Saltykov-Shchedrin: History of a city: On the origin of the Foolovites. M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin "The History of a City": description, heroes, analysis of the work Straw City analysis
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The story describes the life of the city of Glupov for a hundred years until 1825. The chronicle of the city during this time was kept by four archivists. The history of Glupov is directly connected with the period of government of various mayors. In the first prehistoric chapter, the author considers the question of the origin of the city's population. The people of the bunglers were able to defeat other tribes. The bunglers decided to find a prince to manage them. Many rulers refused to rule over stupid people. One of them agreed, but did not live in the city, leaving instead of himself a governor - a newcomer. The governor turned out to be a thief. The prince sent a noose to a dishonest newcomer. But he did not wait and stabbed himself with a cucumber. After this, the prince appointed several more rulers in his place. But they all stole terribly. The prince himself arrived in Foolov and from that moment began a historical period in the life of the city. Further, the work provides a description of the mayors of Glupov, tells the biographies of the most significant.
Dementy Varlamovich Brodysty was very gloomy and taciturn. He always used two phrases: "I will not tolerate and I will ruin." Once the clerk saw an incredible picture. The busty man was sitting at the table as usual, but his head was separate and completely empty. It turned out that the head of the mayor contained only two organs with melodies: I will not stand it and I will ruin it. But somehow, due to dampness, the head became unusable. Watchmaker Baibakov ordered a new head in the capital. But she did not come on time, so Brody was without a head.
After that, two self-proclaimed chiefs appeared in the city. A messenger from the province quickly picked them up. And Foolov plunged into anarchy. During the week, the city was ruled by six women mayors. Residents quickly got tired of such confusion. Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov became the new mayor. His activities for the city had a positive meaning, he even dreamed of opening an academy in the city.
Pyotr Petrovich Ferdyshchenko managed the city very well for the first six years, while Glupov prospered during these years. But then the mayor was beguiled by a demon. He kindled with feelings for the wife of the coachman Alenka. She refused the mayor. Then Ferdyshchenko exiled her husband to Siberia, and Alenka had to obey. But as a punishment for such actions, a drought came to the city, followed by famine. Residents then threw Alenka from the bell tower. Ferdyshchenko wrote various letters to his superiors, even a detachment of soldiers arrived in Foolov. When the mayor fell in love with Domashka again, strong fires began in the city. The ruler was frightened and refused Domashka. Ferdyshchenko's reign ended in travel when he died from overeating.
Vasilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin became the new mayor. He considered himself a smart ruler and even waged wars to educate the people. During his reign, Foolov began to decline.
Another ruler, Theophylact Irinarkhovich Benevolsky, liked to issue various laws, although he did not have the right to do so. Therefore, he scattered leaflets with laws at night. The mayor was dismissed for cooperation with Napoleon.
Then Lieutenant-Colonel Pryshch controlled Glupov. He did not actually participate in the management, but the city surprisingly developed due to excellent harvests. It turned out that Pimple had a stuffed head, which the leader ate, smelling truffles from it.
Under the next mayor - State Councilor Erast Andreevich Sadtilov, Glupov did not develop at all. Laziness and debauchery became characteristic features of the Foolovites. The mayor spent all his time at balls. Soon famine came to Foolov. Sadtilov was soon removed. For a hundred years, the last mayor was Ugryum Burcheev. He was not very intelligent, in fact, was an idiot. Burcheev decided to completely rebuild the city. Foolov was destroyed to the ground. The river interfered with the new construction, but Burcheev failed to block its channel, although he tried very hard. Therefore, Burcheev led the Foolovites to a lowland, it was decided to build a city there. But something went wrong. The mayor literally vanished into thin air and disappeared without a trace. The story ended there.
Year of writing:
1869
Reading time:
Description of the work:
Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote The History of a City in 1869. The book caused a mixed reaction, including indignation. One of these indignants was the publicist Suvorin, he wrote an article addressed to Saltykov-Shchedrin, where he accused the writer of mocking the Russians, of distorting the history of Russia, while not fully penetrating the artistic essence of the work.
On the other hand, Ivan Turgenev, on the contrary, called the novel The History of a City remarkable and even emphasized that in the book Saltykov-Shchedrin well reflected the satirical history of Russian society.
Read below a summary of the satirical novel The Story of a City.
This story is a "genuine" chronicle of the city of Glupov, "Glupovsky Chronicler", embracing the period from 1731 to 1825, which was "successively composed" by four Stupov archivists. In the chapter "From the Publisher", the author especially insists on the authenticity of the Chronicler and invites the reader to "catch the physiognomy of the city and follow how its history reflected the various changes that simultaneously took place in the higher spheres."
The Chronicler opens with "An address to the reader from the last archivist-chronicler." The archivist sees the task of the chronicler in "being a depiction" of "touching correspondence" - the authorities, "daring to the best of their ability", and the people, "giving thanks to the best". History, therefore, is the history of the reign of various city governors.
First, a prehistoric chapter “On the origin of the Foolovites” is given, which tells how the ancient people of the bunglers defeated the neighboring tribes of walrus-eaters, onion-eaters, kosobryukhy, etc. But, not knowing what to do so that there was order, the bunglers went to look for a prince . They turned to more than one prince, but even the most stupid princes did not want to “rule the stupid” and, having taught them with a rod, let them go with honor. Then the bunglers called in a thief-innovator who helped them find the prince. The prince agreed to "volunteer" them, but did not go to live with them, sending a thief-innovator instead. The prince himself called the bunglers "stupid", hence the name of the city.
