Gerasim is the main character in the story “Mumu” ​​by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev. This is a simple serf man who lived in a small hut and worked as a janitor for a local noblewoman.

As you know, this man was deaf and mute by nature. And fate compensated for such a natural deficiency with a truly heroic build.

Gerasim in the story

Despite his serious disadvantage, Gerasim possessed truly enormous, literally heroic strength. Everyone and everyone in his home village knew about this. He was a draft man, capable of working alone for four ordinary men. The strength of the main character is conveyed by the author in many lines, for example: “On Peter’s Day, he used his scythe so devastatingly that he could even sweep away a young birch forest by the roots; near the kitchen he knocked out and shook out the barrel, turning it over in his hands like a child’s drum.” A large number of different phrases, comparisons and metaphors allow readers to feel the strength of the main character much better.

Gerasim, as every person believes, was in love with a woman. His “patron” was Tatyana. She, like the main character of the story, was in the service of the same noblewoman and worked as a laundress. Gerasim regularly accompanied his beloved and tried to be closer to her. Nevertheless, all his attempts were in vain, since Tatyana was simply afraid of him. His truly enormous figure caused Tatyana utter horror; she was literally frozen by him. Actually, such a big nature of the main character was also the reason for a lot of ridicule. Gerasim was not a fool, he understood why people mocked him, but his key advantage in relation to everyone was that Gerasim controlled himself and was calm. Nevertheless, many respected him for his hard work, for the fact that he devoted himself to work without reserve. While living in the village, the main character works for the good, tirelessly, without stopping. Everything went smoothly for him, and the work was done, it would seem, easily and quickly.

The main character of the story is not a soulless person, as the author of the story also mentions. He has compassion not only for people, but also for animals. For example, Gerasim felt sorry for a puppy who found himself in the water and could not get out of it. As a result, the main character takes the puppy with him and nurses him. They become close to each other, as if Mumu is the only friend of our main character, in fact, that’s how it was. Indeed, he had no friends, and as for his personal life, it was also not ideal, because his beloved Tatyana always tries to avoid him. This is how a dog and a person become best friends. Despite the apparent happiness, everything turns out extremely unpleasantly. The noblewoman learned that Gerasim had found and sheltered the dog, and this turn of events did not suit her in any way. The main character has a difficult dilemma - to give Mumu to others to kill, or to end her himself. Of course, instead of giving the dog to someone else to be killed, the main character decides to do everything himself. The loss of a close friend, who became such in a very short period of time, did not pass without a trace for Gerasim. He experiences these events very painfully.

Image of Gerasim

Actually, the very image of the main character of the story is a symbol of the Russian people of that time. Talking about Gerasim, Turgenev emphasizes that the Russian people have heroic, enormous strength, they are hardworking, kind to loved ones, the Russian people are able to sympathize with the unfortunate and offended.

The serfs did not have their own will at that time. They could be sold, repurchased, exchanged at any moment; in fact, they were a bargaining chip that brought certain benefits for a while. This is the main idea of ​​the story - most people were forced, like the main character himself.

A real hero, born and raised in the village, endures his existence very hard after leaving for the city. This happened completely by accident - the noblewoman noticed how a huge man was working in the field and decided to take him into her possession. This is what happened. The author conveys the burden of change and the feelings that Gerasim experiences through detailed comparisons. Gerasim is compared to a tree that was torn out of its usual, traditional habitat. Also, he is compared to a wild beast or a bull that was chained overnight.

So Gerasim is deprived of what he loved most in his life and becomes completely forced. He was deprived of his homeland, the right and opportunity to love Tatyana. All this, of course, does not reflect in the most pleasant way on our main character.

One day he finds a dog, names it Mumu, and it becomes a replacement for everything that Gerasim loved before. Now Mumu is his best friend, the only best being, to whom he trusts a lot. She gives him the opportunity to feel happiness again, even though he remains the same forced person. An absurd accident, due to which everyone’s favorite becomes enemy number one for the capricious old lady, deprives Gerasim of his last opportunity to remain happy and changes his life, which has already become familiar.

