Russian famous writer Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov was born on January 15, 1826. In the future, Mikhail took a pseudonym for himself - Nikolai Shchedrin, which is why the double surname of Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin appeared in the history of Russian poetry.
Mikhail was born and raised in a noble family, in the district of the Tver province. The Saltykov-Shchedrin family was large - the Russian writer himself was the sixth child. His father, Evgraf Vasilyevich Saltykov, was a hereditary nobleman, as well as a collegiate adviser. The mother of the future writer, Zabelina Olga Mikhailovna, also came from a noble family - she was the daughter of the famous Moscow nobleman Mikhail Petrovich Zabelin.
Saltykov-Shchedrin received his first education at home. His first teacher was a serf from their province, namely a painter named Pavel Sokolov, and after successful and fruitful lessons, Saltykov-Shchedrin began to study with his older sister, the governess of the Moscow Academy.
Already at the age of ten he was lucky enough to enter the Moscow Noble Institute, and two years later he was transferred to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. This change led to the start of the writing activity of young Mikhail. Mikhail's first poems were published in a lyceum newspaper, however, they were not very popular, and they were not marked by a large influx of talent, which is why Saltykov-Shchedrin retrained for writing and prose, and did not want to completely remember his early attempts at writing.
In 1844 he entered the military office. It was in this place that he was finally able to seriously engage in writing prose. He published his first stories under the titles "Contradiction" and "A Tangled Case". He was very interested in the views of the French Revolution and socialist trends.
On April 28, 1848, he was sent to exile in Vyatka on charges of freethinking, but he received the rank of Vyatka governor in the same year and was not left on the sidelines of life and society, because such a person simply cannot be treated like that - a good education and origin made their affairs.
In 1855 he left Vyatka and went deep into his writing. It was this period that became a lightning-fast breakthrough for his creative success. Several of his works were published in Russkiy Vestnik. With his works, Saltykov-Shchedrin was often compared with Gogol, for example, thanks to the "Provincial Essays" and "Boredom".
In 1858 he became vice-governor of the Ryazan region, but he did not give up writing. However, in 1862 he left the service, releasing several cycles of his stories: "Innocent stories", "Time", "Satires in prose". During this period, he worked as an editor at Sovremennik in St. Petersburg, so he kept up with the writing business, so to speak. From 1884 until his death, he worked on many of his stories, which undoubtedly replenished the storehouse of memory of Russian literature. Such works as "The History of a City", "Signs of the Times", "Letters from the Province" and others were born. Unfortunately, since the 70s, the health of Saltykov-Shchedrin has been shaken, under the impression of many life difficulties, as well as the refusal to print the Notes of the Fatherland. We can only imagine how painfully the writer's subtle soul endures rejection. The writer spent the last odes of his life in a semi-reclusive state, recalling the old days when he resonated with his work. He still continued to write and even published "Poshekhonskaya antiquity", but he did not feel and did not receive the former enthusiasm. Before his death, "Forgotten Words" were started, but he never had time to complete them. Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin died on April 28, 1889. He was buried at the Volkovsky cemetery, honorably next to the grave of I. Turgenev.
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Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin- Russian writer, journalist, editor of the Otechestvennye Zapiski magazine, Ryazan and Tver Vice-Governor. Saltykov-Shchedrin was a master of the island of the word and was the author of many.
He managed to create excellent works in the genre of satire and realism, as well as help the reader analyze his mistakes.
Perhaps his most famous graduate was.
While studying at the Lyceum, Saltykov-Shchedrin stopped monitoring his appearance, began to swear, smoke, and also often ended up in a punishment cell for misbehavior.
As a result, the student graduated from the lyceum with the rank of collegiate secretary. Interestingly, it was during this period of his biography that he tried to write his first works.
After that, Mikhail began working in the office of the military department. He continued to engage in writing and became seriously interested in the work of the French socialists.
The first stories in the biography of Saltykov-Shchedrin were "A Tangled Case" and "Contradictions". In them, he raised important issues that run counter to the policy of the current government.
When he was on the throne in 1855 (see), he was allowed to return home. The following year, he was appointed officer for special assignments at the Ministry of the Interior.
Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin is one of the most prominent representatives of satire in. He had a subtle sense of humor and was able to brilliantly convey it on paper.
An interesting fact is that it was he who coined such expressions as "bungling", "soft-bodied" and "stupidity".
One of the most popular portraits of the writer M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin After Saltykov-Shchedrin returned from exile in , he published a collection of short stories "Provincial Essays" under the name of Nikolai Shchedrin.
It is worth noting that even after he gained all-Russian popularity, many of his admirers will remember this particular work.
In his stories, Saltykov-Shchedrin portrayed many different characters, who, in his opinion, were prominent representatives.
In 1870, Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote one of the most famous stories in his biography, The History of a City.
It is worth noting that this work was not initially appreciated, since it contained a lot of allegories and unusual comparisons.
Some critics even accused Mikhail Evgrafovich of intentional distortion. The story presented ordinary people of different minds and who unquestioningly obeyed the authorities.
Soon, from the pen of Saltykov-Shchedrin came out a very interesting and deep in content fairy tale "The Wise Piskar". It told about a piskar who was afraid of everything, who lived in fear and loneliness until his death.
Then he began working as an editor in the publication "Domestic Notes", which he owned. In this journal, in addition to his direct duties, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin also published his own works.
In 1880 Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote the brilliant novel The Golovlevs. It told about a family that all their adult life thought only about increasing their capital. Ultimately, this led the entire family to spiritual and moral decay.
In the biography of the writer there was only one wife - Elizaveta Boltina. Saltykov-Shchedrin met her during her exile. The girl was the daughter of the vice-governor and was 14 years younger than the groom.
Initially, the father did not want to give Elizabeth in marriage to the disgraced writer, however, after talking with him, he changed his mind.
