The image of a servant in Russian literature. Literary heroes against corruption Images of swindlers in classical Russian literature
Methodical development on the topic: Entrepreneur in Russian classics
“The teacher deals with human material, with the youngest and most receptive. Fiction- this is the richest panorama of types of people ... ”I think that we must always remember this and keep up with the times, otherwise we will not achieve the results that we expect when preparing for the lessons.
For obvious reasons, during the years of Soviet power, the writer's attitude towards "hucksters" could not change - for most of the Soviet decades, free enterprise was banned. And, perhaps largely thanks to the Russian classics (and, of course, to individual representatives of the current entrepreneurial class), the majority of Russian citizens still believe that businessmen “have nothing sacred”. And the image of a decent Russian entrepreneur is still waiting for its new classic.
Literature:
Zepalova T.S. Literature lessons and theater \ M. "Enlightenment" 2002
Ways of analyzing a literary work \ A guide for teachers. Edited by B.F. Egorova \ M. "Education" 2001
Literature Lesson \ Teacher's Guide \ M. "Enlightenment" 2003
Fogelson I.A. Literature teaches \ 10 grade Book for students \
M. "Education" 1990
A radical fight against corruption has begun in Russia. The statement seems super modern, but it was first made in 1845, during the reign of Nicholas I. Since then, the fight against bribery, embezzlement and covetousness has only intensified, and Russian literature has acquired plot after plot.
Here, my wife, - said a man's voice, - how they get to the ranks, and what have come to me, that I serve blamelessly ... By decrees, it was ordered to reward for respectable service. But the king favors, but the huntsman does not favor. So that's our Mr. Treasurer; already another time, on his submission, I was sent to the criminal chamber (they put me on trial - "Money")…
Do you know why he doesn't love you? For the fact that you are exchanged (the fee charged when exchanging or exchanging one money for another. - "Money") you take from everyone, but you don't share with him.
The hero of Radishchev's Travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow, written in the 1780s, who overheard this conversation, learns in the morning that the jury and his wife spent the night in the same hut.
“And what came to me, that I serve blamelessly ...” - Alexander Radishchev's “Travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow” was perceived by his contemporaries as a sentence to a regime based on bribery
The heroine of the work, dated 1813, who was in the chicken coop by the judge, was “expelled for bribes,” rushes from there at full speed, but tries to prove to Surk, who met on the road, that “she is in vain”. Marmot believes reluctantly, for "I often saw" that Fox's stigma is in the cannon. Krylov in "Fox and Surk" formulates "the moral of this fable" as follows:
“Someone sighs like that at the place,
As if the last ruble survives.
... And you look, little by little,
Either he builds a house, then he buys a village. "
And finally, the 1820s. Father's feeble estate was taken away by a rich tyrant neighbor. Without any legal basis, but the court takes bribes and decides in favor of the strong and the rich. The father is dying of grief. The son, deprived of his fortune, is sent to the robbers. Robbing and killing people. Remember the school curriculum? How many were killed, Pushkin does not report, he only writes that when the Dubrovsky gang was surrounded by 150 soldiers, the robbers fired back and won. Corruption gives rise to a whole chain of troubles.
Lev Lurie in the book “Petersburgers. Russian capitalism. The first attempt "states that bribes were taken everywhere in Nicholas Russia, and embezzlement became a habit:" The chief manager of communications, Count Kleinmichel, stole money intended to order furniture for the burnt-out Winter Palace. The director of the office of the Committee for the Wounded, Politkovsky, in front of and with the participation of senior dignitaries, spent all the money of his committee. Petty Senate officials all over the place built stone houses for themselves in the capital, and for a bribe they were ready both to acquit the murderer and to put an innocent to hard labor. But the champions in corruption were the quartermasters, who were responsible for supplying the army with food and uniforms. As a result, during the first 25 years of the reign of Nicholas I, 40% of the soldiers of the Russian army - more than a million people - died from diseases (while the War Ministry shamelessly lied to the emperor, which improved the soldiers' satisfaction nine times).
They all steal!
In Gogol's "Inspector General", written in 1836, all officials steal and take bribes. The mayor "saws" the budget: "... if they ask why a church was not built at a charitable institution, for which a sum was allocated a year ago, then do not forget to say that it began to be built, but burned down ... foolishly say that it never started. " And besides, he put a tribute on the merchants. “There has never been such a mayor... He mends such insults that it is impossible to describe ... What follows on the dress of his wife and daughter - we do not stand against it. No, you see, all this is not enough for him ... he comes to the shop and, whatever gets in, takes everything. The cloth sees the piece, says: "Eh, dear, this is a good cloth: take it to me" ... And in the piece there will be at most fifty arshins ... that ... the inmate will not eat, but he will put a whole handful there. His name days happen to Anton, and it seems that you will apply everything, you do not need anything; no, give him some more: he says, and Onufriy is his name day, ”the merchants complain to Khlestakov.
The mayor's version: the merchants are cheating, because the "kickback" is fair: on a contract with the treasury, they "inflate" it by 100 thousand, supplying rotten cloth, and then donate 20 yards. The "justification" for bribery is his "lack of wealth" ("the government salary is not even enough for tea and sugar") and the modest amount of bribes ("if there were any bribes, then just a little: something to the table for a couple of dresses" ).
All the officials and merchants of the small town where Khlestakov turned up, bribe him under the guise of borrowing money. The mayor is the first to manage: “Well, thank God! took the money. Things seem to be going smoothly now. I screwed him instead of two hundred and four hundred ”. As a result, an impressive sum is collected: “This is from the judge three hundred; this is from the postmaster three hundred, six hundred, seven hundred, eight hundred ... What a greasy piece of paper! Eight hundred, nine hundred ... Wow! Over a thousand has passed ... ”After this counting, the mayor gives more, and his daughter favors a Persian carpet, so that it would be more convenient for the hero to go further. Only the landowners Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky are diligently trying to dodge bribes; these two had only 65 rubles for a loan. Maybe because they had nothing to blame?
Honest official
In Alexander Pushkin's story "Dubrovsky", corruption in court gives rise to a whole chain of troubles
33 years pass, and the image of an honest official appears in Russian literature. This is Aleksashka Ryzhov, a quarter of the district town of Soligalich, Kostroma province - the hero of Leskov's story "Odnodum" from the cycle "The Righteous." "The state salary for this fourth position in the state was supposed to be only ten rubles in bank notes a month, that is, about two rubles eighty-five kopecks according to the current account." (We are talking about more ancient times - Ryzhov was born under Catherine II.) The quarterly place, although not very high, “was, however, quite profitable, if only the person occupying it knew how to pull off a log of firewood, a couple of beetroot or a head of cabbage. " But the quarter behaves strangely by local standards and is considered "damaged".
His task is to “observe the correct weight and measure, full and shaken” at the bazaar where his mother sold pies, but he put his mother in a bad place and rejected the offerings of the “cabbage women” who came to bow. Ryzhov does not come with congratulations to the eminent townspeople - because he has nothing to wear, although at the former quarter they saw "a uniform with a collar, and retuza, and boots with a tassel." He buried his mother modestly, he did not even order a prayer. He did not accept gifts either from the mayor - two sacks of potatoes, nor from the protopopitsa - two shirt-fronts of his own handicraft. The authorities are trying to marry him, because "from a married man ... even if he hangs a rope, he will endure everything, because he will lead the chicks, and he will regret the woman too." Aleksashka marries, but does not change: when his wife took salt for a tub of milk mushrooms from the farmer, he beat his wife, and gave the mushrooms to the farmer.
Once a new governor visits the city and asks local officials about Ryzhov, who is now “and. O. mayor ": is he moderate about bribes? The mayor reports that he lives only on his salary. According to the governor, "there is no such person in all of Russia." At a meeting with the mayor himself, Ryzhov does not flatter, he even dares. To the remark that he has “very strange actions,” he replies: “it seems strange to everyone, which is not typical for himself,” he admits that he does not respect the authorities, because they are “lazy, greedy and crooked before the throne,” says that he does not afraid of arrest: "In the prison they eat their satiety." And in addition, he invites the governor to learn how to live on 10 rubles. per month. The governor is impressed by this, and he not only does not punish Ryzhov, but also accomplishes the impossible: through his efforts Ryzhov is awarded “the Vladimir cross, the first Vladimir cross granted to the quarter”, which gives the nobility.
From bribery to covetousness
A radical fight against corruption at the level of laws in the Russian Empire began in the later reign of Nicholas I with the introduction in 1845 of the “Code of Criminal and Correctional Punishments.
Receiving remuneration for action without violating the "duty of service" was considered bribery, with violations - covetousness, which was distinguished by three types: illegal extortion under the guise of state taxes, bribes from petitioners and extortion. The latter was considered the most difficult. A bribe could not be taken either through relatives or friends. It was even a crime to agree to accept a bribe until the very fact of the transfer. It could be considered a bribe to receive a benefit in a veiled form - in the form of a card loss or the purchase of goods at a reduced price. Officials could not conclude any deals with persons who took contracts from the department where they serve.
The punishment for bribery was relatively mild: a pecuniary penalty with or without removal from office. The extortionist could be sent to prison for a period of five to six years, deprived of all "special rights and advantages", that is, honorary titles, nobility, ranks, insignia, the right to enter the service, enroll in the guild, etc. In the presence of aggravating circumstances The extortionist was threatened with hard labor from six to eight years and deprivation of all rights and wealth. The legislation demanded that when imposing punishment on a covetous person, ranks and previous merits should not be taken into account.
There was little sense in packing. So, according to the data cited by Lurie, in the 1840-1850s, tax farmers (who won the competition for monopoly trade in vodka in taverns throughout the province) spent an average of 20 thousand rubles a year on bribing provincial officials, while the governor's annual salary in those days ranged from 3 to 6 thousand. " small town delivered in the form of bribes up to 800 buckets of vodka to the mayor, private bailiffs and district supervisors (local police), ”writes Lurie.
During the reign of Nicholas I, the champions in corruption were quartermasters who were responsible for supplying the army with food and uniforms.
