Taras Bulba Gogol summary. The shortest retelling of Taras Bulba

Birth name: Nikolai Vasilievich Yanovsky.

Russian prose writer, playwright, poet, critic, publicist, recognized as one of the classics of Russian literature. He came from an old noble family of the Gogol-Yanovskys.

Date and place of birth: March 20 (April 1), 1809 or March 19 (31), 1809, Bolshiye Sorochintsy, Poltava province, Russian Empire.

“T aras Bulba”

The story by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol is part of the Mirgorod cycle. When preparing the draft manuscript for publication, Gogol made numerous corrections. The great negligence of the draft manuscript of “Taras Bulba”, omissions of individual words, illegible handwriting, unfinished appearance of individual phrases - all this led to the fact that many errors crept into the composition of “Mirgorod”, published in 1835. By 1842, Gogol had a new adaptation of Taras Bulba, where new episodes appeared, and the volume of the story doubled. Having gone abroad in 1842, Gogol entrusted all the care of the printed collection of all his works to Nikolai Yakovlevich Prokopovich, emphasizing that there were many errors in his story “Taras Bulba”.

Characters of the story

Kozak Taras Bulba

The author describes him as a man of courage, determination and courage. He was a real Zaporozhye Cossack: camaraderie and Christian faith were very important to Bulba all his life. He is no longer young, he occupies a certain position in the Sich. In the episodes of the feast on the occasion of the return of his sons from Bursa, in the scenes of the battle with the Poles, it is clear that Taras Bulba is respected and his advice is listened to. Even those who have only recently come to the Sich see in Bulba a wise and fair warrior. From the first chapters it becomes clear that he is not a family man - his wife rarely sees him, because the Cossack often goes on military campaigns with the Zaporozhye army.

Ostap Bulbenko

Bulba's eldest son graduated from the seminary with his brother and returned home after completing his studies. The reader learns about how Ostap showed himself in the seminary from several episodes: Ostap at first did not want to study and tried to escape, but over time he came to his senses. This character truly reveals itself during the campaign against the Poles. Ostap appears before us as a worthy son of his father: a brave, strong Cossack who is endowed with analytical abilities.

Andriy

The youngest son of an old Cossack. He is different from both his brother and his father. We can say that he took a lyrical soul from his mother, and determination and the will to win from his father. We can say that it was this combination that became fatal for the young man.

“Taras Bulba” summary of the story

After graduating from the Kyiv Academy, his two sons, Ostap and Andriy, come to the old Cossack Colonel Taras Bulba. Two stalwart young men, whose healthy and strong faces have not yet been touched by a razor, are embarrassed by their meeting with their father, who makes fun of their clothes as recent seminarians. The eldest, Ostap, cannot stand his father’s ridicule: “Even though you’re my dad, if you laugh, then, by God, I’ll beat you!” And father and son, instead of greeting each other after a long absence, seriously hit each other with blows. A pale, thin and kind mother tries to reason with her violent husband, who himself stops, glad that he has tested his son. Bulba wants to “greet” the younger one in the same way, but his mother is already hugging him, protecting him from his father.

On the occasion of the arrival of his sons, Taras Bulba convenes all the centurions and the entire regimental rank and announces his decision to send Ostap and Andriy to the Sich, because there is no better science for a young Cossack than the Zaporozhye Sich. At the sight of the young strength of his sons, the military spirit of Taras himself flares up, and he decides to go with them to introduce them to all his old comrades. The poor mother sits all night over her sleeping children, without closing her eyes, wanting the night to last as long as possible. Her dear sons are taken from her; they take it so that she will never see them! In the morning, after the blessing, the mother, desperate with grief, is barely torn away from the children and taken to the hut.

Three horsemen ride in silence. Old Taras remembers his wild life, a tear freezes in his eyes, his gray head hangs down. Ostap, who has a stern and firm character, although hardened over the years of studying at the Bursa, retained his natural kindness and was touched by the tears of his poor mother. This alone confuses him and makes him lower his head thoughtfully. Andriy is also having a hard time saying goodbye to his mother and home, but his thoughts are occupied with memories of the beautiful Polish woman whom he met just before leaving Kiev. Then Andriy managed to get into the beauty’s bedroom through the fireplace chimney; a knock on the door forced the Pole to hide the young Cossack under the bed. Tatarka, the lady's servant, as soon as the anxiety passed, took Andriy out into the garden, where he barely escaped from the awakened servants. He saw the beautiful Polish girl again in the church, soon she left - and now, with his eyes cast down into the mane of his horse, Andriy thinks about her.

After a long journey, the Sich meets Taras and his sons with his wild life - a sign of the Zaporozhye will. Cossacks do not like to waste time on military exercises, collecting military experience only in the heat of battle. Ostap and Andriy rush with all the ardor of young men into this riotous sea. But old Taras does not like an idle life - this is not the kind of activity he wants to prepare his sons for. Having met all his comrades, he is still figuring out how to rouse the Cossacks on a campaign, so as not to waste the Cossack prowess on a continuous feast and drunken fun. He persuades the Cossacks to re-elect the Koschevoy, who keeps peace with the enemies of the Cossacks. The new Koshevoy, under the pressure of the most warlike Cossacks, and above all Taras, decides to go to Poland to celebrate all the evil and disgrace of faith and Cossack glory.

