Lychagin Andrey and Shchedrin Mikhail Evgrafovich. Last years

04/28/1889 (11.05.) - Writer Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin died

M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin

Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov (01/15/1828–04/28/1889), writer and publicist (pseudo-Saltykov-Shchedrin). Was born in noble family, in the estate of parents, the village of Spas-Ugol, Kalyazinsky district of the Tver province. Childhood years spent in the family estate, in a serf environment, had a huge impact on the formation of his social views.

He studied at the Moscow Noble Institute, from where in 1838, as the best student, he was transferred to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Here Saltykov-Shchedrin became interested in literature, in 1841 he published his first poem. He was reprimanded by teachers for "rudeness", smoking, negligence in clothes, writing "disapproving" poetry. Then his acquaintance with V.G. Belinsky influenced him political position close to revolutionary. In 1847–1848 he became interested in the theories of the utopian socialists and visited the “Fridays” of M.V. Petrashevsky, with whom he later broke up. At the same time, he wrote the first stories "Contradiction" and "A Tangled Case", which caused dissatisfaction with the authorities with a sharp socially accusatory orientation.

However, the "despotic regime" was such that all this time, from 1844, after graduating from the lyceum, Saltykov served in the office of the Military Ministry. In 1848, for a "harmful way of thinking," he was only sent to serve in Vyatka, where he held the positions of a senior official, adviser to the provincial government. Judging by the note on the land disturbances in the Sloboda district, he warmly took his duties to heart when they brought him into contact with the people's troubles.

The death of Emperor Nicholas I in 1855 and the beginning of a liberal government course allowed Saltykov to return to St. Petersburg, where he gained fame with his "Provincial Essays" (signed under the pseudonym N. Shchedrin). " Provincial essays", were published in the "Russian Bulletin" since 1856, and in 1857 collected together went through two editions (subsequently - two more, in 1864 and 1882). They laid the foundation for literature, called "accusatory", but they themselves belonged to it only in part. Outer side Saltykov-Shchedrin's well-known bureaucratic world of slander, bribes and other abuses fills only a few of the essays; more important there is the psychology of bureaucratic life; "Gogol humor" alternates with lyricism.

During these years, the critic and accuser Saltykov-Shchedrin served as an official special assignments in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was sent to the Tver and Vladimir provinces to review the office work of the provincial militia committees (on the occasion Crimean War). The note he wrote while executing this assignment reveals many abuses that he discovered. Further, he participated in the preparation of the peasant reform of 1861. In 1858-1862. was appointed vice-governor in Ryazan, then in Tver, constantly fought against bribery.

He resigned to devote himself entirely to literature. He moved to St. Petersburg and, at the invitation, joined the editorial office of the Sovremennik magazine, but he devoted most of his attention to the monthly review Nasha public life". In 1864, he left the editorial office of Sovremennik due to disagreements on the tactics of the "social struggle." retired with the rank of State Councilor (after a complaint from the Ryazan governor).Since 1868, at the invitation of Nekrasov, he worked for 16 years in Otechestvennye Zapiski, and after Nekrasov's death he headed the editorial office.

Saltykov-Shchedrin did not spare the new liberal institutions of Alexander II - the zemstvo, the court, the bar - because he demanded a lot from them and was indignant at every imperfection. Although this focus of his work is not tied only to his time. Particularly well-known in this respect are the allegorical fairy tales-parables of Saltykov-Shchedrin, the images of which entered the proverbs and became common nouns: " wise gudgeon", "Poor wolf", "Karas-idealist", "Sheep-forgetful" and others. True, they ridicule not only bureaucratic vices, but also the very principle of autocracy. "Poshekhonskaya antiquity" is also well known - a bright and biased picture life of serf Russia.In the work of this writer, and especially in fairy tales, there is generally a caricature denunciation of the then Russian order, by which it is impossible to judge that Russia (although we still meet these quotes now at every step - already in justification of the modern criminal regime: they say it has always been in Russia ...).

