Composition analysis of the novel, the history of one city saltykov-shchedrin. M.E
For a while, leaving work on the cycle "Pompadours and Pompadours", Saltykov fired up the idea of creating a novel "The History of a City", thematically related to "Pompadours and Pompadours".
The sixties of the last century, difficult for Russia, turned out to be the most fruitful and important for M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin. For ten years (from 1858 to 1868), excluding two and a half years (1862-1864), Saltykov served as vice-governor in Tver and Ryazan, chairman of the treasury chamber in Penza, Tula and Ryazan. Public service did not prevent the writer from seeing the truth and serving it all the years. Saltykov was a just, honest, incorruptible, demanding, principled man, he fought against abuses by officials and landowners, and therefore he did not have a relationship with "high society". In addition, the bitter "experience" of the Vyatka exile, during which the young Saltykov fought against bribery and abuse of power, became a school of life.
In 1868, Saltykov left the civil service, disillusioned with its appointment and realizing his inability to change anything in the life of the people. The accumulated impressions were reflected in a bright, unusual and bold work, which sharply differs from a number of works of Russian writers created during those years, and even Saltykov-Shchedrin himself.
"The history of one city" caused a lot of interpretations and indignation, which forced Saltykov to respond to an article by the famous publicist A. Suvorin. The author of the critical article "Historical satire", which appeared in the April 1871 issue of the "Vestnik Evropy" magazine, accused the writer of mocking the Russian people and distorting the facts of Russian history, without penetrating into the depth of the idea and the essence of the artistic originality of the work. I. S. Turgenev called the book wonderful and believed that it reflected "the satirical history of Russian society in the second half of the last and the beginning of the present century." ….
"Provincial life is a great school, but the school is dirty," the writer wrote to his brother in December 1852. It was in the northern city that Saltykov defended the peasants, and later, characterizing the essence of the state system of autocracy, argued that "in the provinces there is no action, but the arbitrariness of the police power, completely convinced that it does not exist for the people, but the people for it."
Creating an ironic grotesque "The History of a City" Saltykov-Shchedrin hoped to evoke in the reader not laughter, but a "bitter feeling" of shame. The idea of the work is based on the image of a certain hierarchy: a simple people who will not resist the instructions of often stupid rulers, and the tyrant rulers themselves. In the person of the common people in this story are the inhabitants of the city of Foolov, and their oppressors are the mayors. Saltykov-Shchedrin notes with irony that these people need a leader, the one who will give them instructions and keep them in the "iron grip", otherwise the whole people will fall into anarchy.
History of creation
The idea and idea of the novel "The Story of a City" was formed gradually. In 1867, the writer wrote a fabulous story "The Story of the Governor with a Stuffed Head", which later formed the basis for the chapter "Organchik". In 1868 Saltykov-Shchedrin began working on "The History of a City", finished in 1870. Initially, the author wanted to name the work "The Fool's Chronicler". The novel was published in the then popular journal Otechestvennye zapiski.
The plot of the work
(Illustrations by the creative team of Soviet graphic artists "Kukryniksy")
The story is told on behalf of the chronicler. He talks about the inhabitants of the city who were so stupid that their city was given the name "Fools". The novel begins with the chapter “On the Root of the Foolovites”, which gives the history of this people. It tells, in particular, about a tribe of blockheads, who, after defeating the neighboring tribes of onion-eaters, gush-eaters, walrus-eaters, kosobrykhikh and others, decided to find a ruler for themselves, because they wanted to bring order to the tribe. Only one prince decided to rule, and even he sent a novotor thief instead of himself. When he steal, the prince sent him a noose, but the thief was able to somehow get out and stabbed himself with a cucumber. As you can see, irony and grotesque get along well in the work.
After several unsuccessful candidates for the role of deputies, the prince appeared in the city in person. Becoming the first ruler, he laid the countdown of the "historical time" of the city. It is said that twenty-two rulers, with their accomplishments, ruled the city, but the Inventory lists twenty-one. Apparently, the missing one is the founder of the city.
main characters
Each of the mayors fulfills his task in the implementation of the writer's idea through the grotesque to show the absurdity of their rule. In many types, traits of historical figures are visible. For greater recognition, Saltykov-Shchedrin not only described the style of their government, ridiculously distorted the names, but also gave apt characteristics that indicate a historical prototype. Some of the personalities of mayors are images collected from the characteristic features of different faces of the history of the Russian state.
So, the third ruler, Ivan Matveyevich Velikanov, famous for drowning the director for economic issues and imposing taxes at three kopecks per person, was exiled to prison for an affair with Avdotya Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter I.
Brigadier Ivan Matveyevich Baklan, the sixth mayor, was tall and proud to be a follower of the line of Ivan the Terrible. The reader understands that this means the bell tower in Moscow. The ruler found death in the spirit of the same grotesque image with which the novel is filled - the brigadier was broken in half during a storm.