There is also literary evidence that practically nothing has changed since the publication of the code. In Pisemsky's novel People of the Forties, published in 1869, bribery is confronted the main character Pavel Vikhrov is a young landowner who was exiled to serve "in one of the provinces" for his free-thinking writings. Vikhrov discovers that corruption permeates all relationships between subjects and the state. His first job is to catch and pacify the schismatic priests. He goes to a remote village together with the "solicitor of state property." Vikhrov would be glad not to find traces of the fact that the priests did not pray according to the Orthodox rite, because he considers the persecution on the basis of religion to be wrong, but he has a witness. He, however, also did not mind drawing up a paper on the absence of violations: he ripped off 10 rubles from the main "seducer of peasants into a split". gold for himself and the same amount for Vikhrov, but since he does not take bribes, he kept everything for himself. The next case - “about the murder of his wife by the peasant Ermolaev” - is called by the secretary of the district court “about the suddenly deceased wife of the peasant Ermolaev”, because there is no evidence of the murder. Exhumation of the body by Vikhrov shows that the "deceased" has fractured skull and chest, one ear is half torn off, lungs and heart are damaged. The police chief, who was conducting the investigation, did not notice any signs of violent death: he bought Ermolaev off for 1000 rubles. a rich man, for whom he undertook to serve in the army. When Vikhrov goes on another case, the peasants collect 100 rubles for a bribe. Vikhrov not only does not take them, but also requires a receipt that he did not take them. It will be useful to him, because an honest person is inconvenient - they will try to make him a bribe-taker. It is clear from the context that these events take place in 1848, that is, after the adoption of the code.
The mysterious hand feeding city and district doctors is a bribe, "Nikolai Leskov wrote in the article" A few words about police doctors in Russia
Almost documentary evidence that all categories of bribe-takers had side incomes, so to speak, strongly overlapped the main ones - Leskov's article "A few words about police doctors in Russia" in 1860. In it, the author assures that the official annual income of a doctor is 200 rubles, but "the mysterious hand feeding city and district doctors is a bribe," and "neither trade, nor industry, across the state, is supposed to flourish." In a city with 75 thousand inhabitants, two city doctors have seven items of permanent income: “1) 4 living bazaars, 40 lockers each, 3 rubles each. from the locker - only 480 rubles. silver 2) 6 confectionery shops, 50 rubles each. from each - 300 rubles. 3) 40 bakeries, 10 rubles each. from each - 400 rubles. 4) Two fairs indiscriminately 2000 rubles. 5) 300 food and beverage outlets and grape wines, 10 rubles each ... - 3000 rubles. silver. 6) 60 butcher shops, 25 rubles each. from each, - 1500 rubles. and 7) ... the total income from all women who turned their lewdness into a craft ... about 5,000 rubles. silver a year. Thus, the entire current annual levy will be equal to 12,680 rubles. silver ... and after the deduction of 20 percent in favor of influential persons of the medical and civilian part ... will amount to a net income of 9510 rubles, that is, 4255 rubles each. on a brother. These incomes come only for non-interference ... all emergency bribes ... also make up a significant figure ... Such incomes are: acts of examinations, which constitute a sensitive article in a country where there are many holidays spent in drunkenness and fights, forensic autopsies, bringing in stale and suspicious products, cattle driving and, finally, recruitment kits, when these happen to the tears of mankind and to the joy of city and district doctors ... "
"The mysterious hand feeding city and district doctors is a bribe," Nikolai Leskov wrote in his article "A few words about police doctors in Russia."
In Leskov's story "Laughter and Grief", published in 1871, the action takes place in the 1860s: the main character lives on redemption certificates - interest-bearing securities issued during the 1861 reform. They find a forbidden text - "Duma" by Ryleev, and the hero faces arrest. An obsessive acquaintance undertakes to smear it off: “… would you like me to get you a certificate that you are in the second half of your pregnancy? ... They took forty rubles from my brother at the dressing station in the Crimea so that he could be credited with a shell shock on his full pension when he was not even bitten by a mosquito ... talk nonsense ... Agree? ... Do you agree to give one hundred rubles too? " The hero is ready for three hundred, but that is impossible: it will "spoil" the prices in St. Petersburg, where for three hundred "they will be married to their own mother and they will give you a document in that."
As a result, the hero finds himself in his native province, where he is included in the life of the zemstvo. One of the projects is to build a school in every village. It is a noble cause, but they want to build at the expense of the peasants and with their hands, but now they cannot be forced into bondage, and the peasants themselves do not understand the benefits of teaching. Things are going hard. And then it turns out that there is one administrator in the province, who is all right. He, "an honest and incorruptible person", "took bribes with schools." “The society complains about the landlord or neighbors,” and before delving into the matter, he asks to build a school and then come. Bribery is perceived as the norm, the men humbly "give a bribe", and he has "literally built up the entire area with schools."
It seemed that if the bribe was destroyed ... then suddenly rivers of milk and honey would flow, and the truth would be added to them in addition
In real life, 5-6% of officials fell under investigation, however, cases came to accusations very rarely, and the highest ranks were even under investigation in isolated cases. Apparently, Saltykov-Shchedrin sarcastically over this in his satirical sketches of Pompadours and Pompadours (1863-1874): “It is known that at the end of the fifties a very strong persecution was set up against bribe-takers. At that time, the concept of "bribery" was associated with the idea of some kind of ulcer that allegedly eats away at the Russian bureaucracy and serves as a considerable hindrance to the people's success. It seemed that if the bribe was destroyed ... then suddenly rivers of milk and honey would flow, and the truth would be added to them in addition. " The result of the "persecution", however, was the opposite: society "from a penny bribe directly goes to the thousandth, ten-thousandth", the boundaries of the bribe "got completely different outlines," she "finally died, and a" kush "was born in its place." According to Saltykov-Shchedrin, a corrupt official is convenient for the authorities: "for the sake of being able to steal an extra penny," the bribe-taker "is ready to get along with any kind of internal policy, to believe in any God."
Railway bribe
According to Lurie, in the second half of the 19th century, when railways are being actively built in Russia, obtaining concessions for this construction becomes the most bribe-intensive. “Each contractor had a secret or obvious high-ranking shareholder lobbying in the Winter Palace for the interests of his“ confidant ”. For the Bashmakov brothers, this is the Minister of the Interior, Count Valuev and the Empress's brother, the Duke of Hesse, for Derviz and Mecca, the Minister of the Court, Count Adlerberg, for Efimovich, the sovereign's favorite Princess Dolgorukaya. And although the proposed cost of a mile of railway track, the elaboration of the project, the experience of the engineer and contractors were formally evaluated at the competitions, in fact there was a competition of influential patrons. "
The most high-ranking nobles do not disdain to bribery. The Grand Duke Nikolai Nikolaevich turns to the chief of the gendarmes, Count Shuvalov, with a request to arrange so that at the hearings in the Cabinet of Ministers a certain railway concession will go to a certain person. When asked why his Highness wants to deal with such matters, the prince replies: “... If the committee speaks in favor of my proteges, then I will receive 200 thousand rubles; is it possible to neglect such a sum, when I even get into a loop from debts. "
Judging by the story of Garin-Mikhailovsky "Engineers", which takes place during the Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878, and half a century later the intendants remained corrupt. For the protagonist, railway engineer Kartashev, who works on the construction of a railway in Bendery, "the most unpleasant ... was the relationship with the commissariat." His uncle explains that the quartermasters need to “feed and water as much as they want” and give them “kickbacks”: “for each cart, for the corresponding number of days, they will give you a receipt, and in their favor they keep two rubles from each cart ... If you have a receipt for, say, ten thousand rubles, you will sign that you received ten, and you will receive eight. " After all, if "they give a good price, you can separate two rubles, but if you don't separate it, the whole thing will perish."
Other bribe-takers are also not particularly shy: one engineer in front of Kartashev bribes the police, explaining: “He said that we will build a road, that the police will receive from us, that we will pay him twenty-five rubles a month, and for special incidents separately ... "This is not enough for a policeman:" And when you take reference prices, how will it be considered - especially? " I had to disappoint him: "Reference prices are available only from military engineers and in the water and highway departments."
Raiders of the 19th century
At the end of the 19th century, concessions for the construction of railways brought many millions of rubles to bribe-takers and covetous people.
Photo: Universal Images Group / DIOMEDIA
Corruption was also used for raiding. Mamin-Sibiryak’s novel “Privalovskie Millions” of 1883 tells about the schemes of seizing business in the middle of the last century using the “administrative resource”. After the death of his wife, Alexander Privalov, a wealthy Ural gold miner, the owner of the Shatrovsky factories, went on a spree and married the prima donna of the gypsy choir, who did not remain faithful to him for long, and, being exposed, killed her husband. Privalov's son Sergei - the main character - was only eight at that time. The gypsy woman married her lover, who became the guardian of the young heirs. For five years, he "dumped the last capital that remained after Privalov" and "almost started up all the factories under the hammer." But a family friend and an honest industrialist Bakharev vigorously intercepts for the young heirs, and the guardian "is forced to confine himself to pledging a non-existent metal into the bank": "First, a black blank was put in, then the first redistribution of it and, finally, the final processed high-quality iron." This clever combination gave a whole million, but soon the story was revealed, the organizer of the scam was put on trial.
The debts of the swindler-guardian are transferred to the inheritance of the ward, and the factories are transferred to the state guardianship. The business is profitable, but the swindler-manager "in one year slapped a new million-dollar debt on the factories." When the adult Sergei Privalov begins to deal with the factories, these two debts with interest already amount to about four million. The first and most important condition for a successful raider takeover is secured - the asset is overlaid with debts.
For some time, the factories are managed by Bakharev, they begin to bring in up to 400 thousand rubles. annual income, and then everything goes the same way: at the helm of Polovodov is a manager who thinks only of his own pocket. According to his report, the "dividend" is only 70 thousand, and even these figures are overstated. From them it is necessary to exclude 20 thousand for the sale of metal left after Bakharev, 15 thousand zemstvo tax, which Polovodov did not even think to pay. In total, only 35 thousand remain. Further, Polovodov, as an attorney, is due 5% of the net income: this will amount to three and a half thousand, and he took as many as ten.