And soon the entire Polish southwest becomes the prey of fear, the rumor running ahead: “Cossacks! The Cossacks have appeared! In one month, the young Cossacks matured in battle, and old Taras loves to see that both of his sons are among the first. The Cossack army is trying to take the city of Dubna, where there is a lot of treasury and rich inhabitants, but they encounter desperate resistance from the garrison and residents. The Cossacks besiege the city and wait for famine to begin in it. Having nothing to do, the Cossacks devastate the surrounding area, burning defenseless villages and unharvested grain. The young, especially the sons of Taras, do not like this life. Old Bulba calms them down, promising hot fights soon. One dark night, Andria is awakened from sleep by a strange creature that looks like a ghost. This is a Tatar, a servant of the same Polish woman with whom Andriy is in love. The Tatar woman whispers that the lady is in the city, she saw Andriy from the city rampart and asks him to come to her or at least give a piece of bread for his dying mother. Andriy loads the bags with bread, as much as he can carry, and the Tatar woman leads him along the underground passage to the city. Having met his beloved, he renounces his father and brother, comrades and homeland: “The homeland is what our soul seeks, what is dearer to it than anything else. My homeland is you.” Andriy remains with the lady to protect her until his last breath from his former comrades.

Polish troops, sent to reinforce the besieged, march into the city past drunken Cossacks, killing many while they were asleep, and capturing many. This event embitters the Cossacks, who decide to continue the siege to the end. Taras, searching for his missing son, receives terrible confirmation of Andriy's betrayal.

The Poles are organizing forays, but the Cossacks are still successfully repelling them. News comes from the Sich that, in the absence of the main force, the Tatars attacked the remaining Cossacks and captured them, seizing the treasury. The Cossack army near Dubno is divided in two - half goes to the rescue of the treasury and comrades, half remains to continue the siege. Taras, leading the siege army, makes a passionate speech in praise of comradeship.

The Poles learn about the weakening of the enemy and move out of the city for a decisive battle. Andriy is among them. Taras Bulba orders the Cossacks to lure him to the forest and there, meeting Andriy face to face, he kills his son, who even before his death utters one word - the name of the beautiful lady. Reinforcements arrive to the Poles, and they defeat the Cossacks. Ostap is captured, the wounded Taras, saved from pursuit, is brought to Sich.

Having recovered from his wounds, Taras, with a lot of money and threats, forces the Jew Yankel to secretly transport him to Warsaw in order to try to ransom Ostap there. Taras is present at the terrible execution of his son in the city square. Not a single groan escapes from Ostap’s chest under torture, only before death he cries out: “Father! where are you! do you hear all this? - “I hear!” - Taras answers above the crowd. They rush to catch him, but Taras is already gone.

One hundred and twenty thousand Cossacks, including the regiment of Taras Bulba, rise up on a campaign against the Poles. Even the Cossacks themselves notice Taras’s excessive ferocity and cruelty towards the enemy. This is how he takes revenge for the death of his son. The defeated Polish hetman Nikolai Pototsky swears not to inflict any offense on the Cossack army in the future. Only Colonel Bulba does not agree to such a peace, assuring his comrades that the asked Poles will not keep their word. And he leads his regiment away. His prediction comes true - having gathered their strength, the Poles treacherously attack the Cossacks and defeat them.

And Taras walks throughout Poland with his regiment, continuing to avenge the death of Ostap and his comrades, mercilessly destroying all living things.

Five regiments under the leadership of that same Pototsky finally overtake the regiment of Taras, who was resting in an old collapsed fortress on the banks of the Dniester. The battle lasts four days. The surviving Cossacks make their way, but the old chieftain stops to look for his cradle in the grass, and the haiduks overtake him. They tie Taras to an oak tree with iron chains, nail his hands and lay a fire under him. Before his death, Taras manages to shout to his comrades to go down to the canoes, which he sees from above, and escape from pursuit along the river. And at the last terrible minute the old chieftain thinks about his comrades, about their future victories, when old Taras is no longer with them.

The Cossacks escape from the chase, row their oars together and talk about their chieftain.

Source – Wikipedia, All masterpieces of world literature in summary. Plots and characters. Russian literature of the 19th century, all-biography.ru.

As part of the project "Gogol. 200 years", RIA Novosti presents a summary of the story "Taras Bulba" by Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol - the most famous story of Gogol's cycle "Mirgorod".

Andriy is also having a hard time saying goodbye to his mother and home, but his thoughts are occupied with memories of the beautiful Polish woman whom he met just before leaving Kiev. Then Andriy managed to get into the beauty’s bedroom through the fireplace chimney; a knock on the door forced the Pole to hide the young Cossack under the bed. Tatarka, the lady's servant, as soon as the anxiety passed, took Andriy out into the garden, where he barely escaped from the awakened servants. He saw the beautiful Polish girl again in the church, soon she left - and now, with his eyes cast down into the mane of his horse, Andriy thinks about her.

Having met all his comrades, he is still figuring out how to rouse the Cossacks on a campaign, so as not to waste the Cossack prowess on a continuous feast and drunken fun. He persuades the Cossacks to re-elect the Koschevoy, who keeps peace with the enemies of the Cossacks. The new Koshevoy, under the pressure of the most warlike Cossacks, and above all Taras, decides to go to Poland to celebrate all the evil and disgrace of faith and Cossack glory.

