By creating the ironic, grotesque “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 built on the image of a certain hierarchy: ordinary people who will not resist the instructions of often stupid rulers, and the tyrant rulers themselves. In the face common people In this story, the inhabitants of the city of Foolov are speaking, and their oppressors are the mayors. Saltykov-Shchedrin ironically notes that these people need a boss, one who will give them instructions and keep a tight rein, otherwise the whole people will fall into anarchy.
History of creation
The concept and idea of the novel “The History of a City” was formed gradually. In 1867, the writer wrote a fairytale-fantastic work, “The Story of the Governor with a Stuffed Head,” which later formed the basis for the chapter “The Organ.” In 1868, Saltykov-Shchedrin began working on “The History of a City” and completed it in 1870. Initially, the author wanted to give the work the title “Foolish Chronicler.” The novel was published in the then popular magazine Otechestvennye zapiski.
The plot of the work
(Illustrations creative team Soviet graphic artists "Kukryniksy")
The narration 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 Roots of the Origin of the Foolovites,” which gives the history of this people. It tells in particular about a tribe of bunglers, who, after defeating the neighboring tribes of bow-eaters, bush-eaters, walrus-eaters, cross-bellied people and others, decided to find a ruler for themselves, because they wanted to restore order in the tribe. Only one prince decided to rule, and even he sent an innovative thief in his place. When he was stealing, the prince sent him a noose, but the thief was able to somehow get out of it and stabbed himself with a cucumber. As you can see, irony and grotesque coexist perfectly in the work.
After several unsuccessful candidates for the role of deputies, the prince came to the city in person. Having become the first ruler, he started the countdown of the city’s “historical time”. It is said that twenty-two rulers with their achievements 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 implementing the writer’s idea through the grotesque to show the absurdity of their rule. Traits are visible in many types historical figures. For greater recognition, Saltykov-Shchedrin not only described the style of their rule, comically distorted their surnames, but also gave apt characteristics pointing to the historical prototype. Some personalities of mayors are images collected from characteristic features different persons history of the Russian state.
Thus, the third ruler, Ivan Matveevich Velikanov, famous for drowning the director of economic affairs and introducing taxes of 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 refers to the bell tower in Moscow. The ruler found his death in the spirit of the same grotesque image that fills the novel - the foreman was broken in half during a storm.
The personality of Peter III in the image of Guard Sergeant Bogdan Bogdanovich Pfeiffer is indicated by the characteristic given to him - “a Holstein native”, the style of government of the mayor and his outcome - removed from the post of ruler “for ignorance”.
Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty was nicknamed “Organchik” for the presence of a mechanism in his head. He kept the city in fear because he was gloomy and withdrawn. When trying to take the mayor's head to the capital's craftsmen for repairs, it was thrown out of the carriage by a frightened coachman. After Organchik's reign, chaos reigned in the city for 7 days.
A short period of prosperity for the townspeople is associated with the name of the ninth mayor, Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov. A civilian advisor and innovator, he took up appearance city, started honey and brewing. 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 rule of Peter I. His “glorious deeds” also indicate the connection of the character with a historical figure - he destroyed Streletskaya and Dung settlements, and difficult relationship with the eradication of the ignorance of the people - he fought four wars for education in Foolov and three against it. He resolutely prepared the city for burning, but suddenly died.
By origin former peasant Onufriy Ivanovich Negodyaev, who stoked furnaces before serving as mayor, destroyed the streets paved by the former ruler and erected monuments on these resources. The image is copied from Paul I, as evidenced by the circumstances of his dismissal: he was dismissed for disagreeing with the triumvirate regarding the constitutions.
Under State Councilor Erast Andreevich Grustilov, Foolov's elite was busy with balls and nightly 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.
The scoundrel, idiot and “Satan” Gloomy-Burcheev 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. When attempting to implement such a grandiose project, the “end of the world” occurred: the sun went dark, 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, aims to reach human soul. He wants to convince the reader that human institutions must be based on Christian principles. 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 boundaries of artistic satire. Each image in the novel has pronounced grotesque features, but is at the same time recognizable. Which gave rise to a flurry of criticism against the author. He was accused of “slander” against the people and rulers.
