Composition Techniques of satirical depiction in the novel by M. E

Essay text:

ME Salykov-Shchedrin is one of the most famous literary satirists of the 19th century. Roman The history of one city is the pinnacle of his artistic creativity. Despite the name, behind the image of the city of Glupoz hides a whole country, namely Russia. So, in a figurative form, Salykov-Shchedrin reflects the most terrible aspects of the life of Russian society that demanded increased public attention. The main idea of ​​the work is the inadmissibility of autocracy. And this is what unites the chapters of the work, which could become separate stories. Shchedrin tells us the history of the city of Foolov, what happened in it for about a hundred years. Moreover, he focuses on the mayors, since they were the ones who expressed the vices of city government. In advance, even before the beginning of the main part of the work, an inventory of the mayors is given. The word inventory is usually referred to things, the lyricist Shchedrin uses it deliberately, as if emphasizing the inanimateness of the mayors, who are key images in each chapter. The satirical means used by the author of the chronicle are varied. Taken together, the images of all mayors create a single image of the autocratic ruler. The essence of each of the mayors can be imagined even after a simple description of their appearance. For example, the stubbornness and cruelty of Gloom-Grumblev is expressed in his wooden face, which was obviously never illuminated by a smile. The more peaceful Pimple, on the other hand, had a blush, had red and luscious lips, his gait was active and vigorous, his gesture was quick. Images are formed in the reader's imagination with the help of such artistic devices as hyperbole, metaphor, allegory, etc. Even the facts of reality acquire fantastic features. Shchedrin deliberately uses this technique to heighten the feeling of an invisible connection with the true state of affairs in feudal Russia. The work is written in the form of chronicles. Some parts, which, according to the author's intention, are considered to be found documents, are written in "heavy clerical language, and in the chronicler's address to the reader, there are vernaculars, proverbs, and sayings." The confusion in dates and the anachronisms and allusions often made by the chronicler (for example, references to Herzen and Ogarev) reinforce the comic. Shchedrin most fully introduces us to the mayor Gloom-Burcheev. Here there is a transparent analogy with reality: the surname of the mayor is similar in sound to the surname of the famous reformer Arakcheev. In the description of Gloom-Grumblev there is less comic, and more mystical, terrifying. Using satirical means, Shchedrin endowed him with a large number of the most striking vices. And it is no coincidence that the narrative ends on the description of the reign of this mayor. According to Shchedrin, history has stopped running. The novel The history of one city is undoubtedly an outstanding work, it is written in a colorful, grotesque language and in a figurative form denounces the bureaucratic state. History has not lost its relevance to this day, because, unfortunately, we are still meeting people like Foolov's mayors.

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The “History of a City” can rightfully be considered the pinnacle of Saltykov-Shchedrin's work. It was this work that brought him the fame of a satirical writer, for a long time, consolidating it. I believe that The History of a City is one of the most unusual books on the history of the Russian state. The originality of "The History of a City" is in an amazing combination of the real and the fantastic. The book was created as a parody of Karamzin's History of the Russian State. Historians often wrote history “according to the kings,” which Saltykov-Shchedrin took advantage of.

The author presents a historical chronicle of a supposedly real city, but we understand that the whole history of Russia is hidden here. Probably, the idea arose after the reform of 1861 - it did not lead to the expected results. Completely disillusioned with his former political ideals, Saltykov-Shchedrin decides to write The History of a City.

Russia has never seen such a caustic satire on the political system before. Feeling all the injustice of the attitude towards ordinary people, the author set out to show all the shortcomings of the political system of Russia. He succeeded quite well. The satire of Saltykov-Shchedrin touches upon several aspects, the main of which can be considered the state system of the country. How did one city become the embodiment of an entire country? The answer to this question can be considered a purely Shchedrin method of mixing geography, historical events, the fantastic and the real. The city of Foolov appears before us either as a capital, or as a provincial town, or as a village. In his description, contradictions are constantly encountered: either it was built on a swamp, then, like the "great city of Rome" - on seven hills, and then the citizens of this "great city" graze cattle on their pasture. Such contradictions, oddly enough, not only do not confuse, but help to build a coherent picture. The city becomes the embodiment of the paradox that is so characteristic of the Russian people. The confusion of time (in the case when, for example, a historian who records chronicles in the 18th - early 19th centuries, mentions events that happened much later) also plays a role in the appearance of Foolov. As if the author sees his country as an apartment in which there is a mess, where nothing can ever be found and nothing is in its place.