The Cossacks besiege the city and wait for famine to begin in it. Having nothing to do, the Cossacks devastate the surrounding area, burning defenseless villages and unharvested grain. The young, especially the sons of Taras, do not like this life. Old Bulba calms them down, promising hot fights soon. One dark night, Andria is awakened from sleep by a strange creature that looks like a ghost. This is a Tatar, a servant of the same Polish woman with whom Andriy is in love. The Tatar woman whispers that the lady is in the city, she saw Andriy from the city rampart and asks him to come to her or at least give a piece of bread for his dying mother.

Andriy loads the bags with bread, as much as he can carry, and the Tatar woman leads him along the underground passage to the city. Having met his beloved, he renounces his father and brother, comrades and homeland: “The homeland is what our soul seeks, what is dearer to it than anything else. My homeland is you.” Andriy remains with the lady to protect her until his last breath from his former comrades.

And Taras walks throughout Poland with his regiment, continuing to avenge the death of Ostap and his comrades, mercilessly destroying all living things.

The Cossacks escape from the chase, row their oars together and talk about their chieftain.

Material provided by the internet portal briefly.ru, compiled by V. M. Sotnikov

Chapter I. Ostap and Andriy, the sons of Taras Bulba, returned home after graduating from the Kyiv bursa. Their father was “one of the indigenous, old colonels: he was all about scolding anxiety and was distinguished by the rude directness of his character.”

He consoled himself in advance with the thought of how he would appear with his sons at the Zaporozhye Sich, introduce them to all his old, battle-hardened comrades, look at their first feats of arms. At first, Taras Bulba wanted to send Ostap and Andriy to the Sich alone, but “at the sight of their freshness, height, powerful physical beauty, his military spirit flared up, and the next day he decided to go with them himself, although the need for this was only stubborn will.” . The next morning, having said goodbye to their old mother, the Cossacks set off on their journey.

Chapter II. The riders rode in silence. Old Taras thought about the past: “the past years passed before him, about which the Cossack always cries, who would wish his whole life to be youth.” He thought about who he would meet in the Sich from his former comrades. His sons' thoughts were elsewhere. The eldest, Ostap, almost never thought about anything “except war and riotous revelry.” At the school he was considered one of the best comrades, but he studied reluctantly and buried his primer in the ground four times until his father swore that Ostap would not see Zaporozhye forever if he did not learn all the sciences. Now Ostap “was emotionally touched by the tears of the poor mother”; only this embarrassed him and made him lower his head thoughtfully.

His younger brother, Andriy, “had feelings that were somewhat livelier and somehow more developed... He was also seething with a thirst for achievement, but along with it his soul was accessible to other feelings. The need for love flared up vividly in him when he passed eighteen years of age. The woman began to appear more often in his hot dreams; he...saw her every minute, fresh, black-eyed, tender.” Andriy carefully hid his feelings from his comrades, because it was considered shameful for a Cossack to think about a woman and love without having experienced battle. One day, wandering along the street where Little Russian and Polish nobles lived, he “saw a beauty standing at the window, the likes of which he had never seen in his life: black-eyed and white as snow, illuminated by the morning blush of the sun.” This was the daughter of the Kovno governor who came to Kyiv for a while. Andriy saw the beautiful Polish girl several more times, but she soon left. Andriy was thinking about her, hanging his head and looking down.

The travelers reached the shore of the Dnieper and, boarding a ferry, crossed to the island of Khortitsa, where the Sich was then located.

Chapters III -IV. Tired of an idle life and revelry, the Cossacks chose a new chieftain and demanded a real job for themselves. At this time, a large ferry moored to the shore. Having learned from the people standing on it how the Poles oppressed the Ukrainians and the Orthodox faith, how they executed the hetman and Cossack colonels, the Cossacks decided to march with their entire army against Poland.

Chapter V. Soon the entire Polish southwest was gripped by fear of the Cossacks. Fires raged in the villages; “everything that could be saved was saved.” In battles with the Polish royal troops, young Cossacks especially distinguished themselves, eager to show themselves to their elders. And Taras “loved to see how both of his sons were among the first.” In Ostap, “despite his youth, the features of the future leader were already noticeable”: “with composure, almost unnatural for a twenty-two-year-old, he could in an instant measure out all the danger and the entire state of affairs.” Andriy was the complete opposite: he did not know what it meant to think or calculate, seeing delight in the battle itself, in the music of bullets and swords. More than once, “compelled only by passionate passion, he rushed to do something that a cool-headed and reasonable person would never have dared to do, and with one frantic onslaught he produced miracles that the old in battle could not help but be amazed at.”

The Cossacks decided to march on the city of Dubno, where, according to rumors, there was a lot of wealth. They did not like to besiege fortresses, so they surrounded the city, dooming the inhabitants to starvation. Soon the Cossacks, especially the young ones, became bored with such inaction. Andriy was the one who missed me the most. Without knowing why, he felt some kind of “stuffiness in his heart.” One night, lying awake on one of the carts, he saw in front of him a woman wrapped in a blanket. It was a Tatar, a servant of the same lady whom Andriy met two years ago in Kyiv. Seeing him from the city wall, the lady sent a maid to him for a piece of bread for her old mother. Andria's heart began to beat. All the past, “which was drowned out by the harsh abusive life, all floated to the surface at once, drowning, in turn, what was now.” Having stolen bags of food from the carts where supplies were stored, Andriy followed the Tatar woman and entered the city through an underground passage.

