In what century did Krylov start writing fables? How old was I. Krylov when he wrote his first fable. last years of life

Ivan Andreevich Krylov was born on February 13, 1769 in Moscow. The young Krylov studied little and haphazardly. He was in his tenth year when his father, Andrei Prokhorovich, who at that moment was a petty official in Tver, died. Andrey Krylov “did not study the sciences”, but he loved to read and instilled his love in his son. He himself taught the boy to read and write and left him a chest of books as a legacy. Krylov received further education thanks to the patronage of the writer Nikolai Alexandrovich Lvov, who read the poems of the young poet.

In his youth, Ivan Krylov lived a lot in Lvov's house, studied with his children, and simply listened to the conversations of writers and artists who came to visit. The shortcomings of fragmentary education affected later - for example, Krylov was always weak in spelling, but it is known that over the years he acquired fairly solid knowledge and a broad outlook, learned to play the violin and speak Italian.

Ivan AndreevichKrylov became a classic during his lifetime. Already in 1835, Belinsky, in his article "Literary Dreams", found only four classics in Russian literature and put Krylov on a par with Derzhavin, Pushkin and Griboyedov.

On the national character the language of Ivan Andreevich, his use of characters from Russian folklore drew the attention of all critics. The writer remained hostile to Westernism throughout his life. It was no coincidence that he joined the literary society "Conversation of Lovers of Russian Literature", which defended the old Russian style and did not recognize Karamzin's reform of the language. This did not prevent Krylov from being loved by both supporters and opponents of the new light style. So, Pushkin, who was much closer to the Karamzin trend in literature, comparing La Fontaine and Krylov, wrote: “Both of them will forever remain the favorites of their fellow countrymen. Someone rightly said that simplicity is an innate property of the French people; on the contrary, a distinctive feature in our morals is some kind of cheerful cunning of the mind, mockery and a picturesque way of expressing ourselves..

It is known that in 1805 Krylov in Moscow showed famous poet and to the fabulist Dmitriev his translation of two fables by La Fontaine: "The Oak and the Cane" and "The Picky Bride". Dmitriev highly appreciated the translation and was the first to note that the author had found his true calling. The poet himself did not immediately understand this. In 1806 he published only three fables, after which he returned to drama.

In 1807, Ivan Krylov released three plays at once, which gained great popularity and were successfully staged. These are “Fashion Shop”, “Lesson to Daughters” and “Ilya Bogatyr”. The first two plays enjoyed especially great success, each of which ridiculed in its own way the predilection of the nobles for the French language, fashions, customs and, in fact, equated gallomania and stupidity, debauchery and extravagance. The plays were repeatedly staged on the stage, and the Fashion Store was played even at court.

Despite the long-awaited theatrical success, Krylov decided to take a different path. He stopped writing for the theater and every year he paid more and more attention to working on fables.

In 1809, the first collection was published, which immediately made its author truly famous.In parallel with popular recognition, there was also official recognition. From 1810 Krylov was first an assistant librarian and then a librarian at the Imperial Public Library in St. Petersburg. At the same time, he received a repeatedly increased pension "in respect for excellent talents in Russian literature." Was elected a member Russian Academy, was awarded a gold medal for literary merits and received many awards and honors.

One of characteristic features Krylov's popularity - numerous semi-legendary stories about his laziness, slovenliness, gluttony, wit.

Already the celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of the fabulist's creative activity has turned into a truly national celebration. For almost two centuries that have passed since then, there has not been a single generation in Russia that has not been brought up on the fables of Kr.catch.

All for the rest of your lifeIvan Andreevich Krylovwrote more than 200 fables, which were compiled into nine books. He worked until the last days - the writer's friends and acquaintances received the last lifetime edition of the fables in 1844, along with a notice of the death of their author.

Krylov Ivan Andreevich (1769-1844) - Russian poet, author of more than 200 fables, publicist, published satirical and educational magazines.

Childhood

Father, Andrey Prokhorovich Krylov, was a poor army officer. When the Pugachev rebellion was pacified in 1772, he was in the service of a dragoon regiment and proved to be a hero, but he did not receive any ranks or medals for this. My father was not particularly trained in sciences, but he knew how to write and read. After retiring, he was transferred to the civil service as chairman of the Tver magistrate. Such a service did not bring a good income, so the family lived very poorly.

The poet's mother, Krylova Maria Alekseevna, was left a widow early. The husband died at the age of 42, the eldest son Ivan was only 9 years old. After the death of the head of the family, the life of the Krylovs became even poorer. Ivan's early childhood years were spent on the road, as the family moved very often as part of his father's service.