The Foolovites were a submissive people, but the Novotor needed riots to pacify them. But soon he was stealing so much that the prince "sent a noose to the unfaithful slave." But the Novotor “and then dodged: ‹…› without waiting for the loop, he stabbed himself with a cucumber.”
The prince and other rulers sent - Odoev, Orlov, Kalyazin - but they all turned out to be sheer thieves. Then the prince "... arrived in his own person to Foolov and shouted:" I'll screw it up! With these words began historical times.
In 1762, Dementy Varlamovich Brodasty arrived in Foolov. He immediately struck the Foolovites with his sullenness and reticence. His only words were "I won't stand it!" and "I'll ruin it!" The city was lost in conjecture, until one day the clerk, entering with a report, saw a strange sight: the body of the mayor, as usual, was sitting at the table, while his head was completely empty on the table. Foolov was shocked. But then they remembered about the watch and organ affairs of master Baibakov, who secretly visited the mayor, and, having called him, they found out everything. In the head of the mayor, in one corner, there was an organ that could play two pieces of music: “I will ruin!” and "I will not stand it!". But on the way, the head got damp and needed to be repaired. Baibakov himself could not cope and turned to St. Petersburg for help, from where they promised to send a new head, but for some reason the head was delayed.
Anarchy ensued, ending with the appearance of two identical mayors at once. “The impostors met and measured each other with their eyes. The crowd dispersed slowly and in silence. A messenger immediately arrived from the province and took away both impostors. And the Foolovites, left without a mayor, immediately fell into anarchy.
The anarchy continued throughout the next week, during which six mayors changed in the city. The townsfolk rushed from Iraida Lukinichna Paleologova to Clementine de Bourbon, and from her to Amalia Karlovna Stockfish. The claims of the first were based on the short-term activity of the mayor of her husband, the second - of her father, and the third - she herself was a mayor's pompadour. The claims of Nelka Lyadokhovskaya, and then Dunka the fat-footed and Matryonka the nostrils, were even less substantiated. In between hostilities, the Foolovites threw some citizens from the bell tower and drowned others. But they are also tired of anarchy. Finally, a new mayor arrived in the city - Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov. His activity in Foolovo was beneficial. “He introduced mead and brewing and made the use of mustard and bay leaves obligatory,” and also wanted to establish an academy in Foolov.
Under the next ruler, Peter Petrovich Ferdyshchenko, the city flourished for six years. But in the seventh year, "Ferdyshchenko was embarrassed by the demon." The mayor was inflamed with love for the coachman's wife Alenka. But Alenka refused him. Then, with the help of a series of successive measures, Alenka's husband, Mitka, was branded and sent to Siberia, and Alenka came to her senses. A drought fell upon the Foolovs through the sins of the mayor, and famine followed it. People started dying. Then came the end of Foolovsky's patience. First they sent a walker to Ferdyshchenko, but the walker did not return. Then they sent a petition, but this did not help either. Then they finally got to Alenka, and they threw her off the bell tower. But Ferdyshchenko did not doze off either, but wrote reports to his superiors. No bread was sent to him, but a team of soldiers arrived.
Through the next hobby of Ferdyshchenko, archer Domashka, fires came to the city. Pushkarskaya Sloboda was on fire, followed by Bolotnaya Sloboda and Scoundrel Sloboda. Ferdyshchenko again shied away, returned Domashka to the “optism” and called the team.
The reign of Ferdyshchenko ended with a journey. The mayor went to the city pasture. In different places, the townspeople greeted him and dinner was waiting for him. On the third day of the journey, Ferdyshchenko died of overeating.
Ferdyshchenko's successor, Vasilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin, took up his post resolutely. Having studied the history of Glupov, he found only one role model - Dvoekurov. But his achievements were already forgotten, and the Foolovites even stopped sowing mustard. Wartkin ordered that this mistake be corrected, and added Provence oil as punishment. But the fools did not give in. Then Borodavkin went on a military campaign against Streletskaya Sloboda. Not everything in the nine-day campaign was successful. In the dark, they fought with their own. Many real soldiers were fired and replaced with tin soldiers. But Wartkin survived. Having reached the settlement and not finding anyone, he began to pull the houses into logs. And then the settlement, and behind it the whole city, surrendered. Subsequently, there were several more wars for education. In general, the reign led to the impoverishment of the city, which finally ended under the next ruler, Negodyaev. In this state, Foolov found the Circassian Mikeladze.
No events were held during this period. Mikeladze stepped aside from administrative measures and dealt only with the female sex, to which he was a great hunter. The city was resting. "The visible facts were few, but the consequences are innumerable."
The Circassian was replaced by Feofilakt Irinarkhovich Benevolensky, a friend and comrade of Speransky in the seminary. He had a passion for law. But since the mayor did not have the right to issue his own laws, Benevolensky issued laws secretly, in the house of the merchant Raspopova, and scattered them around the city at night. However, he was soon dismissed for relations with Napoleon.
The next was Lieutenant Colonel Pryshch. He did not do business at all, but the city flourished. The harvests were huge. The fools were worried. And the secret of Pimple was revealed by the leader of the nobility. A great lover of minced meat, the leader sensed that the head of the mayor smelled of truffles and, unable to stand it, attacked and ate the stuffed head.
