Dementy Varlamovich has a busty appearance and character traits. The image and characteristics of Brudasty in the History of a City (Organchik) essay
Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty is the eighth mayor appointed to rule the ill-fated city of Foolov. The “Inventory of City Governors” gives a brief but succinct description of him: “He was appointed in a hurry and had some special device in his head... This did not prevent him, however, from putting in order the arrears started by his predecessor.”
These sarcastic words contain both the meaning of the activity of this “great man” and the attitude of the author in this activity.
The silent and gloomy Brudasty knew only one word - “I won’t beat you!” His reign began with the fact that he “crossed a lot of coachmen.” And subsequently, Brudasty created the appearance of the most vigorous activity - for days he locked himself in his office, “scraping something with a pen.” The consequences of this scribbling of paper terrified the entire population of Foolov: “They grab and catch, flog and flog, describe and sell...”
These six verbs contained the essence of Brudasty’s activity, which, however, did not differ from the activities of other mayors. Violence, cruelty, stupidity, inertia, admiration for rank and contempt for the people - these are the features of the rule of all Foolov’s mayors, and Brudasty, in particular.
The image of this character is symbolic. Let us remember that he was nicknamed “Organchik” because instead of a head he had a kind of mechanical device. The head of Brudasty had to be filled with artificial content, otherwise it was simply a shell, devoid of brains: “... the mayor’s body, dressed in a uniform, sat at a desk, and in front of him, on a pile of arrears registers, lay, in the form of a dandy paperweight, completely empty mayor's head..."
Thus, with the help of a capacious image, Shchedrin shows that rulers are just puppets, guided by evil instincts, stupidity, inertia, and prejudices. But even without such leaders the Russian people cannot live. While Brudasty lay headless, waiting for the next organ, anarchy and devastation came to the city. However, soon the Foolovites - “as a reward” for all their suffering - received two rulers at once - with “iron heads”. This ending to Brudasty’s reign once again emphasizes the author’s idea that all Foolov’s rulers are the same - equally insignificant, faceless, and terrible.
Busty Dementy Varlamovich (Organchik) - Foolov's mayor. At his first appearance, he “crossed a lot of coachmen” and stunned the officials who introduced themselves to him with the exclamation: “I won’t tolerate it!” Limiting himself to repeating this single phrase in the future, he plunged everyone into horror. The mysteriousness of B.’s behavior found an unexpected explanation: he had an organ in his head that was capable of performing “easy musical pieces” - “I’ll ruin it!” and “I won’t tolerate it!” Responding to accusations of “exaggeration,” Shchedrin wrote: “The point is not that Brudasty had an organ in his head that played romances: “I won’t tolerate it!” and “I’ll ruin you!”, but the fact is that there are people whose entire existence is exhausted by these two romances. Are there such people or not?
- New!
Before us is a stern old man, shrewdly and strictly peering at people and the surrounding reality; in his large, somewhat bulging eyes lives a fiery, unyielding will, a passionate, demanding thought, penetrating far ahead, into the future;...
M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin is one of the most famous satirists of the 19th century. The writer has proven himself in many genres of literature, such as novels, stories, stories, essays, and fairy tales. Almost all works of Saltykov-Shchedrin have satirical orientation. Writer...
The history of the city of Foolov is “a story whose content is continuous fear,” a story that boils down to the fact that “the mayors flog, and the townsfolk tremble.” The chronicle of the city of Foolov glosses over the darkest sides of the history of the “unwashed”...
“The History of a City” - sample political satire. In this work, the author strongly criticizes the foundations of the autocratic system, exposes despotic representatives of power, and protests against humility, submission, passivity and cowardice. Not difficult...
Valentina SHENKMAN,
Perm
“The eternally indestructible city of Foolov...”
On the use of role-playing games in the study of “The History of a City” by M.E. Saltykova-Shchedrin
In the grotesque, fantastic world of Saltykov-Shchedrin, everything is possible...
One day the gentlemen mayors came to life and left the pages of his book, different time who ruled the notorious city of Foolov with varying degrees of success. At the end of the 20th century, they intended to meet with representatives of the media, obviously so that they would not hesitate to tell the whole world about the life and deeds of these glorious persons.
So what do you think? To the great delight of the above-mentioned persons, in the blink of an eye, numerous servants of the pen and recorder flocked to meet them.
The press conference took place.
The gentlemen mayors told about the various methods and means of fighting the people... excuse me, the means of controlling the people they used while in office.
Gentlemen, the journalists managed to ask the interviewees a great many questions, often very, very provocative, from which the majors, brigadiers and others former scoundrels they felt uneasy and wanted to quickly return to the pages of the book that were so cozy for them...
Like this incredible story happened once. Where and when? In a literature lesson in 10th grade. While studying the book by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin “The History of a City,” a difficult, interesting and surprisingly modern book. The tenth graders themselves acted as mayors and journalists, and the teacher served as a presenter and, if necessary, a commentator.
I think many colleagues will agree that reading this work is difficult for our children. And teachers, unfortunately, do not always choose this book to study, despite the fact that it is one of Shchedrin’s best works and has enduring cultural value. There are explanations for this.
“The History of a City” is perhaps the most demonstrative work of Russian classics of the 19th century in its artistic conventions. Brought up mainly on the lifelike nature of classical realism, we are often afraid to plunge into such an unusual art world"Stories...". And we miss a great chance for literary research, games, the opportunity to simply get aesthetic pleasure from the amazing creation of a great writer, who knew how to combine the acute pain for many phenomena of social life with a riot of phantasmagoric images, the element of, albeit bitter, but all-conquering laughter.