Another object of satire is the mayors of the city of Foolov, those who make history. Unfortunately, there were no worthy rulers who could change the life of the city of Foolov for the better. An organ in the head, or minced meat instead of brains - very eloquent images of thoughtless kings. But the people of Foolov do not arouse sympathy either. The foolish people observe the succession of changing tyrants, remaining, at the same time, practically completely passive. Nothing can make them change themselves. Only the forms of obedience change. One gets the impression that the Foolovites themselves are not worthy of a noble and sane ruler.

The stupid, but basically harmless enough rulers are being replaced by the cruel dictator and tyrant Gloom-Grumblev, who dreams of turning the city into a prison surrounded by a high fence. Perhaps, in this case, the long-awaited order will reign in the city, but the price for it will be prohibitively high. The scene of Gloom-Grumblev's death is encouraging, although even here it is not without a certain amount of regret. Yes, the despot perishes, buried by a tornado, the raging element of popular anger, not by a conscious protest, but by a gust that sweeps away everything in its path. The worst thing is that as a result, an even greater tyrant comes to power. Destruction does not give rise to creation, the author warns us.

In his work "The History of a City" Saltykov-Shchedrin was able to vividly show the vices of the political and social sphere in the life of his country.

ME Saltykov-Shchedrin is one of the most famous literary satirists of the 19th century. The novel "The Story of a City" is the pinnacle of his artistic creativity.
Despite the name, behind the image of the city of Glupoz hides a whole country, namely Russia. So, in a figurative form, Saltykov-Shchedrin reflects the most terrible aspects of the life of Russian society that demanded increased public attention. The main idea of ​​the work is the inadmissibility of autocracy. And this is what unites the chapters of the work, which could become separate stories.
Shchedrin tells us the history of the city of Foolov, what happened in it for about a hundred years. Moreover, he focuses on the mayors, since it was they who expressed the vices of city government. In advance, even before the beginning of the main part of the work, the "inventory" of the mayors is given. The word "inventory" is usually attributed to things, so Shchedrin uses it deliberately, as if emphasizing the inanimateness of the mayors, who are key images in each chapter.
The satirical means used by the author of the chronicle are varied. Taken together, the images of all mayors create a single image of the autocratic ruler.
The essence of each of the mayors can be imagined even after a simple description of their appearance. For example, the stubbornness and cruelty of Gloom-Grumblev are expressed in his "wooden face, obviously never illuminated by a smile." The more peaceful Pimple, on the other hand, “had a blush, had red and juicy lips,” “he had an active and vigorous gait, a quick gesture”.
Images are formed in the reader's imagination with the help of such artistic devices as hyperbole, metaphor, allegory, etc. Even the facts of reality acquire fantastic features. Shchedrin deliberately uses this technique to heighten the feeling of an invisible connection with the true state of affairs in feudal Russia.
The work is written in the form of chronicles. Some parts, which, according to the author's intention, are considered to be found documents, are written in heavy clerical language, and in the chronicler's address to the reader, there are vernaculars, proverbs, and sayings. Confusion in dates and anachronisms and allusions often made by the chronicler (for example, references to Herzen and Ogarev) reinforce the comic.
Shchedrin most fully introduces us to the mayor Gloom-Burcheev. Here there is a transparent analogy with reality: the surname of the mayor is similar in sound to the surname of the famous reformer Arakcheev. In the description of Gloom-Grumblev there is less comic, and more mystical, terrifying. Using satirical means, Shchedrin endowed him with a large number of the most "striking" vices. And it is no coincidence that the narrative ends on the description of the reign of this mayor. According to Shchedrin, "history has stopped flowing."
The novel “The History of a City” is undoubtedly an outstanding work, it is written in a colorful, grotesque language and in a figurative form denounces the bureaucratic state. “History” has not yet lost its relevance, because, unfortunately, we are still meeting people like Foolov's mayors.