Nevertheless, Saltykov-Shchedrin cannot be counted among revolutionary democrats, as it was done with Soviet power. Here, apparently, at first the same peculiarity of Russian accusation as that of : sharpened spiritual and moral sensitivity and rejection of social evil with an inability to correctly understand the problem of theodicy: the existence of evil in the world under the omnipotent and omnipotent Creator. Saltykov-Shchedrin also lacked an understanding of the spiritual nature of evil, and therefore the social ideal was thought of as utopian. The fairy tale "The Adventure with Kramolnikov" is indicative here, in which the writer writes about his hero that the reason for his "seditious" writings was love for his country and pain for it, which was transmitted to others in the form of sedition. And in "Poshekhonskaya antiquity" Nikanor Shabby, through whose mouth, undoubtedly, the author himself also speaks, describes the effect produced on him by reading the Gospel. “The humiliated and insulted stood before me, radiant with light, and loudly cried out against the innate injustice, which gave them nothing but fetters.”

That is, in the heat of morally cheap experiences and denunciations, the writer exaggerated the ulcers of his time, denouncing in essence the sinfulness of man himself, but shifting responsibility for it to "society" and the existing Orthodox authorities. However, at the same time, Saltykov-Shchedrin remained a believer (reflections on the resurrection of Christ in the "Provincial Essays", "A Christmas Tale", "The Conscience Lost", "Christ's Night", etc.) and this "saves" many of his works for the classics of Russian literature . The Christian basis of the writer's intransigence to evil comes through, for example, in a speech about the fate of the Russian peasant woman, put by the author into the mouth of a rural teacher ("Dream in midsummer night"): "Who sees the tears of a peasant woman? Who hears how they pour drop by drop? Only a Russian peasant baby sees and hears them, but in him they revive the moral feeling and put the first seeds of goodness in his heart. "

Even in their very negative characters Saltykov-Shchedrin sees human features. In the socio-psychological novel "Lord Golovlev" (a symbol of the decay of the idle life of a noble family), he reveals them even in "Judas" (Porfiry Golovlev) - a man who blasphemously covers up his amazing immorality and sinfulness with ostentatious prayerful piety, quotations from Holy Scripture and so on. (the character has become a household name and even famous). In the depiction of the crisis experienced by Judas on Holy Week and leading him to repentance and death, it is shown that Judas also has a conscience; in the words of Saltykov-Shchedrin, it can only be temporarily "driven and, as it were, forgotten." This novel rightfully introduces Saltykov-Shchedrin into the ranks of real Russian writers.

So in the fairy tale “Conscience Lost” - the conscience, which everyone is burdened with as a burden and from which they are trying to get rid of, she says to her last owner: “Find me a little Russian child, dissolve his pure heart in front of me and bury me in it: maybe he, an innocent baby, will shelter and nurse me, perhaps he will make me to the extent of his age, and then he will go out to the people with me - he does not disdain ... By this word of her, it happened. The petty-bourgeois found a little Russian child, and conscience grows with him. And the little child will be a great man, and there will be a great conscience in him. And then all unrighteousness, deceit and violence will disappear, because the conscience will not be timid and will want to manage everything itself.

Saltykov-Shchedrin often transposes the gospel commandments in his own words in his works, however, sometimes too freely and boldly.

In 1875–1876 he was treated abroad, visited countries Western Europe V different years life. In Paris, he met with Flaubert, Zola.

Among the most significant works of Saltykov are: " well-intentioned speeches"(1872-76), "The History of a City" (1870), "Lords of Tashkent" (1869–1872), "Lord Golovlevs" (1880), "Tales" (1869–1886), "Little Things in Life" (1886– 1887), "Poshekhonskaya antiquity" (1887–1889).

The biography of Saltykov-Shchedrin is quite modest for a pioneer of Russian satire. Perhaps some interesting facts from the life of Saltykov-Shchedrin revive a little biographical facts, enliven and complement the image of this extraordinary writer.

1. Saltykov-Shchedrin was born into a noble family. Despite his liberal views, the future satirist was born into a wealthy and well-born family. His father held the position of a collegiate assessor, and his mother traced her pedigree from a wealthy merchant family, the Zabelins.
2. Saltykov-Shchedrin was a gifted child. Mikhail Evgrafovich received such a rich home education that he was able to enter the Moscow Noble Institute at the age of ten. Excellent studies helped him get a place in the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, where the most gifted young men from Russian noble children were recruited.

   

3. satirical talent young genius prevented him from graduating with honors. The first satirical works were written by the future writer while still at the Lyceum. But he ridiculed teachers and fellow students so evilly and talentedly that he received only the second category, although academic success allowed him to hope for the first.