Yes, of course, “The History of a City” is difficult to read. At first, you literally have to “wade through the fog.” But isn't it interesting? And, since we often approach literature pragmatically, isn’t it useful? Interesting. It is useful in different senses: both in the development of a competent reader, and in the education of a person, a citizen, an individual. In addition, the significance of Saltykov-Shchedrin’s work as a truly talented, great artist of the word is not limited to the framework of the writer’s contemporary era, but is characterized by amazing ahistoricism and timelessness. And the teacher’s task is to make sure that young readers do not consider this book hopelessly outdated, exposing some kind of autocratic system, so that they understand and appreciate the brilliant wit, inexhaustible imagination of the satirist, feel the “deepest suffering” (M.A. Bulgakov) hidden under with caustic, sarcastic laughter, so that they themselves experience the “heartache” of love for Russia.
In the recent past, Shchedrin’s satire was firmly associated only with the pre-October period in the history of our country. Maybe that’s why “History...” was not studied at school, because it did not fit into the Procrustean bed of concrete historical interpretation. How recognizable in it are not only the events and persons of the past, the Shchedrin and “pre-Shchedrin” periods, but also the multiple analogies of Soviet and post-Soviet reality!
In 1871, Saltykov-Shchedrin, responding to accusations of “historical satire,” wrote to the editors of the journal “Bulletin of Europe” that he meant “completely ordinary satire,” “directed against those characteristic features of Russian life that make it not quite convenient” and “produce results... very bad, namely: insecurity of life, arbitrariness, improvidence, lack of faith in the future, etc.” The listed “results,” sadly enough, are, to one degree or another, traditionally characteristic of our “Russian life.”
Showing the reality of the second half of the 19th century, the writer revealed eternal Russian problems. The city of Foolov is not just a generalized, allegorical image of the author’s contemporary Russia, it is a universal picture of Russian life under any government system. Igor Severyanin gave a terrible description of this city in a medallion dedicated to the satirist (see in full below): “The eternally indestructible city of Foolov - // Russified, ubiquitous, mischievous...”
Will this decay continue?.. Will we understand the “cacophony of the sonorous troubadour”?..
I believe that we need Saltykov-Shchedrin today more than ever.
Thinking about how to revive the process of studying “History...”, bringing it closer to modern times, wanting to find an original form of a lesson that would be more or less adequate to the content and artistic originality of the book, somehow unexpectedly for myself I came up with the idea of conducting a role-playing game. (I note that this idea did not arise out of nowhere. The form of role-playing game began to be promoted by S.M. Ivanova. See: “Literature”, 2001, No. 40.) A press conference is what can perfectly correspond to the material of the lesson “Images of mayors” in “The History of a City”! Perhaps this was indirectly prompted by numerous press conferences and speeches by our current politicians. But some of their features are easily recognizable in Foolov’s mayors! By the way, our school artists felt this and endowed their heroes with painfully familiar gestures, intonations and other touches of the portraits of modern “city governors” and their predecessors. After the lesson, I realized that I was not mistaken in choosing the form. (This form was subsequently successfully used by some other teachers, who confirmed its effectiveness. And children who graduated from school several years ago still remember the details of studying the work of Saltykov-Shchedrin.)
Let's consider the place of this lesson in the system of lessons for studying “The History of a City” and the features of its preparation and implementation.
The role-playing game can be carried out after a two-hour lesson devoted to the general characteristics of the book, which examines the theme, genre, composition, determines the main conflict, analyzes the system of images and the image of the narrator, identifies means of artistic representation and expressiveness, techniques of satire, and studies the first chapters textually. The chapter “Organchik” begins with an enlarged, detailed image of individual mayors and their relationships with the Foolovites. The material for the lesson is the chapters from “The Organ” to the end of the book.
In general, the system of lessons for the work can be structured as follows (the number of lessons at each stage is determined by specific conditions):
Stage | Subject | Lesson content | Possible forms and methods |
1 | general characteristics works | The history of the creation and functioning of the work. Review of genre, compositional and other features. |
Conversation, commented reading, student reports on individual issues, group work. |
2 | Images of mayors in the work | Monographic analysis of optional chapters. Means of creation and meaning of images. | Group work, independent analytical work, role-playing game. |
3 | The meaning of satire | Generalization and deepening of knowledge about the conflict, issues, ideological orientation of the work, linguistic features. | Colloquium (student reports and messages). |
Lessons devoted to the analysis of images of mayors can be structured in different ways. Possible paths:
Monographic chapter-by-chapter analysis (collectively, frontally);
Student reports based on independent analysis of individual chapters;
A combination of the first and second, for example: 1st lesson - collective analysis of the chapter “Organchik”, 2nd lesson - seminar (group reports), 3rd lesson - independent work (analysis of the image of Gloomy-Burcheev).
As one of the lesson options in a strong class, a role-playing game is possible, which requires quite a long preparation (see appendix “The place and significance of role-playing in the lesson”). In weaker classes, it is recommended to conduct it as an extracurricular activity. Part of the game can be used as a fragment of a lesson, including one or two theatrical miniatures.
