The ideological and artistic features of the work are the history of one city. Ideological and artistic features the history of one city
Associations with certain stages of Russian history are quite obvious in the book; some characters remind of real historical figures. However, the task of the writer is broader than ridiculing their personal shortcomings. And the very image of the city of Foolov changes depending on the mood of the narrator, some secret processes in his dark soul: either it is a province, almost a village, or almost the capital of the world. Third Rome. The object of satire in "The History of a City" is all parts of the social organism, the very historically formed system of relations between the authorities and the people, the state structure.
First of all, the blow is dealt to the power structures. "" I'll screw it up! " Historical times began with this word, ”the writer narrates sarcastically about the beginning of Foolov's story. Violence and arbitrariness in various forms and manifestations became its main content. Called the most brilliant of the city governors, Vasilisk1 Wartkin became famous for having “burned down thirty-three villages and, with the help of these measures, collected an arrears of two rubles and a half”. The inhuman system finds its most terrible embodiment in the image of Gloom-Burcheev, the "poet" of the barracks' arrangement of life, an idiot who is ready to build the whole world according to an insane and senseless ranking, who encroached on the very foundations of the natural world order in his crazy fantasies. It is nature, "either a downpour or a tornado," that has become a metaphorical force sweeping away power, insulting its natural moral laws.
The foolish people are quite worthy of the rulers they get. “We are gorgeous people! They say. - We can endure. If we are now all piled up in a heap and set on fire from four ends, then we will not utter a contrary word! " Only the foundations of their attitude to constant violence change: sometimes awe of their superiors is a habit, and some Foolovites “rise” to hymns of submission as their own dignity and distinctive feature.
The history of the Foolovites and their inherent qualities, of course, openly correlate with the history of Russia and national character. Friends of M.E. Saltykov, from personal experience, the specific manifestations of certain aspects of Russian life are skillfully and artistically typified in a full-blooded manner. The most important means of artistic expression are hyperbole, fantasy, grotesque.
At the same time, it should be noted that the attempt of a satirist writer to connect the very foundations of Russian life and character with extreme stupidity, ineradicable bungling, laziness, inability, unsuitability for any business is very controversial. The very state of the Russian state in the historical past and present contradicted this. Not devoid of contradictions and illnesses, Russia during the time of Saltykov was powerful, self-sufficient, the largest and one of the most powerful states in the world. By focusing on her weaknesses, the writer sometimes loses her measure in a heated national self-flagellation. This was noted soon after the publication of "History", for example, by the critic A.S. Suvorin.
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The originality of the genre "Stories of one city"
saltykov shchedrin satirical work
ME Saltykov-Shchedrin is one of the most famous satirists of the 19th century. The writer has shown himself in many genres of literature, such as novels, stories, stories, essays, fairy tales.
Almost all of Saltykov-Shchedrin's works are satirical. The writer was outraged by the Russian society for the unfair attitude of the masters to the slaves, the submission of the common people to the high officials. In his works, the author ridiculed the vices and imperfections of Russian society.
It is rather difficult to define the genre: the author wrote it in the form of a chronicle, but the events depicted here seem absolutely unreal, the images are fantastic, and what is happening is like some kind of nightmare delusional dream. In the novel "The History of a City" Shchedrin reflects the most terrible aspects of the life of Russian society. In his work, the writer does not directly talk about the problematic situation in our country. Despite the name behind the image of the people of the city of Foolov, where the life of the main characters passes, a whole country is hidden, namely Russia.
Thus, Saltykov-Shchedrin opens up new techniques and methods of satirical depiction in literature.
Satire is a kind of pathos based on a comic plot. The novel "The History of a City" shows the author's sharp negative attitude in the current situation in society, which is expressed in an evil mockery. "The History of One City" is a satirical work, where the main artistic means in depicting the history of one city of Foolov, its inhabitants and mayors is the grotesque method of combining the fantastic and the real, creating comic situations. With the help of the grotesque, on the one hand, Saltykov-Shchedrin shows the reader the everyday life of each person, and on the other hand, a blind, absurd fantastic situation, the main characters of which are the inhabitants of the city of Foolov. However, the novel "The History of a City" is a realistic work, Saltykov-Shchedrin used the grotesque to show the ugly reality of modern life. In describing the mayors, the author also used the grotesque. For example, giving a characterization to one of the town governors - Organchik, the author shows qualities that are not characteristic of a person. The organ had a mechanism in its head and knew only two words - "I will not tolerate" and "I will ruin".
