Korolenko's story "The Blind Musician" is a work of Russian classical literature that cannot leave anyone indifferent. The story of a boy who was born blind is amazing, causes deep feelings and leads to the purification of the soul.

"Blind Musician" Summary

A child is born in the noble family of the Popelskys. Later it becomes known that he does not see. The mother laments, but nothing can be corrected - the child is hopelessly blind. Parents pamper the baby, trying to be affectionate with him, to prevent any dangers and ailments. Uncle Maxim, who lives in the Popelskys' house, sees in Petrusha the ability to become. He advises his mother not to spoil him especially, otherwise the child may eventually become convinced of his own uselessness and begin to doubt his ability to achieve something on his own, to find his place in the world. The summary of the work "The Blind Musician" shows the moment of growing up of a young man and the choice of his future life path.

Little Peter is growing up, but he has no friends. It is difficult for him to get along with his peers, as he already clearly feels his physical handicap, and therefore they do not have common topics for conversation. While other children are playing, he stands aside, waiting to be called, but no one does. One day, the girl Evelina comes to the estate where the Popelskys' house is located. She meets Peter and shows interest in him. A complete surprise for her is the news that the boy is blind. Evelina even wept out of pity for him, and her heart was immediately filled with compassion and indelible anguish. Gradually, the children became friends and became inseparable.

Meanwhile, the boy shows clear musical abilities. The summary of the book “The Blind Musician” tells how the talent of a young musician is formed and strengthens. It all started with the fact that Petrusha heard the sounds of the groom Joachim's pipe. The boy went to him to listen to him play, and soon began to come constantly. Then the first lessons followed, Petrusha himself learned to play the pipe.

Peter's mother, who considered herself well-versed in music, reacted to this very zealously: she immediately ordered a piano from the city. But playing the piano left the boy indifferent, he was more and more fascinated and attracted by the game of the groom Joachim. Desperate mother tries to attract her son's attention to music in other ways. One day, she realizes that Joachim's acting is actually wonderful because it comes from the heart, and that's what her son likes. She resigned herself to the fact that the groom's music was more interesting than her own.

This was Petrusha's first manifestation of interest in music, to put it briefly. Korolenko ("The Blind Musician" - his famous work) brings here the idea of ​​the immortality of true art. Music should come from the heart and not be dictated by standard skills.

The years go by. Peter grows up and still feels awkward, deeply worried about the presence of a large physical handicap. It seems to him that blindness prevents him from living, feeling fully, breathing, even thinking. He considers himself a useless and unnecessary person to society. Evelina is next to him, but she has already turned into a beautiful girl, and romantic feelings are gradually emerging between young people. Peter feels in her a friend for life, the young man is sure that she will never deceive or betray him.

Uncle Maxim brings young people to the house so that Peter communicates more with his peers, and not with Evelina alone. But it is difficult for a young man to find a common language with anyone. Then Uncle Maxim, together with his nephew, Evelina and sister, visit the monastery. Peter meets two blind ministers there. Their history shows him that he is not the only blind man in this world. But Peter falls into anguish. It seems to him that since he is blind, he must certainly become embittered and heartless, like that ringer who lives all year round in a monastery. He remains in this despondency for several weeks.

After some time, Peter, together with Uncle Maxim, goes on a trip. They tell their mother that Petrusha will go to Kyiv to study music. In fact, Uncle Maxim invites his nephew to be a little poor, to experience all the hardships of life experienced by the blind, begging for alms. Peter agrees to accept the challenge of fate.

After a while he returns home. Those around him feel an inexplicable change that occurred in him during the journey - he learned to love life in all its diversity and appreciate every moment. Peter no longer considers himself a failure.

Soon Peter and Evelina get married, they have a son. Peter is very inspired by this event, and for a moment it even seems to him that he received his sight and saw everything. Three years later, Peter becomes a recognized musician. The audience applauds him, among which are Uncle Maxim and other blind people with whom he once wandered. That's what "The Blind Musician" is about. A brief summary, reviews of the work emphasize the depth and relevance of this book today.

Compositional and ideological component of the story

Conventionally, the work consists of several parts that describe the time of the formation of the personality of the blind musician Peter: childhood, adolescence, growing up, experiencing his physical disability, finding the meaning of life, goals for the future and his place in the world.

Truly grandiose is the work "The Blind Musician". The summary emphasizes the main idea of ​​the story: it is important not to stop searching for your destiny, to strive to be useful and necessary to people around you.

Characteristics of Peter

The protagonist has faced a great test: he is blind from birth, and must gradually come to an understanding of his value and need in this world. At first, it is difficult for him to communicate with peers, but the appearance of Evelina in his life brings him many pleasant moments: he finds a girlfriend, a loved one. In essence, Peter wants to find his place in life, but first he needs to accept the fact of his own blindness.