After that, state councilor Ivanov arrived in the city, but "turned out to be so small that he could not contain anything spacious," and died. His successor, the immigrant Vicomte de Chario, constantly had fun and was sent abroad by order of his superiors. Upon examination, it turned out to be a girl.
Finally, State Councilor Erast Andreevich Sadtilov appeared in Foolov. By this time the Foolovites had forgotten the true God and clung to idols. Under him, the city was completely mired in debauchery and laziness. Hoping for their happiness, they stopped sowing, and famine came to the city. Sadtilov was busy with daily balls. But everything suddenly changed when she appeared to him. The wife of the pharmacist Pfeifer showed Sadtilov the path of goodness. The holy fools and the poor, who experienced hard days during the worship of idols, became the main people in the city. The Foolovites repented, but the fields remained empty. The Glupovsky beau monde gathered at night to read Mr. Strakhov and "admiration", which the authorities soon found out about, and Sadtilov was removed.
The last Foolovsky mayor - Ugryum-Burcheev - was an idiot. He set a goal - to turn the Foolovs into "the city of Nepreklonsk, eternally worthy of the memory of the Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich" with straight, identical streets, "companies", identical houses for identical families, etc. Gloomy-Burcheev thought out the plan in detail and proceeded to execution. The city was destroyed to the ground, and it was possible to start building, but the river interfered. She did not fit into the plans of Ugryum-Burcheev. The indefatigable mayor led an offensive against her. All the garbage, all that was left of the city, was put into action, but the river washed away all the dams. And then Moody-Grumbling turned around and walked away from the river, leading the Foolovites with him. A completely flat lowland was chosen for the city, and construction began. But something has changed. However, the notebooks with the details of this story have been lost, and the publisher gives only the denouement: “... the earth shook, the sun faded ‹…› It come." Without explaining what exactly, the author only reports that “the scoundrel instantly disappeared, as if dissolved in thin air. History has stopped flowing."
The story is closed by "acquittal documents", i.e., the writings of various city governors, such as: Borodavkin, Mikeladze and Benevolensky, written as a warning to other city governors.
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The name of the city whose “history” is offered to the reader is Foolov. There is no such city on the map of Russia and there never was one, but still it was ... And it was - everywhere. Or maybe he didn’t disappear anywhere, despite the phrase with which the chronicler ends his story: “History has stopped its course”? Can it be? And isn't that an Aesopian sly smile?
In Russian literature, the Shchedrin "chronicle" was immediately preceded by Pushkin's "History of the Village of Goryukhin". “If God sends readers to me, then maybe they will be curious to know how I decided to write the History of the village of Goryukhin” - this is how Pushkin's story begins. And here is the beginning of the text “From the publisher”, who allegedly found in the “Glupovsky city archive” “a voluminous bundle of notebooks bearing the general name of the “Glupovsky Chronicler””: “For a long time I had the intention to write the history of some city (or region) ... but different Circumstances hindered this undertaking.
But the Chronicler has been found. The material collected from ancient times is at the disposal of the "publisher". In an address to the reader, he defines the content of the "History". Read the text “From the Publisher” in full, so that you are convinced that each word there is special, casts with its brilliance and merges in a general sparkle with others, one fantastically real (grotesque) image, barely appearing on the page, is crowded by the next one, and the best, what can be done - to become a reader of the annals of Glupov, this city strangely familiar to all of us.
The structure of Shchedrin's most widely read work is not simple. Behind the head From the publisher» follows « Appeal to the reader»- a text written directly on behalf of the "archivist-chronicler" and stylized as the language of the 18th century.
"Author" - "the humble Pavlushka, Masloboynikov's son", the fourth archivist. Note that of the other three archivists, two are the Tryapichkins (the surname is taken from Gogol's "Inspector General": this is how Khlestakov calls his friend, "writing articles").
"On the origin of the Foolovites"
“On the Root of the Origin of the Foolovites,” the chapter that opens the “Chronicler,” begins with a fictitious quote that imitates the text of “The Tale of Igor's Campaign.” Historians N.I. Kostomarov (1817-1885) and S.M. Solovyov (1820-1879) are mentioned here because they held directly opposite views on the history of Rus' and Russia: according to Kostomarov, the main thing in it was spontaneous folk activity ("a gray wolf scoured the earth"), and according to Solovyov, Russian history was created only thanks to the deeds of princes and kings (“shizy eagle swung under the clouds”).
Both points of view were alien to the writer himself. He believed that Russian statehood could only be created through an organized and conscious popular movement.
"Description to the mayors"
"Inventory to the mayors" contains explanations for further chapters and a short list of the mayors, the narratives of the board of which are developed further. One should not think that every mayor is a satirical image of one specific "autocrat". These are always generalized images, like most of the text of the “History of a City”, but there are also clear correspondences. Negodyaev - Pavel I, Alexander I - Sadtilov; Speransky and Arakcheev, close associates of Alexander I, were reflected in the characters of Benevolensky and Gloomy-Burcheev.
"Organchik"
"Organchik" is the central and most famous chapter of the book. This is the nickname of the mayor, Brodysty, generalizing the most sinister features of despotism. The word "breasty" has long been applied exclusively to dogs: a broad-haired one has a beard and mustache on the muzzle and is usually especially vicious (more often about a greyhound dog). He was named an organ because a musical instrument was found in his head, a mechanism that produces only one phrase: “I won’t stand it!” The Foolovites also call Brodystoy a scoundrel, but, Shchedrin assures, they do not attach any definite meaning to this word. This means that the word has such - this is how the writer draws your attention to this word and asks you to understand. Let's figure it out.
