"We plowed" - a winged expression characterizing the actions of loafers who ascribe to themselves other people's achievements. Its source is a work of the 19th century. But this phrase has not lost its relevance two hundred years later. Dmitriev’s fable “The Fly” is a small moralizing work, which, like other works in this genre, will always be relevant.
Russian fabulist
With a fable in the Russian language, first of all, the surname of Krylov is associated. But the creator of not only wonderful songs and fairy tales, but also instructive poems was Ivan Dmitriev. The fable “The Fly” is one of his translations from French. Like other works created in the genre, taking its roots in ancient literature, it is an adornment of the work of the Russian poet. The work is distinguished by its easy language, which is characteristic more for the post-Pushkin era. Dmitriev's translation has a free and smooth version.
Satire and plot
An important place in the creative activity of this author was occupied by satire. He, as a rule, sent it to the incompetent writers of long odes. In the days of Lomonosov and Derzhavin, these graphomaniacs were full. But - and this is confirmed by Dmitriev’s fable “The Fly” - a simple human vice does not change its face. Idleness, stupidity and boasting met in Pushkin's times and are manifested in the same form among modern people.
The fable tells how a working bull returns after hard work to a well-deserved rest. And on his horns a fly sits calmly. Meeting her friend, she boasts of the labors she allegedly made recently. The heroine of the fable throws the short phrase “we plowed”, as it were, by the way, not only convincing the interlocutor, but as if herself being confident that she is a participant in the work done.
Translation of a work by a French author
It is known that Russian writers of fables drew stories in the work of French poets. Concerning the basis of which source Dmitriev’s fable “The Fly” was created, there are several opinions. However, the authors who worked in this genre were united by the fact that their translations were distinguished by free style. If we assume that Dmitriev’s work is borrowed from the work of the French poet Lafontaine, then the content of The Fly is closest to the fable The Fly and the Road.
This work is also translated by Ivan Krylov. But in the performance of Dmitriev, the fly is not so annoying and active. She blithely settled on the horns of a bull returning from a plow after righteous labors. What the boastful heroine of the poem has done before is unknown. But, having met her sister, when asked about where she is heading from, she casually throws the phrase: “Where? We plowed. " In these words concealed self-confidence, the desire to ascribe to others the merits of others. Krylov’s character is more restless. Here the main vices are stupidity and excessive fuss.
Aesop Translation
Lafontaine was not the creator of the original genre. He wrote his works on the basis of the works of an ancient Greek author, whose existence is in doubt today. This semi-legendary poet still owns the fable "Flies." She talks about greed, which leads to death. The meaning of this antique work can be reduced to the wise words of Petrarch: “Know the limit of lust.” Another moralizing goal is the fable "Fly." Dmitriev put in his little poem a satirical look at the combination of such unsightly human qualities as cunning, stupidity, laziness, deceit, boasting. A mixture of these vices in one of his interlocutors was met at least once by each person.
The uniqueness of the fable
The fable “The Fly” is unique in content. Dmitriev, perhaps, translated the work of one of the French authors, who, in turn, used ancient Greek sources, but did it very subtly and skillfully. Human imperfections at all times are equally unsightly. Thanks to its light style, the Russian poet conveyed such subtle shades that hardly anything identical can be found in world literature.
Dmitriev's style
Dmitriev’s fable “The Fly” is very concise. In order to convey the main idea, the author needed only ten lines. The moral of the fable "Fly" Dmitriev deduced in one phrase. The poet, in the moralizing ending, says that this is often found in life. And, as if addressing the reader, he asks whether he has ever heard self-praise, which has no foundation. He exposes bragging and laziness on the example of the behavior of his heroine, endowing her with exclusively widespread human vices. The moral of the fable "The Fly" Dmitriev formulated in four lines, where he summed up his satire on people suffering from fanfare and idleness.
More than eighty works in the moralizing genre were created by Ivan Dmitriev. The fable "Fly", despite the small volume, is one of the most striking. It should be said: this work is translated into German, which speaks of its uniqueness. Similar satirical poems were formed in French literature. But they were further developed in the literature of other countries.
Instead of an afterword
One of the creators of works in a distinctive style, which can conditionally be called the Russian fable genre, is I. I. Dmitriev. "The Fly" is an essay that, along with the works of other Russian satirists, should be known to the modern reader. Making fun of flaws, the short narrative performs an important moral function. Indeed, as long as there are people in the world who prefer not to act, but only to be close to those who work, the fable of Dmitriev “The Fly” will not lose relevance.