What is the meaning of the life of the regulars of the salon. Critical portrayal of the military bureaucratic environment in the novel War and Peace

The attitude of the writer to secular society

The critical attitude towards the high society in the novel "War and Peace" by Tolstoy is manifested throughout the novel. In his book, the writer tries to display a broad picture of the life of Russian society. On the pages of the work, we meet with representatives of different classes. Skillfully using the details of the portrait, speech characteristics, describing actions, Leo Tolstoy expresses his attitude towards his heroes. We understand that the author has his own preferences.

Some characters are clearly sympathetic and dear to him, while others cause condemnation. The unloved heroes of the writer include representatives of high society. Reading the novel, we observe these people in Anna Pavlovna's salon, in the Kuragins' house, in Helen's living room, at Kutuzov's headquarters. And everywhere we see the same false masks, we hear false speeches, we become witnesses of dishonorable acts.

Fashion Salon Sherer

In this essay on the topic “High society in the novel“ War and Peace ”we will dwell in more detail on some representatives of secular society. The reader's acquaintance with the world of the chosen takes place at the beginning of the novel. The reader finds himself among the guests of Anna Pavlovna Sherer. The insincerity of the behavior of the hostess immediately catches the eye. Most of all, she is concerned about the observance of external decorum. She shuffles people like a deck of cards, making circles for conversation and strictly observing that a sincere feeling does not inadvertently break out, no one raises her voice, does not show excessive free-thinking. Pierre's emotionality and sincere immediacy do not fit into this realm of lies and pretense. The smart and insightful Prince Andrei Bolkonsky feels superfluous at this celebration of life. For the rest, the Scherer house is a comfortable place where you can show off your beauty and, pretending to be smart, show yourself like Helen Bezukhova. Try to find patrons for my son, like Anna Mikhailovna. Find suitable brides for your sons, like Prince Kuragin.

In the house of the dying Count Bezukhov

A soulless selfish atmosphere reigns in the house of the dying Count Bezukhov. We see what is happening through the eyes of the naive Pierre. The young man does not understand what caused the increased attention to his modest person, what worries his relatives, which causes scandals and even fights near his father's deathbed. Surrounding little worried about the state of the count. It is important for them not to miss the chance to snatch a piece from a rich inheritance.

Captured by the greedy count

We observe the behavior of familiar faces in the apartment of Vasily Kuragin. Prince Vasily does not let go of Pierre, who has suddenly become a rich heir, from his tenacious hands. He is not interested in questions of morality and morality. Marrying Pierre to his daughter is the ultimate dream of a greedy nature. It does not matter that the young man is not going to propose, that there is no sincere feeling between the bride and groom. The main thing is to drive a simple-minded person into a trap, taking advantage of his honesty and nobility. Helen Kuragina, with her vicious nature, is similar to her father. She easily manages to fool Pierre and make his life miserable. “Where you are, there is depravity, evil,” Pierre, who has begun to see clearly, says to his wife. For the sake of money, these people are ready to transgress any laws of morality. In a difficult wartime for Russia, in this society there were “the same exits, balls, the same French theater, the same interests of service and intrigue ...”

Serving in the army

Even war does not change the habits of these gentlemen. Such concepts as patriotism, honor, courage do not find a response in the souls of staff officers. They mock the unfortunate General Mack, whose defeated army was Russia's ally. They think about awards and ranks, forgetting to convey important orders. Because of the irresponsibility and cowardice of such officers, soldiers are dying, truly honest and courageous fighters are suffering. Anatole Kuragin has no idea about the place of his service. Dolokhov, using a small wound, is trying to return the privileges. Boris Drubetskoy is ready to use Nikolai Rostov's letter of recommendation for his promotion. Petty Berg is busy buying a "chiffonier and toilet" for Vera, while the enemy is at the walls of Moscow. Personal interests of intrigue, a career become their main goal.

True nobles

But the high society is not limited to the listed heroes of the novel. Against their background, the images of honest and noble representatives of the nobility stand out brighter. It is no coincidence that Prince Andrei during Patriotic War refuses to serve at the headquarters. He dislikes the struggle of his colleagues for a warm and well-fed place. He goes where real life boils and his experience and knowledge will be useful. The father of the young prince is sick with his soul for Russia no less than his son. The last words before death are addressed to the Fatherland. “The soul hurts,” says the old man. Harmless and funny Pierre plans to kill Napoleon. Natasha Rostova parted with her property without regret, helping wounded soldiers to get out of Moscow. Marya Bolkonskaya does not allow the thought of remaining under the power of the enemy and, having barely buried her father, sets off on a long and dangerous journey for the girl. Sixteen-year-old Petya dies heroically in battle. Without uttering lofty words, Nikolai Rostov risks his life on the battlefields. Destroys the French in the rear, creating a partisan detachment, Vasily Denisov. All of them are also people of high society, accustomed to luxury and wealth. Only these heroes, not in words, but in deeds, love their Motherland and are ready to sacrifice everything for its salvation from the invaders. It is these nobles who, according to the author, are the hope and support of the Russian state.

The first thing that catches your eye when you read a novel is the complete destruction by the writer of any authority of secular society. Before us is the family of Prince Vasily Kuragin with his sons: Ippolit, Anatole and daughter Helen. Prince Vasily Kuragin is a representative of the ruling elite. The main goal of the prince's actions is personal gain. He said to himself: "Here, Pierre is rich, I must lure him into marrying his daughter ..." If a person could be useful to the prince, he approached him, spoke courtesies to him, flattered him.

According to L.N. Tolstoy, Prince Vasily was constantly attracted to people stronger and richer than him. So, the purpose of his stay at the evening at Anna Pavlovna Sherer; there was an intention to arrange the son of Hippolytus as the first secretary in Vienna. When it was not possible to steal the will of Count Bezukhov, Kyaz Vasily, taking advantage of Pierre's impracticality and his inexperience, marries him to his daughter. Prince Vasily enjoys the respect of society, which fully characterizes him. Ippolit, the eldest son of the prince, is a fool. But this does not prevent him from "pursuing a diplomatic career." After all, he is rich and noble! The youngest son of Prince Vasily, Anatole, is a limited, depraved "good fellow", whose selfishness manifests itself in an attempt to kidnap Natasha Rostov. Worthy of her father and the daughter of the prince - Helen, a stupid, cunning and depraved woman. “Where you are, there is debauchery, evil,” Pierre tells her.

We see how L.N. The fat lifestyle of high society ladies, who are exclusively engaged in toilets, gossip and gossip, together with the author we laugh at groups of men, each of which consists of "necessary, fools" who, having surrounded "indispensable envoys with an extremely intelligent look, listen to political speeches, of course, incomprehensible them". Salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer L.N. Tolstoy compares it with a spinning workshop, in which "spindles from different sides evenly and without ceasing, rustled." From the first picture of the evening reception, one feels that the life of the salon's regulars is filled only with external gloss, all life goes out in this soulless atmosphere. Anna Pavlovna watches Pierre with fear: is he speaking too loudly, laughing. And when Pierre manages to strike up a conversation with the abbot, Anna Pavlovna is terribly worried.

Under the external brilliance of high society, either empty phrase-mongering, or feigned interest, or intrigues, calculations, falsehood and hypocrisy always reign in Scherer's salon. Petty intrigues, which are an integral part of the life of a secular society, only complement the whole gallery of its shortcomings and testify to the unprecedented low level of morality of these people. They do not even have love for the motherland. On their part, we observe only the pseudo-patriotism they flaunt. We see these people in such a difficult time as the period of the war with Napoleon. And these people, with amazing hypocrisy, were engaged in the fact that they "plucked lint for the good of the fatherland." That's all their "love" for the fatherland. Hypocritical posters calling "to stand up for the defense of the fatherland" once again prove how contemptuously the existing, but not living secular salons treat their people, their heroic Motherland. But such are people who themselves are not involved in the conduct of the war.

However, no less disgusting picture is presented by people belonging to the highest society and using war as a means of profit! Let us recall Berg, who, not noticing the horrors of war, is looking for a "mahogany chiffonier". Berg is not excited by the tragedy of the battle of Austerlitz - he benefited for himself: he received an award. He managed to "distinguish himself" in the Finnish war, raising a fragment of a grenade, which killed the adjutant. But it was from the living rooms of the world that the "golden youth" came to the active army for ranks and orders, replenishing the ranks of the "drones". They are not alone. There were a lot of such "bergs" and "zherkovy" among the staff officers, they flooded the army and weakened it.

But are those representatives of the military nobility better than them, who chose the military field in order to satisfy their career desires? They go to war as "to catch happiness and ranks." They are not interested in the fate of the Motherland and the outcome of the war. Such as Drubetskoy, Zhirkov, Berg, Nesvitsky and many other "heroes" are deaf to the call of Russia. They are not characterized by even short-term mental impulses. How unclean their conscience before the Motherland! Their life at the front is devoid of the worthlessness of secular life, they are not heroes of secular intrigues, they challenge no one to a duel and kill no one, but we regard their animal existence, their formal presence on the battlefield, their monstrous despotism as an incomparably more serious crime.

But let's get back to brilliant St. Petersburg. Of course, he cannot be compared with Borodin: the whirlwinds of secular gossip and intrigue are in full swing, but no one remembers those who go to their death for the sake of preserving the worthless life of the world, for the sake of preserving court tinsel. Some "advanced" members of secular society, trying to diversify the life of the court nobility, introduce innovations that no one needs: "secret Masonic organizations" appear.

