Minor characters
Doctor- a German who played his crafty role in the story of Dunya’s kidnapping. In the passage telling about Minsky’s imaginary illness, it is clear that he is an involuntary accomplice of the hussar. Having received a generous reward, even having lunch and drinking wine with the patient, he, having hidden the true state of affairs, indirectly participated in the captain’s cunning plan.
Vania - the brewer's son, who remembered the caretaker for his kindness. He did not forget where the grave of this man, who was no stranger to him, was.
The station guards are oppressed and humiliated by almost all those passing by and scold them, complain, considering them “monsters” or robbers. But in fairness, we need to treat them more leniently.
After all, their lowest rank of the fourteenth category can, and even then not always, only protect them from beatings. His service is hard labor, and there is no rest day or night.
Travelers who are tired on the road take out all their frustration on the caretaker for the bad weather, bad road, tired horses, and obstinate coachmen. For everyone, he is worse than an enemy, no matter what curses they scold him with. In any weather, he runs around looking for horses, hiding in the hallway from angry guests.
The narrator, having been traveling around Russia for almost twenty years, was familiar with many caretakers. Collecting and recording travel observations, I decided to dispel false ideas about these humble workers, speaking of their helpfulness, agreeableness and unpretentiousness.
He was especially interested in conversations with them, from which he learned a lot of interesting and instructive things. He told the readers about the fate of one of them.
In 1826, he happened to get wet in the rain while passing through and decided to dry off and drink tea at a passing station. The caretaker called to his daughter, ordering her to put the samovar on. The beauty of the fourteen-year-old girl impressed the narrator. While waiting for tea, he began to look around the modest but neat home.
He was especially interested in three pictures on the wall, depicting biblical story prodigal son Fifty-year-old Samson Vyrin, of a cheerful disposition and fresh, and his daughter had a long conversation over tea with the traveler, whom Dunya kissed goodbye.
A few years later the narrator had the opportunity to visit this station again. Entering the house, he noticed how the home had changed: the flowers on the windows had disappeared, desolation and dilapidation were felt in everything. Very old for last years The caretaker did not answer the question about Dunya’s health and frowned. But, after drinking the offered punch, he told the sad and touching story of his daughter, remembering how he could not get enough of his Dunya, how passers-by loved to talk to her, admired her beauty and intelligence.
Three years ago, in winter, a troika arrived and a military man entered the room, demanding horses.
Dunya softened the anger of the young hussar, whose name was Minsky, by tenderly offering to have dinner. He agreed. But when the horses were brought in, the traveler suddenly felt ill and lost his memory.
The next day a doctor was called, with whom the patient dined with appetite, drinking a bottle of wine and paying generously.
A day later the hussar completely recovered, became cheerful, hummed and joked a lot. On Sunday, Dunya was getting ready for a church service, and the hussar volunteered to give her a ride. The caretaker himself did not understand how he could allow his daughter to ride with the hussar. Worried, he went to church himself, but it turned out that Dunya was not in the church.
Hoping that she simply decided to take a ride to the next station, she receives news from the returning coachman that Dunya has left with the hussar. Samson Vyrin fell ill with grief. Having recovered, he begged for leave and set off on foot to fetch his daughter.
On the way, he learned that Captain Minsky was on his way to St. Petersburg, and Dunya was traveling without coercion, but was crying all the time. In St. Petersburg he found the tavern where Minsky lived and went to him. With tears, he begged him to return his daughter to him, not to destroy her. But Minsky assured that he would not leave Dunya, and she would not be able to return to her old life. Having given the unfortunate father some money, he put him out on the street. The caretaker indignantly threw out and trampled this money.
Two days later I saw his offender run onto the porch of a house. Having discovered that Dunya lived on the second floor, deceiving the coachman and maid, he entered her apartment. The shocked Dunya, suddenly seeing her father, faints. And Minsky pushes the old man out into the street. Samson Vyrin returns to his station duty.
At the end of his story, the caretaker said that he had been living alone for three years and knew nothing about the fate of his daughter, but assumed that her fate had befallen many young fools, for whom street tavern life and poverty were destined. After parting, the narrator recalled for a long time the sad story of the caretaker and his daughter.