The main character understands that the dog cannot live in the same house with the evil noblewoman. As a result, he makes a difficult decision - to end his life with his own hands. Of course, this was not easy for him, but as a result it became a kind of analogue of sacrifice. The main character has prepared a festive caftan, a festive dinner for his faithful and only true friend, thus he asks for forgiveness from the dog himself, and makes its last minutes of life happier and more joyful.

A janitor who has lost everything suddenly crosses an invisible line that he didn’t even know about. After the death of a loved one, his sense of dependence and fear of the noblewoman is cut off. The janitor becomes truly free. It would seem, why? He is still the same serf, no one freed him, which means he is obliged to serve his mistress just as before, but no. He has nothing left to lose, and this is real freedom, which he achieved only after the severe loss of a loved one. Gerasim, having gone back to his native village, experiences “indestructible courage, desperate and joyful determination.” Nevertheless, it cannot be said that the main character remains happy after this. Unfortunately, he also spends his life in absolute solitude - he “stopped hanging out with women” and “doesn’t keep a single dog.”

The image of Gerasim in real life

It is safe to say that the entire story written by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev was taken from his own life observations.

He was the son of the imperious and cruel serf-woman Varvara Petrovna, who, for her unfulfilled youth, decided to punish everyone and everything she saw around her. The children were very afraid of her, and the writer himself often recalled that almost every day they received what they deserved with rods. The prototype of the noblewoman in the story “Mumu” ​​was Turgenev’s mother.

A man named Gerasim was Andrei in real life. He, too, like the main character, had considerable strength and was mute. He entered the noblewoman's service by accident when she noticed him while working in the field. Andrei had that same dog, nicknamed Mumu, who later became the main character of a popular and well-known story. Andrei also drowned his dog on the orders of the owner, but in all other respects the events differ significantly. In reality, the employee continued to work for the owner after he meekly carried out the order for murder.

The story of Ivan Turgenev tells readers about many different qualities that people have forgotten a long time ago, and now they are completely covered with a layer of dust. The only thing that can probably be said is that the love for animals remains the same, which, of course, is good. Flattery is a great sin, which, unfortunately, has been and remains inherent in many people. Gerasim, on the other hand, was different from those. He was not afraid of his superiors, did not flatter, was not a sycophant, and the very soul of the protagonist was simple and open. Nevertheless, the writer leaves hope that every Russian person, and the Russian people as a whole, are capable and may well eradicate all bad qualities in themselves. The only thing they need is to free themselves, but freedom looks different for everyone and only when this freedom is found will a person be happy.

