"Matteo Falcone" main characters. The hero of the novel P

The plot unfolds in the depths of the island of Corsica. Large growths of trees grow there, which the locals call poppies. Criminals often hide in the thickets, the main thing is to have weapons with you, and shepherds can give food. Matteo Falcone is a wealthy man in his fifties. He lives from the income from the herds. There were stories that before his marriage he killed a man. With his wife, Giuseppe, they have acquired one boy and three girls. Once, when their son, Fortunado was left alone at home, shots rang out. Sanpiero, a bandit fled from the Corsican soldiers. Passing by the Falcone house, he wanted to find shelter with a hospitable family. The boy was persuaded to do so by a silver coin. He hid the fugitive in a haystack, but another guest arrived in time - Sergeant Gamba. He bribed Fortunado with a silver watch, and he betrayed the criminal. Seeing this picture, the father decides to kill his son for betrayal. Matteo did not even feel pity, did not look at the corpse.

Conclusion (my opinion)

This is a story about a proud man who hates all enemies. He does not tolerate betrayal even from family members. But Falcone is indifferent to the feelings of his wife, his heart is as hard as a stone.

Written in 1829, the short story has the appearance of a smooth, progressive narrative, opening with an exposition in which the author introduces the reader to the place of action of the work - Corsican poppies and the main character - the rich owner of sheep herds, Matteo Falcone. Prosper Merimee introduces into the text the image of the author-narrator, who met with the proud Corsican two years after the story happened, in order to more fully reveal the character of the latter.

Matteo Falcone is drawn by him as a man who does not look his age, who still shoots accurately and is known in the neighborhood as a good friend and a dangerous enemy. The tragedy that happened in the life of the hero, if it affected him, is not visible to others: there are still no gray hairs on his head, his eyes have not lost their sharpness. Matteo Falcone - a father who killed his ten-year-old son for betrayal - a true Corsican, who puts honor above all else, was able to find the strength to live on precisely because he did not compromise his inner principles and punished the traitor who appeared in his family.

Plot plot falls on a meeting of the ten-year-old son of Matteo Falcone - Fortunato with a bandit fleeing from the soldiers - Giannetto Sanpiero, during which the boy, not without difficulty, agrees to help the wounded. In the unwillingness of the child to help the guest free of charge, both his character and his further tragic fate are revealed. Fortunato's meeting with his uncle - Sergeant Teodoro Gamba at the dialogue level repeats the conversation with Giannetto Sanpiero: at the beginning, Fortunato does not want to help his relative in the capture of the fugitive (a parallel with how the boy refuses to help the bandit), then he defends himself from threats directed at him name of his father, after which he succumbs to temptation and sells his help for a silver chest watch, which is clearly worth more than one five-pound coin given to him by Giannetto.

In artistic image of Fortunato the features of Matteo Falcone are visible - fearlessness, awareness of one's belonging to an ancient family, cunning and resourcefulness (the episode with how the boy hid the bandit - in a haystack, covering him from above with a cat with kittens). The tendency to betrayal, bargaining and venality are his personal traits, due to both his young age and the new trends that have come into Corsican society. They are still barely perceptible, but are already traced in children's rivalry (the son of Uncle Fortunato, who is younger than him, has a watch, but the boy does not) and in the adult sentences of Giannetto and Teodoro (it is interesting that both the bandit and the servant of justice act in the same way, when they want to get their way. The boy’s mother, Giuseppa, is in character something between her husband and her son: she hardly, but still, makes her husband’s decision to get rid of the traitor, even if he is the desired son, who was expected for so long after three daughters; as in Fortunato, she has a love for material things: recognizing in Giannetto the kidnapper of a dairy goat, she rejoices at his capture, while Matteo sympathizes with the hungry bandit.