A few more years later he learned that the station had been destroyed, the old caretaker had died, and a brewer had moved into his house. The owner's son, at his request, took him to the old man's grave. I learned from the boy that a young and beautiful lady came with three children, went to the graveyard, lay on the grave and cried. Afterwards I gave the priest some money for remembrance and the boy a penny. Having heard this story, the narrator did not regret his trip.
The main idea of the story
The main clue that determined main idea, is defined in the description of the room of the humble monastery of the caretaker, which was decorated with pictures from a biblical story.
Dunya repeated the fate of the prodigal youth. But her repentance came too late. She was lucky, she avoided the banal fate of a kept woman, and found family and maternal happiness.
But the feeling of guilt will torment her for the rest of her life. She will never receive her father's forgiveness.
What does this book teach? It is impossible to become happy if you are not given forgiveness and peace of mind.
Conclusion
The story surprisingly touchingly depicts the image of a “little man”, an honest and selfless worker, kind, bearing his unenviable position with dignity, but unable to protect himself and his loved ones. This theme, raised by Pushkin, will be developed in the future by many Russian writers in their work.
For a more complete perception of the work and to create your own opinion, we recommend reading not only the shortened story, but also the original.
Reading the introduction to A. S. Pushkin’s story “The Station Agent,” the reader cannot help but feel delighted at how vividly and aptly the service of the “dictator” of the postal station is described. True, in our time there are no yam stations or caretakers, and people move around cities and regions by trains and planes. But human characters have hardly changed. This introduction begins the story about the stationmaster.
“The Station Agent” is the fourth story by Ivan Petrovich Belkin. In the papers to which Pushkin refers, it was mentioned that Belkin heard this story from the titular adviser A.G.N.
One day, in May 1816, the author found himself at the N station. The station was neat. The author drew attention to the pictures hanging on the wall on the theme of the return of the prodigal son. The author stopped at the station, where he was served tea, and he treated the old caretaker to punch. They sat at the table and had a warm, friendly conversation while the coachmen were preparing the horses. The caretaker loved his daughter dearly and was proud of her. The caretaker's fourteen-year-old daughter made an indelible impression on the author with her beauty. The father said that everyone passing by pays attention to her. Some even specially turn into the station to see it once again. With her charm and attractiveness, she pacifies wayward and angry gentlemen.
The next time he passed through this station was several years later. He remembered to a beautiful girl, deep down I hoped to see her again. But Dunya was not at the station. He saw the caretaker, aged and taciturn. He asked about Duna, but the old caretaker pretended that he had not heard the question.
The little trick that the author used did the trick. He treated the caretaker to punch. The alcohol loosened the tongue of the old caretaker, and he said that his daughter was taken to St. Petersburg by cunning by a young hussar. The caretaker said that one day he went to St. Petersburg on foot. He decided that if the hussar left her, he would take his daughter with him. The old man found Dunya in big house, where she lived in a separate apartment. He learned that the hussar's name was Minsky, and he served with the rank of captain. The father met with the hussar. Minsky rented a room for her and promised that he would never offend Dunya. But the officer did not allow me to meet with my daughter. True, the old man did see his daughter. She became prettier, blossomed, and it was noticeable that she was happy in love.
The old man then returned home and continued his service at the station. But it was clear that he missed his daughter and was worried about how her fate would turn out in the capital.
Some more time passed. The author again passed through that province. The station had already been destroyed, but the author decided to visit a familiar caretaker and went to the village where the station was. The brewer's family lived in the caretaker's house. The fat woman said that the caretaker died and was buried in the local cemetery. A red-haired boy, the son of a brewer, took the author to the cemetery. On the way, the boy said that one day a luxurious lady “with barchat” came to the caretaker’s grave. She lay on the grave and cried bitterly. Then I talked to the priest and gave him money. And she gave the red-haired boy a silver penny. It is clear that the beautiful lady was Dunya, the caretaker’s daughter. And judging by the fact that she came with children and a wet nurse, she married Captain Minsky.
Pushkin’s story “The Station Warden” was written in 1830 and was included in the cycle “Tales of the late Ivan Petrovich Belkin.” The leading theme of the work is the theme of the “little man”, represented by the image of the station guard Samson Vyrin. The story refers to literary direction sentimentalism.
