The central figure of this famous Pushkin novel is, of course, Vladimir Dubrovsky. But the decisive person for the fate of Dubrovsky himself is Mary Troekurova. So there were circumstances that Vladimir lost his father and his estate. In despair and confusion, he rebels, is engaged in robbery and robbery. However, upbringing and a good name do not allow him to become a real robber, for whom there are no moral barriers. He hopes only that one day he will avenge the offenders guilty of his family drama.
Guided by these motives, Dubrovsky makes his way to the house of Troekurov and accidentally meets his daughter Masha, who immediately, at first sight, falls in love.
Mary was an unusual girl. She was left without a mother early and all the cares for her upbringing fell on her father. She loves him very much and is very attached to him, although she cannot trust him with the secrets of her heart - they are too different people. At the time when she meets Dubrovsky, she is only 17 years old, she is insanely beautiful and educated. She devoted all her childhood and youth to reading books, in the house of Troekurov a large library. She grew up alone, never left the borders of the estate, so the books for Masha were the only thread, a guide to the big world. Masha speaks good French and helps her father with the translation. When Déforge arrives on their estate to meet, Marya serves as a translator for his father.
Thanks to the books read, Masha has a broad outlook and a rich inner world. But in her character romantic notes often slip thanks to French novels. She dreams of the same fate: of passion, love, a handsome man.
But Marya also has an inner core, she can stand on her own opinion. This becomes clearly visible when she has a conflict with her father on the basis of marriage. He looked for a party suitable for him, the old and wealthy landowner Vereisky. Of course, Masha is against. She is not easy, because she has to choose between love for her father and personal freedom. She loves her father very much, almost worships, he is the only person native to her. But the difference between their characters and generations is very large. What are only feasts and merry gatherings that her father arranges. She never participated in them, how can you imagine that Masha would have liked a joke with a hungry bear? This causes only disgust in her soul. But, despite this, it is very difficult for her to argue with her father.
Troekurov himself, too, is experiencing torment of conscience because of this dispute. He understands that he is asking his daughter for a marriage of convenience, and his heart sank when he understands what he is dooming to his beloved daughter. But as a business person, he understands the profitability of this “deal”, and sincerely believes that Masha will be able to love her old husband.
But Masha does not give up and finally decides to take a desperate step - to go against her father’s will and not marry Vereisky. For that time, such a desperate and bold act is simply the peak of disobedience. However, for Masha Troekurova, one unshakable support is her faith. And Masha cannot break the promise made to God.
Masha loves Vladimir with all her heart, she managed to find in him the man she was looking for. They become truly close people. She persuades Dubrovsky to abandon revenge and change his life, he trusts her and agrees to do so.
Masha argues with her father to the last and tries to dissuade him from the decision to pass her off as Vereisky. In her argument, she says that marriage of convenience is a sin. She is trying to maintain a close relationship with her father, trying to accept him for who he is, despite serious disagreements. The father is adamant and the wedding date is very close. In desperation, Masha turns to Dubrovsky for help, but at the behest of fortune, Vladimir is late by the appointed time and the wedding still passes. Now Masha made a promise to God that she would be a faithful wife. She cannot break it, and this also speaks of her as a person with character, with an inner core. If she had betrayed her convictions and fled with Vladimir, she could not have been happy with him, because she would always have felt the weight of the sin hanging on her. Her faith is strong.
Do not forget that Masha grew up in a society with patriarchal canons, and if the conditions of her life were a little different, maybe she could have taken that desperate step. But faith in it is much more important than all other principles, whether it be love, happiness, or even herself. She cannot betray faith, without God she will not be herself. To betray God means to betray oneself.
Masha Troekurova is a typical girl for her era. At that time, girls got married just like that, their fate was calculated in advance and parents could decide who they should marry and who not. It seems wild, of course. But let's look at it from the other side too - what could Vladimir offer her? A man’s ordeals without money, without home and social status? Would she find happiness with him? Amid these thoughts, her father’s decision doesn’t seem so wild.