Realism L.N. Tolstoy satirically ridicules "important religious Freemasons", stigmatizes such a pastime. What can be said about organizations if Tsar Alexander II himself was the head of the Masonic Lodge? The image of Pierre Bezukhov, who, at first carried away by the ideas of the Masons, but then realizing their failure, leaves the organization.

L.N. Tolstoy calls on people to lead a different way of life, to strive to be useful to society, and not to leave real life in the nebula of empty dreams. With this appeal, the author poses the most urgent problem of contemporary society. L.N. Tolstoy, as a realist writer, tearing off "any and all masks" from "existents", calls on progressive people to break with court remnants, to keep pace with the age, to have a clear goal in front of them. So Pierre Bezukhov, whose mental quest has undergone great and difficult changes, becomes a fighter for a better life. At the end of the novel, he is already, as we assume, a member of one of the secret societies. He is firmly convinced that the advanced people of his time should be with them. And indeed it is.

According to the content of the novel, it is felt that if Prince Andrei Volkonsky were alive, then his place, the place of a real patriot fighter who gave his wonderful life for the liberation of his native land, would be on Senate Square, along with the Decembrists. The action of the novel, the search for the meaning of life by the best representatives of the nobility reveal new topic in the work of L..N. Tolstoy - the theme of Decembrism, a theme set by real life.

The great merit of L.N. Tolstoy lies in the fact that he, like no one else, was able to show the growth of an advanced person of his era, his thoughts, feelings, experiences. L.N. Tolstoy and his brilliant works will live forever in the hearts of people.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

educational institution

"Gomel State University named after Francysk Skaryna"

Faculty of Philology

Department of Russian World Literature

The image of a secular salon in Russian

literature of the early 19th century

Course work

Executor

student of RF-21 group

Yu.S. Kondratenko

scientific adviser

Ph.D. PhD, Associate Professor N. Usoltseva

Gomel 2013

Introduction

Signs and features of Russian salon culture. Features of the Russian secular salon

1 Salon E.M. Khitrovo

2 Salon M.Yu. Vielgorsky

3 Salon Z.I. Volkonskaya

4 Salon V.F. Odoevsky

The image of a secular salon in Russian literature of the early 19th century

1 Salon A.P. Scherer in "War and Peace" L.N. Tolstoy

2 Secular salon in the short story by A. S. Pushkin "Egyptian Nights"

3 Society in the work of V.F. Odoevsky "Princess Mimi"

4 Society in M.Yu. Lermontov "Princess Ligovskaya"

Conclusion

abstract

Coursework 33 pages, 23 sources.

Key words: salon, society, light.

Object of study: secular salons of the early 19th century.

Subject of study: the originality of the salon culture of the early 19th century

Research method: cultural-historical.

The purpose of the course work: to explore the signs and features of Russian salon culture in Russia in the early 19th century.

This goal can be achieved through the implementation of the following tasks:

) to analyze the originality of the cultural salons of E.M. Khitrovo, M.Yu. Vielgorsky, Z.I. Volkonskaya, V.F. Odoevsky, E.P. Rastopchina;

) to reveal the specifics of the image of a secular salon in Russian literature of the early 19th century on the basis of the works of A.S. Pushkin "Egyptian Nights", V.F. Odoevsky "Princess Mimi", M.Yu. Lermontov "Princess Ligovskaya", salon A.P. Scherer "War and Peace".

Conclusions: secular salon literature

The literary salons of Moscow in the 1830s and 1840s concentrated their forces mainly in the two main progressive trends in social thought of that time - Westernism and Slavophilism.

Salons are one of the favorite forms of pastime, both for Russian nobles and other classes, and their constant visit is an belonging to a good society.

Suggestions: The materials of the course work can be used to prepare for practical exercises on the course "History of Russian literature of the 19th century", in school practice.

Introduction

The development of Russian culture in the 19th century is complex and multifaceted. It is during this period that it is experiencing a stage of powerful growth, which is due to a number of reasons: the influence of the ideas of the Enlightenment, the events of the Patriotic War of 1812, the Decembrist uprising, the development of the economy, the fall of serfdom, the deployment of the liberation movement, etc. No less important are the internal factors in the development of culture, which determine the logic of its progressive movement. However, salons in Russia did not appear on their own, but due to close relations with France as early as the middle of the 18th century: “The aristocratic salons of Europe, primarily French, significantly influenced the traditions of Moscow and St. Petersburg salon meetings.” Analyzing the modern literature devoted to this research topic, one should note the works of Yu. M. Lotman, which touch upon the issues of salon culture, which he considers as an expression of the life and traditions of the Russian nobility. This circumstance is recognized by almost all researchers.

In his famous work “Culture and Explosion”, Yuri Mikhailovich Lotman pointed to the salons of the nobility in Russia in the first half of the 19th century as “a peculiar phenomenon, oriented towards the Parisian salon of the pre-revolutionary era and, at the same time, significantly different from it.” However, neither the history of this influence of the French salon culture, nor its mechanisms and manifestations have become the subject of a special study in Russian literature.

A decisive role in the formation of salon culture was played by women of noble families of the Russian nobility. Russian noblewomen in the 19th century were in approximately the same position as the French women of the 18th century. Starting from the 17th century, as Yuri Mikhailovich Lotman wrote about a noblewoman, “exclusivity from the world of service did not deprive her of significance. On the contrary, the role of women in the life of the nobility and culture is becoming more and more noticeable. Of particular importance in this sense was the so-called secular life, and more specifically, the phenomenon of the salon, including the literary one. Russian society followed the French models, according to which secular life realized itself, primarily through the salons. “Going out into the world” meant “going to salons,” noted the famous French historian of everyday life Anna Martin-Fougière. A secular person was called one “who lives in society and knows the norms accepted there”, that is, he owns what was called the special word “sociality” - “secular courtesy, the ability to behave, behave in a well-mannered, educated society”. In Russia at the beginning of the 19th century, as in France in the 18th - first half of the 19th centuries, there were salons that differed greatly in their content: courtly, luxuriously secular, more intimate, almost family, and those where dancing, cards, social chatter reigned, and also literary-musical, philosophical and intellectual, reminiscent of university seminars. Historian A. Martin-Fugier claims that in each salon there were all three areas of conversation - political, literary and artistic, however, each salon had its own specifics, which most often depended on the personal preferences of its mistress.

Actually, the origin of salon culture in Russia can be attributed to XVIII century, but its heyday, of course, falls on the first half of the XIX century. Salon culture had a huge impact on the development of almost all types of art of that time, a number of philosophical trends (for example, on Slavophilism), as well as on the growth of political consciousness.

At the end of the 18th - beginning of the 19th century, all Russian culture, and first of all, the culture of high society, was under the strong and comprehensive influence of France. An important role in the spread of French fashions, ideas and tastes in the world was played by a special era in the history of Europe that lasted more than half a century, called the “century of Louis the Fourteenth”. Relying on experienced and intelligent advisers, on personal qualities and talents, as well as with the assistance of favorable circumstances, he raised France to "such a height of economic and mental development and political power that she became the foremost European power."

Naturally, along with French customs, tastes and fashion, the French language also spread in Europe. In Russia, he acquired the status of the language of noble salons. Lively French speech was heard from all secular salons. The language was also used for intra-family, everyday communication, in aristocratic circles.

Life and culture are almost opposite phenomena and they can hardly be correlated. Dealing with this issue, Yu.M. Lotman wrote: “We notice the features of someone else’s life, but our own life is elusive for us - we tend to consider it “just life”, a natural norm of practical life. So, everyday life is always in the sphere of practice, it is the world of things first of all. In addition, life is about customs, traditions and etiquette. They are realized, like the daily behavior of people, mainly with the help of language. Basically, it is through everyday life that one culture penetrates another massively.

Thus, the Russian noble salon was a complex form of cultural and artistic life of noble Russia in the first half of the 19th century, in which serious, deep interests are combined with entertainment, personal and public, and various types of activity are meant.

The study of salon culture, as well as the nobility in general, began in the middle of the 19th century. During this period, a number of articles and books appeared devoted to individual representatives of the noble intelligentsia, the owners of the salons, and a little later, several works appeared on the history of technical education in Russia, in which you can find information about the place and role of humanitarian education and elements of salon noble culture in the programs of universities.

It should be noted that in recent years a lot of works have appeared, wholly or partly devoted to individual representatives of the Russian noble intelligentsia, including those who directly organized the salons. The authors of these works seek to reveal the specific features of a particular salon through the personal characteristics of its owner (hostess), showing the relationship between the individuality of the salon organizer and the activities of the latter. In his work, I.A. Smirnova divides secular salons into two types: “large evenings where common acquaintances gathered for pleasant secular conversations, superficial conversations, and sometimes gossip, and those where, in a close circle of real friends, literary problems, new works that came out of press, political issues were touched upon.

Eminence, refined arrogance in circulation is also a characteristic feature of the salons. If the salon culture of the province is more common people, then the similar culture of St. Petersburg is quite standard in manners and etiquette. The observed role differentiation of guests in the salon itself could brand a person for a long time as a “provincial”, “jester”, etc., i.e. led to his humiliating assessment, from which he could not get rid of throughout his life.

The purpose of this work is to study the signs and features of Russian salon culture in Russia at the beginning of the 19th century.

