The fable is one of the oldest and most developed genres of poetic art. Appearing in the time of Ancient Greece, it then received the widest distribution in the literature of Rome. Egypt and India also enriched their verbal art, creating vivid patterns that are relevant and interesting so far. In France - Lafontaine, in Russia - Sumarokov, Trediakovsky stood at its origins.
Russian fable
It is worth noting that Russian poetry has developed that particular, free, fabulous verse that can freely convey the laid-back, conversational intonations of the ironic, crafty sometimes tale. Raised the genre to a given height I.A. Krylov. It was he who owned the best examples, filled with healthy humor and righteous criticism. If we consider the development of the fable in the Soviet era, then, of course, one cannot help but recall D. Bedny and S. Mikhalkov.
The historical background of the work
The fable “Cat and Cook” was written by Krylov in 1812, shortly before Napoleon attacked Russia. By this time, he had already occupied the Duchy of Württemberg, his troops were concentrated in Poland and Prussia, and the eternal enemies of Russia, the same Prussia and Austria, began to act as allies. How does the cat and cook fable relate to all this? Directly! Indeed, Emperor Alexander, like an unlucky cook, is trying to exhort his French brother, sends a variety of notes of protest. Naturally, this did not work out - we know what happened next. While the “knife and cook master” rhetorically delivered accusatory speeches, Vaska quietly finished up all the supplies. And Napoleon went to war on Russia. Thus, the fable “Cat and Cook” is a kind of satirical pamphlet on an amorphous, soft-bodied ruler, who has neither decisiveness nor proper authority and strength to solve specific serious problems. However, literary critics offer yet another interpretation of the work. In their opinion, "Grandfather Krylov" ridicules the attempts of the Russian enlightened monarch, who too trusts in various social contracts. The fable “Cat and Cook” contains such a moral: every ruler should not only look back at documents of an international nature, but must also act decisively to achieve order in the country.
Image analysis
But let's dwell in more detail on the characteristics of each of the characters in the poem. What is a cook? He is both gentle and self-confident, frankly stupid, but loves to show his importance, significance and decency. Although, most likely, under this mask is an ordinary lover of libations and feasts. He leaves in the kitchen to monitor the order of not someone, but a cat - an animal known for its cunning and thieving character. Naturally, Vaska decided to take full advantage of this opportunity and feasted on glory! Isn’t the instructive fable “Cat and Cook” instructive?
Her analysis boils down to criticizing not the tailed glutton, but the naive and short-sighted owner of the “cookery”. It was his fault that both the pie and the roast were gone. And for all attempts to shame and reason the overeating animal - one phrase "Vaska listens and eats." He doesn’t care if they think of him as a robber, a bandit or not - the cat does not understand this. He is hungry and, following instincts, stuffs his belly. And the cook, instead of chasing away the robber, saving the food, looks at their destruction and makes sentimental speech! These are the original characters created by Krylov! Cook and Cat - these types are found in our reality. The ideological and thematic conclusion from the poem is given in the moral of the fable.
It is worth recalling that her characters became a household name, and many expressions replenished the gold placers of Russian aphorisms.