ME Saltykov-Shchedrin is one of the most famous literary satirists of the 19th century. The novel "The Story of a City" is the pinnacle of his artistic creativity.
Despite the name, the image of the city of Foolov hides a whole country, namely Russia. So, in a figurative form, Saltykov-Shchedrin reflects the most terrible aspects of the life of Russian society that demanded increased public attention. The main idea of ​​the work is the inadmissibility of autocracy. And this is what unites the chapters of the work, which could become separate stories.
Shchedrin tells us the history of the city of Foolov, what happened in it for about a hundred years. Moreover, he focuses on the mayors, since it was they who expressed the vices of city government. In advance, even before the beginning of the main part of the work, the "inventory" of the mayors is given. The word "inventory" is usually attributed to things, so Shchedrin uses it deliberately, as if emphasizing the inanimateness of the mayors, who are key images in each chapter.
The satirical means used by the author of the chronicle are varied. Taken together, the images of all mayors create a single image of the autocratic ruler.
The essence of each of the mayors can be imagined even after a simple description of their appearance. For example, the stubbornness and cruelty of Gloom-Grumblev are expressed in his "wooden face, obviously never illuminated by a smile." The more peaceful Pimple, on the other hand, “had a blush, had red and juicy lips,” “he had an active and vigorous gait, a quick gesture”.
Images are formed in the reader's imagination with the help of such artistic devices as hyperbole, metaphor, allegory, etc. Even the facts of reality acquire fantastic features. Shchedrin deliberately uses this technique to heighten the feeling of an invisible connection with the true state of affairs in feudal Russia.
The work is written in the form of chronicles. Some parts, which, according to the author's intention, are considered to be found documents, are written in heavy clerical language, and in the chronicler's address to the reader, there are vernaculars, proverbs, and sayings. Confusion in dates and anachronisms and allusions often made by the chronicler (for example, references to Herzen and Ogarev) reinforce the comic.
Shchedrin most fully introduces us to the mayor Gloom-Burcheev. Here there is a transparent analogy with reality: the surname of the mayor is similar in sound to the surname of the famous reformer Arakcheev. In the description of Gloom-Grumblev there is less comic, and more mystical, terrifying. Using satirical means, Shchedrin endowed him with a large number of the most "striking" vices. And it is no coincidence that the narrative ends on the description of the reign of this mayor. According to Shchedrin, "history has stopped flowing."
The novel “The History of a City” is undoubtedly an outstanding work, it is written in a colorful, grotesque language and in a figurative form denounces the bureaucratic state. “History” has not yet lost its relevance, because, unfortunately, we are still meeting people like Foolov's mayors.

"The history of one city"- one of the central works of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin. It was published in the journal Otechestvennye zapiski in 1869-1870 and caused a wide public response. The main means of satirical denunciation of reality in the work are grotesque and hyperbole... V genre, it is stylized as a historical chronicle. The image of the author-narrator is called “the last archivist-chronicler” in it.

With subtle irony M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin on how the faces of these mayors change with a change in a particular historical era: “So, for example, the mayors of the times of Biron are distinguished by their recklessness, the mayors of the times of Potemkin - by managerial control, and the mayors of the times of Razumovsky - by unknown origin and knightly courage. All of them whip the inhabitants, but the first whip absolutely, the second explain the reasons for their management by the demands of civilization, the third want the inhabitants to rely on their courage in everything. " Thus, from the very beginning, a hierarchy is built and emphasized: the highest spheres - local government - the inhabitants. Their fates mirrored what was happening in the areas of power: "in the first case, the inhabitants trembled unconsciously, in the second, they trembled with the consciousness of their own benefit, in the third, they rose to awe filled with trust."