A memorandum is being drawn up to the governor, the authors of which "did not spare paints to describe the exploits of Polovodov." At first, the governor turns things abruptly, and Polovodov is dismissed. There is a hope of bringing him to criminal responsibility for fraud, but the victory does not last long: soon Polovodov was reinstated in his powers again, and the governor received Privalov rather dryly: “some skillful clerical hand has already managed to put the case in its own way”. It is worth heroic efforts to once again convince the governor of the need to take measures to protect the interests of the heirs of the factories. "Two-week troubles for all kinds of clerical ordeals" lead to another removal of Polovodov from office, but he manages to take out a large sum from the factories: "he has three hundred thousand naked in his pocket ..."
“In a small town, up to 800 buckets of vodka were delivered in the form of bribes to the mayor, private bailiffs and district overseers,” writes Lev Lurie in the book “Petersburgers. Russian capitalism. First try"
The situation with the payment of debts is aggravated, but everything would be fixable if the owner himself had managed the Shatrovsky factories, because there was no point in stealing from himself. This, however, is not allowed. The factories are still formally under state protection, and the state, by its sole decision, puts them up for competition and sells them to cover the debt. They were bought by “some company”, “the factories went at the price of government debt, and it seems to the heirs of compensation, it seems, forty thousand ...” “The company acquired the factories with payment in installments for thirty-seven years, that is, a little more than nothing. It seems that this whole company is a figurehead serving as a cover for a clever bureaucratic swindle. "
And all this despite the fact that during the reign of Alexander II (1855-1881), the anti-corruption policy was tightened. They began to publish data on the state of the property of officials, and it included the property registered with the wife. The prohibition to hold public office extended to the children of noble officials convicted of corruption. Further more. Under Alexander III (1881-1894), new bans were introduced for officials that corresponded to the spirit of the times: on membership in the boards of private joint-stock companies, on receiving a commission by the official himself when placing a state loan, etc. The fight against corruption continued ...
At the festival "The Family Considers" * in Perm, economists, philologists, bankers, social activists and ordinary citizens discussed the models of financial behavior of the heroes of their beloved literary works... Experts recommended the Ranevskys' family from "The Cherry Orchard" to declare the deal to sell the garden invalid, and found that money is one of the plot frames in Russian literature.
We are publishing the transcript of the literary and financial blitz "Where did the Buratinha soldo and other adventures of financial rogues and the slut of Russian literature go?" The event took place on May 12 as part of the "Family Counts" festival of financial literacy at the Center for Urban Culture.
Discussion participants:
Svetlana Makovetskaya, discussion moderator, director of the GRANI center, economist
Anna Moiseva, Ph.D. in Philology, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Russian Literature, Perm State National Research University
Pyotr Sitnik, financier, lecturer at HSE Perm
Irina Orlova, banker, lecturer at HSE Perm,
Valentin Shalamov, banker
Maria Gorbach, writer, social activist
Entry and legacy of Eugene Onegin
Svetlana Makovetskaya: We have all studied Russian classical literature and on occasion try to show ourselves, if not people who are strongly immersed, then well versed in this area. I think that an appeal to literary experience will allow us to talk about what the expected financial behavior of the characters, who are almost relatives to us, looks like and what would have changed in their lives if they had acted differently. Let's discuss those works where there are clearly stories of financial success or tragedy, where financial decisions were made in the interests of the family or led to the collapse of a whole family.
First of all, AS "Eugene Onegin" comes to my mind. Pushkin. Everyone remembers the quote: “His father lived on debt. Gave three balls annually. And he skipped at last. " Let me remind you that Eugene himself refuses inheritance, then complex constructions follow in the text of the work about what Eugene knows about the "natural product" and other economic categories, unlike papa. It is the rejection of the inheritance that makes Eugene come to an equally rich, dying uncle, after which the main plot of the work unfolds. Probably, if Onegin had not renounced his father's inheritance, then everything would have turned out differently. By the way, philologist Yuri Lotman, in his commentary on Eugene Onegin, drew attention to the fact that Russian nobles were constantly in debt. Likewise, Eugene's father regularly mortgaged and re-mortgaged the land. As a result, everything went to pieces and the land went to the creditors, not Eugene.
Experts (from left to right): Anna Moiseva - philologist, Maria Gorbach - social activist and former teacher of literature, Valentin Shalamov - banker, Pyotr Sitnik - fundamental financier, discuss the financial behavior of favorite literary characters.
Indians of capitalism
Pyotr Sitnik:“The Cherry Orchard” by A.P. immediately comes to my mind. Chekhov, about whom, by the way, I learned in detail in the lessons of economic history, and not literature, as an example of rent-seeking behavior. But I want to tell you not about him, but about the Americans of "One-Story America" Ilf and Petrov. In general, if you want to understand economics, then read either "Dunno on the Moon" by N. Nosov (school level), or "One-story America" (university level).
I would like to draw your attention to the history of one Indian tribe from "One-Story America", which lived by its culture in the country of victorious capitalism. However, globalization overtakes them when one of the tribesmen organizes trade. He travels to the nearest town, buys goods there and resells it on the spot. Everything is going well until one of the American townspeople is horrified that the Indian is trading at no extra charge. When an American asks an Indian about the motives of such disinterestedness, he gets in response: “But this is not work! Hunting is work. " That is, the Indian traded only so that the tribe had goods that were not in the village.
If you want to understand economics, then read either "Dunno on the Moon" by N. Nosov (school level), or "One-story America" (university level)
But what happened if the Indian turned his business into commerce? We know the answer from the example of tribes that nevertheless took this path. In the United States, for example, the Seattle Indians were allowed by the government to establish casinos on their territory, which became their main source of income. Some of these tribes even managed to preserve their culture, but in a somewhat decorative version (for tourists). And where there is no casino yet, there is also an authentic Indian culture.
About Balda and wide circle obligations of Russian workers
Maria Gorbach: I have always perceived literature as a selection of cases, and I told the children that it is not at all necessary to experience everything by personal experience, you can just look at the books. Preparing for the discussion, I also chose the work of A.S. Pushkin's "The Tale of the Priest and His Worker Balda". This work is about how to conclude a contract with a wide range of responsibilities and not pay an employee for it.
It is noteworthy that the priest is in collusion with the priest, who initially sympathized with Balda in every possible way, in this Pushkin reveals female deceit... After all, it is the priest who advises to entrust Balda with such work, which he definitely cannot cope with (ask the rent from the lake devils). However, to everyone's surprise, including the devils themselves, Balda copes with this task!
“The Tale of the Priest and His Worker Balda”. This work is about how to conclude a contract with a wide range of responsibilities and not pay an employee under it.
Which contract said that Balda should collect quitrent from some devils? But, nevertheless, he is given such an assignment, and he takes on its execution as easily and cheerfully as for all the previous ones. Obviously, Balda perceives any task as an opportunity for self-realization, expanding his own space and competencies. In this case, the devils also fell like the last "suckers".
Moderator: Continuous non-economic coercion turns out!
Maria Gorbach: Yes! Balda, excuse me, takes everyone to "show-off", shows himself to be a brilliant communicator, collects rent from the devils and only after that begins to demand payment for his labor.
A response from the audience: Typical reservoir behavior.
Maria Gorbach: Please note that in this whole story there is no money at all. And when hiring an employee, there is no question of either a contract or wages. As a result, Balda goes to work for the well-known, exclusively Russian: "for food"! To put oneself to work, but not to stipulate the conditions of work - this is very our way.
As a result, if the priest did not come up with different schemes of how not to pay Balda, but behaved honestly and decently, then perhaps he would have survived. But, I repeat, it is noteworthy that throughout the entire work there is always talk about business relations and never about money. And what is also important for me here is how easily people take on responsibilities that are not inherent to them. I am sure that everyone does this in our country, so we are all Baldy to one degree or another.
Opposition of two strategies: playing by the rules and breaking them in "Humiliated and Insulted"
Valentin Shalamov: I would like to propose for discussion the best and, in my opinion, the most profound work of F.M. Dostoevsky - "Humiliated and Insulted". There are many financial situations here, although they are not described in detail, but the very nerve of such problems is well shown. The parties and their interests are noted. The situation is considered when one person can manipulate anyone: the son, the bride, the bride's parents, the ex-wife and her father, using the harshest and dirtiest methods. At the same time, the person himself remains pure in the eyes of others.
It is interesting to compare the values of the world of Protestantism (Calvinism) and the world of the Russian on the example of the confrontation between the Englishman Jeremiah Smith and Prince Valkovsky (one of the main characters and the main villain). The novel begins with the death of Jeremiah, which was the result of this confrontation. In my opinion, if Jeremiah Smith carried out what we now call a counterparty's due diligence, preserved financial documents, and also adhered to a risk distribution strategy (and not invested everything in Valkovsky's enterprise), then the tragedy could have been avoided.
Moderator: Did you specifically emphasize that Jeremiah Smith is an Englishman, that is, you should have expected more competent behavior from him?
Valentin Shalamov: On the contrary, Smith is a Protestant. He was sure: if you behave in good faith in relation to the partner, which he did, then in return one should expect the same attitude from the potential counterparty.
Moderator: The classic confrontation between a person who is used to playing by the rules and the one who breaks them.
Vronsky or Levin?
Irina Orlova: I want to say thank you for the two evenings that I spent rereading my favorite novel "Anna Karenina" by L.N. Tolstoy to prepare for the discussion. We are used to looking at this work from the point of view of the nature of the relationship between man and woman, mother and child, etc. Now I have studied it from the point of view of the financial behavior of the two main characters: Vronsky and Levin.
By the way Vronsky sold Dolly's timber, one can agree with the statement above that the Russian nobility did not consider it shameful for themselves to live up to their ears in debt. Moreover, debts were passed down from generation to generation.
