Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin - creator of a special literary genre - satirical tale. IN small stories The Russian writer denounced bureaucracy, autocracy, and liberalism. This article examines such works by Saltykov-Shchedrin as “ Wild landowner", "Eagle Patron", " The wise minnow", "Crucian idealist."
Features of Saltykov-Shchedrin's tales
In the fairy tales of this writer one can find allegory, grotesque, and hyperbole. There are features characteristic of an Aesopian narrative. The communication between the characters reflects the relationships that prevailed in society XIX century. What satirical techniques did the writer use? In order to answer this question, it is necessary to briefly talk about the life of the author, who so mercilessly exposed the inert world of landowners.
About the author
Saltykov-Shchedrin combined literary activity With public service. Was born future writer in the Tver province, but after graduating from the lyceum he left for St. Petersburg, where he received a position in the War Ministry. Already in the first years of work in the capital, the young official began to languish with the bureaucracy, lies, and boredom that reigned in the institutions. With great pleasure Saltykov-Shchedrin visited various literary evenings, in which anti-serfdom sentiments prevailed. He informed St. Petersburg residents about his views in the stories “A Confused Affair” and “Contradiction.” For which he was exiled to Vyatka.
Life in the provinces gave the writer the opportunity to observe in detail bureaucratic world, the life of landowners and the peasants oppressed by them. This experience became the material for writing later works, as well as the formation of special satirical techniques. One of Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin’s contemporaries once said about him: “He knows Russia like no one else.”
Satirical techniques of Saltykov-Shchedrin
His work is quite diverse. But perhaps the most popular among Saltykov-Shchedrin’s works are fairy tales. We can highlight several special satirical techniques with the help of which the writer tried to convey to readers the inertia and deceit of the landowner world. And above all, in a veiled form, the author reveals deep political and social problems, expresses own point vision.
Another technique is the use of fantastic motifs. For example, in “The Tale of How One Man Fed Two Generals” they serve as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the landowners. And finally, when naming Shchedrin’s satirical techniques, one cannot fail to mention symbolism. After all, the heroes of fairy tales often point to one of the social phenomena of the 19th century. Thus, the main character of the work “Horse” reflects all the pain of the Russian people, oppressed for centuries. Below is the analysis individual works Saltykov-Shchedrin. What satirical techniques are used in them?
"Crucian idealist"
In this tale, the views of representatives of the intelligentsia are expressed by Saltykov-Shchedrin. Satirical techniques that can be found in the work “Crucian carp the idealist” are symbolism, the use folk sayings and proverbs. Each of the heroes - collective image representatives of one or another social class.
The plot of the tale centers on a discussion between Karas and Ruff. The first, as is already clear from the title of the work, gravitates towards an idealistic worldview, belief in the best. Ruff, on the contrary, is a skeptic who mocks the theories of his opponent. There is also a third character in the tale - Pike. This unsafe fish symbolizes in the work of Saltykov-Shchedrin powerful of the world this. Pike are known to feed on crucian carp. The last one moved best feelings, goes to the predator. Karas does not believe in the cruel law of nature (or the established hierarchy in society for centuries). He hopes to bring Pike to his senses with stories about possible equality, universal happiness, and virtue. And that’s why he dies. Pike, as the author notes, is not familiar with the word “virtue”.
Satirical techniques are used here not only to expose the rigidity of representatives of certain sections of society. With the help of them, the author tries to convey the futility of moralistic debates that were common among intelligentsia XIX centuries.
"Wild Landowner"
The theme of serfdom is given a lot of space in the works of Saltykov-Shchedrin. He had something to say to readers about this. However, writing a journalistic article about the relations of landowners to peasants or publishing work of art in the genre of realism on this topic was fraught with unpleasant consequences for the writer. Therefore, we had to resort to allegories, easy humorous stories. In “The Wild Landowner” we are talking about a typical Russian usurper, not distinguished by education and worldly wisdom.
He hates “men” and dreams of killing them. At the same time, the stupid landowner does not understand that without the peasants he will die. After all, he doesn’t want to do anything, and he doesn’t know how. One might think that the prototype of the fairy tale hero is a certain landowner whom the writer perhaps met in real life. But no. It's about not about any particular gentleman. And about the social stratum as a whole.
Saltykov-Shchedrin fully explored this theme, without allegories, in “The Golovlev Gentlemen.” The heroes of the novel - representatives of a provincial landowner family - die one after another. The reason for their death is stupidity, ignorance, laziness. The character in the fairy tale “The Wild Landowner” faces the same fate. After all, he got rid of the peasants, which he was glad about at first, but he was not ready for life without them.
"Eagle Patron"
The heroes of this tale are eagles and crows. The first symbolize the landowners. The second are peasants. The writer again resorts to the technique of allegory, with the help of which he ridicules the vices of the powerful. The tale also includes the Nightingale, Magpie, Owl and Woodpecker. Each of the birds is an allegory for a type of people or social class. The characters in “The Eagle the Patron” are more humanized than, for example, the heroes of the fairy tale “Crucian the Idealist.” Thus, the Woodpecker, who has the habit of reasoning, at the end of the bird's story does not become a victim of a predator, but ends up behind bars.
