(476 words) Novel-epic M.A. Sholokhov's “Quiet Don” is, first of all, a story about people. About the simple life of the Don Cossacks, about their joys and sorrow, about their fate, about happy and sad moments in life. Therefore, each character in the novel is spelled out to the smallest detail, filled with a whole range of individual features that are so interesting to recognize as you read the work.
Women's fate in the novel is very dramatic. Each heroine meets in her way a large number of troubles and upheavals, goes through difficult life tests. At the same time, Cossacks remain caring, loving, hardworking housewives. The main character of the novel, Aksinya, cannot be called easy. At 16, she survived the rape, then she was married off to the unloved Stepan Astakhov, who hung all the household chores on the shoulders of his young wife, and drank himself and rarely slept at home. But the girl’s pride was unbroken: she openly showed sympathy for her neighbor Grigory, and then she decided to leave her husband and live with Grisha in the Listnitsky’s house as hired workers. The birth of Tanya’s daughter made Aksinya really happy, but this happiness did not last long - a year later the girl died of scarlet fever. Gregory was at war, and Aksinya, heartbroken, found solace in the arms of Eugene Listnitsky. Upon learning of the betrayal, Gregory returned to his legitimate wife Natalia. Aksinya was left alone again. Hoping to restore family life again, she returned to Stepan, but the relationship did not work out. A few years later, the love between Gregory and Aksinya flared up with renewed vigor and nothing stopped the two lovers. Aksinya was ready to follow her lover anywhere. The couple left Don to hide from the persecution of the Red Army, but a random shot cut off Aksinya's life - she died in the arms of her beloved. All the time, happiness eluded the heroine, but it amazes how she fought for him. Aksinya is stubborn and straightforward, she is used to getting her way, not paying attention to gossip and the opinions of others.
Natalya, the antagonist of Aksigny, was not happier than her rival. Before the wedding with Grigory, Natalia lived in a loving family, worked hard and did not know grief. Gregory was never able to get used to the shy Natalia and left her to Aksinya. Natalia did not understand why she deserved such a fate that she did bad to her husband. She could not stand the wave of gossip and decided to commit suicide, but she remained alive. Natalya found happiness when Gregory returned to his family, and with the advent of children, she blossomed, prettier, as if she had found her true calling. But fate again confronted the girl with difficulties - being pregnant, she found out that Gregory was dating Aksinya again. Natalia decided to have an abortion, pick up the children and go to her parents, but the operation was unsuccessful, the girl died. Before her death, Natalia forgave her husband for all insults. The life of the proud and strong spirit of the Cossack woman is striking in the abundance of sad and sad moments.
The difficult fate of the heroines of the novel is a consequence of turning points in the life of society at that time. According to the author, through the difficult and sad fate of the characters, it is easy to trace the destructive mark of the Civil War. She brought confusion to the traditional way of life of the Don Cossacks, after which no one knew what the future awaited him.