The word "scoundrel" appeared in Russian under Peter I from "profost" - a regimental executor (executioner) in the German army, but in Russian it was used until the 60s of the XIX century in the same meaning, after - the warden of military prisons. A.I. Herzen and N.P. Ogaryov - Russian revolutionary publicists who published the newspaper Kolokol in London. Charles the Innocent, an Organ-like figure in medieval history, was a real-life French king deposed as a result of his unsuccessful wars. Freemasons are freemasons, freemasons, members of the society of "freemasons", very influential in Europe since the Middle Ages.
"The Tale of the Six Mayors"
The Tale of the Six Mayors is a wonderfully written, hilariously funny, brilliant satire of eighteenth-century empresses and their temporary favorites.
The surname Paleologova is a hint at the wife of Ivan III, the daughter of the last Byzantine emperor of the Palaiologos dynasty, Sophia. It was this marriage that gave the Russian rulers reason to make Russia an empire and dream of joining Byzantium.
The name Clementine de Bourbon is a hint that the French government helped Elizabeth Petrovna ascend the Russian throne. The mention of hard-to-pronounce fictitious names of Polish cardinals here is probably a hint at the Time of Troubles and Polish intrigue in Russian history.
"News about Dvoekurov"
"News of Dvoekurov" contains allusions to the reign of Alexander I and features of his personality (duality, inconsistency of intentions and their implementation, indecision to the point of cowardice). Shchedrin emphasizes that the Foolovites owe him the obligation to consume mustard and bay leaves. Dvokurov is the ancestor of the "innovators" who waged wars "in the name of the potato." A hint of Nicholas I, son of Alexander I, who introduced potatoes in Rus' during the famine of 1839-1840, which caused "potato riots" that were brutally suppressed by military force until the most powerful peasant uprising in 1842.
"Hungry City"
"Hungry City" The mayor Ferdyshchenko rules over Glupovo in this and the next two chapters. After listening to the priest's teaching about Ahab and Jezebel, Ferdyshchenko promises bread to the people, and he himself summons troops to the city. Perhaps this is a hint at the "liberation" of the peasants in 1861, carried out in such a way that it caused discontent among both the landowners and the peasants who resisted the reform.
"Straw City"
"Straw City". The war between "archers" and "gunners" is described. It is known that in May 1862 the famous St. Petersburg fires took place in Apraksin Dvor. They blamed them on students and nihilists, but perhaps the fires were a provocation. The chapter is a broader generalization. It also contains allusions to the flood of 1824 in St. Petersburg.
"Fantastic Traveler"
"Fantastic Traveler" Ferdyshchenko embarks on a journey. It was the custom of the Russian autocrats to embark from time to time on journeys around the country, during which the local authorities strenuously portrayed the devotion of the people to the rulers, and the tsars bestowed favors on the people, often very insignificant. So, it is known that, by order of Arakcheev, during the detour of military settlements by Alexander I, the same roasted goose was transferred from hut to hut.
"Enlightenment Wars"
“The Wars for Enlightenment” - describes the “longest and most brilliant” reign, judging by many signs, of Nicholas I. Basilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin is a collective image, like everyone else, but some features of the era clearly allude primarily to this monarch. Historian K. I. Arseniev is the mentor of Nicholas I, who traveled with him around Russia.
Campaigns on the Streltsy Sloboda again take us back to the 18th century, but generalize the periods of the next century - the struggle of the monarchs against the Freemasons, the "gentry opposition" and the Decembrists. There is also a hint, it seems, of Pushkin (the poet Fedka, who “offended” the venerable mother of Basilisk with verses). It is known that after Pushkin returned from exile in 1826, Nicholas I told him in a personal conversation: “You fooled around enough, I hope you will be reasonable now, and we will not quarrel anymore. You will send me everything that you compose, from now on I myself will be your censor.
A trip to the Navoznaya settlement implies the colonial wars of the Russian tsars. Talking about the economic crisis in Foolov, Shchedrin names the economists of the Russky Vestnik magazine, Molinari and Bezobrazov, who passed off any position as prosperity. Finally, the campaigns “against enlightenment” and for the “destruction of the free spirit”, dated to the year of the revolution in France (1790), point to the French Revolution of 1848 and revolutionary events that broke out in European countries - Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary. Nicholas I introduces troops into Wallachia, Moldavia, Hungary.
"The era of dismissal from wars"
The chapter “The era of dismissal from wars” is mainly devoted to the reign of Negodyaev (Paul I), “replaced” in 1802, according to the “Inventory”, for disagreeing with Czartorysky, Stroganov and Novosiltsev. The named nobles were close advisers to Alexander, the son of the murdered emperor. It was they who stood up for the introduction of constitutional principles in Russia, but what kind of principles they were! "The era of dismissal from wars" presents these "beginnings" in their true form.
Mikaladze comes to replace Negodyaev. The surname is Georgian, and there is reason to think that Emperor Alexander I is meant here, during which Georgia (1801), Mingrelia (1803) and Imeretia (1810) joined Russia, and that he is a descendant of the “voluptuous Queen Tamara”, - a hint of his mother Catherine II. The mayor Benevolensky - the arbiter of the fate of Russia, who had a huge influence on Alexander I - M.M. Speransky. Lycurgus and the Dragon (Drákont) - ancient Greek legislators; the expressions "draconian rules", "draconian measures" became winged. Speransky was involved by the tsar in the drafting of laws.