For a long time he cannot come to terms with the fact that he is not like everything that the world does not see. He must come to realize that he has great talent and be willing to develop it to a high level. In many ways, the achievement of this goal is facilitated by the influence of Uncle Maxim, who comes up with new tests for the pedigree. We see how, from a suspicious and insecure young man, Peter gradually becomes a strong man who loves life. When he stops feeling sorry for himself and begins to breathe deeply, the results are not long in coming: and now Peter is already a blind musician. The summary of the story tells about how he forms a family, personal happiness.

Characteristics of Evelina

She was a wise and kind girl, developed beyond her years. At the first meeting, you can notice her equanimity and calmness with which she looked at ordinary things. In relation to Peter, she is affectionate and insightful. It is not without reason that in her childhood and youth the blind man saw joy and consolation in her alone. Evelina is the first and only friend of Peter, later his beloved. Their relationship is harmonious, with time they only get stronger. Evelina always took Peter's pain as her own. The moment when she found out that he was blind, she remembered for the rest of her life: she wept over this circumstance as if the boy (still unknown at that time) was her close relative or friend.

Characteristics of Uncle Maxim

Uncle Maxim was a retired military man. Accustomed to order and discipline, he wants to make a worthy and self-confident person out of his nephew, who would not be afraid of any emotional experiences and everyday hardships.

The uncle takes an active part in Peter's upbringing: he tries to instill in his sister why it is important not to pamper the child, but to teach him to live in our difficult world. The uncle never aloud pities the boy, thereby giving him no reason to doubt that he can become happy. On his initiative, young people come to the house, among them cadets and students - all for a happy future for Peter. It is with Uncle Maxim that young Peter sets off on an important journey for the meaning of life.

Groom Joachim

He awakened in little Peter a love for music, the ability to hear the beauty of melody and sounds. Joachim was in love with a girl who refused him reciprocity, which is why his music is filled with true feelings and beauty. This fullness of sounds captivates little Peter, makes him run to the stable and listen to the perfect game of the groom. Joachim is Peter's first music teacher. It was in his stable that the boy learned to understand and appreciate real art.

Anna Mikhailovna

Like any mother, she sought to surround her child with warmth and attention. When she learned that the child was blind, she grieved for a long time, finding no consolation in anything. Throughout the story, her love and support surround Peter everywhere, give him a sense of need, support him in adversity.

The main idea of ​​the story

There is hardly another such work that has such a strong life-affirming effect as The Blind Musician. The characters are described perfectly: they are all endowed with living features, individual qualities of character. The protagonist must pass the test of blindness and love life in order to become a great musician.

Thus, the story "The Blind Musician" is multifaceted and significant. The summary allows you to better understand the feelings, thoughts of the blind, his worldview. One gets the impression that Korolenko dedicated this work to the blind of the whole world.

At night, a boy was born in a wealthy family in the Southwestern Territory. The child screamed very loudly, and his mother Anna Mikhailovna Popelskaya immediately felt something was wrong. Grandmother's words that all newborns cry did little to calm her down.

A few weeks later, the premonition of trouble was confirmed. Anna Mikhailovna began to notice that her newborn did not react to the rays of light, she was constantly looking for something with her hands. When the doctor carefully examined the boy's eyes, he stated that the child was born blind.

The boy was named Petrik. His father was a kind landowner who spoke little and was busy with business all day long. Together with the Popelskys, the mother's brother, Maxim Yatsenko, lived, who from a young age was known as a "dangerous bully." Uncle Maxim had seen a lot in his lifetime, at one time he even joined the Garibaldians. After his injuries, he lived out his years without his right leg and with a badly damaged left arm.

Uncle began to look more and more often at his nephew, who was also disabled, only from birth. Maxim decided to take care of the baby, develop strong qualities in him, at least partially compensate for his blindness with willpower. He advised his sister not to take too much care of the child, but to give him the opportunity to develop freely, like all children.

Gradually, the boy got used to the surrounding sounds, and when he learned to speak, he began to eagerly ask his mother and uncle about all objects and animals. Petrik was very interested in how they look?

Uncle Maxim came to the conclusion that the boy's blindness was not a mere accident, it was given to the child for the realization of extraordinary abilities, which will soon be clear.

Chapter Two

At the age of five, Petrik was already quite well oriented in his house. From the side it was difficult to even assume that the child does not see anything. It could only seem that the boy was more focused than other children.

Once Petrik heard the sound of a flute and for a long time was impressed by this melody. Joachim the groom played the folk instrument. After this incident, the boy began to often go to the stable to listen to new and such pleasant sounds.