A concise presentation of “The Station Agent” will be of interest to 7th grade students, as well as to anyone interested in classical Russian literature. On our website you can read a summary of “The Station Agent” online.
Main characters
Narrator- an official who “traveled Russia for twenty years in a row”, the story is narrated on his behalf.
Samson Vyrin- a man of about fifty, a station superintendent “from the venerable class of caretakers,” Dunya’s father.
Other heroes
Avdotya Samsonovna (Dunya)– daughter Vyrina, very beautiful girl, at the beginning of the story she is about 14 years old - a “little coquette” with big blue eyes.
Captain Minsky- a young hussar who took Dunya away by deception.
Brewer's son- the boy who showed the narrator where Vyrin’s grave is located.
The story begins with the narrator's thoughts about the fate of the stationmasters: “What is a stationmaster? A real martyr of the fourteenth class, protected by his rank only from beatings, and even then not always.” At the same time, according to the narrator’s observations, “the caretakers are generally peaceful people, helpful by nature.”
In May 1816, the narrator was passing through the *** province. The man was caught in the pouring rain and stopped at the station to change clothes and drink tea. The caretaker's daughter, Dunya, set the table, striking the narrator with her beauty.
While the owners were busy, the narrator looked around the room - there were pictures on the walls depicting the story of the prodigal son. The narrator, the caretaker and Dunya drank tea, chatting pleasantly “as if they had known each other for centuries.” When leaving, the narrator kissed Dunya in the entryway with her permission.
A few years later the narrator visited this station again. Entering the house, he was struck by the carelessness and dilapidation of the furnishings. The caretaker himself, Samson Vyrin, has grown very old and gray. At first the old man did not want to answer questions about his daughter, but after two glasses of punch he began to talk.
Vyrin said that three years ago a young hussar came to visit them. At first the visitor was very angry that he was not served horses, but when he saw Dunya, he softened. After dinner, the young man allegedly became ill. Having bribed a doctor called the next day, the hussar spent a couple of days at the station. On Sunday, the young man recovered and, leaving, offered to give the girl a ride to church. Vyrin released his daughter with the hussar.
“Not even half an hour had passed” when the caretaker began to worry and went to the church himself. From a sexton acquaintance, Vyrin learned that Dunya was not at mass. In the evening, the coachman carrying the officer arrived and said that Dunya had gone with the hussar to the next station. The old man realized that the hussar’s illness was feigned. From grief, Vyrin “fell ill with a severe fever.”
“Having barely recovered from his illness,” the caretaker took a leave of absence and went on foot to look for his daughter. From Minsky's journey, Samson knew that the hussar was on his way to St. Petersburg. Having found out the address of the captain in St. Petersburg, Vyrin comes to him and in a trembling voice asks to give him his daughter. Minsky replied that he asked Samson for forgiveness, but he would not give Dunya to him - “she will be happy, I give you my word of honor.” Having finished speaking, the hussar sent the caretaker outside, slipping several banknotes down his sleeve.
Seeing the money, Vyrin burst into tears and threw it away. A couple of days later, while walking along Liteinaya, Vyrin noticed Minsky. Having found out from his coachman where Dunya lived, the caretaker hurried to his daughter’s apartment. Entering the rooms, Samson found luxuriously dressed Dunya and Minsky there. Seeing her father, the girl fainted. Angry Minsky " with a strong hand Grabbing the old man by the collar, he pushed him onto the stairs.” Two days later Virin went back to the station. For the third year now, he knows nothing about her and is afraid that her fate is the same as the fate of other “young fools.”
After some time, the narrator again passed through those places. Where the station used to be, the brewer’s family now lived, and Vyrin, having become an alcoholic, “died about a year ago.” The narrator asked to be escorted to Samson's grave. The boy, the son of a brewer, told him on the way that in the summer a “beautiful lady” came here “with three little barchats”, who, having come to the caretaker’s grave, “lay down here and lay there for a long time.”
Conclusion
In the story « Stationmaster" A. S. Pushkin outlined the special nature of the conflict, which differs from the sentimentalism depicted in traditional works - the conflict of choice between Vyrin’s personal happiness (father’s happiness) and the happiness of his daughter. The author emphasized the moral superiority of the caretaker (“little man”) over the other characters, depicting an example of the selfless love of a parent for his child.
