The famous writer Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin was a truly great creator. As an official, he masterfully exposed the ignorant nobles and praised the simple Russian people. Tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin, a list of which includes more than a dozen, are the property of our classical literature.
"Wild landowner"
All the tales of Mikhail Evgrafovich are written using acute sarcasm. With the help of heroes (animals or people), he makes fun of not so much human vices as the stupidity of senior officials. Tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin, the list of which would be incomplete without a story about a wild landowner, help us to see the attitude of 19th century nobles to their serfs. The story is small, but it makes you think about many serious things.
A landowner with a strange name Urus Kuchum Kildibaev lives for his pleasure: he collects a rich harvest, has a chic dwelling and a lot of land. But once he was tired of the abundance of peasants in his house and decided to get rid of them. The landowner prayed to God, but he did not heed his requests. He began to scoff at the peasants in every possible way, began to crush them with taxes. And then the Lord took pity on them, and they disappeared.
At first, the stupid landowner was happy: now no one bothered him. But later he began to feel their absence: no one cooked food for him, did not clean the house. Visiting generals and a police officer called him a fool. But he did not understand why he was so treated. As a result, he was so wild that he even looked like an animal: he had grown hair, climbed trees, and tore up prey with his hands and ate.
The satirical appearance of vices of the nobleman was masterfully portrayed by Saltykov-Shchedrin. The tale "The Wild Landowner" shows how stupid a person can be who does not understand that he lived well only thanks to his peasants.
In the finale, all serfs return to the landowner, and life flourishes again: they sell meat in the market, cleanliness and order in the house. Yes, that's just Urus Kuchum never returned to its previous appearance. He still grunts, missing his former wild life.
The Wise Gudgeon
Many since childhood remember the tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin, the list of which is not small: “How did he feed the two generals”, “The Bear in the Voivodship”, “Kissel”, “Konyaga”. True, we begin to understand the true meaning of these stories when we become adults.
Such is the tale "The Wise Gudgeon." He lived all his life and was afraid of everything: cancer, water flea, man and even his own brother. Parents bequeathed to him: "Look at both!" And the clerk decided to hide all his life and not to catch anyone’s eyes. And he lived like this for more than a hundred years. I have not seen or heard anything in my entire life.
The tale of Saltykov-Shchedrin “The Wise Gudgeon” makes fun of stupid people who are ready to live their whole lives in fear of any danger. The old fish thought now, for what did he live. And he became so sad because he did not see the white light. I decided to come up because of my snags. And after that no one saw him.
The writer laughs that even a pike will not eat such an old fish. Gudgeon in the work is called wise, but this is undoubtedly a satirical device, because it is extremely difficult to call him smart.
Conclusion
Tales of Saltykov-Shchedrin (a list of them are listed above) became a real storehouse of Russian literature. How clearly and wisely the author describes human shortcomings! These stories have not lost relevance in our time. In this they resemble fables.