Biography of Pavel Bazhov. Russian writers

What associations do you have when you hear the name Bazhov Pavel Petrovich? Is not it true that the mountains of gems and amazing unprecedented animals, the Mistress of Copper Mountain and Danila the master, appear immediately in the imagination ... And most importantly - the author's unique style. As if a dense old-fashioned old man appeared to us in bast shoes and a canvas shirt and in his own way he tells of miracles to small children, who were scattered about the benches and the flocks.

The birth of a great folklorist

Biography Bazhov originates in the Urals in the factory village of Sysert, which later became a city. The future writer was born in January 1879. His father was a mountain master.

The boy often heard various unusual stories and legends of the Ural people from parents and workers of a mining plant. Probably, even then extraordinary fantasies about the most bizarre inhabitants of mountains and forests arose. One way or another, folklore, which impressed the imagination of the little dreamer, found its continuation in a number of the most incredible fairy tales.

Education

Like all children of his time, Paul studied at a three-year school. However, the study was easy for him, and therefore one of the best students of his stream, graduating with honors from school, went on to further education in the theological school, and later in the theological seminary. In general, the biography of Bazhov could successfully crowned with academic spiritual education, and the world would never have learned all the delights of this Ural folklore.

However, the future writer did not agree to accept the order. So I began to try my hand at various directions. Working days began with the teaching of Russian in a small rural school. But soon after this young talent was entrusted with teaching Russian and Church Slavonic languages, as well as Russian literature in the Ekaterinburg Theological School.

Together with the pedagogical activity, a great love came to the life of the writer - Valentina Ivanitskaya, one of his pupils. With her biography Bazhova began the countdown of family life.

How did the author's folklore originate?

In those years, the young philologist began for the first time consciously to collect Ural folklore. This took place in mini-expeditions organized by Bazhov in the villages and villages. The enthusiastic writer wrote down everything he could find about oral folk art: songs, fairy tales, poteshki and jokes, a wide variety of rituals, proverbs and sayings. Also the author made photos of workers and peasants in folk costumes.

Of course, the villagers reacted differently to the eccentric provincial teacher, nevertheless they willingly shared stories and legends from their ancestors. And after all, it was this chudinka that laid a solid foundation for the most original fantasy creations of the author.

The age of great shocks

And then Russia was faced with difficult times, the most terrible in all modern history, the times of world wars, revolutions and the greatest crises. It is impossible to imagine what emotions had to be experienced by an emotional, deeply spiritual person in a time that was terrible for Russia. But Bazhov, as an educated man, could not fail to understand how hardworkers live in Russia, how they are starving in villages and villages. So, without hesitation, took the side of the Bolsheviks and became a communist.

It was not easy at that time for the Bazhovs, as well as for everyone who had to endure the times of great cataclysms. For all the time that the Civil War lasted, the writer was arrested twice. Every time he managed to escape from imprisonment. A fact is known when the half-dead Bazhov, who fled from prison, was rescued by a peasant, hiding him in his cart with hay.

Life under Soviet power

After the war, the Bazhov family managed to return to their homeland. A small house, which managed to build before the coup, now seemed to the family the most cozy and expensive home. In this house the writer lived most of his conscious life. It is noteworthy that it still exists today, albeit as a house-museum of Bazhov.

Up to the year 30, Pavel Petrovich is building his career in the editorial office of the then popular "Peasant newspaper". Such work allowed the writer not only to support his family, but also to continue his most important hobby and work of life - searching for folk art and writing the most unusual author's folklore.

It was not easy for a writer's family in those days. The peripetias of fate threw in Bazhov's life more and more new tests. He was repeatedly expelled from the party, fired from the editorial office and even tried again to arrest him. However, it was in those hard, unstable times that Pavel Bazhov's first book, The Urals were (1924), was published. At the same time, the writer also received the post of editor of the above-mentioned newspaper.

How the "Urals Tales" were born

The 1930s were especially difficult for Soviet citizens. The starving people went to any villainy for the sake of survival, but in this war, as is known, all means are good. Enough was a rash word, an accidentally said phrase or even a neighbor's neighborly dislike, that one night people came with weapons and took in the obscurity of the usual inconspicuous worker. What can we say about the editor of the whole newspaper!

In 1937 the writer Bazhov was once again arrested. But, as before, he managed to escape punishment. Obviously, some heavenly forces cherished the talent for descendants. Even in this situation, when the family had to drag out a miserable existence, Bazhov's biography as a writer gained a new turn. For more than a year, Bazhov was hiding in his home from the NKVD. Being in confinement, the writer, hungry for creativity, began to write his famous "Ural Tales."

Unusual literature

Perhaps, there are no writers in the history of Russian literature like Pavel Bazhov. In general, to say that author's creations can be similar, is somewhat blasphemous. And yet today we easily identify at least the genre features of the works of Russian writers. For example, no one doubts that Anton Pavlovich Chekhov wrote mostly stories, mostly in a humorous way. Just as no one will doubt that "Kolobok" is a Russian folk tale.

But how to name the phenomenon that created Pavel Petrovich Bazhov, "Ural Tales"? These books are difficult to assign to the author's generally accepted literary genres. Perhaps, someone is inclined to take short stories to ordinary children's fairy tales or, at worst, to the epic. However, if you look closely, it becomes clear not the child's philosophy and wisdom of the people with a huge history, framed in strange speech turns, peculiar to distant-far ancestors.

Confession

Fortunately, the great Russian folklorist Pavel Bazhov achieved universal recognition during his lifetime. This applies to both the people and the highest literary minds. The fact is that, in addition to political repression, for a long time Paul Bazhov was known in literary circles as a "collector of folklore." That is why many critics believed that all Bazhov's books are based solely on the collected material and should not be related to the author himself.

However, many years of titanic work could not pass for the author. Years of creative activity brought a lot of original works, which can be proud of Bazhov. "Ural Tales" - the most famous creation of the author, which brought him the long-awaited recognition and glory.

However, the writer's work is not limited to stories. There are among the creations of the author and publications, and memoirs.

It is also noteworthy that modern directors are very fond of Pavel Bazhov's creations and are happy to use them in their productions. According to the stories of the great writer, such films as "Stone Flower", "Golden Skid", "Stepanova Memo" and others were made.

Of course, the animation did not take the last place: "Sinyushkin Well", "Malachite Box" and "Silver Hoof" - only a small part of the masterpieces taken based on the author's works.

Contemporary composers also did not ignore the author. The most famous classic work, written on the motives of Bazhov's tales, rightfully we can consider S. Prokofiev's ballet "The Tale of a Stone Flower".

Finally

Biography of Bazhov could be different, if not for the time, if not for the place, but many more you can remember all the "ifs" ... But nothing in the world happens without meaning.

Another thing is amazing, namely, that in the twists and turns of the most terrible and difficult trials that fell to the writer's share, Bazhov Pavel Petrovich managed to preserve in himself all the bright and immediate things that only young children can experience. Probably, it was this quality that protected and saved the great man from despondency. Therefore, each of us has something to learn from one of the most wise and original writers.