The personality of Peter III in the image of the sergeant of the guard Bogdan Bogdanovich Pfeifer is indicated by the characteristic given to him - "a Holstein native", the style of government of the mayor and its outcome - was removed from the post of ruler "for ignorance."
Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty is nicknamed "Organchik" for the presence of a mechanism in his head. He kept the city at bay because he was sullen and withdrawn. While trying to take the head of the mayor for repair to the capital's craftsmen, it was thrown out of the carriage by a frightened coachman. After the reign of Organchik, chaos reigned in the city for 7 days.
A short period of well-being of the townspeople is associated with the name of the ninth mayor, Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov. A civilian advisor and innovator, he took care of the city's appearance, started honey and beer brewing. I tried to open an academy.
The longest reign was marked by the twelfth mayor, Vasilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin, who reminds the reader of the style of reign of Peter I. wars for education and three against. Resolutely prepared the city for burning, but suddenly died.
By origin, the former peasant Onufry Ivanovich Negodyaev, who heated the stoves before serving as the mayor, destroyed the streets paved by the former ruler and erected monuments on these resources. The image was copied from Paul I, as indicated by the circumstances of his removal: he was dismissed for disagreeing with the triumvirate about constitutions.
Under the state councilor, Erast Andreevich Grustilov, the Foolovian elite was busy with balls and night meetings with the reading of the works of a certain gentleman. As in the reign of Alexander I, the mayor did not care about the people, who were impoverished and starving.
Scoundrel, idiot and "Satan" Gloom-Grumblev has a "speaking" surname and is "copied" from Count Arakcheev. He finally destroys Foolov and decides to build the city of Neprekolnsk in a new place. While trying to implement such a grandiose project, the "end of the world" took place: the sun darkened, the earth shook, and the mayor disappeared without a trace. This is how the story of "one city" ended.
Analysis of the work
Saltykov-Shchedrin, with the help of satire and grotesque, sets the goal of reaching out to the human soul. He wants to convince the reader that Christian principles must be at the heart of the human institution. Otherwise, a person's life can be deformed, disfigured, and in the end can lead to the death of the human soul.
"The History of a City" is an innovative work that has overcome the usual framework of artistic satire. Each image in the novel has pronounced grotesque features, but at the same time it is recognizable. Which gave rise to a flurry of criticism against the author. He was accused of "slandering" the people and rulers.
Indeed, the story of Foolov is largely copied from the chronicle of Nestor, which tells about the time of the beginning of Russia - "The Tale of Bygone Years." The author deliberately emphasized this parallel in order to make it obvious who he means by the Foolovites, and that all these mayors are by no means a flight of fantasy, but real Russian rulers. At the same time, the author makes it clear that he is not describing the entire human race, but Russia, altering its history in his own satirical way.
However, the purpose of creating the work, Saltykov-Shchedrin did not make fun of Russia. The task of the writer was to move society to a critical rethinking of its history in order to eradicate existing vices. The grotesque plays a huge role in the creation of an artistic image in the work of Saltykov-Shchedrin. The main goal of the writer is to show the vices of people that are not noticed by society.
The writer ridiculed the ugliness of society and was called "the great mocker" among such predecessors as Griboyedov and Gogol. Reading the ironic grotesque, the reader wanted to laugh, but there was something sinister in this laugh - the audience "felt like a scourge was whipping at itself."
In this article we will tell you about the novel written by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, we will describe a brief summary. "The History of a City" is a work that is a supposedly "genuine" chronicle of the city of Foolov in the period from 1731 to 1825, which was composed successively by four archivists. The author insists on the authenticity of "The Fool's Chronicler" in the chapter "From the Publisher", inviting the reader to trace how the history of Foolov reflected the successively various changes that took place in the government. This is the main theme of "The History of a City". This work describes a number of reigns.
So, we begin our story about the novel "The History of a City" (Saltykov-Shchedrin ME).
A message to the reader
The Chronicler opens with an appeal to the reader, supposedly compiled by the last archivist, who sees his task in depicting a correspondence that is, in his opinion, “touching”, “to the extent of daring” power and “to the extent of thanksgiving” to her people. Thus, this story is essentially the history of the rule of city governors.
Prehistoric times
The prehistoric chapter tells about where the Foolovites came from, what are their roots. It tells how the people of blockheads defeated kosobryhikh, onion-eaters, walrus-eaters and other neighboring tribes. But, not knowing what to do next to establish order, people went to look for the prince. They turned to more than one potential ruler, but even the stupidest of them did not want to own this people and let them go, teaching them with a rod. Then the bunglers called a rogue thief who helped them in this matter. The prince agreed to "volode" them, but did not go to live on their land, instead of himself he sent a thief-novotor. The prince called the Golovotyapov themselves "Foolovites", and this is how the name of the city appeared.
The Foolovites were a submissive people, but the novator needed riots in order to pacify them. However, he soon caught stealing to the point that the prince "sent a noose" to his unfaithful slave. But here, too, the novator dodged. He killed himself with a cucumber without waiting for the noose.