An interesting fact is that Mikhail's mother was categorically opposed to him marrying Boltina. The reason for this was the young age of the bride, as well as a small dowry. In the end, in 1856, Saltykov-Shchedrin did get married.
Saltykov-Shchedrin with his wife Soon, frequent quarrels began to occur between the newlyweds. By nature, Saltykov-Shchedrin was a straightforward and courageous person. Elizabeth, on the contrary, was a calm and patient girl. In addition, she did not have a sharp mind.
According to the recollections of Mikhail Evgrafovich's friends, Boltina liked to intervene in the conversation, saying a lot of unnecessary things, which, moreover, were often irrelevant.
At such moments, the writer simply lost his temper. In addition, Saltykov-Shchedrin's wife loved luxury, which further increased the distance between the spouses.
Despite this, they lived together all their lives. In this marriage, they had a girl, Elizabeth, and a boy, Konstantin.
Biographers of Saltykov-Shchedrin claim that he was well versed in wines, played on and was an expert in matters relating to profanity.
In recent years, the writer seriously suffered from rheumatism. In addition, his health deteriorated after Otechestvennye Zapiski was closed in 1884. Censorship considered the publication a distributor of harmful ideas.
Shortly before his death, Saltykov-Shchedrin was bedridden, in need of outside help and care. However, he did not lose his optimism and sense of humor.
Often, when he could not receive guests due to weakness, he asked me to tell them: "I am very busy - I am dying."
Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin died on April 28, 1889 at the age of 63. According to his request, he was buried next to the grave at the Volkovsky cemetery.
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Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin (real name Saltykov, pseudonym "N. Shchedrin") was born on January 27 (January 15 according to the old style), 1826 in the village of Spas-Ugol, Tver province (now the Taldom district of the Moscow region). He was the sixth child of a hereditary nobleman collegiate adviser, his mother came from a family of Moscow merchants. Until the age of 10, the boy lived on his father's estate.
In 1836, Mikhail Saltykov was enrolled in the Moscow noble institute, where the poet Mikhail Lermontov had previously studied, in 1838, as the best student of the institute, he was transferred to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Saltykov was known as the first poet on the course, his poems were published in periodicals.
In 1844, after graduating from the lyceum, he was appointed to serve in the office of the military ministry in St. Petersburg.
In 1845-1847, Saltykov attended meetings of a circle of Russian utopian socialists - "Fridays" of Mikhail Butashevich-Petrashevsky, whom he met at the Lyceum.
In 1847-1848, Saltykov's first reviews were published in the journals Sovremennik and Domestic Notes.
In 1847, Saltykov's first story, Contradictions, dedicated to the economist Vladimir Milyutin, was published in Otechestvennye Zapiski.
The release of this work coincided with the tightening of censorship restrictions after the French Revolution and the organization of a secret committee chaired by Prince Menshikov; as a result, the story was banned, and its author was exiled to Vyatka (now Kirov) and appointed to the position of scribe in the provincial government.
In 1855, Saltykov received permission to return to St. Petersburg.
In 1856-1858, he was an official for special assignments in the Ministry of the Interior, participated in the preparation of the peasant reform of 1861.
From 1856 to 1857 Saltykov's Provincial Essays were published in Russkiy Vestnik under the pseudonym N. Shchedrin. "Essays" were marked by the attention of Nikolai Chernyshevsky and Nikolai Dobrolyubov, who devoted articles to them.
In March 1858, Saltykov was appointed vice-governor of the city of Ryazan.
In April 1860, in connection with a conflict with the Ryazan governor, Saltykov was appointed vice-governor of Tver, and in January 1862 he resigned.
In 1858-1862, the collections "Innocent Stories" and "Satires in Prose" were published, in which the city of Foolov appeared for the first time - a collective image of modern Russian reality.
In 1862-1864, Saltykov was a member of the editorial board of the Sovremennik magazine.
In 1864-1868 he served as chairman of the Penza Treasury Chamber, manager of the Tula Treasury Chamber and manager of the Treasury Chamber of Ryazan.
Since 1868, he collaborated with the journal Otechestvennye Zapiski, since 1878 he was the editor-in-chief of the journal.
While working in Otechestvennye Zapiski, the writer created his significant works - the novels The History of a City (1869-1970) and The Golovlevs (1875-1880).
In parallel, the writer worked on journalistic articles, in the 1870s he published collections of stories "Signs of the Times", "Letters from the Province", "Pompadours and Pompadours", "Lords of Tashkent", "Diary of a provincial in St. Petersburg", "Well-meaning speeches", become a noticeable phenomenon not only in literature, but also in socio-political life.
In the 1880s, the fairy tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin saw the light of day, the first of which were published in 1869.
In 1886, the novel "Poshekhonskaya antiquity" was written.
In February 1889, the writer began preparing the author's edition of the collected works in nine volumes, but only one volume was published during his lifetime.
On May 10 (April 28, old style), 1889, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin died in St. Petersburg. He was buried at the Literary bridges of the Volkovsky cemetery.
In 1890, the complete works of the writer were published in nine volumes. From 1891 to 1892, a complete collection of works in 12 volumes was published, prepared by the author's heirs, which was repeatedly reprinted.
Saltykov-Shchedrin was married to Elizaveta Boltina, whom he met during the Vyatka exile, the son Konstantin and the daughter Elizaveta were born in the family.
Saltykov-Shchedrin Mikhail Evgrafovich (1826 - 1889) - Russian realist writer, critic, author of sharp satirical works, known under the pseudonym Nikolai Shchedrin (Saltykov is his real name).
Option 1
Saltykov - Shchedrin Mikhail Evgrafovich (real name Saltykov, pseudonym N. Shchedrin) (1826-1889), writer, publicist.
