KRYLOV, IVAN ANDREEVICH(1769–1844) – Russian fabulist, writer, playwright
Born in 1769 in Moscow. Young Krylov studied little and unsystematically. He was ten years old when his father, Andrei Prokhorovich, who was at that moment a minor official in Tver, died. Andrei Krylov “didn’t study science,” but he loved to read and instilled his love in his son. He himself taught the boy to read and write and left him a chest of books as an inheritance. Krylov received further education thanks to the patronage of the writer Nikolai Alexandrovich Lvov, who read poetry young poet. In his youth, he lived a lot in Lvov’s house, studied with his children, and simply listened to the conversations of writers and artists who came to visit. The shortcomings of a fragmentary education affected later - for example, Krylov was always weak in spelling, but it is known that over the years he acquired enough solid knowledge and broad-minded, learned to play the violin and speak Italian.
He was registered for service in the lower zemstvo court, although, obviously, this was a simple formality - he did not go to Krylov’s presence, or almost did not go, and did not receive any money. At the age of fourteen he ended up in St. Petersburg, where his mother went to ask for a pension. Then he transferred to serve in the St. Petersburg Treasury Chamber. However, he was not too interested in official matters. In the first place among Krylov’s hobbies were literary studies and visiting the theater. These passions did not change even after he lost his mother at the age of seventeen, and worries about caring for him fell on his shoulders. younger brother. In the 80s he wrote a lot for the theater. Librettoes of comic operas came from his pen Coffee pot And Rabid Family, tragedy Cleopatra And Philomel, comedy Writer in the hallway. These works did not bring the young author either money or fame, but helped him get into the circle of St. Petersburg writers. He was patronized by the famous playwright Ya.B. Knyazhnin, but the proud young man, deciding that he was being mocked in the “master’s” house, broke up with his older friend. Krylov wrote a comedy Pranksters, in the main characters of which, Rhymestealer and Tarator, contemporaries easily recognized the Prince and his wife. Pranksters- a more mature work than the previous plays, but the production of the comedy was prohibited, and Krylov’s relationship deteriorated not only with the Knyazhnin family, but also with the theater management, on which the fate of any dramatic work depended.
Since the late 80s, the main activity has been in the field of journalism. In 1789, he published the magazine “Mail of Spirits” for eight months. The satirical orientation, which appeared already in the early plays, was preserved here, but in a somewhat transformed form. Krylov created a caricature of his contemporary society, framing his story in the fantastic form of correspondence between gnomes and wizards Malikulmulk. The publication was discontinued because the magazine had only eighty subscribers. Judging by the fact that “Spirit Mail” was republished in 1802, its appearance did not go unnoticed by the reading public.
In 1790 he retired, deciding to devote himself entirely to literary activity. He became the owner of a printing house and in January 1792, together with his friend the writer Klushin, began publishing the magazine “Spectator,” which was already enjoying greater popularity.
The greatest success of “The Spectator” was brought by the works of Krylov himself Kaib, an eastern story, fairy tale Nights, Eulogy for my grandfather, A speech spoken by a rake in an assembly of fools, Philosopher's thoughts on fashion. The number of subscribers grew. In 1793 the magazine was renamed “St. Petersburg Mercury”. By this time, his publishers focused primarily on constant ironic attacks on Karamzin and his followers. The publisher of "Mercury" was alien to the reformist work of Karamzin, which seemed to him artificial and overly subject to Western influences. Admiration for the West, the French language, and French fashions was one of the favorite themes of the young Krylov’s work and the object of ridicule in many of his comedies. In addition, the Karamzinists repulsed him with their disregard for the strict classicist rules of versification, and he was outraged by the overly simple, in his opinion, “common” style of Karamzin. As always, he portrayed his literary opponents with poisonous causticism. So, in A speech of praise to Ermolafide, given at a meeting of young writers Karamzin was mockingly portrayed as a man talking nonsense, or “Yermolafia.” Perhaps it was the sharp polemics with the Karamzinists that pushed readers away from the St. Petersburg Mercury.