Let's look at the progress of the work. The story about each of the mayors is relatively complete, independent (sometimes several parts can be distinguished within one chapter, or several chapters are devoted to the history of one mayor): “Organchik” (Brudasty); “The Tale of the Six City Leaders”; “News about Dvoekurov”; “Hungry City”, “Straw City”, “Fantastic Traveler” (Ferdyshchenko); “Wars for Enlightenment” (Wartkin); “The era of dismissal from wars” (Mikaladze, Benevolensky, Pyshch); “Worship of Mammon and Repentance” (Ivanov, du Chariot, Grustilov); “Confirmation of repentance. Conclusion” (Ugryum-Burcheev). For analysis, you can use a general scheme, quite traditional: 1) specific features of a particular mayor, his bright, memorable features (techniques and means of creating an image are considered in parallel), 2) the generalized meaning of the image, its typifying meaning. When characterizing city governors, you can follow approximately the following sequence:
Features of appearance and character;
Speech, expression in speech of views and ideals;
The essence of administrative activities, basic actions;
Relations with the Foolovites (the life of the Foolovites during his reign).
Materials for image analysis and interpretation Organchika.
Saltykov-Shchedrin mainly calls his hero by nickname, but in addition to the nickname he also gives full name of his character - Brudasty Dementy Varlamovich. The nickname indicates the mechanical nature of the character's thinking and actions, the surname indicates his extreme cruelty (breasted are a breed of Russian hound dogs, distinguished by their large stature, evil disposition and death grip on the pursued victim). Taken together, the two names of the hero create a terrifying type.
- “Silent and gloomy,” “his eyes flashed,” “he snorted and showed the back of his head.” “He had some special device in his head.” “On the shoulders instead of a head there was an empty vessel.” “The mayor’s body, dressed in a uniform, was sitting at a desk, and in front of him, on a pile of arrears registers, lay, in the form of a smart paperweight, the completely empty mayor’s head.” The image is based on the grotesque and the implementation of the “empty head” metaphor. The meaning of the technique is ironically commented by the author: in history there were examples when those in power had “on their shoulders, although not empty, but still as if empty vessel."
- “I won’t tolerate it!” and “I’ll ruin you!” - the hero’s entire speech consists of these two “plays”, which could be performed by a small organ inserted into the empty head of the mayor. The author exposes the inhuman cruelty of the hero, exposes his inability to delve into the essence of what is happening, his programming to act and control threats, violence, and coercion.
- “I barely broke into the city pasture when right there, at the very border, I crossed a lot of coachmen.” “...He didn’t eat, didn’t drink, and kept scraping something with his pen... Unheard-of activity suddenly began to boil in all parts of the city: private bailiffs galloped; the policemen galloped; the assessors galloped..." The satirist emphasizes that under Organchik the police car became especially active as the main and only means of control, police arbitrariness reigned in the city: "They grab and catch, whip and flog, describe and sell... And the mayor sits and scrapes everything out more and more new compulsions...” The hero’s actions completely follow from the content of the two “plays,” once again confirming his cruel mechanism. Particular poignancy and tension arise at the moment when Organchik orders the punishment of the Foolovites who spoke in his defense. It is clear that such an Organic will stop at nothing in his mayoral zeal.
The Foolovites at first rejoiced for one reason only, “that he was new,” then they were “horrified.” “The streets were deserted, wild animals appeared in the squares. People only left their houses out of necessity and, for a moment showing their frightened and exhausted faces, were immediately buried”; “We felt only fear, ominous and unaccountable fear.” Again the author uses hyperbole, which develops into grotesque. The feeling of pity for the Foolovites is combined with indignation caused by their stupid obedience and “love of authority.” With everything that was happening in the city, they tried to explain the necessity of Brudasty’s cruel arbitrariness: “What if this is exactly how it should be? what if it is considered necessary that Foolov, for his sake, should have just such a mayor and not another?” Left without a mayor, “many of the townsfolk cried because they felt like orphans.” “Where did you put our father?” - the crowd, angry to the point of fury, screamed when the assistant mayor appeared before him.” The slavish consciousness of the Foolovites causes bitterness in readers, as the author probably wanted.
One can come to a similar result when studying the images of Foolov’s mayors during a role-playing game.
In preparation for the “press conference,” students thoroughly study the text of one or several chapters about “their” mayor and dramatize it. It is better if the preparation begins in advance, perhaps a week or two before the lesson, since you will need to tune in, get used to the character, and come up with some highlights for the performance. It seems methodically justified to precede the study of “History” with an analysis of fairy tales, despite the chronological inconsistency. Fairy tales will make it easier for the student to enter the world of Saltykov-Shchedrin, since acquaintance with them began in the 7th grade, they are relatively small in volume and, most importantly, bear specific features of the writer’s artistic world.
The work is carried out in small groups, in which one person will be the mayor, and the rest (2–4) will be journalists. The roles of mayors predominantly go to young men. Special signs are being prepared for the press conference - Business Cards with the names of the heroes. The following characters provide the most beneficial material:
- Brudasty Dementy Varlamovich(No. 8 according to the “Inventory of City Governors”, chapter “Organchik”);
- Ferdyshchenko Petr Petrovich(No. 11, chapters “Hungry City”, “Straw City”, “Fantastic Traveler”);
- Wartkin Vasilisk Semyonovich(No. 12, chapter “Wars for Enlightenment”, “exculpatory document” No. 1);
- Mikaladze Ksaveri Georgievich No. 14, chapter “The era of dismissal from wars”, “supporting document” No. 2);
- Benevolensky Feofilakt Irinarkhovich(No. 15, chapter “The era of dismissal from wars”, “supporting document” No. 3);
- Pimple Ivan Panteleich(No. 16, chapter “The era of dismissal from wars”);
- Du Chariot Angel Dorofeevich(No. 18, chapter “Worship of Mammon and repentance”);
- Grustilov Erast Andreevich(No. 20, chapter “Worship of Mammon and repentance”);
- Gloomy-Burcheev(No. 21, chapter “Confirmation of repentance. Conclusion”).