The beginning of historical times
Let's describe further events, their brief content. The "story of a city" continues as follows.
And other mayors were sent by the prince - Kalyazin, Orlov, Odoyev, but they turned out to be thieves. Then the ruler himself arrived at Foolov and shouted: "I'll screw it up!" With these words, historical times began for this people.
After that, there is an inventory of the mayors who ruled the city at different times. The biographies of these people are given in detail.
Busty
In 1762 Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty arrived in Foolov. He immediately impressed the inhabitants with his laconicism and sullenness - a suspicious characteristic. "The Story of a City" describes the strange details of this person. Brudasty's only words were "I will break!" and "I will not tolerate it!"
The city did not know what to think, until one day the clerk who entered with a report saw the following strange sight: as usual, the mayor's body was sitting at the table, but his head, completely empty, lay on the table. Foolov was shocked by this.
Suddenly they remembered about the organ and watchmaker by the name of Baybakov, who had been visiting the mayor in secret, and they found out everything by calling him. So this story of one city got its continuation. Its essence was as follows. It turned out that in the head of the ruler there was an organ that could play only two pieces of music: "I will not tolerate it!" and "I will bust!" The head was damp on the road and therefore needed a fix. Baibakov himself could not cope with this task, so he turned to St. Petersburg for help. From here they promised to send him a new head, which for some reason was delayed.
Anarchy
The novel "The Story of a City" continues. Beginning came, the end of which came with the appearance of two mayors at once, and the same. These impostors looked at each other with their eyes. The crowd "dispersed in silence." A messenger immediately arrived from the province and took both of them. Left without a mayor, the Foolovites immediately fell into anarchy, which continued until the end of the next week. During this time, six mayors were replaced in the city. Residents rushed from Iraida Paleologova to Clementinka de Bourbon, and from the latter to Amalia Stockfish.
"The history of one city" images of these applicants are very unattractive. The claims of Iraida Lukinichna were based on short-term activities as the mayor of her husband, Clemantinka - her father, and Amalia Karlovna herself was a pompadour for some time. Even less substantiated were the claims to power of Nelka Lyadokhovskaya, and then Matryonka-nostrils and Dunka-fat-fenced. The Foolovites threw citizens from the bell tower or drowned them in the intervals between hostilities in the city. But after a while they got tired of lawlessness.
Dvoekurov
Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov, the new mayor, finally arrived in the city. The activity of this man in Foolov was very beneficial. According to the chronicler, he introduced brewing and mead brewing, and also made the use of bay leaves and mustard compulsory, and wanted to open an academy in the city.
Ferdyschenko
Under Peter Petrovich Ferdischenko, the next ruler, Foolov prospered for six years. But in the seventh year this mayor was "confused by the demon." He was inflamed with love for Alenka, the coachman's wife, who refused her boyfriend. Then Mitka, her husband, with the help of some consistent measures, was branded and exiled to Siberia, and Alenka eventually came to his senses. Through the sins of the mayor, a drought struck Foolov, and then famine began. People began to die in great numbers. Then Foolov's patience came to an end. First, a walker was sent to Ferdyshchenka, but he did not return. Then they sent a petition to the ruler, but this did not have any effect. In the end, we got to Alenka and threw her from the bell tower. Ferdyschenko was not dozing either, all this time writing reports to his superiors. No bread was sent to him, but a team of soldiers arrived.
Through the shooter Domashka, the next hobby of Pyotr Petrovich, fires came to Foolov. Pushkarskaya, Bolotnaya Sloboda and Negodnitsa were burnt down. Again Ferdyshchenko lost his temper, returned Domashka to the "opchest" and called the team.
The reign of Petr Petrovich ended with a journey. He decided to visit the city pasture, where he was greeted in various places by the townspeople, and also waited for lunch. Ferdyshchenko died of overeating on the third day.
Wartkin
Vasilisk Semenovich Borodavkin, his successor, resolutely took up his post. Having studied the history of the city of Foolov, he found only one role model - the mayor Dvoekurov. The achievements of this ruler, however, were long forgotten, and the inhabitants stopped even sowing mustard. The new mayor first of all ordered this mistake to be corrected, and added Provencal oil as a punishment. However, the Foolovites did not want to give in. Wartkin therefore had to go to the Streletskaya Sloboda on a military campaign. Not everything went well on this nine-day hike. Theirs fought with theirs in the dark. Many living soldiers were replaced with tin soldiers. Wartkin managed to withstand all the same. Having reached the very settlement and not finding anyone there, he began to drag the houses to the logs. Then the whole city surrendered.
Let's describe further events, their brief content. The "story of a city" continues as follows. After that, there were several more wars in the history of Foolov, which were fought for enlightenment. The government as a whole led to the fact that the city became impoverished. The final devastation came under Negodyaev, the next mayor.