In Vronsky's character, the discrepancy between expenses and income is most clearly manifested. The opposite of him is Levin, who never borrowed money and always lived within his means, and on the whole was much more careful in business than Vronsky.
Anna Moiseeva: But, on the other hand, if Vronsky were different, then, probably, Anna Karenina did not choose him.
From "Little Growth" to "Dead Souls"
Anna Moiseva: It was difficult for me to stop at any one work, so I will do something like a review and try to prove that the topic of finance is very important for Russian literature, starting from the 18th century (from the moment the secular literature of the European type was formed in Russia).
The plot of the very first work in this series - "The Minors" by D.I. Fonvizina is completely built around the financial issue, namely, the marrying of the dunce Mitrofanushka to the dowry Sofya, who suddenly becomes the heiress of an annual income of 15 thousand rubles. There is also a wonderful image of Uncle Starodum, who earned money for his niece in Siberia in an honest way. You can remember his wonderful words: "Rich is not the one who counts the money, but the one who counts the extra money in order to help others."
A.S. Pushkin, "The Covetous Knight" and "The Queen of Spades" are directly related to the theme of money. If everything is more or less clear with the "Knight", then I would like to dwell on the "Queen of Spades" in more detail. It is worth noting that Herman is far from being a poor person, although we are used to considering him a poor thing who cannot fulfill himself. Let me remind you that he was betting 47 thousand rubles - quite decent money for that time. He just wants everything at once.
N.V. Gogol in Dead Souls describes ready-made fraudulent schemes
N.V. In Dead Souls, Gogol describes ready-made fraudulent schemes that Chichikov carried out, as well as a number of images representing different models of the financial behavior of landowners. There is a wasteful Manilov, who cannot treat his guest with decent food, but is ready to build a gazebo in the garden for his sake. The accumulator Sobakevich tries to collect as much as possible from everyone, even on the deal with Chichikov, he tries to cash in, although he understands its dubious purity. A box that stupidly and stupidly saves up, and spends everything on pitiful rags. Nozdryov, ready to spend the last on his whims (a puppy, a barrel organ with one melody, etc.). Plyushkin combines both a craving for accumulation and thoughtless spending. The way he manages the household is complete suicide! Having an excellent economy at first, he ends up walking around the house in an old dressing gown, holding wine with flies, and in his pockets there are only dried crackers. All these are examples of how you should not behave in terms of money-grubbing or wastefulness.
It is impossible to underestimate the influence of money on the fate of the heroes of F.M. Dostoevsky. Raskolnikov, like Herman from " The Queen of Spades”Is also aimed at getting everything at once. Which leads him to a tragedy, although Raskolnikov wanted to direct his capital to lofty goals: to spend it not on himself, but on the needs of his loved ones.
Thus, the topic of money is very significant in Russian literature. Perhaps this is why we do not notice it because it is found almost everywhere, but always in conjunction with the problems of human relationships, although this financial spring often determines the development of the plot of works, the fate of the heroes. In the case of the same "Crime and Punishment", if Raskolnikov had not desired everything at once, the novel would not have worked out, and the pawnbroker died a quiet and calm death and all fates would have been intact.
About the love of money
Pyotr Sitnik: I would like to continue the idea that money and relationships are always somewhere nearby. In general, finance is money itself and relationships about it. Following this logic, it is necessary to remember that finances and the way a person perceives them, values or despises them are inseparable things.
A response from the audience: Here I would like to return to the title of the discussion topic. Perhaps it is no coincidence that it is in Alexei Tolstoy's interpretation of a foreign work that we meet a completely different attitude to money. After all, Buratino sincerely loves his Soldos, I cannot remember a single one Russian works, where the love of money on the part of the hero would be just as light and direct.
In Russia, money has always been, first of all, an attribute of status and power. They are not valuable in themselves.
A response from the audience: Because in Russia money has always been, first of all, an attribute of status and power. They are not valuable in themselves.
Moderator: Having money with us means that it needs to be forgiven or guarded in a special way.
Maria Gorbach: Optimistic about money, in my opinion, wrote A.N. Ostrovsky.
Anna Moiseva: Prince Bolkonsky (father of Andrei Bolkonsky) from L.N. Tolstoy. As everyone remembers, he had a hard time finding time to meet with his son before he went to war.
A response from the audience: In the same "War and Peace" there is an example of financially illiterate behavior of a whole family. I mean the Rostovs, where each family member only aggravated the situation, not wanting to change their own habits. Which ultimately led to the financial ruin of this lovely couple.
Svetlana Makovetskaya, Director of the GRANI Center, discussion moderator Results. Ranevsky Council
Moderator: Let's take the textbook "The Cherry Orchard" and think about what you can financially change the characters for a successful ending of the work?
Anna Moiseva: There is an article on this topic by Elena Chirkova, a wonderful teacher at the Higher School of Economics. She notes that Ranevskaya had several options. First, do not sell the entire estate, but only a plot with a house or lease out some part of the estate. Secondly, to follow Firs's advice and try to establish a cherry trade. But Mrs. Ranevskaya, again, wanted everything at once. Here she receives a letter from Paris, and she prefers 90 thousand one-time income instead of smaller, but annual payments.
Moderator: It seems to me that Ranevskaya is also a person who, in principle, cannot make decisions, so everything happens as if by itself, weak-willed and almost accidentally.
Irina Orlova: It was also possible to recognize the sale of the Ranevsky estate as invalid.
Valentin Shalamov: In general, a rich woman and a young gigolo is a plot that is reproduced in our literature at different periods.
Moderator: Let's summarize. We found out that money is sometimes a rigid plot frame in classical works, but we are not aware of this, probably due to a shy attitude towards money. They noted the feeling that Russians do not treat money with respect and, perhaps, that is why we do not get it. Successful or losing models of financial behavior may be inherent in the whole family, not just one person, and the unwillingness of family members to change leads to the collapse of the entire family.
* The Family Considers project is being implemented by the GRANI Center jointly with the Federal Ministry of Finance and the World Bank in five cities of the Perm Territory: Perm, Kudymkar, Kungur, Lysva and Okhansk. The goal of the project is to increase financial literacy and awareness of families in the field of financial services, master the skills of obtaining safe and high-quality financial services, and form “positive” models of household activities in local communities in the implementation and protection of the rights of consumers of financial services.
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The topic of money in Russian literature
Introduction
It seems to me that this particular topic is relevant now and has not lost its novelty. Wherever you look, money is everywhere. AND modern literature is definitely no exception. But how is this burning topic viewed and presented? Money is shown mainly as a means of satisfying needs, in almost every book you can read a hymn to wealth. And not a word, not a half-word about the moral side of the issue.
Isn't this the ideological "engine" of literature? Therefore, I came up with the idea to consider and compare what the writers of the past centuries thought, said and wrote about the problem of enrichment. The object of the research is the works of Russian writers and the aspect in which they view money, how often they mention how important they consider the problem of enrichment in the life of society, the influence of money on the souls of people.
Purpose of the study: to show the relevance of this topic at the moment, to draw attention to the perspective in which the problems of money were considered by writers of different centuries. To prove that money was, in a sense, public freedom, power, an opportunity to live and love, and until now nothing has changed, and is unlikely to ever change. Every writer and poet sees, understands and depicts this problem in his own way.
But almost everyone agrees that money undoubtedly brings lack of spirituality into people's lives, disfigures, kills everything human, allows people to forget about morality, and contributes to the appearance of “dead souls”. Money gradually replaces everything for a person: conscience, honesty, decency. Why do we need these sublime feelings when everything can be bought? Paid - and you are a famous respected person.
Money (wealth) is one of the "eternal" literary themes. The question of the meaning of money and wealth has a long history. Already Aristotle (384-322 BC) in his "Rhetoric" considered wealth as a blessing: "In man himself there are spiritual and bodily blessings, - outside of him - noble birth, friends, wealth, honor ...". The idea of wealth as a good to which people aspire developed in Western European literature. For domestic literature, a different solution is typical, associated with that part of the Biblical texts, which speaks of the sinfulness of wealth, with the thought that "it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into the Kingdom of Heaven." These ideas develop in the lives of the saints, whose path to holiness often begins with giving up wealth and giving away their property to the poor.
In the Bible, the words gold, silver are constant epithets, precious metals symbolize wealth and beauty. Golden altars, incense burners, censers, vessels, lamps, etc. are often mentioned here. Precious metals are also a symbol of power, blind worship: Aaron constructs a golden calf from the gold jewelry donated for him (Exodus 32: 2-6). The image erected by King Nebuchadnezzar, who told the nations to worship him, was also made of gold (Dan. 3: 1-7).
Love for money, gold is the source of many human vices. This is envy (the parable of the winegrower and workers who grumbled because of unequal pay). Finally, this is the betrayal of Judas for 30 pieces of silver.
The theme of money is typical for many works of Russian literature, however, it is difficult to find a fictional essay devoted exclusively to the question of money. This implies some uncertainty about the role of the topic of money in artistic world... The naming of sums of money is not always perceived as an element of the artistic system. However, in many classical works, this topic plays a very significant role. Money, financial condition character - a characteristic of the sphere of action is no less important than an indication of time and place. The precisely named amounts that the characters have at their disposal largely determine their way of thinking and the logic of behavior. In the works of Russian classics, high ideals are affirmed, base interests are rejected and ridiculed. However, in the classical literature, a variety of judgments are reflected. For example, in “Brideless” by A.N. Ostrovsky's merchant Knurov, inviting Larissa to go with him to the fair in Paris, convinces: “Don't be ashamed, there will be no condemnation. There are boundaries beyond which condemnation does not cross; I can offer you such a tremendous content that the most evil critics of someone else's morality will have to shut up and open their mouths in surprise ”(d. 4, yavl. 8). In other words: there are no moral limits for big money.