   

4. Saltykov-Shchedrin - a failed poet. The first attempts to create poems and poems were criticized by the people closest to the young man. From the moment of graduating from the lyceum until his death, the writer will not write a single poetic work.

   

5. Saltykov-Shchedrin designed satire like a fairy tale. satirical works Saltykov-Shchedrin often designed in the form of notes and fairy tales. That's how he managed for a long time not attract the attention of censors. The sharpest and most revealing works were presented to the public in the form of frivolous stories.

   

6. The satirist has long been an official. Many people know this writer as an editor " Domestic notes". Meanwhile, M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin was a government official for a long time, and worked as a Ryazan vice-governor. Later he was transferred to a similar position in the Tver province.

   

7. Saltykov-Shchedrin - the creator of new words. Like any gifted writer, Mikhail Evgrafovich was able to enrich native language new concepts that we still use in our native speech. Words such as "soft-bodied", "stupidity", "bungling" were born from the pen of a famous satirist.

   

8. The satirical works of Saltykov-Shchedrin are based on realism. Historians rightfully study the legacy of the satirist as an encyclopedia of the manners and customs of the Russian hinterland of the 19th century. Modern historians highly appreciate the realism of the works of the classics, and use his observations in compiling national history.

   

9. Saltykov-Shchedrin condemned radical teachings. Despite his reputation as a patriot, the writer condemned violence in any form. So he repeatedly expressed his indignation at the actions of the Narodnaya Volya and condemned the murder of the liberator Tsar Alexander II.

   

10. Nekrasov is a close associate of Saltykov-Shchedrin. ON THE. Nekrasov long years was a friend and colleague of Saltykov-shchedrin. They shared the ideas of enlightenment, saw the plight of the peasantry, and both condemned the vices of the domestic social order.

    

11. Saltykov Shchedrin - editor of Otechestvennye Zapiski. There is an opinion that the satirist headed this pre-revolutionary popular publication, and even was its founder. This is far from true. The magazine was created at the dawn of the 19th century and for many years was considered a collection of ordinary fiction. Belinsky brought the first popularity to the publication. Later, N.A. Nekrasov took it periodical for rent and was the editor of the "notes" until his death. Saltykov-Shchedrin was one of the writers of the publication, and headed the editorial office of the magazine only after the death of Nekrasov.

    

12. The satirist and writer did not like popularity. Due to his position, the popular editor was often invited to meetings and writers' dinners. The satirist was reluctant to attend such events, considering such communication a waste of time. Once, a certain Golovachev invited a satirist to a dinner of writers. This gentleman had a poor style, so he began his invitation like this: “Monthly diners congratulate you ..”. The satirist answered instantly: “Thank you. Daily lunch Saltykov-Shchedrin.

    

13. Saltykov-Shchedrin worked hard. Last years The life of the writer was overshadowed by a serious illness - rheumatism. Nevertheless, the satirist came to his office every day and worked for several hours. Only in the last month of his life, Saltykov-Shchedrin was exhausted by rheumatism and did not write anything - he did not have enough strength to hold a pen in his hands.

    

14. The Last Months of Saltykov-Shchedrin. There were always many guests and visitors in the writer's house. The writer talked a lot with each of them. Only in recent months life, bedridden, Saltykov-Shchedrin did not receive anyone. And when he heard that someone had come to him, he asked: “Please tell me that I am very busy - I am dying.”

    

15. The cause of death of Saltykov-Shchedrin is not rheumatism. Although doctors treated the satirist for many years for rheumatism, the writer died of a common cold, which caused irreversible complications.

    

Saltykov-Shchedrin (pseudonym N. Shchedrin) Mikhail Evgrafovich (1826 1889), prose writer.

Born on January 15 (27 n.s.) in the village of Spas-Ugol, Tver province, in an old noble family. Childhood years passed in family estate father in "... the years ... of the height of serfdom", in one of the back corners of Poshekhonye. Observations of this life will later be reflected in the books of the writer.

Having received a good education at home, Saltykov at the age of 10 was accepted as a boarder at the Moscow Noble Institute, where he spent two years, then in 1838 he was transferred to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Here he began to write poetry, having been greatly influenced by the articles of Belinsky and Herzen, the works of Gogol.