Research objectives:

) to study the history of the origin of secular salon culture;

) to identify the features of the Russian secular salon;

) to analyze the originality of the cultural salons of E.M. Khitrovo, M.Yu. Vielgorsky, Z.I. Volkonskaya, V.F. Odoevsky;

) to reveal the specifics of the image of a secular salon in Russian literature of the early 19th century on the basis of the works of A.S. Pushkin "Egyptian Nights", V.F. Odoevsky "Princess Mimi", M.Yu. Lermontov "Princess Ligovskaya", salon A.P. Scherer "War and Peace" L.N. Tolstoy.

Features of the Russian secular salon in Russia at the beginning of the 19th century

Among the most attractive features of the salon is intimacy. The salon as a chamber form of communication has a number of advantages over traditional forms of organizing cultural and educational activities. It is multifunctional. It can create a psychologically comfortable atmosphere that contributes to the disclosure of the creative potential of the individual. The revival of the salons presents ample opportunities for the formation of the spiritual elite of society, prepared for the audience. At present, there is a need to revise the attitude towards salon culture.

Among the essential features of the salon, the following features can be distinguished: a special venue - a private house of a person of the highest circle (or a person who enjoys special respect), which created an atmosphere of intimacy, comfort and at the same time went beyond the ordinary, setting up for high intellectual communication. Literally everything was used to create such an atmosphere: a special decor of the room, cozy furniture, art objects, etc.

It should be emphasized as a specific feature of this culture and the special role of the owner (hostess) of the salon. As a rule, these were highly intelligent, erudite people, with a developed artistic taste, impeccable manners, and hospitable hosts. It was they who determined the topics of conversations, invited guests - in a word, they did everything to make it interesting in the salon. The composition of the guests is also important. It was a chosen society, striving for spiritual communion, loving art, philosophy (the word "chosenness" here more emphasizes not social belonging to a higher circle, but a special aesthetic predisposition to high art).

It is impossible not to note such an essential feature of the salon culture as classes, that is, what they did in the salons. Of course, this is, first of all, intellectual communication (discussion of topics of art, philosophy, politics). Since the audience was sufficiently prepared, the judgments expressed by the guests and the host were very competent and professional. Writers, artists, poets, musicians, composers sought to perform their works in the salons in order to receive a competent assessment. And if the salon audience warmly welcomed the performed work, then it was possible to go out to the general public in the future.

Finally, another essential feature of the salon is the rules of etiquette and communication used (they could be more or less strict in different types of salons). The composition of the guests is also important: it was a chosen society, striving for spiritual communion, loving art and philosophy. It should be emphasized that not all of the nobility, but only its most educated part, was involved in salon culture. At the same time, salon culture itself served the processes of social and cultural identification of the nobility. This feature is a characteristic feature of the Russian salon culture, hence its special role in broadcasting certain patterns of behavior, and even a way of thinking.

Thus, the Russian salons of the 18th and early 19th centuries can be generally characterized as noble in their social composition. However, even then they could be divided into aristocratic and more democratic. As a rule, a democratic salon was oriented towards professionals - a professional artist, musician or writer. Sometimes such a division looked conditional (for example, in the house of Prince V.F. Odoevsky there were two salons - democratic and aristocratic).

Thus, I would like to emphasize that a significant layer of its cultural heritage is associated with the history of salons in Russia. The importance of salons, as noted above, steadily increased from the middle of the 18th to the middle of the 19th century. If in the time of Catherine II and at the beginning of the reign of Alexander I it was just a tribute to fashion to keep your own salon, then already in the 1820s, salons became not just cultural centers where the enlightened aristocracy spent time and discussed issues of literature and philosophy, but also centers of the noble communications, where socially important political decisions were sometimes made.

Salons quickly entered secular life and became one of the favorite forms of pastime, both for Russian nobles and other classes, and their constant visit was considered a manifestation of belonging to a good society.

1 Salon of Elizaveta Mikhailovna Khitrovo

In Petersburg society, in imitation of Parisian society, ladies of the highest circle appeared, who differed in the light of their luxury, beauty, position and intelligence. An example of a typical high society salon is the salon of Elizaveta Mikhailovna Khitrovo, nee Kutuzova.

According to I.A. Smirnova, Elizaveta Mikhailovna's salon was the liveliest, eclectic Petersburg living room. Elizaveta Mikhailovna herself possessed in the highest degree secularity, affability, refined and that all-forgiving kindness, which is only found in real great ladies.

The word "eclecticism" I.A. Smirnova calls the salon of Countess Ficquelmont (which did not differ from the salon of E. M. Khitrovo), calling it "European-Russian" and noting that "both diplomats and Pushkin were at home in it."

Contemporaries noted the cordial qualities of Elizabeth Mikhailovna, noting that she was a friend of her friends. And not only for her friends, she fussed: they turned to her even when it was necessary to help people she did not know.

The living soul of E. M. Khitrovo was attracted to many and varied subjects: art, politics, philosophy - everything occupied her. First of all, "family traditions" - the memory of her father and the realization of personal involvement through him in the great national events of the beginning of the century - prompted her to political and social interests. This trait in her was recognized and appreciated by her contemporaries. Favorite of the five daughters of the field marshal, similar in appearance to him, she considered herself par excellence his heiress.

The patriotic direction and devotion to the "Russian glory", in whatever forms it manifests itself, partly explains her love for Russian literature. It is known about her friendship and personal acquaintance with Pushkin, Vyazemsky, Zhukovsky, Kozlov, Turgenev, Somov, Sollogub, Rostopchina, Lermontov, probably Delvig, Baratynsky. These, of course, are far from all the names - only those that have been preserved in the documents.

But not only the presence of fashionable writers in the living room determined her interest in literature. She herself was engaged in the translation into Russian of the little-known English novel by Caroline Lucy Scott "Marriage in High Life" and was going to sell it "for the benefit of the poor."

It is impossible not to note the significant place in her life apparently occupied by ecclesiastical and religious interests. She was a woman of faith, without the tinge of mystical hypocrisy common in the high society of that period, both in Russia and in the West.

Great erudition, the European manner of communication perceived in the West are qualities inherent in the hostess of the salon, E.M. Khitrovo. All vital life, European and Russian, political, literary and social, had echoes in the salon of E.M. Khitrovo. As P.A. Vyazemsky, “There was no need to read newspapers, like the Athenians, who also did not need newspapers, but lived, studied, philosophized and mentally enjoyed themselves in the porticos and in the square. So in these two salons (we are talking about the salons of E.M. Khitrovo and the salon of Countess Ficquelmont - author's note) it was possible to stock up on all the issues of the day, starting from a political brochure and a parliamentary speech by a French and English speaker, and ending with a novel or the dramatic creation of one of the favorites of that literary era. And what was the ease, tolerance, polite, and themselves and others respecting freedom in these various contradictory conversations. It was a peaceful exchange of opinions, views, assessments, a free trade system attached to the conversation. Not like in other societies, in which the prohibitive system reigns arrogantly and shyly.

It can be concluded that the division into aristocratic and democratic salons was by no means always dependent on the origin and social status of the owner. So, in the house of Prince V.F. Odoevsky had two salons - democratic and aristocratic. The first was held by the prince, the second - by his wife, who was extremely dissatisfied with the fact that there were various artists and musicians, officials, scientists and writers in the house.

According to their focus, certain types of salons are distinguished, for example, literary, musical, philosophical. However, again, in the activities of many salons it was difficult to single out any one direction. Most of them were of a mixed nature: literary and musical, artistic and philosophical, etc. At the same time, an analysis of the most famous salons showed that, for example, Shuvalov's salon had a literary orientation in general, and Mikhail Yuryevich Vielgorsky's salon had a musical one.

Any salon was distinguished by its owner (hostess) and the orientation of the salon depended on his (her) interests. It is impossible to analyze the salon in general, regardless of the personality of its founder. This is why in the study of salons such importance is attached to the personal characteristics of its creator.

Outstanding state dignitaries of that time met in Shuvalov's salon. He was known as the patron of writers and poets, the owner of the richest collections of paintings and art products.

Music Salon of Count M.Yu. Vielgorsky, who himself was an outstanding composer and musician, was famous for his concerts, where famous singers, composers, and musicians performed.

EAT. Khitrovo had a typical high society salon in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 19th century. Enormous erudition, education, the European manner of communication perceived in the West are the qualities inherent in the hostess of the salon E.M. Khitrova. All vital life, European and Russian, political, literary and social, had echoes in the salon of Elizabeth Mikhailovna.

An analysis of the activities of the salons in the first half of the 19th century showed that the increase in the public role of literary salons as an unofficial, unregulated form of human communication during this period was due to the onset of reaction in the domestic policy of Nicholas I.

The literary salons of Moscow, where in the 1830s and 1840s the main forces of the two main progressive trends in social thought of that time, Westernism and Slavophilism, were concentrated, “served as an expression of the literary trends that dominated the Russian intelligentsia, scientific and philosophical views.”

The Moscow literary salons of Elagina, Sverbeev, Pavlov played a significant role in the ideological development of Russian society, and they also contributed in a certain sense to the mutual enrichment and mutual influence of the ideas of Westernism and Slavophilism. The appeal of Moscow Westerners through the Slavophiles to the problems of the foundations of folk life (communities, artels, etc.) led to a greater moderation of the views of Herzen, Granovsky and other major representatives of Westernism in Moscow; on the other hand, the views of the Slavophiles crystallized in the salon polemics with the Westerners.

