Dementy Varlamovich Brodasty is the eighth mayor appointed to rule the ill-fated town of Foolov. In the "Inventory of the mayors" his brief but capacious description is given: "He was appointed in a hurry and had some special device in his head ... This did not prevent him, however, from putting in order the arrears launched by his predecessor."
These sarcastic words contain both the meaning of the activity of this “great man” and the attitude of the author in this activity.
Silent and gloomy, Brody knew only one word - "I won't beat you!" His reign began with the fact that he "crossed a lot of coachmen." And subsequently, Brodysty created the appearance of the most violent activity - for days he locked himself in his office, “scraping with a pen” for something. The consequences of this paperwork terrified the entire population of Glupov: “They seize and catch, whip and flog, describe and sell ...”
These six verbs contained the essence of Brodasty's activity, which, however, did not differ from the activity of other mayors. Violence, cruelty, stupidity, inertia, admiration for ranks and contempt for the people - these are the features of the government of all Foolov's mayors, and Brudasty in particular.
The image of this character is symbolic. Recall that he was nicknamed "Organchik" because instead of a head he had some kind of mechanical device. Brodysty's head had to be filled with artificial content, otherwise it was just a shell devoid of brains: empty mayor's head ... "
Thus, with the help of a capacious image, Shchedrin shows that the rulers are just puppets, led by evil instincts, stupidity, inertia, prejudices. But even without such leaders the Russian people cannot live. While Brodysty was lying headless, waiting for the next organ, anarchy and devastation set in in the city. However, soon the Foolovites - "as a reward" for all the suffering - received two rulers at once - with "iron heads". Such an ending to Brodasty's reign once again emphasizes the author's idea that all the rulers of Foolov are the same - equally insignificant, faceless, terrible.

The talented Russian satirist of the 19th century M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin devoted his life to writing works in which he denounced autocracy and serfdom in Russia. He, like no one else, knew the structure of the "state machine", studied the psychology of the chiefs of all ranks, the Russian bureaucracy. In order to show the vices of public administration in their entirety and depth, the writer used the grotesque technique, which he considered the most effective tool display of reality. The grotesque image always goes beyond plausibility. With the help of the grotesque, one can single out, increase any character trait in such a way that the reasons for this or that phenomenon become clear. Hyperbole and fantasy, according to the writer, do not distort reality, they are special forms of figurative narration that make it possible to reveal the true nature of what is happening.
Saltykov-Shchedrin believed that "ghosts rule the world." Chiefs, rulers, officials are not living people, these are functions. They do not see and do not hear people, they fence themselves off from them in every possible way, they are tired of eternal requests. The task of a Russian official or city governor is to "drive" and "not let go." Thinking is unnecessary and even harmful.
Serving the ghost of the state is reflected in the "History of a City". In this work, Saltykov-Shchedrin drew a whole gallery of rulers, representatives of autocratic power. As a subject of research, the writer takes the history of the city of Glupov for a hundred years and traces the activities of all its mayors in chronological order. The purpose of the writer is to show the complete historical failure of the autocracy.
The book "Chronicle" contains the history of the city of Glupov, consisting of biographies of the mayors and descriptions of their most remarkable actions, namely: fast driving on post offices, collecting arrears, campaigns against the townsfolk, arranging pavements and imposing tribute on merchants. Main feature all rulers - this is their uniformity. Differences were observed only in the application of punishments. All the rulers flogged the townspeople, only some explained why, while others did not.
The mayor Borodavkin, having arrived in Foolov, first of all studied the deeds of his predecessors, but only gasped, since it was not possible to determine what all these people were doing before him. In front of Wartkin there was some kind of "sleepy dream", images without faces flashed by. So the writer shows the impersonality of the mayors, who could only shout “I will ruin!”, “I will not tolerate!”, And what was discussed is not clear. The author notes that his heroes are shadows emerging from darkness.
All city governors are ignorant, mentally limited, stupid. Here is how they are characterized in the "Chronicler": "With a not very extensive mind, he was tongue-tied"; "Having accomplished nothing, he was replaced in 1762 for ignorance"; "He died in 1819 from strain, trying to comprehend some Senate decree."
Saltykov-Shchedrin describes the two mayors in more detail. This is Brudasty and Gloomy-Grumbling. The busty man had an organ in his head instead of a brain, which could reproduce only two phrases: “I will ruin!”, “I will not tolerate!”. This was enough for him to rule the city and even "put in order the arrears." In the image of Brodystoy, the writer plays with the brainlessness of the bosses.
There is nothing human left in the last mayor, Ugryum-Burcheev, he has no feelings and emotions, the author compares him with a mechanism. The insensitivity of Grim-Burcheev terrifies visitors. “He didn’t stamp his feet, didn’t gesticulate, didn’t raise his voice, didn’t grind his teeth, didn’t cackle, didn’t burst into sarcastic laughter ... He expressed his demands in a completely silent voice.” Then he directed a fixed, deadly look at the visitor. No one could bear this frozen look. His gaze was "light as steel" and "completely free of thought." The writer remarks: “He did not recognize reason at all and even considered it worst enemy that envelops man in a net of deceit." Gloomy-Grumbling was deprived even of feelings of anger, irritation, hatred, which made communication with him even more terrible. The author directly says that before us is an idiot. Further in the text, he repeatedly calls the mayor so. Having made some kind of crazy decision, Ugryum-Grumcheev went ahead, considering himself right in everything. He decided to regulate the whole life of the Foolovites, moreover, to subjugate the whole world to himself, "and, moreover, with such indispensable calculation that it would be impossible to turn either back or forward, either to the right or to the left." So in the work there is an image of the desert, into which stupid, limited bosses turn everything around them. The portrait of Grim-Burcheev looks symbolic. In the picture, he is dressed in a military-style frock coat, in his hand "Charter", all around is a desert landscape, in the middle of which there is a prison, and instead of the sky, a gray soldier's overcoat hangs over everything. The desert symbolizes paradise - there is no one in it, no one disturbs.
Saltykov-Shchedrin created a monumental image that combines the most disgusting qualities hostile to man. The mayor conquered in himself "any nature", he has a "wooden face", a petrified figure. He is “a tightly sealed being from all sides”, acts like a soulless mechanism: no pity, no sympathy, no understanding. The satirist writer achieved an extraordinary generalization effect, showing the very essence of tyranny in the image of the "omnipotent idiot".