Born on January 27, 1826 in the village of Spas-Ugol, Tver province, in an old noble family. In 1836 he was sent to the Moscow Noble Institute, from where two years later he was transferred to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum for excellent studies.
In August 1844, Saltykov joined the office of the Minister of War. At this time, his first stories "Contradiction" and "A Tangled Case" were published, which caused the wrath of the authorities.
In 1848, Saltykov-Shchedrin was exiled to Vyatka (now Kirov) for a "harmful way of thinking", where he received the post of senior official for special assignments under the governor, and after a while - adviser to the provincial government. Only in 1856, in connection with the death of Nicholas I, the restriction on residence was lifted.
Returning to St. Petersburg, the writer resumed his literary activity, while working in the Ministry of the Interior and participating in the preparation of the peasant reform. In 1858-1862. Saltykov served as vice-governor in Ryazan, then in Tver. After retiring, he settled in the capital and became one of the editors of the Sovremennik magazine.
In 1865, Saltykov-Shchedrin returned to public service again: at various times he headed the state chambers in Penza, Tula, Ryazan. But the attempt was unsuccessful, and in 1868 he agreed with the proposal of N. A. Nekrasov to enter the editorial office of the journal Domestic Notes, where he worked until 1884.
A talented publicist, satirist, artist, Saltykov-Shchedrin in his works tried to direct the attention of Russian society to the main problems of that time.
“Provincial essays” (1856-1857), “Pompadours and pompadours” (1863-1874), “Poshekhonskaya old times” (1887-1889), “Tales” (1882-1886) stigmatize theft and bribery of officials, cruelty of landowners, tyranny of chiefs. In the novel Lord Golovlevs (1875-1880), the author depicted the spiritual and physical degradation of the nobility in the second half of the 19th century. In The History of a City (1861-1862), the writer not only satirically showed the relationship between the people and the authorities of the city of Glupov, but also rose to criticism of the government leaders of Russia.
Option 2
Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin (January 27, 1826 - May 10, 1899) - writer, journalist, civil servant. The real name is Saltykov. Pseudonym Nikolay Shchedrin.
Father - Evgraf Vasilyevich Saltykov (1776-1851). Hereditary nobleman and civil servant.
Mother - Olga Mikhailovna Zabelina (1801-1874). From the family of a wealthy Moscow merchant Zabelin.
Wife - Elizaveta Apollonovna Boltina (1839-1910). Daughter of Lieutenant Governor Boltin. The marriage had two children: Konstantin (1872–1932) and Elizaveta (1873–1927).
Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin was born on January 27 (January 15 according to the old style), 1826, in the estate of his parents in the village of Spas-Ugol, Tver province of the Russian Empire (now the village of Spas-Ugol, Moscow region of the Russian Federation) in the family of a hereditary nobleman.
Mikhail Evgrafovich's childhood passed on the estate of his parents. From the age of seven, a serf painter was assigned to him to teach literacy. Then his elder sister, Nadezhda Evgrafovna (1818–1844), a governess, a priest from a neighboring village and a student of the Trinity Theological Academy, was engaged in his education. Saltykov studied diligently, and, thanks to this, at the age of ten (1836) he was admitted to the third class of the Moscow Noble Institute. For excellent studies in 1838 he was sent at the state expense to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum as the best student. which he graduated in 1844.
In August 1845, Saltykov-Shchedrin was enrolled in the office of the Minister of War. And in April 1848, for freethinking, he was exiled to Vyatka with the right to visit his Tver estate. He held various positions under the Vyatka provincial government. During this period, he is often, among others, invited by Vice-Governor Bolotin. One of his daughters, Elizabeth, Saltykov marries in 1856.
After the death of Nicholas I, Mikhail Evgrafovich received permission to leave Vyatka by the end of 1855. Returning to St. Petersburg, in February 1856, he began working at the Ministry of the Interior. Travels with checks in the Tver and Vladimir provinces. In March 1858, Saltykov-Shchedrin was appointed vice-governor of Ryazan, and in April 1860 he was transferred to the post of vice-governor of Tver. In 1862 he retired for the first time.
From the beginning of 1863 to 1864 he worked in Sovremennik, placing his works, articles and book reviews in it.
From November 1864 to 1868 he worked as the manager of the State Chambers of Penza (1864-1866), Tula (1866-1867) and Ryazan (1867-1868). Frequent job changes are explained by conflicts with governors, whom Saltykov ridiculed in his pamphlets. After a complaint from the Ryazan governor in 1868, he was dismissed, without the right to hold public office.
In 1868 he moved to St. Petersburg, and, having accepted the invitation, became one of the editors of the journal Otechestvennye Zapiski. In 1875-1876 Saltykov-Shchedrin made a trip abroad for treatment. He traveled to Germany, France and Switzerland. In 1877, after the death of Nekrasov, he became the head of the journal Domestic Notes.
Option 3
Shchedrin, real name - Saltykov, was born in 1826, in the village of Spas-Ugol, Tver province, now Moscow region, in a family estate.
The strictest economy, parental scandals and swearing, cruel treatment of serfs - such is the world of his childhood, captured in the novel Poshekhonskaya Starina.
Having received his primary education in the family, the writer studied at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, where senior government officials were trained. There, his literary and poetic abilities manifested themselves.
At the end of his studies - the service, which continued with a short break until 1868.
In 1848 a young official, already taking part in the literary and social life of the capital, almost suffered the fate of Dostoevsky: Saltykov was arrested for the novels Contradictions (1847) and A Tangled Case (1848). He continues to serve in Vyatka, from where he returns after the death of Nicholas I, in 1855.
In 1856 - 1857, the satirist, having based his impressions of the provinces and for the first time using his favorite form - a cycle of closely related stories and scenes, embodies his plan - "Provincial Essays".
