Composition

A special place in the work of Saltykov-Shchedrin is occupied by fairy tales with their allegorical images, in which the author was able to say more about Russian society in the sixties-eighties of the nineteenth century than the historians of those years. Chernyshevsky argued: "None of the writers preceding Shchedrin painted pictures of our life in darker colors. No one punished our own ulcers with greater mercilessness."

Saltykov-Shchedrin writes "fairy tales" "for children of a fair age," that is, for an adult reader who needs to open his eyes to life. The tale, by the simplicity of its form, is accessible to anyone, even an inexperienced reader, and therefore is especially dangerous for the "tops". No wonder the censor Lebedev reported: “G. S.’s intention to publish some of his fairy tales in separate pamphlets is more than strange. What G. S. calls fairy tales does not at all correspond to its name; more or less directed against our social and political order."

The main problem of fairy tales is the relationship between the exploiters and the exploited. In fairy tales, satire is given on tsarist Russia: on bureaucracy, on bureaucrats, on landlords. Before the reader are images of the rulers of Russia ("Bear in the Voivodship", "Eagle-philanthropist"), exploiters and exploited (" wild landlord"," How one man fed two generals"), townsfolk (" wise gudgeon", "Dried vobla" and others).

The fairy tale "The Wild Landowner" is directed against everything social order based on exploitation and anti-people in its essence. Keeping the spirit and style of the folk tale, the satirist speaks of real events his contemporary life. Although the action takes place in "a certain kingdom, a certain state," the pages of the tale depict quite specific image Russian landowner. The whole point of his existence is to "soak up his white, loose, crumbly body." He lives off

his muzhiks, but hates them, is afraid, cannot bear their "servant spirit". He considers himself a true representative of the Russian state, its support, he is proud that he is a hereditary Russian nobleman, Prince Urus-Kuchum-Kildibaev. He rejoices when, in some kind of chaff whirlwind, all the peasants were swept away to no one knows where, and the air became pure and pure in his domain. But the peasants disappeared, and such a famine set in that in the city "... one cannot buy a piece of meat or a pound of bread in the market." And the landowner himself went completely wild: “He was all overgrown with hair from head to toe ... and his legs became like iron. He stopped blowing his nose a long time ago, but he walked more and more on all fours. He even lost the ability to utter articulate sounds .. .". In order not to die of hunger when the last gingerbread was eaten, the Russian nobleman began to hunt: he would notice a hare - “like an arrow jumping off a tree, clinging to its prey, tearing it apart with its nails, yes, with all the insides, even with the skin, it will eat.

The savagery of the landowner testifies that without the help of the "muzhik" he cannot live. After all, it was not for nothing that as soon as the "swarm of peasants" was caught and put in place, "there was a smell of chaff and sheepskin in that district; flour and meat, and all kinds of living creatures appeared in the market, and so many taxes were received in one day that the treasurer, seeing such a pile of money , just threw up his hands in surprise ... "

If we compare the well-known folk tales about the gentleman and the peasant with the tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin, for example, with The Wild Landowner, we will see that the image of the landowner in Shchedrin's tales is very close to folk tales. But Shchedrin's peasants are different from the fabulous ones. In folk tales, a man is quick-witted, dexterous, resourceful, defeats a stupid master. And in "The Wild Landowner" arises collective image workers, breadwinners of the country and at the same time martyrs-sufferers, their "tearful orphan prayer" sounds: "Lord, it is easier for us to perish even with small children than to suffer like this all our lives!" So, modifying the folk tale, the writer condemns the long-suffering of the people, and his tales sound like a call to rise to the struggle, to renounce the slavish worldview.

Many fairy tales by Saltykov-Shchedrin are dedicated to exposing the philistine. One of the most poignant is the "Wise Gudgeon". Minnow was "moderate and liberal". Papa taught him the "wisdom of life": not to interfere in anything, to take care of yourself. Now he sits all his life in his hole and trembles, as if not to hit his ear or not be in the mouth of a pike. He lived like this for more than a hundred years and kept trembling, and when the time came to die, he trembled when he died. And it turned out that he did nothing good in his life, and no one remembers him and does not know.