At the end of 1793, the publication of the St. Petersburg Mercury ceased, and Krylov left St. Petersburg for several years. According to one of the writer’s biographers, “From 1795 to 1801, Krylov seemed to disappear from us.” Some fragmentary information suggests that he lived for some time in Moscow, where he played cards a lot and recklessly. Apparently, he wandered around the province, living on the estates of his friends. In 1797, Krylov went to the estate of Prince S.F. Golitsyn, where he apparently was his secretary and teacher of his children.
It was for the Golitsyns’ home performance that the play was written in 1799-1800 Trumph or Podschipa. In the evil caricature of the stupid, arrogant and evil warrior Trump, one could easily discern Paul I, who did not like the author primarily for his admiration for Prussian army and King Frederick II. The irony was so caustic that the play was first published in Russia only in 1871. Meaning Trumpha not only in its political overtones. What is more important is that the very form of “joke tragedy” parodied classical tragedy with its high style and in many ways meant the author’s rejection of those aesthetic ideas to which he had been faithful over the previous decades.
After the death of Paul I, Prince Golitsyn was appointed governor-general of Riga, and Krylov served as his secretary for two years. In 1803 he retired again and, apparently, again spent the next two years in continuous travel around Russia and playing cards. It was during these years, about which little is known, that the playwright and journalist began to write fables.
It is known that in 1805 Krylov showed in Moscow famous poet and fabulist I.I. Dmitriev his translation of two fables by La Fontaine: Oak and cane And The picky bride. Dmitriev highly appreciated the translation and was the first to note that the author had found his true calling. The poet himself did not immediately understand this. In 1806 he published only three fables, after which he returned to dramaturgy.
In 1807 he released three plays at once, which gained great popularity and were performed successfully on stage. This - Fashion shop, Lesson for daughters And Ilya Bogatyr. The first two plays were especially successful, each of which in its own way ridiculed the nobles’ predilection for the French language, fashions, morals, etc. and actually equated gallomania with stupidity, debauchery and extravagance. The plays were repeatedly staged on stage, and Fashion store They even played at court.
Despite the long-awaited theatrical success, Krylov decided to take a different path. I stopped writing for the theater and every year everything more attention devoted himself to working on fables.
In 1808 he had already published 17 fables, including the famous Elephant and pug.
In 1809, the first collection was published, which immediately made its author truly famous. In total, before the end of his life, he wrote more than 200 fables, which were combined into nine books. He worked until last days– the last lifetime edition of the fables was received by the writer’s friends and acquaintances in 1844, along with notice of the death of their author.
At first, Krylov’s work was dominated by translations or adaptations of the famous French fables by La Fontaine, ( Dragonfly and ant, The Wolf and the Lamb), then gradually he began to find more and more independent plots, many of which were related to topical events Russian life. Thus, fables became a reaction to various political events Quartet, Swan,Pike and Cancer, Wolf at the kennel. More abstract subjects formed the basis Curious, Hermit and bear and others. However, fables written “on the topic of the day” very soon also began to be perceived as more generalized works. The events that gave rise to their writing were quickly forgotten, and the fables themselves turned into favorite reading in all educated families.
Working in a new genre dramatically changed Krylov's literary reputation. If the first half of his life passed practically in obscurity, full of material problems and deprivations, then in maturity he was surrounded by honors and universal respect. Editions of his books sold in huge circulations for that time. The writer, who at one time laughed at Karamzin for his predilection for overly popular expressions, now himself created works that were understandable to everyone, and became a truly popular writer.
Krylov became a classic during his lifetime. Already in 1835 V.G. Belinsky in his article Literary dreams found only four classics in Russian literature and put Krylov on a par with Derzhavin, Pushkin and Griboyedov.