Education

Ivan Krylov did not have the opportunity to receive a good education. When he was little, his father taught him to read. The elder Krylov himself was very fond of reading and left a large chest full of books as a legacy to his son.

Wealthy neighbors lived nearby, allowing the boy to attend French lessons taught to their children. So Ivan gradually learned foreign language. In general, Krylov received all his education mainly due to the fact that he read a lot.

But what attracted him greatly as a teenager was noisy fairs and fist fights, shopping areas and folk gatherings, he liked to hang around among the simple people and listen to what they were talking about. At one time, he even took part in street fights, which were called "wall to wall", the guy himself was very strong and tall, so he often came out the winner.

Labor activity

Due to the fact that the family was in need, Krylov started working very early. In 1777, he was taken to the magistrate of Tver, where his father served until his death, as a subclerk. They paid a penny there, but at least the family did not die of hunger.

In 1782, the mother and sons moved to St. Petersburg to apply for a pension. Here Ivan got a job in the state chamber with a salary of 80-90 rubles.

In 1788, his mother died, and Krylov was completely responsible for raising his younger brother Lev. Ivan Andreevich took care of him all his life as if he were his own son. Work in the state chamber ceased to suit Krylov and he went to work in the Cabinet of Her Majesty (it was an institution like the personal office of the Empress).

Literary activity

In 1784, Krylov wrote his first work, the opera libretto The Coffee House. In the next two years, he composed two more tragedies, Cleopatra and Philomela, followed by the comedies The Mad Family and The Writer in the Hallway. So the young playwright began to work closely with the theater committee, while receiving a free ticket.

The next comedy "Pranksters" was different from the two previous ones, it was already bold, lively and witty in a new way.

In 1788, Krylov's first fables were published in the Morning Hours magazine. They did not receive caustic and sarcastic approval from readers and critics.

Krylov decided to abandon the public service and engage in publishing. For several years he was engaged in the release of satirical magazines:

• "Mail of Spirits";
• "Viewer";
• "St. Petersburg Mercury".

In these magazines he published his fables and some prose works.

The authorities were not too fond of such sarcasm of Krylov, the Empress even suggested that he go abroad for a while. But Ivan Andreevich refused and moved to Zubrilovka, the estate of Prince Golitsyn. There he worked as a secretary, taught children, and also wrote plays for home performances.

Krylov returned to active literary activity in 1806. He arrived in St. Petersburg, where he staged two comedies, Fashion Store and A Lesson for Daughters, one after the other, which were a huge success.

And in 1809, Krylov began to take off as a fabulist. The first collection of his fables included 23 works, among them the famous "Elephant and Pug". The book turned out to be very popular, and readers began to look forward to Krylov's new fables.

Along with this, Ivan Andreevich returned to public service, for almost 30 years he worked in the Imperial Public Library.

More than 200 fables came out from Krylov's pen, in which he denounced both human vices and Russian reality. Each child knows such his works:

• "Wolf and Lamb";
• "A Crow and a fox";
• "Dragonfly and Ant";
• "Swan, Cancer and Pike";
• "Monkey and Glasses";
• "Quartet".

Many expressions from his fables have firmly entered the colloquial Russian speech and have become winged.

last years of life

In the last years of his life, Krylov was in good standing with royal power, received a position as a state councilor and had an ample pension allowance. He became lazy, did not hesitate to be known as a slut and a glutton. We can say that all his talent at the end of his life was dissolved in gourmetism and laziness.

Officially, Krylov was never married, but his contemporaries claimed that he lived in a civil marriage with his cook Fenya, and from him she gave birth to a daughter, Sasha. When Fenya died, Sasha lived in Krylov's house, then he married her off, nursed the kids, and after death wrote off all his fortune to Sasha's husband.

“Of course, not a single Frenchman will dare to put anyone above La Fontaine, but we seem to be able to prefer Krylov to him. Both of them will forever remain the favorites of their fellow countrymen" ( Alexander Pushkin).

Ivan Andreevich Krylov was born in Moscow in 1769, but left the Mother See as a child. During the Pugachev era, his father, Andrei Prokhorovich Krylov, served as the commandant of the Yaik fortress. Fleeing from the rebels, the boy went to Orenburg with his mother, but the city was soon besieged. The fabulist's memoirs of these terrible events remained in Pushkin's notes:

“Several cannonballs fell on their yard, he remembers the famine and the fact that his mother paid for a sack of flour (and then quietly) 25 rubles! Since the rank of captain in the Yaik fortress was noticeable, it was found in Pugachev’s papers in the schedule, whom to hang on which street, and the name of Krylova with her son.