Mikeladze
Cherkeshenin Mikeladze found Foolov in this deplorable state. The story of one city was sad. Analysis of Mikeladze’s reign suggests the following. No events were held. He was only interested in the female sex, retiring from all affairs. The city was resting at that time. As the mayor writes, the investigations were numerous, although there were few "visible facts".
Benevolensky
Feofilakt Irinarkhovich Benevolensky replaced this Cherkeshenin. This mayor was a friend of Speransky. They went to seminary together. This ruler was distinguished from others by a passion for legislation. But since he did not have the right to issue his own laws, he did it secretly, in the house of a certain merchant Raspopova, and scattered his laws around the city at night. Soon, however, Benevolensky was dismissed from his post for intercourse with Napoleon.
Acne
Let's describe further events, their brief content. The "Story of a City" continues with the arrival of the next ruler, Lieutenant Colonel Pimple. He did not do business at all, but Foolov flourished with him. The harvests were huge. The inhabitants of the city were alarmed. Soon the secret of the Pimple was revealed by the leader of the nobility. This minced meat lover sensed that the head of the ruler smelled of truffles and, unable to contain himself, attacked the stuffed head and ate it.
After that Ivanov, the state councilor, arrived in the city. However, he turned out to be so small that he could not hold anything spacious in himself, and soon died. The Viscount de Chariot, his successor, an émigré, had fun all the time and was exiled abroad at the behest of his superiors. On closer inspection, this ruler turned out to be a maiden.
Melanov
Then came Erast Andreevich Grustilov, a state councilor. By this time, the foolish people clung to idols, forgetting the real God. This is how the history of one city continued. Analysis of the board of Grustilov is as follows. The city under him was completely mired in laziness and debauchery. They stopped sowing, hoping for happiness, and hunger came to Foolov. Erast Andreevich was busy exclusively with daily balls. But when he met his love, everything changed dramatically. It was the wife of the pharmacist Pfeyer. This lady showed the path of goodness to Melancholy. The wretched and holy fools, who in the old days of idol worship had experienced difficult days, became the main people in the city. The Foolovites repented, but the fields remained empty. Beaumond got together at night to read a certain Mr. Strakhov and "admire" him. The authorities soon found out about this, and Grustilov was dismissed.
Gloom-Grumblev
Gloom-Grumblev, the last mayor in the history of the city, was an idiot. The goal he set was to turn Foolov into Nepreklonsk with "companies", identical straight streets, houses in which the same families would live, and so on. Gloom-Grumblev thought out his plan in detail, and then proceeded to implement it. Foolov was destroyed to the ground, and now it was possible to begin construction, but this was hampered by the river running on the way. She did not fit into the plans of Gloom-Burcheev.
The mayor decisively launched an offensive against it. All the rubbish was put into action, everything that was left of the old city, but the river turned out to be stronger - it eroded any dams. Then the mayor walked away, taking the Foolovites with him. Another location, a flat lowland, was chosen for the city, and construction began. However, something has changed.
Unfortunately, the notebooks in which this history of one city was described have been lost. An excerpt from it survived, and only the denouement is given by the publisher. He writes that the sun was darkened, the earth shook, "It has come." The author does not explain what exactly. "The history of one city" (Saltykov-Shchedrin) is silent about this, only it is said that the "scoundrel" immediately disappeared, as if it had disappeared into thin air.
The novel is closed by the surviving "vouchers", that is, compositions written for the edification of successors by various mayors: Benevolensky, Mikeladze, Borodavkin.
In 1870, after a series of publications of individual chapters, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin's work "The History of a City" was published. This event received a wide public response - the writer was accused of mocking the Russian people and denigrating the facts of Russian history. The genre of the work is a satirical story that denounces the mores, the relationship between the authorities and the people in an autocratic society.
The story "The Story of a City" is full of such devices as irony, grotesque, Aesopian language, allegory. All this allows the author, in some episodes bringing what is described to the point of absurdity, to vividly depict the absolute obedience of the people to any arbitrariness of the authorities. The vices of the contemporary author's society have not been eliminated in our days. After reading "The History of a City" in a summary of the chapters, you will get acquainted with the most important moments of the work, clearly demonstrating the satirical orientation of the story.
main characters
The main characters of the story are the mayors, each of whom managed to be remembered in some way in the history of the city of Foolov. Since the story describes a lot of portraits of mayors, it is worth dwelling on the most significant characters.
Busty- shocked the residents with his categoricalness, his exclamations on any occasion "I will ruin!" and "I will not tolerate!"
Dvoekurov with its "great" reforms regarding bay leaves and mustard, it seems completely harmless against the background of subsequent mayors.
Wartkin- fought with his own people "for enlightenment."
Ferdyschenko- his greed and lust almost killed the townspeople.
Acne- the people were not ready for such a ruler like him - people lived too well under him, who did not interfere in any business.
Gloom-Grumblev- for all his idiocy, he managed not only to become the mayor, but also to destroy the entire city, trying to bring his crazy idea to life.