Anna Mikhailovna became jealous of her son for the groom. She decided to buy a piano and played a piece for Petya. However, the boy did not accept the complex piece of music. This greatly upset the mother, but did not break. Every evening, when the boy sat up with Joachim and enjoyed the sound of the pipe, Anna Mikhailovna sat down at the piano and played simple but beautiful melodies. Joachim and Petrik heard them and became increasingly fond of the sound of the instrument.

Once Petya made his way into the room where this mysterious musical instrument stood and began to study it.

Chapter Three

Uncle Maxim continued to seriously engage in the upbringing of Petya, which bore fruit. At the age of six, the boy could already clean his own room and even ride a horse. In this, the groom Joachim provided his assistance. However, Petrik had practically no friends of the same age, although the village guys came to visit him. It was amusing for them to listen to the stories of the blind panych.

Soon, the Yaskulsky couple settled in the estate, which was located next door. Their girl Evelina was almost the same age as Petya. She spent most of her time in seclusion, behaving sensibly and judiciously, like an adult woman.

Evelina's first acquaintance with Petrik by the river turned out to be unsuccessful. The boy did not like it when someone suddenly broke his loneliness, and drove Evelina away. However, a few days later the children met again. This time they started talking. During the conversation, Petya began to feel Evelina's face with his hands. This scared the girl. She realized that her new acquaintance did not see anything.

The next day, Evelina herself came to visit Petrik. Since then, the children began to make friends and study together under the guidance of Uncle Maxim.

Chapter Four

In the boy's family, the friendship of Petrus and Evelina was very happy. It was considered here that this smart and moral girl would be able to at least partially alleviate the difficult life of a disabled person.

Meanwhile, Petrik was growing up. Soon, changes began to take shape in his worldview, which Uncle Maxim had not previously guessed. Now Yatsenko began to realize that he did not fully know his ward, especially his rich inner world. Maxim tried to somehow prevent the spiritual quest and emotional impulses of a teenager. He believed that it would be much easier for a disabled person to live in a convenient and understandable dimension. But Petya's mother realized that her child would increasingly reveal the features of a blind person, which sighted people do not even know about. And this cannot be prevented in any way.

One day the boy ran into his mother's room and told a dream in which he clearly saw her and Uncle Maxim.

Chapter Five

A few more years passed. Evelina and Peter were already young people, they wanted some new experiences, but life in the estate was boring and monotonous. Uncle Maxim felt it too. In order to somehow dispel boredom, he invited his old comrade Stavruchenko, who lived seventy miles from their estate, to visit. Stavruchenko came to visit with his student sons.

Young people vividly discussed various issues, paid a lot of attention to Evelina, but they didn’t seem to notice Peter. This attitude hurt the pride of the blind young man, but for a long time he tried not to show it. However, during one conversation, Peter became completely dreary and lonely, he got up and went somewhere. Evelina found a friend at an abandoned mill. In this place, the fateful conversation of young people took place. They confessed their love to each other, and Evelina was the first to invite Peter to get married.

After an unexpected engagement, the young people returned to the guests, where Peter sat down at the piano. The young man played so inspirationally and beautifully that he impressed everyone present with his skill. The eldest son Stavruchenko said that the young man needed a serious school, such a talent must be developed.

Chapter Six

In the fall, the Popelskys paid a return visit to Stavruchenko. A few versts from their estate was the N-sky monastery, where they all decided to go together. There, Peter met the blind novice bell-ringer Egory, who outwardly was surprisingly similar to the main character. Egoriy was also born blind. He told the story of the novice Roman, who became blind at the age of seven. Peter envied Roman a little, because he managed to find out what it means to be sighted.

In winter, the young man was tormented by constant questions about the meaning of life for blind people. It began to seem to him that everyone around him only suffers, although they regret it. And so it continued until spring, when it was decided to bow to the miraculous icon. She was in a small town about sixty versts from the Popelsky estate. At the entrance to the church sat blind beggars and pulled a mournful song. At first, Peter was very afraid of them, but then he coped with a nervous shock and gave alms to the blind.

In the summer, Peter and Maxim went to Kyiv in a chaise. There the young man was supposed to take lessons from a famous pianist. However, on the way, the travelers met two blind men who were on their way to Pochaev. Peter decided to go along with these people, and Maxim went to Kyiv alone and for a long time hid his nephew's act from his relatives.

The road to Pochaev and communication with people who were also deprived of sight, enriched the young man with new pleasant impressions. He learned and often began to sing the song of the blind. Although a miracle did not happen in Pochaev, Peter's soul received its healing.

The young man returned home only in late autumn.

Chapter Seven

Evelina and Peter got married and were waiting for an addition to the family. When their son was born, the young father experienced extraordinary joy. True, the first days he was very excited. Peter was terribly afraid that his child would be born blind. This thought constantly tormented him, did not give rest.

