Biography of P.P. Ershova (briefly)

Ershov Peter Pavlovich (years of life - 1815-1869) - writer, poet-playwright. Biography of P.P. Ershov will be represented in this article.

He was born on February 22 (March 6) in 1815 in Tobolsk province, in the village of Bezrukovo, in the family of an official. Peter Ershov spent his early childhood in the city of Berezovo. Here he lived until the age of 12, until his father sent him to the Tobolsk gymnasium together with Nikolai, the elder brother. Its director was I.P. Mendeleev, who was the father of the brilliant scientist Dmitry Mendeleyev. The atmosphere that reigned in the gymnasium contributed to the formation of patriotism in Peter Pavlovich. Here everything was subordinated to the idea of the revival of Siberia. Both the local intelligentsia and teachers saw future scientists in the gymnasiums.

Ershov and Mendeleevs

Mendeleev Ivan Pavlovich began his activity as a director in 1827 with the transformation into a seven-grade educational institution of a four-year gymnasium. Now its graduates could enter higher educational institutions after graduation. Mendeleev welcomed the creative approach in pedagogy. Literary Sundays passed for high school students, on which they could read their works. Then Mendeleev noted Ershov's abilities. In constant traveling was the father of Peter Pavlovich. Since the families of the Mendeleevs and Ershovs were related, the director invited him home to his house, gave books. Later, already as an inspector of the Tobolsk gymnasium, Peter Ershov will take care of Dmitri Mendeleyev, future scholar. He at the age of 13 will lose his father, and he will become a support, a loyal friend and mentor Ershov Peter Pavlovich, whose biography, creativity and personality we are interested in. Dmitry Mendeleev (pictured below) also later married Leschev Feozne Nikitinich, the stepdaughter of Peter Pavlovich.

Studying at the St. Petersburg University

Biography of P.P. Ershov noted that in 1830 he graduated from high school. Together with his sons, his father moved to Petersburg so that they could continue their education. Pyotr Pavlovich goes to St. Petersburg University, to the department of philosophical and legal. He works in his student years in the magazine "Snowdrop" (the Maikov family), writes operatic librettos from the life of Ancient Rus, which have not reached us, prints his poems in the Library for Reading. So begins the creative biography of PP. Ershova.

Creation of "Humpbacked Horse"

Pyotr Pavlovich read with fascination in 1832 Pushkin's fairy tales and proceeds under their influence to create his own work - "The Humpbacked Horse". The first part of this tale was presented in 1834 by P.A. Pletnev, a professor of literature, as a course work. The teacher appreciates the work and at one of the lectures exposes public flattering. The fairy tale is then published in the "Library for Reading", in the third volume, with the commendable response of Senkovsky. After a while it is published as a separate book.

Features of the fairy tale "The Humpbacked Horse"

7 editions survive a fairy tale during Ershov's lifetime. But only from the fourth (1856) it is printed with the inclusion of poems that were thrown out by the censorship, as well as with author's additions. All the features of this work does not describe the brief biography that we created.

Ershov claimed that his tale is a folk work, taken almost word for word from the lips of the storytellers of Siberia. But in reality it is a creative contamination of different subjects about Ivanushka the fool and Sivka-Burke. In "The Humpbacked Horse" the author uses such fantastic motifs:

1) the father instructs his three sons to protect his good from the mysterious thief;

2) the help rendered by a wonderful horse;

3) bringing the misfortune and deceiving the hero of the pen of a wonderful bird;

4) extraction by its hero;

5) the conspiracy of the court-wicked;

6) the extraction of the princess-maiden by the hero;

7) the extraction of its property from the seabed;

8) the degeneration of the hero with the help of a wonderful horse in boiling liquid into a kind king and handsome.

These motives will later be reflected in the tales of Afanasyev. In "The Humpbacked Horse" there are also echoes of a fairy tale about Yershe Shchetinnikov. In addition, the motif of traveling to another kingdom is found in works about Vasily Beschastny and Mark Bogat.

The success of Ershov's fairy tale

It was not accidental that the success of "The Humpbacked Horse" was among the readers. Pyotr Pavlovich went further than his contemporaries and predecessors, in the literary development of oral folk art. The completeness and depth of the confluence of the narrator with the world of folk tales turned out to be more organic, immediate and alive for Ershov. Sam A.S. Pushkin noted that Pyotr Pavlovich skillfully speaks the language. To a lesser extent Ershov's narrative is felt by a writer who interprets a fairy tale. This is more of a Russian storyteller, in love with his work, co-author of the masters of the people.

A brief biography of Ershov is supplemented with the following important detail. It is known that Pyotr Pavlovich did not have a lot of acquaintances among the students. There were only a few close friends. Andrei Yaroslavtsev is one of them. Subsequently, he will become a writer and the first biographer of Pyotr Pavlovich. In 1872 he created the first biography of Ershov Peter Pavlovich. The source for it was personal correspondence between friends.