Indeed, the story of Foolov is largely copied from Nestor’s chronicle, which tells about the time of the beginning of Rus' - “The Tale of Bygone Years.” The author deliberately emphasized this parallel so that it would become obvious who he means by the Foolovites, and that all these mayors are by no means a flight of fancy, but real Russian rulers. At the same time, the author makes it clear that he is not describing the entire human race, but specifically Russia, reinterpreting its history in his own satirical way.
However, the purpose of creating the work Saltykov-Shchedrin did not make fun of Russia. The writer’s task was to encourage society to critically rethink its history in order to eradicate existing vices. The grotesque plays a huge role in creating artistic image in the works 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 a “great scoffer” among such predecessors as Griboyedov and Gogol. Reading the ironic grotesque, the reader wanted to laugh, but there was something sinister in this laughter - the audience “felt like a scourge lashing itself.”
The name of the city, the “history” of which is offered to the reader, is Foolov. There is no such city on the map of Russia and there never was one, but still it was... And it was everywhere. Or maybe he never disappeared anywhere, despite the phrase with which the author-chronicler ends his story: “History has stopped flowing”? Can this really happen? And isn’t this Aesop’s sly smile?..
In Russian literature, Shchedrin’s “chronicle” was immediately preceded by Pushkin’s “History of the Village of Goryukhin”. “If God sends me readers, then perhaps they will be curious to know how I decided to write the History of the Village of Goryukhin” - this is how Pushkin’s narrative begins. And here is the beginning of the text “From the publisher”, who allegedly found in the “Foolov city archive” “a voluminous bunch of notebooks bearing the general name “Foolish Chronicler””: “For a long time I had the intention of writing the history of some city (or region) ... but different circumstances hindered this enterprise."
But the Chronicler was found. The material collected since ancient times is at the disposal of the “publisher”. In his address to the reader, he determines the content of the “History”. Read the text “From the Publisher” in full, so that you are convinced that every word there is special, casts its own brilliance and merges in a general sparkle with others, one fantastically real (grotesque) image, as soon as it appears on the page, is crowded out by the next, and the best, what you can do is become a reader of the chronicle of Foolov, this strangely familiar city to all of us.
The structure itself readable work Shchedrin is not easy. Behind the chapter " From the publisher"follows" Address to the reader"- a text written directly from the perspective of the “archivist-chronicler” and stylized in the language of the 18th century.
“Author” - “humble Pavlushka, son of Masloboynikov,” the fourth archivist. Note that of the three other archivists, two are Tryapichkins (the surname is taken from Gogol’s “The Inspector General”: this is what Khlestakov calls his friend, “who writes little articles”).
"About the roots of the origin of the Foolovites"
“On the Roots of the Origin of the Foolovites,” the chapter that opens The Chronicler, begins with a fictitious quote imitating the text of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.” Historians N.I. Kostomarov (1817-1885) and S.M. Solovyov (1820-1879) are mentioned here because they held directly opposite views on the history of Rus' and Russia: according to Kostomarov, the main thing in it was spontaneous popular activity (“ gray wolf scoured the earth"), and according to Solovyov, Russian history was created only thanks to the actions of princes and tsars ("he spread like a crazy eagle under the clouds").
Both points of view were alien to the writer himself. He believed that Russian statehood could only be created through an organized and conscious popular movement.
"Inventory for mayors"
“Inventory of mayors” contains explanations for further chapters and a short list of mayors, the narratives of whose reign are developed further. One should not think that each mayor is a satirical image of one specific “autocrat”. These are always generalized images, just like most text of “The History of a City,” but there are clear correspondences. Negodyaev - Pavel I, Alexander I - Grustilov; Speransky and Arakcheev, close associates of Alexander I, were reflected in the characters Benevolensky and Gloomy-Burcheev.
"Organchik"
“The Organ” is the central and most famous chapter of the book. This is the nickname of the mayor Brudasty, who summarizes the most sinister features of despotism. The word “brute” has long referred exclusively to dogs: “brutty” - having a beard and mustache on the face and usually especially vicious (usually about a greyhound dog). He was called an organ because it was found in his head musical instrument, a mechanism that produces only one phrase: “I will not tolerate it!” The Foolovites also call Brudasty a scoundrel, but Shchedrin assures that they do not attach any specific meaning to this word. This means that the word has one - this is how the writer draws your attention to this word and asks you to figure it out. Let's figure it out.