climax novella, expressed in the scene of the extradition of Giannetto to Sanpiero Fortunato, gradually turns into a denouement: at the beginning we see how Matteo Falcone reacts to what happened in his house, then we get an assessment of what is happening from Giannetto, spitting on the threshold "traitor's house", after which we see Fortunato, afraid of his father's wrath, who decided to correct the situation with a bowl of milk, then the narrative focuses on like a bandit, who rejects a hearty gift, turns to face the soldier who arrested him, calls him his comrade and asks for water to drink. Watching what is happening, Matteo Falcone remains silent. He does not help Giannetto, since he did not take responsibility for his fate, but he also does not intend to tolerate a traitor in his family. While the soldiers tie up the arrested person and put him on a stretcher, Matteo Falcone does nothing and does not show himself in any way: perhaps he is collecting his thoughts, perhaps he is waiting for the witnesses of the future murder to leave. A true Corsican does not justify himself before Giannetto, but he does not help his relative, Teodoro Gamba, either. The inner excitement of the hero can be seen only by the fact that he does not say goodbye to the latter when he leaves.

Matteo Falcone remains laconic until the end of the tragic denouement. He does not succumb to the persuasion of his wife, who appeals to his paternal feelings (the persuasion is also not too intrusive, since Giuseppa understands the essence of what is happening and partly agrees with her), does not allow his heart to soften from the tearful requests of his son to have mercy on him. All that he can do for his child is to give him the opportunity to pray before death in order to leave life as a Christian. Having read two prayers, Fortunato asks his father not to kill him, saying, like all children, that "he'll get better", and, as an adult, trying to find a reasonable solution to improve the situation (ask uncle corporal to pardon Giannetto), but Matteo Falcone remains adamant. He gives his son time for two more prayers, one of which - a litany - turns out to be long and difficult for both participants in the unfolding tragedy, after which he shoots Fortunato. Matteo kills the boy in a ravine with loose earth in which it will be easy to dig a grave. Such foresight indicates that the decision made by the protagonist is final and irrevocable.

Giuseppa, like a real Corsican woman, comes to terms with the decision of her husband, who has the full right to control the lives of his family members. The heroine understands that the stained honor can only be washed away with blood. She tries to save her son's life, but she has no arguments against Matteo's formidable words: "I'm his father!". Realizing that a tragic outcome is inevitable, Giuseppa throws himself on his knees in front of the image of the Mother of God and begins to pray. She runs into a ravine at the sound of a gunshot, hoping to see a different outcome, but is faced with "perfect justice." Matteo Falcone immediately gives his wife instructions on how to live on: serve a memorial service for Fortunato and invite one of the sons-in-law to the house.

The novel "Matteo Falcone" is a story about Corsican morals, proud and stern, sacredly honoring the law of hospitality (even in relation to fugitive criminals) and requiring its implementation from all, without exception, people, regardless of age. A society in which every member has at least one murder behind his soul must have its own immutable law. Fortunato broke it. Matteo had no choice but to punish the criminal.

"Matteo Falcone" the main characters and their characteristics will help to understand the reasons for their actions.

"Matteo Falcone" main characters

main characters:

• Matteo Falcone - head of families
• his son Fortunato,
• Giuseppa is Matteo's wife, a woman who is not very respected in Corsican families. Household, obedient to her husband, pious. She sincerely regrets her son, but cannot protect him from her husband.
• fugitive criminal Giannetto Sanpiero,
• soldiers and sergeant Theodore Gamba.

"Matteo Falcone" characterization of heroes

- a typical Corsican who knows how to shoot accurately, resolute, proud, brave, strong, observes the laws of hospitality and is ready to help anyone who asks her. Matteo Falcone does not tolerate meanness and betrayal. He owned numerous herds, which were looked after by specially hired shepherds. In Corsica, he was considered a good friend and a dangerous enemy.

“He lived honestly, that is, without doing anything, on the income from his numerous herds, which the nomadic shepherds grazed in the mountains, driving from place to place.”

Someone considers Matteo Falcone a hero, someone a murderer. For some, he is a man with great willpower, an iron character, who even managed to kill his own son in order to punish betrayal ... And for someone, a cruel killer who, in order to maintain his good name, killed his little son.