2 Salon of Count Mikhail Yuryevich Vielgorsky

One of the most pleasant houses in St. Petersburg in the first half of the 19th century was the house of Count Mikhail Yuryevich Vielgorsky (1788-1856), who had wonderful quartets in the evenings. The count himself was a great musician and composer. He passionately loved music and collected the best musical forces of the capital from both amateurs and professional artists and singers. All foreign musical celebrities who came to St. Petersburg, first of all, came to the count, everyone considered it a special honor for themselves not only to be received at his musical evenings, but also to take part in them.

Mikhail Yuryevich was on friendly terms with A.S. Pushkin, N.V. Gogol, M.I. Glinka, V.F. Odoevsky and A.A. Alyabiev. He supported many local musicians. Suffice it to recall his significant assistance to the Rubinstein brothers, assistance in redeeming the talented violinist I.I. Semenov (the count also contributed to the liberation from serfdom of T.G. Shevchenko). In the house of M.Yu. Vielgorsky, the first rehearsal of Glinka's opera A Life for the Tsar took place.

In the history of Russian musical life, his salon-concerts are memorable, which took place from December 1822 to April 1823 in the Kursk estate of M.Yu. Vielgorsky Luizino, where he lived from 1816 to 1823. The programs of 33 Louisin concerts were mainly devoted to classical music and contained symphonic works by J. Haydn, W. Mozart, L. Beethoven and others.

Salons-concerts organized by the Vielgorsky brothers in Moscow since 1823 and in St. Petersburg since 1826 deserve even more attention. For several decades, the St. Petersburg concerts of the Vielgorskys, which had educational significance, were famous for the high artistic level of programs and performers. As Count V.A. Sollogub in his memoirs: “The methods of the Vielgorskys had a completely different imprint; they rarely danced, but almost every week in the count's own quarter, that is, in his separate room, concerts were held, in which all the celebrities who were at that time in St. Petersburg took part. Count Mikhail Yuryevich Vielgorsky was one of the first and most beloved Russian patrons; everything in him contributed to this: a large fortune, huge connections, a high, so to speak, completely out of line with the general position that he occupied at court, a subtle understanding of art, finally his brilliant and at the same time very serious education and the most kind and simple disposition. ".

F. Liszt, Robert and Clara Schumann, G. Berlioz, G. Venyavsky, B. Romberg and other famous artists performed here. “These Vielgorskys are great people for artists; they live only for art ... ", both of them -" two most excellent artists, especially Mikhail - this is a real, artistic nature, a brilliant amateur ... ", - wrote R. Schumann.

A letter from Count M.Yu. Vielgorsky to his children in St. Petersburg from Rome in 1839: “Here now is Liszt, with whom I became very musically acquainted. This is the king of pianists and so far no one on this instrument has had such an effect on me. I never thought that it was possible to play Beethoven's music like that, for example, his old sonatas.

However, M.Yu. Vielgorsky deserves attention not only as a major musical figure of his era, but also as a gifted composer. He received his musical education under the guidance of excellent musicians of the time, in particular Martin y Solero in St. Petersburg and Cherubini in Paris. It is impossible not to note Vielgorsky's personal contact with Beethoven (in Vienna), whose music (including the Ninth Symphony) he passionately promoted in Russia.

Peru M.Yu. Vielgorsky owns two symphonies, overtures, a quartet, the opera "Gypsies", choral works, romances to the words of Pushkin and other poets (especially popular were "Black Shawl", "Sometimes", "I Loved"), piano pieces, a theme with variations for cello with orchestra.

M.Yu. Vielgorsky as a composer was highly valued by many of his contemporaries. The famous Russian critic V.F. Odoevsky, who had his own salon and was known for his love for the music of I.-S. Bach (performed his clavier and organ music), believed that M.Yu. Vielgorsky is an excellent composer and the deepest musicians in Europe.

In the work of M.Yu. Vielgorsky reflects outstanding talent, good taste and professionalism. Brought up on classical models, he follows them in his writings, while revealing the individual characteristics of his talent. In some works of M.Yu. Vielgorsky, as, for example, in "Theme with Variations" for cello and orchestra, there is a noticeable intonation connection with Russian folk music. In this work, which has a concert character, the composer's melodic gift and the skillful use of the variational form are clearly manifested.

The origins of the salon of Count M.Yu. Vielgorsky go back to the traditions of the late 18th century that existed in the house of the count's father, Senator Yu.M. Vielgorsky. Mikhail Yuryevich, together with his brother Matvey Yuryevich, an excellent cellist, were active participants in the salon of Princess Z.A. Volkonskaya.

Living in the village of Fateevka from 1816 to 1823, Vielegorsky set up a salon in one of the outbuildings of the estate, which was destined to remain in the history of Russian music. The salon, as a rule, was quite lengthy, and in addition to conversations about music, it included a concert in two parts with a symphony, an overture, an instrumental concerto, excerpts from operas and oratorios. Brothers Matvey and Mikhail Vielgorsky, G. Teplov, bandmaster-violinist V. Ostrovsky, serf violinist Anton acted as soloists, ensemble players, choristers.

Symphonies by Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven, overtures by M. Lindpeitner, fragments of operas by Cherubini, many works by contemporary German and French composers, violin concertos by P. Lafon, L. Spohr, L. Maurer, F. Kreisler performed by G. Teplov, V. Ostrovsky, Rudensdorf. Works for cello were played by Matvey Vielgorsky, whose extensive repertoire has long been known to music researchers. The choice of plays testifies to the magnificent artistic flair and refined taste of Count M.Yu. Vielgorsky.

As soon as permission was received to settle in Moscow in 1823, the count rebuilt his house and gathered in his salon the best musical forces of Moscow of that time. Here is the testimony of Prince Odoevsky, dating back to 1824: “We admit that it is hardly possible to find in Russia anything like these concerts, where the choice of compositions, the dignity of the musicians and the accuracy of performance would be combined - three conditions without which music loses its price.”

It was during these years that success was achieved in the salon of Count M.Yu. Vielgorsky for many Russian and European artists meant one thing - an open path to a wide concert activity in Russia. In the salons of Z.A. Volkonskaya and Mikh. Yu. Vielgorsky, who, by the way, were also in the form of "matinees", listened to the cellist Fentzi in the presence of the outstanding cellist, Beethoven's friend Romberg, and Lipinsky. Listened, for example, according to the reviews of the book. Odoevsky, on the same day, both the Romberg symphony and the Megül choir, L. Field's concerto for piano and orchestra, Mozart's fugue, Spohr's concerto, overtures from Weber's operas "Evryant" and "Free shooter", a symphony by Mikhail Vielgorsky. “Add to this a performance with all musical luxury, a certain, commensurate number of instruments, an orchestra arranged in ledges in the most convenient order, a collection of people with a true passion for the arts - and you get a very weak idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthis concerto.”

Count Matvey Yuryevich Vielgorsky was one of the founders of the Russian Musical Society, bequeathed his rich library and instruments to the Conservatory, and presented his famous Stradivarius cello to K.Yu Davydov.

The musical salon of Count Mikhail Yuryevich Vielgorsky and the outstanding cellist Matvey Yuryevich Vielgorsky became widely known in the history of Russian musical culture in the first half of the 19th century. Mostly, these were prominent musical figures and enlightened patrons who contributed to the development of concert life in Russia.

3 Salon Zinaida Alexandrovna Volkonskaya

Salon of Zinaida Alexandrovna Volkonskaya, who had versatile talents - she was fond of art, sang and drew beautifully, and studied mathematics. Her poems, excerpts from travel notes, some articles were published in the Moscow Telegraph, Moscow Bulletin, and Literaturnaya Gazeta. She hosted concerts, staged entire Italian operas. The choirs in operas consisted of "amateurs" - princes Peter and Alexander Meshchersky, the Bers brothers and others. Also, Princess Volkonskaya appeared in French plays - Molière's comedies. Zinaida shone in the world with intelligence, education, talents, wealth; and with these gifts, in addition to beauty, she captured the attention of highly educated people, whom she united at her place. She decorated her house with originals and copies of the most famous works of painting and sculpture: she painted the rooms of the house, a real museum, with frescoes in the style of different eras. Zinaida Alexandrovna gathered at her evenings the color of the then aristocratic and literary world. Odoevsky himself becomes a regular in one of the most brilliant literary houses in Moscow. She also visited Vyazemsky, Pushkin, Baratynsky, Delvig, Mickiewicz, Pushkin, who had been to the house of Princess Volkonskaya more than once, sent her a volume as a token of gratitude for her hospitality. Gypsy and dedicates a poem. A.N. Muravyov wrote that Z.A. Volkonskaya you could meet everything that was eminent on Russian Parnassus .

Salon Z.A. Volkonskaya in the conditions of the onset of reaction is of particular importance, here they remain faithful to the ideals of Decembrism. Her house becomes the center where all the information about the Decembrists flocks. In the first, most terrible months after the massacre of the Decembrists, over the public thought of Russia, in those days when fear and confusion seized most of society, literary readings in the salon of Zinaida Aleksandrovna Volkonskaya acquired not only literary significance, but they became a symbol of vitality, the indestructibility of the liberation movement, they inspired hope and faith in the future.