When Andrei Prokhorovich retired, the family moved to Tver, where Krylov Sr. was appointed chairman of the magistrate. A quiet life did not last long, after the death of his father, the family finds itself in a difficult situation. Poverty did not allow Ivan Andreevich to receive a full-fledged education, and he learned to read and write from his father's books, and French- thanks to classes in the families of wealthy neighbors.

The first test of the pen known to us took place in 1784. Then Krylov wrote the opera libretto "Coffee House". Then there were the tragedies "Cleopatra" and "Philomela", not much different from other "classical" tragedies of that era, as well as the comic opera "The Mad Family".

Eagle and Spider. Engraving by Kulybin from a drawing by I. Ivanov
(according to the sketch by A. Olenin) to I. Krylov's "Fables". 1815

In 1787-1788, Krylov wrote the caustic comedy "Pranksters", where he also ridicules the famous playwright of that time, Yakov Knyazhin (Rifmokrad), his wife, daughter Sumarokov, Ekaterina Alexandrovna (Tarator), and also the archaic poet Pyotr Karabanov (Tyanislov).

The satirical gift of the author develops, and in 1789 Krylov publishes the journal "Mail of Spirits", compiled as a correspondence between gnomes and the wizard Malikulmulk. The author harshly criticizes social vices, but covers this criticism with a fantastic plot. The magazine lasted only eight months, and a few years later it was replaced by Spectator (later renamed St. Petersburg Mercury).

The Spectator turned out to be one of the strongest opponents of the Moscow Journal, edited by Nikolai Karamzin. It was here that “Ode on making peace with Sweden”, pamphlets “Eulogy in memory of my grandfather”, “Speech delivered by a rake in a meeting of fools”, “Thoughts of a philosopher in fashion” and Krylov’s major plays were published. The caustic satire of The Spectator (Mercury) was not liked by either the authorities or the highest circles of society, this magazine also did not last long and closed a year later, after which the author disappeared from literary circles.

There are several "dark" periods in Krylov's personal life. So, biographers still do not know exactly what he did from 1794 to 1796, and also from 1803 to 1805. It is known that the writer was fond of the card game, for which he was once even banned from appearing in both capitals.

For some time, Ivan Krylov served in the Zubrilovka estate of Prince Sergei Fedorovich Golitsyn as a secretary and educator of his children. There was written a comic tragedy "Podchipa", first published abroad. Memories of Krylov's stay in Zubrilovka are preserved in the memoirs of Philip Vigel.

“He was with us as a pleasant conversationalist and a very intelligent person, and no one, even himself, ever spoke about his writings. This is still unclear to me. Was it because he was not a foreign writer? Is it because at that time we valued only military glory? Be that as it may, I did not suspect that every day I see a man whose works are printed, played on the stage and read by all enlightened people in Russia; if he had known this, then, of course, he would have looked at him with completely different eyes.

Memoirist Philipp Wiegel

Contemporaries spoke of Ivan Andreevich Krylov as a man endowed with many talents. The same Vigel called him a poet, a good musician, and a mathematician. Krylov did not stop learning even at a very advanced age, when he mastered the ancient Greek language. In creativity, having gone through different stages of literary work, he found his calling only at the age of 36.

In 1805, Krylov showed Ivan Ivanovich Dmitriev, a well-known fabulist of the era, his translations of two of Lafontaine's fables. Dmitriev even rejoiced at the appearance of a competitor, saying that he had finally found the "true" occupation.

Ivan Andreevich really began only with translations, but later texts on original plots also appeared. In total, he wrote 236 fables, which were included in nine life collections. The subject of satire of his texts were both political events ("The Wolf in the Kennel", "Convoy", "Crow and Chicken" - about the war with Napoleon), and the decaying "foundations" of public life ("Divers", "The Writer and the Robber"). Krylov laughed at swagger (“Geese”), at the passion for foreigners (“Monkeys”), at an ugly upbringing (“Education of a Lion”), prodigality, impracticality, and many others.

However, despite the burning satire of his fables, it was he who turned out to be perhaps the most beloved author of his time. He managed to avoid disgrace under three autocrats at once, during the era of whose reign he lived, and surprise the whole of St. Petersburg with the celebration of the 50th anniversary of his writing.

