The Storm

Style and Technique

In the play "The Storm," Alexander Ostrovsky employs a realistic style that allows for a deep and truthful depiction of life in a provincial town. The language of the work is rich with folk expressions, proverbs, and sayings, which lend the characters' speech liveliness and authenticity. Ostrovsky masterfully uses dialogues to reveal the characters and their inner worlds. Literary devices include symbolism (the storm as a symbol of change and catastrophe), contrasts (between old and new, between different social strata), as well as dramatic pauses and stage directions that enhance emotional tension. The structure of the play is clearly constructed: it consists of five acts, each logically concluded and contributing to the development of the main conflict. At the center of the plot is the tragic fate of Katerina, who faces the cruelty and hypocrisy of the surrounding world, leading to her demise.