The name of the city whose “history” is offered to the reader is Foolov. There is no such city on the map of Russia and there never was one, but still it was ... And it was - everywhere. Or maybe he didn’t disappear anywhere, despite the phrase with which the chronicler ends his story: “History has stopped its course”? Can it be? And isn't that an Aesopian sly smile?

In Russian literature, the Shchedrin "chronicle" was immediately preceded by Pushkin's "History of the Village of Goryukhin". “If God sends readers to me, then maybe they will be curious to know how I decided to write the History of the village of Goryukhin” - this is how Pushkin's story begins. And here is the beginning of the text “From the publisher”, who allegedly found in the “Glupovsky city archive” “a voluminous bundle of notebooks bearing the general name of the “Glupovsky Chronicler””: “For a long time I had the intention to write the history of some city (or region) ... but different Circumstances hindered this undertaking.

But the Chronicler has been found. The material collected from ancient times is at the disposal of the "publisher". In an address to the reader, he defines the content of the "History". Read the text “From the Publisher” in full, so that you are convinced that each word there is special, casts with its brilliance and merges in general brilliance with others, one fantastically real (grotesque) image, barely appearing on the page, is crowded by the next one, and the best, what can be done - to become a reader of the annals of Glupov, this city strangely familiar to all of us.

The structure of readable work Shchedrin is not easy. Behind the head From the publisher» follows « Appeal to the reader»- a text written directly on behalf of the "archivist-chronicler" and stylized as the language of the 18th century.

"Author" - "the humble Pavlushka, Masloboynikov's son", the fourth archivist. Note that of the other three archivists, two are the Tryapichkins (the surname is taken from Gogol's "Inspector General": this is how Khlestakov calls his friend, "writing articles").

"On the origin of the Foolovites"

“On the Root of the Origin of the Foolovites,” the chapter that opens the “Chronicler,” begins with a fictitious quote that imitates the text of “The Tale of Igor's Campaign.” Historians N.I. Kostomarov (1817-1885) and S.M. Solovyov (1820-1879) are mentioned here because they held directly opposite views on the history of Russia and Russia: according to Kostomarov, the main thing in it was spontaneous folk activity (“ gray wolf roamed the earth”), and according to Solovyov, Russian history was created only thanks to the deeds of princes and kings (“shizy eagle spread under the clouds”).

Both points of view were alien to the writer himself. He believed that Russian statehood could only be created through an organized and conscious popular movement.