At the “press conference” the “mayor” talks about himself, about his life, about his actions and deeds, about his relationship with the Foolovites and about their life during his reign. The “journalists” get the “compromising evidence”, that is, information that cannot be expressed through the character’s lips, since it discredits him. “The mayor” and the “journalists” always prepare together; with their joint efforts they create a holistic artistic impression of the image of Shchedrin’s mayor. In case of fragmented preparation, the required result will not be achieved. The concept of such a lesson is not to test knowledge of the text and the ability of students to answer questions about the text unknown to them in advance, but to jointly identify the features of the images of the characters in the book, but only this goal is achieved in an unconventional way. In the conventional world of the game, the participants in the press conference are, of course, antagonistic, but in real life they are allies and solve common problems.
The result of the preparatory work of each of the creative groups is a script (collective dramatic composition) for a mini-play, which is performed in class. This performance clearly and vividly shows the characteristic features of the hero, watches with interest and is remembered as an extraordinary event. The vividness and volume of perception of the main participants of the “press conference” is facilitated by the mandatory individualization of their speech in accordance with the author’s text. It must be said that some performers evoked enthusiastic applause from the entire class with their performance.
And the scope for invention and creativity is not limited here. Someone saw in their hero a similarity with living figures and showed this, someone portrayed a characteristic accent, used expressive details of the costume, specific attributes, even eccentric techniques (for example, when “Brudasty” knocked on his forehead, the sound of an empty metal containers: the assistant-noisemaker hit the bucket). Some reading this article may be thinking: why did this have to be done? We will answer: in this way there was a very lively acquaintance with the heroes of Saltykov-Shchedrin, the barrier on the way to his book was broken. And the main character in the lesson was laughter. But it is no secret that the paradox of school study of literature is precisely its absence in the study of satirical works of Russian classics: modern children often do not perceive the comic in a satirical text. I think this is exactly the case when the activation of the emotional sphere of schoolchildren helps awaken their minds and prepares deeply meaningful further work on the work.
The next lesson (seminar) is designed to synthesize and deepen information about the work, including the images of the mayors.
As homework It is advisable to offer questions for reflection individually or in groups. Sample topics:
- “And the glorious Nero, and the Caligula, shining with valor...” (To prove the single essence of all city governors - their hostility to the people.)
- “We are ordinary people! We can endure.” (Show typical features of Foolovites.)
- The problem of the people and power in the depiction of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin.
- The role of hyperbole and grotesque in “The History of a City.”
- “Talking” names and surnames of characters as a means of characterizing them.
- “The eternally indestructible city of Foolov...” (Determine which phenomena of our life in the 20th century are allegorically “reflected” in “The History of a City.”)
For those who have not left the image of the hero of a press conference, the following options for written creative work may be provided: an article in a newspaper, an essay, a report, etc. (for journalists) or a speech, a speech on behalf of the mayor on some topic, for example , election program for the post of head of the city. (By the way, another option for a role-playing game.)
You can end the seminar by reflecting on Igor Severyanin’s sonnet (1926):
SALTYKOV-SHCHEDRIN
Isn't it creepy - among the provincial fools
And the fools, the natives of Poshekhonye,
Frozen in the eternal stage of sleeplessness,
Is the undead pompadour tenacious?The troubadour sounds like a cacophony,
Whose voice, shaking lawlessness,
He broadcast a funeral in the country of infertility,
Whose meaning is heavy, sarcastic and gloomy.Rotting, stinking from moving corpses
The eternally indestructible city of Foolov -
Russified, everywhere, mischievous.Judas are crawling out of every crack.
The country is being overcome. Overpowered.
And there is no hope. And where is the other destiny?
Example role play scenarios
Scenarios are offered as illustrations for the content of a lesson or extracurricular activity in the form of a role-playing game. They are compiled on the basis of the text by Saltykov-Shchedrin and include individual turns of both the speech of the characters and the speech of the narrator. The dialogue is preceded, if possible, by a laconic description of the main character, similar to Gogol’s “remarks for gentlemen actors.” I consider it necessary to warn teachers, if they decide to use the described form of work for educational purposes, against distributing the given scenarios for memorization and further acting out; it is recommended to use the proposed materials only as a guide for the teacher. At the same time, they can be the basis for a performance at an evening dedicated to the work of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin.
Brudasty Dementy Varlamovich (Organchik)
(Based on the chapter “Organchik”)
He speaks sharply, abruptly, does not smile, rolls his eyes angrily. May suddenly jump up and run to the window. Periodically shouts “I won’t tolerate it!” or “I’ll ruin you!” Sometimes it’s as if some joint or speech jams. When you touch your head, you hear the sound of an empty metal container; it is possible that the head is even stained with mud and beaten in several places.
Journalist. Mr. Brudasty, please tell us about your achievements as mayor.
Busty. Firstly. During his reign. I put all the arrears in order. Which were launched by my predecessor. Secondly. The city was calm and quiet when I was there. No drunkenness. No debauchery. No gatherings outside the gates of houses. Not a click of sunflowers. I won't tolerate it. So that people hang out in vain. Played grandmas. People only left their homes out of necessity. There was order all around. I immediately organized an unprecedented activity. The private bailiffs galloped off. The quarterly officers galloped away. The assessors galloped off. The guards have forgotten what it means to eat. Since then they have been grabbing pieces on the fly.
