Author's position in the fable. Author's position in the fables of Krylov

A fable is a short story, most often in poetry, which has an allegorical meaning. The protagonists in it are most often animals.

The emergence of a fable

It is believed that fables appeared in ancient Greece in the 6-5 centuries. BC e., their creator is Aesop. By the name of this legendary fabulist, allegorical speech is often called the "Aesopian language."

Distribution of a new genre in Russia and abroad

In the 1st century AD, Aesop's fables were translated in poetic form into Latin by Fedrom. Later they began to be used by a variety of writers - from Lafontaine to Krylov, and stories of fables were often borrowed from Aesop.

In our country, this genre has become widespread since about the middle of the 18th century. A. Cantemir was the first Russian author to write fables back in the 30s of the 18th century. Later, works by other Russian authors appeared: M.V. Lomonosov, V.K. Trediakovsky, A. Sumarokov. However, the most popular and famous fabulist in our country is considered to be I. A. Krylov.

Features of Krylov's fables

Krylov decided to turn to the fable, because it was the most popular, most intelligible genre. When the writer was asked why he chose him, he replied that the fable was understandable to everyone, it was "read by both servants and children." This kind of literary creation has long been especially close to the poetry of the people, had a solid foundation in Russian fiction. The fable is associated with proverbs and sayings, written in a simple and clear language, teaches worldly wisdom and morality - all this makes it a favorite genre among the people. What is the author's position in the fable? The answer to this question is offered by this article.

Satire in the fables of Krylov

The satire used by Krylov, covered by allegory, was aimed at revealing the problems and "ulcers" of not only the society in which Ivan Andreevich lived, but also the whole system based on self-interest and private property. The satirical orientation of his fables raises the eternal themes of bribery, abuse, greed, ignorance of the apparatus of power.

In his works, Krylov used a special system of allegories and allusions, called the "Aesopian language." She served to disguise satire. Reading the works of the fabulist, we are well aware that the Lions, Donkeys, Wolves and Foxes are not just abstract allegories and fairy-tale characters, but specific figures of history. However, the satirical meanings and the author’s position in the fable are always much broader than the circumstances taken as a basis, which served as the reason for creating this or that comparison. That is why for many years the works of this fabulist have remained the same relevant, their political acuteness and nowadays is not in doubt, but gaining new comparisons.

Author's position in the fable "Wolf and the Lamb"

Krylov always protected the oppressed people from violence and the arbitrariness of the powers that be - greedy and powerful ruling classes.

For example, in the work “The Wolf and the Lamb” the author’s position in the fable is expressed in plain text: “The strong is always to blame for the powerless!” The weak and timid Lamb turns into the prey of the Wolf only because the latter is hungry. This fable is one of the few that begins with morality, and does not end with it. Krylov immediately says what is the point of this story. A lamb cannot prove anything to a hungry Wolf. And the latter would be useful to think about what may come the time when he will meet a force superior to him. How will he behave then? How's the Lamb? The image of the Lamb personifies the oppressed people as a whole, their powerlessness and powerlessness. The main author’s position in Krylov’s fable “The Wolf and the Lamb” is understandable even to a child.

Political meaning

Ivan Andreevich repeatedly denounced and condemned such injustice, violence and lawlessness perpetrated against poor people, serfs and servants. This is the author’s position in the fable “Pig under the Oak”, in the works “Wolves and Sheep”, “Motley Sheep”, “Peasants and the River”, etc. But it should be noted that, ridiculing predation, the lawlessness of the entire social system, which contributed to the unjust oppressing the masses, Krylov did not see a way out of such a situation, since he believed that an open protest would not help. This was the author's position in the fable. Krylov always questioned the meaning of such a protest, he believed that it was simply impossible.

Mocking all sorts of liberal undertakings of the government, exposing them in the form of an animal gathering, convened in order to learn more about the Wolf, who dreamed of becoming a sheep’s elder, Ivan Andreevich notes that it was the sheep’s opinion of the latter at this “meeting” and they “forgot” to find out (" Worldly gathering "). The following is a sad conclusion - if the power belongs to “unscrupulous people”, you can find a trick in any order to make “dexterity” wherever they want.

Injustice and lawlessness, according to the fabulist, is the result of not only corrupt morals, but also the political system itself, led by the king. Such is the author's position in the fables of Krylov. Therefore, he has so many works dedicated to Tsar Leo, whose image and actions clearly hint at Alexander I and his reforms.