"Description to the mayors"

"Inventory to the mayors" contains explanations for further chapters and short list mayors, the narrations of whose reign are unfolding further. One should not think that every mayor is a satirical image of one specific "autocrat". These are always generalized images, as well as most of text of the "History of one city", but there are clear correspondences. Negodyaev - Pavel I, Alexander I - Sadtilov; Speransky and Arakcheev, close associates of Alexander I, were reflected in the characters of Benevolensky and Gloomy-Burcheev.

"Organchik"

"Organchik" is the central and most famous chapter of the book. This is the nickname of the mayor, Brodysty, generalizing the most sinister features of despotism. The word "brudy" refers to long time ago exclusively to dogs: broad-haired - having a beard and mustache on the muzzle and usually especially vicious (more often about a greyhound dog). He was named an organ because a musical instrument, a mechanism that produces just one phrase: "I will not tolerate it!" The Foolovites also call Brodystoy a scoundrel, but, Shchedrin assures, they do not attach any definite meaning to this word. This means that the word has such - this is how the writer draws your attention to this word and asks you to understand. Let's figure it out.

The word "scoundrel" appeared in Russian under Peter I from "profost" - a regimental executor (executioner) in the German army, but in Russian it was used until the 60s of the XIX century in the same meaning, after - the warden of military prisons. A.I. Herzen and N.P. Ogaryov - Russian revolutionary publicists who published the newspaper Kolokol in London. Charles the Innocent, an Organ-like figure in medieval history, was a real-life French king deposed as a result of his unsuccessful wars. Freemasons are freemasons, freemasons, members of the society of "freemasons", very influential in Europe since the Middle Ages.

"The Tale of the Six Mayors"

The Tale of the Six Mayors is a wonderfully written, hilariously funny, brilliant satire of eighteenth-century empresses and their temporary favorites.

The surname Paleologova is a hint at the wife of Ivan III, the daughter of the last Byzantine emperor of the Palaiologos dynasty, Sophia. It was this marriage that gave the Russian rulers reason to make Russia an empire and dream of joining Byzantium.

The name Clementine de Bourbon is a hint that the French government helped Elizabeth Petrovna ascend the Russian throne. The mention of the hard-to-pronounce fictitious names of the Polish cardinals here is probably a hint of Time of Troubles and Polish intrigue in Russian history.

"News about Dvoekurov"

"News of Dvoekurov" contains allusions to the reign of Alexander I and features of his personality (duality, inconsistency of intentions and their implementation, indecision to the point of cowardice). Shchedrin emphasizes that the Foolovites owe him the obligation to consume mustard and bay leaves. Dvokurov is the ancestor of the "innovators" who waged wars "in the name of the potato." A hint of Nicholas I, son of Alexander I, who introduced potatoes in Russia during the famine of 1839-1840, which caused "potato riots" that were brutally suppressed military force up to the most powerful peasant uprising in 1842.

"Hungry City"

"Hungry City" The mayor Ferdyshchenko rules over Glupovo in this and the next two chapters. After listening to the priest's teaching about Ahab and Jezebel, Ferdyshchenko promises bread to the people, and he himself summons troops to the city. Perhaps this is a hint at the "liberation" of the peasants in 1861, carried out in such a way that it caused discontent among both the landowners and the peasants who resisted the reform.

"Straw City"

"Straw City". The war between "archers" and "gunners" is described. It is known that in May 1862 the famous St. Petersburg fires took place in Apraksin Dvor. They blamed them on students and nihilists, but perhaps the fires were a provocation. The chapter is a broader generalization. It also contains allusions to the flood of 1824 in St. Petersburg.

"Fantastic Traveler"

"Fantastic Traveler" Ferdyshchenko embarks on a journey. It was the custom of the Russian autocrats to embark from time to time on journeys around the country, during which the local authorities strenuously depicted the devotion of the people to the rulers, and the tsars bestowed favors on the people, often very insignificant. So, it is known that, by order of Arakcheev, during the detour of military settlements by Alexander I, the same roasted goose was transferred from hut to hut.

"Enlightenment Wars"

“The Wars for Enlightenment” - describes the “longest and most brilliant” reign, judging by many signs, of Nicholas I. Basilisk Semyonovich Wartkin is a collective image, like everyone else, but some features of the era clearly allude primarily to this monarch. Historian K. I. Arseniev is the mentor of Nicholas I, who traveled with him around Russia.