On national character his language and his use of characters from Russian folklore attracted the attention of all critics. The writer remained hostile to Westernism throughout his life. It is no coincidence that he joined literary society“Conversation of lovers of Russian literature,” who defended the ancient Russian style and did not recognize Karamzin’s language reform. This did not prevent Krylov from being loved by both supporters and opponents of the new light style. Thus, Pushkin, who was much closer to the Karamzin direction in literature, comparing Lafontaine and Krylov, wrote: “Both of them will forever remain the favorites of their fellow citizens. Someone rightly said that simplicity is an innate property of the French people; on the contrary, distinguishing feature in our morals there is some kind of cheerful cunning of the mind, mockery and a picturesque way of expressing ourselves"
In parallel with popular recognition, there was also official recognition. From 1810, Krylov was first an assistant librarian and then a librarian at the Imperial Public Library in St. Petersburg. At the same time, he received a repeatedly increased pension “in honor of his excellent talents in Russian literature.” Was elected a member Russian Academy, was awarded a gold medal for literary merit and received many other awards and honors.
One of characteristic features Krylov's popularity includes numerous semi-legendary stories about his laziness, sloppiness, gluttony, and wit.
Already celebrating the fiftieth anniversary creative activity the fabulist in 1838 turned into a truly national celebration. Over the past almost two centuries, there has not been a single generation in Russia that was not brought up on Krylov’s fables.
Krylov died in 1844 in St. Petersburg.
Tamara Eidelman
We highly value people who have achieved outstanding results in a particular area. In the business of writing fables consummate master- Ivan Andreevich Krylov.
The future famous fabulist was born on February 2, 1768. Little Vanya's childhood was far from rosy. His father, Andrei Prokhorovich Krylov, was a poor army officer whose duty forced him to frequently change his place of residence.
Soon after the birth of his son, at the height of the Pugachev rebellion, he received orders to go to the city of Orenburg. Soon his wife, Maria Alekseevna, arrived there along with her son Vanya.
When defending the Yaitskaya fortress from Pugachev, Krylov’s father showed his best qualities, and after the end of military operations he switched to civilian service. Its new workplace- Chairman of the provincial magistrate. He had no time to take care of his son, and all the worries about little Van fell on his mother, Maria Alekseevna. Wanting to give my son a good education, she came to an agreement with the rich landowner Lvov, and Vanya began to attend the lessons of a French teacher along with the lord’s children. However, studying with foreign teacher It was difficult.
But even she had to be abandoned in the eleventh year of the boy’s life. Maria Alekseevna was widowed, and the family was left without a livelihood. Krylov’s mother was forced to get her son a job as a clerk in court, and at the age of 12 the boy was transferred to the position of clerk in the Tver magistrate.
Young Krylov still had a lot of free time, and he loved to spend it on the streets and squares of the city, among common people. His sensitive ear caught witticisms and jokes, he showed interest in common people's stories, listened to the conversation ordinary people. It was these childhood impressions, simple Russian cunning jokes, heard among the people, that forever sank into the soul of the future writer.
The mother continued to raise and educate her son. Further development Young Krylov was also helped by books left behind by his father. With diligence and interest, the boy read everything in a row, without particularly choosing a topic. Ivan Andreevich himself decided to try himself in the literary field; and in the fifteenth year of his life, from his pen came the comic opera “The Coffee House,” created in the image and likeness of fashionable items of that time.
Meanwhile, the family’s means of subsistence were still sorely lacking, and Maria Alekseevna decided to go to St. Petersburg, in the hope of obtaining a pension for herself and successfully settling her son.
Twenty-five rubles a month is the new salary of the future poet, received by him in the state chamber in St. Petersburg, where he arrived with Maria Alekseevna in 1783. There was not much money, and I had to save on everything.
But this was nothing compared to the death of his mother, whom Krylov lost in 1788. It was a big blow for him. Ivan Andreevich remembered his mother with great cordiality until the end of his days.
“The Coffee House,” written by Krylov, “didn’t give him peace,” and he decided to turn to the owner of the printing house Breitkopf with a request to buy his work. Breitkopf became interested and offered payment for the work - sixty rubles in banknotes. But the writer did not take the money; he decided to collect books for the entire amount. He preferred to choose Racine, Moliere and Boileau. Moliere and Boileau later became his teachers in terms of studying satirical principles, and thanks to Racine, Krylov showed interest in the heroes of Greece and Rome.