The years of 1827 were the brightest years of the existence and activity of the salon Z.A. Volkonskaya, almost all memories of him belong to this period. During these years, he fulfilled his historical mission: opposing the reaction, he preserved the advanced culture and social thought of the Decembrist movement crushed by tsarism. The Nikolaev reaction increased the pressure on the cultural and social life of Russia, Volkonskaya and her salon were under constant police surveillance, many of the visitors to the salon left Moscow, and Zinaida Aleksandrovna Volkonskaya is experiencing an internal ideological, religious drama. She converted to Catholicism and in 1829 went abroad, occasionally coming to Russia.

Volkonskaya was not only a talented and educated woman. But also a man of progressive freedom-loving views.

4 Salon V.F. Odoevsky

The house of the Odoevskys in Moshkov lane was interesting in that two salons gathered under one roof at once. One - secular - belonged to Olga Stepanovna (nee Lanskaya). The domineering and conceited woman, however, loved her husband Vladimir Fedorovich. He was seven years younger than his chosen one and found in her initially that kindness that can be called maternal. Prince Vladimir was the owner in the second salon, where literature and music were combined. He tried to make his evenings free from prejudice. These were attempts to unite creative people (writers, musicians, scientists), regardless of their position in society.

Such an interesting and unconventional approach of the owner is explained by the fact that Odoevsky, on the side of his father, was the successor of the Rurik family, while his mother was a serf before marriage. The boy lost his father early, from the age of five he was brought up by relatives, and he did not have enough attention from his mother. He considered his cousin A.I. to be his best friend. Odoevsky - the future Decembrist.

While studying at the Moscow University Noble Boarding House, Vladimir showed excellent knowledge. In 1823, in his apartment, he created a circle "Society of Wisdom". After the uprising of the Decembrists, the circle members no longer gathered. Odoevsky moves to Petersburg. There he marries and enters the civil service in the Ministry of the Interior, where, at work, he encounters applications for the implementation of various kinds of inventions. Soon there will be two more salons in the capital. But the receptions in Olga Stepanovna's drawing room resembled many others and did not stand out in any way. They are remembered only for comparison with Saturday evenings in the salon of her husband, which are worth talking about in more detail. They differed from others in that they were available not only to aristocrats.

«В дoме егo … все были рaвны - в буквaльнoм смысле этoгo слoвa: вельмoжи и aртисты, ученые и худoжники, чинoвники, мaстерoвые, стaрики и мoлoдые - все oдинaкoвo пoдпaдaли немедленнo пoд беспристрaстный урoвень егo рaдушия и дoбрoжелaтельнoгo внимaния», - тaк oписывaет Ф. I. Timiryazev, himself a participant in the salon, weekly meetings of the "color of the St. Petersburg literary circle" at Odoevsky. I. I. Panaev notes: “Odoevsky accepted everyone without distinction of estates and titles.” Listing the visitors, we will focus only on well-known names: M.Yu. Lermontov, N.V. Gogol, A.S. Pushkin, V.A. Zhukovsky, I.A. Krylov, V.G. Belinsky, E.A. Baratynsky, A.V. Koltsov, F.M. Dostoevsky, Ap.A. Grigoriev, Tyutchev, A.A. Fet, I.A. Goncharov, D.V. Grigorovich, I.S. Turgenev, I.P. Myatlev, L.N. Tolstoy.

The owner of the house was a multifaceted personality. He can be called a writer, critic, publicist, public figure. It was not for nothing that his contemporaries called him the Russian Faust. In his works one can find fantasy, an entertaining plot, satire and certainly deep philosophy. But his favorite thing has always been music. The prince himself was considered a very good musician, so Berlioz, Franz Liszt, Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Dargomyzhsky and Serov visited his house. Odoevsky left a number of works on music to his descendants and is deservedly recognized as one of the founders of Russian musicology and musical criticism. It is no coincidence that among his works of art one can find a story about the fate of a musician and a fairy tale about a music box, known to each of us since childhood as “The Town in a Snuffbox”.

In the salon V.F. Odoevsky were read for the first time, literary works were approved, which were then published in large editions and enjoyed great popularity among the reading public, publishing projects were conceived, which were subsequently creatively implemented by visitors to V.F. Odoevsky, and the salon itself was not only an element of Russian book culture, but also actively developed it. People here have changed, and the writer himself has changed. In the 1940s, he already received guests in large glasses raised on his forehead, a black silk cap and a long, to the heel black velvet frock coat, reminiscent of the attire of a medieval alchemist. Among the heaps of books, pianos and dusty folders with manuscripts and notes, the pensive owner of the house looked like an absent-minded eccentric and a solitary dreamer who had retired from an active life. Secular friends laughed at the oddities of the author of "Russian Nights", the youth did not understand his too peculiar hobbies in astrology, magic and "animal magnetism".

Gradually, Odoevsky's techniques will lose their literary character. The prince will devote less and less time to writing works of art, his attention will be occupied by pedagogical activities, promotion of scientific and technical knowledge among the people. He will take an active part in the publication of the almanac "Rural Reading".

His career will be successful, despite the established reputation as an opponent of serfdom and autocracy, for which Vladimir Fedorovich deserved the characterization of an unreliable person. But everyone will always celebrate his justice, kindness and intolerance to lies.

Salon Odoevsky will exist almost until the death of the owner. Shortly before his death, the prince will return to Moscow, where he will again become a figure that unites around him a wide variety of people, which was facilitated by his eternal irrepressible thirst for knowledge.

5 Salon E.P. Rastopchina

Countess Evdokia Petrovna Rostopchina, a wonderful Russian poetess.

The subject matter of Rostopchina's poems is varied. The main themes of her lyrics are the theme of love, the theme of the poet and poetry, memories, the theme of sadness, freedom and dreams. And most often it is the theme of the poet and poetry that sounds, since Rostopchina was aware of the line separating her from her contemporary writers. The lyrics of the poetess are individualized and psychological. Rostopchina in her lyrical works does not completely repel traditional genre forms, but the experiences and reflections in the poems of the poetess are already attributed to the personality. The leading genre of her lyrics is elegy. In the lyrics of Rostopchina, the importance of the lyrical subject increases. The poetess tried herself in different genres - elegy, epistle, dedication, epitaph, song, ballad. She never struck with her beauty, but she was attractive, sympathetic and liked not so much her appearance as the pleasantness of her mental qualities. Gifted generously by nature with poetic imagination, cheerful wit, an extraordinary memory with extensive reading in five languages ​​... a wonderful gift for brilliant conversation and simple-hearted directness of character in the complete absence of cunning and pretense, she naturally liked all intelligent people.

Evdokia Petrovna was always a welcome guest in those salons in the capital, which were distinguished by the intellectuality of conversations and where secular lionesses from such seriousness, perhaps, would have been attacked by a yawn. First of all, the Karamzins had such a salon, with whose family Rostopchina became very close.

She received them broadly and hospitably. Everyone who was then talented, significant, famous in Northern Palmyra could be met at her evenings. Zhukovsky, Krylov, Gogol, Odoevsky, Pletnev, Sollogub, Alexander Turgenev, Glinka, Dargomyzhsky. This list was supplemented by European celebrities: Liszt, Pauline Viardot, Fanny Elsler, Rachel.

In the winters of 1836-1838, the poetess, who knew the taste of both creative and female success, appeared like a comet at court balls, masquerades, various kinds of entertainment, accompanied by a hundred rumors and crowds of admirers. More than once, Rostopchina, with her already serious literary fame, will be blamed for her predilection for this vain flickering, for the glorification of tinsel ballroom commotion.

With sincerity, sometimes careless, which has always been a distinctive quality of her poetry, Rostopchina admitted:

I am a woman in every sense of the word,

I am completely submissive to all female inclinations,

I'm only a woman, I'm ready to be proud,

I love the ball!.. Give me the balls!

However, this could not last long ... Rostopchina was too smart to be content with the role of a socialite. Two winters of the palace whirl led her to a denial of society, when "in vain the gaze of a cordial greeting is looking for ... when close, in the eyes, all around are only strangers." Girlfriends are secular coquettes "with half a heart only in their chests, with half a soul." After this insight, a whole series of poems came out from under her pen, where the reader, according to the literary critic A.V. Druzhinin, found "a strong protest against many aspects of high society life." With deadly sincerity, Rostopchina wrote:

I'm already tired of myself under a puffy ball gown,

As a show, in the living rooms to exhibit,

And the boredom of death in the silence of the funeral,

Languishing among society, yawn behind a fan.

But after all, the matter was not managed only by the "boredom of death." Some intrigues were worth it. Who knows if Pushkin's tragedy, played out on the ballroom floor, prepared her own departure from the "merry choirs"?

In Moscow, Evdokia Rostopchina is trying to recreate the St. Petersburg salon. EAT. Pogodin recalls: “The countess was at the height of her lyrical fame and beauty. In Moscow she lived in grand style in her beautiful house on Sadovaya ... Her talent, beauty, friendliness and hospitality attracted her, and in the distance, as if in a fog, flickered over her the eagle of martyrdom." In 1833 she married Count A.F. Rostopchin, the son of the Moscow mayor during World War II. The poetess's husband turned out to be a very narrow-minded person, whose interests were limited to carousing, cards and horses, and Rostopchina, feeling very unhappy in family life, completely devoted herself to secular life, arranging noisy entertainments, attending and arranging balls. A well-read, witty, interesting interlocutor, she almost immediately started a literary salon, where the whole color of St. Petersburg writers gathered. Frequent guests of her salon are A.S. Pushkin, V.A. Zhukovsky, P.A. Vyazemsky, A.A. Pletnev, V.F. Odoevsky, N.V. Gogol, D.V. Grigorovich, I.P. Myatlev and many others. New works are read here, literary events are discussed, musical evenings are held with the participation of Glinka, Liszt, Pauline Viardot, Rubini, Tamburini. Rostopchina is very close to many writers: V.F. Odoevsky and, subsequently, Lermontov carried on an active personal correspondence with her; the same Odoevsky dedicated his Cosmorama to her; Pushkin, who in the last years of his life became very friendly with Rostopchina, spoke favorably of her poems.

