In order to make a correct analysis of Saltykov-Shchedrin's History of a City, you need to not only read this work, but also thoroughly study it. Try to reveal the essence and meaning of what Mikhail Evgrafovich tried to convey to the reader. To do this, you need to analyze the plot and idea of the story. In addition, attention should be paid to the images of city governors. As in many other works of the author, he pays special attention to them, comparing them with an ordinary commoner.
Author's published work
“The history of one city” is one of the famous works of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin. It was published in "Domestic Notes", which caused great interest in the novel. To have a clear idea of the work, you need to analyze it. So, the analysis of the "History of a city" Saltykov – Shchedrin. By genre it is a novel, by style of writing - a historical chronicle.
The reader immediately gets acquainted with the unusual image of the author. This is the "last archivist chronicler." From the very beginning, M.E. Saltykov – Shchedrin made a small annotation stating that everything was published on the basis of genuine documents. Why was this done by a writer? To give credibility to everything that the narrative will be about. All additions and copyright notes contribute to the creation of historical truth in the work.
The authenticity of the novel
The analysis of the “History of a city” by Saltykov – Shchedrin is intended to indicate the history of writing, the use of expressive means. As well as the writer's skill in revealing the characters of literary images.
The foreword reveals the author’s intention to create the novel “The History of a City”. What city was honored to be immortalized in a literary work? In the archive of the city of Glupov there were descriptions of all the important affairs of urban residents, biographies of changing as mayors. The novel contains exact dates of the period described in the work: from 1731 to 1826. Used a quote from a poem known at the time of writing G.R. Derzhavina. And the reader believes that. How else!
The author uses a specific name, talks about those events that took place in any city. M. E. Saltykov – Shchedrin traces the life of the city’s leaders in connection with the change in various temporary historical eras. Each era changes the people in power. They were reckless, they skillfully controlled the treasury of the city, they were knightly brave. But no matter how their time changes, they rule and command ordinary inhabitants.
What is written in the analysis
Analysis of the “History of a City” by Saltykov – Shchedrin It is written, like any analysis of a work written in prose, according to a certain plan. The plan considers the following characteristic features of a prose work: the story of the creation of the novel and storylines, composition and images, style, direction, genre. Sometimes a critic or an observer from the readership who makes an analysis can add his attitude to the work.
Now it’s worth turning to a specific work.
The history of creation and the main idea of the work
Saltykov-Shchedrin long conceived his novel, nurtured it for many years. His observations of the autocratic system have long sought incarnation in literary works. The writer worked on the novel for more than ten years. More than once corrected and rewrote entire chapters of Saltykov-Shchedrin.
The main idea of the work is a satirical view of the history of Russian society. The main thing in the city is not gold and money-grubbing, but actions. Thus, the entire novel “The History of a City” contains the theme of the satirical history of society. The writer seemed to have predicted the death of the autocracy. This is felt in the decisions of the Foolovites who do not want to live in a regime of despotism and humiliation.
Plot
The novel " The History of a City" has a special content, not similar and hitherto not described in any classic work. This is a socio-political satire on the society that is modern for the author, and in this state system there is power hostile to the people. To describe the city of Glupov and his daily life, the author takes a time period of one hundred years. The history of the city changes when the next power changes. Very briefly and schematically, you can present the entire plot of the work in several sentences.
The first thing the author talks about is the origin of the people who inhabit the city. Once upon a time, a tribe of headshots managed to defeat all neighbors. They are looking for a prince-ruler, instead of whom a thief-governor is in power, for which he paid. This lasted a very long time until the prince decided to appear in Stupid himself. The following is a story about all the significant people of the city. When it comes to the mayor Ugryum-Burcheev, the reader sees that popular anger is growing. The expected explosion ends the work. Ugryum-Burcheev disappeared, a new period begins. It is time for a change.
Compositional construction
The composition has a fragmentary appearance, but its integrity from this is not violated. The plan of the work is simple and at the same time extremely complex. It is easy to imagine it in this form:
- The acquaintance of the reader with the history of the inhabitants of the city of Glupov.