Many works have been written on the topic of money, both foreign and domestic. The topic of money is especially widely disclosed in the works of Russian classics.
money fonvizin pushkin ostrovsky
1. The theme of money in DI Fonvizin's comedy "The Minor"
In folklore, ideas about the nature of wealth are peculiarly intertwined with the foundations of Christian doctrine. In Russian proverbs and sayings, the superiority of spiritual values is clearly expressed, there is a firm conviction that money is evil, that happy man maybe without money (money is not happiness; there is a lot of money, but little reason; money will lead the priest into the pit). Although, in some proverbs and sayings, the thought slips that without money anywhere (money is not God, but protects; money beats a mountain; money is a squabble, but without them it is bad). In the tales of rich and poor people, the conflict between wealth and poverty is always resolved in the same way. Wealth is a vice, a rich person always remains a fool, loses everything, while there is some ironic connotation. But the paradox lies in the fact that at the end of the tale the poor heroes receive, now half a kingdom, then suddenly "they will begin to live - to live, and to make good money." This inconsistency is explained by the ambiguous attitude of the people towards money and wealth.
The topic of money is also touched upon in the works of Russian writers. In DI Fonvizin's comedy "The Minor" the motive of money, Sophia's inheritance ("fifteen thousand annual income"), determines the main intrigue of the comedy. Prostakova, having taken Sophia's estate without permission, designates her as a bride for her brother. Having learned about the inheritance, she changes plans, which she did not consider it necessary to devote to Sophia, and wants to marry her son Mitrofanushka. Uncle and nephew begin to fight for a rich bride - literally, arranging fights, and figuratively - competing in demonstrating their "merits". A comic scene with teachers is associated with money, especially Tsyfirkin's puzzles. The comic effect of scenes with teachers is associated with the motive of money, especially Tsyfirkin's puzzles:
Tsyfirkin. Three of us found, for example, 300 rubles ... We got to the point of sharing. See why on your brother?
Prostakova. Found the money, don't share it with anyone ... Don't study this stupid science.
Tsyfirkin. For teaching you reward 10 rubles a year ... It would not be a sin to add 10 more. How much would it be?
Prostakova. I won't add a penny. No money - what to count? There is money - let's count it well without Pafnutich (d. 3, yavl. 7).
Here money is named in its specific, numerical expression (in the form of amounts: "three hundred rubles", "ten rubles") and in a generalizing sense ("there is money ... there is no money", "I will not add a penny", i.e. nothing I'm not giving it). Numbers, division, multiplication are the usual arithmetic operations. For the honest Tsyfirkin, who takes money only for service, arithmetic is the science of the fair division of money, for Prostakova, who is accustomed, by right of the strong, to decide everything in her favor, - about multiplication. The solution of simple problems by Mrs. Prostakova, her attitude to money, becomes a clear example of immorality.
Thus, the characters of the comedy are characterized through their attitude to money, it reflects their moral essence. If we continue this thought, it turns out that money is synonymous with certain character traits in comedy. "Selfishness", greedy for money Prostakov, Skotinin - low natures. "Yes, even if you read it for five years, you won't finish reading anything better than ten thousand ..." - says Skotinin (file 1, sluggish. 7); Prostakov, having learned about Sophia's money, "became affectionate to the very base" (d. 2, sluggish. 2).
Goodies have their own understanding of wealth and the role of money. As it follows in the classic play, in "The Minor" heroes with the speaking surnames Pravdin and Starodum utter educational truths about the benefits of virtue, about the moral nature of man, about the need to fulfill human and civic duty: "Have a heart, have a soul, and you will be a man in any time "(Starodum); "The direct dignity of man is the soul" (Pravdin, d. 3), etc. But here is the niece, she is the heiress, declares:
The pursuit of money by the greedy landowners Prostakov and Skotinin is the main intrigue of the comedy. The opposition of honest and unselfish Pravdin, Starodum and Milon to them determines the main conflict of the play. Starodum's aphorisms and maxims reflect the ideal of a just organization of private and public life, when "ranks", public recognition and respect ("nobility and respect") are conditioned by work and virtues. In an enlightened society, attempts to obtain money by dishonest means must be suppressed by the state, undeserved wealth is subject to universal condemnation. The very need to repeat these truths in the time of Fonvizin testifies to the discrepancy between the desired and the actual, that in life it was the opposite. This reveals the contours of the general conflict outlined in the play between what is and what should be. A conflict that does not find a definite solution in life.
2. The power of gold in the play by A. Pushkin "The Covetous Knight"
Let's move on to the play by A.S. Pushkin's "The Covetous Knight". It was not for nothing that Pushkin began to develop this theme in the late 1920s. In this era, and in Russia, bourgeois elements of everyday life more and more invaded the system of the feudal system, new characters of the bourgeois type were developed, and a greed for the acquisition and accumulation of money was brought up. "The Miserly Knight" was, in this sense, quite a modern play in the late 1920s. "
In Pushkin's play there are two usurers: the Jew, the lender of Albert, and the Baron himself. Here is the traditional idea of the "growth" of money, ie. about interest, like cheating a poor man. Money for the Baron is not gentlemen or servants, but sovereign symbols, "a crown and barmas", they are evidence of his royal dignity. "Obedient to me, my state is strong," he says to himself. The "state" of the Baron, however, is not a geographical concept, for it extends to the whole world. He conquered the world without leaving his home, not by force of arms or subtle diplomacy, but by completely different means, a different "technique" - a coin. She is the guarantor of his independence, his freedom, not only material, but also spiritual, in particular, moral.
The Baron's intoxication with gold, the proud consciousness of his own strength, power is usually interpreted as a figurative expression of potential strength. This interpretation follows from the parallel with the tsar, from the conventional "I just want to", which creates the impression of a compressed spring - if I want, they say, and with a wave of my hand "palaces will be erected," and so on. Everything is so, if you do not notice a certain comic effect, the fact that the Baron is somewhat ridiculous, like an old man playing with biceps. The Baron serves gold, money, coins. The Baron's Wealth embodies the idea of the power and power of gold. The core of the main conflict is rooted in the dual nature of wealth: it gives power, but it also enslaves.
As the well-known Soviet researcher wrote, in The Covetous Knight “... is no longer the problem of the father’s stinginess, but the much broader problem of gold as the sovereign master of life” gold as a social wealth ”,“ gold dominates in tragedy ”. The same researcher noted the influence of gold on the spiritual world and the human psyche: “The fact of possession of gold, being refracted in the mind of the old Baron, turns into the idea of individual strength and power of the owner of gold himself. The properties of gold are transferred to the personality of its owner. "
The author tries to comprehend the logic of the avaricious, the demonic power of money that feeds human pride, the illusory conviction that everything is subject to the rich. In his pride, the rich man forgets that only earthly judgment is subject to money, and they buy only human weaknesses. Rather, money generates or only provokes the manifestation of human weakness (greed), it brings evil. Greed entails madness and loss of wealth, human appearance, life. The baron slanders his son (in the first scene the reader learns that Albert has no criminal intentions), imagines himself to be omnipotent, "like a certain demon," and for this he is punished by sudden and inexplicable death.
Acquiring gold, power over others, a person no longer has power over himself, becomes stingy, which leads to self-destruction. Therefore, power over others is only an illusion, like the proud reflections of the Baron in the basement at the sight of his chests. Others understand this:
O! My father is not servants or friends
In them he sees, and masters; and serves them himself.
And how does it serve? Like an Algerian slave, Like a chain dog.
G. Gukovsky highlighted the theme of wealth in Pushkin's work: “He wrote a lot about gold and capital. This theme clearly haunted him, put forward before him at every step by pictures, new phenomena of the life of Russia. " For many characters of the tragedy, only gold is important, the life of the Baron, the owner of wealth, chests of gold, becomes a hindrance. Both Albert and the Jew are interested in the death of the avaricious knight, to whom the inherited treasures will flow sooner or later. In this sense, in the tragedy of Pushkin, all characters are selfish, all require money (including the innkeeper). Gold is important, not man. The judgment of a higher power was not long in coming. The Baron dies suddenly. He could have lived in the world for "ten, twenty and twenty-five and thirty years," as Solomon listed, calling the condition - if "God willing." Did not give. And so it happens, even before nightfall they will take the soul of the Baron, and the moral of the parable will explain to us why - "this is the case with those who collect treasure for themselves, and not grow rich in God."
3. The magic of money - gold in the works of N.V. Gogol
Among the popular ideas about gold (wealth) is Nikolai Gogol's story "The Evening on the Eve of Ivan Kupala". On the basis of Little Russian folklore, Gogol's story has developed one of the themes characteristic of the work of European romantics - the theme of selling the soul to the devil. At the instigation of Basavryuk, the “devilish man,” and the witch, Petrus must get a treasure, and in order to get a treasure, he must kill an innocent child. So in Gogol's story, gold is a sign of the most expensive, beautiful, desirable - a sign of power, wealth. "Fainted by the accursed devilry" Petrus received gold, for which he paid with his immortal and priceless soul. The motive of gold is directly related to the theme that worried Gogol and other writers in the first third of the 19th century: about the sinfulness of wealth, its "unclean" origin, the harmful effect on the human soul.
The money chest is a symbol of wealth that has an unrighteous, "unclean" origin. Gold requires sacrifice and renunciation. As already noted, the one who finds the treasure, who suddenly received wealth, always turns out to be the one who is most vulnerable, weak, cannot resist the devil's temptation. The desire to preserve and increase enormous wealth grows into mania and leads to a loss of reason. The chest of wealth even passes into the literature of realism, preserving the main features of its "mythological" origin: the ruinousness of wealth for its owner and those around him. True, it is not evil spirits that are destroying the rich man, but their own greed.