"Substantiating Documents"
In the last part of the book - "Substantiating Documents" - there is a parody of the laws drawn up by Speransky. Benevolensky ended his career in the same way as Speransky, he was suspected of treason and exiled. There comes the power of Pimple - the mayor with a stuffed head. This is a generalizing image, and it is not for nothing that Shchedrin compares the well-being of the Foolovites under Pimple with the life of the Russians under the legendary Prince Oleg: this is how the satirist emphasizes the fictional, unprecedented nature of the described prosperity.
"Worship of mammon and repentance"
Now we are talking about the townsfolk - about the Foolovites themselves. The exclusivity of their endurance and vitality is pointed out, because they continue to exist under the mayors listed in the Chronicler. The series of the latter continues: Ivanov (Alexander I again, we are even talking about two versions of his death: compare the legend about Alexander I's voluntary renunciation of power, staging his death in Taganrog and secretly going into monasticism), then - Angel Dorofeich Du-Chario (Angel is the nickname of the same monarch in circles close and close, Dorofeich - from Dorofey - the gift of God (Greek), followed by Erast Sadtilov (again Tsar Alexander I). Under various allegorical names, Alexander's beloved and their influence on his reign are listed. The appearance of a generalized image of Pfeifers (prototypes - Baroness V.Yu. von Krugener and E.F. Tatarinova) marks the beginning of the second half of the reign of Alexander I and the immersion of the "top" and society in dark mysticism and social obscurantism. repentance, the real king disappears into nowhere.
“Confirmation of repentance. Conclusion"
All this mystical rabble and delirium is dispersed by the newly re-emerged once offended officer (Gloom-Burcheev - Arakcheev (1769-1834), "a gloomy idiot", "a monkey in a uniform", who fell out of favor under Paul I and was again called up by Alexander I). The first part of the chapter is devoted to his struggle to implement the crazy idea of military settlements to maintain the army in peacetime, the second to criticism of Russian liberalism. Arakcheev, who flourished during the years of the "liberation" of the peasants from serfdom, resented Shchedrin with unscrupulousness, idealism and inconsistent caution, idle talk and a lack of understanding of the realities of Russian life. The list of martyrs of the liberal idea, given in the last chapter of the book, and their deeds also includes the Decembrists, whose activities Shchedrin could not help but regard with irony, knowing Russia and realizing how fantastic the Decembrists hoped to overthrow the autocracy with the help of their secret societies and uprisings on Senate Square. The last in the series of mayors described in the Chronicler is the Archangel Stratilatovich Perechvat-Zalikhvatsky - an image that brings us back to Nicholas I. “He claimed that he was the father of his mother. Once again he expelled mustard, bay leaf and olive oil from use ... "Thus, the history of the city of Glupov in the Chronicler returns to normal. Everything in it is ready for a new cycle. This hint is especially clear in the statement of the Archangel that he is the father of his mother. Phantasmagoric grotesque is read clearly.
Concluding the story about the great book of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, we only note that when reading it, one must keep in mind Turgenev's statement about the author: "He knew Russia better than all of us."
Source (abridged): Mikhalskaya, A.K. Literature: Basic level: Grade 10. At 2 o'clock. Part 1: account. allowance / A.K. Mikhalskaya, O.N. Zaitsev. - M.: Bustard, 2018
"The History of a City" was written by Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin. A well-known Russian writer in a satirical novel ridiculed all the vices of contemporary society and rulers.
After the work was published in 1870, reproaches and accusations rained down on the author of belittling the history of Russia and mocking the authorities and people. However, the novel at the same time became very popular, its characters turned out to be too recognizable.
In contact with
M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin "History of one city": a summary
"From the Publisher" and "Message to the Reader"
These two chapters can be combined with a brief retelling of the "History of a City" . In the first, the author claims that his work is about a real city. The novel tells only the biographies of the rulers. But it doesn't have to be taken literally. Less grotesque, but such events are rather common in many cities that have undergone such changes over time.
The "Appeal" is written on behalf of the last archivist who completed the "Chronicle". He characterizes the work as a history of the relationship between the authorities and the people. Throughout the book, a number of mayors will be introduced, who ruled the city at certain intervals.
"On the Root of the Origin of the Foolovites" and "Inventory of the Mayors"
The first chapter is a kind of preface to future events. It tells about the war of ancient tribes with speaking names . Among them:
- bunglers;
- walrus eaters;
- thick-eaters;
- onion eaters;
- frogs;
- skew-bellied.
The bunglers won, but they didn’t really know what to do with this victory, which means they needed to find a ruler who would maintain order. But this task was not so easy. To whatever prince they turned, everywhere they were refused, because the people were reputed to be stupid. There is nothing to do, I had to ask for help from a thief - a newcomer. It was he who found them a prince. Yes, although he agreed to rule, he had no intention of living among the people of the Foolovites, as he called the bunglers, so he made the thief his governor. So Novotor turned out to be the head of the city with the new name of Gluupovo.
The townspeople turned out to be submissive, and the newcomer wanted riots so that there was someone to pacify. In addition, he stole a lot, for which the prince decided to punish him by hanging. But the culprit escaped this fate by killing himself with a cucumber.
So the city was left without a ruler, so the prince had to look for others. Three mayors were sent in turn, but all of them had an unclean hand and stole. The prince had no choice but to come to his people and threaten with flogging.
