There are few writers in the history of Russian literature who would be so stubbornly and strongly hated as Saltykov-Shchedrin. Contemporaries called him a "storyteller", and his works - "strange fantasies" that have nothing to do with reality. Meanwhile, today the work of the famous satirist and cartoonist remains fresh and relevant. How difficult was the writer's path to the literary Olympus, the biography of Saltykov-Shchedrin narrates, a brief summary of which we will consider in this article.
Youth
Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov is a Russian writer, a nobleman who was born in 1826 in the small village of Spas-Ugol (Tver province). His first teacher was a simple serf Paul, and then he was studied by a priest and a student of the Theological Academy. At ten years old, the boy was sent to Moscow, to the noble institute, and two years later - to Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. This is where his creative biography begins.
Saltykov-Shchedrin at Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum
Here, under the influence of the creativity of young poets, Mikhail Evgrafovich begins to write poetry. In his certificate at the end of the lyceum will be recorded, along with such school misconduct as smoking and rudeness, writing works of disapproving content. Meanwhile, a number of his poems were already published in the journal Sovremennik. However, Michael himself does not see the poet’s talent in himself, but he was seriously interested in literature. From this period, his writer's biography is tied. Saltykov-Shchedrin becomes famous.
Popularity
At the end of the lyceum, the future writer is enlisted in the military office. He is fond of French literature and begins to write bibliographic notes, which are published in the "Domestic Notes". 4 years after graduating from the lyceum, in 1848, he writes the story "Tangled Case". In this work, the author’s attitude to serfdom and an aversion to routine are clearly visible. These discussions about the fate of Russia could go unnoticed if they did not coincide with the French revolution. In the same year, the writer is exiled to Vyatka, where his provincial biography will last 7 long years.
Saltykov-Shchedrin in Vyatka
Not much is known for certain about the writer's service in Vyatka. He served as a clerical officer in various government agencies. Meanwhile, provincial life during this period opened up for Saltykov an opportunity to better know all the dark sides of the existence of an ordinary people. During his stay in Vyatka, Mikhail Evgrafovich wrote “Provincial Essays” and also compiled “A Brief History of Russia”. Here he finds his wife, and in 1855 he was allowed to leave Vyatka.
Literary activity in the last years of his life
In 1856, Saltykov was sent to the Tver province, and in 1860 was appointed to the post of vice-governor of Tver. Continues and his literary biography. Saltykov-Shchedrin at this time writes a lot, published in famous magazines. And in 1863, after his resignation, he moved to Petersburg and became one of the editors of Sovremennik. In the last years of his life he writes stories and fairy tales, trying through humor and satire to convey to his reader the spirit of freedom and independence. In 1889, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, whose biography is closely intertwined with the fate of the people, dies after a serious illness.