Political focus satires of Saltykov-Shchedrin demanded new art forms. To get around the censorship obstacles, the satirist had to turn to allegories, allusions, to "Aesopian language". So, in the fairy tale "The Wild Landowner", telling about the events "in a certain kingdom, in a certain state", the author calls the newspaper "Vest", mentions the actor Sadovsky, and the reader immediately recognizes Russia mid-nineteenth century. And in the "Wise Gudgeon" the image of a small, miserable fish, helpless and cowardly, is displayed. It characterizes the trembling layman in the best possible way. Shchedrin ascribes human properties to fish and at the same time shows that "fish" features can also be inherent in a person. The meaning of this allegory is revealed in the words of the author: "Those who think that only those minnows can be considered worthy citizens, who, mad with fear, sit in a hole and tremble, believe incorrectly. No, these are not citizens, but at least useless minnows " .

Saltykov-Shchedrin remained faithful to the ideas of his friends in spirit until the end of his life: Chernyshevsky, Dobrolyubov, Nekrasov. The significance of M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin's work is all the more great because in the years of the most difficult reaction, he almost alone continued the progressive ideological traditions of the sixties.

In a fairy tale wise scribbler”It says that there lived a scribbler in the world who was afraid of everything, but at the same time considered himself wise. Before his death, his father told him to behave carefully, and so he would remain alive. “Look, son,” said the old scribbler, dying, “if you want to live life, then look at both!” Piskar listened to him and began to think about later life. He came up with a house for himself such that no one but him could climb into it, and began to think about how to behave the rest of the time.

With this tale, the author tried to show the life of officials who did nothing in their lives, but only sat in their "burrow" and were afraid of someone who was higher than them in rank. They were afraid to somehow harm themselves if they went beyond their "burrow". That, perhaps, there is some kind of force that can suddenly deprive them of such a rank. That life without luxury is the same for them as death, but at the same time you need to stay in one place and everything will be fine.

Just in the image of a scribbler, this is visible. He appears in the tale throughout the story. If before the death of his father, the life of the scribbler was ordinary, then after his death he hid. He trembled every time someone swam or stopped near his hole. He did not finish his meal, afraid to get out again. And from the twilight that constantly reigned in his hole, the scribbler was half-blind.

Everyone considered the scribbler a fool, but he himself considered himself wise. The title of the tale “The Wise Scribbler” hides a clear irony. “Wise” means “very smart”, but in this tale the meaning of this word means something else - proud and stupid. Proud because he considers himself the smartest, since he found a way to secure his life from an external threat. And he is stupid, because he did not understand the meaning of life. Although at the end of his life, the scribbler thinks about how to live like everyone else, not hide in his hole, and as soon as he gathers the strength to swim out of the shelter, he begins to tremble again and again considers this idea stupid. “I’ll get out of the hole and swim like a gogol across the river!” But as soon as he thought about it, he was frightened again. And he began, trembling, to die. Lived - trembled, and died - trembled.

In order to more sarcastically show the life of a scribbler, there is hyperbole in the fairy tale: “He does not receive a salary and does not keep servants, he does not play cards, he does not drink wine, he does not smoke tobacco, he does not chase red girls. “. Grotesque: “And the wise scribbler of this kind lived for more than a hundred years. Everyone trembled, everyone trembled.” Irony: “Most likely, he died himself, because what sweetness is it for a pike to swallow an ailing, dying scribbler, and besides, a wise one? “

Talking animals predominate in ordinary folk tales. Since in the fairy tale of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin there is also a talking scribbler, his fairy tale is similar to a folk tale.

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In the fairy tale "The Wise Scribbler" it is said that a scribbler lived in the world, who was afraid of everything, but at the same time considered himself wise. Before his death, his father told him to behave carefully, and so he would remain alive. “Look, son,” said the old scribbler, dying, “if you want to live life, then look at both!” Piskar listened to him and began to think about his future life. He came up with a house for himself such that no one but him could climb into it, and began to think about how to behave the rest of the time.

With this fairy tale, the author tried to show the life of officials who did nothing in their lives, but only sat in their “burrow” and were afraid of someone who was higher in rank than they were. They were afraid of somehow harming themselves if they went beyond their “burrow”. That, perhaps, there is some kind of force that can suddenly deprive them of such a rank. That life without luxury is the same for them as death, but at the same time you need to stay in one place and everything will be fine.

Just in the image of a scribbler, this is visible. He appears in the tale throughout the story. If before the death of his father, the life of the scribbler was ordinary, then after his death he hid. He trembled every time someone swam or stopped near his hole. He did not finish his meal, afraid to get out again. And from the twilight that constantly reigned in his hole, the scribbler was half-blind.

