“Taras Bulba” by Gogol in brief summary
To the old Cossack colonel Taras Bulba come after the release of the Kiev Academy of his two sons – Ostap and Andriy. Two stout fellows, whose healthy and strong faces had not yet touched the razor, were confused by the meeting with their father, who was making fun of their recent seminarians’ clothes. The elder, Ostap, can not stand his father’s ridicule: “Though you’re my dad, and how you’ll laugh, then, by God, I’ll beat!” And the father and his son, instead of greeting after a long absence, quite jokingly each other with cuffs. Pale, lean and kind mother tries to reason with her violent husband, who already stops himself, pleased that he has experienced his son. Bulba wants to “greet” the younger one in the same way, but he already hugs him, defending his mother from his father.
On the occasion of the arrival of his sons, Taras Bulba summoned all the centurions and the whole regimental rank and announced his decision
Three riders are going in silence. Old Taras recalls his lush life, a tear stiffens in his eyes, his graying head is resting. Ostap, who has a stern and hard temperament, although bitter during the years of his studies in the seminary, has retained his natural kindness and is touched by the tears of his poor mother. This alone embarrasses him and forces him to drop his head thoughtfully. Andrii also feels a heavy farewell to his mother and home, but his thoughts are occupied by memories of the beautiful
After a long journey, Sich meets Taras and his sons with his wild life – a sign of Zaporizhzhya’s will. Cossacks do not like to spend time on military exercises, collecting brane experience only in the heat of battles. Ostap and Andriy rush with all the ardor of the young men in this wild sea. But the old Taras does not like the idle life – he does not want to prepare his sons for such activities. After meeting with all his companions, he thinks out how to raise the Cossacks on a campaign, so as not to waste Cossack dare for a continuous feast and drunken merriment. He persuades the Cossacks to re-elect a koshevik who keeps peace with the enemies of the coziness. The new cat under the pressure of the most warlike Cossacks, and above all Taras, decides to go to Poland to note all the evil and shame of faith and Cossack glory.
And soon the entire Polish south-west becomes a prey to fear, running ahead of a rumor: “Zaporozhets! Cossacks appeared!” In one month the young Cossacks grew up in the battles, and to old Taras to see that both his sons were among the first. The Cossack army is trying to take the city of Dubna, where many treasuries and rich townsfolk, but meet the desperate resistance of the garrison and residents. Cossacks besiege the city and wait for the famine to begin. From nothing to do Zaporozhye devastate the neighborhood, burn out defenseless villages and unharvested bread. Young, especially the sons of Taras, do not like this life. Old Bulba calms them, promising soon hot fights. On one of the dark nights, Andria awakens from the dream a strange creature, similar to a ghost. This is a Tartar, a servant of the Polish girl, in whom Andrius is in love. Tatarka tells in a whisper, that pannochka – in the city, she saw Andria from the city wall and asks him to come to her or at least pass a piece of bread for the dying mother. Andrii loads bags with bread, how many can carry, and on the underground passage the Tartar leads him into the city. Having met his beloved, he renounces his father and brother, comrades and fatherland: “Fatherland is what our soul seeks, what is dearest for it all.” My fatherland is you. ” Andriy remains with the pannochka to protect her to the last breath of her former companions. that our soul seeks, what is dearer to it all. My fatherland is you. “Andriy remains with the pannochka to defend her to the last breath of her former companions. that our soul seeks, what is dearer to it all. My fatherland is you. “Andriy remains with the pannochka to defend her to the last breath of her former companions.
Polish troops, sent to reinforce the besieged, pass into the city past the drunken Cossacks, many having slept with the sleepers, many captivating. This event hardens the Cossacks, who decide to continue the siege to the end. Taras, looking for the missing son, receives a terrible confirmation of Andrius’s betrayal.
The Poles arrange forays, but the Cossacks are still successfully defending them. From Sech comes the news that in the absence of the main force the Tatars attacked the remaining Cossacks and captured them, capturing the treasury. The Cossack army at Dubna is divided in two – half goes to the rescue of the treasury and comrades, half remains to continue the siege. Taras, having headed the siege army, pronounces a passionate speech for the glory of the partnership.
Poles learn about the weakening of the enemy and come out of the city for a decisive battle. Andriy is among them. Taras Bulba orders the Cossacks to lure him to the forest and there, meeting with Andrii face to face, kills his son, who even before his death utters one word – the name of a beautiful pannochka. Reinforcement arrives to the Poles, and they smash the Cossacks. Ostap is captured, wounded Taras, rescued from the chase, brought to the Sich.
Recovering from his wounds, Taras forces Yankel’s Jew to stealthily transfer him to Warsaw to try to buy Ostap. Taras is present at the terrible execution of his son in the town square. No moan escapes under torture from Ostap’s chest, only before death calls: “Father, where are you, do you hear all this?” – “I hear you!” answers the crowd of Taras. He rushes to catch, but Taras has already gotten cold.
One hundred and twenty thousand Cossacks, among whom are the regiment of Taras Bulba, rise on a campaign against the Poles. Even the Cossacks themselves notice the excessive ferocity and cruelty of Taras towards the enemy. So he avenges the death of his son. The defeated Polish hetman Nikolai Pototsky swears swearing not to cause any resentment to the Cossack hostility from now on. Colonel Bulba alone does not agree to this kind of peace, assuring his comrades that the sworn flies will not keep their word. And he withdraws his regiment. His prediction comes true – having gathered with forces, the Poles treacherously attack Cossacks and smash them.
And Taras walks all over Poland with his regiment, continuing to avenge the death of Ostap and his comrades, ruthlessly destroying all life.
Five regiments under the leadership of the very Pototsky finally overtook the regiment of Taras, who was on vacation in the old collapsed fortress on the banks of the Dniester. Four days the battle lasts. The surviving Cossacks make their way, but the old ataman stops to look for his cradle in the grass, and the hayduki overtake him. Iron chains tie Taras to the oak, nail their hands and lay a fire under it. Before his death, Taras managed to shout to his comrades that they should go down to the canoes, which he saw from above, and left the chase along the river. And at the last terrible moment the old ataman thinks about his comrades, about their future victories, when the old Taras will not be with them.
Cossacks leave the chase, amicably rowing oars and talking about their ataman.
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