When the doctor carefully examined the baby and informed Peter that his son was born sighted, our hero seemed to move into another reality for some time. He told his mother and Maxim that he saw them, as well as this world, so beautiful and unique.

Epilogue

Three years have passed. Peter made his debut at the "Contracts" fair in Kyiv. He was accompanied by Evelina, and Uncle Maxim was among the spectators. In the game of Peter, he clearly recognized the motive of the song of the blind and realized that he had not lived his life in vain. The uncle was very pleased with the success of his nephew and constantly repeated that he received his sight.

In 1886, Korolenko's story was published under the title The Blind Musician, which the reader fell in love with and is currently being studied in schools. This story reveals the theme of love, the meaning of life, the theme of education and art. Let's focus on the work of V.G. Korolenko Blind musician for the reader's diary.

Korolenko: The Blind Musician briefly chapter by chapter

Chapter 1

The blind musician, authored by Korolenko, in the retelling begins with the news of the birth of a child. This boy was born into a wealthy family. He was the firstborn, but the joy was overshadowed by the woman's suspicion. This suspicion was confirmed by the doctor's diagnosis. His verdict: the boy is blind. The family was small. Only four people lived, a husband and wife, his wife's brother, Uncle Maxim, and a newborn. The brother was an associate, often participated in duels. On one of them he was wounded, the hand remained inactive. And in one of the fights he lost his leg.

The owner of the estate was rarely at home. He built a mill and this process greatly fascinated him. However, he did not forget about his wife and tried to fulfill all her desires. The mother was too protective of the baby until her brother told her to leave the baby alone. The boy began to navigate very well on the floor, crawling around the house. When the boy learned to speak, he began to explain his feelings in words.

And one day they went with their mother to the river. From an overabundance of new sounds, new aromas, the child fainted. Uncle Maxim was worried about this reaction of the child and he became interested in the psychology of children. Now they introduce the new baby gradually. After studying the literature, the uncle comes to the conclusion that his nephew was born blind for a reason. He came into the world to realize his extraordinary abilities. True, you still need to understand what kind of gift it is.

Chapter 2

Continuing work on Korolenko's work The Blind Musician, we see a boy who is five years old. During this time, he walks well around the house, as if he sees all the objects in front of him. On the street he walks with a stick. Somehow the boy heard the sound of a pipe. He really liked these sounds and the child shares his feelings with his mother. Once, having come to Petya's room to wish him good night, mother does not see her son there. He listened fascinated as the groom played. Now it is difficult to expel a child from there, because he spent all his time there. Mother Popelskaya even became jealous, and since she has a musical education behind her, she asks her husband to buy a piano.

And here is the piano in the house. But, trouble. The son did not appreciate the mother's playing and the sound of the piano. This upset the woman, but she did not lose hope and continued to play. Realizing that it is necessary to convey emotions through music, she began to play in a different way and the child appreciated it, he was also interested in the piano. Now he wants to get the skills of playing not only the pipe, but also the piano. The uncle understands that the talent of a musician lies in his nephew. It needs to be developed. Maxim plans to teach the boy to sing. To do this, he took the child to the groom, whom he asked to sing a folk song. Everyone listened, presenting their pictures, what the song painted.

Chapter 3

At the age of six, Petya was completely independent. He himself cleaned the room, made the bed, and did physical exercises with his uncle. In order for the boy to develop comprehensively, his uncle taught him history, and also invited the yard children. True, they were afraid of the blind, and Petya was not interested in their communication either. In the village next to the plot of Petya's parents, the visiting Yakulskys settled, who had a daughter, Evelina, who was the same age as Petya. The children first met at the river. This acquaintance was unsuccessful and the boy drives the neighbor away. When Evelina again decided to meet, the children started talking, but Petya's desire to examine the girl's face seemed strange to her interlocutor. This reminded the boy of his congenital ailment and he tells everything to Evelina. He will tell about his special books, and about the uncle who works with him. The neighbor began to visit often the house of the boy who taught her the sciences. Now they are best friends, just like their parents.

Chapter 4

Uncle sees that now the boy communicates not only with him. He devotes a lot of time to a neighbor girl with whom they became friends. The boy was delighted with Evelina and his conversations were only about her, and in a dream she came to him. Petya really wanted to see, to distinguish colors, but alas. Once the groom gave the boy a stork and he began to claim that he saw the contours. However, my uncle did not believe this. With age, Petya began to change. His outlook also changed. More often he was closed and joyless, fell into sadness and sadness. Only Evelina managed to get him out of this state. His senses became even more acute, so he could even hear a passing meteor.