1858 Saltykov - vice - governor of Ryazan, later - Tver, and in 1865 - 1868 served in serious posts in Penza, Tula, the same Ryazan. According to contemporaries, he was a respectable, incorruptible, zealous official. But intransigence, rigidity and inflexibility, some cynicism and caustic temper, unwillingness to adapt to the leaders and the current situation, became the reason for leaving the civil service.
Shchedrin devotes himself entirely to the literary craft. The true experience of life in the outback and awareness of the structure of the state apparatus from the inside made the writer an expert on the national foundations of that time. There are "Innocent Stories", "Satires in Prose", "Pompadours and Pompadourses", the brilliant "History of a City", which in genre has become a satirical parody of historical work.
In 1863 - 1864, having temporarily retired from service, Saltykov collaborated with Nekrasov in the Sovremennik magazine. 1868 - becomes co-editor of Otechestvennye Zapiski, linking his further literary and social activities with this journal. In 1880 finished the socio-psychological novel "Gentlemen Golovlevs".
In 1884 by decision of the government, the popular and democratic "Notes of the Fatherland" are being closed. The writer perceives this as a personal life catastrophe. The emotional wound inflicted by the prohibition of the publication, in which so much effort and heart had been invested, did not heal until his death in 1889.
The fairy tale "" Saltykov-Shchedrin was written in 1884. This is a witty, sharply satirical work, exposing the vices of the surrounding reality.
Despite the painful illness and depressed state of mind, Saltykov continues to compose. By this time include: "Poshekhonskaya antiquity", "Little things in life". Bright, expressive, sharp in their subject matter, fairy tales, the images of which have become common nouns. The author begins "Forgotten Words", in the genre of poetic prose, but death interrupts his work.
All the works of the classic are united not by genre, not by themes, and not even by a special, sarcastic method of describing what is happening, but by the fact that they are original parts and fragments of one large work by Saltykov-Shchedrin, which depicted Russian life at the end of the 19th century.
M. E. Saltykov, thanks to the strength and depth of his striking talent, is a rare, amazing phenomenon. It rightfully occupies a special niche in literature.
Option 1
The chronological table "Saltykov-Shchedrin" tells about the life and work of the famous Russian writer.
With the help of a phased story, you can get a clear idea about the family, the place of study, the beginning of literary activity. The table will introduce important events in the biography of Mikhail Evgrafovich, indicate acquaintances with famous personalities. The material will name the names of the journals in which the author's works were published. Here you can find out about the place of work and positions of Saltykov-Shchedrin. The table shows the dates of publication of famous novels and stories of the writer. Popular tales of the author, unique in content, combine two genres - a fairy tale and a fable.
The table “Life and work of Saltykov-Shchedrin” will help to prepare additional information for the lesson, to consolidate the material covered in literature.
1826, January 15 (27)- Born in the village of Spas-Ugol in the Tver province in the family of a landowner.
1836–1844 - Studying at the Moscow Noble Institute, and then from 1838 at the Tsarskoye Selo (Alexandrovsky) Lyceum.
1841–1845 – The beginning of literary activity, the publication of the first poems in the journal “Library for Reading” and “Contemporary”.
40s, end- Member of the circle of M.V. Petrashevsky.
1847–1848
- The first prose works: the stories "Contradictions", "Confused
case” in the journal “Domestic Notes”.
1856 - Return to St. Petersburg.
1856–1857 - Publication of "Provincial essays" in the journal "Russian Bulletin".
1856–1868
- Public service in the Ministry of Internal Affairs (vice-governor in Ryazan (1858) and Tver (1860);
Chairman of the State Chamber in Penza, Tula and Ryazan).
1862–1864 - Work in the editorial office of the magazine "Contemporary".
1863–1874 - “Pompadours and Pompadourses” (grotesque-satirical images and fantastic plots).
1868 - Retirement.
1868–1884
- One of the editors of the journal "Domestic Notes";
after the death of N. A. Nekrasov - executive editor;
he prints all his works only on the pages of Otechestvennye Zapiski.
1869–1870 - “The history of one city” (the nature of the relationship between the people and the government).
1875–1880 - "Lord Golovlevs", "Modern Idyll".
1880s- The essay “Abroad” was printed (a kind of “satirical journey through
Europe"); closure of “Domestic Notes”; completed "Tales" (a fusion of two genres: fairy tales and fables).
1884 - a satirical tale "" was written, in which Saltykov-Shchedrin with a fair share displayed the features of the social structure of the second half of the 19th century.
1887–1889 – “Poshekhonskaya antiquity. The Life of Nikanor the Shabby, Poshekhonian Nobleman.
Option 2
1826, 15 (27) January. In the village of Spas-Ugol, Kalyazinsky district, Tver province, was born Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin.
1826–1836. He spent his childhood years in the ancestral patrimony, where he received his initial education at home.
1836–1838. He studied at the Moscow Noble Institute.
1847, Nov. Publishes reviews of new books in the journals Sovremennik and Otechestvennye Zapiski.
1848–1855. Serves in Vyatka.
1856–1857. In the journal "Russian Bulletin" he publishes the satirical cycle "Provincial Essays". Signed "N. Shchedrin.
1868, September. He is a member of the editorial board of the journal “Domestic Notes”, headed by N.A. Nekrasov.
1869–1870. Publishes the novel "History of a City" in Otechestvennye Zapiski.
1887–1889. The Vestnik Evropy published the novel Poshekhonskaya Starina.
1889, May 2 (May 14). Burial at the Volkov cemetery in St. Petersburg next to the grave of I. S. Turgenev - according to the will of Saltykov-Shchedrin.
Biography
Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin is a well-known Russian writer, journalist, editor, government official. His works are included in the compulsory school curriculum. The writer's tales are called so for a reason - they contain not only caricature ridicule and grotesque, thus the author emphasizes that a person is the arbiter of his own destiny.