The story "Portrait" repeats many motives and elements of the plot scheme "Evenings on the Eve of Ivan Kupala": poverty, lack of fortune to marry his girlfriend; mental weakness of a young man; temptation in the form of "accidental" wealth; foreign usurer; treasure chests ("his iron chests are full of it without counting money, jewelry, diamonds and any pledges"); loss of reason and death of the protagonist: "in fits of terrible madness and rage" the lives of those who, in one way or another, come into contact with the dark forces of evil, are interrupted. In one story people are tempted by Basavryuk, "the devil in human form" or "devil man." In the other - an alien usurer, in whom a devilish presence is also felt: "No one doubted the presence of evil spirits in this person." About a dark complexion, with "unbearable burning eyes" a usurer, the artist "could not resist saying:" The devil, the perfect devil! "
Lack of money is the main prerequisite for the emergence of a comic situation in the comedy of N.V. Gogol's "The Inspector General". Each of the characters does not have enough money: Khlestakov - to go further (“If I hadn’t had a drink in Penza, it would have been money to get home,” no. 2). To the governor of state money for the construction of a church at a charitable institution, “for which a sum was allocated five years ago”; the merchant “built a bridge and painted a tree for twenty thousand, while there wasn’t even a hundred rubles” (the governor here “helped to cheat”). Even a non-commissioned officer's widow is busy because the money "would be very useful now" for her. Recall that the main sign of Khlestakov's belonging to the “higher spheres” of the bureaucracy was his free handling of money: “He! And he does not pay money, and does not go. Who would be if not him? " (d. 1). This "argument" encircles the comedy: in the first act, Bobchinsky and Dobchinsky make a statement, then in the finale the officials recall their words: "" I came and doesn’t make money! "... we found an important bird!" (d. 4). Accordingly, the actions of the characters are associated with money, although it is not the monetary interest that determines the main intrigue of the play.
The word "money", as well as the numerical expression of the amount of money in the comedy is used very often and has almost no synonyms (except for the word "amount"). But verbs denoting actions of characters with money are extremely rich in semantic shades. You can pay or not pay money, squander or restrain, profit, borrow and promise to give, give tips and donuts, ask, slip (give a bribe), screw up, play (win at cards). The arithmetic of the "innocently" greedy Khlestakov is comical, in his calculations he is the direct successor of Mrs. Prostakova: not 200, but 400, - I don’t want to take advantage of your mistake, - so, perhaps, now the same, so that it was exactly 800 (takes money) ... After all, they say, this is new happiness, when new pieces of paper ”( yavl. 16).
The situation is not so simple in the world of officials, where money is counted in hundreds and thousands. Whether or not money is used changes a lot. But since bribery is condemned by law, it is not so frankly committed. For example, officials are looking for a transparent excuse to hand over money to an “auditor”. The only problem is how to name the money for which the auditor is “bought”. Ridiculous and ridiculous from the point of view of common sense options create a comedic mood. In the third act, money is the main subject with which the heroes' manipulations are associated. Officials pass money to Khlestakov, sweating out of fear, dropping banknotes, shaking out coins from holes, etc. For them, the transfer of money is a material form of concluding certain relations. Both the giver and the taker pretend that money is only a manifestation of a good attitude, a sign of friendly disposition.
It is impossible not to mention such a work of Gogol as " Dead Souls"The portrayal of avarice in the poem is increasing at first as one of the weaknesses, character traits: coarse, like Sobakevich, or comical, like Korobochka, until it turns out to be an idea that completely enslaved a person, a way of life, like Plyushkin's. acquaintance with the landowners begins with Manilov, and ends with Plyushkin (Ch. 6.), researchers see a "special logic", each character plays a role in main theme poems. In this sense, the image of the "ordinary" Plyushkin is the culmination of the theme of greed in Dead Souls. His name remains in the memory of readers as a symbol of this vice. Avarice, greed, prudence to varying degrees are characteristic of almost all the main characters of the poem "Dead Souls". The author speaks with irony about the magic of not only gold, money, but also the words themselves that denote them: “Millionaire” - “in one sound of this word, past every money bag, there is something that affects both scoundrels and neither one nor the other, and good people, in a word, it affects everyone ”(Ch. 6). This word alone gives rise to "disposition to meanness."
The main character of the poem has a special kind of greed. From childhood, believing that “you can do everything and destroy everything in the world with a penny,” “this thing is more reliable than anything else in the world,” Chichikov becomes an acquirer. The desire to profit from everywhere, to save money, to underpay, to take over everything that comes into view, provokes lies and hypocrisy, "double" bookkeeping and morality for oneself and for others.
5. Marriage swindles as a means of enrichment in the comedies of A. N. Ostrovsky
Russian culture of the middle of the century is beginning to be attracted by the themes of marriage scams - plots that have spread in society due to the emergence of initiative people with character, ambitions, but no generic means for the embodiment of desires. The heroes of Ostrovsky and Pisemsky are not similar in their demands for peace, but they are united in the chosen means: in order to improve their financial situation, they do not stop at the irritating pangs of conscience, they fight for existence, compensating for the flawed social status with hypocrisy. The ethical side of the issue worries the authors only to the extent that all parties to the conflict are punished. There are no obvious casualties here; the money of one group of characters and the activity of the seeker of a "profitable place" in life, regardless of whether it is a marriage or a new service, are equally immoral. The plot of family and household commerce eliminates a hint of compassion for the victim, it simply cannot be where financial conflicts are resolved, and the results are equally satisfactory for everyone.
A. N. Ostrovsky immerses the reader in the exotic life of the merchant class, commenting on the themes of previous literature with the help of farce. In the play "Poverty is not a vice" the problem of fathers and children is completely mediated by monetary relations, the images of nobly unhappy brides are accompanied by frank conversations about the dowry ("Guilty without guilt"). Without much sentimentality and frankly, the characters discuss money problems, all kinds of matchmakers eagerly arrange weddings, seekers of rich hands walk around the living rooms, discuss trade and marriage deals.
Ostrovsky's first comedy "Our people - we will be numbered!" is devoted to the process of financial fraud - false, "malicious", bankruptcy (its original name is "Bankrupt"). The main idea of the merchant Bolshov is that, having borrowed money, transfer all his real estate ("house and shop") to the name of a "faithful" person, declare himself indigent, and return only twenty-five kopecks for each borrowed ruble (a quarter of the total debt, assigning the rest). Quick enrichment allegedly will not harm anyone: after all, the merchant has "creditors are all rich people, what can they do!" (d. 1., yavl. 10). This way of making money is illegal, but, as you know, it remains popular to this day.
All characters "work" and go to different tricks for the money, which is the main driving force behind all actions in the comedy. The solicitor "goes about" small matters and "sometimes does not bring home a half in silver". The matchmaker receives "where the gold is, where more will roll over - it is known what it costs, looking according to the strength of the opportunity" (d. 2, yavl. 6), referring to his "employers", calls them "silver", "pearl" , "Emerald", "yahontovaya", "brilliant", imparting tangibility and concreteness to the "precious" qualities of the merchant Bolshova and her daughter Lipochka.
All the characters in the comedy strive for money, constantly think about it, consider both their own and other people's income. Even the boy on the parcels, Tishka, is doing his own business, collecting everything that is bad: “Poltina in silver is now Lazar gave. In the finale of the comedy for a swindler-merchant, all salvation is in money: “You need money, Lazar, money. Nothing else to fix. Either money or Siberia. ”Money divides characters into those who serve and those who are served. In the first act, Bolshov “commands” and kooks, while Podkhalyuzin curses and asks, in the last act, on the contrary, Bolshov, having lost his fortune, asks “for Christ's sake” from Podkhalyuzin.
The desire for money in a comedy is characteristic not only of a rich merchant, but also of poor people (matchmaker, lawyer). Because of greed, they are ready for any dishonest actions. This feature of weak people is understood and used by Podkhalyuzin, promising each two thousand rubles, and the matchmaker and a sable fur coat in the bargain. The deceivers hope to get very big money not for their work, the low price of which they know, but for services of a dubious nature. In the end, both the one and the other receive payment of "one hundred rubles in silver", but they feel cheated. The desire to get a lot of money at once turns into disappointment and anger.
6. The element of money in the works of F.M. Dostoevsky
In the work of F. M. Dostoevsky "Crime and Punishment" all the heroes of the novel, one way or another, are covered by the element of money, and this element can be expressed in poverty or wealth: Raskolnikov and his family, his friend Razumikhin, the Marmeladovs are very poor - they suffer from hunger and cold, subject to petty passions, gambling, alcohol. But the landowner Svidrigailov is rich, but his vices are no less, and even more than the vices of the poor. Depravity and permissiveness lead him to suicide. And what about better life Luzhin, who wants to marry Raskolnikov's sister Duna, who "... more than anything in the world loved and appreciated ..., earned by labor and all kinds of means, his money: they equated him with everything that was higher than him ..."? Thus, Dostoevsky tries to emphasize the destructive power of money, equally killing a person's spirituality and pushing him onto the path of crime.
In the work itself, the word "money" is mentioned countless times in dialogues and descriptions. The author even gives a detailed description of the number of coins in Raskolnikov's pocket. Counting pennies and always depending on money, thinking about them is the main concern of the poor and disadvantaged. Each of the heroes, as well as real people, faces a dilemma: how to survive in a world of poverty and humiliation without sinning, without breaking one of the Commandments. The image of an old woman is this collective image of a usurer who profits from the grief of others. Everything in the old woman's life is ruled by money, and she has more than enough of it, in fact, she does not need it. But she takes even pitiful pennies from her half-sister.
The character of Raskolnikov is not unambiguous, as is his fate. Goodness and faith still glimmer in him, he is able to respond and help others, that at least for a moment we return hope to him. The power of money is destructive, but it is subjective and a person can fight it, having the will and desire for it.
“Yesterday I gave all the money you sent me ... to his wife ... for the funeral. Now a widow, a consumptive, pitiful woman ... three little orphans, hungry ... the house is empty ... and there is one more daughter ... Maybe you would have given it yourself, if you had seen ... I, however, I had no right, I confess, especially knowing how you yourself got this money. To help, you must first have the right to have such a thing ... ”. Raskolnikov himself constantly needs money. As soon as he receives a certain amount, he immediately distributes it. The text of the novel carefully describes each act of Raskolnikov's mercy. But it is precisely without money, and even a small specter of their power and destructive power, in hard labor in an atmosphere of hardship and suffering, Raskolnikov nevertheless repents and turns to eternal values that can heal his soul. He is helped by the love of Sonya, who, like him, escaped the element of money.