The image of Gerasim is a symbol of the Russian people. In his hero, Turgenev shows the best features of the Russian man: heroic strength, hard work, kindness, sensitivity to loved ones, sympathy for the unfortunate and offended.
Turgenev calls Gerasim “the most remarkable person” among all the servants. The author sees him as a hero. Gerasim was gifted with “extraordinary strength, he worked for four people - the work was in his hands, and it was fun to watch him.” Turgenev seems to admire his hero, his strength and greed for work. He compares Gerasim to a young bull and a huge tree that grew on fertile land. Gerasim is distinguished by accuracy and responsibility for the assigned work. He keeps his closet and yard clean. The detailed description of the closet slightly emphasizes his unsociability. “He didn’t like people to visit him,” and therefore he always locked his closet. But despite his formidable appearance and heroic strength, Gerasim had a kind heart, capable of love and sympathy.
Many of the servants were afraid of the formidable janitor, knowing his strict and serious disposition. However, the uncommunicative Gerasim evokes not only fear, but also respect from the servants for his conscientious work, patience and kindness. “He understood them, carried out all orders exactly, but he also knew his rights, and no one dared to sit in his place at the capital.” And the lady Gerasim evokes not only fear, but also respect. “She favored him as a faithful and strong watchman.” The mute, like all the servants, is afraid of the old lady and tries to please her, exactly following her orders. But while remaining a faithful servant, he does not lose his self-esteem.
It is difficult for a village peasant to live in the city. He is deprived of communication with Russian nature. Mute, unsociable Gerasim is lonely. People avoid him. Tatiana, who fell in love with him, is married off to someone else. He is deeply unhappy. And now a small ray of light appears in his dark life. Gerasim rescues a poor puppy from the river, feeds it and becomes attached to it with all his soul. He names the dog Mumu. She loves Gerasim and is always with him, she wakes him up in the morning, and guards the house at night. They become close friends. Love for Mumu makes Gerasim's life joyful.
The lady finds out about Mumu and orders her to be brought to her in order to relieve boredom. But the little dog refuses to obey her. The obstinate lady, not understanding how one can disobey her order, forces him to get rid of the dog. Gerasim tries to save Mumu and locks her in a closet. But Mumu gives himself away by barking. An unfortunate serf is forced to kill his only, truly loving friend. The evil mistress takes away Gerasim's most precious possessions, but cannot break his fortitude and self-esteem.
In the fate of Gerasim, Turgenev reflected the fate of many serfs. He protests against the serfdom of the landowners. The author expresses hope that the “dumb” people will be able to fight back against the oppressors.

What does I.S. Turgenev sing in the image of Gerasim (based on the story “Mumu”)

Gerasim is the main character of Turgenev's story "Mumu". He was deaf and mute from birth, at first he lived in the village in a small hut and worked as a janitor for a lady.

This man was endowed by nature with extraordinary strength. In the village he was considered the most serviceable draft man; he worked for four people. The writer shows us the heroic Strength of his hero through numerous examples: “On Peter’s Day, he used his scythe so crushingly that he could even sweep away a young birch forest by the roots; near the kitchen he knocked out and shook out the barrel, turning it over in his hands like a child’s drum.” The author’s figurative comparisons and metaphors help us better imagine and feel the enormous power of the hero.

Gerasim was in love with Tatyana, who worked as a laundress for the lady. He followed on her heels, but she was afraid of him, every time she froze with horror, and at the sight of his huge figure, because of this, many laughed at him. Gerasim understood this, but still remained calm, this is his main advantage.

In the image of his character, Turgenev also glorifies human compassion for animals, our smaller brothers. Gerasim felt sorry for the puppy, who could not get out of the water. He picked up the poor dog, nursed it, and constantly fussed with it. But the lady did not like Mumu. In order not to give his pet to others to be killed, the janitor decides to drown her. Many people later did not understand why this man was so upset about the dog. And Gerasim painfully experienced the loss. After all, Mumu was the closest creature to him.

Hard work is another positive quality of a mute. Living in the village, Gerasim worked tirelessly. Any task was a success for him; he always worked deftly and promptly. It was fun to watch a giant at work, for whom work was a joy.

I like Gerasim because I value hard work, kindness, and dignity in people. However, in the situation with Mumu, another way out could have been found. I would have left the lady with the dog and not drowned it in the river.

>Essays based on the work of Mumu

What Turgenev sings in the image of Gerasim

The main character of I. S. Turgenev's story “Mumu” ​​is a deaf-mute janitor Gerasim. In his image, the author glorifies the Russian people, because the most characteristic qualities of this person are straightforwardness, honesty and integrity. Despite his congenital illness, he had heroic strength and an open heart. He sincerely sympathized with the unfortunate, was sensitive and caring towards his loved ones, knew how to truly love and was gifted with hard work.

Gerasim was a simple man. He worked in the village for a long time and was accustomed to work, for which even the callous lady respected him. When he was brought to Moscow, everything was new and unknown to him. The janitor was bought a new caftan, a winter sheepskin coat, a shovel and a broom for work. He soon began his duties, which he performed responsibly. In addition to sweeping the yard, he guarded the land at night, carried water in barrels during the day, and carried and chopped wood.