The "Inventory" contains only information about the twenty-two rulers of Glupovo and what they became famous for.
"Organchik": features of the physiology of the ruler
So, the year 1762 came, and Dementy Varlamovich Brudasty became the head of the city. He was a gloomy and silent ruler. All that was heard from him was that "I will not tolerate" and "I will ruin." The Foolovites were very surprised by this, but soon the reason for such reticence was clarified.
Once the clerk went to Brudastom with a report, but he saw the ruler in a very strange form. Dementy Varlamovich, who was sitting in his place, was without a head, it lay separately from the owner on the table and was completely empty. Not every day you see such a sight, the townspeople were amazed.
A certain Baibakov, who was an organ master, was able to clarify the situation. It turned out that the ruler of Glupov was not an easy one. In his head was an organ that played a couple of pieces of music. They were called "ruin" and "I will not tolerate." These are the words that the people heard from their mayor. But the head was damp, broken and in need of repair. Yes, so difficult that Baibakov was unable to cope, he had to ask for help in St. Petersburg. A new serviceable head was expected from there.
But while they were waiting for her, impostors appeared in the city. They did not stay as rulers for long, they were quickly taken away from there. Stupid was once again left without a leader, which was followed by anarchy lasting a week.
"The Tale of the Six Mayors"
During this difficult period, the townspeople undertook whole hostilities, as well as drowned and threw each other from the bell towers. At the same time, mayors appeared near the city. Yes, not one, but six at once:
- Iraida Lukinichna Paleogolova;
- Clementine de Bourbon;
- Amalia Karlovna Stockfish;
- Nelka Lyadokhovskaya;
- Dunka the thick-footed;
- Matryonka-nostril.
Each applied for this post for their own reasons. Amalia already had a similar experience in the past, while Iraida believed that she should become a mayor by inheritance from her husband, and Klemantinka from her father. The rest of the women did not have good reasons for such claims at all.
"News about Dvoekurov"
The end of the atrocities was put by the newly arrived Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov. He is remembered for his positive influence on the affairs of the city. In Glupovo they began to brew honey and beer, eat mustard and bay leaves. Even the establishment of its own city academy was expected.
Three chapters about Ferdyshchenko
"Hungry City", "Straw City" and "Fantastic Traveler" - in all these three chapters we are talking about a new ruler who lingered in the city for six whole years. It was Pyotr Petrovich Ferdyshchenko. And everything was going well in Gluupovo until Pyotr Petrovich fell in love with the coachman's wife Alyonka. The woman refused the courtship of the mayor, for which her husband was sent to Siberia. Then Alyonka changed her mind. But to covet the neighbor's wife was a sin for which the city paid with drought and the famine that followed.
People were dying and blaming Ferdyshchenko for everything. They sent a walker to him, but they did not wait for him back. Then they sent a petition, but it also remained unanswered. They decided to take revenge on the ruler through a new wife, Alyonka. They threw her from the bell tower, and in the meantime Peter asked for help from his superiors. He asked for bread, to feed the hungry, and instead of food, the military arrived.
However, despite all the hardships endured by the city, Ferdyshchenko's passion for other people's wives did not pass. His next victim was archer Domashka. And this sin did not pass without a trace for the city. Fires started, settlements burned. That's when the mayor took a back seat and let the woman go, but called the team.
He ended the reign and life of Ferdyshchenko on a journey through the city pasture. By order of the ruler himself, he was welcomed everywhere and heartily fed. In less than three days, he could not stand so many meals and died from overeating.
"Enlightenment Wars"
However, he was quickly found a replacement in the form of Vasilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin. He approached the matter thoroughly and studied the entire history of the city. Basilisk liked the government of Dvoekurov, and he decided to imitate him. However, since the reign of Semyon Konstantinovich time passed, and the Foolovites stopped using mustard. The new mayor gave the order to start sowing again, and even added the production of Provence oil on his own. But the townspeople did not like this idea.
As a result, Basilisk went to war on the Streltsy settlement, which seemed to him a haven for rebels. The campaign lasted nine days, but was difficult and confusing. It happened to fight with their own, who did not recognize each other in the dark. Many living soldiers were replaced with tin ones. However, it was possible to reach the intended goal. Yes, but no one was there. There was nothing left to do, as soon as the logs were taken away from the houses, the settlement had to surrender. Wartkin liked the campaigns, and he spent three more for the sake of enlightenment:
- for the benefit of stone foundations;
- for the cultivation of Persian chamomile;
- against the academy.
The wars depleted the city's reserves, and the next ruler of the Rogues contributed even more to this.
"The era of dismissal from wars"
Then the case was taken over by the Circassian Mikeladze, who, in general, did not care about Glupov, he was hunting for women's skirts, while the city was resting. But this could not continue for a long time, and he was replaced by Feofilakt Irinarkhovich Benevolensky, who was a friend of Speransky. He, on the contrary, was eager to work, especially legislation. However, he did not have the right to invent his own laws, and then he resorted to secretly writing them, and then anonymously distributing them around the city. It did not end in anything good, he was expelled from the mayors on charges of connection with.
It's Lieutenant Colonel Pimple's time. The city flourished under him, but not for long. The fact is that the head of the head of the city turned out to be stuffed. This was felt by the leader of the nobility, attacked Pimple and ate minced meat.