Leaving the power of money makes the main character free from his deceptive, inhuman theories. The meaning of his life is love, faith and honest work, thanks to which he may not become rich, but he can not die of hunger and live with his beloved woman.
The experiences of the heroes, the constant threat of true poverty hanging over them, create an atmosphere of tension and drama in the story "Poor People". The actions of the characters, in one way or another, are connected with money, they sell, buy, pay, receive, ask for a loan. Devushkin takes his salary in advance, unsuccessfully tries to borrow money, unexpectedly receives one hundred rubles from the general. Varvara sends Makar fifty kopecks, thirty kopecks in silver, Gorshkov asks "at least some dime," "at least ten kopecks"; Ratazyaev for his “creativity” “asks for seven thousand,” and so on. The feeling of hopelessness is caused by the experiences of the heroes associated with material losses: a new uniform is sold, an old coat is next, boots are torn, buttons are torn off, rubles and kopecks are passing from hand to hand. Every "hryvnia" matters.
Fleeing from the last poverty and nakedness, Varvara and Makar are parted despite their feelings. Poor people, almost beggars Makar and Varvara, having improved their financial affairs, at the end of the story remain "poor", that is, unhappy and wretched.
The main event of the play by A. Chekhov "The Cherry Orchard", around which the action is built, is the sale of the estate. “The cherry orchard will be on sale on 22 August. Think about it! .. Think! .. "- Lopakhin insists. The love line (Anya and Trofimov) is clearly on the periphery of the main action, barely outlined. Tension to the action is given by the auction, the auction - the forced sale of Ranevskaya's name day. The event seems catastrophic and incredible for its participants. From the very beginning of the play, the situation is said to be extremely difficult and unexpected. Anya tells Vary that Lyubov Andreevna already has nothing, “she has already sold her dacha ... there is nothing left. I don't have a penny left either. " The feeling of extreme poverty is whipped up: several times it is said that "people have nothing to eat." There is no question of the possibility of paying interest: “Where is there,” Varya hopelessly answers. Gaev says that in order to save the possession of funds, "essentially not a single one." This is actually a complete collapse of the surname.
The motive of small money - its eternal shortage, borrowing, winning, repaying debt, begging - sounds like a comic in every scene of the play - is present already at an early stage of the implementation of the idea. As well as the motive of lack of money. Bidding, interest, promissory note, loan, mortgage - all this is directly related to the main action and the main collision of the play.
Money in the play is a thing that unites the characters: money passes from hand to hand, it is borrowed, given, given, offered, received (like Petya for a translation). This is one of the main threads from which the canvas of comedy is woven. Money in the artistic world of the play "belittles" the characters, discredits each of them. Varya is avarice personified, its definition in economics logically completes the image. Gaev is infantile, "they say he ate all his fortune on candy", Ranevskaya's husband "made debts and died from champagne." Lopakhin, who counts and multiplies his fortune, will soon be a millionaire - he works with money, does not evoke sympathy, despite his loyalty to his mistress, or his wallet always open for her, or hard work, which he talks about in detail. Trofimov proudly refuses financial assistance, which Lopakhin kindly offers him: “Give me at least 200,000, I won't take it. like fluff that flies through the air. I can do without you, I can pass you, I am strong and proud. "
The play shows an interesting psychological phenomenon: the attractiveness of lightness, grace, beauty, generosity and, conversely, a repulsive impression that makes a heavy one; (responsible), calculating, rational attitude to life. Direct, soft, hardworking Lopakhin is unpleasant (annoyingly tactless). Ranevskaya, selfish, easily misappropriating other people's money (loans from Lopakhin, money of the "Yaroslavl grandmother"), abandoning loved ones to their fate, evokes sympathy, sympathy and even pity of those who, through her fault, were left without everything (Gaev, Varya, Anya, Firs ). We can say that the play shows the charm visible to the world and selfishness invisible to the world, bordering on cruelty.
7. Money is an illusion of reality in the stories of A. P. Chekhov
The theme of money in the stories of A. P. Chekhov not only contributes to the creation of the illusion of reality of what is happening: in the objective world of stories, all things have a “believable” price, the characters have a corresponding income. In many cases, the sum of money, which is directly or indirectly referred to (be it 200 rubles from the story "In a shelter for the sick and the elderly" or 75,000 in the story of the same name), turns out to be a measure of humiliation, moral decline, moral degradation.
The situations shown by Chekhov in the considered and many other stories of the 1880s are based on the multidirectional interests of the main characters. Moreover, if one side in its actions, hopes and expectations proceeds from considerations of family attachment, responsibility and family well-being, then the other is guided only by considerations of personal benefit. The moment of an unexpected collision of two different ways of thinking, the realization of commercialism in a specific action or word, constitutes the central event in the plot of the stories, their culmination. Chekhov's heroes try to benefit from everything, even from marital infidelity, as in the story "The Chief of the Station". The motive of money in Chekhov's stories plays a major role in creating a situation of embarrassment, disappointment and despair.
Conclusion
Money - this topic is relevant now and has not lost its novelty. Wherever you look, money is everywhere. And modern literature is certainly no exception. But how is this burning topic viewed and presented? Money is shown mainly as a means of satisfying needs, in almost every book you can read a hymn to wealth. And not a word, not a half-word about the moral side of the issue. Isn't this the ideological "engine" of literature? Every writer and poet sees, understands and depicts this problem in his own way. But almost everyone agrees that money undoubtedly brings lack of spirituality into people's lives, disfigures, kills everything human, allows people to forget about morality, and contributes to the appearance of “dead souls”. Money gradually replaces everything for a person: conscience, honesty, decency. Why do we need these sublime feelings when everything can be bought? Paid - and you are a famous respected person.
In my opinion, the test of money, power or fame can be put on a par with the test of love, friendship. After all, a person in such situations manifests himself very brightly, often something dormant in him is revealed until the "test" comes. And, unfortunately, only a few with honor go through trials, without destroying their souls, without staining their consciences. In the world, the idol of which the “golden calf” is the idol, the preservation of the human soul is perhaps one of the most important tasks. But how to solve this problem? Unfortunately, there is no answer to this question yet. So, summing up, I would like to note the important role of money in the society of past centuries, as well as the present century, which means that this topic occupies a special place. It is impossible to imagine life without money, which is proved in the works of not only the classics considered here, but also many other authors. Thus, I believe that the topic of money in literature, both past and present, given the peculiarities of the national character, is worth paying more attention to.
Bibliographic list
1. N. V. Gogol. Dead Souls. - M., 1985.
2. F. M. Dostoevsky. T. 5. Leningrad "SCIENCE"., 1989.
3.GI Romanova. The motive of money in Russian literature. "Flint": "Science" .- M., 2006.
4. Commentary on S. Bondi to "The Covetous Knight" in the book: A.S. Pushkin. Dramas (book for reading with commentary) .- M. 1985.
5. Dostoevsky F.M. Crime and Punishment. - M .: Eksmo, 2006.
6.A.S. Pushkin. Selected works. Detgiz. - M., 1959.
7. A. Ostrovsky. Dramaturgy. AST-OLYMPUS. - M., 1998.
8. A. I. Chekhov. Stories and stories. " Russian language". - M., 1980.
9. Tomashevsky BV Theory of literature. Poetics. M., 2000.
10. Belinsky V.G. Collected Op. T. 11.
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We remember charming literary swindlers, eloquent film heroes, liars and resourceful adventurers, and at the same time think about why we love them so much.
The entire experience of domestic culture asserts that deceivers and crooks are not held in high esteem in our country. The search for truth, morality, conscientiousness, openness and honesty - this is what we are taught from childhood on the example of classical literature and cinema. "A thief should sit in jail!" - Gleb Zheglov categorically declares, and no semitones and additional circumstances interest him. “The power is in truth,” Danila Bagrov is sure, and it would seem difficult to disagree with him. But at the same time, although we agree with their maxims, we by no means always admire only positive heroes, their courageous exploits and moral searches. Agree: without charming villains, handsome crooks, petty pranksters and other bad guys, life would be boring. It’s like chewing on unleavened bread with water at room temperature. With whom would our respectable and conscientious knights fight then, and how could we understand what is good and what is bad?
And in general - do rascals always carry evil? Or, on the contrary, with their flowery lies and virtuoso trickery, they in their own way fight against the vices of society? Let's try to answer all these questions.
The great combinator Ostap Bender
Who is the most important rogue, elegant schemer and great schemer in our culture? There can be no two opinions: of course, Ostap-Suleiman-Berta-Maria-Benderbey, invented by the writers Ilf and Petrov. Who is he? Even the most confident storyteller will get confused by answering this question. Literally, Bender is, of course, a swindler, “an ideological fighter for banknotes"And an expert in at least 400 ways of cheating.
How is such a figure capable of captivating, who has repeatedly violated the biblical commandment "do not steal"? And here lies the most interesting thing: an ordinary household liar and thief would hardly ever become hero No. 1, but our Ostap absolutely does not fit into the banal criminal framework, he is an extravagant and even creative nature. In addition, Bender is good-looking: a tall brunette, wearing a tight suit, a scarf and lacquered boots "with an orange suede top." He also has a "long noble nose."
As you know, an attractive appearance is half the success, and if you add to it courteous manners, eloquence and the ability to show off, then even the most fantastic scam will be perceived as something natural.
Ostap Bender lies as he breathes, and he is so organic in his lies that it is already unclear whether there is even a grain of truth in it. Were the father of our hero a Turkish citizen and his mother a countess? Was he born in Odessa? Was he Ukrainian, Jewish, or half Turk? Everyone is free to think out for himself. But one thing is clear: Bender's incredible stories captivate the audience like a good theatrical performance. At the same time, each of his machinations is unlike the other: either he reincarnated as an honored artist, a yogi and a brahmin, then he presented himself as the son of Lieutenant Schmidt and received material assistance for a fictitious relationship, then impersonated the leader of an organization called upon to overthrow Soviet power. Unfortunately, we will not be able to list all 400 "comparatively honest ways of taking away (taking away) money": how can a simple man in the street keep up with the swiftness of a great schemer. It remains only to admire his entrepreneurial spirit and masterly ability to make a performance out of any scam.