Ivan Andreevich died on November 21, 1844, on the day of the funeral, friends and acquaintances received a copy of the fables he had published. On the mournful black cover was written: "An offering in memory of Ivan Andreevich, at his request."

“No one will call him the best, our first poet; but, of course, he will long remain the most famous, the most beloved of them.

Memoirist Philipp Wiegel

Frontispiece and title page for "Fables" by I. Krylov. Engraving by M. Ivanov from a drawing by I. Ivanov. 1815

Krylov - fabulist

Outstanding Fabulist Krylov is one of the first realists. Together with Lomonosov, Derzhavin and Karamzin, he passes from century to century, I remember, read.

I. A. Krylov is a man of the 18th century, brought up on the ideas of the Enlightenment, on faith in human mind, on the ideas that prepared the Great French Revolution.

Before starting to write fables, Krylov tested himself in almost all kinds of literature. He wrote comedies (“A Lesson for Daughters”, “Fashion Shop”, “The Writer in the Hallway” and others), operas (“Mad Family” - a comic opera, “Ilya the Bogatyr” - a magic opera), tragedies (“Vilomela”, “ Cleopatra) and much more. Krylov began writing fables with translations of La Fontaine, depicting the era of his time. The plot of his fables is built on everyday situations, it is very natural, written in an easy and quickly memorable language, enlivened by clever jokes, gaiety and wit. Krylov - fabulist was not afraid to turn to plots already familiar in the fable tradition, he not only re-played the traditional situation, but also invested in it new life. Under his pen, a familiar plot acquired vital veracity, transparency and accuracy.
Thanks to Krylov's fidelity to the positions and ideas learned in his youth, issues of morality and moral perfection occupy a very important place in his fables. The theme of Krylov's fables was greatly influenced by the era in which the fabulist lived; it captured the reigns of Catherine the Great, Paul I, Alexander I, the time of Arakcheev’s activity and the years Patriotic War. 1812.

Among the fables written by Krylov, one can single out a range of main themes: fables of socio-political content, abstract moralistic fables, fables on a historical theme, fables reflecting the literary and journalistic struggle, and fables on everyday topics.

The first group reflects the anti-people nature of the activities of the upper classes, the arbitrariness of the landlords and the bureaucracy of officials, describes the relationship between those in power and their subjects. This group includes the following fables: "Wolf and Lamb", "Horse and Rider", "Frogs asking for the King", "Peasant and River", "Peace of Beasts", "Nobleman", "Fish Dance" and others.

Some fables belonging to the second group describe the rational structure of the world (“Leaves and Roots”), indicate that each estate should know its place (“Ear”) and that everyone should contribute to the improvement of the world (“Eagle and Bee”), make fun of vices: nepotism (“Council of Mice”), bribery (“Fox and Marmot”); other fables touch upon the problems of education (“Gardener and Philosopher”, “Casket”, “Nobleman and Philosopher”, “Pig under the Oak”).

The fables of the third group illuminate historical events and include a cycle of fables dedicated to the war of 1812. These include such fables as "Crow and Chicken", "Cat and Cook", "Section", "Fire and Diamond", "Convoy", "Pike and Cat", "Wolf in the Kennel", "Dog Friendship", " Quartet", "Swan, Pike and Cancer" and many others.

The fourth group includes fables ridiculing literary critics who are all just scolding (“Passers-by and the Dog”), fables directed against writers who impose their works on everyone (“Demyanova’s ear”), and fables - answers to various advice (“Donkey and Nightingale") and so on.

The last, fifth group includes fables: "Monkey and Glasses", "Two Guys", "Liar", "Dragonfly and Ant" and others.

The main characters of Ivan Andreevich Krylov's fables are animals, each of which is endowed with a certain trait: a donkey - stupidity, an eagle - pride, a fox - cunning, a bee - diligence, a bear - ignorance, a wolf - bloodthirstiness. Human actions are attributed to animals, because they are the personification of man.

Unlike their predecessors Krylov - fabulist in his creations, he makes the transition from didactic to satirical principles, the transition to sympathy for the masses, emphasizes the high spiritual qualities of working people.

The main merit of the fabulist before Russian literature is the wonderful language of his works, where the simplest thoughts are expressed accurately and accessible. Krylov - fabulist enriched the Russian language with many aphorisms. The language of Krylov's fables is a true echo of the folk language, but softened and purified by the artist. Thanks to the simplicity and accessibility, the fables of Ivan Andreevich were so close and understandable to the people and were so well remembered. The greatest comedy in fables is achieved by combining the high style of mythology with the low genre of fables ("The Frog and Jupiter"). The author's characteristics of the heroes, combined with folk characteristics, practically replace the portrait of the heroes: the naughty Monkey, the jumping Dragonfly.