Journalist. But you have instilled such fear in people! The city was deserted, and even wild animals walked through it without fear...
Busty. What's happened?! Be silent! What animals?! I had order and peace. Even the dogs didn't bark.
Journalist. From hunger?
Busty. I won’t tolerate... p...p...spit!
Journalist. Dear Dementy Varlamovich! How did the people treat you? Didn't you rebel?
Busty. People?! The people loved me! I haven't arrived in town yet. And he was already rejoicing. Everyone congratulated each other with joy. They called me “handsome” and “smart.” But this is nonsense. I won't tolerate it! The people should not love their mayor. And to be afraid. That's why. As soon as I appeared in the city. Still at the very border. I crossed a lot of coachmen. In addition, the townsfolk reverently await my every word... Raz-dawn!!! They are ready to stand in my yard from morning to evening. With bags under his arms. They can't live a day without me. One day it happened... When I was out of town on important business. The Foolovites started such a riot. They almost tore my assistant to pieces. “Where did you put our father? Where did you put the priest?” I won’t tolerate it... I spit! But I showed up on time. I put these troublemakers down.
Journalist. How? After all, they are for you!
Busty. I won't tolerate it! I'll ruin you!
Journalist. Mister Brudusty! Everyone knows that you have the nickname “Organchik”. Is it true that your head is a kind of mechanism?
Busty. Who said? I won't tolerate it!
Journalist. The watchmaker Baibakov claims that one night he was woken up and, frightened, was brought to you. You took off your own head and gave it to Baibakov. Next I read out Baibakov’s testimony:
“Having examined the box lying in front of me closer, I found that it contained in one corner a small organ that could play some simple musical pieces. There were two of these plays: “I’ll ruin you!” and “I won’t tolerate it!” But since the head became somewhat damp on the road, some of the pegs on the roller became loose, while others completely fell out. Because of this, Mr. Mayor, they could not speak clearly or they spoke with missing letters and syllables.” Subsequently, Baibakov, as he claims, looked at your head every day and cleaned the dirt out of it.
Busty. Thief! Robber! Troublemaker! I'll ruin you!!! I won’t tolerate it... I spit... I spit!!!
Journalist. There are other witnesses. For example, assessor Tolkovnikov once came into your office by surprise and saw you playing with your own head. And assessor Mladentsev once saw your head surrounded by plumbing and carpentry tools when he walked past Baibakov’s workshop and looked out the window.
Busty. P...p...spit! P...p...spit...
Journalist. It looks like Organchik's new head is also faulty. It was delivered so carelessly from St. Petersburg that the mayor was again speechless. Instead of holding it carefully in the air, the inexperienced messenger threw it to the bottom of the cart, and when he was bitten on the calf, he threw it onto the road. And in general, is this the real Brudasty? Do you remember which cheek he had a birthmark on before?
Ferdyshchenko Petr Petrovich
(Based on the chapters “Hungry City”, “City of Straw”, “Fantastic Traveler”)
Dressed in a new uniform. He gives the impression of an affectionate and friendly person, but occasionally shouts in a voice that is not his own. Tongue-tied.
Leading. Gentlemen, journalists, please address your questions to mayor Pyotr Petrovich Ferdyshchenko.
Ferdyshchenko. Well, dear brothers, here’s what: I’ll go out for now, but when I come back, hit the pots and start congratulating me. Well, I wish I would have accepted some gifts from you, and more!
Leading. Mr. Ferdyshchenko, don’t forget! You are not in the city of Foolov.
Ferdyshchenko. Well, why are you stupid people angry with me? Ask your questions.
Journalist. What problems did you have to solve during your reign?
Ferdyshchenko. What are the problems? After all, there is no need to argue with God. Fire, you say? It was so. It was burning. What do I have to do with it? These idle people, Foolovites, gathered in my yard and began to torment me and force me to my knees so that I would bring a petition. Oh, dear ones, God gave - God took. I wrote, of course, how not to write. The team came: “Tu-ru! Tu-ru!” Made the people understand. What problems?
Journalist. Have you ever faced a food problem?
Ferdyshchenko. What kind of food do you say? Well, dear brothers, there was a drought. What will I do? The people became haggard, of course, and walked around with drooping heads. But I ordered these people to be taken to the moving-out party. The people need to be encouraged. Well, they had a picnic in a country grove and set off fireworks. But I bought Alyonka a new scarf, a draped one. Beauty!
Journalist. And this at a time when terrible famine reigned in the city?! When the city was almost deserted, because the young people had all fled, because the churches were overflowing with coffins, and the corpses of noble people were lying untidy in the streets?!
Ferdyshchenko. In shackles! To Siberia!
Journalist. Are you afraid to listen to the truth?
Ferdyshchenko. Okay, honey, don't be angry. But here’s what I say to you: it would be better for you to sit at home with the truth than to bring trouble upon yourself. Truth... How could she, your truth, not run into trouble!
Journalist. But still, Pyotr Petrovich, did you feed the people?
Ferdyshchenko. But of course! I had to write. I wrote a lot, wrote everywhere. He reported like this: if there is no bread, then at least let the team arrive. And the Foolovites, sudari brothers, became more and more annoying every day. How am I reasoning? You can't do anything with your convictions with these people! What is required here is not conviction, but one of two things: either bread or... a team! But the team is better! Tu-ru, tu-ru! So she arrived soon.
Journalist. So, Mr. Ferdyshchenko, in any situation you prefer to use forceful methods to resolve important issues?