Problematic

The "History of a City" denounces the imperfection of the social and political life of Russia. Unfortunately, Russia was rarely lucky to have good rulers. You can prove this by opening any history textbook. Saltykov Shchedrin, sincerely worried about the fate of their homeland, could not stay away from this problem. The work "The History of a City" became a kind of solution. The central issue in this book is the power and political imperfection of the country, or rather of one of Foolov's cities. Everything - both the history of its foundation, and the string of worthless autocrats, and the people of Foolov themselves - are so absurd that it looks like some kind of farce. This would be a farce if it were not so similar to the real life of Russia. "The history of one city" is not just a political satire on the state system existing in this country, but fundamentally affects the very mentality of the people of the whole country.

So, the central problem of the work is the motive of power and political imperfection.... In the city of Foolov, mayors are replaced one after another. Their fates are to some extent tragic, but at the same time grotesque. For example, Busty turned out to be a doll with an organ in its head, which uttered only two phrases "I will not tolerate!" and "I will break!", and Ferdyschenko forgets about his duties when it comes to food, especially goose and boiled pork, which is why he dies of gluttony. Acne turns out with a stuffed head, and vans dying of strain, trying to comprehend the meaning of the decree, Melanov dying of melancholy ... The end of the reign of each of them is sad, but ridiculous. The mayors themselves do not inspire respect - someone is impenetrably stupid, someone is excessively cruel, liberal rulers are also not the best way out, since their innovations are not vital, but, at best, a tribute to fashion or an empty whim. For some completely incomprehensible reason, the mayors do not think about the people, about what people need. There are many rulers, they are different creatures, but the result is the same - life does not get better or worse... And the rulers become city governors more out of misunderstanding than out of necessity. Who was not among the Foolov's bosses - a cook, a barber, a fugitive Greek, minor army ranks, an orderly, state councilors and, finally, a scoundrel Gloom Grumblev. And the most amazing thing is there was not a single mayor who had an idea of ​​his duties and rights people a. For Foolov's mayors, there was no clear concept of their own actions. As if they had nothing to do, they transplanted birches in the alley, introduced grammar schools and sciences, abolished grammar schools and sciences, introduced Provencal oil, mustard and bay leaves into use, collected arrears ... and, in fact, that's all. On this, their functions were limited.

The author emphasizes that the chronicler's appearance is the most real, which does not allow for a moment to doubt his authenticity. M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin clearly indicates the boundaries of the period under consideration: from 1931 to 1825. The piece includes "Address to the reader from the last archivist-chronicler." To give a documentary character to this fragment of the narrative, the author places a footnote after the title stating that the appeal is conveyed exactly, in the words of the chronicler himself. The publisher allowed himself only spelling correction of the text in order to edit certain liberties in the spelling of words. The appeal begins with a conversation with the reader about whether there will be worthy rulers and leaders in the history of our country: “ Can it be that in every country there will be both glorious Nero, and Caligula, shining with valor, and only here we will not find such?» Omniscient Publisher complements this quote with a reference to to the poem by G.R. Derzhavin: “Caligula! Your horse in the Senate Could not shine, shining in gold: Good deeds shine! " This addition aims to highlight the value scale: it is not gold that shines, but good deeds... In this case, gold acts as a symbol of acquisitiveness, and good deeds are proclaimed the true value of the world.

Further in the work followed by reasoning about a person in general. The chronicler encourages the reader to take a look at his own person and decide what is more important in her: the head or the belly... And then to judge those who have power.

At the end of his address, Foolov is compared with Rome, this again emphasizes that we are not talking about any particular city, but about the model of society in general... Thus, the city of Foolov is a grotesque image of not only all of Russia, but also of all power structures on a global scale, for Rome has been associated with an imperial city since ancient times, the same function is embodied by the mention of the Roman emperors Nero (37-68) and Caligula (12- 41) in the text of the work. For the same purpose, to expand the informational field of the narrative, surnames are mentioned in the work Kostomarov, Pypin and Soloviev. Contemporaries imagined what views and positions in question. N.I. Kostomarov - famous Russian historian, researcher of the socio-political and economic history of Russia and Ukraine, Ukrainian poet and fiction writer. A .N. Pypin (1833-1904) - Russian literary critic, ethnographer, academician of the Petersburg Academy of Sciences, cousin N.G. Chernyshevsky. B.C. Soloviev (1853-1900) - Russian philosopher, poet, publicist, literary critic of the late XIX - early XX century.