Everyone considered the scribbler a fool, but he himself considered himself wise. The title of the tale "The Wise Scribbler" hides a clear irony. “Wise” means “very smart”, but in this tale the meaning of this word means something else - proud and stupid. Proud because he considers himself the smartest, since he found a way to secure his life from an external threat. And he is stupid, because he did not understand the meaning of life. Although at the end of his life, the scribbler thinks about how to live like everyone else, not hide in his hole, and as soon as he gathers the strength to swim out of the shelter, he begins to tremble again and again considers this idea stupid. “I’ll get out of the hole and swim like a gogol across the river!” But as soon as he thought about it, he was frightened again. And he began, trembling, to die. Lived - trembled, and died - trembled.

In order to more sarcastically show the life of a scribbler, there is hyperbole in the fairy tale: "He does not receive a salary and does not keep servants, he does not play cards, he does not drink wine, he does not smoke tobacco, he does not chase red girls ...". Grotesque: “And the wise scribbler of this kind lived for more than a hundred years. Everyone trembled, everyone trembled." Irony: “Most likely, he died himself, because what sweetness is it for a pike to swallow an ailing, dying scribbler, and besides, a wise one?”

Talking animals predominate in ordinary folk tales. Since in the fairy tale M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin also has a talking scribbler, then his tale is similar to a folk tale.

Consideration of the fairy tale by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin "The wise scribbler"

Great satirist wrote his works with the help of "Aesopian language". It is known that folk tales provide samples of public and most convincing allegories. It can be argued that the fairy tale is a school of the Aesopian language, created by the people themselves. Saltykov-Shchedrin, who knew Russian folklore well, took advantage of the techniques that were revealed to him in folk tale. Based on them, he himself created masterpieces in this genre of literature.

In his "Tales" the writer pursued not moralistic, but political and social goals. It is no coincidence that Saltykov-Shchedrin resorted to the form of fairy tales with particular willingness during the most difficult years of the reaction, which created especially unfavorable conditions for his literary activity. Tales gave the writer the opportunity to castigate reaction, despite the fear of liberal editors and despite the frenzy of censorship.

"Tales" in a peculiar economical form repeat the themes of almost all of the satirist's past work. In this regard, in my opinion, they are, as it were, a synopsis of everything written by Shchedrin. Therefore, fairy tales can be called the best introduction to the collected works of the great writer. Bear, eagle, wolf and other animals that are the main actors fairy tales by Saltykov-Shchedrin is a fairy tale interpretation of "mayors" and "pompadours".

The fairy tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin speak of the fate of the Russian people and their oppressors. Boiling pain, unquenchable hatred, the search for a way out led the satirist's pen. Pain sought an outlet in creativity, creativity was a reflection on ways to heal pain, each line written called against those who hurt. “The liveliness of pain,” the satirist wrote, “served as a source of living images, through which pain was transmitted to the consciousness of others.”

The revolutionary nature of the political and social meaning of the fairy tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin, in my opinion, is beyond doubt. It is expressed decisively, without omissions. The revolutionary sound of the writer's fairy-tale cycle is enhanced by a caustic mockery of timid feelings and civic cowardice. Fairy tales of the last category received the most wide popularity. Their characters became household names along with the characters folk tales. Such works of Saltykov-Shchedrin include his fairy tale "The Wise Piskar".

by the most negative characters the world of Shchedrin's fairy tales are animals who are fully versed in environment, but nevertheless did not acquire either the desire or the courage to fight. For example, a wise scribbler is a politically minded being: “He was an enlightened scribbler, moderately liberal, and he very firmly understood that living life is not like licking a whorl.” Yes, and “his father and mother were smart; Little by little, little by little, Ared's eyelids lived in the river, and they did not hit the ear or the pike in the haylo. And ordered the same for my son. “Look, son,” said the old scribbler, dying, “if you want to live life, then look at both!”

The political direction, which in advance refused not only from the struggle, but even from making any demands, gave rise to individuals who thought only of personal self-preservation. Such were the Russian liberals. They were more disgusting than a dog, licking the owner's hand, and a submissive hare. Their behavior was chosen consciously and justified theoretically. A wise scribbler is wise because he lives according to a carefully worked out plan. He subordinated everything to the “skin”, the concern for his self-preservation.

Piskar did not want to be responsible for others. The whole life of this wise hero went into trembling. His, so to speak, entertainment and joys of life boiled down to the fact that “at night exercise did, in moonlight bathed, and during the day he climbed into a hole and trembled. Only at noon will he run out to grab something - but what can you do at noon!