Brief retelling“The Station Agent” is intended for a quick introduction to the plot of the work, so for a better understanding of the story we advise you to read it in its entirety.
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There are no people more unhappy than station guards, for travelers invariably blame the station guards for all their troubles and seek to take out their anger on them about bad roads, unbearable weather, bad horses and the like. Meanwhile, the caretakers are mostly meek and unresponsive people, “real martyrs of the fourteenth class, protected by their rank only from beatings, and even then not always.” The caretaker's life is full of worries and troubles, he sees no gratitude from anyone, on the contrary, he hears threats and screams and feels the pushes of irritated guests. Meanwhile, “one can glean a lot of interesting and instructive things from their conversations.”
In 1816, the narrator happened to be driving through the *** province, and on the way he was caught in the rain. At the station he hurried to change clothes and drink tea. The caretaker's daughter, a girl of about fourteen named Dunya, who amazed the narrator with her beauty, put the samovar on and set the table. While Dunya was busy, the traveler examined the decoration of the hut. On the wall he noticed pictures depicting the story of the prodigal son, on the windows there were geraniums, in the room there was a bed behind a colorful curtain. The traveler invited Samson Vyrin - that was the name of the caretaker - and his daughter to share a meal with him, and a relaxed atmosphere arose that was conducive to sympathy. The horses had already been supplied, but the traveler still did not want to part with his new acquaintances.
Several years passed, and again he had the opportunity to travel along this route. He was looking forward to meeting old acquaintances. “Having entered the room,” he recognized the previous situation, but “everything around showed disrepair and neglect.” Dunya was not in the house either. The aged caretaker was gloomy and taciturn; only a glass of punch stirred him up, and the traveler heard the sad story of Dunya’s disappearance. This happened three years ago. A young officer arrived at the station, who was in a hurry and angry that the horses had not been served for a long time, but when he saw Dunya, he softened and even stayed for dinner. When the horses arrived, the officer suddenly felt very unwell. The doctor who arrived found him to have a fever and prescribed complete rest. On the third day, the officer was already healthy and prepared to leave. It was Sunday, and he offered Duna to take her to church. The father allowed his daughter to go, not expecting anything bad, but he was still overcome by anxiety, and he ran to the church. Mass had already ended, the worshipers were leaving, and from the words of the sexton, the caretaker learned that Dunya was not in the church. The driver who was carrying the officer returned in the evening and reported that Dunya had gone with him to the next station. The caretaker realized that the officer’s illness was feigned, and he himself fell ill with a severe fever. Having recovered, Samson begged for leave and went on foot to St. Petersburg, where, as he knew from the road, Captain Minsky was going. In St. Petersburg he found Minsky and came to him. Minsky did not immediately recognize him, but when he did, he began to assure Samson that he loved Dunya, would never leave her and would make her happy. He gave the caretaker some money and took him outside.
Samson really wanted to see his daughter again. Chance helped him. On Liteinaya he noticed Minsky in a smart droshky, which stopped at the entrance of a three-story building. Minsky entered the house, and the caretaker learned from a conversation with the coachman that Dunya lived here, and entered the entrance. Once in the apartment, through the open door of the room he saw Minsky and his Dunya, beautifully dressed and looking at Minsky with uncertainty. Noticing her father, Dunya screamed and fell unconscious on the carpet. An angry Minsky pushed the old man onto the stairs, and he went home. And now for the third year he knows nothing about Duna and is afraid that her fate is the same as the fate of many young fools.
After some time, the narrator happened to pass through these places again. The station no longer existed, and Samson “died about a year ago.” The boy, the son of a brewer who settled in Samson’s hut, took the narrator to Samson’s grave and said that in the summer a beautiful lady came with three young ladies and lay for a long time on the caretaker’s grave, and the kind lady gave him a silver nickel.
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The work of A. S. Pushkin “The Station Warden” is included in the cycle “Belkin’s Tale” and opens the theme of the “little man” in Russian literature. His hero is a petty official of the fourteenth class, called upon to endure the discontent and bullying of passers-by throughout his life.