Further, the chronicler attributes the action of the narrative to the era existence of tribal strife ... Moreover, M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin uses his favorite compositional technique: the fabulous context mates with the pages of real Russian history. All this creates a system of witty subtle hints that are understandable to the sophisticated reader.

Having come up with funny names for fabulous tribes, M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin immediately reveals their allegorical meaning to the reader, when representatives of the tribe of blockheads begin to call each other by name (Ivashka, Peter). It becomes clear that this is precisely Russian history.

Thought up bunglers to find a prince for themselves, and since the people themselves are stupid, they are looking for an unwise ruler for themselves. Finally, one (the third in a row, as is customary in Russian folk tales) "Princely lordship" agreed to own this people. But with a condition. “And you will pay me many tributes,” the prince continued, “from whom the sheep bring the bright, write off the sheep for me, but keep the bright one for yourself; whoever has a penny, break it in four: give one part to me, the other to me, the third to me again, and keep the fourth for yourself. When I go to war - and you go! And you don't care about anything else! " Even unreasonable bunglers bowed their heads at such speeches..

In this scene M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin convincingly shows that any power is based on the obedience of the people and brings them more troubles and problems than real help and support. It is no coincidence that the prince assigns a new name to the bunglers: “ And as you did not know how to live on your own and yourself, fools, wished for bondage, then you will henceforth be called not bunglers, but Foolovites».

The experiences of deceived bunglers are expressed in folklore... It is symbolic that one of them sings a song on the way home. "Don't make a noise, mother the oak grove is green!"

One after another, the prince sends his thieves governors. The satirical inventory of city governors gives them an eloquent description, testifying to their business qualities.

Clement n received the proper rank for the skilful concoction of pasta. Lamvrocanis traded in Greek soap, sponge and nuts. Marquis de Sanglot loved to sing obscene songs. It is possible to enumerate for a long time the so-called feats of mayors. They did not stay in power for a long time and did nothing worthwhile for the city.

Methods of satirical depiction of mayors

The publisher saw fit to present detailed biographies of the most prominent leaders. Here M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin resorts to N.V. Gogol's classic technique. Just as Gogol portrayed landowners, he presents to the readers' judgment a whole gallery of typical images of town governors.

The first of them outlined in the work of Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty by nickname Organchik. In parallel with the story about any specific mayor M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin constantly paints a general picture of the actions of the city authorities and the perception of these actions by the people.

For example, he mentions that the Foolovites long remembered those bosses who flogged and collected arrears, but at the same time always said something kind.

The organ struck everyone with its cruel severity.... His favorite word was the cry: "I will not tolerate!" Further M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin talks about secretly visiting the mayor of organ affairs at night master Baibakov... The secret is revealed suddenly at one of the receptions, when the best representatives come to Brudasty's reception " Foolov's intelligentsia " (this phrase itself contains oxymoron, which gives the story an ironic connotation). There it happens at the mayor breakage of the organ he used instead of the head... Only Brudasty allowed himself to pretend a friendly smile, uncharacteristic for him, as "... suddenly something inside him hissed and buzzed, and the longer his mysterious hiss lasted, the more and more his eyes turned and sparkled." The reaction of the urban secular society to this incident looks no less interesting. M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin emphasizes that our ancestors were not carried away by revolutionary ideas and anarchist sentiments. Therefore, they only sympathized with the city head.

In this fragment of the work, another grotesque move is used: the head, which is being taken after the repair to the mayor, suddenly begins to bite around the city and says the word: "I will ruin!" A special satirical effect is achieved in the final scene of the chapter, when two different city governors are brought almost simultaneously to the rebellious Foolovites. But the people are already used to not being surprised at anything: “The impostors met and measured each other with their eyes. The crowd dispersed slowly and in silence. "

After that, anarchy begins in the city, as a result of which women seized power. These are the childless widow Iraida Lukinishna Paleologova, the adventurer Clementine de Bourbon, the Revel native Amalia Karlovna Stockfish, Anela Aloizievna Lyadokhovskaya, Dunka the tolstopyataya, Matryonka-nostril.