Campaigns on the Streltsy Sloboda again take us back to the 18th century, but generalize the periods of the next century - the struggle of the monarchs against the Freemasons, the "gentry opposition" and the Decembrists. There is also a hint, it seems, of Pushkin (the poet Fedka, who “offended” the venerable mother of Basilisk with verses). It is known that after Pushkin returned from exile in 1826, Nicholas I told him in a personal conversation: “You fooled around enough, I hope you will be reasonable now, and we will not quarrel anymore. You will send me everything that you compose, from now on I myself will be your censor.

A trip to the Navoznaya Sloboda implies colonial wars Russian tsars. Talking about the economic crisis in Foolovo, Shchedrin names the economists of the Russky Vestnik magazine, Molinari and Bezobrazov, who passed off any position as prosperity. Finally, the campaigns "against enlightenment" and for the "destruction of the free spirit", dated to the year of the revolution in France (1790), point to French Revolution 1848 and the outbreak of revolutionary events in European countries- Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary. Nicholas I introduces troops into Wallachia, Moldavia, Hungary.

"The era of dismissal from wars"

The chapter “The era of dismissal from wars” is mainly devoted to the reign of Negodyaev (Paul I), “replaced” in 1802, according to the “Inventory”, for disagreeing with Czartorysky, Stroganov and Novosiltsev. The named nobles were close advisers to Alexander, the son of the murdered emperor. It was they who stood up for the introduction of constitutional principles in Russia, but what kind of principles they were! "The era of dismissal from wars" presents these "beginnings" in their true form.

Mikaladze comes to replace Negodyaev. The surname is Georgian, and there is reason to think that Emperor Alexander I is meant here, during which Georgia (1801), Mingrelia (1803) and Imeretia (1810) were annexed to Russia, and that he is a descendant of the “voluptuous Queen Tamara”, - a hint of his mother Catherine II. Mayor Benevolensky - the arbiter of the fate of Russia, who had a huge impact on Alexander I, - M.M. Speransky. Lycurgus and the Dragon (Drákont) - ancient Greek legislators; the expressions "draconian rules", "draconian measures" became winged. Speransky was involved by the tsar in the drafting of laws.

"Substantiating Documents"

In the last part of the book - "Substantiating Documents" - there is a parody of the laws drawn up by Speransky. Benevolensky ended his career in the same way as Speransky, he was suspected of treason and exiled. There comes the power of Pimple - the mayor with a stuffed head. This is a generalizing image, and it is not for nothing that Shchedrin compares the well-being of the Foolovites under Pimple with the life of the Russians under the legendary Prince Oleg: this is how the satirist emphasizes the fictional, unprecedented nature of the described prosperity.

"Worship of mammon and repentance"

Now we are talking about the townsfolk - about the Foolovites themselves. The exclusivity of their endurance and vitality is pointed out, because they continue to exist under the mayors listed in the Chronicler. The series of the latter continues: Ivanov (Alexander I again, we are even talking about two versions of his death: compare the legend of Alexander I's voluntary renunciation of power, his staging of his death in Taganrog and secret retirement into monasticism), then - Angel Dorofeich Du-Chario (Angel is the nickname of the same monarch in circles of relatives and friends, Dorofeich - from Dorofey - the gift of God (Greek), followed by Erast Sadtilov (again Tsar Alexander I). Under various allegorical names, Alexander's beloved and their influence on his reign are listed. Appearance generalized image Pfeifers (prototypes - Baroness V.Yu. von Krugener and E.F. Tatarinova) marks the beginning of the second half of the reign of Alexander I and the immersion of the "top" and society into dark mysticism and social obscurantism. Indulging in repentance in the company of mystical-spiritual high society ladies, the real king disappears into nowhere.

“Confirmation of repentance. Conclusion"

All this mystical rabble and delirium is dispersed by the newly re-emerged once offended officer (Gloomy-Burcheev - Arakcheev (1769-1834), "a gloomy idiot", "a monkey in a uniform", who fell out of favor under Paul I and was again called up by Alexander I). The first part of the chapter is devoted to his struggle to implement the crazy idea of ​​military settlements to maintain the army in peacetime, the second to criticism of Russian liberalism. Arakcheev, who flourished during the years of the "liberation" of the peasants from serfdom, resented Shchedrin with unscrupulousness, idealism and inconsistent caution, idle talk and a lack of understanding of realities. Russian life. In the list of martyrs of the liberal idea given in last chapter books, and their deeds also fall into the Decembrists, whose activities Shchedrin could not but treat with irony, knowing Russia and realizing how fantastic the Decembrists hoped to overthrow the autocracy with the help of their secret societies and uprisings Senate Square. The last in the series of mayors described in the Chronicler is the Archangel Stratilatovich Perechvat-Zalikhvatsky - an image that brings us back to Nicholas I. “He claimed that he was the father of his mother. Once again he expelled mustard, bay leaf and olive oil from use ... "Thus, the history of the city of Glupov in the Chronicler returns to normal. Everything in it is ready for a new cycle. This hint is especially clear in the statement of the Archangel that he is the father of his mother. Phantasmagoric grotesque is read clearly.