The word “scoundrel” appeared in the Russian language under Peter I from “profost” - a regimental executor (executioner) in the German army; in Russian it was used until the 60s of the 19th century in the same meaning, after which it was a warden of military prisons. “London agitators” in the journalism of the 60s of the 19th century were called A.I. Herzen and N.P. Ogarev - Russian revolutionary publicists who published the newspaper "Bell" in London. Charles the Simple - a character similar to Organchik in medieval history - a real-life French king, deposed as a result of his unsuccessful wars. Farmazons are freemasons, freemasons, members of the society of “freemasons”, very influential in Europe since the Middle Ages.
"The Tale of the Six City Leaders"
“The Tale of the Six City Leaders” is a wonderfully written, hilariously funny, brilliant satire on the empresses of the 18th century and their temporary favorites.
The surname Paleologova is an allusion to the wife of Ivan III, the daughter of the last Byzantine emperor of the Paleolog dynasty, Sophia. It was this marriage that gave the Russian rulers the basis to make Russia an empire and dream of annexing Byzantium.
The name Clementine de Bourbon is a hint that the French government helped Elizabeth Petrovna ascend to the Russian throne. The mention of the unpronounceable fictitious names of Polish cardinals here is probably an allusion to the Time of Troubles and Polish intrigue in Russian history.
"News about Dvoekurov"
“The News of Dvoekurov” contains hints about the reign of Alexander I and the peculiarities of his personality (duality, contradictory intentions and their implementation, indecision to the point of cowardice). Shchedrin emphasizes that the Foolovites owe it to him to consume mustard and bay leaves. Dvoekurov is the ancestor of the “innovators” who fought wars “in the name of potatoes.” An allusion to Nicholas I, the son of Alexander I, who introduced potatoes into Rus' during the famine of 1839-1840, which caused “potato riots”, which were brutally suppressed by military force until the most powerful peasant uprising in 1842.
"Hungry City"
"Hungry City" Mayor Ferdyshchenko rules Foolov in this and the next two chapters. After listening to the priest’s teaching about Ahab and Jezebel, Ferdyshchenko promises the people bread, and he himself calls troops to the city. Perhaps this is an allusion to the “liberation” of the peasants in 1861, carried out in such a way that it caused discontent among both landowners and peasants who resisted the reform.
"Straw City"
"Straw City" The war between the “streltsy” and the “gunners” is described. It is known that in May 1862 the famous St. Petersburg fires occurred in Apraksin Dvor. They blamed them on students and nihilists, but perhaps the fires were a provocation. Chapter - more broad generalization. It also contains hints of the flood of 1824 in St. Petersburg.
"Fantastic Traveler"
"Fantastic Traveler" Ferdyshchenko sets off on a journey. It was the custom of Russian autocrats to travel from time to time around the country, during which local authorities they strenuously portrayed the devotion of the people to the rulers, and the kings bestowed favors on the people, often very insignificant. Thus, it is known that by order of Arakcheev, during Alexander I’s tour of military settlements, the same roast goose was carried from hut to hut.
"Wars for Enlightenment"
“Wars for Enlightenment” - describes the “longest and most brilliant” reign, judging by many signs, of Nicholas I. Vasilisk Semyonovich Wartkin is a collective image, like everyone else, but some features of the era clearly hint primarily at this monarch. Historian K.I. Arsenyev is the mentor of Nicholas I, who traveled with him across Russia.
The trips to Streletskaya Sloboda again take us back to the 18th century, but generalize the periods of the next century - the struggle of monarchs against the Freemasons, the “noble front” and the Decembrists. There is also a hint, it seems, of Pushkin (the poet Fedka, who “insulted the venerable mother of the Basilisk with verses”). It is known that after Pushkin’s return from exile in 1826, Nicholas I told him in a personal conversation: “You’ve fooled around enough, I hope you’ll be reasonable now, and we won’t quarrel anymore. You will send me everything you write, and from now on I myself will be your censor.”