When reading the work of Saltykov-Shchedrin "The History of a City", unlike other satirical works, the reader himself must understand what kind of reality is hidden behind the semi-fantastic world, which is shown in the novel. The use by the writer in his works of such a technique of satirical depiction as the "Aesopian language" confirms that behind the secret that the author wants to hide, he conceals his true thoughts. Saltykov-Shchedrin's novel "The History of a City" is based almost entirely on allegory. For example, under the town of Foolov there is an image of the whole of Russia. Then, therefore, the question arises: "Who are the Foolovites?" - the inhabitants of the provincial town of Foolov. No. As hard as it is to admit, the Foolovites are Russians.
In the work "The History of a City", when describing the mayors, and throughout the entire novel, the author shows an exaggeration of certain properties. This is called another way to depict satire with hyperbole.
The fact that one of the mayors ended up with a stuffed head is an exaggeration of the author. The writer uses hyperbole in the novel to give the reader an emotional mood.
Exposing vices and showing the absurdity of real life. Saltykov-Shchedrin conveys to the reader a special "evil irony" in relation to his characters. The writer devoted all his creative activity to combating the shortcomings and vices of Russia.
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In 1780, Saltykov-Shchedrin's "The History of a City" was published. It is very difficult at first glance to determine the genre of this work. This is most likely a historical chronicle with elements of fantasy, hyperbole, artistic allegories. This is a brilliant example of social and political satire, the relevance of which over the years has become more acute and brilliant.
“He knows his native country better than anyone else,” wrote IS Turgenev about Shchedrin, and it is quite remarkable that these words were evoked in him by “The History of a City”. The book begins with the fact that the ancient chronicler, "having said a few words in praise of his modesty," continues: "There was ... in ancient times, a people called bunglers." These same blockheads ravaged their lands, quarreled with their neighbors and "ripped off the bark from the last pine tree into flat cakes." Then "they decided to look for a prince." Thus, they no longer became blockheads, but Foolovites, and their city began to be called Foolov. The narrative itself is preceded by a "list of mayors" in the amount of 21 copies. And the collection of biographies of Foolov's mayors begins with Dementy Valamovich Brudasty. A huge mechanism acted in his head, playing two words-shouts: "I will not tolerate" and "I-z-dawn." According to the satirist, Brudastom embodies the type of extremely simplified administrative leader, arising from the very nature of totalitarianism. The chronicle continues with "The Legend of the Six Town Governors", which evokes in the reader's memory the excesses of favoritism of the era of palace coups in Russia. Amalka Stockfim overthrew Clementine de Bourboni and put her in a cage. Then Nelka Lyakhovskaya overthrew Amalka and locked her in the same cage with Clemantinka. The next morning in the cage "there was nothing but stinking bones." This is how the writer played on the meaning of the figurative expression "ready to eat each other." And then there are stories about other mayors, of which one is more disgusting than the other. And this description ends with the image of Gloom-Burcheev. This is where the despotic nature of absolutism and its "bridging capabilities" are fully revealed. Gloom-burcheevism is a brilliant satirical generalization of all regimes and traditions based on one-man management. But the city of Foolov was hit by either a rainstorm or a tornado, and "the former scoundrel instantly disappeared, as if it had melted into thin air." The chronicle ends with mysterious words: "History has stopped its course." The entire population of Foolov is united by awe, submission to the restraining "measures" of the authorities. The Foolovites are almost always shown in masses: the Foolovites are brought down to the house of the town governor in a rampart, the whole bulk are thrown to their knees, they are fleeing in droves from the villages, they even die together. Sometimes, it is true, and they murmur, even rebel. But this is a "riot on my knees", with screams carved, screams and groans of a maddened hungry crowd, as it was in a lean year.
This is the final, equally bitter for all the Foolovites. Saltykov-Shchedrin liked to repeat that the Russian peasant is poor in all respects, and above all in the consciousness of his poverty. Bearing in mind this poverty, passivity and submissiveness of the peasant, the satirist bitterly exclaims on behalf of the people: "We tolerate cold, hunger, every year we wait: maybe it will be better ... How long?"
Creating an ironic grotesque "The History of a City" Saltykov-Shchedrin hoped to evoke in the reader not laughter, but a "bitter feeling" of shame. The idea of the work is based on the image of a certain hierarchy: a simple people who will not resist the instructions of often stupid rulers, and the tyrant rulers themselves. In the person of the common people in this story are the inhabitants of the city of Foolov, and their oppressors are the mayors. Saltykov-Shchedrin notes with irony that these people need a leader, one who will give them instructions and keep them in the "iron grip", otherwise the whole people will fall into anarchy.
History of creation
The idea and idea of the novel "The Story of a City" was formed gradually. In 1867, the writer wrote a fabulous story "The Story of the Governor with a Stuffed Head", which later formed the basis for the chapter "Organchik". In 1868 Saltykov-Shchedrin began working on "The History of a City", finished in 1870. Initially, the author wanted to name the work "The Fool's Chronicler". The novel was published in the then popular journal Otechestvennye zapiski.