"Fish Dance"

It is worth noting, first of all, the fable "Fish Dance". It tells of the Tsar Leo, who decided in response to complaints received about the ongoing lawlessness to independently go to the place and look at the existing order. On the way, he meets the Old Man, who is going to make a fire and fry fish caught in the water on it. And to the question of Leo about what he is doing here, the Man replies with impudence that he is a “headman over the water people” and came here to congratulate the Tsar on his arrival.

The flattery of the elder hits the target, and the Tsar Leo does not condemn this guy at all for abuse of his official position, but only trustingly listens to his false speech about how he cares about the needs of his people. Here the author’s position in the fable is clearly guessed - an allusion to Alexander I, who liked to travel around the country and blindly believed everything that his proteges on the ground said.

A similar similarity was noted even in government circles, which banned the fable and allowed to publish it only on condition that Leo was described as a fair guardian for the fate of the people. However, the meaning of the fable is much broader than simply denouncing an individual sovereign. Krylov wanted to show the situation characteristic of the entire social system, when the tsar relies on his governors and is indifferent to the hardships and deprivations of the people.

Motley sheep

In the fabled “Variegated Sheep”, Ivan Andreevich no less poisonously ironizes at the address of Alexander I, denounces his pretense, thanks to which he brutally and insidiously deals with freethinkers, while hypocritically expressing sympathy for his victims! The author’s position in the fable is very transparent, therefore, for political reasons, it was also banned, it was published only after the death of Krylov.

Ivan Andreevich, ridiculing the brutal arbitrariness and arbitrariness of the sovereign and his associates, did not rebel, however, against this very unjust system, against the monarchy as such, but preferred to remain in enlightening positions, believing that the monarchy could be honest, provided that the clever ruled and fair sovereign. As a true enlightener, he tried to improve the existing system by educating the masses. The author’s position in Krylov’s fables is always expressed openly, albeit allegorically.

Educational function of fables

Krylov appears in his fables not only as a satirist who is struggling with the imperfection of the political system. He was convinced that preaching could change human morals for the better, so in his works there is always morality. Ivan Andreevich exposes vanity, idleness, laziness, ignorance, boasting, hypocrisy, conceit, cowardice, greed. He makes fun of not only those who sought to profit at someone else's expense, but also all sorts of loafers and a muddler.

An example is Trishka, who ridiculously redrawn his caftan (“Trishkin Kaftan”), Miller, whose carelessness led to his “water sucking the dam,” Medved, who was unable to work, and therefore killed many birch trees, hazel and elm.

"Elephant and Pug"

In the fable "Elephant and Pug" the image of a dog symbolizes people who like to advertise themselves, although in reality they have not achieved anything. The image of the Elephant conveys the greatness and importance of the person whom he personifies. Such is the author’s position in Krylov’s fable "Elephant and Pug". The elephant does not care who fawns in front of him, barks, wags its tail. Talking with Shavka, Moska informs her that although she barks at the Elephant, in reality her efforts are not directed at him - they are aimed at other dogs. So she wants to impress them, to show that she is afraid of nothing and nobody, not even the Elephant. Surprisingly, in life by such means you can really achieve your goal. Krylov managed to show how absurd and ridiculous the efforts of Moska are and how stupid the dogs that surround her, taking this trick at face value. The author's position in the fable "Elephant and the Pug" is that although people like the Pug often manage to create noise around themselves, the wise will always understand what it costs.

"The picky bride"

In the fable “The Legible Bride”, Ivan Andreevich managed to depict a rather typical and truthful character with a few precise touches. The "whimsical" bride is puffy and moody. She makes demands to her fiancés based on the unwritten prescriptions of a secular society that sees marriage as a bargain. For such a bride, even "notorious" candidates are "not grooms, but grooms." She also demands that the potential groom love her and not dare to be jealous, that is, complete freedom from moral obligations.

In the fables of Krylov live voices of various classes and social layers sound, each of which has its own intonations and colors, especially speech. The fabulist portrayed representatives of many professions, of various positions in society: peasants, landlords, merchants, philistines, shepherds, cabmen, etc. Professional terminology is used to characterize some of them. For example, in the fable "Merchant", the hero in his speech uses professional-slang words, as well as philistine vernacular ("end", "hundred-oddity", "fuse", "Olyushki", etc.). However, Ivan Andreevich’s similar examples are still quite rare, mainly using a nationwide language, the richness of which is achieved by using various forms and phraseology.

Krylov was one of the first to earn worldwide fame (meaning writers). Many of his fables during the lifetime of Ivan Andreevich were translated into European languages. Now they are known and loved by many peoples of the CIS, speaking more than fifty different languages. Krylov's fables are read by both adults and children.