The march to the settlement of Navoznaya implies the colonial wars of the Russian tsars. Talking about the economic crisis in Foolov, Shchedrin names the economists of the magazine “Russian Messenger” - Molinari and Bezobrazov, who passed off any situation as prosperity. Finally, campaigns “against enlightenment” and to “destroy the free spirit”, dating back to the year of the revolution in France (1790), point to French Revolution 1848 and the revolutionary events that broke out in European countries- Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary. Nicholas I sends troops into Wallachia, Moldova, and Hungary.
"The era of dismissal from wars"
The chapter “The era of dismissal from wars” is devoted mainly to the reign of Negodyaev (Paul I), “replaced” in 1802, according to the “Inventory”, for disagreement with Czartoryski, Stroganov and Novosiltsev. These nobles were close advisers to Alexander, the son of the murdered emperor. It was they who advocated the introduction of constitutional principles in Russia, but what kind of principles they were! “The Age of Retirement from Wars” presents these “beginnings” in their true form.
Negodyaev is replaced by Mikaladze. The surname is Georgian, and there is reason to think that this refers to Emperor Alexander I, under whom Georgia (1801), Mingrelia (1803) and Imereti (1810) were annexed to Russia, and the fact that he is a descendant of the “voluptuous Queen Tamara” - an allusion to his mother Catherine II. Mayor Benevolensky - the arbiter of the destinies of Russia, who had enormous influence on Alexander I - M.M. Speransky. Lycurgus and Dragon (Dragon) - ancient Greek legislators; the expressions “draconian rules”, “draconian measures” became popular. Speransky was involved by the tsar in drawing up laws.
"Supporting documents"
The last part of the book - “Exculpatory Documents” - contains a parody of the laws compiled by Speransky. Benevolensky ended his career in the same way as Speransky; he was suspected of treason and exiled. The power of Pimple comes - the mayor with a stuffed head. This is a generalizing image, and it is not for nothing that Shchedrin compares the well-being of the Foolovites under Pimple with the life of the Russians under the legendary Prince Oleg: this is how the satirist emphasizes the fictitious, unprecedented nature of the described prosperity.
"Worship of Mammon and Repentance"
We are now talking about ordinary people - about the Foolovites themselves. The exceptionality of their endurance and vitality is pointed out, because they continue to exist under the mayors listed in the Chronicler. The series of the latter continues: Ivanov (again Alexander I, we are even talking about two options for his death: compare the legend about Alexander I’s voluntary renunciation of power, his staging of his death in Taganrog and his secret departure to monasticism), then - Angel Dorofeich Du-Chario (Angel is the nickname of the same monarch in the circles of his near and dear ones, Dorofeich - from Dorofey - gift of God (Greek), followed by Erast Sarutilov (again Tsar Alexander I). Alexander's beloved and their influence on his reign are listed under various allegorical names. Appearance generalized image Pfeifferschi (prototypes - Baroness V.Yu. von Krugener and E.F. Tatarinova) marks the beginning of the second half of the reign of Alexander I and the immersion of the “tops” and society into dark mysticism and social obscurantism. Indulging in repentance in the company of mystical-spiritual high society ladies, the real king disappears into nowhere.
“Confirmation of repentance. Conclusion"
All this mystical rabble and nonsense is dispersed by the newly emerged once offended officer (Gloomy-Burcheev - Arakcheev (1769-1834), a “gloomy idiot”, “a monkey in a uniform”, who fell out of favor under Paul I and was again called upon by Alexander I). The first part of the chapter is devoted to his struggle to implement the crazy idea of military settlements to support the army in peacetime, the second to criticism of Russian liberalism. Arakcheev, who blossomed during the years of the “liberation” of peasants from serfdom, outraged Shchedrin with his unprincipledness, idealism and inconsistent caution, empty talk and lack of understanding of the realities of Russian life. The list of martyrs of the liberal idea given in last chapter books, and their deeds also include the Decembrists, whose activities Shchedrin could not help but treat ironically, knowing Russia and understanding how fantastic the hopes of the Decembrists were to overthrow the autocracy with the help of their secret societies and the uprising on Senate Square. The last in the series of mayors described in the “Chronicle” is named Archangel Stratilatovich Intercept-Zalikhvatsky - an image that again takes us back to Nicholas I. “He claimed that he was the father of his mother. He again banished mustard, bay leaves and Provençal oil from use...” Thus, the history of the city of Foolov in The Chronicler returns to normal. Everything in it is ready for the new cycle. This hint is especially clear in the Archangel’s statement that he is the father of his mother. The phantasmagoric grotesque is clearly readable.