- 22 rulers and their characteristics.
- The mayor Brudasty and his organ in the head.
- The struggle for power in the city.
- Dvoekurov in power.
- Years of calm and hunger under Ferdyshchenko.
- The activity of Vasilisk Semenovich Borodavkin.
- Changes in the lifestyle of the city.
- Depravity of manners.
- Gloom-Burcheev.
- Borodavkin on obligations.
- Mikaladze about the appearance of the ruler.
- Benevolsky about kindness.
Individual episodes
Interesting "History of a city" in chapters. The first chapter, “From the Publisher,” contains a story about the city and its history. The author himself admits that the plot is somewhat monotonous and contains the history of the rule of the city. Four storytellers, and the narration is carried out in turn by each of them.
The second chapter, On the Root of the Origin of the Foolovites, tells the story of the prehistoric period of the existence of the tribes. Who was not there at that time: densely-scared and lucogeans, frogs and gnawers.
In the chapter "Organichik" a conversation is being held on the reign of the mayor named Brudasty. He is laconic, his head is completely empty. Master Baibakov, at the request of the people, revealed the secret of Brudasti: a small musical instrument was placed in his head. In Stupid comes a period of anarchy.
The next chapter is full of events and dynamism. It is called "The Legend of the Six Mayors." From this moment, there come moments of a change of rulers one after another: Dvoekurov, who reigned for eight years, with the ruler of Ferdyshchenko, the people lived for six years happily and in abundance. The activity and activities of the next mayor Borodavkin allowed the people of Glupov to know what abundance is. But all good things have the property of ending once. This happened with Glupov when captain Rogue came to power.
The people of the city see little good now, no one is engaged in it, although some rulers are trying to deal with legislation. That just did not survive the Foolovites: hunger, poverty, devastation. The “History of a City” chapter by chapter gives a complete picture of the changes that took place in Glupov.
Images of heroes
Mayors occupy a lot of space in the novel "The History of a City". Each of them has its own principles of government in the city. Each has a separate chapter in the work. To maintain the style of the annalistic narrative, the author uses a number of satirical artistic means: anachronism and fantasy, limited space and symbolic details. The novel exposes all modern reality. For this, the author uses the grotesque and hyperbola. Each of the mayors is brightly painted by the author. The images turned out to be colorful, regardless of how their rule influenced the life of the city. Brudastoi’s categorical nature, Dvoekurov’s reformism, the struggle for enlightening Borodavkin, the greed and love of Ferdyshchenko, the non-interference in any business of Pimple and Ugum-Burcheev with his idiocy.
Direction
The genre of the work is a satirical novel. It is a chronological review. It looks like a kind of original chronicle parody. A full analysis of Saltykov-Shchedrin's “History of a City” is ready. It remains only to read the work again. Readers will have a new look at the novel by Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin.
The point is sometimes in the details
In the work “The History of a City”, any passage is so good and bright, every little thing is in its place. Take at least the chapter "On the root of the origin of the Foolovites." The passage resembles a fairy tale. The chapter contains many fictional characters, invented ridiculous names of the tribes, which formed the basis of the city of Glupov. Elements of folklore will be heard more than once from the lips of the heroes of the work, one of the gnawers sings the song "Do not make noise, mother is green oak." The merits of the Foolovites look ridiculous: skillful strep of pasta, trade, performance of obscene songs.
“The history of one city” is the pinnacle of the work of the great Russian classic Saltykov-Shchedrin. This masterpiece brought fame to the author as a satirical writer. This novel contains a hidden story of all of Russia. Saltykov-Shchedrin saw an unfair treatment of ordinary people. He very subtly felt and saw the flaws of the Russian political system. As in the history of Russia, in the novel, the harmless ruler is replaced by a tyrant and dictator.
The epilogue of the story
The ending of the work is symbolic, in which the tyrannical governor Ugryum-Burcheev dies in the crater of a tornado of popular anger, but there is no certainty that a respectable ruler will come to power. Thus, there is no certainty and constancy in matters of power.