In the last Sunday of November, Mother's Day is celebrated - a special, warm, and joyful holiday. The role of a mother in every person's life is difficult to overestimate. As Maxim Gorky wrote, "I do not know a brighter image than a mother, and a heart more capacious for love than a mother's heart." In this overview, we present enduring works of classics that you can find on the shelves of city libraries. Mothers in these books play a significant role, if not the main one.
Pulcheria Alexandrovna Raskolnikova, Rodion's mother, evokes the warmest feelings. Fyodor Mikhailovich paid attention to her pleasant appearance, noting that she looked younger than her age, preserved clarity of mind, honesty, and pure warmth of her heart. Her inner world is just as beautiful. For the sake of her children, she is willing to do a lot, as long as it does not go against her beliefs. Courteous and kind-hearted, but straightforward, she would not go against her conscience. Pulcheria Alexandrovna sends money to Rodion, who is studying at the university in St. Petersburg. Her pension is small, so she also knits and embroiders, sending almost all her earnings to her son. She hopes that he will become a lawyer, a prosperous man, and will help the family. But a terrible event happens. When Pulcheria Alexandrovna sees Rodion after a long separation, she feels that something bad has happened, but she is afraid to ask about it. When she finally learns the truth, she falls ill... Regardless of everything that happened, she always loved her son.
Pelageya Nilovna is defined by Maxim Gorky as playing the main role in the work. For a long time, she was silent, timid, and lived in fear as her husband often raised his hand to her. In the family, their son Pavel grew up. As he grew older, he became a revolutionary. The events seemed terrifying to his mother, and she was afraid of the people who started coming to their home. But she did not drive them away, nor did she turn away from her son. She tried to understand the essence of their words, delve into the situation. Going against her own fear, she fell in love with this new life full of difficulties. The image of the mother is associated with the themes of rebirth, resurrection of the soul, and freedom from fear. The word "mother" in the novel becomes more wide-ranging and encompasses not only her son but also other people in need of care and understanding. Pelageya Nilovna has her own vision of life and the future. There is no doubt about her strength, endurance, and readiness to support loved ones. "Do not leave your children on a lonely path!" is perhaps the key phrase and idea of the book.
Countess Natalya Rostova is a loyal spouse and an ideal mother. She got married at the age of 16 to Ilya Andreevich. After nearly 30 years of married life (Natalya is 45 years old at the beginning of the novel), the couple still shares a heartfelt connection. They have four children: Vera, Nikolay, Natasha, and Petya, and they have also taken in an orphan, Sonya, to raise. All the children are surrounded by care, affection, and attention. Natalya has a particularly tender relationship with her daughter Natasha. The daughter trusts her mother with her secrets, knowing that she will listen and support her. Family is the most important and valuable thing in Natalya Rostova's life. Grief invaded their home when news of their son Petya's death on the frontline arrived. The whole world collapsed, and the woman aged instantly. Such a deep emotional wound cannot be healed. After the death of her husband Ilya Andreevich, the meaning of life completely faded for Natalya Rostova.
Loving mother and faithful wife Avdotya Vasilyevna Grineva cherishes her son Pyotr. She gave birth to nine children, but only he survived. Her son is the meaning of her life. When her husband decides to send Pyotr to serve in the military, Avdotya Vasilyevna sheds bitter tears and cannot calm down. And when Pyotr is injured in a duel, she becomes sick with grief. Avdotya Vasilyevna always believed in her son, even when he was accused of betrayal. She convinced her husband that their son was innocent, and that human gossip was false. She had no doubts that it was slander. She had no doubts about Pyotr's honesty. Avdotya Vasilyevna treats Maria, Pyotr's fiancée, as her own daughter, taking care of her. She was happy when the young couple decided to marry.
Katerina Petrovna is an elderly woman living in the countryside who misses her daughter Nastya dearly. Nastya works in the Union of Artists in Leningrad. The new life, acquaintances, and work have overwhelmed the young woman. She rarely thinks of her mother and occasionally sends a telegram with a money transfer and a few lines. Nastya kind of understands that she is doing something wrong, but then switches her thoughts and focus to other things. Meanwhile, Katerina Petrovna feels that she does not have long to live. She desperately asks her daughter to come and visit. They have not seen each other for three years, and the mother's longing grows stronger. She hopes that her daughter will come, that they will be able to talk as they used to. Nastya, after receiving the telegram, does not immediately realize it is from her mother, and then forgets about it entirely. When she finally remembers, reads it, and travels to her mother, it is too late - Katerina Petrovna has passed away, and she was buried a day before her daughter's arrival. Nastya is devastated, and this feeling will haunt her for the rest of her life.