Childhood and youth
The genius of Russian literature comes from a noble family. Father Evgraf Vasilyevich was a quarter of a century older than his wife Olga Mikhailovna. The daughter of a Moscow merchant got married at the age of 15 and left for her husband in the village of Spas-Ugol, which was then located in the Tver province. There, on January 15, 1826, according to the new style, the youngest of six children, Mikhail, was born. In total, the Saltykov family (Shchedrin is part of the pseudonym that followed over time) grew up three sons and three daughters.
According to the descriptions of the researchers of the writer's biography, the mother, who eventually turned from a cheerful girl into an imperious mistress of the estate, divided the children into favorites and hateful ones. Little Misha was surrounded by love, but sometimes he even got hit with rods. At home there was constant screaming and crying. As Vladimir Obolensky wrote in his memoirs about the Saltykov-Shchedrin family, in conversations the writer described his childhood in gloomy colors, once he said that he hated "this terrible woman", talking about his mother.
Saltykov knew French and German, received an excellent primary education at home, which allowed him to enter the Moscow Noble Institute. From there, the boy, who showed remarkable diligence, ended up on full state support in the privileged Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, in which education was equated to university, and graduates were assigned ranks according to the Table of Ranks.
Both educational institutions were famous for graduating the elite of Russian society. Among the graduates - Alexander Pushkin, Prince Mikhail Obolensky, Wilhelm Küchelbecker, Anton Delvig, Ivan Pushchin. However, unlike them, Saltykov turned from a wonderful smart boy into an untidy, foul-mouthed boy, often sitting in a punishment cell, who never made close friends. It is not without reason that Mikhail's classmates nicknamed him "The Gloomy Lyceum Student".
The atmosphere within the walls of the lyceum contributed to creativity, and Mikhail, in imitation of his predecessors, began to write free-thinking poetry. Such behavior did not go unnoticed: a graduate of the Lyceum, Mikhail Saltykov, received the rank of collegiate secretary, although for academic success he was given a higher rank - a titular adviser.
At the end of the lyceum, Mikhail got a job serving in the office of the military department and continued to compose. In addition, he became interested in the works of the French socialists. The themes raised by the revolutionaries were reflected in the first stories "A Tangled Case" and "Contradictions".
But the novice writer did not guess with the source of the publication. The journal Otechestvennye Zapiski at that time was under tacit political censorship and was considered ideologically harmful.
By decision of the supervisory commission, Saltykov was sent into exile in Vyatka, to the office under the governor. In exile, in addition to official affairs, Mikhail studied the history of the country, translated the works of European classics, traveled a lot and communicated with the people. Saltykov was almost left to vegetate permanently in the provinces, even though he rose to the rank of adviser to the provincial government: in 1855 he was crowned on the imperial throne Alexander II, and they simply forgot about the ordinary exile.
Peter Lanskoy came to the rescue, a representative of a noble noble family, the second husband Natalia Pushkina. With the assistance of his brother, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mikhail was returned to St. Petersburg and given the position of an official for special assignments in this department.
Literature
Mikhail Evgrafovich is considered one of the brightest satirists of Russian literature, masterfully fluent in the Aesopian language, whose novels and stories have not lost their topicality. For historians, the works of Saltykov-Shchedrin are a source of knowledge of the mores and customs common in the Russian Empire in the 19th century. Peru of the writer owns such terms as "bungling", "soft-bodied" and "stupidity".
Upon returning from exile, Saltykov reworked his experience of communicating with officials of the Russian hinterland and, under the pseudonym Nikolai Shchedrin, published a cycle of stories “Provincial Essays”, recreating the characteristic types of Russian residents. The writings were a great success, the name of the author, who subsequently wrote many books, will be primarily associated with the Essays, researchers of the writer's work will call them a landmark stage in the development of Russian literature.
In the stories, ordinary working people are described with particular warmth. Creating images of nobles and officials, Mikhail Evgrafovich spoke not only about the basics of serfdom, but also focused on the moral side of the representatives of the upper class and the moral foundations of statehood.
The pinnacle of creativity of the Russian prose writer is considered to be "The History of a City". The satirical story, full of allegory and grotesque, was not immediately appreciated by contemporaries. Moreover, the author was initially accused of mocking society and trying to denigrate historical facts.
The main characters-town governors show a rich palette of human characters and social foundations - bribe-takers, careerists, indifferent, obsessed with absurd goals, outright fools. The common people, on the other hand, appear as blindly obeying, ready to endure everything, the gray mass, which acts decisively only when it is on the verge of death.
Saltykov-Shchedrin ridiculed such cowardice and cowardice in "". The work, despite the fact that it is called a fairy tale, is not addressed to children at all. The philosophical meaning of the story about a fish endowed with human qualities lies in the fact that a lonely existence, closed only on its own well-being, is insignificant.
Another fairy tale for adults is “The Wild Landowner”, a lively and cheerful work with a slight touch of cynicism, in which the simple working people are openly opposed to the tyrant landowner.
The literary work of Saltykov-Shchedrin received additional nourishment when the prose writer began working in the editorial office of the Otechestvennye Zapiski magazine. The general management of the publication since 1868 belonged to the poet and publicist Nikolai Nekrasov.
At the personal invitation of the latter, Mikhail Evgrafovich headed the first department dealing with the publication of fiction and translated works. The bulk of Saltykov-Shchedrin's own writings also appeared on the pages of Zapiski.
Among them - "The Refuge of Mon Repos", according to literary critics - a tracing paper of the family life of the writer who became vice-governor, "The Diary of a Provincial in St. Petersburg" - a book about adventurers who are not translated in Rus', "Pompadours and Pompadourses", "Letters from the provinces".