The plot of the work
(Illustrations by the creative team of Soviet graphic artists "Kukryniksy")
The story is told on behalf of the chronicler. He talks about the inhabitants of the city who were so stupid that their city was given the name "Fools". The novel begins with the chapter “On the Root of the Foolovites”, which gives the history of this people. It tells, in particular, about a tribe of blockheads, who, after defeating the neighboring tribes of onion-eaters, gush-eaters, walrus-eaters, kosobrykhikh and others, decided to find a ruler for themselves, since they wanted to bring order to the tribe. Only one prince decided to rule, and even he sent a novotor thief instead of himself. When he steal, the prince sent him a noose, but the thief was able to somehow get out and stabbed himself with a cucumber. As you can see, irony and grotesque get along well in the work.
After several unsuccessful candidates for the role of deputies, the prince appeared in the city in person. Becoming the first ruler, he laid the countdown of the "historical time" of the city. It is said that twenty-two rulers, with their accomplishments, ruled the city, but the Inventory lists twenty-one. Apparently, the missing one is the founder of the city.
main characters
Each of the mayors fulfills his task in the implementation of the writer's idea through the grotesque to show the absurdity of their rule. In many types, traits of historical figures are visible. For greater recognition, Saltykov-Shchedrin not only described the style of their government, ridiculously distorted the names, but also gave apt characteristics that indicate a historical prototype. Some of the personalities of mayors are images collected from the characteristic features of different faces of the history of the Russian state.
So, the third ruler, Ivan Matveyevich Velikanov, famous for drowning the director for economic issues and imposing taxes at three kopecks per person, was exiled to prison for an affair with Avdotya Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter I.
Brigadier Ivan Matveyevich Baklan, the sixth mayor, was tall and proud to be a follower of the line of Ivan the Terrible. The reader understands that this means the bell tower in Moscow. The ruler found death in the spirit of the same grotesque image with which the novel is filled - the brigadier was broken in half during a storm.
The personality of Peter III in the image of the sergeant of the guard Bogdan Bogdanovich Pfeifer is indicated by the characteristic given to him - "a Holstein native", the style of government of the mayor and its outcome - was removed from the post of ruler "for ignorance."
Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty is nicknamed "Organchik" for the presence of a mechanism in his head. He kept the city at bay because he was sullen and withdrawn. While trying to take the head of the mayor for repair to the capital's craftsmen, it was thrown out of the carriage by a frightened coachman. After the reign of Organchik, chaos reigned in the city for 7 days.
A short period of well-being of the townspeople is associated with the name of the ninth mayor, Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov. A civilian advisor and innovator, he took care of the city's appearance, started honey and beer brewing. I tried to open an academy.
The longest reign was marked by the twelfth mayor, Vasilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin, who reminds the reader of the style of reign of Peter I. wars for education and three against. Resolutely prepared the city for burning, but suddenly died.
By origin, the former peasant Onufry Ivanovich Negodyaev, who heated the stoves before serving as the mayor, destroyed the streets paved by the former ruler and erected monuments on these resources. The image was copied from Paul I, as indicated by the circumstances of his removal: he was dismissed for disagreeing with the triumvirate about constitutions.
Under the state councilor, Erast Andreevich Grustilov, the Foolovian elite was busy with balls and night meetings with the reading of the works of a certain gentleman. As in the reign of Alexander I, the mayor did not care about the people, who were impoverished and starving.
Scoundrel, idiot and "Satan" Gloom-Grumblev has a "speaking" surname and is "copied" from Count Arakcheev. He finally destroys Foolov and decides to build the city of Neprekolnsk in a new place. While trying to implement such a grandiose project, the "end of the world" took place: the sun darkened, the earth shook, and the mayor disappeared without a trace. This is how the story of "one city" ended.
Analysis of the work
Saltykov-Shchedrin, with the help of satire and grotesque, sets the goal of reaching out to the human soul. He wants to convince the reader that Christian principles must be at the heart of the human institution. Otherwise, a person's life can be deformed, disfigured, and in the end can lead to the death of the human soul.
"The History of a City" is an innovative work that has overcome the usual framework of artistic satire. Each image in the novel has pronounced grotesque features, but at the same time it is recognizable. Which gave rise to a flurry of criticism against the author. He was accused of "slandering" the people and rulers.
Indeed, the story of Foolov is largely copied from the chronicle of Nestor, which tells about the time of the beginning of Russia - "The Tale of Bygone Years." The author deliberately emphasized this parallel in order to make it obvious who he means by the Foolovites, and that all these mayors are by no means a flight of fantasy, but real Russian rulers. At the same time, the author makes it clear that he is not describing the entire human race, but Russia, altering its history in his own satirical way.
