Who does not know Krylov I.A.? Everyone knows this author - from small to large. In our minds, he merged with his fables - poetic lessons of wisdom. One of such tricks - “The strong is always powerless to blame”, otherwise “The Wolf and the Lamb”, and this article will be discussed.
Fables of Krylov
What is a fable? It is one of the genres of literature that came to us from ancient Greece. A fable can be written both in poetic form and in prose, but it is always sustained in a satirical and moral way. The main characters, as a rule, are animals, less often plants and things. One of the main features is morality, moralizing conclusion.
Everyone knows the phrase that Krylov gave the world - "The strong is always guilty of the weak." With his work, the writer marked the peak of the development of this genre in Russia. By their structure, fables are diverse, but most often arranged in the form of dialogue. The author speaks his own language, and the heroes speak bright, lively, more reminiscent of an easy conversation. At the same time, the fabulist always has himself next to the characters, but not above us. Therefore, his morality - an integral part of the genre, does not condemn any of the heroes, but brings a sober judgment on the essence of the problem to the reader.
Morality
“The Wolf and the Lamb” is a rare fable in its construction, the first line of which is an instructive, moral conclusion - the strong is always powerless to blame. Thus, from the very beginning, the author wants to set up the reader in the right way and at the same time present himself as a storyteller, not standing over events, but observing what is happening inside. Krylov was not a compiler of moral laws; he wrote history. To the reader’s judgment, the author only brought up the topic - “The strong is always to blame for the weak”, and there - decide for yourself whom you sincerely sympathize with and who you openly condemn.
main characters
Next comes the acquaintance with the two main characters - the Wolf and the Lamb. At first glance, their relationship is the most natural. The first is a predator, hungry. The second is a tasty trophy. Their meeting in the forest, on the one hand, is random, and on the other it is natural, since it is prescribed by the laws of nature. Since the Wolf is not far from the watering hole, the Lamb cannot escape reprisal.
But as soon as a conversation ensues between them, it becomes obvious that their natural confrontation is only the tip of the iceberg. Under the thickness of the dark water lies a different, deeper contradiction. It is not enough for the wolf to simply swallow the Lamb. According to the wolf law of lawlessness, he wants to give a more attractive look, legitimize his bloodthirstiness and enjoy the power given to him by Nature: “But, to give the matter a legitimate look and sense, he shouts: ...” It is the verb “shouting” that gives out not just a predator, but a person with great power. And from that moment on, a different distance is established between the interlocutors - the moral abyss.
Accusations are poured into the Lamb one after another. They are just an excuse that hides the true intentions of the Wolf. The lamb, however, takes them at face value and refutes it quite comprehensively and deftly. But the more skillful his justification, the greater the wrath of the Wolf, and the faster the tragic denouement approaches. The dialogue goes out of order. But it is precisely in this disorder that the satirical tone of the narrative is manifested.
Conclusion
“The strong is always powerless to blame” - the law of eternal confrontation and at the same time the unity of two opposites. The wolf is an external force, unlimited power, lawlessness, permissiveness, cynicism. The lamb is morality, but physical weakness.
They are in endless confrontation and at the same time they cannot live without each other, as they are equally important. Thus, “The Wolf and the Lamb,” or “The strong is always powerless to blame,” is a fable, rare in its construction.