First meeting with Samson Vyrin
The summary of the story “The Station Agent” begins, like the work itself, with the author’s reflections on the difficult fate of these postal “dictators.” They have to endure a lot from travelers, especially if the latter are of high rank. Such thoughts reminded the narrator of one of these martyrs, whom he first met in 1816, when he was driving along the highway of the *** province.
The narrator got caught in heavy rain and got wet all over. Having reached the station, the first thing he did was change his clothes and ask for tea. The caretaker, a fresh and cheerful man of about fifty, called his fourteen-year-old daughter Dunya, who was distinguished by her beauty, and ordered the samovar to be put on. While the tea was warming up and the caretaker was looking at the road, the narrator began to look at the drawings and illustrations for the parable of the prodigal son that were hanging on the wall. They consistently told famous story and forever sunk into the memory of those passing by. Just like the pots of balsam and other things that decorated the room.
Soon Dunya brought a samovar, and the three of them drank tea and talked for a long time, like people who had known each other for a long time. Finally, the guest set off on the road, kissing Dunya goodbye. This is how A. Pushkin begins his story.
A few years later, the narrator again found himself on that road. He was pleased with the opportunity to see Vyrin and his daughter, so he was in good mood. However, the house looked neglected, and the caretaker himself, who got out from under the sheepskin coat, looked old and frail. At first Samson did not want to talk, but after drinking punch, he told the sad story that happened to him and his Dunya.
The old man spoke about his daughter with love and pride. According to him, the house was supported by her, and those passing by, when they saw the girl, became softer and more accommodating. Yes, three years ago a disaster happened, the story of which continues in the summary of “The Station Agent.”
Arrival of the Hussar
A traveler in a military overcoat appeared on a winter evening. Having learned that there were no horses, he raised his voice, but when he saw Dunya, he softened and ordered dinner. Soon the hussar was lying on the bench completely ill. And by morning he felt very bad, and the caretaker sent for the doctor. He felt the pulse, spoke to the military man in German, received twenty-five rubles and said that the patient needed to rest for a couple of days. All this time, Dunya looked after the young man.
On the third morning, the guest got ready to leave and wanted to take Dunya to the church - she was going to mass. The father himself offered his doubtful daughter a ride, and half an hour later his heart suddenly began to ache. The stationmaster went to the church and found out that the girl had not appeared there. There was still hope that Dunya decided to ride to the next station, but the returning coachman reported that she had gone further with the hussar.
In Petersburg
The old man fell ill and fell ill with a fever. He was treated by the same doctor who came to the hussar. He admitted that he was afraid of the whip and did not give up young man who was absolutely healthy. After receiving treatment, Vyrin decided to go to St. Petersburg - it was there that Minin was heading, according to the travel document. The summary of “The Station Agent” continues with a description of what happened in the capital.
The caretaker stopped with an old comrade and soon learned the hussar's address. He came to him with a request to let his daughter go with him. However, Minin replied that Dunya loved him, that she had already lost the habit of her former life, and then he thrust something down the caretaker’s sleeve; it turned out to be banknotes. Vyrin was about to go back, but then he decided to just look at his daughter. A couple of days later he saw Minsky’s carriage at one of the large houses and learned from the coachman that Avdotya Samsonovna lived here. The door was opened by a maid. Without asking permission, the caretaker went to the rooms, where he saw the luxuriously dressed Dunya. She looked tenderly at Minsky, and her appearance radiated happiness. Noticing her father, she fell on the carpet, and immediately Minsky pushed the old man out the door. This was the story, interrupted by tears, and its summary. The narrator often remembered the stationmaster, and he was also worried about Dunya’s further fate.
Third visit to the station
A few years later, the narrator once again found himself in those places and decided to visit an old acquaintance. Stopping at the house, he saw someone else's woman, who said that the old caretaker had drunk himself and died. And she sent her son to show the master his grave. On the way, it turned out that the boy knew the old man well - Vyrin loved to tinker with children. Vanka also told how one day a beautiful lady came with three children and a wet nurse. When she learned that the caretaker had died, she burst into tears and went to the cemetery. She lay there for a long time on the old man’s grave, after which she gave the priest some money and left.
This is the summary of “The Station Agent”.