2. The image of a secular salon in Russian literature of the early 19th century

Petersburg is the capital, a cold, unfriendly city, standing on a par with European cities. St. Petersburg high society is a special world with its own laws, customs, mores, the intellectual center of the country, oriented towards Europe. But the first thing that catches your eye when describing relationships in this society is unnaturalness. All representatives of high society are used to playing roles imposed on them by society or taken by them voluntarily.

One of the main pastimes of members of high society were social receptions, where news, the situation in Europe and much more were discussed. It seemed to a new person that everything discussed was important, and all those present were very smart and thinking people, seriously interested in the subject of the conversation. In fact, there is something mechanical, indifferent in these methods. For example, in the novel "War and Peace" Tolstoy L.N. compares those present in the salon Scherer with a conversational machine. A smart, serious, inquisitive person cannot be satisfied with such communication, and he is quickly disappointed in the world. However, the basis of secular society is made up of those who like such communication, for whom it is necessary. Such people develop a certain stereotype of behavior, which they transfer to their personal, family life.

Moscow secular society appears to us quite differently, which, however, is somewhat similar to St. Petersburg. The first depiction of the Moscow world in the novel is the description of the name day in the Rostovs' house. The morning reception of guests is reminiscent of secular receptions in St. Petersburg: discussion of news, though not of a global scale, but of local ones, feigned feelings of surprise or indignation, but the impression immediately changes with the appearance of children who bring immediacy, happiness, causeless fun to the living room. At such dinners, such qualities that are inherent in the Moscow nobility can be manifested: hospitality, cordiality, nepotism. Moscow society is in many ways reminiscent of one big family, where everything is known to everyone, where they forgive each other for small weaknesses and can be publicly scolded for leprosy. Unlike St. Petersburg, the Moscow nobility is closer to the Russian people, their traditions and customs. In depicting a secular society, writers actively use the technique suspension suspension

1 Salon A.P. Scherer in "War and Peace"

L. Tolstoy's novel "War and Peace" begins with a description of a party in the salon of Anna Pavlovna Sherer. And this is somewhat symbolic, because the salon acts as a miniature copy of the society to which all the main characters of the work belong without exception. As if under a microscope, the writer closely examines regular and casual visitors to the salon. He listens to their statements, evaluates their mood, guesses their thoughts and feelings, follows their movements, gestures, facial expressions.

The invited guests are courtiers, aristocrats, military and bureaucratic nobility. They all know each other well and for a long time. They gather, talk peacefully and exchange news. But gradually there is a conviction that outward benevolence, thoughtful conversations are all falsehood and pretense. Before us are “decency pulled together masks” of prudent, selfish, politically limited, morally unscrupulous, empty and insignificant, and sometimes simply stupid and rude people.

The salon has its own unwritten rules of conduct. The hostess herself sets the tone and general direction of empty and useless conversations - "the famous Anna Pavlovna Scherer, the maid of honor and close associate of Empress Maria Feodorovna." In the manners, the conversation, the participation in the fate of each of the guests, the imaginary sensitivity of Anna Pavlovna, the falsehood and pretense are most visible. L. Tolstoy notes that she “was full of animation and impulses”, that “being an enthusiast became her social position, and sometimes, when she didn’t even want to, she, in order not to deceive the expectations of people who knew her, became an enthusiast. The restrained smile that constantly played on Anna Pavlovna's face, although it did not go to her obsolete features, expressed, like in spoiled children, the constant consciousness of her sweet shortcoming, from which she does not want, cannot and does not find it necessary to correct herself.

As if imitating the hostess of the salon, her guests behave and behave in the same way. They talk because something needs to be said; they smile because otherwise they will be considered impolite; they show imaginary feelings because they do not want to appear indifferent and selfish.

But soon we begin to understand that the real essence of the salon's visitors is just the opposite. In fact, some of them come here to show off in public in their outfits, others - to listen to secular gossip, others (like Princess Drubetskaya) - to successfully attach their son to the service, and the fourth - to make the necessary acquaintances to advance through the ranks. After all, "influence in the world is a capital that must be protected so that it does not disappear."

Anna Pavlovna “very seriously led each new guest to a little old woman in high bows who swam out of another room,” whom she called ma tante - my aunt, called by name, “slowly shifting her eyes from the guest to ma tante, and then departed.” Paying tribute to the hypocrisy of secular society, “all the guests performed the ceremony of greeting an unknown, uninteresting and useless aunt. Anna Pavlovna followed their greetings with sad, solemn sympathy, tacitly approving them. Ma tante spoke to everyone in the same terms about his health, about her health and about the health of Her Majesty, which today was, thank God, better. All those who approached, out of decency, not showing haste, with a sense of relief from the heavy duty they had performed, departed from the old woman, so that they would never go up to her all evening.

The assembled society “divided into three circles. In one, more masculine, the center was the abbot; in another, young one, the beautiful Princess Helen, daughter of Prince Vasily, and the pretty, ruddy, too plump for her youth, little Princess Bolkonskaya. In the third - Mortemar and Anna Pavlovna. Anna Pavlovna, “like the owner of a spinning workshop, having put the workers in their places, walks around the establishment, noticing immobility or unusual, too creaking loud noise spindle, hurriedly walks, restrains or lets him in the proper course.

It is no coincidence that L. Tolstoy compares the Scherer salon with a spinning workshop. This comparison very accurately conveys the true atmosphere of a "correctly ordered" society. The workshop is the mechanisms. And the property of mechanisms is the performance of a certain, initially set function. Mechanisms do not know how to think and feel. They are just soulless executors of someone else's will. The same mechanisms are a significant part of the guests of the salon.

2 Secular salon in the short story by A. S. Pushkin "Egyptian Nights"

Secular society is reflected in the short story by A.S. Pushkin "Egyptian Nights". The very characterization of Charsky is based on the apparent contradiction between the world and its “craft” as a poet. Aware of the "disadvantages and troubles" associated with it, Charsky carefully hides his talent; on the one hand, this is an “arrogant dandy”, indulging in all the entertainments of secular society, striving to follow its establishments in everything, on the other hand, a sincere and inspired poet, who wholeheartedly devotes himself to his beloved art and thereby opposes himself to “light”. “He avoided the society of his brother writers, and preferred them to secular people, even the most empty ones. His conversation was the most vulgar and never touched upon literature. In his clothes, he always observed the latest fashion with the timidity and superstition of a young Muscovite who came to Petersburg for the first time in his life. In his study, furnished like a ladies' bedroom, there was nothing reminiscent of a writer; books did not lie on tables and under tables; the sofa was not splashed with ink; there was no such disorder that reveals the presence of the Muse and the absence of a broom and brush. Charsky was in despair if one of his secular friends found him with a pen in his hands. It is hard to believe to what trifles a person, however, gifted with talent and soul, could reach. “Charsky was immersed in soul in sweet oblivion ... and the world, and the opinions of the world, and his own whims did not exist for him. - He wrote poetry.

Emphasizing in the image of Charsky his desire to protect his art from the encroachments of the "light", Pushkin is already solving the main problem posed in the first chapters of "Egyptian Nights" - the poet and society. Secular society is hostile to art, which is alien and incomprehensible to it: that is why Charsky is so afraid to discover the poet in himself - he knows well the price of "light" and its opinions.

A. S. Pushkin gives a clear description of the salon: “Paintings, marble statues, bronzes, expensive toys, placed on gothic shelves, struck him”, “The hall of the princess was placed at the disposal of an improviser. The scaffolding was built; the chairs are arranged in twelve rows; on the appointed day, from seven o'clock in the evening, the hall was lit, ... Gendarmes were standing at the entrance ... "," Soon all the rows of chairs were occupied by brilliant ladies; the men stood in a cramped frame at the stage, along the walls and behind the last chairs. Musicians with their pulpits occupied both sides of the stage. In the middle stood a porcelain vase on the table. The audience was numerous ... ". The language of the work is imaginative:" - What do you need? Charsky asked him in French. - Signor, - answered the foreigner with low bows, - Lei voglia perdonarmi se .... ".

The Italian improviser in the work performs in a high society salon. Remember the prim audience, with what difficulty it gives themes for improvisation and how the Italian fawns over it? Or the figure of Charsky, who in every possible way denies the name "poet"? And that gloomy passage that escaped from Pushkin's pen, which speaks not so much about the heroes of the unfinished story, but about himself: "Evil is the most bitter, the most unbearable for the poet, is his title and nickname, with which he is branded and which is never from him does not fall away. The public looks at him as his property; in her opinion, he was born for her benefit and pleasure ".