Chapter 5

Further, Korolenko in his work takes us five years ahead. Now Petya is a young guy, to whom they began to invite new acquaintances by the decision of his uncle, who wanted to diversify the life of his nephew. An old friend of Maxim with his sons, students from musical institutions, was also invited to the estate. Everyone is talking at the table. Guys talk about the meaning of life, about plans. Evelina shares her vision of adult life, where she is sure that everyone has their own way. Such feasts were tiring for Peter, but at the same time he was interested, so they decided to continue the acquaintance next time.

During the next conversation, one of the students began to show interest in Evelina. Peter did not like this and he jumped out from behind the table. The girl immediately ran after him. Found it at the mill. There, the heroes declare their love and decide to marry. When the happy children returned, Petya wanted to play the piano. His playing was amazing and mesmerizing. Students advise the guy to take his talent seriously, prophesying a great future for him.

Chapter 6

Now the Popelskys went to visit an uncle they knew. There, Petya received many new emotions, including visiting the grave of a robber and his faithful bandura player. He also visited the monastery, where he met the ringer, the same blind from birth. In a conversation with Petya, the ringer seemed angry. Subsequently, he began to consider himself so. Evelina told Uncle Maxim about the incident in the monastery.

With the advent of winter, Petya became gloomier, thoughts about the essence of life began to visit him, he did not understand why people like him should live. He became increasingly annoyed about his fate, wanting to see. For the sake of this, he is ready even to change places with a beggar. Once Maxim and Petya went to the church to the miraculous icon. There, at the entrance to the church, beggars sat and sang a song. Such a meeting further crippled the psychological state of the guy.

Closer to summer, Maxim decides to take Peter to Kyiv, where the guy would start learning to play the piano. However, on the way they met blind men who were wandering and were on their way to Pochaev. Petya joins them, and Maxim goes to Kyiv alone. The journey, during which Peter was able to communicate with blind musicians, enriched his spiritual world and gave him new impressions. Despite the fact that the guy did not see the light in Pochaev, he received spiritual healing.

Petya returned home by autumn.

Chapter 7

In the fall, Evelina announced her intention to marry Petya to her parents. They agreed. A wedding was played. After a while, Evelina was already in position. Peter was very worried, and only after the birth of the child, when the doctor said that the child was sighted, did he calm down. Moreover, when the doctor made his conclusion, as if the lightning had pierced the guy and, as it seemed to him, he could see both his mother, and his uncle, and his wife. Then the hero lost consciousness.

Conclusion

Three years later, Peter is on the big stage. This is his debut. Uncle and his wife came to support Peter. They started talking about him, admired his music, and my uncle began to hear not the sad notes of his music, which he always felt in the song of the blind, but heard happiness from life. Maxim understood that at last his nephew saw the light and would fill songs about the unfortunate with happy notes. All the efforts of Maxim were not in vain and he lived his life with dignity.

Blind Musician Heroes

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V.G. Korolenko "Blind Musician" summary can be found in this article.

"Blind Musician" abbreviated

A blind boy was born into a wealthy landowner's family. The baby was named Peter. He is brought up by his mother, Anna Mikhailovna Popelskaya, and her brother Maxim, a former soldier in the army of Garibaldi, an invalid without a leg. He teaches Petrus, in particular, how to read Braille. It is Maxim who is the first to explain to his sister that it is pointless to protect a blind child all his life from the outside world and the problems that await him there. He encourages Anna to develop Petrus' natural inclinations. “Stupid solicitude, which eliminates the need for effort from him, kills in him all chances for a fuller life.”

Very soon it becomes clear that the boy is sensitive to music. In addition to the fact that by nature he has a heightened hearing, he is very susceptible to sounds of any nature. Petrus unmistakably distinguishes from the whole abundance of sounds pouring on him those that are produced by musical instruments. One evening, he confesses to his mother that before going to bed he is under a "particularly bewitching impression." The reason for this is quickly revealed: at dusk, the shepherd Joachim plays a homemade flute. He experienced an unhappy love and, being rejected, tried to pour out his sadness in music. Having tried several purchased pipes and not finding a suitable one, Joachim made the flute himself. “Dudka came to fame. After drying the willow, he burned out her heart with a red-hot wire, burned six round holes, cut the seventh obliquely and tightly plugged one end with a wooden plug ... Then she hung on a string for a whole week, and she was warmed by the sun and doused with a ringing wind. The melodies performed by Joachim harmonize very subtly with the surrounding nature. Apparently, Petrus feels this intuitively. Once having come to the stable to Joachim to listen to him, the boy begins to sit with the musician all the evenings. Driven by jealousy, Anna asks her husband to write the piano out of the city. She previously studied music and even achieved excellent performance technique. However, the prim German teacher, with her endless nit-picking and mechanistic approach to learning, discouraged her student from any desire for classes and love for music as such. Anna, trying to regain complete control over her son's feelings, begins to play with him a "highly technical" play, for which she was once praised by the teacher. However, there is no sincerity and sincerity in her performance. Petrus gets scared, upset and runs away. He does not like the "foreign guest" - the piano, and still strives to listen to the "native" music of a simple shepherd's flute. Anna understands that in order to regain her son's trust, she will have to learn to feel the music as subtly as Petrus and Joachim do. Anna overcomes resentment and snobbery. Her performance changes over time, she masters the ability to convey her emotions in music. Petrus increasingly listens to his mother, begins to learn from her himself. One day, he asks her a question about flowers, because he feels their difference by touch. The boy strokes the stork's white neck and then touches the black feathers on the bird's wings. Anna conveys this difference with the help of the pitch of sounds on the instrument (low tones correspond to dark colors, high tones correspond to light colors). Maxim teaches the boy the history of the country through heroic folk songs, the images of which turn out to be close and understandable to Peter.

