Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky is a famous Russian playwright, whose work has found his fans far beyond the borders of Russia. For more than a hundred and fifty years, viewers have been watching his plays in theaters, and scientists are carefully studying aspects of his life. Ostrovsky was relevant for the theater at any time and remains so in our century of television, when visiting the theater became something unusual, elitist.
Workers of opposing beliefs turned to Alexander Nikolaevich, and even after the development of the film industry, the application of Ostrovsky’s creativity only expanded. He is among the writers who were highly appreciated and hardly forgotten even after another century. It is to him that we should be grateful for the realistic play of the actors and the story “without embellishment” about the real life of a Russian person.
If someone decides to read everything that is written about this playwright, you will have to give a lot of time to this lesson. In the article you can read the most interesting facts from the biography of Ostrovsky and get to know a unique person closer.
10. Noble origin
Alexander Nikolaevich was born on March 31, 1823 in Moscow. The playwright’s father, Nikolai Fedorovich, was born in the family of a priest, but did not follow in the footsteps of his father, although he graduated from the theological seminary in Kostroma and the Moscow Theological Academy.
Nikolai Fedorovich took up judicial proceedings in private and commercial matters, rose to the rank of assessor, and in 1839 he was promoted to nobleman. This event gave Alexander Ostrovsky noble roots.
9. Acquaintance with literature through the father’s library
Ostrovsky received an excellent home education, and the rich library of the parent, numbering many books, was completely read by Alexander Nikolaevich. Reading and, most importantly, an understanding of works difficult for his age, placed a love of reading in the playwright’s heart and introduced him to literature, which became a decisive factor in choosing a life path.
8. Was an avid fisherman
Throughout his life, Ostrovsky had a passion for fishing. All his friends knew about the playwright’s love for fishing and often among the gifts were tackles and everything necessary for this matter.
The writing skill was even manifested in his hobby - he kept notes of the fisherman and gave practical advice to relatives and friends with a similar predilection. It remains a mystery whether his frequent trips to the Volga River were due to the need to collect material for writing, or the search for fishing places.
7. For more than 20 years, Ostrovsky cohabited with a peasant woman
Love knows no bounds. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks and thought this way and not always. Having fallen in love with Agafya Ivanovna, a woman from a simple, poor, and what is most “outrageous” peasant family, Alexander fell under the disgrace of his father.
Nikolai Fedorovich did not want his son to associate himself with a representative of the lower class and even threatened to drive him out of the house, depriving him of his inheritance. For these reasons and because of the unwillingness to disobey his father, Ostrovsky was forced to live with Agafya for twenty years in a civil marriage.
6. Censors did not allow Ostrovsky's play to be published
Amazing but Alexander Nikolaevich had great difficulties with theatrical censorship, which stubbornly did not want to let his plays go into circulation. Censors were not stopped by either the unconditional availability of talent at Ostrovsky, or the people's love for his work.
The playwright spent a lot of time on conflicts with the leadership, on disputes and abuse, arguing and convincing. This situation hurt him very much, as Alexander Ostrovsky was the owner of a difficult character, ambitious and took criticism with hostility, often turning to completely non-literary abuse with theater censorship workers.
5. Literary fame was brought by the comedy "Our People - Let's Count!"
The comedy “Our People - Let's Count!” made a splash and brought the author literary fame. But there were many problems with the publication, because it was censored with a creak, and Ostrovsky himself was accused of ridiculing and insulting the merchant estate.
The case went so far that the author was taken under police control by personal decree of Emperor Nicholas the First. The persecution ended only with the advent of Alexander the Second. The comedy premiered only in 1861, fifteen years after writing.
4. Awarded the Uvarov Prize for the play "Thunderstorm"
In 1859, Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky wrote the famous play “The Storm”. The playwright took inspiration from trips around cities on the banks of the Volga. The work brought not only success and yet another glory to the author, but also the Uvarov Prize.
The prize was named after Count Uvarov, who since 1818 was president of the Academy of Sciences and was established in 1856. Mostly this prize was awarded for works in the field of Russian history, but Ostrovsky was an exception and deserved it for his contribution to dramaturgy.
3. Was in love with actress Lyubov Kositskaya
The Russian writer most of his life was unrequitedly in love with the theater actress Lyubov Kositskaya. She, like Alexander Ostrovsky, had a family, so their love could not exist in that society.
Kositskaya was born near Nizhny Novgorod, in the village of Zhdanovsky in 1826. After the actress was widowed, Alexander Nikolaevich again tried to get married to her, but was refused.
The actress preferred the heir to a wealthy merchant to a great playwright, but the marriage with him was unsuccessful, since he wasted all her money.
2. National history was reflected in the drama of Ostrovsky
Ostrovsky’s work was often intertwined with the complex and contradictory milestones of Russian history. Alexander Nikolaevich showed a keen interest in the past and present of his homeland, read the works of historians, trying to understand and let through the public and private life of the Russian man of bygone eras.
The historical plays of Ostrovsky were characteristic of the reflection of national history, since the original features of our people were written in themwho determined the creative path of the playwright.
1. Created the Russian theater in its modern sense
One can rightfully call Ostrovsky the creator of the Russian theater. And he received this title deservedly. All his life he fought for the creation of a theater in a realistic format, for a new ethics of actors and for a national-artistic repertoire.
When the dramatic decline of theatrical art began, it was Ostrovsky who tried to do everything possible. He sent letters to higher authorities with his “considerations” on the topic of raising the theatrical culture.
In 1865, Alexander Nikolaevich independently created a circle on artistic skill in the city of Moscow. And five years later he headed the society of Russian writers - playwrights.
A school of realistic play was formed thanks to Ostrovsky, especially he influenced the actors in the Moscow Maly Theater.
Ostrovsky himself was able to vividly and sharply portray the essential aspects of Russian life. He had a deep understanding of the human soul, which he skillfully conveyed to his readers. He conveyed the individuality of the heroes not only with the help of images, but also using ambiguous dialogues. He skillfully combined subtle humor and drama.