Being influenced by books, as well as visits to theater performances, Ivan Andreevich produces a new work - the tragedy “Cleopatra”. This thing is similar to French tragedies. The fate of the play remained unenviable; it was criticized to smithereens by the famous actor Dmitrevsky, to whom Krylov turned for a review. But while listening to the actor’s criticism, Krylov simultaneously received his first lessons in literature, which would be useful to him in the future.
Children's and teenage years Krylov were not easy. But the way the circumstances of his life developed, it was they who contributed to the appearance of that original imprint, which later determined characteristic feature Krylov's fables.
But the writing of the first fable was still a long way off. Only in 1806, in Moscow, Krylov accidentally met Ivan Ivanovich Dmitriev, to whom he showed his two fables “The Oak and the Cane” and “The Picky Bride” (translation from La Fontaine). Dmitriev immediately saw the originality of Krylov’s incredible works, praised the aspiring fabulist in every possible way and persuaded him not to leave this type of literature.
Literary reading lesson
“Journey into the world of I.A. Krylov’s fables”
Form: lesson-concert.
Target: show students the correctness of the statement that I.A. Krylov’s fables are quite suitable for children’s reading.
Tasks:
educational : systematize students’ knowledge about the work of I.A. Krylov, highlight the features of the fable genre, expand the range of readable fables;
developing : develop the ability to expressively read, retell, dramatize fables;
raising : to cultivate interest in reading fables and literature as part of general culture.
Equipment: collections of fables by I.A. Krylov; exhibition of drawings for fables, quiz “Fables by I.A. Krylov”.
Preliminary preparation : students illustrated fables, answered questions in the “Krylov’s Fables” quiz, and prepared for dramatization of fables or expressive reading.
During the classes
I. Organizational moment.
II. The main part of the lesson.
1. introduction teachers.
Today in class we continue to get acquainted with the life and work of the great Russian fabulist I.A. Krylov. Let us turn again to his works, read them and dramatize them.
(Portrait of I.A. Krylov)
Leading . It is difficult to imagine a Russian person who would not know the name of Ivan Andreevich Krylov, a Russian writer of the early 19th century.
Student's story
He has written a variety of works. He wrote poetry, vaudeville, and published a magazine. But his talent was most evident in his fables. Our people call the great Russian fabulist Grandfather Krylov. Ivan Andreevich Krylov is a world-famous fabulist. The task that he set for himself was to punish with merciless laughter all sorts of shortcomings of people - greed, laziness, lies, stupidity, boasting, attributing these shortcomings to animals. The task was completed by Krylov with such talent that no other fabulist has achieved.
Leading
There are poems written about Ivan Andreevich himself. Read a poem by P. Vyazemsky.
He corrected people with fun,
Sweeping away the dust of vices;
He glorified himself with fables,
And this glory is our reality.
And they won’t forget this one,
While they say in Russian:
We confirmed it a long time ago,
Her grandchildren will confirm it.
Leading . What do you know about I.A.’s childhood and first steps in his studies? Krylova?
(Students' statements).
Student's story
I.A. Krylov was born on February 2, 1768 in Moscow. Krylov's father was an army officer, and due to his service duties he was often forced to change his place of residence. Busy with service, Krylov's father did not have time to raise his son, and all worries about the upbringing and education of his little son fell to the lot of his mother. His mother herself worked with him every day, trying to convey to him at least the little knowledge that she herself possessed. Maria Alekseevna, the mother of the future fabulist, came up with different ways to make the child want to learn. So, for example, when he learned the lesson given to him well, his mother gave him a few kopecks each time as a reward.
After the death of his father, Ivan at the age of 10 began to serve as a census taker to feed his mother and younger brother.
We don’t know for sure whether he completed any, even modest, educational institution, but we know that from childhood until the end of his life he constantly studied himself, voraciously reading many books, and became one of the most educated people of his time. The books left behind by his father helped the boy’s development a lot. There was a whole chest of these books, and young Krylov zealously re-read them indiscriminately. This diligent reading awakened literary inclinations in him, and in his fifteenth year he composed his first work, the comic opera “The Coffee House.”