Why else do we love Ostap Bender? For incredible hedonism (with our penchant for suffering and reflection, such a character is worth its weight in gold), mental alertness and aphoristic capacity of utterances. “Nobody likes us, except for the criminal investigation department, which doesn't like us either”, “And your janitor is a pretty big vulgar man. How can you get drunk on a ruble like that? "- all these remarks entered the treasury of Russian humor.
By the way, one of the possible prototypes of our hero was Osip Shor, an employee of the Odessa Criminal Investigation Department (this is a paradox!) And also an ex-adventurer, a lover of adventure literature, a friend of Yuri Olesha and a dreamer. The most cherished desire of this outstanding personality there was a trip to sunny Rio de Janeiro, in fact, from here his fashionable image was formed: a light suit, a captain's cap and, of course, a scarf. (In any case, the movie Ostap looks like that.)
We cannot but love Bender also because his image was brought to life by wonderful and dissimilar artists: Sergei Yursky, Andrei Mironov, Archil Gomiashvili and many others. Each of us is free to choose our Ostap, and this versatility is one of the main secrets of the popularity of this truly iconic character.
The king of criminal Odessa - Benya Krik
Odessa is not a city for pessimists. She does not favor pale anemic decadents and dull silent recluses, but she willingly encourages nimble, adventurous and humorous people. Even if not entirely honest. Take, for example, Babel's Benya Krik, for which everyone in Odessa knows. (As, however, for his real prototype - "noble thief" Mishka Yaponchik.) What is Benya good at?
Firstly, he is a typical Odessa citizen, which means that no matter what phrase flew from his lips, it always turned out witty and apt. "Daddy, have a drink and a snack, don't let these nonsense bother you", "Mania, you are not at work,<...>more cold-blooded, Manya "," My brain, along with my hair, stood on end when I heard this news. " We love Benya because he never gets confused and will always win any verbal duel. Secondly, Crick is a dandy, wears a chocolate jacket, cream pants and crimson boots, and also knows the social situation, calling everyone "madam" and "monsieur." Thirdly, Benya, despite his criminal activities, has his own code of honor: for example, he does not rob the poor (but he masterfully strips the rich to the bone). He sends his future victim a polite letter asking them to put money under a barrel of rainwater. " In case of failure, how do you imagine it in recent times began to allow, a great disappointment awaits you in your family life ", - the King sarcastically adds. Fourthly, Krik is a lover of sensual pleasures and a beautiful life, he is full-blooded and not boring, and such heroes are interesting at all times. Remember the recent success of the modern TV series “The Life and Adventures of Mishka Yaponchik,” directed by Sergei Ginzburg. Spectators immediately fell in love with the elegant raider with a characteristic dialect and southern flavor, distracting from the endless conveyor belt of cinema sagas about corrupt officials and honest police officers scurrying against the background of the same type of new buildings. On the screen they drink and eat, walk along the azure sea, joke, dance, sing, celebrate weddings and go to funerals. And of course, some of the wealthy citizens are being cheated. Be that as it may, the tragic ending of Yaponchik's life (as, by the way, and Benny Crick's) evokes sympathy from the viewer, which means that this hero is rightfully considered one of the most beloved and charming swindlers in our culture.
Great literary rogues: Chichikov and Khlestakov
Gogol's "Inspector" has not left the stage for 180 years. The image of the braggart and liar Ivan Aleksandrovich Khlestakov created by the writer is not only not covered with dust, but every time it blooms depending on the director's interpretation and the general context of the era. Why is this character interesting? " Anyone, at least for a minute, if not for a few minutes, was or is being done by Khlestakov", - said Nikolai Vasilievich. And indeed, which of us at least once has not embellished reality, which of us has not tried to impress and glorify our own figure in the eyes of the public? That is why the final phrase of the play is so significant: “ Why are you laughing? You are laughing at yourself!”(In the theatrical version it was slightly altered). So the adventures of the protagonist and local officials give us the opportunity to look at ourselves from the outside. Satirically.
« Khlestakov's figure: airy; at any moment she is ready to blur"- wrote the Soviet critic Alexander Voronsky. And this elusiveness (sometimes announced in the county town, then suddenly disappears), and one hundred percent "getting used to" the image of a significant figure make the hero a typical rogue, a bright swindler and a pleasure lover who easily cheats dull-witted and servile officials.
“... According to my Petersburg physiognomy and costume, the whole city took me for the governor-general. And now I am living with the mayor, chewing, dragging recklessly after his wife and daughter.<...>They all lend me as much as they want. The originals are scary. Laughing you would die", - says Khlestakov.
And hardly anyone would risk accusing him of this deception, because intoxicated lies once again revealed the typical vices of our society.
Another Gogolian rogue, relevant at all times, is the hero of "Dead Souls" Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov. He is a dandy, always dressed up with a needle and "sprinkled with cologne", a lover of fast driving, easy money and, of course, a schemer who buys up information about dead peasants and passes them off as living. Local ladies, residents of the city of N, are fascinated by the secular manners of Pavel Ivanovich, call him a charmer and continuously find in him "a bunch of pleasantries and courtesies." And what about Chichikov? Our enterprising hero does not waste time in vain: he is an ace in deception. And who could have suspected such an educated person as a banal swindler? Of course not. The relevance of the image of this hero lies not in the fact that Dead Souls is an integral work of the school curriculum and theatrical repertoire, the fact is that it is truly universal for any era. For example, the same Bulgakov wrote a witty feuilleton "The Adventures of Chichikov", in which Pavel Ivanovich finds himself in Soviet reality, where instead of a chaise - a car, instead of a hotel - a hostel, and all around " dirt and filth was such that Gogol had no idea". So every time has its own rogue Chichikov - be it the 19th century, the years of perestroika, or the abrupt zero.
The matter is unclean: the cat Behemoth and Woland's retinue
In the novel "The Master and Margarita" Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov succeeded in unheard-of, namely, to take and shift all our moral accents and show that generally recognized evil can do good. Perhaps no one before him has described evil spirits and black magic so easily, ironically and witty. Here, for example, the cat Behemoth - although a demon, but at the same time a cute, charming and cheerful glutton who does not play pranks, does not bother anyone and fixes the primus. Does he scare? Rather no than yes (even though he infernally rips off the head of the same Bengalsky). And you obviously can't deny him the liveliness of his mind: “For some reason they always say“ you ”to cats, although not a single cat has ever drunk broodershaft with anyone!” “Would I allow myself to pour a lady of vodka? This is pure alcohol! "- says the Behemoth to Margarita at the ball at Woland.
Or remember Koroviev, the owner of a "mocking face" and "ironic and half-drunk eyes." How bright and caricatured the image looms! However, at the end of the novel, Koroviev leaves Moscow with the darkest face; as Woland explains, he was doomed to constantly joke about the unsuccessfully said pun about Light and Darkness and as a result "paid and closed his account."
But let's not go into philosophical subtleties, especially since many researchers consider this episode one of the strangest and most incomplete, something else is important for us. All this demonic company - ridiculous, absurd, extravagant - ends up in Soviet Moscow, not just to play dirty tricks and show off, exposing the ladies in a variety show, but in order to establish justice and punish those who have completely lost their conscience. Actually, that's why we love them.
Dodgers Grigory Gorin
Special mention is made of the charming adventurer from Western plots, transferred by the playwright and satirist Grigory Gorin to Russian soil. Take, for example, Baron Munchausen, whose deceitful tales are familiar to us from childhood. Who is this character? If literally, then the really existing German baron, literary by Rudolf Erich Raspe. He is a great inventor who claimed that a cherry tree once grew on a deer's head (Munchausen talked about all this in a tavern over a glass of hot punch and lighting a fragrant pipe). Meanwhile, screenwriter Grigory Gorin and director Mark Zakharov created their own character, different from the prototype and the original plot. No, the dreamer and the dreamer remained, and the cherry trees still bloomed magnificently on the deer's heads, but the accents shifted. Munchausen, whose image on the screen was embodied by the unsurpassed Oleg Yankovsky, was not just an inventor who met with Shakespeare and Newton: in fact, it turned out that this very hero opposed his extraordinary thoughts, ideas and dreams to a static society, which was deceitful and hypocritical. And the main dreamer, meanwhile, turned out to be the most truthful and courageous of all, and besides, not so much a comic as a tragic character. In fact, he embodies not a rogue, but a real artist himself, who is so non-standard and lonely that he does not fit into the conventions of society with its false values and is not perceived even by close people. That is why Munchausen's final remark sounds somewhat sad: “ I understand what your trouble is: you are too serious! A clever face is not yet a sign of intelligence, gentlemen. All the stupid things on earth are done with this expression. You smile, gentlemen! Smile! "
Another brilliant adventurer and at the same time a mystic who managed to inherit in Russia is the Italian Count Cagliostro from the film "Formula of Love" by Mark Zakharov, filmed according to a script by Grigory Gorin. Of course, he is a skillful swindler, illusionist and businessman, who at the same time himself says: “ Everyone deceives everyone, only they do it too primitively. I alone have turned deception into a great art". And after all, Cagliostro is really talented, witty and ironic (which is the phrase: “ I was warned that staying in Russia has a bad effect on fragile minds."). Thanks to the talented tandem of the director and screenwriter, the controversial figure of the count invariably evokes positive emotions in most of us.
Afterword
The stories of ironic rogues, charming and extraordinary fraudsters captivate our imagination. Because their lies are not always destructive and evil, and besides, they are not boring, insipid and often look more interesting and deeper (and here's a paradox - more honest) than many saints who repeat about their decency. And such heroes not only entertain us and make us laugh, but also offer to look at the situation more broadly, to overestimate something in ourselves and those around us. That is why we can only join the classic, exclaiming: "Smile, gentlemen, smile!"
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