2.3 Society in the work of A. I. Odoevsky "Princess Mimi"

True to his direction, the author brings out the inner pathos of the story in these few, but prophetic and accusatory words: “There are deeds that are persecuted by society: the guilty die, the innocent die. There are people who sow disaster with full hands, arouse disgust in high and tender souls to mankind, in a word, they solemnly file down the foundations of society - and society warms them in its chest, like a senseless sun that rises indifferently both over the cries of battle and over the prayer of the wise. But the heroine of the story, Princess Mimi, is not sacrificed by the author to morality: he reveals to the readers those irresistible reasons due to which she had to become an evil gossip; he shows that much before she began to saw down the foundations of society, this society destroyed everything good in her and developed everything bad. She was an old maid and knew what "a low whisper, an inconspicuous smile, obvious or imaginary ridicule falling on a poor girl who did not have enough art or had too much nobility to sell herself in a marriage of convenience" means. An excellent story, simplicity and naturalness of the plot and denouement, consistency of characters, knowledge of the world make "Princess Mimi" one of the best Russian stories.

2.4 Society in the work of M.Yu. Lermontov "Princess Ligovskaya"

Unlike a long and intricate novel that depicts the entire chain of life adventures of heroes, a secular story depicts only one of the most significant episodes in the life of its hero. Instead of all sorts of adventures, experiences are placed at the center of the secular story, which are shown in a rather primitive way; instead of a superficially false moral description of "all the estates of the Russian people" - an image of the life and customs of only one secular society.

The love affair, which is obligatory for secular stories, is either completely absent in the story about a poor official, or is relegated to the background. The main attention is paid to showing the social appearance of the characters, a realistic-sharp description of life.

"Princess Ligovskaya" is developing in two ways. True, the theme of an official very quickly gives way to a secular theme with its love affair. But Lermontov constantly strives to go beyond secular themes and the circle of images and everyday descriptions that were characteristic of secular stories.

So, for example, when describing the theater, secular narrators did not go further than the image of the auditorium, boxes, chairs and the orchestra, that is, those places in the theater that secular people can only be interested in.

Lermontov, on the other hand, not only depicts an ordinary auditorium with boxes and chairs, but also gives a number of specific sketches that immediately distinguish the theater he depicts from the theater in general, which secular narrators quite often painted. He depicts a St. Petersburg street near the theater and the Phoenix restaurant, which was popular in his time, which is opposite the theater, but his sketch of the public leaving the theater is especially interesting:

“Ladies of a high tone made up a special group on the lower steps of the main staircase, laughed, spoke loudly and pointed their golden lorgnettes at the ladies without a tone, ordinary Russian noblewomen, and one secretly envied the other: the extraordinary - the beauty of the ordinary, the ordinary - alas! pride and splendor extraordinary.

Both of them had their gentlemen: the first respectful and important, the second helpful and sometimes awkward! .. in the middle, crowded a circle of people not secular, not familiar with either one or the other - a circle of spectators. Merchants and common people passed through other doors. It was a miniature picture of the entire Petersburg society.

In this society, full of prejudices and conventions, a woman who appears for the first time at a ball, at the court of society, must be very careful, because "an inopportunely sewn bow, a flower pinned in the wrong place could destroy her future forever."

Educated societies, “where smart, varied conversation replaces dances (party receptions aside), where you can talk about everything without fear of censorship by aunts ... we have few in Russia, even less in St. Petersburg,” Lermontov notes.

But the world does not need all this. A beautiful, attractive appearance and the ability to dance deftly are more valued there;

In "Princess Ligovskaya" - its plot and themes - there are elements of similarity with secular stories. Just like in secular stories, in "Princess Ligovskaya" the basis for the development of the plot is a love affair, almost all the characters are secular people, the action develops in the same secular society; just as in secular stories, a large place is occupied by descriptions of the situation, portraits, and, finally, just as much attention is paid to the theme of "light". But along with this, so many new, both ideological and artistic, motifs, not characteristic of secular stories, appear in “Princess Ligovskaya” that it can no longer be ranked among secular stories, for it stands immeasurably higher than them. In "Princess Ligovskaya", in parallel with the usual secular theme of love and love intrigue, the theme of a poor official develops. In the person of this poor official, not only a new character, unusual for a secular story, appears in the novel, but also new situations (a collision between a poor official and a guards officer) and new descriptions (a poor official’s apartment, a dirty yard crowded with residents, etc.) .

In the work of Lermontov, the isolation of the life of secular society, usual for secular stories, is violated. The author shows this society in contradiction, in collision with the environment. This is the first very significant difference between "Princess Ligovskaya" and secular stories. But secular society itself is portrayed by Lermontov in a completely different way. Instead of a stereotyped description of the characters of the “light”, Lermontov has a desire for their individualization; instead of the front side of the life of secular society - an attempt to depict its everyday life "without embellishment and without mercy", instead of a moral condemnation of the world - an angry exposure and denial of it. Lermontov is not going to heal the world at all, considering, obviously, this is a hopeless matter. Thanks to all this, the theme of “light”, which all secular narrators were engaged in, acquires a completely different sound from Lermontov.

None of the secular narrators gave real characters. All their characters are ardent, passionate, but equally stereotyped, very uncomplicated and at the same time similar to each other. Lermontov already in "Princess Ligovskaya" is trying to give complex and diverse characters, wanting to show in them the most typical characters of his time. At the center of his story, the author puts protesting, strong, strong-willed characters.

In his unfinished work, Lermontov, like secular narrators, does a lot of work on the language, but if secular narrators had the main desire for an elegant, polished language, then Lermontov, following Pushkin, is not afraid of "colloquial speech", but avoids "simple thinking". ".

As a result, instead of an entertaining "without any depth" secular story, in "Princess Ligovskaya" an image of real life is outlined in all its diversity and complexity.

Before us is not a secular story, but something opposite to it, for everything that is essential in it, "Princess Ligovskaya" denies the secular story, overcomes it. This is all the more significant because Lermontov wrote "Princess Ligovskaya" in the period of the greatest flowering of secular stories and in the midst of an ideological struggle for and against secular stories. Lermontov, taking up a story from secular life, proved that he was not with Shevyrev, who defended "secularism" in literature, that is, the aestheticization of secular life and casteism, but with Belinsky, who demanded that literature be national, i.e. showing real life. A new critical attitude to life forced Lermontov to show the theme of light in a new way: interest in social problems, harsh criticism of secular society, which the author is already trying to portray in individual images, is a denial of the secular story and reveals in "Princess Ligovskaya" the beginnings of a socio-psychological novel. Thus, the lines along which "Princess Ligovskaya" comes into contact with secular stories are not lines of communication, but lines of demarcation, lines of separation.

Thus, it can be noted: the salon of Count M.Yu. Vielgorsky, who himself was an outstanding composer and musician, was famous for his concerts, where famous singers, composers, and musicians performed.

EAT. Khitrovo had a typical high-society salon in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 19th century. Great erudition, education, the European manner of communication perceived in the West are qualities inherent in the hostess of the salon. All vital life, European and Russian, political, literary and social, received echoes in the salon of Elizabeth Mikhailovna.

V.F. Odoevsky, a government official, publicist, mechanic-inventor, composer and musical public figure, was known for his literary and philosophical salons in St. Petersburg and Moscow. For many years, they became notable for more than one secular metropolitan life: intellectual conversations, a variety of topics and the breadth of dominant interests were predominant in the salon.

A.P. Rostopchina, Countess, Russian writer, poetess - hostess of a literary salon. Personal meetings with A.S. had a great influence on the formation of her poetic taste. Pushkin and M.Yu. Lermontov. Her salons were purely literary and secular in nature.

One of the main types of pastime for members of high society was secular receptions at which news and the situation in Europe were discussed.

In the first quarter of the 19th century in Russia, the main social role was played by the nobles, so a considerable place in Russian literature is given to the description of secular society. It should be noted that the high society at that time was represented mainly by two metropolitan societies, quite different from each other: St. Petersburg and Moscow.

Poets and writers of the early 19th century often turned to the depiction of the nobility in their works, that is, in literature at that time there was already a certain tradition in the depiction of high society, and Tolstoy largely continues this tradition. This allowed him to create a very complete and reliable image of the secular society of Russia at the beginning of the 19th century.

Moscow secular society appears to us quite differently, which, however, is somewhat similar to St. Petersburg. At such dinners, such qualities are manifested that are inherent in the Moscow nobility: hospitality, cordiality, nepotism. In depicting a secular society, writers actively use the technique suspension , allowing you to look at events and characters from an unexpected point of view. French in the speech of heroes is also a technique suspension , making it possible to more fully create an image of a secular society that spoke at that time mainly in French.

Conclusion

In our work, we examined the secular salon in Russia, the image of secular society in the works of Odoevsky, Pushkin, Lermontov.

Exploring this topic in term paper, the following conclusions can be drawn:

The Russian noble salon was a complex form of cultural and artistic life of noble Russia in the first half of the 19th century, in which serious, deep interests are combined with entertainment, personal and public, and various types of activities are meant.

The main important features that the salon has are intimacy (multifunctionality), the role of the owner (hostess), the topics of conversations, the “public” that is at secular “meetings”.

It should also be noted that in the 19th century, not all of the nobility, but only a thin layer of the educated, thinking part of it, were related to the salon culture. The activities of the noble-aristocratic intelligentsia in Russia (including thanks to the salon) contributed to the subsequent powerful cultural and artistic development of the country.

The salons of representatives of the noble elite: Khitrovo, Odoevsky, Vielgorsky, Volkonskaya have significant differences in themes, goals and interior of secular "assemblies". Salon E.M. Khitrova is an example of a typical high society salon, Odoevsky's salon is an element of Russian book culture, concert salons were a feature of M.Yu. V.F. Vielgorsky, staged entire Italian operas by Z.I. Volkonskaya.