Concluding the story about the great book by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, we only note that when reading it, you need to keep in mind Turgenev’s statement about the author: “He knew Russia better than all of us.”
Source (abbreviated): Michalskaya, A.K. Literature: Basic level: 10th grade. At 2 p.m. Part 1: study. allowance / A.K. Mikhalskaya, O.N. Zaitseva. - M.: Bustard, 2018
“The History of a City” can rightfully be considered the pinnacle of Saltykov-Shchedrin’s work. It was this work that brought him fame as a satirical writer, strengthening it for a long time. I believe that “The Story of a City” is one of the most unusual books dedicated to history Russian state. The originality of “The Story of a City” lies in the 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 “by kings,” which Saltykov-Shchedrin took advantage of.
The author presents a historical chronicle of an allegedly real city, but we understand that the entire 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 previous political ideals, Saltykov-Shchedrin decides to write “The History of a City.”
So caustic satire on the political system Russia has never seen before. Feeling the injustice of the attitude towards ordinary people, the author set out to show all the shortcomings of the Russian political system. He succeeded quite well. Saltykov-Shchedrin’s satire touches on several aspects, the main of which can be considered the country’s political system. 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 to us now as a capital, now as a provincial town, now as a village. In its description there are constantly contradictions: either it is built on a swamp, or like the “great city of Rome” - on seven hills, and then the citizens of this “great city” graze cattle in their pasture. Such contradictions, oddly enough, not only do not confuse, but help to build complete picture. The city becomes the embodiment of the paradox that is so characteristic of Russian people. Confusion of time (in the case when, for example, a historian recording chronicles in the 18th - early XIX centuries, mentions events that took place much later) also plays a role in the appearance of Foolov. It’s as if the author sees his country as an apartment in which it’s 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 capable of changing the life of the city of Foolov in better side. An organ in the head, or minced meat instead of brains - very eloquent images of thoughtless kings. But Foolov’s people don’t inspire sympathy either. The Foolovites watch a series of changing tyrants, while remaining almost completely passive. Nothing can force them to change themselves. Only the forms of submission change. One gets the impression that the Foolovites themselves are not worthy of a noble and sensible ruler.
The stupid, but in principle quite harmless rulers are being replaced by the cruel dictator and tyrant Gloomy-Burcheev, 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 the death of Gloomy-Burcheev is encouraging, although even here it is not without a certain amount of regret. Yes, the despot dies, buried by a tornado, a raging element of popular anger, not a conscious protest, but an impulse 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 clearly show the vices of the political and social sphere in the life of his country.
- The talented Russian satirist of the 19th century M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin devoted his life to writing works in which he denounced autocracy and serfdom in Russia. He, like no one else, knew the structure of the “state machine” and studied the psychology of bosses of all ranks and the Russian bureaucracy. In order to show the vices of public administration in all its fullness and depth, the writer used the grotesque technique, which he considered the most effective means display of reality. A grotesque image always comes out [...]
- “The Story of a City” is the greatest satirical novel. This is a merciless denunciation of the entire management system of tsarist Russia. Completed in 1870, “The History of a City” shows that the people in post-reform times remained as powerless as the officials - tyrants of the 70s. differed from pre-reform ones only in that they robbed using more modern, capitalist methods. The city of Foolov is the personification of autocratic Russia, the Russian people. Its rulers embody specific traits [...]
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- “The History of a City” exposes the imperfections of the social and political life of Russia. Unfortunately, Russia has rarely been blessed with good rulers. You can prove this by opening any history textbook. Saltykov-Shchedrin, sincerely worried about the fate of his homeland, could not stay away from this problem. The work “The History of a City” became a unique solution. The central issue in this book is the power and political imperfection of the country, or rather one city of Foolov. Everything – and the story of it [...]