However, the purpose of creating the work, Saltykov-Shchedrin did not make fun of Russia. The task of the writer was to move society to a critical rethinking of its history in order to eradicate existing vices. The grotesque plays a huge role in the creation of an artistic image in the work of Saltykov-Shchedrin. The main goal of the writer is to show the vices of people that are not noticed by society.
The writer ridiculed the ugliness of society and was called "the great mocker" among such predecessors as Griboyedov and Gogol. Reading an ironic grotesque, the reader wanted to laugh, but there was something ominous in this laugh - the audience "felt like a whip was whipping at it."
A correct understanding of the ideological content of the "History of a City" is impossible without understanding its bizarre artistic originality. The work is written in the form of a chronicle narrative about persons and events dated to 1731-1826. The satirist indeed creatively transformed some of the historical facts of these years. In the images of the mayors, traits of similarity with the real figures of the monarchy are guessed: Rogue reminds Paul I, Melancholy - Alexander I, Intercept-Zalivatsky - Nicholas I. The entire chapter about Gloom-Grumblev is full of allusions to the activities of Arakcheev, an all-powerful reactionary associate of Paul I and Alexander I. However "The History of a City" is not a satire on the past. Saltykov-Shchedrin himself said that he had nothing to do with history, he meant the life of his time. Without speaking directly with historical themes, Shchedrin repeatedly used the historical form of narrating about contemporary issues, talking about the present in the form of the past tense. A brilliant example of the use of this kind of technique, which genetically goes back to Pushkin's History of the Village of Goryukhin, is given by The History of a City. Here Shchedrin stylized the events of his contemporary life to resemble the past, giving them some external features of the 16th century. In some places the story goes on behalf of the archivist, compiler of the "Fool's Chronicler", in bridges - from the author, who this time speaks in the ironically accepted religion of the publisher and commentator of archival documents. The "publisher" who declared that during his work "from the first minute to the last<…>did not leave the formidable image of Mikhail Petrovich Pogodin " sarcastically parodied with his comments the style of semi-official historiographers. "The historical form of the story," explained Shchedrin, "provided me with some conveniences, as well as the form of the story on behalf of the archivist." The historical form was chosen by the satirist in order, firstly, to avoid unnecessary nit-picking of the tsarist censorship, and secondly, to show that the essence of monarchical despotism has not at all degenerated over the course of many decades. The manner of the naive chronicler-layman also allowed the writer to freely and generously include in political satire elements of fantasy, legendary, fairytale, folklore material, to reveal the "history" in pictures of everyday folk life that are simple in meaning and bizarre in form, to express anti-monarchist ideas in their most naive and therefore the most popular, convincing form available to a wide range of readers. Drawing fantastic patterns where it was impossible to openly call things by their proper names, throwing whimsical fantastic clothes on images and pictures, the satirist thereby gained the ability to speak more freely on forbidden topics and at the same time developed the story from an unexpected side and with greater liveliness. The result was a vivid, poisonous picture, filled with an evil mockery and, at the same time, poetic allegories formally elusive for censorship. The appeal of the author of "The History of a City" to folklore, to the poetic imagery of folk speech was dictated, in addition to the desire for the nationality of the form, and by one more principled consideration. As noted above, in The History of a City, Shchedrin touched the masses of the people with his weapon of satire. However, let's pay attention to how this is done. If Shchedrin's contempt for despotic power knows no bounds, if here his boiling indignation has taken on the most harsh and merciless forms, then with regard to the people he strictly observes the boundaries of the satire that the people themselves have created for themselves. To say bitter words of accusation about the people, he took these words from the people themselves, from him he received the sanction to be its satirist. When the reviewer (A.S.Suvorin) accused the author of "The History of a City" of mocking the people and called the names "nonsense" bunglers, ice-eaters and others, then Shchedrin replied to this: “... I affirm that none of these names was invented by me, and in this case I refer to Dal, Sakharov and other lovers of the Russian nationality. They will testify that this "nonsense" was invented by the people themselves, but I, for my part, reasoned like this: if such names exist in the popular perception, then, of course, I have the full right to use them and admit them into my book " In The History of a City, Shchedrin perfected the most striking features of his satirical manner, in which the usual techniques of the realistic style were freely combined with hyperbole, grotesque, fantasy, and allegory. The creative "power of Shchedrin in" The History of a City "manifested itself so vividly that his name was first called among the world's satirists. "The History of a City" was the result of Saltykov's ideological and creative development over all the previous years of his literary activity and marked the entry of his satire into the period of his highest maturity, opening a long series of new brilliant conquests of his talent in the 70s.