Other characters
If the main characters are the mayors, the minor ones are the people with whom they interact. The common people are shown as a collective image. The author as a whole portrays him as obeying his ruler, ready to endure all the oppression and various oddities of his power. Shown by the author as a faceless mass that revolts only when around there is a general death of people from hunger or fires.
From the publisher
"The Story of a Town" tells about the town of Foolov, its history. The chapter "From the Publisher" in the voice of the author assures the reader that the "Chronicler" is genuine. He invites the reader "to catch the physiognomy of the city and keep track of how various changes that simultaneously took place in the higher spheres were reflected in its history." The author emphasizes that the plot of the narrative is monotonous, "it is almost exclusively exhausted by the biographies of the mayors."
Address to the reader from the last archivist-chronicler
In this chapter, the author sets himself the task of conveying the "touching correspondence" of the city authorities, "to the best of daring" to the people, "to the measure of thanksgiving." The archivist tells that he will present to the reader the history of the government in the city of Foolov of the mayors, one after the other being replaced at the highest post. The storytellers, four local chroniclers, recount in turn the "true" events that took place in the city from 1731 to 1825.
About the roots of the Foolovites' origin
This chapter tells about prehistoric times, about how the ancient tribe of blockheads defeated the neighboring tribes of onion-eaters, gush-eaters, ice-eaters, frogs, kosobrykhiv and so on. After the victory, the bunglers began to think about how to put things in order in their new society, since things were not going well for them: either "they kneaded the Volga with oatmeal", then "they dragged the calf to the bathhouse." They decided that they needed a ruler. To this end, the blockheads went to look for a prince who would rule over them. However, all the princes to whom they turned with this request refused, since no one wanted to rule stupid people. The princes, having “taught” with the rod, let go of the bunglers in peace and with “honor”. Desperate, they turned to a rogue thief who was able to help find the prince. The prince agreed to rule them, but he did not live with the bunglers - he sent a novotor thief as his governor.
Golovotyapov was renamed "Foolovites", and the city, accordingly, began to be called "Foolov".
It was not at all difficult for the Novotor to manage the Foolovites - this people was distinguished by obedience and unquestioning execution of the orders of the authorities. However, this did not please their ruler, the novator wanted riots that could be pacified. The end of his reign was very sad: the rogue thief caught stealing to the point that the prince could not stand it and sent him a noose. But the novator also managed to get out of this situation - without waiting for the loop, he "stabbed himself with a cucumber."
Then other rulers, who were sent by the prince, began to appear one by one in Foolov. All of them - Odoyev, Orlovets, Kalyazinites - turned out to be shameless thieves even worse than the innovator. The prince was tired of such events, he personally came to the city shouting: "I'll screw it up!" With this cry, the countdown of "historical time" began.
Inventory of the city governors, at different times in the city of Foolov from the higher authorities put (1731 - 1826)
This chapter lists the city governors of Foolov by name and briefly mentions their "achievements". It is spoken of twenty-two rulers. So, for example, about one of the city governors in the document is written as follows: “22) Intercept-Zalivatsky, Archangel Stratilatovich, major. I will not mention this. He drove into Foolov on a white horse, burned down the gymnasium and abolished the sciences. ”(The meaning of the chapter is not clear)
Organchik
The year 1762 was marked by the beginning of the reign of the mayor Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty. The foolish people were surprised that their new ruler was gloomy and did not say anything except two phrases: "I will not tolerate!" and "I will break!" They did not know what to think until the secret of Brudasty was revealed: his head was completely empty. The clerk accidentally saw a terrible thing: the body of the town governor, as usual, sat at the table, but his head lay separately on the table. And there was nothing in it at all. The townspeople did not know what to do now. They remembered Baibakov, a watchmaker and organ master, who had recently come to see Brudasty. After questioning Baybakov, the Foolovites found out that the head of the mayor was equipped with a musical organ, which performed only two pieces: "I will not tolerate it!" and "I will break!" The organ is out of order, damp on the road. The master could not fix it on his own, so he ordered a new head in St. Petersburg, but the order was delayed.
Anarchy ensued, the ending of which was laid by the unexpected appearance of the simultaneous two absolutely identical rulers-impostors. They saw each other, “looked at each other with their eyes,” and the inhabitants watching this scene slowly dispersed in silence. A messenger who arrived from the province took both "mayors" with him, and anarchy began in Foolov, which lasted a whole week.
The Legend of the Six City Governors (Picture of Foolov's civil strife)
This time was very eventful in the sphere of city government - the city survived as many as six mayors. Residents watched the struggle of Iraida Lukinichna Paleologova, Clementinka de Bourbon, Amalia Karlovna Stockfish. The first one assured that she was worthy to be a mayor because her husband was engaged in town governor's activities for some time, the second was occupied by her father, the third was once herself a gradonal pompadour. In addition to those named, Nelka Lyadokhovskaya, Dunka the fat-five and Matryonka-nostril also claimed power. The latter had no grounds at all to claim the role of mayors. Serious battles were fought in the city. The Foolovites drowned and threw their fellow citizens from the bell tower. The city is tired of anarchy. And then a new mayor finally appeared - Semyon Konstatinovich Dvoekurov.