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- The work of M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin occupies a special place in Russian XIX literature V. All his works are imbued with love for the people and the desire to make life better. However, his satire is often caustic and evil, but always truthful and fair. M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin depicts many types of gentlemen in his fairy tales. These are officials, merchants, nobles, and generals. In the fairy tale “The Tale of How One Man Fed Two Generals,” the author shows two generals as helpless, stupid and arrogant. “They served […]
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- It would be unfair to limit the entire problematic of Saltykov-Shchedrin’s tales to a description of the confrontation between peasants and landowners and the inactivity of the intelligentsia. While in public service, the author had the opportunity to become better acquainted with the so-called masters of life, whose images found their place in his fairy tales. Examples of these are “Poor Wolf”, “The Tale of the Toothy Pike”, etc. There are two sides in them - those who are oppressed and oppressed, and those who oppress and oppress. We are accustomed to certain […]
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- Saltykov-Shchedrin's fairy tales are distinguished not only by caustic satire and genuine tragedy, but also by their original construction of plot and images. The author approached writing “Fairy Tales” already in adulthood, when a lot had been comprehended, gone through and thought out in detail. The appeal to the fairy tale genre itself is also not accidental. A fairy tale is distinguished by its allegory and capacity of expression. The volume of a folk tale is also not very large, which allows you to focus on one specific problem and show it as if through a magnifying glass. It seems to me that for satire [...]
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" - a satirical novel by writer M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin. It was written in 1870.
Meaning of the name. The title is an indication of the absurdist essence of the novel. This is something historical essay, parodying, in particular, “The History of the Russian State.” However, the “state” in the novel has shrunk to the size of a small city.
Events take place in it that satirically reflect real events Russian history (mainly the period of the 18th - 19th centuries). The novel is built in the form of a historical chronicle - it is the content of a fictional chronicle that the narrator allegedly finds.
Content. “The History of a City” tells the story of the city of Foolov. The “chronicle” tells about the origin of the Foolovites, about the most prominent rulers of the city, and mentions the most important historical events. Here are some descriptions of the rulers: Dementy Brudasty is a mechanical humanoid robot with an “organ” in its head instead of a brain, which each time issues one of several programmed phrases.
After the residents found out who their ruler really was, Brudasty was overthrown. Six female rulers who sought to seize power by all means, including actively bribing soldiers. Pyotr Ferdyshchenko is an unreasonable, frivolous reformer who led his city to mass famine; he himself died from gluttony.
Basilisk Wartkin - reformer-educator, reminiscent of Peter I; at the same time, with wild cruelty he destroyed many villages, thereby obtaining only a few rubles for the treasury. He ruled the city for the longest time. Gloomy-Burcheev - a parody of Arakcheev, statesman the times of Paul and Alexander I.
Gloomy-Burcheev is perhaps one of central characters"Stories". This is a despot and tyrant who intends to build an ideal state machine in his city. This led to the creation of a totalitarian system that brought nothing but disasters to the city. In this part of the novel, Saltykov-Shchedrin was one of the heralds of a new literary genre- dystopias. The death of Gloomy-Burcheev makes people breathe a sigh of relief and gives hope for some changes for the better.
Composition. The novel is built from several large fragments, as befits a “chronicle”. However, this does not violate the integrity of the work. Here's the outline of the story:
1. Introduction to the history of the inhabitants of Foolov;
2. Description of the 22 rulers of the city;
3. Ruler Brusty with an organ in his head;
4. Struggle for power;
5. Board of Dvoekurov;
6. A period of calm and the onset of famine;
7. Reign of Basilisk Wartkin;
8. Changes in the lifestyle of city residents;
9. Depravity of the inhabitants;
10. Ugryum-Burcheev’s rise to power;
11. Wartkin’s discussion of obligations;
12. Mikaladze talks about the appearance of the ruler;
13. Benevolsky’s reasoning about kindness.
Issues. The novel by Saltykov-Shchedrin was created with the aim of describing the eternal disorders of the Russian state and society. Despite the satire and grotesquery, it becomes clear that the writer only highlighted and exaggerated those trends that really took place in Russian history. Even the order of events and the reigns of mayors largely corresponds to Russian historical chronology. Sometimes the correspondence of heroes to their real prototypes reaches photographic accuracy; such is Ugryum-Burcheev, the description of whose appearance is completely copied from the figure of Arakcheev, which can be observed by looking at famous portrait this figure. It should be noted, however, that Russian history Saltykov-Shchedrin illuminated it one-sidedly. After all, Peter’s reforms were generally reasonable and adequate, and the era of Elizabeth Petrovna and Catherine was marked by some cultural and economic upsurge. Even Arakcheev, whom Saltykov-Shchedrin apparently hated so fiercely, is assessed largely positively by contemporaries and historians: for example, he never took bribes or abused his position for personal gain, and his fierce persecution of corruption and embezzlement turned out to be effective. However, the satirical pathos of the novel has its own meaning.
Idea. The idea of the novel is that stupidity in the city of the same name is permanent and eternal, and no new “reformer” is able to get rid of it; the new mayor turns out to be no less reckless than the previous ones. This happened in real story Russia: smart, intelligent figures did not stay in power for long, and their sound reforms were nullified by subsequent rulers, which is why the country returned to its previous disorder, poverty and savagery. Stupidity is the only source of all the troubles of the city, and certainly not the desire for wealth, acquisitiveness and the thirst for power. Each ruler of Foolov had his own unique form of stupidity, so the nature of the people's disasters was constantly changing. In addition to mayors, ordinary people also live in the city. Their description in the novel is unsightly: they all form a submissive herd that does not want to change, no matter how reasonable the initiatives of some rulers, and does not resist the wild and reckless behavior of the authorities. Time has no effect on ordinary Foolovites. Only a good shake-up, such as the reign of Ugryum-Burcheev, can at least a little awaken the self-awareness of the population. The ending of the work is in a sense prophetic. The power of Ugryum-Burcheev fell as a result of the revolution, and he himself suffered reprisals; however, there is no certainty that the new ruler elected by the people will be reasonable and respectable. As we know, half a century after the novel was written, this happened in reality.
Gender and genre. “The History of a City” is a novel classified as “literature of the absurd.” In it, the realistic beginning gives way to the grotesque, exaggeration, and fantasy. At the same time, they are actively used folklore elements: Thus, individual episodes (like the story about the origin of the Foolovites) are like fairy tales. At the same time, the author strives to give his narrative the most realistic image possible.
The chronicle structure comes into play - the novel gives the exact dates of all events, the years of life of the mayors, the history of Foolov is correlated with history real Russia and peace; the narrator quotes famous writers. The reader unwittingly begins to believe what is written. It is noteworthy that Saltykov-Shchedrin’s “historical” work is addressed to his contemporary reader. By this he wants to say that well-known problems in society arose a long time ago and have not disappeared over time.
Saltykov-Shchedrin’s satirical novel “The History of a City” is one of the most striking works of Russian literature of the 19th century. The grotesque depiction of the political system in Russia, a parody of the hierarchy that reigns in the state, caused a mixed reaction in society. “The History of a City” requires a deep and detailed analysis, since this work may seem like light reading only at first glance. It will be especially useful when preparing for a literature lesson in 8th grade and writing essays on a given topic.
Brief Analysis
Year of writing-1870
History of creation– The writer had long been nurturing the idea of writing a novel about autocracy. Work on the work was carried out intermittently, since Saltykov-Shchedrin simultaneously wrote several books at once.
Subject- Exposing the vices of the social and political sphere in the life of Russia, as well as revealing the peculiarities of the relationship between the people and the authorities under the autocracy.
Composition– The novel consists of 16 chapters. The peculiarity is that they were all allegedly written by different authors, and only the first and last were written by the publisher himself. According to the writer’s version, “The History of a City” is just a publication of the notebook of the “Foolish Chronicler”, accidentally found in the city archive.
Genre- Novel.
Direction- Realism.