Ferdyshchenko. Strength is strength, but you, young lady, want to live with me in love?
Journalist. ?!
Ferdyshchenko. What if I order you to be whipped?
Journalist. Mr. Ferdyshchenko! We have information that you are used to getting your way by any means, at any cost. We know that you even ordered the women you liked to be flogged in order to force them to cohabit with you.
Ferdyshchenko. You are in vain, dear brothers. It's not me. What time do we have? Here they talk about the benefits of the elective principle. And I do not control my sole power. I’ll gather together my favorite Foolovites, briefly outline the matter and demand immediate punishment for those who disobeyed. As for how many will be assigned to whom, I agree in advance. Maybe for some there are as many as there are stars in the sky, and for others, maybe even more.
Journalist. Tell me, please, why did you suddenly become active? After all, for the first six years of your reign you did nothing, did not interfere in anything, were content with moderate tributes, went to taverns, played cards, and instead of a uniform you wore an oily robe. At this time, the city did not burn, did not starve, did not experience widespread disease, and the citizens thanked you for this. For the first time they realized that living “without oppression” is better than living “with oppression.”
Ferdyshchenko. Oh, you stupid breed, teach me? I myself know what to do! If I want, I’ll sit on the porch, if I want, I’ll travel! But I, dear brothers, have traveled once. Along the city pasture. The old men showed me the sights...
Journalist. Which ones? According to our information, there is nothing of note there, except for one dung heap.
Ferdyshchenko. Well, yes! Why do you think I went?! The fields will become fat, rivers will flow in abundance, ships will float, cattle breeding will flourish, communication routes will appear!.. I don’t remember whether they became fat or not... Can you tell me? It seems, dear brothers, you know more than me...
Journalist. We know, Pyotr Petrovich, you died.
Ferdyshchenko. How?
Journalist. From overeating! You drank and ate until you felt sick. However, you overcame yourself and ate another goose with cabbage. And after that your mouth twisted. Some administrative vein trembled on your face, trembled and trembled, and suddenly froze...
Ferdyshchenko. !!!
Pimple Ivan Panteleich
(Based on the chapter “The era of dismissal from wars”)
He looks rosy and cheerful. Shoulder Makes quick gestures during a conversation. He is distinguished by his complacency and peacefulness. It emits a specific, very persistent sausage smell, stimulating the appetite of people near it.
Journalist. Ivan Panteleich! They say that under your city government there has been such abundance as has not been seen since the very foundation of the city. What measures did you take to achieve this?
Acne. I a simple man, sir, and my program is simple, sir. My duty is to make sure that the laws are intact and not lying on the tables.
Journalist. What laws did you pass first?
Acne. I have not issued laws and will not publish them, sir. Let everyone live with God! In difficult cases, I order a search, but I demand one thing: that the law be old. I don’t like new laws, sir. In general, I don’t accept or understand any new ideas. I don’t even understand why they should be understood, sir.
Journalist. Have you never had a single idea?
Acne. Why? Was. And there is. Relax, sir! And I firmly followed the chosen path: I visited guests, hosted dinners and balls, hunted hares, foxes and something else.
Journalist. That is, you pursued a policy of absolute non-interference in ordinary affairs?
Acne. Yes, sir! I told my townsfolk: don’t touch me, and I won’t touch you. Plant and sow, eat and drink, start factories and factories - what, sir! all this is for your benefit, sir! For me, even erect monuments - I won’t interfere with that either!
Journalist. And no restrictions on the freedom of action of subordinates?
Acne. How about without restrictions? You need to handle fire more carefully, because it doesn’t last long before it’s a sin. If you burn your property, you burn yourself - what good?
Journalist. It turns out that it was thanks to your non-interference that the city’s prosperity increased?
Acne. That's right, sir! In a year or two, the Foolovites had not doubled, not tripled, but quadrupled all sorts of good things. The bees swarmed unusually, so that almost the same amount of honey and wax was sent to Byzantium as under the Grand Duke Oleg. And how much leather was sent to Byzantium! And for everything they received pure banknotes. And there was so much bread that everyone ate real bread, and it was not uncommon for even simple hirelings to have cabbage soup with boiled soup.
Journalist. How has your general well-being affected your condition?
Acne. ABOUT! I was extremely happy! My barns were bursting with offerings, my chests could not hold silver and gold, and banknotes were simply lying on the floor, sir.
Journalist. How did the Foolovites treat you? They must have loved and respected you very much?
Acne. Well, we lived peacefully until the local leader of the nobility got wind of...
Journalist. Why didn't you notice?
Acne. Do you know, sir, that this leader was a great gastronome, in other words, a glutton, sir? After all, he had such a sophisticated sense of smell that he could accurately guess the components of the most complex minced meat. And you guessed right, rascal!
Journalist. It's not clear what this has to do with you. Some kind of minced meat, smell. Leader...
Acne. Yes, sir... He walked around, licked his lips and attacked one day...
Journalist. So, is it true that the leader ate your stuffed head? Now it’s clear why there were rumors in the city that you sleep on a glacier, and not in an ordinary bedroom, that even when you go to bed, you surround your body with mousetraps!
Acne. Well, sir?.. But prosperity, sir...
Journalist. But he definitely smells like it! Like in a sausage shop!
Du Chariot Angel Dorofeich
(Based on the chapter “Worship of Mammon and Repentance”)
Cheerful, smiling, hums cheerful melodies from time to time. He speaks with an accent and inserts French words into his speech. Tends to show coquetry, a woman's scarf like a boa is possible on the shoulder, in the hands there is a fan and... a frog (toy). Blows kisses generously.
