Top 10 interesting facts from the life of Alexander Ostrovsky

Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky is the most famous Russian playwright, whose work has found its fans far beyond the borders of Russia. For more than one hundred and fifty years, the audience has been watching his plays in theaters, and scientists have carefully studied aspects of his life. For the theater, Ostrovsky was relevant at any time and remains so in our age of televisions, when attending the theater has become something unusual, elitist.

Figures of opposing beliefs approached Alexander Nikolayevich, and even after the development of the film industry, the use of Ostrovsky’s work only expanded. He is among the writers who are 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, then they will have to devote 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 better.

10 Noble origin

Alexander Nikolayevich was born on March 31, 1823 in Moscow. The playwright’s father, Nikolai Fedorovich, was born into a priest’s family, but did not follow in his father’s footsteps, although he graduated from the Theological Seminary in Kostroma and the Moscow Theological Academy.

Nikolai Fedorovich took up judicial office work in private and commercial cases, rose to the rank of assessor, and in 1839 was promoted to the nobility. This event gave Alexander Ostrovsky noble roots..

9. Acquaintance with literature through the father’s library

Ostrovsky received an excellent education at home, and the rich library of the parent, numbering many books, was completely read by Alexander Nikolaevich. Reading and, most importantly, understanding of works that were difficult for his age, settled in the heart of the playwright a love of reading 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 passionate love for fishing. All his friends knew about the playwright’s love for fishing, and often among the gifts he had tackle and everything he needed for this business..

The skill of writing manifested itself even in this hobby of his – he kept notes of a 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 to search for fishing spots.

7. For more than 20 years, Ostrovsky cohabited with a peasant woman

Love knows no boundaries. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks and thought so and not always. Having fallen in love with Agafya Ivanovna, a woman from a simple, poor, and 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 low 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 plays to be published

Surprisingly, Alexander Nikolaevich had great difficulties with theatrical censorship, which stubbornly did not want to let his plays into circulation. The censors were not stopped either by Ostrovsky’s unconditional talent or by the people’s love for his work.

The playwright spent a lot of time on conflicts with the leadership, on disputes and swearing, arguing and convincing. This situation hurt him very much, since Alexander Ostrovsky was the owner of a difficult character, proud and took criticism with hostility, often switching to completely unliterary abuse with theatrical censors.

5. Literary fame was brought by the comedy “Own people – let’s settle!”

Comedy “Own people – let’s settle!” made a splash and brought the author literary fame. But many problems arose with the publication, because it was censored with difficulty, and Ostrovsky himself was accused of ridiculing and insulting the merchant class.

The case went so far that the author was taken under police control by personal decree of Emperor Nicholas I. The persecution stopped only with the coming to power of Alexander II. The premiere of the comedy took place only in 1861, fifteen years after writing.

4. Awarded the Uvarov Prize for the play “Thunderstorm”

In 1859, Alexander Nikolaevich Ostrovsky wrote the famous play “Thunderstorm”. The playwright drew inspiration from trips to cities on the banks of the Volga. The work brought not only success and another glory to the author, but also the Uvarov Prize.

The award was named after Count Uvarov, who had been president of the Academy of Sciences since 1818 and was established in 1856. Basically, this prize was awarded for works in the field of Russian history, but Ostrovsky became an exception and deserved it for his contribution to dramaturgy.

3. Was in love with actress Lyubov Kositskaya

The Russian writer for most of his life was unrequitedly in love with 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 Nikolayevich again tried to woo her, but was refused.

The actress preferred the heir to a wealthy merchant to the great playwright, but the marriage with him turned out to be unsuccessful, as he squandered all her funds.

2. National history was reflected in the dramaturgy of Ostrovsky

Creativity Ostrovsky often intertwined with complex and controversial milestones in 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 himself the public and private life of a Russian person of bygone eras.

Historical plays by Ostrovsky were characterized by a reflection of national history, since the primordial features of our people were spelled out in them.that determined the creative path of the playwright.

1. Created Russian theater in its modern sense

Ostrovsky can rightfully be called the creator of the Russian theater. And he deserved this title. 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 theatrical culture.

In 1865, Alexander Nikolaevich independently created a circle of artistic skills in the city of Moscow. And five years later he headed the society of Russian writers – playwrights.

The school of realistic acting was formed thanks to Ostrovsky, he especially influenced the actors in the Moscow Maly Theater.

Ostrovsky himself was able to vividly and sharply depict 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 characters not only with the help of images, but also using ambiguous dialogues. He skillfully combined subtle humor and dramaturgy.