In 1880, as a separate book, the epoch-making sharply social novel “Lord Golovlevs” was published - a story about a family in which the main goal is enrichment and an idle lifestyle, children have long turned into a burden for their mother, in general, the family does not live according to God's law and, not noticing moreover, is heading towards self-destruction.
The tale of Saltykov-Shchedrin "", written in 1884, is an instructive story about the life of a fish left without entrails. This is a sharp satirical tale, written in the form of an animal epic, first published in the collection New Tales for Children of a Fair Age.
Personal life
Mikhail Saltykov met his wife Elizabeth in Vyatka exile. The girl turned out to be the daughter of the immediate boss of the writer, Vice-Governor Apollon Petrovich Boltin. The official made a career in education, economic, military and police departments. At first, an experienced campaigner was afraid of the freethinker Saltykov, but over time, the men became friends.
In the family, Lisa was called Betsy, the girl called the writer, who was 14 years older than her, Michel. However, Boltin was soon transferred to work in Vladimir, and the family left for him. Saltykov was forbidden to leave the Vyatka province. But, according to legend, he twice violated the ban to see his beloved.
The writer's mother, Olga Mikhailovna, categorically opposed the marriage with Elizaveta Apollonovna: not only is the bride too young, but also the dowry for the girl is not solid. The difference in years also raised doubts among the Vladimir vice-governor. Mikhail agreed to wait one year.
The young people got married in June 1856, the groom's mother did not come to the wedding. Relations in the new family were difficult, the spouses often quarreled, the difference in characters affected: Mikhail was direct, quick-tempered, they were afraid of him in the house. Elizabeth, on the contrary, is soft and patient, not burdened with knowledge of the sciences. Saltykov did not like the affectation and coquetry of his wife, he called the ideals of his wife "not very demanding."
According to the memoirs of Prince Vladimir Obolensky, Elizaveta Apollonovna entered into a conversation at random, made remarks that were not relevant to the case. The nonsense uttered by the woman baffled the interlocutor and angered Mikhail Evgrafovich.
Elizabeth loved a beautiful life and demanded appropriate financial support. In this, the husband, who had risen to the rank of lieutenant governor, could still contribute, but he constantly got into debt and called the acquisition of property a careless act. From the works of Saltykov-Shchedrin and studies of the life of the writer, it is known that he played the piano, understood wines and was known as a connoisseur of profanity.
Nevertheless, Elizabeth and Michael lived together all their lives. The wife copied the works of her husband, turned out to be a good housewife, after the death of the writer she competently disposed of the inheritance, thanks to which the family did not feel the need. The marriage produced a daughter, Elizabeth, and a son, Konstantin. The children did not show themselves in any way, which upset the famous father, who loved them boundlessly. Saltykov wrote:
My children will be unhappy, no poetry in their hearts, no rosy memories.
Death
The health of the middle-aged writer, who suffered from rheumatism, was greatly undermined by the closure of Notes of the Fatherland in 1884. In a joint decision of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Justice and Public Education, the publication was recognized as a distributor of harmful ideas, and the editorial staff were recognized as members of a secret society.
Saltykov-Shchedrin spent the last months of his life in bed, asking the guests to convey: "I am very busy - I am dying." Mikhail Evgrafovich died in May 1889 from complications caused by a cold. According to the writer's will, he was buried next to the grave Ivan Turgenev at the Volkovskoye cemetery in St. Petersburg.
Option 1
A sharp mind, courage and a craving for ridiculing vices - this is how Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin and his work as a whole can be characterized. This amazing writer, not afraid of the wrath of either the authorities, or the reaction of critics, or the prohibitions of censors, wrote surprisingly well-aimed and caustic works in which he revealed and brought to light all the impartial aspects of contemporary society, which were usually not shown.
Facts from the biography of Saltykov-Shchedrin
Option 2
Saltykov-Shchedrin studied at the Moscow Noble Institute, and then, as the best student, he was transferred to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Russian writers did not shine with a privileged and generally good education. The exception is Pushkin and Saltykov.
Saltykov, contrary to popular belief, had nothing to do with the caristocratic Saltykov family. The surname of his ancestors is not the Saltykovs, but the Satykovs, these are seedy provincial nobles. This circumstance created an absolutely unbearable situation in the Lyceum. Aristocratic classmates confused the boy with the "real" Saltykovs, and upon learning that they had a namesake in front of them, they snorted contemptuously. As a result, “Misha Pseldonimov” turned from an excellent student into an untidy, snarling teenager, and spent his whole life in this state of neuro-emotional breakdown. It was impossible to have any business with Saltykov. With undoubted intellectual abilities and a wonderful literary gift, he was distinguished by emotional dullness, resentment, and in everyday life he behaved like a fool of a teenager.
In adulthood, Saltykov grew a beard and began to goggle, making a fair face. It didn’t turn out very well, but that’s exactly what went into circulation. Subsequently, helpful artists and retouchers brought the image to the biblical grotesque, so that Saltykov completely lost his face.
Saltykov, like most people of his time and his circle, had a special craving for card games, but unlike Nekrasov, like, again, most people of that time, he played small (playing cards without money was considered nonsense). Saltykov played very badly, because it never occurred to him to bluff, and he did not take into account the psychology and style of play of his opponents at all. At the same time, he perceived the game as a serious matter, and he was very annoyed by losses. Having lost, he never considered that he was mistaken in something, and childishly blamed all the blame on his partners. Those close to him who knew him well tried to turn the case into a joke. Playing with strangers inevitably led to a scandal.
Saltykov's mother was from a family of wealthy merchants, the Zabelins. When she got married, she was 15 years old, and her husband - 40. In her youth, she was blood and milk, then she melted into a fat, ugly woman. 9 children were born in the Saltykov family: 6 boys and 3 girls. Of these, only one girl died in childhood. Education from the very beginning was completely in the hands of the mother, the father was not interested in children. Therefore, we can say that Shchedrin was not a nobleman at all in terms of everyday culture. This is a very important circumstance. The cultural difference between the Russian nobles and merchants of that time is two generations. With our money, nobles are intellectuals, merchants are working people. With fists, obscene swearing and vodka. Saltykov's mother was a rude limited person, she kept the children in a black body and constantly beat her.