Du Chariot. Oh, honey and monsieur! Bonjour! Bonjour! Please, ask your question! Oh, organ!
Journalist. Mister du Chariot, how did you end up in the post of mayor of the city of Foolov?
Du Chariot. Sil vu ple, ma sher! These stupid mince pies! ABOUT! I'm really hungry. I'll be hungry. Oh pies, and that one!
Journalist. What have you done for the prosperity of the city?
Du Chariot. I do a lot! I have to explain to these rude people - ugh! - human rights. What fools se man de Glupoff. They didn't know you could eat a frog! Ha ha ha!
Journalist. But what do human rights have to do with it? By the way, historians point out that you actually once began to explain human rights, but only ended up explaining the rights of the Bourbons. Another time you started by convincing the Foolovites to believe in the Goddess of Reason, and ended by asking them to recognize the infallibility of the Pope. You seemed to have no convictions and were willing to defend anything if it gave you an extra quarter.
Du Chariot. ABOUT! Anfan terible. You are a very bad child! How dare you say that! I am a son of the 18th century! O goddess of Reason! And the stupid guy was such a fool at first! But I will arouse their spirit of exploration!
Journalist. Viscount! History testifies: you only corrupted Foolov's inhabitants. They began to cross themselves in a frantic custom and throw bread under the table. They said with impudence: “Let the pigs eat the bread, and we will eat the pigs - there will be the same bread!” And in this you saw the spirit of exploration! After all, because of you, the Foolovites have gone downhill in their development. With your criminal connivance and even support, they stopped working completely: they thought that during their revelry the bread would grow by itself, and therefore they stopped cultivating the fields. Respect for elders has disappeared; Foolovites raised the question whether, when people reach famous years, eliminate them from life, but they decided - just think! - sell old men and women into slavery in order to get some benefit from it! And you don’t feel guilty towards them?
Du Chariot. ABOUT! What did you say? Debauchery? It’s a pleasure not to work, but just to walk, sing, and have fun! Oh la la! V is also stupid, like a stupid guy? And propo, where do you have a place to have fun? I sing a funny song and dance the cancan very well! I want to teach you this too! I'm very a kind person. I want you to have fun and have fun. It's there com il fo! You need to do ku d "this! Why ruin your short life at work? Must be clever man! Like me! Did I tell you that I am the son of the goddess of Reason?
Journalist. Sorry, Mr. du Chariot, it's difficult to talk to you, so we want to ask you one last question. Name your fundamental life principle.
Du Chariot. Ha ha ha ha! Sharman! Sharman! You finally understand that you should go for a walk as soon as possible. It was I who instilled in you the spirit of freedom and taught you human rights! My motto cannot be translated into your crude language. But you still don’t understand such smart things. One of our kings spoke very good words. You can say this is what I said: après nu le deluge. Do you understand now, you stupid fool? Après nu le deluge!!! O revoir! Cherche la femme! Ha ha ha!!!
Notes:Sil vu ple, ma sher - please darling; and that at - at any cost; enfant terible - terrible child; and propo - By the way; ku d "this - coup d'état; apres well le déluge - after us even a flood (distorted) French).
Application
The place and significance of role-playing games in the classroom
Play has already become a part of school teaching. The range of games used in class and outside of class hours is very wide: from crosswords, puzzles, quizzes to role-playing games (meeting of the academic (editorial) artistic council; discussion of supporters and opponents of any idea, person, phenomenon).
We can talk about playing in the classroom as a method of pedagogical technology and even as the basis of an independent pedagogical technology. But it is imperative to remember that the game remains only a means of learning, development, education, capable of activating and intensifying the educational process; it is unacceptable to turn it into an end in itself, or use it unreasonably. This is especially true for role-playing games. Role-playing game is the highest form of development of gaming activity. It is advisable to use it in exceptional cases when habitual, traditional forms of work do not lead to the desired result.
Using a role-playing game in a lesson becomes an extraordinary and memorable event. It is natural that everyday life cannot consist of a large number of holidays, which, in essence, is what holding the game turns out to be. In addition, such an activity requires serious, thorough preparation. It should be especially emphasized that the success of the game at its main stage is predetermined by the quality of the preparatory work at the pre-game stage. In no case should you conduct a role-playing game if it is not prepared well enough, otherwise the whole event will leave a pitiful impression, will not realize any of the rich potential possibilities of the game, will not achieve the goal, and it is purposefulness that is the main condition for its use in the pedagogical process. If the game is prepared well, then it simultaneously solves several problems. Let's look at some of them.
Didactic task games - to contribute to the assimilation of new knowledge, the development of general academic and specific subject skills, primarily the skills of speech and mental activity, associated with the processes of development of the imagination and intuitive sphere. All researchers of the psychology of play note its undoubted importance for personality development. The teacher as the organizer of the educational process should be especially clearly aware of the didactic function of the game, since he is prospectively focused on the effectiveness of specific gaming activities.
Entertaining same task games are most relevant for children who are involved in the process, receiving pleasure and momentary joy. Entertainment is the main property of a game by definition, therefore the use of a game helps to create a favorable atmosphere, inspire each participant, and relieve emotional stress. The skill and tact of the teacher should help him make play for children not a forced form of work, but a desirable one, capable of awakening interest in the material studied in this way. An authoritarian style when organizing and conducting a game will not lead to a positive result. The teacher himself is also involved in the game process in some role, which helps solve another problem.