Chapter VI. They met terrible victims of famine at every step on the way to the house of the Duben governor. Finally, Andriy found himself in the lady’s room and saw the woman who owned his thoughts and feelings. She seemed to him twice as beautiful as before. Previously, there was something unfinished, unfinished in it, now he saw “a work to which the artist gave the last blow of the brush.” The beauty looked at the bread, raised her eyes to Andriy - “and there was much in those eyes.”

* - Queen! - Andriy exclaimed. “What do you need?” Order me! Give me the most impossible service that exists in the world, and I will run to fulfill it!
* “Don’t deceive yourself, knight, and me,” answered the lady, quietly shaking her beautiful head. “Your name is your father, comrades, homeland, and we are your enemies.”
* - What is my father, comrades and homeland to me? The Fatherland is what our soul is looking for, what is dearer to it than anything else. My homeland is you! And I will sell, give away, and destroy everything that I have for such a fatherland!

The beautiful lady threw herself on Andriy’s neck, hugging him with her snow-like, wonderful arms, and began to sob. At this time, a Tatar woman ran in with a joyful cry. “Saved, saved! - she shouted. “Our people entered the city, brought bread and bound Cossacks!” But no one heard her... “And the Cossack died! Lost for all Cossack chivalry!.. Old Taras will tear out a gray tuft of hair from his chuprin and curse both the day and the hour in which he gave birth to such a son to his shame.”

Chapter VII. The next morning noise and movement were heard in the Zaporozhye camp. It turned out that the Cossacks, stationed in front of the side city gates, were dead drunk at night. Taking some of them prisoner and killing the rest, Polish troops entered the city - fortunately, with only a small supply of food. Having learned that the Poles had captured the sleepy Cossacks, the Cossacks began a verbal altercation with the enemy who poured onto the rampart. Unable to withstand the “caustic Cossack word,” the Poles opened the city gates, and an army marched out. The Cossacks attacked the enemy from all sides, and the battle began. Soon the Poles felt that the Cossacks were gaining the upper hand, and again disappeared behind the city gates. The Cossacks stayed up for a long time that night, and old Taras stayed up the longest. From the Jew Yankel, who visited the city, he learned that Andriy had gone over to the enemies, and now he vowed to take revenge on the Polish woman who had bewitched his son.

Chapters VIII - IX. The news came that the Tatars attacked the Sich, plundered a lot of goods and took the Cossacks who remained there captive. To rescue their comrades from Polish and Tatar captivity, part of the Cossacks, led by the Koshevo, went in pursuit of the Tatars, while the other part remained, choosing Taras Bulba as their ataman.

By the movement and noise in the city, Taras saw that a battle was being prepared, and addressed the Cossacks with a speech: “I would like to tell you, gentleman, what our partnership is. There is no holier bond! A father loves his child, but that’s not the same, brothers: the beast also loves his child. But only one person can become related by kinship by soul, and not by blood. There were comrades in other lands, but there were none like those in the Russian land. Let our enemies know what comradeship means with us! If it comes to that, to die, none of them will have to die like that!.. Their mouse nature is not enough for that!”

Everyone was deeply touched by such a speech, reaching to the very heart. And the enemy army was already advancing from the city, blaring kettledrums and trumpets. The gates opened, and a hussar regiment, the beauty of all cavalry regiments, flew out. Ahead rushed the most beautiful knight of all; a scarf hung on his hand, hand-sewn the first beauty. Taras was so dumbfounded when he saw that it was Andriy. Meanwhile, the young knight, eager to earn the gift tied to his hand, rained down blows right and left. Taras could not stand it and shouted: “Are you hitting your own, damn son?..” But Andriy did not distinguish who was in front of him, in his mind’s eye seeing only the snowy neck, shoulders and curls of his Polish girl.

At the request of Taras, the Cossacks lured Andriy to the forest. He flew at full speed after the Cossacks and almost overtook one, when suddenly someone strong hand grabbed the reins of his horse. Andriy looked around: Taras was in front of him! Like a schoolboy who, while chasing a friend, suddenly bumped into a teacher entering the classroom, Andriy instantly became quiet, his frantic impulse died down.

* - So sell? Sell your faith? Sell yours? Stop, get off your horse!

Obediently, like a child, Andriy got off his horse and stood neither alive nor dead in front of his father:
“Stop and don’t move! I gave birth to you, I will kill you! - said Taras and, having fired, Taras looked for a long time at the lifeless corpse. “What would a Cossack not be? - he thought, - and he was tall, and black-browed, and had a face like a nobleman, and his hand was strong in battle! “Gone, gone ingloriously!”