The story of the second student. (Monument to Krylov in the Summer Garden)
Leading
Not far from the entrance to Summer garden in St. Petersburg there is a bronze monument on a shady area. Which unusual monument! There is an overweight, good-natured grandfather in the chair, and below, around the pedestal, there are various animals. The bas-reliefs depict episodes from his best fables. The monument was built with money collected throughout Russia.
WITH right side- Monkey, donkey, goat. Wait a minute, well, of course! These are the heroes of the fable “Quartet”. This company understands nothing about music, but self-confidently undertakes to play a quartet.
Did Krylov write a fable about animals? Of course not. He meant ignorant, self-confident people who take on things about which they know nothing. But Krylov did this in an allegorical form. The ancient Greek fabulist Aesop resorted to such allegories.
(Portrait of Aesop)
Student's story
This talented and clever man was a slave and could not directly raise his voice against his masters. Condemning vices, he presented it in the form funny stories about animals. This is where the expression “Aesopian language” comes from.
Many fables of Aesop, who lived many centuries before Krylov, became known to Russian readers thanks to Krylov’s translations. For example, “The Crow and the Fox”. In addition, translated by him, they became clearer and closer to us, because Ivan Andreevich endowed Aesop’s characters with Russian features and put Russian folk speech into their mouths.
Leading
Now the guys will read one of the most famous classical fables by Krylov, which every Russian person who respects himself and loves Russian literature knows. In this fable, the author denounces flattery.
(To the fable “The Crow and the Fox”)
(Staging of the fable “The Crow and the Fox.”)(Portrait of Lafontaine)
I.A.; Krylov also translated the fables of Jean de La Fontaine. This French poet 17th century
He wrote poetry, fairy tales, ballads, and poems. But he became famous for his fables. We know the fable “The Wolf and the Lamb” by La Fontaine thanks to the translation by I.A. Krylov.
Leading
In which of Krylov’s fables did the heroine want to get into big trouble so that everyone would talk about her better than she deserved? (“Elephant and Moska”).
(Expressive reading of the fable “The Elephant and the Pug”)
What fable are these popular expressions from?
"And nothing has changed…"
Illustration “Swan, Pike and Crayfish”
(Expressive reading of the fable “Swan, Pike and Cancer”).
Leading . Krylov knew how to write interesting and funny. Many characters make us smile. I think you will be interested in listening to the fable “The Mirror and the Monkey”
Illustration “Mirror and Monkey”
Leading . For what purpose does Krylov introduce comic episodes into the action of fables?
Students' answer (With the help of laughter, it is easier for a writer to convey childish mind thought about the harm of bad habits and qualities of human character).
Leading. Listen to the fable “The Monkey and the Glasses”).”
Illustration “Monkey and glasses”
Leading. Grandfather Krylov is a great Russian poet and fabulist. Why great? Not only Russians know his fables. They have been translated into different European languages. Why do we speak Russian? Krylov loved everything Russian: the Russian people, the Russian language, Russian nature, Russian art. He enriched the Russian language and Russian speech with winged, witty expressions and comparisons.
You kept singing, that’s the point! So go ahead and dance!
Illustration "Dragonfly and Ant"
Dramatization of the fable “The Dragonfly and the Ant”
Leading . The popularity of Krylov’s fables was enormous already during the poet’s lifetime. They were memorized and retold to each other and military generals, and soldiers, the emperors Alexander 1 and Nicholas 2 read them. Everyone who read Krylov’s fables received life lessons and saw themselves in them, like in a mirror. More than a century and a half has passed since Krylov’s fables fell in love with the Russian heart, and, it must be said frankly, so far he has not been surpassed by anyone. Grandfather Krylov still reigns over the fable world. It is not for nothing that A.S. Pushkin said: “...Krylov surpassed all fabulists known to us.”