News about Dvoekurov
The newly-minted ruler Dvoekurov ruled Foolov for eight years. He is noted as a person of advanced views. Dvoekurov developed activities that became beneficial for the city. Under him, they began to engage in honey and beer brewing, ordered to eat mustard and bay leaves. It was his intention to establish an academy in Foolov.
Hungry city
Dvoekurov's reign was replaced by Petr Petrovich Ferdyshchenko. The city has lived for six years in prosperity and prosperity. But in the seventh year, the mayor fell in love with Alena Osipova, the wife of the coachman Mitka. However, Alenka did not share the feelings of Petr Petrovich. Ferdyschenko took all sorts of actions to make Alyonka fall in love with him, even sent Mitka to Siberia. Alenka became supportive of the courting of the mayor.
A drought began in Foolov, followed by famine and human deaths. The Foolovites lost patience and sent a messenger to Ferdischenko, but the walker did not return. The submitted petition also did not find an answer. Then the inhabitants rebelled and threw Alenka from the bell tower. A company of soldiers came to the city to suppress the riot.
Thatched city
The next love interest of Pyotr Petrovich was the shooter Domashka, whom he recaptured from the "opchestvo". Along with a new love, the fires caused by the drought came to the city. The Pushkarskaya Sloboda was burnt down, then Bolotnaya and Negodnitsa. The Foolovites accused Ferdischenko of a new misfortune.
Fantastic traveler
Ferdyschenko's new stupidity hardly brought new trouble to the townspeople: he went on a journey through the city pasture, forcing the residents to present themselves with food. The journey ended three days later with Ferdyshchenko's death from gluttony. The Foolovites were afraid that they would be accused of deliberately "feeding the brigadier." However, a week later, the fears of the townspeople dissipated - a new governor arrived from the province. Resolute and active Wartkin marked the beginning of Foolov's "golden age." People began to live in abundance.
Wars of Enlightenment
Vasilisk Semenovich Borodavkin, the new mayor of Foolov, studied the history of the city, and decided that the only previous ruler to be equal to was Dvoekurov, and he was even amazed not by the fact that his predecessor had paved the streets of the city and collected arrears, but by what was sown with him mustard. Unfortunately, the people have already forgotten it and even stopped sowing this culture. Wartkin decided to remember the old days, to resume sowing mustard and eating it. But the residents stubbornly did not want to return to the past. The foolish men rebelled on their knees. They were afraid that if they obey Wartkin, in the future he will force them "there is still no abomination." The mayor undertook a military campaign against Streletskaya Sloboda, "the source of all evil", in order to suppress the revolt. The hike lasted nine days and it is difficult to call it completely successful. In absolute darkness, their own fought with their own. The mayor suffered the betrayal of his supporters: one morning he discovered that a larger number of soldiers had been fired, replaced by tin soldiers, citing a certain resolution. However, the mayor managed to withstand, organizing a reserve of tin soldiers. He reached the settlement, but did not find anyone there. Wartkin began to dismantle the houses on logs, which forced the settlement to surrender.
The future brought three more wars, which were also fought for "enlightenment". The first of the three subsequent wars was fought to explain to the residents of the city the benefits of stone foundations of houses, the second was due to the refusal of residents to grow Persian chamomile, and the third was against the establishment of an academy in the city.
The result of Wartkin's rule was the impoverishment of the city. The mayor died at the moment when he once again decided to burn down the city.
The era of dismissal from wars
In abbreviated form, the subsequent events look like this: the city finally became impoverished under the next ruler, Captain Negodyaev, who replaced Wartkin. The villains were soon fired for disagreeing with the imposition of the constitution. However, the chronicler considered this reason to be formal. The real reason was the fact that the mayor at one time served as a stoker, which to a certain extent was regarded as belonging to the democratic principle. And the wars for enlightenment and against it were not needed by the city exhausted by battles. After the dismissal of Negodyaev, "Cherkeshenin" Mikeladze took the reins into his own hands. However, his reign did not affect the situation in the city in any way: the mayor did not deal with Foolov at all, since all his thoughts were connected exclusively with the fair sex.
Benevolensky Feofilakt Irinarkhovich became Mikeladze's successor. Speransky was a friend in the seminary of the new town governor, and from him, apparently, Benevolensky passed on a love of legislation. He wrote the following laws: “Let every man have a contrite heart”, “Let every soul tremble” and “Let every cricket know the six corresponding to its title”. However, Benevolenskys had no right to write laws, he was forced to publish them in secret, and scatter his works around the city at night. This did not last long - he was suspected of having links with Napoleon and was fired.