Petrus moves quite freely around the house and the estate. Outsiders do not immediately determine that he is blind - his movements are so confident. The boy loves to walk over the river. Once, while walking, he meets a girl, Evelina, about the same age as him. Evelina is the late daughter of very calm and loving parents - the Jaskulskys. Evelina is an unusually reasonable and sensible girl. Outwardly, just a child, she is capable of understanding, sacrifice and compassion, characteristic of an adult woman. “There are natures predestined for the quiet feat of love, combined with sadness and care - natures for whom these worries about someone else's grief constitute, as it were, an atmosphere, an organic need. Nature endowed them with tranquility in advance, without which the everyday feat of life is unthinkable ... They are deaf to the passionate calls of a sinful life and follow the sad path of duty as calmly as they follow the path of the brightest personal happiness. For many years, Petrus' world consists of a circle of relatives and Evelina. The girl even begins to study with Maxim with Petrus. Joint classes, common goals bring children even closer.

Adults try not to increase the suffering of the blind, not to let him know what he is deprived of, not to provoke “unnecessary” questions. However, Anna feels in her heart that her boy is still sad about what is not and never was in his life - about light. At times, Petrus confesses to her that he had a dream - but cannot remember the faces. Maxim understands this too. In order to open the door to the outside world for his nephew, he invites an old comrade Stavruchenko with two young sons to the estate. During the conversation, young people are keenly interested in Evelina, but they forget about Peter. He quietly leaves the room, repeating to himself that Evelina does not need him, that she did not even notice his absence, that he is a cripple, and has no right to deprive the girl of a “big” life. However, seventeen-year-old Evelina politely and restrainedly (so that even young people are surprised and consider her answer worthy of a woman of a much older age) explains to the guests that “every person has his own way in life, and in serious matters you need to think seriously.” She goes out into the garden after Peter and, in response to his statements about her own uselessness, as if about a fait accompli, she talks to him about their future marriage and the full tenderness of their life together. Peter is stunned and happy. Evelina calmly explains to him that she does not intend to look for another, “big” life for herself, that they have loved each other for many years, that for each of them there is no closer friend, and therefore, there is no sense in looking for “good from good”. Evelina is surprised that Peter had not thought about their wedding before, that he wanted to abandon her for her own good. The girl calmly and carefully draws Peter his own perspectives: he must professionally study music and give concerts. Everyone celebrates his extraordinary gift and outstanding abilities. Evelina will read her beloved a brilliant future. “You will also have your own job. If you could see, if you knew what you could do to all of us…”

