Kuprin Alexander began to write at the turncenturies. It was a rather difficult time for both Russia and Europe. Therefore, one of the leading themes in his work is the proclamation of humanistic ideals, unshakable and fundamental for all times. In this regard, it becomes relevant to study the soul of a person who finds himself in the center of an imperfect world, exposing both his bright and dark sides.
In 1990, the writer publishes in "Don Speech"story "Ingolstadt executioner." People's reviews about the people of this profession have always been negative, but it is such a person who, with Kuprin, becomes the personification of goodness and responsiveness. And the concretization of the time and place of action allowed to recreate a completely natural life situation that fits into a certain historical space and attracts the attention of readers to unshakable values.
The story "The Executioner" - the name laterSimplified - begins with a description of the difficult political situation in a small town in Bavaria - Ingolstadt. By the end of 1199, an irreconcilable struggle was waged across Germany between two powerful groups: the Guelphs, the Pope’s supporters, and their opponents, the Gibellins. The inhabitants of the country were involved in it, ranging from the dukes and ending with simple peasants. Often, the enemies were members of the same family, and intrigues, betrayals, mercenaries became quite commonplace. It seemed that nature itself was related to this confrontation between people. Even the old-timers did not remember such a harsh winter and frost holding down all living things, and many saw in the sky that huge fire cross, now two moons. All this, according to astronomers and charlatans, foreshadowed the end of the world, and such conversations always agitated society. So begins the story of A. Kuprin (you read his summary).
The date of the event is clearly marked.On Christmas Eve, a weary traveler came up to the walls of Ingolstadt. Dressed in a fur, but tattered raincoat and a felt hat, he often turned his back to the wind and tried to catch his breath. The situation was complicated by drifts, in which a person sometimes knee-deep. At first glance, the clothes gave a complete picture of his personality. However, the stranger’s poor appearance didn’t correspond to the heavy boots and the sword hidden under the suit, indicating that it was not just a burgher or a small tenant.
Many of Kuprin’s stories are dramatic.and the emotion of the plot. These traits are also traced in The Hangman. The traveler, who stopped at the ditch, which surrounded the city from all sides, noted with displeasure that the bridge had already been raised. But he apparently knew the terrain well, as he immediately headed on. Having walked two hundred paces along the moat, the stranger began to confidently descend, trampling snow in front of him. It took at least an hour before he was on the other side. Getting out of the ditch, the traveler found a rope in his pocket, made a strong loop from it, and threw it on the tooth of the palisade. After a couple of minutes, he deftly moved over the fence and ended up in Ingolstadt.
The city seemed extinct. There were no people on the street, and all the gates and doors were locked. Only here and there through the cracks in the doors and shutters the light of fire penetrated.
The story "The Executioner" Kuprin continues the descriptionunsuccessful attempts of the hero to find a place to sleep. At first the stranger approached the big house and knocked on the door. I had to wait a long time. Finally, the owner displeased inquired from behind the door who the devil brought it. At the request of the guest to let him into the house, he answered with a categorical refusal and swearing. To heighten the fear threatened to lower the dogs. To this the traveler replied with a curse and said: “We'll see, Mr. Burgomaster, that you will sing tomorrow.” The hero of the story turned out to be not such a simple vagabond - the described conversation and its summary are brought to this conclusion.
The Executioner continues the dialogue of the guards, whichaccidentally overheard a traveler hiding in the door niche. They argued that life in the city had become very bad after the expulsion of the Ghibellines of the Duke Heinrich, and that they were ready for anything to return. These words made the stranger have a contented smile that looked strange on a feverish face.
The traveler went around the whole city, but everywhere:and next to a rich house, and in a poor shack — I heard in response to a request to let him spend the night only swearing. This behavior of the locals explained the words of one old woman. She told an unexpected guest that tomorrow she was ready to take him and feed him with the most delicious dishes. But today is Christmas Eve, which means that together with the guest she will let all his troubles into her house. Not a single living soul in the whole of Ingolstadt took pity on the frozen, hungry traveler - this is the conclusion reached by the plot of the work and its brief content. The Executioner shows how popular superstition could be the cause of unhappiness. The traveler completely exhausted himself: his legs did not obey, and his eyes closed on the move. A little more - and he could fall into the snow, never to rise again.
In search of a shelter, the hero of the story approached himselfThe Danube. And suddenly, in the distance from the buildings, he saw a rather large and well-built house, which stood out noticeably against the background of poor shacks built on the outskirts. There was no hedge around him, so the stranger was able to go to the very window, not shuttered, and look inside. In the room he saw the following picture. At the table sat a man, tall, with broad shoulders and neck, huge hands. Everything in his appearance betrayed “terrible physical strength” - Alexander Kuprin notes. But the main thing that caught the eye of the traveler - a very gloomy, wrinkled face. The stranger thought that he had never been touched by a smile. Next to the table was a teenage girl and served as an owner.
The traveler knocked on the door and received permissionto come in. He found himself in a hot, heated room and felt the smell of roasted meat. Suddenly, the owner broke out into abuse, from which it followed that today and tomorrow he did not intend to work. But when he saw that he was mistaken, he hesitated. He did not refuse the guest, in which he recognized the lord, at the shelter, but expressed concern about the reasonableness of his being here. This meant that the guest would leave the house as soon as he knew who lived in it. However, the tired and hungry traveler did not ask questions, but only answered that he did not care about his master’s classes. Sitting down at the table, the guest began the meal.
A stranger who ate meat did not immediately notice thatthe owner stands in the middle of the room and does not sit down at the table. He began to say that he felt embarrassed because he had interrupted someone else's meal. But the man categorically refused to make him a company, and for some time the guest left him alone. Only after some time, when the traveler was full, drank fragrant wine and felt bliss after several days of wandering, he looked again at his host. He gave him a feeling of gratitude and some strange pity. Suddenly, the stranger got up from the table, introduced himself: "Henry II, Leo-Anna ..." and in an imperious tone he ordered the owner to give his name. The latter fell on the floor in front of him and exclaimed in perplexity that he was Karl Eisenman, the local executioner. Reviews of his occupation could not be called good. This explains why he was afraid to introduce himself immediately.
The duke frowned at first, but immediately pulled outhis sword and flatly hit her master on the shoulder. This was a knighting procedure. So ends the story - you read its brief content - "The Executioner". It only remains to add that Karl von Eisenman died as a hero, defending his duke. After the death of the former executioner of the city of Ingolstadt, his family also ceased, since he had no sons.
Рассказы Куприна часто повествуют о личности, endowed with the best moral character. And their carriers are unremarkable people. A similar situation can be seen in this work.
In a troubled world filled with cruelty andwith human indifference, the despised and rejected executioner comes to the aid of an unfamiliar traveler. By the nature of the activity and obeying someone else's will, he is forced to take the lives of those who have been sentenced, therefore it seems heartless. But in Ingolstadt, seized with hostility and hatred, when the concepts of honor and duty were forgotten, only Eisenman is capable of compassion and humanity. He does not allow a complete stranger to perish, and in response the ruler of Saxony shows respect to him, recognizing the right to forgiveness and a worthy death is an important moment for the Middle Ages.
So the heroes of the stories Kuprin proclaim love and trust in people, the greatness of their thoughts and actions.