In 1844, after graduating from the Lyceum, he served as an official in the Office of the War Ministry. "... Duty is everywhere, coercion is everywhere, boredom and lies are everywhere..." he gave such a description of bureaucratic Petersburg. Another life attracted Saltykov more: communication with writers, visiting Petrashevsky's "Fridays", where philosophers, scientists, writers, military men gathered, united by anti-serfdom sentiments, the search for the ideals of a just society.

Saltykov's first stories "Contradictions" (1847), "A Tangled Case" (1848) with their sharp social issues drew the attention of the authorities, frightened French Revolution 1848. The writer was exiled to Vyatka for "... a harmful way of thinking and a pernicious desire to spread ideas that have already shaken the whole of Western Europe ...". For eight years he lived in Vyatka, where in 1850 he was appointed to the post of adviser to the provincial government. This made it possible to often go on business trips and observe the bureaucratic world and peasant life. The impressions of these years will have an impact on the satirical direction of the writer's work.

At the end of 1855, after the death of Nicholas I, having received the right to "live wherever he wanted", he returned to St. Petersburg and resumed literary work. In 1856 1857 "Provincial Essays" were written, published on behalf of the "court councilor N. Shchedrin", who became known to all reading Russia, who called him Gogol's heir.

At this time, he married the 17-year-old daughter of the Vyatka vice-governor, E. Boltina. Saltykov sought to combine the work of the writer with public service. In 1856 1858 he was an official for special assignments in the Ministry of the Interior, where work was concentrated on the preparation of the peasant reform.

In 1858 1862 he served as vice-governor in Ryazan, then in Tver. He always tried to surround himself at his place of service with honest, young and educated people, dismissing bribe-takers and thieves.

During these years, short stories and essays appeared ("Innocent Stories", 1857, "Satires in Prose", 1859 62), as well as articles on the peasant question.

In 1862, the writer retired, moved to St. Petersburg and, at the invitation of Nekrasov, joined the editorial office of the Sovremennik magazine, which at that time was experiencing enormous difficulties (Dobrolyubov died, Chernyshevsky was imprisoned in Peter and Paul Fortress). Saltykov took on an enormous amount of writing and editorial work. But he paid most of his attention to the monthly review "Our Public Life", which became a monument to Russian journalism of the 1860s.

In 1864 Saltykov left the editorial office of Sovremennik. The reason was intra-journal disagreements on the tactics of social struggle in the new conditions. He returned to public service.

In 1865 1868 he headed the State Chambers in Penza, Tula, Ryazan; observations of the life of these cities formed the basis of "Letters on the Province" (1869). The frequent change of duty stations is explained by conflicts with the heads of the provinces, over whom the writer "laughed" in grotesque pamphlets. After a complaint from the Ryazan governor, Saltykov was dismissed in 1868 with the rank of real state councilor. He moved to St. Petersburg, accepted the invitation of N. Nekrasov to become co-editor of the journal Domestic Notes, where he worked in 1868 1884. Saltykov now completely switched to literary activity. In 1869, he wrote "The History of a City" - the pinnacle of his satirical art.

In 1875 1876 he was treated abroad, visited the countries of Western Europe in different years of his life. In Paris he met with Turgenev, Flaubert, Zola.

In the 1880s, Saltykov's satire culminated in its rage and grotesque: "Modern Idyll" (1877 83); "Lord Golovlevs" (1880); "Poshekhon stories" (1883㭐).

In 1884, the journal Otechestvennye Zapiski was closed, after which Saltykov was forced to publish in the journal Vestnik Evropy.

In the last years of his life, the writer created his masterpieces: "Tales" (1882 86); "Little Things in Life" (1886 87); autobiographical novel"Poshekhonskaya antiquity" (1887 89).

A few days before his death, he wrote the first pages of a new work "Forgotten Words", where he wanted to remind the "variegated people" of the 1880s about the words they had lost: "conscience, fatherland, humanity ... others are still there ...".

Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin is a Russian writer, journalist, editor of the Otechestvennye Zapiski magazine, Ryazan and Tver Vice-Governor. Saltykov-Shchedrin was a master of the island of the word and was the author of many.

He was able to create great work in the genre of satire and realism, as well as helping the reader to analyze their mistakes.

Perhaps his most famous graduate was.

While studying at the Lyceum, Saltykov-Shchedrin stopped monitoring his appearance, began to swear, smoke, and also often ended up in a punishment cell for misbehavior.