Thanks to his fortitude, he was able to rise to his feet without breaking under the weight of hard work and without becoming bitter. He sincerely fell in love with the dog he rescued from the river. Mumu subsequently became his reliable friend. This love for the animal is described in a particularly touching way. He fed Mumu with all his heart, sincerely cared for her, cared for her, and cherished her, because he realized that this dog understood him better than anyone.

Despite the fact that he had to drown her at the whim of the lady, the author shows that Gerasim was an excellent example of a person. He was not afraid of his superiors, did not fawn over them and did not fawn on them. Although many of the capricious lady’s courtyards did just that in order to circumvent her orders and tyranny. Gerasim's soul was so simple that flattery was unusual for him. He came out of any situation with dignity, while remaining human.

It was these qualities that Turgenev emphasized in his hero. In the fate of Gerasim, the author reflected the fate of many serfs who lived under lordly oppression. Personally, I like this hero because his will to work and straightforwardness deserve respect. However, it is a pity that he had to do this to Mumu. This event undoubtedly left an imprint on his life. He never had dogs again.

What does Turgenev glorify in the image of Gerasim?

The image of Gerasim is a symbol of the Russian people. In his hero, Turgenev shows the best features of the Russian man: heroic strength, hard work, kindness, sensitivity to loved ones, sympathy for the unfortunate and offended.
Turgenev calls Gerasim “the most remarkable person” among all the servants. The author sees him as a hero. Gerasim was gifted with “extraordinary strength, he worked for four people - the work was in his hands, and it was fun to watch him.” Turgenev seems to admire his hero, his strength and greed for work. He compares Gerasim to a young bull and a huge tree that grew on fertile land. Gerasim is distinguished by accuracy and responsibility for the assigned work. He keeps his closet and yard clean. The detailed description of the closet slightly emphasizes his unsociability. “He didn’t like people to visit him,” and therefore he always locked his closet. But despite his formidable appearance and heroic strength, Gerasim had a kind heart, capable of love and sympathy.
Many of the servants were afraid of the formidable janitor, knowing his strict and serious disposition. However, the uncommunicative Gerasim evokes not only fear, but also respect from the servants for his conscientious work, patience and kindness. “He understood them, carried out all orders exactly, but he also knew his rights, and no one dared to sit in his place at the capital.” And the lady Gerasim evokes not only fear, but also respect. “She favored him as a faithful and strong watchman.” The mute, like all the servants, is afraid of the old lady and tries to please her, exactly following her orders. But while remaining a faithful servant, he does not lose his self-esteem.
It is difficult for a village peasant to live in the city. He is deprived of communication with Russian nature. Mute, unsociable Gerasim is lonely. People avoid him. Tatiana, who fell in love with him, is married off to someone else. He is deeply unhappy. And now a small ray of light appears in his dark life. Gerasim rescues a poor puppy from the river, feeds it and becomes attached to it with all his soul. He names the dog Mumu. She loves Gerasim and is always with him, she wakes him up in the morning, and guards the house at night. They become close friends. Love for Mumu makes Gerasim's life joyful.
The lady finds out about Mumu and orders her to be brought to her in order to relieve boredom. But the little dog refuses to obey her. The obstinate lady, not understanding how one can disobey her order, forces him to get rid of the dog. Gerasim tries to save Mumu and locks her in a closet. But Mumu gives himself away by barking. An unfortunate serf is forced to kill his only, truly loving friend. The evil mistress takes away Gerasim's most precious possessions, but cannot break his fortitude and self-esteem.
In the fate of Gerasim, Turgenev reflected the fate of many serfs. He protests against the serfdom of the landowners. The author expresses hope that the “dumb” people will be able to fight back against the oppressors.