"The Wise Minnow"
As in the works described above, in this tale the author raises questions relevant to that time. And here this becomes clear from the very first lines. But Saltykov-Shchedrin’s satirical techniques are the use artistic means for a critical depiction of vices not only social, but also universal. The author narrates the narration in “The Wise Minnow” in a typical fairy-tale style: “Once upon a time...”. The author characterizes his hero in this way: “enlightened, moderately liberal.”
Cowardice and passivity are ridiculed in this tale great master satires. After all, these were precisely the vices that were characteristic of most representatives of the intelligentsia in the eighties years XIX century. The gudgeon never leaves its shelter. He lives long life, avoiding encounters with dangerous inhabitants water world. But only before his death does he realize how much he missed during his long and worthless life.
/ / / Techniques satirical image in Saltykov-Shchedrin’s novel “The History of a City”Novel famous master Saltykov-Shchedrin's satire "" became a clear picture of the life of society under the autocratic system in Tsarist Russia. Despite the techniques of satirical depiction - grotesque, metaphor, allegory, fantastic elements, hyperbole - readers clearly saw the reality of that time.
The novel takes place in the city of Foolov. You will not find this place on the map, as it is the author’s imagination. The Foolovites and their mayors live here. Bosses reflect various vices of real managers. The novel talks about them in separate chapters, and also contains a general inventory of them. This term is not introduced by chance, but in order to emphasize the inanimate and limited images of city leaders. They, in essence, are simple puppets of their greedy motives - profit and fame.
Saltykov-Shchedrin at the beginning of his novel assures readers that this work is the manuscript he found. That is, it reliably reflects the way of life of the city called Foolov. With this technique, the author once again clarifies his idea - to depict the life of contemporary Russia under the guise of a fictional city. Namely, point out the vices social order under autocracy. What was innovative was that the writer ridiculed not only the authorities, but also the gray mass of residents who endure violence.
The author formed the images of the characters using satirical techniques - hyperbole, allegory, elements of fantasy. In general, bright grotesque portraits came out. Each hero had a certain strange feature, which surprised, horrified or simply caused laughter. However, it necessarily contained an important symbolic meaning. So, for example, a mayor with an organ instead of a head personified the limitations and soullessness of the autocratic system.
The last mayor is depicted most clearly. It reveals a real historical figure - the reformer Arakcheev. Therefore, in this image there are more mystical techniques than comic ones. Thus, we understand that with this character the author generalizes all the vices of autocracy. And here there is no place for comedy. When creating the portrait of Gloomy-Burcheev, the author did not spare the sharpest techniques of satire. He is so straightforward that he wanted all residents to constantly march along straight lines. And in general, the whole of Foolov should have become like an “ideal” barracks. Gloomy-Burcheev took into account only his own desires, regardless of the people. Therefore, his reign ends tragically - he disappears under the influence of an unknown element. This element reveals the strength of the people.
The chronicle form used in some parts of the novel allows the author to enhance the comedy. Clerical speech, intertwined with vernacular, sayings and proverbs, causes bewilderment and laughter.
Saltykov-Shchedrin was fluent in “Aesopian language.” He called his novel a chronicle, and called himself a simple publisher. Using this method, the author was able to protect himself from censorship and revenge from superiors of that time. Therefore, he boldly described the events of reality and hinted at historical figures, because all this happened in the fictional city of Foolov. What can be presented to the writer’s fiction? Although intelligent readers easily guessed the subtext of the ironic novel.
The inventory of events in Foolov stopped with the disappearance of the last mayor, Ugryum-Burcheev. It was as if history had stopped flowing there. But did it stop altogether or did it just flow in its natural course? Saltykov-Shchedrin believed in the collapse of the “Foolovo system” in reality.
THE TALE OF THE SHEMYAKIN COURT - a work of democratic literature XVII V. , which is a Russian satirical adaptation fairy tale plot O wise decisions righteous judge, widespread both in folklore records and in literary adaptations.
The first part of P. talks about how main character commits three crimes (tears off the tail of a horse that belonged to his rich brother; falling from a platform, he kills the priest’s son; throwing himself from a bridge, kills an old man whom his son was taking to the bathhouse). The second part describes how a poor man shows the unrighteous judge Shemyaka a stone wrapped in a scarf, which the judge takes as a promise - a bag of money, for which he sentences the rich brother to give the horse to the poor man until it grows back new tail, punishes the butt to give up the butt until the poor man “gets the child,” and invites the son of the murdered old man to also throw himself from the bridge at the murderer. Plaintiffs prefer to pay off their money in order not to comply with the judge's decisions. Shemyaka, having learned that the poor man had shown him a stone, thanked God: “as if I had not judged by it, but he would have hit me.”