In the characteristics of these mayors, subtle allusions to the personality of the persons reigning in Russian history are guessed: Catherine II, Anna Ioannovna and other empresses. This is the most stylistically reduced chapter. M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin generously rewards city ​​governors with offensive nicknames and offensive definitions("Fatty", "fatty", etc.) ... Their whole reign comes down to outrage... The last two rulers are generally more reminiscent of witches than real people: “Both Dunka and Matryonka raged indescribably. They went out into the street and knocked down the heads of passers-by with their fists, went alone to taverns and smashed them, caught young guys and hid them underground, ate babies, and cut out the breasts of women and also ate them. "

An advanced person who takes seriously his duties is named in the work of S.K. Dvoekurov... It correlates in the author's understanding with Peter the Great: "One thing is that he introduced mead and beer brewing and made the use of mustard and bay leaves obligatory" and was "the ancestor of those brave innovators who, after three quarters of a century, fought wars in the name of the potato." The main Dvoekurov's achievement was an attempt to establish an academy in Foolov... True, he did not achieve results in this field, but in itself the desire to implement this plan was already a progressive step in comparison with the activities of other city governors.

The next ruler Petr Petrovich Ferdyschenko was simple and even liked to equip his speech with the affectionate word "brother-sudarik". However, in the seventh year of his reign, he fell in love with a suburban beauty Alena Osipovna... All nature has ceased to be supportive of the Foolovites: “ From the very spring of St. Nicholas, from the time the water began to enter the low-water period, and up to Ilyin's day, not a drop of rain fell. The old-timers could not remember anything like that, and not without reason attributed this phenomenon to the brigadier's fall into sin ”.

When the pestilence went all over the city, it was found in it truth-loving Evseich, who decided to talk to the foreman. However, he ordered the old man to be put on a prisoner's attire, so Yevseich disappeared, as if he was not in the world, disappeared without a trace, as only the "prospectors" of the Russian land can disappear.

Light on the real plight of the population of the Russian Empire is shed by the petition of the inhabitants of the most unfortunate city of Foolov, in which they write that they are dying out, that the authorities around them see unskilful.

Striking savagery and cruelty crowds in the scene when the inhabitants of Foolov throw the unfortunate Alenka from the bell tower accusing her of all mortal sins. Barely had time to forget the story with Alenka, as the foreman found himself a different hobby- shooter Domashka... All these episodes, in fact, show women's powerlessness and defenselessness in front of a voluptuous foreman.

Another disaster that befell the city is fire on the eve of the Kazan Mother of God: two settlements burned down... The people perceived all this as another punishment for the sins of their foreman. The death of this mayor is symbolic... He drank too much and ate too much of the national food: “ After the second break (there was a pig in sour cream) he felt sick; however, he overcame himself and ate another goose and cabbage. After that, his mouth twisted. One could see how some kind of administrative vein on his face shuddered, trembled, trembled, and suddenly froze ... The Foolovites jumped up from their seats in confusion and fright. It's over ... ".

Another city ruler turned out to be agile and corrosive. Vasilisk Semenovich Wartkin like a fly, flashed around the city, loved to shout and take everyone by surprise. It is symbolic that he slept with one eye open (a kind of hint to the "all-seeing eye" of autocracy). However, Wartkin's irrepressible energy is not spent for the intended purpose: he builds castles on the sand. Foolish people aptly call his way of life energy of inaction... Wartkin leads wars of enlightenment, the reasons for which are ridiculous (for example, the refusal of the Foolovites to plant Persian chamomile). Under his leadership, the tin soldiers, entering the settlement, begin to break the huts. It is noteworthy that the Foolovites always learned about the subject of the campaign only at the end of it.