Chapter X-XI. A faithful comrade took the chopped up and almost senseless Taras all the way to the Zaporozhye Sich and cured him with herbs. After a month and a half, he was on his feet, but was “noticeably gloomy and sad.” All his old comrades died, even those who went in pursuit of the Tatars; everything was now new in the Sich. Taras looked at everything indifferently and, quietly hanging his head, said: “My son! Ostap is mine!” And Taras could not stand it. Knowing that the Poles valued his head at two thousand chervonets, he hid at the bottom of a cart loaded with bricks and, with the help of his Jew acquaintance Yankel, reached Warsaw. Unable to either free Ostap or see him, Taras, disguised as a foreign count, came to the square where the execution was to take place. People were pouring in from all sides.

meets his sons from the academy. The ataman has 2 sons: Ostap and Andriy. The father examines the boys, making fun of their clothes and appearance. Ostap says that he will beat his father, and a fight begins. At this time the mother gasps and is surprised. She missed the children she didn't see more than a year. The mother feels sorry for her sons, and the father decides that there is no point in pampering them, they should go to Zaporozhye. Sich – the best place for men's leisure.

The old mother feels uneasy at the thought that the children will only be at home for a week. She begins to howl and wail. Bulba organizes a holiday and invites all the centurions and regimental officers to her house. He shows his sons and brags about their article. He addresses the children, teaches them to be loyal to their homeland, and wishes them good luck in the war.

The father went wild, started breaking dishes, and his wife sat quietly on the bench. Taras decides not to wait a week, to go to the Sich tomorrow morning. The ataman's stubbornness was one of his character traits. He imagined how he would appear to the Cossacks with two young men ready for war.

Taras fell asleep on the carpet, snored, and his sleep was supported throughout the house. The poor mother could not sleep. She sat at the head of her sons’ bed, looked at the sleeping people, combed their hair, stroked their curls. All her thoughts went to the future of the children, what awaits them, how fate will turn out. The mother spent the whole night next to her sons. Bulba did not change his decision. He woke up, began to give orders and prepared to leave. The father told the mother to bless the children. She, weak and lost, hugged them and hung a small icon on their necks. The sons mounted their horses; under Bulba the horse staggered, the rider was so heavy. The mother realized that her sons were leaving the house, she clung to the youngest, but she was taken into the hut. When the children left the gate, the old woman with incomprehensible ease caught up with her sons and hugged one of them. She was again taken aside. Ostap and Andriy could barely hold back their tears. Everything in my soul was mixed up, confused: fear and joy. Childhood was left behind, something frightening and incomprehensible began ahead.

Chapter 2

The three horsemen were each thinking about their own things. Taras recalled his past life, friends who had already left, and calculated who was waiting for him in the Sich. The sons talked about their own things. Ostap and Andriy went to the academy when they were 12 years old. The boys were trained differently. Ostap started by running away, he was returned and flogged. He did not want to study, he buried the primer. No amount of spanking stopped Ostap. His father made a promise that he would give him to a monastery and keep everything there best years. Ostap listened to his father, began to study diligently, and became one of the best students. By character, the eldest son was an excellent comrade, a fearless Cossack. He did not seek to lead, did not betray his own. His mother’s tears tormented his soul, confused him and made him worry.

Andriy studied easier. He was more cunning and more inventive than his brother. He always knew how to avoid punishment. A hearth of love was lit early in his soul. He liked beauties, the student envied the life of aristocrats, admired them, climbing into their streets. One day he met a girl there from whom he could not take his eyes off. The Polish woman was flighty, did a lot of stupid things with the guy, amusing her vanity. Andriy was looking for meetings with the beauty, now heading to the Sich, he was thinking about her. The father distracted his sons from his thoughts; he offered to smoke and spur the horses. There were no adventures along the way.

The trio reached the island of Khortitsa, where the Zaporozhye Sich was located. A drunken Cossack lay stretched out on the road. Music was playing, people were making noise. Taras met an acquaintance and began asking about his friends. I became dejected from the news. His comrades died: hanged, skinned, head placed in a barrel of salt. The Cossacks that Taras was thinking about were kind.

Chapter 3

Taras Bulba lives in the Sich, but there are no military exercises. “Mad revelry of gaiety” was liked by young guys. They were interested. Everything that men needed, except women, was nearby. What surprised the sons was that people came from different parts, the Koshevoi asked them about their faith in Christ, checked whether they knew how to be baptized. Everyone went to their own kurens, about 60 settlements. All the Cossacks prayed in one church, promising to defend it, to be devoted to the Faith to the last drop of blood. The Cossacks were hunting. The sons became noticeable among the Cossacks for their prowess and skillful skills. Taras did not like that his sons could not prove themselves in military affairs. He goes to the Koschevoi with an offer to fight, but is refused. Taras decides to take revenge on the Koschevoi, he organizes a drinking binge and overthrows him from office. They choose a new Koshevoy; he is a friend of Taras Kirdyaga. The drunken Sich fell asleep.

Chapter 4

In the morning, Taras was already conferring with the new Koshevoy about the upcoming battle; they were thinking about a trick on how to start a war without breaking the oath. They gather people. At this time, a ferry arrives to the island. People on the ferry were screaming about trouble. Catholic priests harness Christians to carts and ride them like horses. It is prohibited to celebrate Christian rituals. Those who arrived spoke about other outrages. The people got excited. They began to throw the Jews into the waves of the river, one prayed, Taras led him to the wagon train, pushed him under the cart, and ordered him not to show his face. It was Yankel, the Jew quickly understood the situation and offered to carry cheap provisions to the Cossacks.

