Aksakov Sergey Timofeevich was born in 1791 in Ufa, and died in Moscow in 1859. This is a Russian writer, public figure, official, memoirist, literary critic, as well as the author of books about hunting and fishing, collecting butterflies. He is the father of the Slavophiles, public figures and writers Ivan, Konstantin and Vera Aksakov.
In this article we will consider the works of Aksakov in chronological order.
Buran
During the years 1820-1830, the main creative activity of Sergei Timofeevich was translations, as well as literary and theatrical criticism, several poems were created. He wrote his first significant work only in 1833. It was an essay by Buran, published a year later anonymously in the almanac titled Desnitsa. The basis of this work of Aksakov is a real event, about which the writer knew from the words of his eyewitnesses. This essay already contained the main features of the subsequent work of the author, the main of which was an interest in reality. In this work the characteristic properties of Aksakovo poetics are already outlined, by which we recognize this author. S. Mashinsky wrote about this creation that the picture of the storm was painted with such expressive power, laconicism of colors and courageous simplicity, as only Pushkin could write in prose until then.
The work after publication received very high ratings from various critics. Alexander Sergeevich himself appreciated the description of the snowstorm performed by Aksakov. Later, after 20 years, Leo Tolstoy will turn to the experience of this author when creating the story "Snowstorm".
We continue to describe the works of Aksakov. A list of them will be supplemented by “Notes” on hunting and fishing. From the end of 1830 a new period began in Aksakov's life. He, as he dreamed, left the civil service, concentrating entirely on the conduct of family and household affairs.
"Fishing Notes"
Aksakov's works undergo significant thematic changes in the 40s. Then he set about creating the Family Chronicle, and later, in 1845, decided to write a book on fishing. Work on it was completed a year later, and in 1847 it was published under the name "Notes on Fishing". In form, this work is a selection of essays by a fisherman. With unanimous approval, this creation of Aksakov was also met. A substantially amended and revised edition was published in 1854 under the title "Notes on Fish Supper", and two years later a third appeared.
"Notes of a gun hunter"
Aksakov's works, the list of which we are compiling, will be supplemented by a book entitled "Notes of a gun hunter." In 1849, Sergei Timofeevich began work on the work of the hunt. In 1852 it was printed. In style, this creation resembled the previous one: its chapters were essays. This book also soon became popular, and the circulation of this work was instantly sold out. And again the enthusiastic reviews of various critics, including Gogol, Turgenev, Chernyshevsky.
"Family Chronicle"
In 1840, Aksakov set about creating the Family Chronicle. However, then his attention switches to the aforementioned books on hunting and fishing, and only in 1852 did work on these memoirs resume.
Separate episodes of Aksakov's work were published as they were written in periodicals. A small excerpt was already published in 1846, and in 1854 the first episode from the Family Chronicle appeared in Moskvityan, followed by the fourth (in the Russian Conversation in 1856) and the fifth (in the Russian Herald in 1856) year). At the same time, “Memoirs” came out, which later became the third, separate book of the trilogy.
The second edition, published in 1856, included two more excerpts from this work, which finally took on its final form.
The exit of "Family Chronicle" was associated with censorship friction. Aksakov also feared the reaction of his neighbors and relatives who did not want to disclose family secrets. Therefore, the writer changed many geographical names and faces. The book acquaints the reader with a picture of the household life in the province. This trilogy took an important place in Russian literature, having met an enthusiastic reception of both critics and readers.
"Children's years Bagrov-grandson"
This work was created in the period from 1854 to 1856. The author wanted to create a unique book of its kind for children, which should be written as if for adults, without faking the audience’s age, with a lack of moralizing. The birth of this work of Aksakov for children occurred in 1858. The book shows the transformation of the inner world of the hero with age.
Tales of Aksakov, the list of which consists, strictly speaking, of only one work - "The Scarlet Flower", some consider for some reason numerous. This is understandable: only an experienced author could create such a beautiful fairy tale. Aksakov was very experienced, but worked mainly in other genres. This work was posted by the author as an appendix to the book "The Childhood Years of Bagrov the Grandson." Aksakov’s works for children, as you can see, are few in number, but very interesting and popular even today.
The idea of ​​"The Scarlet Flower" is an artistic treatment (not the first) of the famous story about the meeting of a beauty and a monster. She went to print many times separately, becoming the most published work of Sergei Timofeevich and creating the myth of Aksakov’s tale.
The list of works of this author is not yet complete, after writing this work he created others.
Other works
The work on the trilogy inspired the writer, who had matured the idea of ​​yet another memoir, dedicated to the period of his life in 1820-1830. However, he did not manage to bring it to life, but in the course of his work he created a number of interesting memoir essays. "Acquaintance with Derzhavin", "Biography of M. N. Zagoskin" and "Remembering M. N. Zagoskin" appeared in 1852.
In the period from 1856 to 1858, the author created memoirs that continued the series about A. S. Shishkov, Y. E. Shusherin and G. R. Derzhavin. This book was published in parts of the Russian Conversation, and then, in 1858, it was included in the collection entitled Various Works of S. T. Aksakov. This time, the memoirs were enthusiastically received by critics, including N. A. Dobrolyubov. The author was accused of bias and subjectivity towards his friends of youth.
Recent works
"Collecting Butterflies" is a story written in 1858 for the collection "Bratchina", a charity publication in favor of students at Kazan University. This creation adjoins thematically to the university's memoirs of the author. It was born after his death. Aksakov, 4 months before his death, dictated another work - “An Essay on a Winter Day”. "Meeting with the" Martinists "was the last creation published during the life of Sergei Timofeevich and published in the" Russian Conversation "in 1859.