Lieutenant Colonel Pimple was appointed next. It was surprising that under him the city lived in abundance, the harvests were huge, in spite of the fact that the mayor did not attend to his direct duties at all. The townspeople again suspected something. And they were right in their suspicions: the leader of the nobility noticed that the head of the mayor exudes the smell of truffles. He attacked Pimple and ate the ruler's stuffed head.
Mammon worship and repentance
A successor to the eaten Pimple appeared in Foolov - State Councilor Ivanov. However, he soon died, as "he turned out to be so small that he could not contain anything extensive."
He was replaced by the Viscount de Chariot. This ruler did not know how to do anything except to have fun all the time, to arrange masquerades. He “did not do business and did not interfere with the administration. This last circumstance promised to prolong the prosperity of the Foolovites without end ... ”But the emigrant, who allowed the inhabitants to turn to paganism, was ordered to be sent abroad. Interestingly, he turned out to be a special female.
State Councilor Erast Andreevich Grustilov was the next to appear in Foolov. By the time of his appearance, the inhabitants of the city had already become absolute idolaters. They have forgotten God, plunged into debauchery and laziness. They stopped working, sowing fields, hoping for some kind of happiness, and as a result, famine came to the city. Melancholyov cared very little about this situation, since he was busy with balls. However, changes soon took place. The wife of the pharmacist Pfeier influenced Melancholy, showing the true path of good. And the main people in the city were the wretched and holy fools, who in the era of idolatry found themselves on the sidelines of life.
The inhabitants of Foolov repented of their sins, but that was the end of the matter - the Foolovites never began to work. At night, the city elite would gather to read the works of Mr. Strakhov. This soon became known to the higher authorities and Melancholyov had to say goodbye to the post of governor.
Confirmation of repentance. Conclusion
Gloom-Grumblev became the last mayor of Foolov. This man was a complete idiot - "the purest type of idiot," as the author writes. For himself, he set a single goal - to make the city of Foolov out of the city of Nepreklonsk, "eternally worthy of the memory of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich." The adamant was supposed to look like this: city streets should be uniformly straight, houses and buildings should also be identical to each other, people too. Each house should become a "settlement unit", which will be watched by him, Gloom-Burcheeva, a spy. The townspeople called him "Satan" and felt a vague fear of their ruler. As it turned out, it was not unfounded: the mayor developed a detailed plan and began to implement it. He destroyed the city without leaving a stone unturned. Now the task was to build the city of his dreams. But the river violated these plans, it interfered. Gloom-Grumblev started a real war with her, used all the garbage that remained as a result of the destruction of the city. However, the river did not give up, eroding all the dams and dams being built. Gloom-Grumblev turned around and, leading the people, walked away from the river. He chose a new place to build the city - a flat lowland, and began to build the city of his dreams. However, something went wrong. Unfortunately, it was not possible to find out what exactly interfered with the construction, since the records with the details of this story have not been preserved. The denouement became known: “… time stopped running. Finally the earth shook, the sun darkened ... the Foolovites fell on their faces. Indescribable horror appeared on all faces, seized all hearts. It came ... ". What exactly came, the reader does not know. However, the fate of Gloom-Burcheev is as follows: “the scoundrel instantly disappeared, as if he had disappeared into thin air. History has stopped flowing. "
Supporting documents
At the end of the narrative, the "Justification Papers" are published, which are the works of Borodavkin, Mikeladze and Benevolensky, written for the edification of other mayors.
Conclusion
A short retelling of "The History of a City" clearly demonstrates not only the satirical direction of the story, but also ambiguously points to historical parallels. The images of mayors are copied from historical figures, many events also refer to palace coups. The full version of the story, of course, will provide an opportunity to get acquainted with the content of the work in detail.
Story test
Retelling rating
Average rating: 4.3. Total ratings received: 4199.
History of creation
For a while, leaving work on the cycle "Pompadours and Pompadours", Saltykov caught fire with the idea of creating a novel "The History of a City", thematically related to "Pompadours and Pompadours".
In January 1869, the satirist appears with the first chapters of the "Inventory for the town governors" and "Organchik" in the journal "Otechestvennye zapiski" (No. 1), but until the end of the year he pauses work in order to implement the idea of creating fed the generals "," Lost conscience "," Wild landowner "). In addition, the work “Gentlemen of Tashkent” was outlined, it was necessary to bring “Signs of the times” and “Letters about the province” to their logical conclusion. Saltykov did not leave work in the journal: a series of journalistic and literary-critical articles and reviews appeared. For ten lycyistic and literary-critical articles and reviews.
Returning to work on the novel, already in Nos. 1-4, 9 (Notes of the Fatherland) in 1870, he published a sequel to The History of a City. In 1870, the book was published as a separate edition under the title "The History of a City". M.E.Saltykov (Shchedrin) published it according to original documents.