Chapter 5

The Cossacks began to occupy the territories of the southwest. The sons of Taras matured from battle to battle. They were reborn, they were no longer like the students after the academy. Ostap calmly assessed the danger, strengthened in body and spirit. Taras saw him as a kind colonel. Andriy was immersed in the music of bullets and swords. He did not think like his brother, he was carried away by the battle as if by a song. The father was surprised to see where Andriy was rushing. The bravest Cossack would not have rushed there. The army of the Cossacks came to the city of Dubno. It was not possible to defeat the city on the move; the Cossacks decided to starve out the enemies. The sons did not like the siege. At night, when everyone is sleeping, Andriy notices a woman. This is the servant of the lady she loves. Tatarka talks about life in the city. His lover is starving. Pannochka saw Andriy in the crowd and asked him for help - bread. A young Cossack takes a bag of food and makes his way through an underground passage into the city. Passing by his father, Andriy hears a warning that women will not bring him to goodness, but does not think about the meaning of the words and hurries to his beloved.

Chapter 6

Moving around the city, the Cossack is amazed by its decoration and beauty. A Catholic monastery, a cathedral, music - everything leaves its mark on the guy. People are dying of hunger in the streets. The voivode is waiting for help, two Polish regiments should arrive, so the city does not surrender. Andriy gets to the lady's house. She has become even more beautiful, the lovers look at each other admiringly. To a young guy There were not enough words to express my feelings. The girl begins to eat. She is grateful for the help. The Cossack offers to take everything she wants and is ready to perform any of her services. He renounces his Fatherland, father and comrades. A maid runs into the room. She joyfully reports the arrival of regiments, captured Cossacks, and food supplies. Andriy kissed the girl, increasingly finding himself in the grip of passionate love. The Cossack died.

Chapter 7

The Cossacks decide to attack the city, they are driven by the desire for revenge for their comrades who were captured. Yankel informs Taras about Andriy. The father does not believe the Jew. But he claims that his son is dressed in rich clothes, is preparing for the wedding, and will drive the Cossacks out of the city. In the morning the prisoners are taken to the rampart. They are ashamed of their appearance, half naked and sleepy, they were captured. The battle begins. Ostap rushes across the field like a hawk. One of Bearded’s atamans was killed, they decided to choose a new one, and unanimously agreed on Ostap. During the battle, the young chieftain led the fighters away from the walls, thereby saving their lives. After the Poles left the city walls, the Cossacks talked for a long time about their grandfathers. Taras could not sleep, he was looking for the reason for the absence of his youngest son on the battlefield. He hoped that the Jew would deceive him, vowed to pull the Polish girl out by her braid and drive her across the field, smashing her whole body into pieces. The Cossacks did not drink, the guards did not close their eyes.

Chapter 8

News of the Tatar attack was brought from Sich. Koshevoy decides to go to Zaporozhye. Bulba is against it, he decides to stay while his comrades are in captivity. The Cossacks are divided into two groups: some go after the Tatars, others besiege the city. Maintaining partnership is the main duty of a Cossack. Divided into two sides where is he going most of the kuren, and the whole kuren there. They left at night so that the enemy would not notice the movement. Among those who remained, despondency settled; it was a pity to part with friends. Taras noticed this mood and decided to distribute the reserved wine. They drank from whatever they could: a ladle, a barrel, a mitten. Taras added his sacred word to the wine. His speech became a holy prayer.

Chapter 9

The Cossacks set off in pursuit of the Tatar troops, but no one in the city knew about it. Seeing movement among the Cossacks, they decided to make a sortie in Dubno. The exit did not produce results, but the Jews discovered that there were fewer Cossacks. Taras realized from the noise coming from outside the city walls that there would be a battle. He turned to his comrades and supported their fighting spirit. The enemy army left the city. The guns and squeaks aimed at the Cossacks, the whole earth was covered in smoke. Taras saw the battle going on. Ostap fought confidently and bravely. The forces were unequal. The guns mowed down half of the smoking area at once. Taras asks his comrades:

"There is life in the old dog yet?".

They answer him confidently that there is strength. The Cossacks are dying with faith in the victory of the Russian land. During the terrible battle, Taras saw Andria and was dumbfounded. He beat his own, clearing the way for himself and his enemies. Taras ordered to drive him to the forest. That's what the boys did. Andriy accelerated and saw his father in front of him. He was dumbfounded and fell silent. Like a naughty child, he got off his horse and stood in front of Taras. Bulba uttered a phrase that became popular:

“I gave birth to you, I will kill you!”

Andriy turned pale and began to whisper to himself. These were the names of neither homeland nor mother. He pronounced the lady's name. "ear of grain" He stood over his son and looked at him, admiring and surprised. Why did such a beautiful Cossack disappear because of love like a mean dog? Ostap offered to bury his brother, but Taras refused. There was no time to say goodbye, the battle was intensifying, trouble was approaching. 6 people attacked Ostap, Taras tried to break through to his son. He chopped everything around him, waving his saber, but there were more enemies. The father saw that they were pressing on Ostap, but he was overwhelmed by a blow of such force that the chieftain fell like a stone to the ground, like a felled oak tree.