The whole life of the scribbler, so limited by himself, consisted only in the thought: “It seems that I am alive?” This thought was accompanied by the same trembling: "Ah, something will happen tomorrow." As the pikar lived, so he died: "He lived - he trembled, and he died - he trembled." That's the whole biography of this hero.

The ironic title of the tale is justified by the content. You involuntarily ask yourself: “What is the wisdom of this scribbler?” The moral of the tale is given by Saltykov-Shchedrin in the finale. Piskar disappeared, and no one will remember him with either a good or a bad word: “What happened here - whether the pike swallowed him, whether the crayfish was crushed by claws, or he himself died with his own death and surfaced - there were no witnesses to this case. Most likely, he died himself, because what sweetness is it to swallow an ailing, dying scribbler, and besides, a wise one?

Shchedrin's genius lies in the fact that in such a small form as a fairy tale, he embodied the philosophy of life (and, consequently, the people's) philosophy. Through allegories, the writer was able to display the harsh reality, imbued with bitter laughter. The reality that the people easily guessed, which we also guess after so many years.

The meaning of this story is extremely simple. Therefore, this minnow is so old that it did not fit into various alterations and stories. Life is boring, but long. To each his own lifestyle. It's like some say these days Live life fast and burn bright like a match or smolder slowly like a cigarette. The minnow lived all his life invisible, while his relatives lived to the fullest and died before him. As for me, the golden mean is better. That is, not so much to be quiet, but also not to get involved in extremely risky projects that can pretty much spoil your life or shorten its life altogether.

Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote a familiar fairy tale from childhood, and it clearly ridiculed completely inactive people who, apart from their own shells, did not want to know anything, and they were never interested in any social life processes.

And the wise one, of course, is so allegorical, because the gudgeon sat in his house, not communicating with anyone, not taking part anywhere, and sat in his personal space.

And at first it seemed to him that this was normal, until he grew old and realized that senseless years had been lived, and here the morality is such that in any case it is necessary to benefit society and have some kind of initiative.

The minnow, nicknamed the wise by Saltykov-Shchedrin, is a long-lived minnow. This guy didn't get involved in any business. Not in pike, not even in minnows. Parents at one time bequeathed to him the wisest thought: Let your hut always be only on the edge. And he, smoothly and imperceptibly leaving for the muddy and muddy bottom, did not even show the eyes of the river community.

The gudgeon, having sat motionless in his dugout for about a hundred years, really did not undergo any pike desires, or dangerous walks, or anything else.

But then, at the end of my old age, I realized how miserably I had lived.

The tale teaches that sitting in deep mud all your life is not at all a joy or benefit.



The wise minnow is not so much a fairy tale as an instructive parable. Her main character the minnow, although he was reputed to be wise, was in fact a fool a fool. All his life he did nothing but hide from those who are bigger and stronger than him. He didn’t even get married so that no one would notice him once again. And the minnow lived a long, but absolutely unremarkable life. It's time to die, and he only has memories of how he trembled and hid. And the gudgeon realized that he didn’t have a life, but an existence. That is precisely the moral that should be taken out of this story. It is better to live a short but eventful life, to burn out like a meteor, but to light the way for many thousands with your flame, than to lie on the couch all your life without leaving even a small trace. Human life is too unique a phenomenon to be wasted.

The meaning of the fairy tale The wise minnow is that if you want to live long life then rid yourself of all worries and dangers. You will live a long life, but not joyful, without love, without meaning. And in your old age you will remain lonely, because in your whole life you have not done anything for others.

If you want, you can live bright and happy life, but short, because you will expose yourself to dangers, you can get sick or die.

To each his

the hero of the fairy tale, the wise minnow, lived a completely insipid life. he was afraid of everything, hiding from everything. And when the time came to die, he realized that he had nothing to remember, except for his fear. It turns out that he lived in vain? It's hard to comprehend this.

A fairy tale teaches - do not shake all your life! It is better to live a shorter one, but bright life igniting others with their lust for life.

This tale made sense at the time revolutionary movement in Russia, which began long before Lenin, and she ridiculed ordinary inhabitants who lived ordinary life and refused to fight against the oppression of the state. M. Gorky said about the same thing in the Song of the Petrel: A stupid penguin timidly hides a fat body in the rocks. Times are different now, and the wise minnow even has a lot to learn. As it says about him: he does not smoke tobacco, does not drink wine, does not play cards. Is it bad?:)