Concluding the story about the great book of M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, we only note that when reading it, one must keep in mind Turgenev's statement about the author: "He knew Russia better than all of us."

Source (abridged): Mikhalskaya, A.K. Literature: A basic level of: Grade 10. At 2 o'clock. Part 1: account. allowance / A.K. Mikhalskaya, O.N. Zaitsev. - M.: Bustard, 2018

The image of Brodasty (based on the novel by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin "The History of a City")

Dementy Varlamovich Brodasty is the eighth mayor appointed to rule the ill-fated town of Foolov. In the "Inventory of the mayors" his brief but capacious description is given: "He was appointed in a hurry and had some special device in his head ... This did not prevent him, however, from putting in order the arrears launched by his predecessor."

These sarcastic words contain both the meaning of the activity of this “great man” and the attitude of the author in this activity.

Silent and gloomy, Brody knew only one word - "I won't beat you!" His reign began with the fact that he "crossed a lot of coachmen." And subsequently, Brodysty created the appearance of the most violent activity - for days he locked himself in his office, “scraping with a pen” for something. The consequences of this paperwork terrified the entire population of Glupov: “They seize and catch, whip and flog, describe and sell ...”

These six verbs contained the essence of Brodasty's activity, which, however, did not differ from the activity of other mayors. Violence, cruelty, stupidity, inertia, admiration for ranks and contempt for the people - these are the features of the government of all Foolov's mayors, and Brudasty in particular.

The image of this character is symbolic. Recall that he was nicknamed "Organchik" because instead of a head he had some kind of mechanical device. Brodysty's head had to be filled with artificial content, otherwise it was just a shell devoid of brains: empty mayor's head ... "

Thus, with the help of a capacious image, Shchedrin shows that the rulers are just puppets, led by evil instincts, stupidity, inertia, prejudices. But even without such leaders the Russian people cannot live. While Brodysty was lying headless, waiting for the next organ, anarchy and devastation set in in the city. However, soon the Foolovites - "as a reward" for all the suffering - received two rulers at once - with "iron heads". Such an ending to Brodasty's reign once again emphasizes the author's idea that all the rulers of Foolov are the same - equally insignificant, faceless, terrible.

In creating the ironic, grotesque "History of a City," Saltykov-Shchedrin hoped to arouse in the reader not laughter, but a "bitter feeling" of shame. The idea of ​​the work is built on the image of a certain hierarchy: a simple people who will not resist the instructions of often stupid rulers, and the tyrant rulers themselves. in the face common people in this story, the inhabitants of the city of Foolov act, and their oppressors are the mayors. Saltykov-Shchedrin notes with irony that this people needs a leader, one who will give them instructions and keep them in "hedgehogs", otherwise the whole people will fall into anarchy.

History of creation

The concept and idea of ​​the novel "The History of a City" were formed gradually. In 1867, the writer wrote the fairy-tale-fantastic work "The Tale of the Governor with a Stuffed Head", which subsequently formed the basis of the chapter "Organchik". In 1868 Saltykov-Shchedrin began working on The History of a City and finished in 1870. Initially, the author wanted to give the work the name "Glupovsky Chronicler". The novel was published in the then popular magazine Otechestvennye Zapiski.

The plot of the work

(Illustrations creative team Soviet graphic artists"Kukryniksy")

The story is told from the perspective of the chronicler. He talks about the inhabitants of the city, who were so stupid that their city was given the name "Stupid". The novel begins with the chapter "On the Root of the Origin of the Foolovites", in which the history of this people is given. It tells in particular about the tribe of bunglers, who, after defeating the neighboring tribes of onion-eaters, thick-eaters, walrus-eaters, kosobryukhy and others, decided to find a ruler for themselves, because they wanted to restore order in the tribe. Only one prince decided to rule, and even he sent a thief-innovator instead of himself. When he stole, the prince sent him a noose, but the thief was able to get out in a sense and stabbed himself with a cucumber. As you can see, irony and the grotesque coexist perfectly in the work.