Chapter 10

Taras woke up from sleep and saw his friend nearby - Ataman Tovkach. He tries to remember how he stayed alive. His comrade asks him to be calm, Bulba is all chopped up. The comrade explains that there is a reward of 2 thousand red rubles on Taras’s head, they have been jumping around for several nights, hiding him from prying eyes. Taras asks where Ostap is. Grief overwhelms him from the news that his son is captured by the Poles. HE tears off the bandages, rushes after his son, but falls into a fever, raves and speaks crazy speeches. Tovkach bandages Taras, swaddles him like a child and again rushes into the distance. In the Zaporozhye Sich, Taras feels better, there are medicines here. He gets to his feet. Nothing interests Bulba, he is all worried about his son. Taras goes to the Jew Yankel. HE asks him for help, he needs to fall to Warsaw, where Ostap is being held. Yankel figured out how to smuggle Taras in unnoticed. He covered it with a brick, made a hole at the bottom for feeding, and the cart with the luggage set off.

Chapter 11

Trader Yankel is carrying Taras, hoping for help or a meeting with his son. He tries to negotiate with the Jews so that they will release Stepan, but nothing works out for him. Taras cannot stand the insults when he is taken on a date with his son. He has to return with nothing. The father was able to attend his son's execution. Ostap went first. Execution for the Cossacks is striking in its cruelty and sophistication. Ostap endures pain and torture like a mighty giant: if his bones are broken, he remains silent. Ostap didn’t even let out a groan. The father said:

“Good, son!”

At the last moment before his death, Ostap shouted, turning to his father to see if he could hear him. In the silence I heard: “I hear.” A million people in the square shuddered at this word, fear swept through their souls. The horsemen rushed into the crowd, but Taras was no longer there.

Chapter 12

The patience of the people went beyond its limits, and the whole of Ukraine rose up to fight. The hetman agreed to release the enemy Pototsky and forget the enmity. But Taras Bulba remained adamant. He believed that such behavior was similar to “womanish” behavior. You can’t trust the Poles, according to Taras Bulba. The ataman's prediction came true. The hetman's head flew off after a short amount of time. Taras continued to walk and “celebrate a wake for Ostap.” It was ordered to catch the violent chieftain, and 5 regiments went after him. The decisive battle had come, and Taras could not have been defeated, but he decided to bend over for the cradle of tobacco that had fallen out in the battle. The Haiduks grabbed him. 30 people hung on the mighty Cossack shoulders. The brother of the lady who had enchanted Andriy was racing in pursuit. The Cossacks rushed headlong into the Dniester and sailed away from their enemies with their faithful horses. The beauty's brother, relying on himself, jumped and crashed on the rocks of the cliff. Taras watched everything from above and was happy: the bullets of his comrades did not reach him.
The story "Taras Bulba" Summary

Gogol’s literary work “Taras Bulba” from the “Mirgorod” cycle takes its reader into the events of the 17th century. At the same time, the author often mentions the 15th century, attributing the date of birth of the main character to this time and emphasizing, with this moment, the fantastic nature of his story. Two narrative lines can be distinguished in the work: the first tells about the life of the Zaporozhye Cossacks and Polish campaign, and the second is the story of the Cossack Taras Bulba and his sons.

A very brief retelling of the plot of N.V. Gogol’s story “Taras Bulba”

Taras Bulba's sons, Ostap and Andriy, finish their studies and return to their father's house. The father wants to show them Cossack life and for this he takes them with him to the Zaporozhye Sich. The guys quickly join the cheerful team, in which the Cossacks drink and party out of idleness. Bulba requires a change of head. The new leadership decides to go to Poland. Dubno is the first to come under attack. The city is besieged, and nearby villages are plundered and burned. The Cossacks do not like such atrocities; they want to fight with an equal enemy.

Andriy, having fallen in love with a Polish girl, betrays his homeland and father. He makes his way to the besieged city to his beloved and remains on the side of the enemy. In one of the battles with the Poles, Taras personally kills his defector son. Ostap is a good warrior, but loses one of the battles and is captured, where he is executed in front of his father. Taras Bulba devotes the rest of his days to revenge for the murder of his son. He himself dies at the hands of the Haiduks.

Brief summary of Gogol's story "Taras Bulba" by chapters

If a literary work is divided by the author into chapters, then it is more effective for the reader to perceive it in a brief summary in the same way in chapters.

Chapter 1. Return of Andriy and Ostap home from Kyiv

Old Taras Bulba and the kind mother greet their sons Ostap and Andriy. Young Cossacks are returning from the Kyiv Academy. Mother really missed the children, but their father Taras immediately gathers and takes his mature sons to the Zaporozhye Sich in order to quickly introduce them to the course of Cossack life.

Chapter 2. The road to Khortitsa

On the way to the Zaporozhye Sich, the riders did not talk - each thought about his own. My father recalled his youth and military victories. Ostap recalled how difficult his years of study at the Academy were. Andriy thought about his adventurous adventures during his studies - how he liked a beautiful Polish girl, and he climbed into her bedroom at night. The young lady was not afraid of the unexpected guest for long, and became friends with Andriy. And after an adventurous date, he safely got out of the Polish woman’s house with the help of the lady’s maid.

The travelers drove their horses for a long time across the endless steppes and arrived at the battle, where everything was filled with freedom, and life flowed smoothly.

Chapter 3. Changing the Koshevoy

For a whole week, Ostap and Andriy and their fellow Cossacks buzzed in the Zaporozhye Sich. Taras didn’t like this, he wanted to teach his sons the art of fighting, and not drinking. But the Koshevoi saw no point in equipping the Cossacks for a campaign. Taras Bulba figures out how to replace the intractable Koshevoy. He arranges a big drinking party, after which the Cossacks elect Kirdyaga as the new leader.