Ivan Andreevich Krylov the fabulist rose to the height of perfection. Belinsky wrote: "Krylov's fables are a story, a comedy, a humorous essay, an evil satire, in a word, whatever you want, but not just a fable." Innovation Krylov the fabulist consisted in the typicality of images, in the use of vernacular fables in the language of fables, in the reception of antithesis (stupidity - intelligence, wealth - poverty), in the dynamic development of action, liveliness of dialogues. Thanks to Krylov, the old stories and fables of Lafontaine, Aesop, Phaedrus came to life, but they came to life in a new light. In his work, Ivan Andreevich Krylov was able to highlight all the problems and events of his era, and at the same time he made his fables timeless. He opened a new stage in writing fables.

The works of the remarkable Russian fabulist I. A. Krylov are world famous. Fables in the 19th century aroused admiration and wide interest, and they do not lose their relevance even now. What is the reason for such amazing vitality of these short poetic stories?

It was not in vain that Gogol called Krylov's fables "the book of the wisdom of the people themselves", because they reflected those human qualities that people themselves perceive as vices and shortcomings and are trying to eradicate by all means. Animals and things that speak a language we understand, with characters that we can easily notice in our friends and those around us, help us to take a critical look at ourselves, to become more honest, kinder, more hardworking. However, evil is always very tenacious, and therefore today we laugh at hypocrisy, stinginess, parasitism, resourcefulness, stupidity, masterfully shown by the author in his works 150-200 years ago.

The second reason for the "longevity" of fables is the apt, precise and vivid language of the poet. That is why his works are remembered without any difficulty, that is why many lines from Krylov's fables have become aphorisms that we still use today in Everyday life.
The works of the great Russian fabulist Ivan Andreevich Krylov have been familiar to us since childhood. He wrote wonderful short stories of an instructive nature - fables in which he condemned and ridiculed human shortcomings. The characters in the fables are animals, objects in which human qualities are manifested.

Krylov's fables became widely known during his lifetime, but are still very popular. Because the topics he touched on and the allegorical images he created remain relevant even now. His fables embody the folk ideals of diligence, nobility, honesty, disinterestedness, kindness and justice.

A. S. Pushkin found in Krylov’s fables the distinctive properties of the Russian people: “a cheerful cunning of the mind, mockery and a picturesque way of expressing themselves.”

You need to have real talent in order to be able to show the whole character so brightly and briefly, in two lines, as Krylov did. Krylov wrote so simply, intelligibly, that every person easily remembers the wonderful language of his fables, recognizes the Russian character in the heroes. In his works, Krylov, defending the ideals of goodness and justice, selflessness and hard work, caustically ridicules cunning, laziness, stupidity, stubbornness, cowardice.

For example, in the fables "Quartet", "Swan, Pike and Cancer" he criticizes the lack of elementary skills and consent, without which good results cannot be achieved. And "The Wolf and the Lamb" is an evil satire in which the author criticizes the immorality, despotism and arbitrariness of the authorities: "The strong are always to blame for the weak."

A special place in Krylov's work is occupied by fables written during the Patriotic War of 1812: "The Cat and the Cook", "The Wolf in the Kennel", "The Convoy", "The Crow and the Chicken". They embodied the patriotic spirit of the people, the thoughts and feelings of the author himself in the hour of formidable trials. In the heroes of the fable "The Wolf in the Kennel" we recognize the Russian people who rose to war with Napoleon, Napoleon himself in the form of the Wolf and the wise Russian commander Kutuzov in the form of the Huntsman.

The huge success and popularity of the fables of I. A. Krylov can be explained by the fact that the author presented all Russian life in his works and evaluated it from the point of view of the common people. In his fables, Krylov responded to the events of contemporary life, but they do not lose their relevance, because real, poetically strong words and truthful images forever become the property of the people. In linguistic means, images, Krylov comes from folklore, but at the same time, thanks to accuracy, accuracy, simplicity, many lines of his fables entered colloquial Russian speech, became proverbs and sayings, began to live their own lives: “And Vaska listens and eats”, “And you , friends, if you don’t sit down, everyone is not good for musicians”, “But the chest just opened”, “It is not for nothing that they say that the work of the master is afraid.”

The fables of I. A. Krylov do not grow old. They are also interesting and useful for us, modern readers.