As a result, the student graduated from the lyceum with the rank of collegiate secretary. Interestingly, it was during this period of his biography that he tried to write his first works.

After that, Mikhail began working in the office of the military department. He continued to work writing activities and became seriously interested in the work of the French socialists.

Link to Vyatka

The first stories in the biography of Saltykov-Shchedrin were "A Tangled Case" and "Contradictions". In them he raised important questions which runs counter to the policy of the current government.

When Alexander 2 was on the throne in 1855, he was allowed to return home. The following year, he was appointed officer for special assignments at the Ministry of the Interior.

Creativity Saltykov-Shchedrin

Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin is one of the most prominent representatives of satire in. He had a subtle sense of humor and was able to brilliantly convey it on paper.

An interesting fact is that it was he who coined such expressions as "bungling", "soft-bodied" and "stupidity".

After Saltykov-Shchedrin returned from exile in , he published a collection of short stories "Provincial Essays" under the name of Nikolai Shchedrin.

It is worth noting that even after he gained all-Russian popularity, many of his admirers will remember this particular work.

In his stories, Saltykov-Shchedrin depicted many different heroes which, in his opinion, were prominent representatives.

In 1870 Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote one of the most famous stories in his biography - "History of one city".

It is worth noting that this work was not initially appreciated, because it contained a lot of allegories and unusual comparisons.

Some critics even accused Mikhail Evgrafovich of intentional distortion. The story featured simple people different mind and who unquestioningly obeyed the authorities.

Soon, from the pen of Saltykov-Shchedrin, a very interesting and deep tale came out. wise scribbler". It told about a piskar who was afraid of everything, who lived in fear and loneliness until his death.

Then he began working as an editor in the publication "Domestic Notes", which he owned. In this journal, in addition to his direct duties, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin also published his own works.

In 1880 Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote the brilliant novel The Golovlevs. It told about a family that all their adult life thought only about increasing their capital. Ultimately, this led the entire family to spiritual and moral decay.

Personal life

In the biography of the writer there was only one wife - Elizaveta Boltina. Saltykov-Shchedrin met her during her exile. The girl was the daughter of the vice-governor and was 14 years younger than the groom.

Initially, the father did not want to give Elizabeth in marriage to the disgraced writer, however, after talking with him, he changed his mind.

An interesting fact is that Mikhail's mother was categorically opposed to him marrying Boltina. The reason for this was the young age of the bride, as well as a small dowry. In the end, in 1856, Saltykov-Shchedrin did get married.

Soon, frequent quarrels began to occur between the newlyweds. By nature, Saltykov-Shchedrin was a straightforward and courageous person. Elizabeth, on the contrary, was a calm and patient girl. In addition, she did not have a sharp mind.

According to the recollections of Mikhail Evgrafovich's friends, Boltina liked to intervene in the conversation, saying a lot of unnecessary things, which, moreover, were often irrelevant.

At such moments, the writer simply lost his temper. In addition, Saltykov-Shchedrin's wife loved luxury, which further increased the distance between the spouses.

Despite this, they lived together all their lives. In this marriage, they had a girl, Elizabeth, and a boy, Konstantin.

Biographers of Saltykov-Shchedrin claim that he was well versed in wines, played on and was an expert in matters relating to profanity.

Death

In recent years, the writer seriously suffered from rheumatism. In addition, his health deteriorated after Otechestvennye Zapiski was closed in 1884. Censorship considered the publication a distributor of harmful ideas.

Shortly before his death, Saltykov-Shchedrin was bedridden, in need of outside help and care. However, he did not lose his optimism and sense of humor.

Often, when he could not receive guests due to weakness, he asked me to tell them: "I am very busy - I am dying."

Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin died on April 28, 1889 at the age of 63. According to his request, he was buried next to the grave at the Volkovsky cemetery.

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Born on January 15 (27 n.s.) 1826 in the village of Spas-Ugol, Tver province, in an old noble family. Real surname Saltykov, pseudonym N. Shchedrin. Childhood years were spent in the father's family estate in "... the years ... of the very height of serfdom", in one of the back corners of Poshekhonye. Observations of this life will later be reflected in the books of the writer.

Saltykov's father, Yevgraf Vasilyevich, a pillar nobleman, served as a collegiate adviser. Descended from the old noble family. Mother, Olga Mikhailovna, nee Zabelina, Muscovite, merchant's daughter. Michael was the sixth of her nine children.