The family, together with Stavruchenko and Evelina, goes on a long walk through historical places - the burial place of ataman Karego and the blind bandura player Yurko, who accompanied the ataman in all his glorious campaigns. In the monastery, the company examines the old church and climbs the bell tower. Both ringers are blind. One of them, Roman, went blind at the age of seven. He remembers his mother, understands what light is, loves children and is not offended by the whole world. The other, Yegor, is blind from birth. He is angry with people, he is very acutely experiencing his own "inferiority", accuses others of inattention, complains of his uselessness. Peter instinctively recognizes in him a brother in misfortune. When everyone goes downstairs, Peter stops to talk to Yegor. Evelina hears their conversation. Egor is angry with Roman for letting the "imps" (i.e., children) into the bell tower, trying to catch them and beat them. Peter learns that Yegor, like himself, has a heightened hearing (the two of them, unlike all those present, hear the ringing of bells from a church located fifteen miles away), that he also does not dream, or at least does not can then remember them that he, too, is in a claim to the whole world. Upon returning home, Anna sends warm clothes to the bell ringers. Maxim speaks with Evelina about the similarities between Peter and Yegor. Evelina believes that after this trip, Peter is sure that all born blind are evil, and will not fight his egoism, but will only become embittered. "Unrelieved sadness was replaced in the youth's mood by irritable nervousness." He tries to quarrel with Evelina so as not to be "guilty" of her "sacrifice". Peter constantly torments himself and those around him by talking about his misfortune. Maxim tries to act with affection and appeals to the images available to Peter (explains the palette of colors with the help of tactile analogies, and Peter immediately conveys this with the help of sounds on the piano). However, when Peter's complaints, his accusations of an unfair fate and self-pity become dominant in relation to others, Maxim decides to have a serious heart-to-heart talk. The conversation that Maxim was preparing happens spontaneously. At the sight of someone else's suffering (beggar blind), Peter tries to turn away and leave, but Maxim stops him and makes him give alms to the blind by touch. “You are annoyed that you have no one to curse like Yegor, and you yourself curse your loved ones in your soul because they took away from you a happy share of these blind people ... If you want to correct our mistake, if you throw fate in the eyes all the advantages that life surrounded you from the cradle and you want to experience the fate of these unfortunate ... I promise you my respect, help and assistance. After this incident, Peter lay in a fever for a long time. Maxim already takes back his words and apologizes to his nephew, but the recovered Peter asks his uncle to assist him. They announce to their families that the two of them are going to Kyiv for a year so that Peter can take music lessons from a famous pianist there. Maxim regularly sends Anna reassuring letters, assuring that Peter's affairs are going smoothly. A year later, it turns out that Peter all this time wandered along with two other blind men (one of them, Fyodor Kandyba - a kobzar) under the name of Yuri. They say that Peter went to Pochaiv on a vow to beg the Mother of God for healing. Peter returns to his home on foot in beggarly clothes. “His eyes were still clear and still blind. But the soul has undoubtedly been healed.”

In the autumn they play the wedding of Evelina and Peter. Soon he will know that he will be a father. The expectation of childbirth is painful for Peter. It seems to him that the child will certainly be born blind. At times, all of his former hysterical doubts return to Peter, he insists that the child should not be born. However, the doctor who took delivery and armed with an ophthalmoscope in advance states that the baby sees. Peter is shocked. For a few moments, he seems to be seeing the light. He sees his mother, Maxim, wife, heaven and earth. “It seemed to everyone that the person standing in the middle of the room was not the one they knew so well ... that former one disappeared, surrounded by a mystery that suddenly descended on him.” Peter cannot remember his vision, but he is calm. “I gave it all to him… the child…” - says Peter and loses consciousness.

Three years later, Peter is already very successful concerts in Kyiv. Evelina accompanies her famous husband everywhere. Maxim notes that Peter's subtle, sensitive, full of suffering game has changed. “These are no longer just groans of personal grief, not one blind suffering ... he carries in his soul a feeling of life, he feels both human grief and human joy, he has seen the light and will be able to remind the happy of the unfortunate.” Maxim considers his mission on earth accomplished. “He did not live in the world for nothing, he was told about this by the powerful sounds full of power that stood in the hall, reigning over the crowd.”

Year of writing:

1898

Reading time:

Description of the work:

The story "The Blind Musician" Vladimir Korolenko wrote in 1898. Despite the fact that the work was first published by the Russkiye Vedomosti newspaper in 1886, Korolenko changed something in the story more than once, adding new characters, images and events. And even in 1917, Vladimir Korolenko revised some parts of the story and made corrections. Apparently, she played an important role in the literary biography of Vladimir Korolenko, and he put a lot of effort into its creation.

Below is a summary of the story "The Blind Musician".

In the South-West of Ukraine, in a family of rich village landowners Popelsky, a blind boy is born. At first, no one notices his blindness, only his mother guesses about it from the strange expression on the face of little Petrus. Doctors confirm a terrible guess.

Peter's father is a good-natured man, but rather indifferent to everything except the household. Uncle, Maxim Yatsenko, has a fighting character. In his youth, he was known everywhere as a "dangerous bully" and justified this characterization: he left for Italy, where he entered the Garibaldi detachment. In the battle with the Austrians, Maxim lost his leg, received many wounds and was forced to return home to live out his life in inactivity. The uncle decides to take up the upbringing of Petrus. He has to fight blind maternal love: he explains to his sister Anna Mikhailovna, Petrus' mother, that excessive care can harm the boy's development. Uncle Maxim hopes to raise a new "fighter for the cause of life."

Spring is coming. The child is disturbed by the noise of awakening nature. Mother and uncle take Petrus for a walk on the river bank. Adults do not notice the excitement of the boy, who cannot cope with the abundance of impressions. Petrus loses consciousness. After this incident, mother and uncle Maxim try to help the boy comprehend sounds and sensations.