"Worship of mammon and repentance"
The next ruler of little use to the city was a state councilor named Ivanov. He was small and unsightly, he soon died. He was replaced by the Viscount de Chario. But the emigrant had too much fun, and besides, he turned out to be a girl. All this led to his return abroad.
Then the time came for the state adviser Erast Andreevich Sadtilov. Not only that, by the time he came to power, the Foolovites suddenly forgot the true religion and began to worship idols, so he completely brought the city to debauchery and laziness. Nobody cared about the future, they stopped sowing, which naturally ended in famine. Meanwhile, Erast was having fun with balls. So everything would have continued if he had not met the pharmacist's wife, who showed him the right path. Standing on the side of good, he exalted the holy fools and the poor, and the townspeople repented. But stop the hunger this did not help, and Sadtilov was dismissed.
"Subjection to Repentance: Conclusion" and "Substantiating Documents"
The last of the bosses described was the idiot Ugryum-Burcheev. He decided that a decent city should have the same streets, houses and people. To do this, Gluupovo had to be destroyed in order to found a new city in its place with the name Nepreklonsk. But then a new obstacle appeared - the river, which Ugryum-Burcheev in his city did not want to see. Not having come up with a way out better than throwing garbage at the water, the mayor went on the offensive. This, of course, did not solve the problem, and therefore it was thought up to rebuild the city in a new place.
Why this venture failed, the publisher does not explain. He only says that the records of this were lost, and at the end of history a certain “it” came, because of which the sun faded and the earth shook. Gloomy-Grumbling hastened to disappear.
At the end of the story, there are "Supporting Documents" compiled by some former mayors and containing recommendations for managing the city.
Allusion Analysis
It will be useful to read this work in full, and not just to get acquainted with the summary of the "History of one city" in the chapters given above or on the briefli website. Only in this way can you feel the atmosphere of the book, which cannot be conveyed in abbreviation.
In the novel, one can trace parallels with such historical events as palace coups, and also recognize in some personalities the images of real-life rulers. Eg:
Thus, the story of Mikhail Evgrafovich is relevant in all historical eras. The people have the ruler they deserve. Behind the parody, exaggerations and fantastic incidents, one can see the history of not one particular city in Russia, but the situation in the country as a whole. The author masterfully describes the mores of power and the obedience of the people, as well as their relationship.
This story is a "genuine" chronicle of the city of Glupov, "Glupovsky Chronicler", embracing the period from 1731 to 1825, which was "successively composed" by four Stupov archivists. In the chapter "From the Publisher", the author especially insists on the authenticity of the Chronicler and invites the reader to "catch the physiognomy of the city and follow how its history reflected the various changes that simultaneously took place in the higher spheres."
The Chronicler opens with "An address to the reader from the last archivist-chronicler." The archivist sees the task of the chronicler in "being a depiction" of "touching correspondence" - the authorities, "daring to the best of their ability", and the people, "giving thanks to the best". History, therefore, is the history of the reign of various city governors.
First, a prehistoric chapter “On the origin of the Foolovites” is given, which tells how the ancient people of the bunglers defeated the neighboring tribes of walrus-eaters, onion-eaters, kosobryukhy, etc. But, not knowing what to do so that there was order, the bunglers went to look for a prince . They turned to more than one prince, but even the most stupid princes did not want to “rule the stupid” and, having taught them with a rod, let them go with honor. Then the bunglers called in a thief-innovator who helped them find the prince. The prince agreed to "rule" them, but did not go to live with them, sending a thief-innovator instead. The prince himself called the bunglers "stupid", hence the name of the city.
The Foolovites were a submissive people, but the Novotor needed riots to pacify them. But soon he was stealing so much that the prince "sent a noose to the unfaithful slave." But the novotor “and then dodged: […] without waiting for the loop, he stabbed himself with a cucumber.”
The prince and other rulers sent - Odoev, Orlov, Kalyazin - but they all turned out to be sheer thieves. Then the prince "... arrived in his own person to Foolov and yelled:" I'll screw it up! With these words began historical times.
In 1762, Dementy Varlamovich Brodasty arrived in Foolov. He immediately struck the Foolovites with his sullenness and reticence. His only words were "I won't stand it!" and "I'll ruin it!" The city was lost in conjecture, until one day the clerk, entering with a report, saw a strange sight: the body of the mayor, as usual, was sitting at the table, while his head was completely empty on the table. Foolov was shocked. But then they remembered about the watch and organ affairs of master Baibakov, who secretly visited the mayor, and, having called him, they found out everything. In the head of the mayor, in one corner, there was an organ that could play two pieces of music: “I will ruin!” and "I will not stand it!". But on the way, the head got damp and needed to be repaired. Baibakov himself could not cope and turned to St. Petersburg for help, from where they promised to send a new head, but for some reason the head was delayed.
Anarchy ensued, ending with the appearance of two identical mayors at once. “The impostors met and measured each other with their eyes. The crowd dispersed slowly and in silence. A messenger immediately arrived from the province and took away both impostors. And the Foolovites, left without a mayor, immediately fell into anarchy.