For the first 10 years of his life, Saltykov lives in his father's family estate, where he receives primary education at home. The first teachers of the future writer were the elder sister and serf painter Pavel.

At the age of 10, Satlykov was accepted as a boarder at the Moscow Noble Institute, where he spent two years. In 1838, as one of the most excellent students, he was transferred as a state-owned pupil to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. In the lyceum he began to write poetry, but later he realized that he did not have a poetic gift and left poetry. In 1844 he graduated from the course at the Lyceum in the second category (with the rank of X class) and entered the service in the office of the Military Ministry. The first full-time position, assistant secretary, received only two years later.

Literature already then occupied him much more than service: he not only read a lot, being especially fond of George Sand and the French socialists (a brilliant picture of this hobby was drawn by him thirty years later in the fourth chapter of the collection Abroad), but also wrote - at first small bibliographic notes (in "Notes of the Fatherland" 1847), then the story "Contradictions" (ibid., November 1847) and "A Tangled Case" (March 1848).

For freethinking in 1848, in the biography of Saltykov-Shchedrin, a link to Vyatka took place. There he served as a clerical official, and there, during investigations and business trips, he collected information for his works.

In 1855, Saltykov-Shchedrin was finally allowed to leave Vyatka, in February 1856 he was assigned to the Ministry of the Interior, and then appointed an official for special assignments under the minister. Returning from exile, Saltykov-Shchedrin resumes his literary activity. Written on the basis of materials collected during his stay in Vyatka, "Provincial Essays" quickly gain popularity among readers, Shchedrin's name becomes known. In March 1858, Saltykov-Shchedrin was appointed vice-governor of Ryazan, and in April 1860 he was transferred to the same position in Tver. At this time, the writer works a lot, collaborating with various magazines, but mostly with Sovremennik.

In 1862, the writer retired, moved to St. Petersburg and, at the invitation of Nekrasov, joined the editorial office of the Sovremennik magazine, which at that time was experiencing enormous difficulties (Dobrolyubov died, Chernyshevsky was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress). Saltykov took on an enormous amount of writing and editorial work. But he paid most of his attention to the monthly review "Our Public Life", which became a monument to Russian journalism of the 1860s.

It is very likely that the embarrassment that Sovremennik encountered at every step from the side of censorship, due to the lack of hope for an early change for the better, prompted Saltykov to enter the service again, but in a different department, less touching the topic of the day. In November 1864, he was appointed manager of the Penza state chamber, two years later he was transferred to the same position in Tula, and in October 1867 - to Ryazan. These years were the time of his least literary activity: in the course of three years (1865, 1866, 1867), only one of his articles appeared in print.

After a complaint from the Ryazan governor, Saltykov was dismissed in 1868 with the rank of real state councilor. He moved to St. Petersburg, accepted the invitation of N. Nekrasov to become co-editor of the journal "Domestic Notes", where he worked in 1868 - 1884. Saltykov now completely switched to literary activity. In 1869 he wrote "The History of a City" - the pinnacle of his satirical art.

In 1875, while in France, he met with Flaubert and Turgenev. Most of the works of Michael of that time were filled with deepest meaning and unsurpassed satire, which culminated in a grotesque called "Modern Idyll", as well as "Lord Golovlev".

In the 1880s, Saltykov's satire culminates in its rage and grotesque: " Modern idylls"(1877-1883); "Lord Golovlevs" (1880); "Poshekhon stories" (1883-1884).

In 1884 the government banned the publication of Otechestvennye Zapiski. The closure of the journal Saltykov-Shchedrin experienced hard. He was forced to publish in liberal bodies alien to him - in the journal Vestnik Evropy and the newspaper Russkiye Vedomosti. Despite the fierce reaction and serious illness, Saltykov-Shchedrin created in recent years such masterpieces as "Tales" (1882-86), which concisely reflect almost all the main themes of his work; “Little Things of Life” (1886-87), filled with deep philosophical historicism, and, finally, a wide epic canvas of serf Russia - “Poshekhonian antiquity” (1887-1889).

May 10 (April 28), 1889 - Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin dies. According to his own will, he was buried at the Volkov cemetery in St. Petersburg next to I.S. Turgenev.