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

A fable is a short story, most often in verse, in which an allegorical meaning is laid. Actors in it most often are animals.

The emergence of the fable

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

Distribution of a new genre in Russia and abroad

In the 1st century AD, the fables of Aesop were translated into poetic form in the Latin language by Phaedrus. Later they began to be used by a wide range of writers - from Lafontaine to Krylov, and the fables were often borrowed from Aesop.

In our country this genre has been widely circulated since the middle of the 18th century. A. Cantemir was the first domestic author who wrote fables in the 30s of the 18th century. Later there were also works by other Russian authors: M. V. Lomonosov, V. K. Trediakovsky, A. Sumarokov. However, the most popular and famous fabulist in our country is rightly considered IA Krylov.

Features of Krylov's fables

Krylov decided to address the fable, because it was the most popular, most lucid genre. When the writer was asked why he chose it, he replied that the fable is clear to everyone, it is "read by both servants and children." This kind of literary creativity has long been particularly close to the poetry of the people, had a solid foundation in Russian fiction. The fable is associated with proverbs and sayings, written in simple and clear language, teaches everyday wisdom and morals - 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 Krylov's fables

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

In his works Krylov applied a special system of allegories and hints, called "Aesopian language." It served to disguise the satire. Reading the works of the fabulist, we perfectly understand that Lions, Donkeys, Wolves and Foxes are not just abstract allegories and fairy-tale characters, but concrete figures of history. However, the satirical meanings and the author's position in the fable are always much broader than the circumstances that were used as the basis for the creation of a comparison. That is why for many years now the works of this fabulist remain as relevant, their political acuity is not in doubt today, but is gaining new comparisons.

The author's position in the fable "The Wolf and the Lamb"

Krylov always defended the oppressed people from the violence and arbitrariness of those in power - greedy and strong ruling classes.

For example, in the work "The Wolf and the Lamb" direct text expresses the author's position in the fable: "The strong always helpless guilty!" The weak and timid Lamb turns into the Wolf's prey 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 the meaning of this story is. The lamb can not prove anything to the hungry Wolf. And the latter would be useful to think about the possibility that the hour may come when he will meet a force that surpasses him. How will he behave then? How's the Lamb? The image of the Lamb personifies the oppressed people as a whole, their lack of rights and powerlessness. The main author's position in Krylov's fable "The Wolf and the Lamb" is understandable even to the child.

Political sense

Such injustice, violence and lawlessness, committed over the poor people, serfs and servants, Ivan Andreevich more than once denounced and condemned in his works. This is the author's position in the fable "The Pig Under the Oak", in the works "Wolves and the Sheep", "Variegated Sheep", "Peasants and the River", etc. But it should also be noted that, ridiculing predation, lawlessness of the entire social system that contributed to the unjust Oppression of the masses, Krylov saw no way out of this situation, because 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.

Laughing at all the liberal initiatives of the government, exposing them in the form of an animal meeting, convened in order to learn more about the Wolf, who dreamed of becoming a sheep's elder, Ivan Andreevich notes that it was the opinion of the sheep of the latter at this "meeting" and "forgot" to learn (" The World Meeting "). Then comes the painful conclusion - if the power belongs to "unscrupulous people," in any order you can find a trick to do "skill" wherever they want.

Injustice and lawlessness, according to the fabulist, is the result not only of depraved mores, but also of the political system headed by the tsar. This is the author's position in the fables of Krylov. Therefore, he has so many works devoted to the Tsar Leo, whose image and actions clearly hint at Alexander I and his reforms.

"Fish Dance"

Here it is worth noting, above all, the fable "Fish Dance". It tells the story of Tsar Leo, who, in response to complaints about the lawlessness that was going on, decided to go and see the existing procedures. On the way he meets the Peasant, who is going to build a fire and fry the fish caught in the water. And to Lev's question about what he is doing here, the Muzhik insolently answers that he is a "starostoy over the water people" and came here to congratulate the Tsar on his arrival.