Further creativity

Creative biography of Peter Ershov tale "The Humpbacked Horse" does not end. In 1834-1836, Pyotr Pavlovich continued to publish. He publishes the drama "Thomas the Blacksmith", a play called "Suvorov and the stationmaster", a dozen poems. Ershov also wrote the libretto of the opera "The Scary Sword". However, despite its positive feedback, it was never delivered.

Moving to Tobolsk

After leaving the university in 1836, Ershov wanted to stay in St. Petersburg, but was forced to ask for an appointment in Tobolsk, as a teacher. The reason for this was banal - lack of money. The Ershovs lived only with the incomes of the service, they had neither domestic people nor state. The biography of Peter Ershov therefore took a different path, contrary to his desire to stay in St. Petersburg.

Ershov - the teacher of a grammar school

Ershov serves in his native grammar school in Tobolsk. He taught Latin at first, then began to read literature and philosophy. In the life of the Tobolsk gymnasium, a significant event took place in 1837, June 2. It was visited by Alexander II. Ershov, who was present at the reception, offered a praise to the heir, as well as an opera "Siberian Day" written specially for his arrival. For this Alexander II granted him 500 rubles. In Tobolsk, along with the heir came also the poet Zhukovsky, Ershov's acquaintance. He was the prince's mentor, introduced him in a remarkable way to Pyotr Pavlovich.

In the journal Sovremennik in 1838, Ershov, Pyotr Pavlovich, whose biography, poetry and personality we are interested in, published a dramatic work called Suzge. This poem, written on the basis of the legends of Siberia. Repeatedly she was put on stage. The opera of the same name was written according to its motives.

Marriage of Pyotr Pavlovich

Peter Pavlovich in 1839 falls in love with Leshchev Seraphim Alexandrovna and marries this widow, who had four children. It is the daughter of the former director of the Tobolsk gymnasium. After the marriage, Ershov is forced to concentrate all his efforts on earnings. Pyotr Pavlovich was married three times, and at the same time he became a widower twice. He had 15 marriages from three marriages, of which only four survived to adulthood. Biography of the Russian writer Ershov P.P. Marked by many deaths of his dear people. However, he did not cease to create.

Ershov - the inspector of a grammar school

In 1844, Peter Pavlovich was appointed inspector of the gymnasium. He showed himself in the path of teaching as a highly spiritual and progressive mentor. The gymnasium theater was organized under his patronage. Ershov during his pedagogical career sent two scientific papers to Petersburg, which were called upon to improve the quality of education in Russian gymnasiums-the "Course in Russian Literature" and "Thoughts on a Gymnasium Course." However, the works were rejected by the censors.

Acquaintance with the Decembrists

In Tobolsk there were many Decembrist exiles. He was personally acquainted with many of them, Ershov: with Kiichelbeker, Fonvizin, Muraviev, and others. Together with Chizhov, the Decembrist, Pyotr Pavlovich wrote the vaudeville "Cherepovslov, or the Phrenologist." Poet Zhemchuzhnikov subsequently uses with the permission of Ershov one of the scenes of this work for the operetta of the same name. Zhemchuzhnikov is one of the creators of Kozma Prutkov. Operetta in the future will be included in the collection of works "Kozma Prutkov" and printed in the journal "Contemporary".

Ershov becomes the director of the gymnasium

In 1857, Pyotr Pavlovich became the director of the Tobolsk gymnasium, as well as the schools in the Tobolsk province. Ershov managed to open during his tenure as director of six women's schools in the province. They were all kept in excellent order, gave a good level of education to the students.

P.P. Ershov in 1858, March 20, visited the city of his youth, St. Petersburg. The trip was official, for the affairs of the gymnasium: Pyotr Pavlovich was summoned for a meeting with the Minister of Education who was in this city.

Last years

Ershov in 1862, retires. He is drawing closer in the last years of his life with Mikhail Stepanovich Znamensky, a Siberian writer and artist. Biography Ershov Peter Pavlovich, namely, the last years of his life, is closely related to this person.

Mendeleev Dmitri Ivanovich, an old friend and a former student of Ershov, who lived in St. Petersburg, was busy asking Peter Pavlovich to get a pension. He also made a lot of efforts to release the sixth and seventh edition of the "Humpbacked Horse".

The death of Pyotr Pavlovich

Biography of P.P. Ershov ends in 1869, on August 30, when he died in Tobolsk. Pyotr Pavlovich was buried in the Zavalny cemetery. In Tobolsk in 2008 was installed in the park Ershov sculptural composition, which is dedicated to the poet and the heroes of his work. For millions of people, Ershov Pyotr Pavlovich will remain the author who wrote the fairy tale "The Humpbacked Horse". Her characters will live their lives. This fairy tale was published at least 130 times in huge editions in 27 languages of different peoples of the world (the cover of the first edition is presented below).

A short biography of Pyotr Pavlovich Ershov includes only the main events of his life. However, there are entire biographical books about him, created by his contemporaries and researchers of the life and work of subsequent years. It is very interesting, for example, to turn to the work of Andrei Yaroslavtsev, which we mentioned. A brief biography of Petr Pavlovitch Ershov, presented in this article, is an attempt to outline the main milestones of his life and creativity.