In the work of I. Goncharov, a special place is occupied by the travel essays "Frigate" Pallas ". They told the reader a lot of new things about the structure of foreign states, both civilized European and colonial in Africa, Asia, and the Far East. No less interesting was the description of the lifestyle of the Russian people in Siberia.
A masterpiece of the Russian fleet
In 1831, on the personal instructions of Nicholas I, the laying of one of the most famous Russian ships of the first half of the 19th century, the Pallas, took place. The frigate was launched a year later and served for more than 20 years.
In different years, the "Pallas" was commanded by N. Nakhimov, P. Moller, I. Unkovsky. Thanks to the high technical data and skillful actions of the crew, the ship more than once came to the aid of ships in distress. It was also used for long trips to the shores of other countries. The ship made its last voyage to Japan - it was described in his essays by I. Goncharov. In 1855, the Pallas (the frigate suffered two powerful typhoons and was worn out in order) set off to rest at the Postovaya Bay on the territory of the Imperial (Soviet) harbor in the Khabarovsk Territory.
Trip around the world
The aim of the diplomatic mission undertaken in 1852 was the need to establish trade relations with Japan and to inspect Alaska, which belonged to Russia. An experienced crew was selected, procured for a long time. The group of diplomats was headed by Vice Admiral E. Putyatin, and the writer I. Goncharov, who was then in the department of foreign trade, became the secretary. The frigate Pallas sailed past England, Indonesia, South Africa, China, the Philippines, and many small islands in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans. The whole trip lasted almost 3 years.
The history of writing the book "Frigate" Pallas ""
I. Goncharov took the news about the trip positively, noting that it would significantly enrich his life experience. From the first days he began to write down everything he saw in the travel journal, although later, in the introduction to the essays, he noted that he only wanted to capture the most important moments of the trip in an artistic form. Observations on the life of Russian Siberia were added to the impressions of the overseas countries: Goncharov traveled to St. Petersburg by land from the shores of the Sea of Okhotsk, where the Pallas approached. The frigate was in need of repair and could not bear further sailing.
Two months after returning to the capital (in April 1855), the first essay on the journey appeared in Domestic Notes. Then, for three years, Goncharov was published in the Marine Collection. The entire magazine was published in 1858 and immediately attracted the attention of the entire reading public. Subsequently, the book — which the author had not originally planned — “The Frigate Pallas,” was supplemented by two more essays. The first talked about the final stage of travel in Siberia, the second - about the fate of the ship.
The main advantages of travel records were called the abundance and diversity of recorded factual material, a message about phenomena, until then little known to Russian people, the artistic skill of the writer.
"Frigate" Pallas "": a summary of the book
Essays are a detailed description of life in various countries. Moreover, the author’s view is often critical and is accompanied by ironic remarks addressed to foreigners, no matter who they are. For example, English civilization, according to Goncharov, destroys all living things. Here everything goes according to plan and there is no sincerity. A broad Russian soul is opposed to this structure. For example, I recall a story about the sailor Sorokin, who decided to grow bread in Siberia. His idea was a success, but he does not stop there and develops new territories, giving the fruits of his labor to the Tungus and the church.
The author’s boredom on the Pallada ship deserves special attention - the writer often called his homeland a frigate writer on a foreign land - about the life of a Russian nobleman. This is a leisurely tea party, relaxing on the couch, endless holidays. For Goncharov, they could not be compared with the constant bustle of the British.
Negros and Chinese did not like their smell, partly because they were rubbed with special oils. The writer considered the Japanese to be cunning (the older, the more stupid faces made up) and sluggish. He believed that it was imperative to destroy their system of isolation from the outside world and humanize it. But the advantage of the wild peoples was the proximity to nature, completely lost by the British. In this regard, the writer’s conclusions about the results of colonization, which he observed on almost the entire route of the Pallas, are interesting. According to the writer, the “wild” Chinese, with their shortcomings, could teach civilized Englishmen and Americans both manners, and a general culture of behavior, and attitude to the gifts of nature.
The book also told (for the first time!) About the life of the Decembrists in Siberia, which was facilitated by the personal acquaintance of the writer with some of their representatives. The unshakable strength of mind, the way of life itself (despite inhuman conditions, the best representatives of the nobility tried to maintain the necessary level of spirituality in their huts, aroused admiration for the writer.
Some interesting points from the essays by I. Goncharov
The book is interesting to the modern reader for a description of what seems absurd today. For example, laughter and irony caused Goncharov the English habit of greeting. “First they’ll try to tear each other’s hands off,” he wrote. How did the writer know that the English-accepted way of greeting would soon appear in Russia as well.
Another funny episode concerns the Japanese. A sailor gave an empty bottle to one of the local residents. Following this, the Japanese translator asked me to pick up the gift back. And in response to the words: “Throw her (the bottle) into the sea,” he seriously replied that it was impossible. “We’ll bring it, but you’ll give it up ... yourself.” It turned out that in this way the local authorities fought against smuggling.
Thus describes his unusual journey I. Goncharov, the frigate "Pallas" for which for two and a half years has become not only a home and a reminder of the homeland, but also a source of inspiration, which allowed to create a highly artistic work.