Team Quiz
1.Who sang red summer? (Dragonfly)
2. The hero of what fable wanted to get into big bullies? ("Elephant and Moska")
3 Which berry couldn’t the fox get in the garden? (Grape)
4. Krivlyaki in Krylov’s fables (Monkeys)
5.What couldn’t the Swan, Pike and Cancer budge? (WHO)
6. How many glasses did the Monkey buy? (half a dozen, that is 6)
7.Who did Crow get the cheese from? (from God)
8.Who was Moska’s neighbor? (Mongrel)
9. Who “had both the table and the house ready” for winter? (Ant)
10.Name an object with which you could see “what kind of face is there”? (Mirror)
Bulletin board
Read the advertisements and tell which of the heroes of the fables they could belong to?
1.I am looking for a manual on correct use glasses. Write larger - I can’t see well.
2. I’ll urgently rent a warm apartment until spring.
3. I lost the cheese while I was croaking. The finder is asked to return to the spruce.
4. I will praise anyone. Who will praise me?
Teacher. Yes, Krylov teaches people to recognize themselves, helps to identify shortcomings and suggests how to get rid of them. Krylov teaches the wisdom of life. Reading his fables enriches us with knowledge of life, native language. To get acquainted with Krylov’s fable means to become smarter, to learn something new and important about yourself and people.
Look what kind of chain it turns out.
(portraits of Aesop, Lafontaine and Krylov)
Three great fabulists Greek, French and Russian. Of course, there were more fabulists, but these were included in world literature like fabulists - classics.
In the 19th century, Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy wrote fables in prose.
In our time interesting fables wrote Sergei Vladimirovich Mikhalkov.
III. Lesson summary.
What types of work did you like most in today's lesson?
Final words from the teacher.
And I would like to wish you guys to walk alongside Krylov’s fables, re-read them, think about yourself, the actions of others, and then, I think, your life will be better, richer, more interesting.
Thank you for the lesson!
Elena Merkuryeva
Tasks: deepen and expand knowledge children about creativity I. A. Krylova, continue to introduce children With genre features fables, develop sensitivity to perception figurative structure language fables.
Developmental environment: portrait of I.A. Krylova, illustrations for fables, theater screen, bi-ba-bo fox and crow dolls, toy cheese, small Christmas tree, chest.
Preliminary work: reading fables by I.A. Krylova, looking at illustrations, watching cartoons based on fables.
1. Guys, today we will continue our acquaintance with the work of I.A. Krylova(demonstration of the author's portrait). Who is this? What is this man famous for? (This is I.A. Krylov, he wrote fables) . You already know that fable is short, instructive story. Fables are invented in order to make people better, to show them their shortcomings, but without offending them. Therefore in fable It is said about animals, but it means people. With which you are already familiar with fables? (children name people they know fables) . Well done, let's play one of the fables today.
2. I brought you a “Magic Chest” in which I hid the heroes of today fables. Once you solve the riddles, you will recognize them. Ready? Begin!
Grayish in color,
Thieving in habit,
The screamer is hoarse.
Famous person,
Who is she?. (crow)
Well done, you solved the first riddle (the teacher takes out a bi-ba-bo doll - a crow). Listen to the second riddle.
Red-haired cheat,
Cunning and dexterous.
The tail is fluffy,
Red, golden.
Lives in a hole in the forests.
Who is this?. (fox)
Great, the second riddle has been solved. We take out the second toy. Look (the teacher puts the dolls on his hands and “revitalizes” them), you guessed which one we are playing a fable today? ("A Crow and a fox") The children, together with the teacher, put up a screen and begin to act out fable by role. The theatrical game is repeated 2 - 3 times. The teacher makes sure that fable was told close to the text. For the first performance, you can call pre-prepared children. Well done! Applause to our artists!
3. Think about what you can praise a person for (Answers children) . To praise means to list the deserved merits of people. Think the fox deservedly praised the crow? (No) She did not praise the crow, but flattered her. How is flattery different from praise? (they are praised for their work, but flattery is insincere praise. Who was the flatterer in this fairy tale? (fox) Why do you think she flattered the crow? (I wanted to deceive her, eat cheese). Which one in this fable does the author show us a crow? (stupid, naive, gullible). What kind of fox? (cunning, insidious)
4. About what we talked about a fable today?
Who wrote it? Which you know Krylov's fables?
After classes You can invite children to draw or sculpt heroes fables.