At the same time, according to her natural qualities, Saltykova was not stupid, she was well versed in the personal qualities of children and ran an exemplary household. She did not have much money, however, she gave all the children a good upbringing and provided financial support.
At first, Mishenka (the sixth child in the family) was her favorite, but in adolescence, relations deteriorated sharply, Misha in her eyes became the worst, most unfortunate son. Over time, this opinion has only strengthened. She considered him a fool and a scoundrel - in general, not without reason. Other members of the family were of the same opinion.
After graduating from the lyceum, all paths were open to Saltykov, he got a job in the military ministry. At the age of 18, as a graduate of the Lyceum, he already had the rank of collegiate secretary (the civil equivalent of a staff captain). However, his career did not work out, since from a social point of view, he graduated from the Lyceum with a wolf ticket. The meaning of studying in such institutions is primarily to establish a lifelong system of acquaintances with which you can make a quick career. But Shchedrin was a classy outcast, which was immediately reported to his superiors.
In this situation, Shchedrin decided to start a career as a writer, but quickly fell under the hand for a generally innocent (and mediocre) story. He was sent to the province.
Paradoxically, the exile was the first successful step in his bureaucratic career. Far away in Vyatka, all the facts of the biography of the young Saltykov: the lyceum, the high-profile surname, the highest disgrace - merged into a single radiance. I repeat, and disgrace, because to be exiled by the highest command meant to quarrel with the king, that is, to be on a short footing with him. Such people were respected and feared, knowing full well that if there is personal contact, then they will quarrel and make peace, and then they will weigh out such a cuff that it will not seem enough to the obliging kennel. Therefore, in the provinces, the disgraced were treated as royal bastards - with caution. Saltykov immediately became an official for special assignments under the governor, he lived, did not grieve, and after the accession to the throne of Alexander II, he really received the distinction due to the one who received the highest kick - he was first appointed Ryazan, and then Tver vice-governor. In these positions, Saltykov behaved arrogantly, was rude and tyrannical, and the direct superiors could not do anything, since the idiot enjoyed the highest patronage.
It is interesting that the episode of "a quarrel between two generals" put an end to Saltykov's career. Being a major official of the Ministry of Finance, Saltykov began to persecute the Tula governor Shidlovsky. The governor could not do anything, since both he and Saltykov had the same rank - a real state councilor (major general). Saltykov went so far as to publish against Shidlovsky the feuilleton "The Governor with a Stuffed Head." The brawler was removed to another city, and after the inevitable scandal with the local governor, he was fired. Eyewitnesses recalled that while in the service, Saltykov continuously yelled at his subordinates, and liked to put idiotic verdicts on submitted documents: “Nonsense!”, “Nonsense!”, “Dumbass!”
While in the provinces, young Saltykov fell in love with two daughters of the local vice-governor, and began to look after them. The girls were, however, 12 years old. He proposed to one of them at 14, her father with great difficulty postponed the marriage for a year. Mother and all relatives of Saltykov boycotted the wedding and the wedding (out of decency, only one of the brothers was). There is an opinion that the mother's displeasure was caused by the age of the bride and the lack of a dowry. Both are incredible. First, because she herself married at the same age (and not for 30, but for 40 years), and secondly, because the absence of a dowry is a distressing thing, but an Orthodox dowry is not a Muslim kalym - there is nothing shameful in this not for family. The fact is that there was bad fame about the vice-governor's daughters, such that the second daughter later could not find a husband for herself, although she was pretty and from a noble family.
Saltykov's wife cheated on him right and left all her life, openly mocking her husband. What did not prevent her from living at his expense and living well. She had a son and a daughter in a row - after 17 years of a childless marriage. For some reason, Saltykov was sure that at least the son was his, although he did not look like him at all. In the last years of her life, the teenage daughter publicly mocked her sick father along with her mother. The son behaved with restraint, but in adulthood he wrote dismissive memoirs about his father.
The best work of Saltykov, the novel "Lord Golovlev" is nothing but a caricature description of the family in which he was born and raised. He brought out almost everyone there, giving a gallery of social freaks. True, in the middle of the gallery there is a gaping gap - Mikhail Evgrafovich “forgot” to portray his bright image. Most of all in the novel went to "dear friend mother" (recently deceased) and older brother Dmitry, the venerable father of the family. The fact is that in the 60s Saltykov borrowed a large amount of money from his mother to buy the estate. He bought the estate, but it did not bring any income (because it required economic management, which Saltykov was absolutely incapable of). Then Saltykov said that he would not return the money to his mother. She, in repayment of the debt, began to withhold part of the income from the estate, which was jointly owned with her son, and then bypassed him in the distribution of the inheritance. For the inheritance, Saltykov began a lawsuit with his older brother Dmitry Evgrafovich. This is how the famous character "Judas" appeared - it was at this time that "Messrs. Golovlyovs" were written.
In the last years of his life, Saltykov began to whine publicly that he was seriously ill and no one needed him, that he had been forgotten. Like boiling water, a crowd of admirers, scalded with boiling water, rushed to the great satirist with visitations. Saltykov met guests with the face of a Soviet cleaning lady: “All sorts of people go here,” or even simply refused to receive them. The people realized that they were behaving somehow wrong and calmed down. Saltykov was treated by three first-class doctors, including the life physician Botkin, and shortly before his death, John of Kronstadt visited him.
In general, few people went to Saltykov (and not to his wife). He had no literary friends, no personal friends either. So, several officials of his rank came in - partners in card games. The exception was two unusual visitors - General Trepov and Loris-Melikov.