After several unsuccessful candidates for the role of deputies, the prince appeared in the city in person. Becoming the first ruler, he marked the "historical time" of the city. Twenty-two rulers with their accomplishments are said to have ruled the city, but the Inventory lists twenty-one. Apparently, the missing one is the founder of the city.

main characters

Each of the mayors performs its task in implementing the writer's idea through the grotesque to show the absurdity of their government. In many types, traits are visible historical figures. For greater recognition, Saltykov-Shchedrin not only described the style of their government, ridiculously distorted the names, but also gave apt descriptions pointing to a historical prototype. Some personalities of city governors are images collected from characteristic features different faces of the history of the Russian state.

So, the third ruler Ivan Matveyevich Velikanov, famous for drowning the director of economic affairs and imposing taxes at three kopecks per person, was exiled to prison for having an affair with Avdotya Lopukhina, the first wife of Peter I.

Brigadier Ivan Matveyevich Baklan, the sixth mayor, was tall and was proud to be a follower of the line of Ivan the Terrible. The reader understands what is meant by the bell tower in Moscow. The ruler found death in the spirit of the same grotesque image that fills the novel - the brigadier was broken in half during a storm.

Personality Peter III in the image of the sergeant of the guard Bogdan Bogdanovich Pfeifer indicates the characteristic given to him - "a Holstein native", the style of government of the mayor and his outcome - he was removed from the post of ruler "for ignorance".

Dementy Varlamovich Brodysty is nicknamed "Organchik" for the presence of a mechanism in his head. He kept the city at bay because he was gloomy and withdrawn. When trying to take the head of the mayor for repair to the capital's masters, she was thrown out of the carriage by a frightened coachman. After the reign of Organchik, chaos reigned in the city for 7 days.

The short period of prosperity of the townspeople is associated with the name of the ninth mayor, Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov. A civilian adviser and innovator, he took up appearance cities, started honey and brewing. Tried to open an academy.

The twelfth mayor, Vasilisk Semenovich Borodavkin, who reminded the reader of the style of government of Peter I, was noted for the longest reign. difficult relationship with the eradication of the ignorance of the people - he spent four wars in Foolov for enlightenment and three - against. He resolutely prepared the city for burning, but suddenly died.

Onufriy Ivanovich Negodyaev, a former peasant by origin, who heated stoves before serving as a mayor, destroyed the streets paved by the former ruler and erected monuments on these resources. The image was copied from Paul I, which is also indicated by the circumstances of his removal: he was fired for disagreeing with the triumvirate about constitutions.

Under the state councilor Erast Andreevich Sadtilov, the stupid elite was busy with balls and night meetings with the reading of the works of a certain gentleman. As in the reign of Alexander I, the mayor did not care about the people, who were impoverished and starving.

Scoundrel, idiot and "Satan" Ugryum-Burcheev bears a "talking" surname and is "written off" from Count Arakcheev. He finally destroys Foolov and decides to build the city of Neprekolnsk in a new place. When trying to implement such a grandiose project, the “end of the world” occurred: the sun faded, the earth shook, and the mayor disappeared without a trace. Thus ended the story of "one city".

Analysis of the work

Saltykov-Shchedrin, with the help of satire and the grotesque, aims to reach out to human soul. He wants to convince the reader that the human institution must be based on Christian principles. Otherwise, a person's life can be deformed, mutilated, and in the end can lead to the death of the human soul.

"The History of a City" is an innovative work that has overcome the usual framework of artistic satire. Each image in the novel has pronounced grotesque features, but is recognizable at the same time. That gave rise to a flurry of criticism against the author. He was accused of "slandering" the people and rulers.

Indeed, the story of Glupov is largely written off from the chronicle of Nestor, which tells about the time of the beginning of Russia - "The Tale of Bygone Years". The author deliberately emphasized this parallel in order to make it clear who he means by the Foolovites, and that all these mayors are by no means a flight of fancy, but real Russian rulers. At the same time, the author makes it clear that he does not describe the entire human race, namely Russia, rewriting its history in his own satirical way.

However, the purpose of creating the work Saltykov-Shchedrin did not make a mockery of Russia. The task of the writer was to encourage society to critically rethink its history in order to eradicate existing vices. The grotesque plays a huge role in the creation artistic image in the work of Saltykov-Shchedrin. the main objective writer - to show the vices of people who are not noticed by society.

The writer ridiculed the ugliness of society and was called the "great mocker" among such predecessors as Griboyedov and Gogol. Reading the ironic grotesque, the reader wanted to laugh, but there was something sinister in this laughter - the audience "felt how the scourge was whipping itself."