"The history of one city" caused a lot of interpretations and indignation, which forced Saltykov to respond to an article by the famous publicist A. Suvorin. The author of the critical article "Historical satire", which appeared in the April 1871 issue of the "Vestnik Evropy" magazine, accused the writer of mocking the Russian people and distorting the facts of Russian history, without penetrating into the depth of the idea and the essence of the artistic originality of the work. I. S. Turgenev called the book wonderful and believed that it reflected "the satirical history of Russian society in the second half of the last and the beginning of the present century."
ME Saltykov-Shchedrin knew that "a writer whose heart has not been ill with all the pains of the society in which he acts can hardly claim in literature a meaning above mediocre and very transient." Nevertheless, the previous interest of the reading public in Saltykov's work after the publication of the novel faded somewhat.
Plot
The story begins with the words of the author, who represents himself exclusively as a publisher, who allegedly found a real chronicle with a story about the fictional city of Foolov. After a short introduction on behalf of a fictional chronicler, there is a story about the "roots of the Foolovites", in which the author gives the first sketches of satire on historical facts. But in fact, the main part tells about the most outstanding mayors of the city of Foolov.
Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty, the eighth mayor of Foolov ruled for a very short time, but left a noticeable mark in the history of the city. He stood out among others in that he was not an ordinary person, and in his head instead of a brain he had a strange device that produced one of several phrases programmed into him. After this became known, civil strife began, leading to the overthrow of the mayor and the beginning of anarchy. For a short time, six rulers were replaced in Foolov, who, under various pretexts, bribed soldiers in order to seize power. After in Foolov he reigned for many years Dvoekurov, whose image resembled Alexander I, because he, shy, did not complete some assignment, which is why he was sad all his life.
Petr Petrovich Ferdyschenko, the former orderly of Prince Potemkin, the mayor "enterprising, frivolous and carried away", subjected the city to hunger, fire during his power, and died of gluttony when he went on a journey through the lands under his control in order to feel like emperors who traveled around the country.
But the Foolov ruled the longest Vasilisk Semyonovich Wartkin, during his power, destroyed the Streletskaya and Dung Sloboda.
Satirical focus
In its focus, the story is a satire on many historical persons of the Russian Empire and on some of the events indicated in Inventories of the City Governors era.
Shchedrin himself said:
“If I really wrote satire for the 18th century, then, of course, I would have limited myself to 'The Legend of the Six City Governors'”
But besides the obvious parallels in The Legend of the Six Mayors, which contains allusions to the empresses of the 18th century Anna Ioannovna, Anna Leopoldovna, Elizaveta Petrovna and Catherine II and their rise to power through palace coups, in the story a large number of parodies of other historical figures of that era - Paul I, Alexander I, Speransky, Arakcheev and others. In the cartoon based on the work, the real city of Kostroma acts as the city of Foolov: buildings that exist and existed in the described era are shown (for example, a fire tower).
Screen adaptations
- Film "It" by Sergei Ovcharov.
- Cartoon "The history of one city. Organchik "
Theatrical performances
- The play "The History of a City". Director - Boris Pavlovich, play - Maria Boteva. Staged at the Theater on Spasskaya (Kirov State Youth Theater). Premiered on 06 July 2012
- The play "The history of the city of Foolov" - director Egorov, Dmitry Vladimirovich. Staged in the theater: Novosibirsk Drama Theater "Red Torch". The premiere took place on December 17, 2011 in Novosibirsk.
- Photo gallery of the play "The history of the city of Foolov" on the theater website
- Photo report with comments from the dress rehearsal before the premiere of the play "The History of the City of Foolov" December 17, 2011
Illustrations
- Illustrations for the story "The History of a City", made by the artist A. N. Samokhvalov, in 1937 were awarded the Grand Prix of the international exhibition in Paris.
see also
Notes (edit)
Saltykov-Shchedrin | |
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Novels and Chronicles |
Golovlevs · History of one city · Poshekhonskaya antiquity · Mon Repos hideout |
Fairy tales | Lost conscience · Faithful Trezor · Wild landowner · Crucian idealist · The tale of the zealous boss · The bear in the voivodeship · Eagle patron · Wise squeaker · The story of how one man fed two generals · Selfless hare · Poor wolf · Sane hare · Liberal · Konyaga · Adventure with Kramolnikov · Christ's night · Christmas tale · Sun-dried roach · Virtues and Vices · The Newspaper Deceiver and the Gullible Reader · Unsleeping Eye · Fool · Non-remembering ram · Kissel · Idle talk · Bogatyr · Raven petitioner · Toy business little people · Neighbors · Village fire · Way-way |
Stories | Anniversary · Kind soul · Spoiled children · Neighbors · Chizhikovo grief |
Essays | In the hospital for the insane · Gentlemen of Tashkent · Lord Molchalins · Provincial essays · Diary of a Provincial in St. Petersburg · Abroad · Letters to aunty · Innocent stories · Pompadours and pompadours · Satires in prose · Modern idyll · Well-meaning speeches |
Comedy | Death of Pazukhin · Shadows |