Loris-Melikov went to him during his period of favor, and Trepov retired after he was made disabled by the madman Vera Zasulich. Let me remind you that Loris-Melikov was in fact the prime minister, and Trepov, until his resignation, was the mayor of St. Petersburg. In addition, Trepov was of royal blood.
With regard to such an acquaintance, one can build all kinds of conspiracy theories, but I think the casket was opened simply. Both of them were, paradoxically, admirers of his literary talent.
There is a cultural gap with historical Russia, and we do not understand many things. For a modern reader, some kind of "History of a City" is a gloomy butcher's thing, a tombstone on a thousand-year Russian history. But for the people of the 19th century, it was boyish mischief - funny, rude, but lightweight.
Such is the peculiarity of the Russian dialogue. Russian speech is southern, and Russian character is northern. It turns out a Bengal fire. It seems like a quarrel to the death, two crazy boors bark, but they barked and nothing, they sit side by side, as if nothing had happened.
Therefore, the Russians, paradoxically, do not have a special satire. What is considered satire is actually teenage humor. So it is necessary to read the "History of a City" and "Tales". Satire is Leskov (for example, "Laughter and Grief"), but also not fire-breathing. That is not social, but psychological. Like Gogol. The same psychological satire is Shchedrin's Modern Idyll. “Gentlemen Golovlyovs” is another thing, the measure has been crossed there, but it should be noted that in this STRANGE work Saltykov-Shchedrin himself is also Golovlev and, as it were, not Judas himself.
Therefore, Trepov and Loris-Melikov went to the “great satirist”, and he received them. They did not consider him an enemy. This is a national specificity.
After 1917, non-Russians came to power in Russia and began to read Shchedrin also not in Russian. And in Russian, “call at least a pot, just don’t put it in the oven.”
When Nekrasov was buried, carriages rode in a flock, Saltykov and his acquaintances sat on the water. Laughing, Saltykov invited the neighbors to play cards in memory of the deceased for the time being. Played.
Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin (real name Saltykov, pseudonym "N. Shchedrin") was born on January 27 (January 15 according to the old style), 1826 in the village of Spas-Ugol, Tver province (now the Taldom district of the Moscow region). He was the sixth child of a hereditary nobleman collegiate adviser, his mother came from a family of Moscow merchants. Until the age of 10, the boy lived on his father's estate.
In 1836, Mikhail Saltykov was enrolled in the Moscow noble institute, where the poet Mikhail Lermontov had previously studied, in 1838, as the best student of the institute, he was transferred to the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum. Saltykov was known as the first poet on the course, his poems were published in periodicals.
In 1844, after graduating from the lyceum, he was appointed to serve in the office of the military ministry in St. Petersburg.
In 1845-1847, Saltykov attended meetings of a circle of Russian utopian socialists - "Fridays" of Mikhail Butashevich-Petrashevsky, whom he met at the Lyceum.
In 1847-1848, Saltykov's first reviews were published in the journals Sovremennik and Domestic Notes.
In 1847, Saltykov's first story, Contradictions, dedicated to the economist Vladimir Milyutin, was published in Otechestvennye Zapiski.
The release of this work coincided with the tightening of censorship restrictions after the French Revolution and the organization of a secret committee chaired by Prince Menshikov; as a result, the story was banned, and its author was exiled to Vyatka (now Kirov) and appointed to the position of scribe in the provincial government.
In 1855, Saltykov received permission to return to St. Petersburg.
In 1856-1858, he was an official for special assignments in the Ministry of the Interior, participated in the preparation of the peasant reform of 1861.
From 1856 to 1857 Saltykov's Provincial Essays were published in Russkiy Vestnik under the pseudonym N. Shchedrin. "Essays" were marked by the attention of Nikolai Chernyshevsky and Nikolai Dobrolyubov, who devoted articles to them.
In March 1858, Saltykov was appointed vice-governor of the city of Ryazan.
In April 1860, in connection with a conflict with the Ryazan governor, Saltykov was appointed vice-governor of Tver, and in January 1862 he resigned.
In 1858-1862, the collections "Innocent Stories" and "Satires in Prose" were published, in which the city of Foolov appeared for the first time - a collective image of modern Russian reality.
In 1862-1864, Saltykov was a member of the editorial board of the Sovremennik magazine.
In 1864-1868 he served as chairman of the Penza Treasury Chamber, manager of the Tula Treasury Chamber and manager of the Treasury Chamber of Ryazan.
Since 1868, he collaborated with the journal Otechestvennye Zapiski, since 1878 he was the editor-in-chief of the journal.
While working in Otechestvennye Zapiski, the writer created his significant works - the novels The History of a City (1869-1970) and The Golovlevs (1875-1880).
In parallel, the writer worked on journalistic articles, in the 1870s he published collections of stories "Signs of the Times", "Letters from the Province", "Pompadours and Pompadours", "Lords of Tashkent", "Diary of a provincial in St. Petersburg", "Well-meaning speeches", become a noticeable phenomenon not only in literature, but also in socio-political life.
In the 1880s, the fairy tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin saw the light of day, the first of which were published in 1869.
In 1886, the novel "Poshekhonskaya antiquity" was written.
In February 1889, the writer began preparing the author's edition of the collected works in nine volumes, but only one volume was published during his lifetime.
On May 10 (April 28, old style), 1889, Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin died in St. Petersburg. He was buried at the Literary bridges of the Volkovsky cemetery.
In 1890, the complete works of the writer were published in nine volumes. From 1891 to 1892, a complete collection of works in 12 volumes was published, prepared by the author's heirs, which was repeatedly reprinted.
Saltykov-Shchedrin was married to Elizaveta Boltina, whom he met during the Vyatka exile, the son Konstantin and the daughter Elizaveta were born in the family.