When comes to power Mikoladze, graceful champion, the Foolovites overgrow with wool and begin to suck their paw. And on the contrary, they grow dull from wars for education.... Meanwhile, when they stopped education and legislative activity, the Foolovites stopped sucking their paws, the wool shed from them without a trace, and soon they began to dance in circles. A great impoverishment is prescribed in the laws, and the inhabitants are becoming obese. The Pie Baking Charter convincingly shows how much nonsense is concentrated in legislation. It states, for example, that it is forbidden to make pies from mud, clay and building materials. As if a person of sound mind and solid memory is able to bake pies from this. In fact, this charter symbolically shows how deeply the state apparatus can interfere in the everyday life of every Russian. Here he is already given a prescription on how to bake pies. Moreover, special recommendations are given regarding filling positions... Phrase " Let everyone use the filling as"Testifies about a clearly expressed social hierarchy in society... However, the passion for legislation also did not take root on Russian soil. Mayor Benevolensky was suspected of ties with Napoleon charged with treason and sent "To the land where Makar did not drive calves."So, using the figurative expression of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin allegorically writes about the link. Contradictions in the artistic world of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, which is a caustic parody of the contemporary author's reality, awaits the reader at every turn. So, during the reign of lieutenant colonel Pimples people in Foolov completely spoiled themselves, because he preached liberalism during his rule.

“But as freedom developed, its primordial enemy, analysis, was born. With the increase in material well-being, leisure was acquired, and with the acquisition of leisure, the ability to explore and experience the nature of things appeared. This always happens, but the Foolovites used this "newfound ability" not to strengthen their well-being, but to undermine it, "writes M.Ye. Saltykov-Shchedrin.

Pimple has become one of the most desirable rulers for the Foolovites... However, the local leader of the nobility, who was not distinguished by special qualities of mind and heart, but had a special stomach, once, on the basis of gastronomic imagination, mistook his head for stuffed. In the description of the scene of death The pimple writer boldly resorts to the grotesque... In the final part of the chapter, the leader, in a rage, rushes at the mayor with a knife and, cutting off chunk after chunk of pieces of the head, eats it to the end.

Against the background of grotesque scenes and ironic notes by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin reveals to the reader his philosophy of history, in which the stream of life sometimes stops its natural course and forms a whirlpool.

The most painful impression is made Gloom-Grumblev... This a man with a wooden face never lit up with a smile... His extended portrait eloquently tells about the character of the hero: “Thick, combed and like pitch black hair covers a conical skull and tightly, like a yarmulke, frames a narrow and sloping forehead. The eyes are gray, sunken, shaded by somewhat swollen eyelids; the look is clear, without hesitation; the nose is dry, descending from the forehead almost in a straight downward direction; lips thin, pale, pubescent with trimmed mustache stubble; the jaws are developed, but without an outstanding expression of carnivorousness, and with some inexplicable bouquet of readiness to crush or bite in half. The whole figure is lean with narrow shoulders raised upward, with an artificially protruding chest forward and with long, muscular arms "

M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, commenting on this portrait, emphasizes that we are dealing with the purest type of idiot. His style of government could only be compared with the chaotic felling of trees in a dense forest, when a person waves them left and right and steadily walks wherever his eyes look.

In a day in memory of the apostles Peter and Paul the mayor ordered people to destroy their homes. However, this was only the beginning of the Napoleonic plans of Gloom-Grumblev. He began to sort people by families, taking into account their height and physique. Six months or two months later, there was no stone unturned from the city. Gloom-Grumblev tried to create his own sea, but the river refused to obey, tearing down dam after dam. The town of Foolov was renamed Nepreklonsk, and the holidays differed from everyday life only in that instead of labor worries, it was ordered to engage in increased marching. Meetings were even held at night. In addition to this, spies were appointed. The end of the hero is also symbolic: he instantly disappeared, as if he had melted into thin air.

The very unhurried, viscous style of narration in the work of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin shows the insolubility of Russian problems, and satirical scenes emphasize their acuteness: one after another rulers are replaced, and the people remain in the same poverty, in the same lack of rights, in the same hopelessness.

Grotesque

Satire, irony

Allegory

Forms of folklore: fairy tales, proverbs, sayings ...

Real + fantasy