Chapter 4. Cossacks go to war on Polish lands

Taras Bulba and the new Koshevoy decide to send the Cossacks to fight. Kirdyaga is thinking of sending the Cossacks against the Turks, but alarming news comes - the Poles executed the hetman and the colonel against the Ukrainians. Then the Cossacks hastily began to prepare for a campaign against the Poles. Yankel, a Jew and merchant, rides with the army.

Chapter 5. Cossacks on Polish lands. Siege of Dubno

Summer. The Cossack army marched through Polish cities. The prosperous city of Dubno was besieged. After dark, the lady's maid, with whom Bulba's son is in love, comes to Andriy and tells him about the monstrous famine in the city. The Cossack's beloved turned out to be the daughter of the governor of Dubno. He decides to go along the secret passage to besieged Dubno to bring bread to the lady.

Chapter 6. Andriy's betrayal

The youngest son of Taras makes his way to Dubno, meets his lady and loses his head from love for her. He decides to remain on the side of the Poles, renouncing his father and brother. At the same time, fresh forces arrived in Dubno. The Poles became bolder and launched a night attack on the Cossacks.

Chapter 7. Ostap appointed ataman

In the morning, Yankel reports unpleasant news - the youngest son of Taras has gone over to the side of the enemy. A heavy battle begins, in which many were killed - both Poles and Cossacks. The battle ended in nothing, but in the process Ostap was appointed chieftain. The eldest son of Taras showed himself as courageous warrior and a good chieftain to his Cossacks.

Chapter 8. Attack of the Tatars

The Cossacks learn that the Tatars attacked the Zaporozhye Sich. Part of the army returns home to repel the attackers, and part remains near Dubno, where Taras Bulba becomes Kosche.

Chapter 9. Taras Bulba did not forgive the betrayal of his own son

As soon as some of the Cossacks left the siege, the Poles decided to give battle to the thinned army of the conquerors. Many people on both sides were killed in the battle. Taras Bulba meets Andriy, fighting on the enemy side. He cannot forgive the betrayal and shoots his son in front of Ostap. Andriy falls dead. The Poles win the battle, capture Ostap and wound Taras Bulba.

Chapter 10. Taras Bulba goes in search of Ostap

Taras Bulba goes to the Zaporozhye Sich to treat his wound. Having recovered, he enters into an agreement with Yankel, and he secretly takes him to Warsaw in search of his eldest son.

Chapter 11. Death of Ostap

Upon arrival in Warsaw, Taras learns that the next day the execution of the Cossacks will take place and his son is on the sad list. The father wants to save his son from execution, but his plan fails. Together with the crowd, he is forced to oversee the preparations for the execution. Ostap is looking for his father and he lets him know that he is nearby.

Chapter 12. Revenge for my son

The young hetman of Ukraine soon made peace with the Poles. Taras Bulba does not agree with the truce. He and his loyal Cossacks continue to raid Polish settlements. So he takes revenge for the execution of his son. The Poles are gathering an army to pacify Bulba. The battle lasts for four days. Bulba is captured and sentenced to death by burning at the stake. Dying, the old Cossack glorifies Orthodoxy and the power of the Russian people.

Briefly about the history of the creation of Gogol’s story “Taras Bulba”

The idea of creating “Taras Bulba” originated with Nikolai Vasilyevich in the 30s of the 19th century, and the history of work on this literary work really interesting. In his work, the writer, painstaking by nature, turned to two types of sources of inspiration and information:

TO historical sources, including information not published anywhere, such as memoirs, letters, personal archives of ordinary people;
By artistic sources, we mean Ukrainian folklore: songs, thoughts, etc.

Taken from historical facts events would not look poetic and dry without the influence folk art on everyday details, plot and structure in Gogol’s text. Thanks to Gogol's appeal to songs, artistic language The works are unusually melodious and lyrical, sparkling with bright epithets and comparisons.

Gogol worked on the story for about 10 years. The author rewrote his work about eight times, increased the volume from nine to twelve chapters, adding texture to the characters, adding details to their stories, and enhancing the battle scenes. Nikolai Vasilyevich was not satisfied with the final result.

As an educated person, with a heart for the history of the people, Gogol understood the importance of the past, but it is still not worth classifying the story “Taras Bulba” as historically accurate. The text of the work, in addition to facts, contains a lot of fantasy, hyperbole and contradictions, which does not detract from the artistic value of the literary work.

The main characters of the story “Taras Bulba”

The main characters in the story are the Cossacks Taras Bulba and his sons Ostap and Andriy:

- the main character in the story. Dear Cossack, first-class warrior. Basic life values: faith, duty, homeland.
Ostap - the eldest and worthy son of Taras. Graduated from seminary. In battle he showed himself to be brave and wise. He was appointed ataman.
Andriy - the youngest son of Taras and brother of Ostap. A young man sensitive to the environment and nature. He disappointed his father when he went over to the enemy's side.

Other characters from the story “Taras Bulba”

Yankel - a Jew who tries to find profit in everything.
Pannochka - the daughter of a lord from Poland, whom Andriy fell in love with.
Tatar - the maid of his beloved Andria, who told him about the famine in Dubno and about the underground passage.