The anarchy continued throughout the next week, during which six mayors changed in the city. The townsfolk rushed from Iraida Lukinichna Paleologova to Clementine de Bourbon, and from her to Amalia Karlovna Stockfish. The claims of the first were based on the short-term activity of the mayor of her husband, the second - of her father, and the third - she herself was a mayor's pompadour. The claims of Nelka Lyadokhovskaya, and then Dunka the fat-footed and Matryonka the nostrils, were even less substantiated. In between hostilities, the Foolovites threw some citizens from the bell tower and drowned others. But they are also tired of anarchy. Finally, a new mayor arrived in the city - Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov. His activity in Foolovo was beneficial. “He introduced mead and brewing and made the use of mustard and bay leaves obligatory,” and also wanted to establish an academy in Foolov.
Under the next ruler, Peter Petrovich Ferdyshchenko, the city flourished for six years. But in the seventh year, "Ferdyshchenko was embarrassed by the demon." The mayor was inflamed with love for the coachman's wife Alenka. But Alenka refused him. Then, with the help of a series of successive measures, Alenka's husband, Mitka, was branded and sent to Siberia, and Alenka came to her senses. A drought fell upon the Foolovs through the sins of the mayor, and famine followed it. People started dying. Then came the end of Foolov's patience. First they sent a walker to Ferdyshchenko, but the walker did not return. Then they sent a petition, but this did not help either. Then they finally got to Alenka, and they threw her off the bell tower. But Ferdyshchenko did not doze off either, but wrote reports to his superiors. No bread was sent to him, but a team of soldiers arrived.
Through the next hobby of Ferdyshchenko, archer Domashka, fires came to the city. Pushkarskaya Sloboda was on fire, followed by Bolotnaya Sloboda and Scoundrel Sloboda. Ferdyshchenko again shied away, returned Domashka to the “optism” and called the team.
The reign of Ferdyshchenko ended with a journey. The mayor went to the city pasture. In different places, the townspeople greeted him and dinner was waiting for him. On the third day of the journey, Ferdyshchenko died of overeating.
Ferdyshchenko's successor, Vasilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin, took up his post resolutely. Having studied the history of Glupov, he found only one role model - Dvoekurov. But his achievements were already forgotten, and the Foolovites even stopped sowing mustard. Wartkin ordered that this mistake be corrected, and added Provence oil as punishment. But the fools did not give in. Then Borodavkin went on a military campaign against Streletskaya Sloboda. Not everything in the nine-day campaign was successful. In the dark, they fought with their own. Many real soldiers were fired and replaced with tin soldiers. But Wartkin survived. Having reached the settlement and not finding anyone, he began to pull the houses into logs. And then the settlement, and behind it the whole city, surrendered. Subsequently, there were several more wars for education. In general, the reign led to the impoverishment of the city, which finally ended under the next ruler, Negodyaev. In this state, Foolov found the Circassian Mikeladze.
No events were held during this period. Mikeladze stepped aside from administrative measures and dealt only with the female sex, to which he was a great hunter. The city was resting. "The visible facts were few, but the consequences are innumerable."
The Circassian was replaced by Feofilakt Irinarkhovich Benevolensky, a friend and comrade of Speransky in the seminary. He had a passion for law. But since the mayor did not have the right to issue his own laws, Benevolensky issued laws secretly, in the house of the merchant Raspopova, and scattered them around the city at night. However, he was soon dismissed for relations with Napoleon.
The next was Lieutenant Colonel Pryshch. He did not deal with business at all, but the city flourished. The harvests were huge. The fools were worried. And the secret of Pimple was revealed by the leader of the nobility. A great lover of minced meat, the leader sensed that the head of the mayor smelled of truffles and, unable to stand it, attacked and ate the stuffed head.
After that, state councilor Ivanov arrived in the city, but "turned out to be so small that he could not contain anything spacious," and died. His successor, the immigrant Vicomte de Chario, constantly had fun and was sent abroad by order of his superiors. Upon examination, it turned out to be a girl.
Finally, State Councilor Erast Andreevich Sadtilov appeared in Foolov. By this time the Foolovites had forgotten the true God and clung to idols. Under him, the city was completely mired in debauchery and laziness. Hoping for their happiness, they stopped sowing, and famine came to the city. Sadtilov was busy with daily balls. But everything suddenly changed when she appeared to him. The wife of the pharmacist Pfeifer showed Sadtilov the path of goodness. The holy fools and the wretched, who experienced hard days during the worship of idols, became the main people in the city. The Foolovites repented, but the fields remained empty. The Glupovsky beau monde gathered at night to read Mr. Strakhov and "admiration", which the authorities soon found out about, and Sadtilov was removed.
The last Foolovsky mayor - Ugryum-Burcheev - was an idiot. He set a goal - to turn the Foolovs into "the city of Nepreklonsk, eternally worthy of the memory of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich" with straight identical streets, "companies", identical houses for identical families, etc. Gloomy-Burcheev thought out the plan in detail and proceeded to execution. The city was destroyed to the ground, and it was possible to start building, but the river interfered. She did not fit into the plans of Ugryum-Burcheev. The indefatigable mayor led an offensive against her. All the garbage, all that was left of the city, was put into action, but the river washed away all the dams. And then Moody-Grumbling turned around and walked away from the river, leading the Foolovites with him. A completely flat lowland was chosen for the city, and construction began. But something has changed. However, the notebooks with the details of this story have been lost, and the publisher gives only the denouement: "... the earth shook, the sun faded […] It came." Without explaining what exactly, the author only reports that “the scoundrel instantly disappeared, as if dissolved in thin air. History has stopped flowing."
The story is closed by "acquittal documents", that is, the writings of various city governors, such as: Borodavkin, Mikeladze and Benevolensky, written as a warning to other city governors.