The communicative task of the game is associated with the establishment of emotional and business contacts, with the unification of the team in a common process, with the construction of a special structure of relationships between all participants. Role-playing game belongs to the sphere of subject-subject relations, that is, the main thing for it is the communication of the participants, which occurs simultaneously in two planes: real and conditional (acted out, imaginary). When using a role-playing game, cognitive activity is carried out in a collective form, in which each member of the team, performing his task in the presence of a common goal, participates in the training of everyone. This organizational form is modern, productive, developing, and is distributed in last years in different modifications and is contrasted with the traditional frontal form. Each student's work is collectively meaningful. In this regard, it is necessary to think carefully about the distribution of roles, to take into account many factors: the desire of the children and their psychological characteristics, the nature of their abilities, interpersonal relationships in the team.
The main burden when preparing and conducting a role-playing game falls, as a rule, on gifted children. In the pre-game period, creatively gifted students, who are characterized by originality and flexibility of thinking, an inquisitive mind and meticulousness, can be of particular importance: in order to dramatize original text, to create your own work based on it, research activity and the ability to restructure information are required. At the game stage, it is worth relying on children with artistic and performing abilities, and at the post-game stage - with intellectual ones.
Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty is the eighth mayor appointed to rule the ill-fated city of Foolov. The “Inventory of City Governors” gives a brief but succinct description of him: “He was appointed in a hurry and had some special device in his head... This did not prevent him, however, from putting in order the arrears started by his predecessor.”
These sarcastic words contain both the meaning of the activity of this “great man” and the attitude of the author in this activity.
The silent and gloomy Brudasty knew only one word - “I won’t beat you!” His reign began with the fact that he “crossed a lot of coachmen.” And subsequently, Brudasty created the appearance of the most vigorous activity - for days on end, he locked himself in his office, “scraping something with a pen.” The consequences of this scribbling of paper terrified the entire population of Foolov: “They grab and catch, flog and flog, describe and sell...”
These six verbs contained the essence of Brudasty’s activity, which, however, did not differ from the activities of other mayors. Violence, cruelty, stupidity, inertia, admiration for rank and contempt for the people - these are the features of the rule of all Foolov’s mayors, and Brudasty, in particular.
The image of this character is symbolic. Let us remember that he was nicknamed “Organchik” because instead of a head he had a kind of mechanical device. The head of Brudasty had to be filled with artificial content, otherwise it was simply a shell, devoid of brains: “... the mayor’s body, dressed in a uniform, sat at the desk, and in front of him, on a pile of arrears registers, lay, in the form of a dandy paperweight, completely empty mayor's head..."
Thus, with the help of a capacious image, Shchedrin shows that rulers are just puppets, guided by evil instincts, stupidity, inertia, and prejudice. But even without such leaders the Russian people cannot live. While Brudasty lay headless, waiting for the next organ, anarchy and devastation came to the city. However, soon the Foolovites - “as a reward” for all their suffering - received two rulers at once - with “iron heads”. This ending to Brudasty’s reign once again emphasizes the author’s idea that all Foolov’s rulers are the same - equally insignificant, faceless, and terrible.
Essay on literature on the topic: Characteristics of Mayor Brudasty (based on the novel “The History of a City” by M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin)
Other writings:
- The novel “The History of a City” is the pinnacle of Saltykov-Shchedrin’s satirical prose. To describe Russian history in the context of the relationship between the people and the authorities, the writer uses such techniques as fantasy, hyperbole, and grotesque. Thus, with the help of the grotesque technique - “the essence of which is a combination of the real and the fantastic, Read More ......
- Saltykov resorts only to this kind of caricature, which exaggerates the truth as if through a magnifying glass, but never completely distorts its essence. I. S. Turgenev. The indispensable and first means of satire in “The History of a City” is hyperbolic exaggeration. Satire is a kind of Read More ......
- The portraits of all the city leaders in Saltykov-Shchedrin’s novel “The History of a City” were written by the author very laconically. Each of them left their noticeable mark on the “life order” of the city and distinguished themselves in their own way. It is impossible not to mention the twenty-third Foolov mayor - Savely Kuzmich Shchenkov-Bezdelin. In Read More......
- “The History of a City” (1869-1870) by Saltykov-Shchedrin is a complex and ambiguous work. Immediately after its publication, Saltykov-Shchedrin was accused of insulting the Russian people and distorting Russian history. The author himself stated: “I am not ridiculing history at all, but the known order of things... Read More ......
- Saltykov-Shchedrin’s work “The History of a City” is a kind of parody of other authors and their work. Some moments, names and historical events are borrowed from others famous writers that time. You can also track satirical image heroes and Russia. “The story of one city” Read More ......
- “The History of a City” is one of the most original and perfect creations of the great Russian satirist M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin. We will not find the city of Foolov on any geographical map. And not because it is too small or renamed, but because it Read More......
- The theme of autocracy, like the theme of property, was constantly in the focus of attention of Shchedrin the writer. And if serving the ghost of property found its expression in the novel “Lord of the Heads of the Left,” especially in the image of Judas, then serving the ghost of the state found a similar, classic embodiment in “The Story of One Read More ......
- The main themes of the works of M. E, Saltykov-Shchedrin are the denunciation of the autocracy, the ruling class, as well as the problem of the people. In fairy tales and in the novel “The Story of a City” there are strong folklore traditions. Many fairy tales begin like Russian folk art: “In a certain kingdom, in a certain state, there lived a landowner” Read More ......