From the point of view of Christianity, from the universal point of view, he is a murderer who has committed a grave sin. And from the point of view of the unwritten laws of the inhabitants of Corsica, their understanding of duty and honor, he is a hero who has done justice. Great willpower and firmness of character are needed to punish one's own son. It is love for his son that pushes Falcone to kill. The strength of Matteo Falcone's character is such that he overcomes the natural human instinct to preserve himself in children, the instinct of procreation. But at that time he could not do otherwise. The meaning of the hero's life is the honor of the family. According to Matteo, the honor of a person, the purity of the soul must be impeccable, without flaw.

Fortunato Ten-year-old son Matteo. The boy is smart, cunning, cautious. He helped a fugitive, for his own benefit.

The boy behaves with the gendarmes who were looking for the criminal, confidently, coolly, trying to confuse them, not afraid, even laughing. Fortunato is not afraid of either a bandit or a policeman, he keeps with them quite independently and freely: he is sure that no one will touch Matteo Falcone's son. The boy's problem is something else. He hid the bandit and promised him: "Don't be afraid of anything." And he gave the criminal to the gendarmes for a silver watch. This act of the boy is immoral, vile, low. Now he is a traitor and would remain so for the rest of his life.

Fortunato died at the hands of his own father. He paid with his life because of his selfishness and greed, which led him to betrayal. Sergeant Gamba, who bribed the boy and provoked his act, was also involved in this.

Why did Matteo Falcone kill his son?

Matteo Falcone did this because he did not want to raise a traitor in his house. A small traitor grows into a big one, he thought.

The one who once committed a betrayal cannot count on the respect of people, no matter how small he may be.

For Matteo, a good name and honor are dearer than anything, even dearer than his son. Matteo committed the murder of his son because local customs dictated it to him, but no one has the right to decide when to die

What complex and ambiguous feelings aroused in me the story of P. Merimee "Mateo Falcone"! Following the harsh code of honor of Corsica, the protagonist of the work took the life of his ten-year-old son, who committed a kind of betrayal.

Mateo Falcone is handsome: he has jet-black curly hair, a huge nose, thin lips, a face of tanned skin and big lively eyes. This man became famous for his accuracy and strong unbending character. His name was famous in Corsica, and Mateo Falcone was considered "as good a friend as he is a dangerous enemy."

Mateo Falcone's son, Fortunato, is only ten years old, but he is a bright, intelligent and attentive boy, "the hope of the family and heir to the name." It is still small, but it is already possible to leave a house on it.

Once, when his parents were not at home, Fortunato met face to face with a fugitive who was being pursued by the Voltigeurs. The fugitive was wounded and decided to turn to the good name of Falcone in the hope that here he would be helped to wait out the danger. For a fee, Fortunato hid this man in a haystack.

Calmly, coolly and mockingly, Fortunato meets the shooters pursuing the intruder, led by the formidable Sergeant Gamba, a distant relative of Falcone. Confident that the glorious name will protect him, the boy tries for a very long time to convince the soldiers that he did not see anyone. However, many facts betray the sergeant that the fugitive is hiding nearby, somewhere here, and he seduces little Fortunato for hours. The boy, unable to withstand the temptation, betrays the shelter of the fugitive he has hidden.

Fortunato's parents - the proud Mateo and his wife - appear when the fugitive is already tied up and disarmed. When the sergeant explains to Mateo that little Fortunato helped them a lot in capturing the "big bird", Mateo understands that his son committed a betrayal. His glorious name and reputation are disgraced; contempt is full of the captive's words, thrown over his shoulder: "The house of the traitor!" Mateo understands that soon everyone around will know about this event, besides, the sergeant promises to mention Falcone's name in the report. Burning shame and indignation seize Mateo's heart when looking at his son.

Fortunato has already realized his mistake, but his father is unbowed. Not listening to explanations and not accepting apologies, Mateo, with a loaded gun, leads his terrified son to death into poppies - dense thickets of bushes.

