Mystical story "The Queen of Spades." The content of the story, the main characters

Excitement and greed, the desire to deceive fate, oneswoop up to unattainable peaks - these are the aspirations of the main character of the story - the engineer Herman. Later, Dostoevsky will show this passion burning down, especially if you remember Raskolnikov, who did not resist direct murder. And all these are not mystical stories. "The Queen of Spades" had both prototypes and literary continuation.

The mystical history of the ladies' rush card

In France during the Hundred Years War on the thronewas clearly the insane King Charles VI. He ruled on his misfortune to his people and in spite of insanity for thirty years: he was the anointed of God, and all his nightmarish actions courtiers and the country had to take. Sometimes there were lumens in insanity, but brief and rare. And during the period of exacerbation, he could imagine himself a glass decanter, for example, and demand that glass, with him, be treated very carefully so as not to break.

For his entertainment, and were createdcards. But they will get a more or less modern look during the reign of his son Charles VII, who was nicknamed the winner, since the Hundred Years War was over with him, and France, thanks to Jeanne D'Arc, gained unity.

It was in his time that themodern names, however, they differed in different countries. But if we talk about traditional, in Russia they have survived until now. This is the story. The Queen of Spades of fortunetellers means trouble, cunning, anger, quarrel, enemy and even a divorced woman. These are the meanings that played such a cruel joke with Herman. But all these mystical properties of the map became particularly widespread after Pushkin published his story. Although the epigraph already refers to secret ill-will.

So for Pushkin it was a well-known story. The Queen of Spades has acquired properties that drive a man mad.

Historical facts

This is a typical Petersburg story "Peaklady ", the history of creation of which is directly connected with two high-aged elderly people. The image of the Countess, created by Pushkin, is collective. Very many of its features, he took from Princess Golitsyna, a recognized beauty not only of Russian, but also of the French royal court.

Moscou Venus shone at the court of Louis XV, and at the court of Marie Antoinette, and visited her receptions and balls.

Handsome husband was completely subordinate toas well as her children and grandchildren. She controlled the business with a firm hand, but the children gave out copecks for maintenance. She lived a long, almost a hundred years, life. After her, there was a huge fortune - sixteen thousand souls. In deep old age, she took an interesting reception on certain days, especially in the name-day. These days she was honored with a visit by the royal family. Only before the highest people did she get up: all the others accepted sitting.

Or she bent her head in greeting, oruttered a few words, looking at rank and nobility. She was arrogant with equals and friendly with those who stood lower on the social ladder. This is a very refined way to humiliate a person. Pushkin, the story of the three cards was known from her grand-nephew, who recouped thanks to the help of his grandmother. So gradually history was built. The Queen of Spades is the nickname of the Countess, whom she received in Petersburg. However, in addition to it, Pushkin introduces the qualities of the personality of his wife's aunt - NK Zagryazhskaya. In her youth she was far from a beauty, and in her old age looked like a peasant woman Yaga. This grand-dame had a masculine uneasy character, and, incidentally, just like Golitsyna, hosted royalty.

Her character traits entered the collective image of the countess. From the figures described by the genius writer, appeared the work "The Queen of Spades", the content of which is set forth.

The plot of the story

One night a company of young people, regularlyplaying in the Pharaoh (or he was also called "shtoss"), began to play a trick on the young engineer Herman. He never played, but always watched with keen interest.

Then Tomsky said that his grandmother-countessknows the surest way to win. In her youth in Paris, she (la Vénus moscovite) had a chance to recoup from a major loss. The secret of winning cards was suggested to her by Saint-Germain.

The story was deeply impressed by Herman. He began to think that he could triple, make his money and dedicate himself to the aces, ensuring a quiet and prosperous life. So began delirium and hallucinations.

What do dreams lead to?

Since this episode, greed, lack ofmoral rules are brought to the forefront by Pushkin ("The Queen of Spades"). The main characters are both Napoleonic aspirations of Herman, and the destructive influence of gold on man.

Herman wandered through the night Petersburg, and his feethe was brought to the house of the mysterious Countess. The countess had a poor companion, Lisa, whom the old woman had been leading in the most terrible way. For this girl began to observe Herman. He hoped that with her help he would get into the house of the old woman and find out the secret of the cards. Correspondence began. Finally Lisa, unaware of greed, invited Herman's seven (fatal number) days to visit her, when the countess would go to the ball.

After the ball

Herman also made his way into the old woman's office and becamewait for her return. When the countess finally left alone after the ball, Herman appeared before her and demanded that she make him happy by revealing the secrets of the cards everyone is talking about. But the Countess in horror replied that this was just a joke. Herman refused to believe and began to threaten the old woman with a pistol. But she immediately died of fear. Herman went into the room to Liza, told everything.

Horror filled the girl's soul when she realized thatnot tender, but purely mercantile thoughts were the young man who led to such an eerie outcome. Such is the character of Pushkin ("The Queen of Spades"). The main characters: Lisa, Herman, and before the countess - in confusion and fear. But Lisa led Herman out of the house, although she began to consider him a monster. Three days later (another fatal number) Herman went to the burial service of the body of the deceased. And it seemed to him that the Countess winked at him.

Delusional fantasies

And at night Herman saw a dream in which the countess came to him, as she said, against her will and informed which cards she would win: three, seven and ace.

Thus, Pushkin did not create hoaxes,this did not become the subject of the game, but continued and intensified the delirium and hallucinations of the young man. Herman could only think of one thing: how he would sit at the table, and happiness would be shed by a golden rain. Finally there was a chance. A big game has gone. Herman put on the top three and won. The next evening, Herman placed on the seven. And again a big win. On the third day, everyone was waiting for Herman. He put all his money - an ace fell out. But when Herman opened his card, he saw with horror the lady's peak, which smiled. The game went on, and Herman, running out of the room, lost both money and mind.

He really was mad. Nonsense and hallucinations continued.

But for poor Lisa everything turned out well. She married a young county governor. This is how the story ended for the girl. The Queen of Spades only touched this pure creature lightly.

Pushkin is an excellent connoisseur and card game, andpsychology, including the player, does not offer any mystical and fantastic explanations. This is just an everyday real life situation, which the writer has revealed with all the fullness of mature talent. A fantastic card, which makes it possible to break a huge jackpot, is nothing more than an artistic framing of the plot.

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