The motif of deception with a stone in court, used by the Russian author to create a satirical work based on a fairy-tale plot, exists in world folklore, organically being included in fairy tales with different plots. In the 16th century Polish writer Nikolay Rey from Naglowice made a literary adaptation of the motif.
P. is found in both prose and poetic versions. Eldest of famous lists prose text refers to end of XVII V. In the 18th century prose text was arranged in unequal syllabic verse; There are also transcriptions of the work in tonic verse and iambic hexameter. Starting from the 1st half. XVIII century popular prints appear (Rovinsky D. Russian folk pictures. - St. Petersburg. , 1881.- Book. 1.- P. 189-192), reproducing in an abbreviated form the plot of the work (reprinted 5 times, until the publication with a censorship mark in 1838). During the XVIII-XX centuries. numerous literary adaptations P.; in the 1st thirds of the XIX V. the work was translated twice into German. The title of the story - “Shemyakin Court” - became a popular saying.
Writers, poets, playwrights have created many bright satirical works, in which the force artistic word social and moral vices that interfere with the normal development of life. Exposing evil and injustice through art - ancient tradition, humanity has accumulated vast experience along this path.To make something bad and bad funny means to devalue it, to reduce it, to induce in people a desire to get rid of it. negative traits. Satirical literature, like no other, has a strong educational effect, although, of course, not everyone likes to recognize themselves in the heroes satirical comedy or fables. Every satirical work: fable, comedy, fairy tale, novel, has a number of specific features, which are unique to them. Firstly, it's very high degree conventions of the depicted, proportions real world in a satirical work are displaced and distorted, the satirist is consciously focused only on negative aspects reality, which appears in the work in an exaggerated, often fantastic, form. Remember Gogol’s confession that in “The Inspector General” the writer “wanted to collect everything bad in Russia and laugh at everything at once.” But this, as the writer admits, is “a laughter visible to the world” through “invisible, unknown to him tears”; the satirist mourns the lost ideal of man in his caricatured, often repulsive heroes. A satirical writer must have a special talent for creating the comic, i.e. funny, in literary work. These are a variety of comic plot collisions, illogical, absurd situations, the use of telling names and surnames, etc. The most important artistic techniques that allow you to create satirical images are the following (see diagram 6).
Irony(eironeia Greek, mockery, pretense) - a technique of ridicule when direct and hidden meaning what has been said contradict each other when, under the mask of imaginary seriousness, a caustic, caustic mockery is hidden.
Mayor Wartkin “led the campaign against arrears, and burned thirty-three villages and, with the help of these measures, collected arrears of two rubles and a half.”
M. Saltykov-Shchedrin. "The Story of a City"
Dialogues of characters that use irony are also a common technique in satirical works, comic effect arises because one of the characters does not feel the ironic overtones.
Sarcasm(sakasmos Greek literally tearing meat) - caustic, cruel ridicule, expressed directly, without
half-hints.
Gloomy-Burcheev, one of the mayors in “The History of a City” by M. Saltykov-Shchedrin, is described exclusively in sarcastic tones:
“What appears before the viewer’s eyes is the purest type of idiot who has made some gloomy decision and vowed to carry it out.”
“I came two weeks later and was received by some girl with her eyes slanted towards her nose from constant lies.”
M. Bulgakov “The Master and Margarita”
Hyperbola- exaggeration, bright and, perhaps, one of the most important satirical techniques, since exaggeration, exaggeration of negative features, is the law of the satirical depiction of reality, it is no coincidence that V. Mayakovsky called satire “a look at the world through a magnifying glass.”
Hyperbole can be verbal (“unpleasant news”), but more often there is an expanded hyperbole, when the exaggeration of many similar details exaggerates some feature to the point of absurdity.
Whole episodes are often constructed according to the laws of hyperbolization, for example, the famous “scene of lies” from “The Inspector General,” when Khlestakov, in ten minutes, promoted himself from a minor official to the director of a department, whose subordinates are “couriers, couriers, couriers... you can imagine thirty-five thousand couriers alone!”
Hyperbole is often combined with the grotesque and fantasy.
Fantasy(phantastike Greek ability to imagine) - depiction of absolutely impossible, illogical, incredible situations and heroes.
In satirical works, fantasy is very often used together with grotesque and hyperbole, often it is impossible to separate them, as, for example, in V. Mayakovsky’s poem “The Seated”: “I see: half of the people are sitting. Oh devilishness! Where is the other half?!”
Grotesque(grotesque French: bizarre, intricate) - the most complex satirical technique, which consists in an unexpected, at first glance impossible combination of high and low, funny and terrible, beautiful and ugly.
The grotesque contains elements of fantasy and exaggeration, so it contains a very strong impulse of emotional and psychological impact on the reader; the grotesque amazes, excites the imagination, calling to look at reality from a new, often paradoxical point of view. M.E. especially often resorted to the grotesque in his work. Saltykov-Shchedrin and M.A. Bulgakov.
Sometimes the plot of an entire work can be built on a grotesque situation (M. Bulgakov’s story “The Heart of a Dog”).