The denouement of the novella is cruel and unexpected, although it could have been foreseen. Mateo Falcone, after waiting for the boy to read all the prayers known to him, kills him. material from the site

Severe laws taught Mateo that there can be only one retribution for betrayal - death, even if it is only a child's misconduct. By committing a crime in the eyes of his father, the boy was deprived of the right to correct the mistake. And the whole point is not that Mateo Falcone is an evil or bad father, but that our concepts of love and hate, honor and dishonor, justice and crime are too different.

I do not approve of Fortunato's action, but the irreversibility and uncompromising nature of his father's actions frighten me.

In P. Merime's short story, there are no unambiguously positive or unambiguously negative characters. The author tells us that life is complex and multicolored, teaches us to see not only the results, but also the reasons for our actions.

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The action takes place on the island of Corsica, the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. Merimee treated this historical figure with great respect and, portraying his countrymen, endowed them with extraordinary spiritual strength, integrity, uncompromisingness, indomitable will and courage. M. F., in all respects, is a true Corsican: “Short, strong, with curly, jet-black hair, thin lips, an aquiline nose, large, lively eyes, and a face of the color of tanned skin.”

He is famous as an excellent shooter, he is considered "as true a friend as a formidable enemy." Merime notes that he is generous with alms and is always ready to help those who need it. True, they say that he once killed his rival, but this only gives the hero a certain romantic halo. At the moment when the events described in the novel take place, Mateo is about fifty years old. He is married. He has three daughters, successfully married, and a ten-year-old son, Fortunato, the hope of the family and the heir to the name.

From the moment the hero appears to the final scene, no more than an hour passes. Here he is, accompanied by his wife. He goes "ahead light" carrying one gun in his hands and the other in a sling, for it is not fitting for a man to carry anything but a weapon. The hero is just as focused and stern in the last moments of the action. His words, with which the short story ends, sound very ordinary and sober. As if nothing had happened. But in fact, something happened that could forever deprive any other person of both calmness and reason. M.F. just killed his son. And he did it not in anger, unable to control himself, but, on the contrary, very soberly assessing everything that had already happened and what could happen in the future. “This boy is the first of our kind to commit a betrayal,” he says. Indeed, while M. F. and his wife were absent, fate was pleased to test Fortunato. At first, he agrees to hide the wounded fugitive for a silver coin, but then, seduced by the sergeant's silver watch, betrays his guest to his pursuers. Just at the moment when the soldiers were preparing to carry away the stretcher with the captive, M.F. appears. “The house of the traitor!” - says the captured fugitive and spits on the threshold.

Most likely it was at this moment that the fate of little Fortunato was decided. M. F. snatched the watch from his hand, threw it against a stone, and ordered his son to follow him. He had already made a decision, reasoning that the one who once allowed himself to be bribed would not be able to avoid temptation in the future, and did not want to raise a traitor M. F.. It is the love for his son, the fear of seeing him as a despised corrupt creature that pushes the hero to kill. He makes the boy read a few prayers, takes aim and after the phrase "God forgive you!" - shoots. “Now I will bury him,” Mateo Falcone calmly says to his wife, who has come running to the shot. - He died a Christian. I command that Mass be celebrated for the repose of his soul."

The image of Mateo Falcone for Merimee was the embodiment of harsh simplicity, courage and a special kind of humanity, aimed at combating sinfulness and meanness. Not murder is a sin, but the violation of eternal laws. No matter how terrible the act of M. F. may seem, one cannot but recognize his deep, hard-won rightness.

One of the translators of the short story Merimee in Russia was N. V. Gogol. (He helped to make a poetic version of the translation by V. A. Zhukovsky.) And in this regard, the phrase of Taras Bulba, who also committed filicide, is involuntarily recalled: “I gave birth to you, I will kill you!” Here, too, the murder of a son by a father acts as the highest form of punishment for betrayal and cowardice, as an attempt to restore violated justice.

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