The elder's flattery hits the target, and the Tsar-Lev does not condemn this Muzhik for abuse of office, but only trustingly listens to his lying speech about how he cares about the needs of his people. It clearly guessed author's position in the fable - an allusion to Alexander I, who loved to travel around the country and blindly believed everything that his proteges said on the ground.

Similar similarities were observed even in government circles that banned the fable and allowed it to be published only on the condition that Leo was described as a just judge for the fate of the people. However, the meaning of the fable is much broader than simply exposing a particular sovereign. Krylov wanted to show a situation characteristic of the whole social system, when the tsar relies on his governors and is indifferent to the hardships and privations of the people.

"Colored sheep"

In the motley "Colored Sheep" Ivan Andreevich no less venomously sarcastic at the address of Alexander I, denounces his pretense, through which he severely and insidiously gets rid of freethinkers, while hypocritically expressing sympathy for his own victims! The author's position in the fable is very transparent, therefore, for political reasons, it was also banned, it was published only after Krylov's death.

Ivan Andreevich, ridiculing the cruel arbitrariness and arbitrariness of the sovereign and his entourage, did not rise, however, against this very unjust system, against the monarchy as such, but preferred to remain in educational positions, believing that the monarchy can be honest provided that the wise man rules And a just 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.

The educational function of fables

Krylov speaks in his fables not only as a satirist who fights against the imperfection of the state system. He was convinced that the teaching can change the human habits for the better, therefore, there is always a moral in his works. Ivan Andreevich denounces vanity, idleness, laziness, ignorance, boasting, hypocrisy, conceit, cowardice, greed. He ridicules not only those who tried to profit at someone else's expense, but also all loafers and sprawl.

As an example, we can mention Trishka, who ridiculously reshaped his caftan (Trishkin Kaftan), the Miller, whose carelessness led to the fact that he had a "water leaking out the dam", Medved, who was incapable of work, and therefore ruined a lot of birch-trees, Hazel and elm.

"Elephant and Moska"

In the fable "Elephant and Moska" the image of a dog symbolizes people who like to advertise themselves, although in reality nothing has been achieved. The image of the Elephant conveys the greatness and importance of the person whom he personifies. This is the author's position in Krylov's fable "Elephant and Moska." The elephant does not care who fawns before him, barks, wags his tail. Talking to Shavka, Moska informs her that even though she is barking at the Elephant, in fact her efforts are not directed towards him - they are aimed at other dogs. So she wants to make an impression on them, to show that she is not afraid of anyone, not even Elephant. Surprisingly, in life, such means can indeed achieve the goal. Krylov managed to show how ridiculous and ridiculous the efforts of Moska and how stupid the dogs that surround her, accept this trick at face value. The author's position in the fable "Elephant and Moska" is that although people like Mosk, often manage to create a buzz around themselves, the wise always understand what it's worth.

"Picky Bride"

In the fable "Picky Bride" Ivan Andreevich succeeded in several accurate strokes to depict a very typical and truthful character. "Whimsical" bride is puffy and capricious. She makes demands on her fiancees based on the unspoken prescriptions of a secular society that regards marriage as a bargain. For such a bride even "prestigious" candidates are "not groomsmen, but grooms." It requires that the potential groom love her and do not dare to be jealous, that is, complete freedom from moral obligations.

In the fables of Krylov live voices of different classes and social strata, each of which has its own intonations and colors, features of speech. The fabulist depicted representatives of many professions, different positions in society: peasants, landowners, merchants, philistines, shepherds, cabmen, etc. Some of them use professional terminology. For example, in the fable "Merchant" the hero in his speech uses professional-slang words, as well as petty-bourgeois vernacular ("end", "honeycomb", "fuse", "gossip", etc.). However, similar examples in Ivan Andreevich are still quite rare, mainly using a national language, the wealth of which is achieved through the use of various forms and phraseology.

Krylov one of the first to deserve world fame (meaning writers). Many of his fables during the life 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.