History of creation
Saltykov-Shchedrin nurtured the idea of the novel for quite a long time. The image of the fictional city of Foolov as the embodiment of the autocratic-landlord system in Russia first appeared in the writer’s essays in the early 60s, when in the vast Russian Empire The liberation struggle of the common people was experiencing its rise.
In 1867, the writer published his fantastic “The Story of the Governor with a Stuffed Head,” which later formed the basis for the chapter “The Organ.” A year later, Mikhail Evgrafovich began work on a full-scale novel, which he completed in 1870. When writing the book “The History of a City,” the writer suspended work for some time for the sake of fairy tales and some other works.
Initially, the novel had a different title - “The Foolov Chronicler”, but then the author changed it to “The History of the Old City”. The literary work was published in parts in the journal Otechestvennye zapiski, in which Saltykov-Shchedrin was the editor-in-chief. In the same 1870, the full version of the book was published.
After the publication of the novel, a wave of indignant criticism hit the writer. Saltykov-Shchedrin was accused of distorting Russian history and insulting the entire Russian people, and interest in his work noticeably declined. The reflection of the realities of life of the Russian people and long-standing problems in society, the practically undisguised criticism of the autocracy was frankly frightening, and not everyone was ready to accept the truth in its true light.
Subject
“The History of a City” is an innovative work that goes far beyond the scope of artistic satire. Saltykov-Shchedrin, as true patriot his country, could not remain an indifferent observer of what was happening in Russia.
In his novel he touched upon a rather acute topic- exposing the imperfections of the political structure of the Russian state, in which the oppressed people humbly accept their slave position and consider this the only correct and possible one.
Using the example of the fictional city of Gupov, Saltykov-Shchedrin wanted to show that the Russian people simply cannot exist without a tough and, at times, outright cruel ruler. Otherwise, he immediately finds himself in the grip of anarchy.
TO issues In the novel, the author also attributes a distortion of the essence of history, which is extremely beneficial for the state to present as the history of individual power, but not as the history of compatriots. In "The Story of a City" main characters- mayors, and in each of them recognizable features of historical figures are visible. In some cases, mayors are collective images of statesmen who at one time occupied high positions.
Main idea The work lies in the fact that the unconscious worship of the people of autocratic power and the reluctance to take responsibility for what is happening in the country are an indestructible barrier to the well-being of the state.
The meaning of “The History of a City” is not a mockery of Russia, but the author’s desire to open society’s eyes to what is happening in the country and encourage the decisive eradication of vices in society.
Composition
The novel "The History of a City" consists of 16 chapters, and they are all written by different authors. After the first publication, the author carried out a thorough analysis of the work, during which its composition was changed. So, Mikhail Evgrafovich swapped some chapters, and also added an appendix “Letter to the Editor”, in which he responded to criticism addressed to him.
The novel begins with the words of Saltykov-Shchedin himself, who supposedly accidentally came across a historical chronicle about the fictional city of Foolov and its inhabitants.
After a short introduction, a story begins from the perspective of a fictional chronicler about the origin of the Foolovites. The reader gets acquainted with the history of the emergence of the state system in Foolov. Tribal feuds, the search for a ruler, and the further enslavement of citizens occupy a whole century in the novel.
In the “Inventory to mayors” it is presented brief description 22 mayors who different times had power over all the Foolovites.
The following chapters describe the most prominent mayors - the rulers of Foolov: Velikanov, Baklan, Brudasty, Dvoekurov, Negodyaev, Grustilov and others.
At the end of the novel, “Exculpatory Documents” are published, which, in essence, represent an edification to other mayors.
Main characters
Genre
"The Story of a City" is satirical novel . Mikhail Evgrafovich has always been a faithful follower of this genre, and many of his works are written in the spirit of caustic satire. Grotesque, irony, humor - the novel is replete with these artistic techniques.
However, “The History of a City” is a very ambiguous work: it is written in the form of a chronicle, but all the characters seem fantastic, and the events that take place are more reminiscent of a delusional dream than reality.
However, the fantasy in the work is very truthful and realistic; only the outer shell of the images and events is unreal. That is why the novel “The History of a City” is related to realism in its direction.
Work test
Rating analysis
Average rating: 4.2. Total ratings received: 664.