Petrus loves to listen to the play of the groom Joachim on the pipe. The groom made his wonderful instrument himself; unhappy love disposes Joachim to sad melodies. He plays every evening, and on one of these evenings a blind panich comes to his stable. Petrus learns to play the pipe from Joachim. The mother, seized with jealousy, writes the piano out of the city. But when she starts playing, the boy almost loses his senses again: this complex music seems to him rough, noisy. Joachim is of the same opinion. Then Anna Mikhailovna understands that in a simple game the groom is much more than a living feeling. She secretly listens to Joachim's tune and learns from him. In the end, her art conquers both Petrus and the groom. Meanwhile, the boy begins to play the piano as well. And Uncle Maxim asks Joachim to sing folk songs to the blind panich.

Petrus has no friends. The village boys shy away from him. And in the neighboring estate of the elderly Yaskulsky, the daughter of Evelina, the same age as Petrus, is growing up. This beautiful girl is calm and reasonable. Evelina accidentally meets Peter on a walk. At first she does not realize that the boy is blind. When Petrus tries to feel her face, Evelina gets scared, and when she learns about his blindness, she cries bitterly with pity. Peter and Evelina become friends. Together they take lessons from Uncle Maxim. Children grow up, and their friendship becomes stronger.

Uncle Maxim invites his old friend Stavruchenko to visit with his sons, students, people-lovers and collectors of folklore. Their cadet friend comes with them. Young people bring revival to the quiet life of the estate. Uncle Maxim wants Peter and Evelina to feel that a bright and interesting life flows nearby. Evelina understands that this is a test for her feelings for Peter. She firmly decides to marry Peter and tells him about it.

A blind young man plays the piano in front of the guests. Everyone is shocked and predicts fame for him. For the first time, Peter realizes that he, too, is capable of doing something in life.

The Popelskys pay a return visit to the Stavruchenkov estate. The hosts and guests are going to the N-sky monastery. On the way, they stop near the gravestone, under which the Cossack ataman Ignat Kary is buried, and next to him is the blind bandura player Yurko, who accompanied the ataman on campaigns. Everyone sighs for the glorious past. And Uncle Maxim says that the eternal struggle continues, although in other forms.

In the monastery, everyone is escorted to the bell tower by the blind bell-ringer, the novice Egory. He is young and his face is very similar to Peter. Egory is embittered at the whole world. He rudely scolds the village children who are trying to get into the bell tower. After everyone goes downstairs, Peter remains to talk with the bell ringer. It turns out that Yegoriy is also born blind. There is another bell-ringer in the monastery, Roman, who has been blind since the age of seven. Egory is jealous of Roman, who has seen the world, seen his mother, remembers her... When Peter and Egory finish their conversation, Roman arrives. He is kind, gentle with a flock of children.

This meeting makes Peter understand the depth of his misfortune. He seems to become different, as embittered as Egory. In his conviction that all born blind are evil, Peter tortures those close to him. He asks for an explanation of the incomprehensible difference in colors for him. Peter reacts painfully to the touch of sunlight on his face. He even envies the poor blind, whose hardships make them forget their blindness for a while.

Uncle Maxim and Peter go to the N-th miraculous icon. Nearby, the blind are begging. The uncle invites Peter to taste the share of the poor. Peter wants to leave as soon as possible so as not to hear the songs of the blind. But Uncle Maxim makes him give everyone a piece of soap.

Peter is seriously ill. After recovery, he announces to his family that he will go with Uncle Maxim to Kyiv, where he will take lessons from a famous musician.

Uncle Maxim really goes to Kyiv and from there writes soothing letters home. Meanwhile, Pyotr, secretly from his mother, along with poor blind men, among whom is Fyodor Kandyba, an acquaintance of Maxim's uncle, goes to Pochaev. In this journey, Peter gets to know the world in its diversity and, empathizing with the grief of others, forgets about his sufferings.

Peter returns to the estate a completely different person, his soul is healed. The mother is angry with him for deceit, but soon forgives. Peter tells a lot about his wanderings. Uncle Maxim also comes from Kyiv. The trip to Kyiv has been canceled for a year.

In the same autumn, Peter marries Evelina. But in his happiness, he does not forget about his travel companions. Now, on the edge of the village, there is a new hut of Fyodor Kandyba, and Peter often comes to him.

Peter has a son. The father is afraid that the boy will be blind. And when the doctor informs that the child is undoubtedly sighted, Peter is overwhelmed with such joy that for a few moments it seems to him that he himself sees everything: heaven, earth, his loved ones.

Three years pass. Peter becomes known for his musical talent. In Kyiv, during the “Contracts” fair, a large audience gathers to listen to a blind musician, whose fate is already legendary.

Among the public and uncle Maxim. He listens to the musician's improvisations, which are intertwined with the motives of folk songs. Suddenly, the song of the poor blind breaks into the lively melody. Maxim understands that Peter was able to feel life in its fullness, to remind people of other people's suffering. Realizing this and his merit, Maxim is convinced that he did not live his life in vain.

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