Ivan Andreevich Krylov was born in February 1769 in Moscow, into the family of a poor army officer. Having shown heroism and courage during the pacification of the Pugachev rebellion, Andrei Krylov did not receive any awards or ranks. After retiring, he entered the civil service and moved with his wife and two sons to Tver. The position of chairman of the magistrate did not bring any significant income, the family lived in poverty. Krylov Sr. died in 1778 with the rank of captain. The life of the widow and children (the eldest son Ivan was only 9 years old) became even poorer.
Ivan Andreevich Krylov did not have the opportunity to get a good education. From his father, he adopted a great love of reading, inheriting only a huge chest of books. The Krylovs' wealthy neighbors allowed Ivan to attend the lessons French which were given to their children. Thus, Ivan Krylov learned French tolerably.
The future fabulist began work very early and learned the hardship of life in poverty. After the death of his father, Ivan was hired as a sub-office clerk in the provincial magistrate of Tver, where Krylov Sr. had previously worked. The meager allowance only made it possible not to die of hunger. After 5 years, Ivan Krylov’s mother, taking her children, went to St. Petersburg to seek a pension and get her eldest son a job. So Ivan Krylov received new position, getting a job as a clerk in the government chamber.
Young Krylov, having received no systemic education, persistently engaged in self-education. He read a lot and taught himself to play various instruments. At the age of 15, Ivan even wrote a short comic opera, composing couplets for it and calling it “The Coffee House.” This was his first, albeit unsuccessful, but still debut in literature. The writing language was very rich, which Krylov owed to his love of hustling among the common people at fairs and various common entertainments. “Thanks” to poverty, Ivan Andreevich was well acquainted with everyday life and customs ordinary people, which would be very useful to him in the future.
Creation
Ivan Andreevich Krylov's move to St. Petersburg coincided with the appearance of a public theater in the city. The young man, who was drawn to art, immediately visited the newly opened theater. There he met some artists and from then on lived in the interests of this temple of art. Krylov did not want to seriously pursue a career in the new government service; all his interests were directed in a completely different direction. Therefore, the 18-year-old boy resigned and took up literary activity.
At first it was unsuccessful. Ivan Krylov wrote the tragedy “Philomela”, imitating the classics. There were some glimpses of the talent and free-thinking of the novice author, but in literary terms, Philomela was a very mediocre work. But the young writer had no intention of stopping.
The tragedy was followed by several comedies. “The Mad Family”, “The Pranksters”, “The Writer in the Hallway” and others also did not impress readers and critics with their talent. But the increase in skill in comparison with “Philomela” was still noticeable.
The first fables of Ivan Andreevich Krylov were published without a signature. They appeared in the magazine Morning hours"in 1788. Three works, called “The Shy Gambler,” “The Fate of the Gamblers,” and “The Newly Granted Donkey,” were almost unnoticed by readers and did not receive critical approval. There was a lot of sarcasm and causticity in them, but no skill.
In 1789, Ivan Krylov, together with Rachmanin, began publishing the magazine “Mail of Spirits”. He seeks to revive the strong satire that Novikov's magazines previously demonstrated. But the publication was not successful and ceased publication that same year. But this does not stop Krylov. After 3 years, he and a group of like-minded people create another magazine, calling it “Spectator”. A year later, the magazine “St. Petersburg Mercury” appeared. Some of these publications published prose works Krylov, the most striking of which are the story “Kaib” and the rather bold article for its time, “A Speech of Eulogy to My Grandfather,” exposing landowner tyranny.
Ivan Krylov's magazine "Spirit Mail" It is not known for certain what caused Ivan Krylov’s temporary withdrawal from literary activity, and why he left St. Petersburg. Perhaps some kind of harassment began from the authorities, or maybe a literary failure pushed the writer to leave the city, but until 1806 Krylov almost abandoned writing. In 1806, Krylov returned to active literary activity.
He writes quite talented translations of La Fontaine's fables "The Oak and the Cane", "The Picky Bride" and "The Old Man and the Three Young People". Translations with a flattering recommendation from Ivan Dmitriev are published by the capital’s magazine “Moscow Spectator”. Also in 1806, Ivan Krylov returned to St. Petersburg and staged the comedy “Fashion Shop”. IN next year another one – “Lesson for daughters”. Society, in connection with Napoleonic wars experiencing an upsurge of patriotic feelings, greets the productions with great enthusiasm. After all, they ridicule Frenchmania.
In 1809, the real creative rise of Ivan Krylov began. The first edition of his fables, consisting of 23 works (among which is the well-known “Elephant and Pug”), is extremely popular. Since then, Krylov has become a famous fabulist, whose new works are eagerly awaited by the public. Ivan Andreevich returns to public service. First, he takes a prominent position in the Coinage Department, and after 2 years - in the Imperial public library, where he worked from 1812 to 1841.
During this period, Krylov also changed internally. Now he is complacent and reserved. Doesn't like to quarrel, is very calm, ironic and increasingly lazy. Since 1836, Ivan Krylov no longer writes anything. In 1838, the literary community solemnly celebrated the 50th anniversary of the fabulist’s creative activity. The writer died in November 1844.
More than 200 fables came from the pen of Ivan Andreevich Krylov. In some he denounced Russian reality, in others - human vices, and still others - simply poetic anecdotes. Many apt Krylov expressions eventually became part of colloquial speech and enriched the Russian language. His fables are very popular and generally understandable. They are aimed at everyone, not just the highly educated intelligentsia. During the author's lifetime, almost 80 thousand copies of published collections of fables were sold. At that time - an unprecedented phenomenon. The popularity of Ivan Andreevich Krylov can be compared with the lifetime popularity of and.
Personal life
Legends circulated and jokes were made about Ivan Krylov’s absent-mindedness, careless sloppiness and incredible appetite. It was quite in his spirit to put a night cap in his coat pocket instead of a handkerchief, pull it out while in society and blow his nose. Ivan Andreevich was absolutely indifferent to his appearance. It would seem that such a person could not possibly enjoy the attention of the ladies. Nevertheless, information from his contemporaries has been preserved, claiming that personal life Ivana Krylova, although not turbulent, was certainly not absent.
At the age of 22, he fell in love with the daughter of a priest from the Bryansk district, Anna. The girl reciprocated his feelings. But when the young people decided to get married, Anna’s relatives opposed this marriage. They were distantly related to and, moreover, wealthy. Therefore, they refused to marry their daughter to the poor rhymer. But Anna was so sad that her parents finally agreed to marry her to Ivan Krylov, which they telegraphed to him in St. Petersburg. But Krylov replied that he did not have the money to come to Bryansk, and asked to bring Anna to him. The girls' relatives were offended by the answer, and the marriage did not take place.
Contemporaries of Ivan Krylov wrote that eminent ladies were not indifferent to the sloppy and extravagant fabulist. Allegedly, he was loved by a ballerina who was the kept woman of Grand Duke Konstantin Pavlovich. But the fabulist joked that he was unsuitable for marriage. They say that the empress herself was very sympathetic to the charming fat man. And this despite the fact that Ivan Andreevich dared to appear in front of her in a holey boot from which a finger was sticking out, and even sneeze when he kissed the empress’s hand.
Ivan Krylov never married. Officially, he has no children. But the fabulist’s contemporaries argued that Ivan Andreevich still had common-law wife. It was his housekeeper Fenya. Krylov could not marry her, since society would condemn him. Nevertheless, Fenya gave birth to a girl, Sasha, who is considered Krylov’s illegitimate daughter. That this may be true is evidenced by the fact that after Feni’s death, Sasha remained to live with Krylov. And after her marriage, Krylov happily nursed her children and transferred all his property to the name of Alexandra’s husband. At the time of the death of Ivan Krylov, Sasha, her husband and two children were at his bedside.
Fables
- Dragonfly and Ant
- Swan, Crayfish and Pike
- A Crow and a fox
- Wolf and Lamb
- Monkey and Glasses
- Quartet
- Pig under the Oak
- Demyanova's ear
- Leaves and roots
- The picky bride