One of the tasks of the salons is also manifested in the fact that here one could get acquainted with the latest in literature, philosophy and art; learn a lot of interesting and necessary things about new literary trends, directions, philosophical ideas, etc.

The literary salons of the 19th century were not only a means of forming many philosophical ideas, but also contributed to their dissemination.
All literary salons appeared and disappeared completely unsystematically. It is impossible even to fix their exact, or even approximate, number. Only approximately can be called the number of representatives of a salon. And further, distinctive feature literary salons is their isolation from the broad masses of the people. Mostly this included people of noble estates, famous for their talents in any field, or simply relatives, acquaintances of the owners. Nevertheless, their merit in the formation and dissemination of domestic philosophical ideas is undeniable: Russian thought, developing in the bowels of literary salons, gradually and smoothly passed into philosophical communities, where it turned into an independent school of Russian national philosophy.
The literary salons of Moscow, where in the 1830s and 1840s the main forces of the two main progressive trends in social thought of that time, Westernism and Slavophilism, were concentrated, “served as an expression of the literary trends that dominated the Russian intelligentsia, scientific and philosophical views.”

Salons are one of the favorite forms of pastime, both for Russian nobles and other classes, and their constant visit is an belonging to a good society. It satisfied the needs of people in intellectual, cultural communication, gave knowledge in the field of art, formed their aesthetic tastes and ideals, played a huge role in the development of worldview guidelines, etc. It prepared the audience for the perception of high art, served to educate certain manners and behaviors, provided an opportunity for the exchange of opinions between professionals and non-professional audiences, which served their mutual enrichment.

There are many original features in Russian salon culture. First of all, this is the specificity of the stratum of the nobility itself, the subject of salon culture, which in Russia has its own history, mentality, and characteristic features; the phenomenon of Russian noble culture - literary, musical, political and philosophical salons - arose precisely among the enlightened nobility.

The functions of the Russian salon contributed to:

the formation of the Russian literary language in the salon through the overcoming of gallomania, as well as the real bilingualism of the Russian nobility;

the birth of various literary circles and societies that developed from the salons;

the active influence of salon culture on the writer, poet, playwright (“salon” comedy), composer (especially in romance art), editor and publisher; development of genres of prose and poetry;

accumulation of living forms of creative communication between writer and reader;
- the development of literary games, public reading of one's own and other people's works, conducting discussions;
familiarization with foreign literature and criticism.

familiarization with European musical art;

the formation by the most progressive representatives of the nobility in the salons of the ideals of national Russian art;

influence on composer, performing and musicological creativity; support of domestic and foreign composers and performers.

Salon culture appears in modern cultural inheritance as a memory of the culture of the nobility in the historical period of the 18th-19th centuries. Its function at present is that it broadcasts samples of high aesthetic ideals, intellectual communication, and great humanistic potential.

Any culture, including salon culture, ultimately reflects the needs, interests, and value orientations of people of a certain time.

List of sources used

Paly, E.N. Salon as a phenomenon of national culture in the first third of the 19th century. / E.N. Paliy // Pedagogy, 1997. No. 6.

Paly, E.H. Literary and musical salons as an element of Russian culture of the 19th century / E.N. Paliy // Social and humanitarian knowledge. - 2007. No. 1. - 274 p.

Lotman, Yu. M. Culture and explosion / Yu.M. Lotman. - M.: Gnosis, 1992. - S. 155-156.

Lotman, Yu. M. Conversations about Russian culture: Life and traditions of the Russian nobility (XVIII - early XIX century) / Yu.M. Lotman. - St. Petersburg: Art - St. Petersburg, 1994. - 48 p.

Martin-Fyugier, A. Social life and salons / A. Martin-Fyugier // New Literary Review. - 1995. - No. 13. - 245 p.

Smirnova, I.A. Rosset in Russian culture of the 19th century / I.A. Smirnova. - M.: Publishing House of the Russian State University for the Humanities, 2004.

Berkov, P.N. Lomonosov and literary controversy of his time / P.N. Berkov. - M.-L. - 1936. - 118 p.

Zhitomirsky, D. Robert Schumann / D. Zhitomirsky. - M., 1964. - c.493.

Venevitinov, M.A. Franz Liszt and Count Mich. Yurievich Vielgorsky in 1839 / M.A. Venevitinov - 489 p.

Odoevsky, V.F. A look at Moscow in 1824 / V.F. Odoevsky // Addition to the Moscow Telegraph. - 1825. - No. 1. - P.87-88.

Odoevsky, V.F. About music in Moscow and Moscow concerts in 1825 / V.F. Odoevsky // Addition to the Moscow Telegraph. - 1826. - No. 8. - 100 p.

Turyan, M. A. "My strange fate ...". About the life of Vladimir Fedorovich Odoevsky / M. A. Turyan. - M.: Book, 1991. S. 14-103.

13 .

Timiryazev, F. Kn. V.F. Odoevsky. "In memory of Prince V.F. Odoevsky" / F. Timiryazev. - M., 1869. - S. 72-73.

Panaev, I.I. Literary memoirs / I.I. Panaev. - L., 1928.

Stupel, A.M. V.F. Odoevsky. 1804-1869. / A.M. Stupel. - L., 1985. - 94 p.

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Gribkova, E. M. Under one star. E.P. Rostopchin in the circle of Russian writers. / EAT. Gribkova // Russian literature, 1994. - No. 4. - S. 89-92.

Pletnev, P.A. Letter to Ya.K. Grotu, 10.XII.1840 / P.A. Pletnev // Cited. according to the book: E. P. Rostopchina. Talisman.-- M., 1987. - 276 p.

War and Peace / L.N. Tolstoy. - P.74 - 328.

Poltavets, E.Yu. "War and Peace" by L.N. Tolstoy at the lessons of literature / E.Yu. Poltavets. - M.: Bustard, 2005.- 368 p. - (Teacher's library).

The attitude of the writer to secular society

The critical attitude towards the high society in the novel "War and Peace" by Tolstoy is manifested throughout the novel. In his book, the writer tries to display a broad picture of the life of Russian society. On the pages of the work, we meet with representatives of different classes. Skillfully using the details of the portrait, speech characteristics, describing actions, Leo Tolstoy expresses his attitude towards his heroes. We understand that the author has his own preferences.

Some characters are clearly sympathetic and dear to him, while others cause condemnation. The unloved heroes of the writer include representatives of high society. Reading the novel, we observe these people in Anna Pavlovna's salon, in the Kuragins' house, in Helen's living room, at Kutuzov's headquarters. And everywhere we see the same false masks, we hear false speeches, we become witnesses of dishonorable acts.

Fashion Salon Sherer

In this essay on the topic “High society in the novel“ War and Peace ”we will dwell in more detail on some representatives of secular society. The reader's acquaintance with the world of the chosen takes place at the beginning of the novel. The reader finds himself among the guests of Anna Pavlovna Sherer. The insincerity of the behavior of the hostess immediately catches the eye. Most of all, she is concerned about the observance of external decorum. She shuffles people like a deck of cards, making circles for conversation and strictly observing that a sincere feeling does not inadvertently break out, no one raises her voice, does not show excessive free-thinking. Pierre's emotionality and sincere immediacy do not fit into this realm of lies and pretense. The smart and insightful Prince Andrei Bolkonsky feels superfluous at this celebration of life. For the rest, the Scherer house is a comfortable place where you can show off your beauty and, pretending to be smart, show yourself like Helen Bezukhova. Try to find patrons for my son, like Anna Mikhailovna. Find suitable brides for your sons, like Prince Kuragin.

In the house of the dying Count Bezukhov

A soulless selfish atmosphere reigns in the house of the dying Count Bezukhov. We see what is happening through the eyes of the naive Pierre. The young man does not understand what caused the increased attention to his modest person, what worries his relatives, which causes scandals and even fights near his father's deathbed. Surrounding little worried about the state of the count. It is important for them not to miss the chance to snatch a piece from a rich inheritance.

Captured by the greedy count

We observe the behavior of familiar faces in the apartment of Vasily Kuragin. Prince Vasily does not let go of Pierre, who has suddenly become a rich heir, from his tenacious hands. He is not interested in questions of morality and morality. Marrying Pierre to his daughter is the ultimate dream of a greedy nature. It does not matter that the young man is not going to propose, that there is no sincere feeling between the bride and groom. The main thing is to drive a simple-minded person into a trap, taking advantage of his honesty and nobility. Helen Kuragina, with her vicious nature, is similar to her father. She easily manages to fool Pierre and make his life miserable. “Where you are, there is depravity, evil,” Pierre, who has begun to see clearly, says to his wife. For the sake of money, these people are ready to transgress any laws of morality. In a difficult wartime for Russia, in this society there were “the same exits, balls, the same French theater, the same interests of service and intrigue ...”

Serving in the army

Even war does not change the habits of these gentlemen. Such concepts as patriotism, honor, courage do not find a response in the souls of staff officers. They mock the unfortunate General Mack, whose defeated army was Russia's ally. They think about awards and ranks, forgetting to convey important orders. Because of the irresponsibility and cowardice of such officers, soldiers are dying, truly honest and courageous fighters are suffering. Anatole Kuragin has no idea about the place of his service. Dolokhov, using a small wound, is trying to return the privileges. Boris Drubetskoy is ready to use Nikolai Rostov's letter of recommendation for his promotion. Petty Berg is busy buying a "chiffonier and toilet" for Vera, while the enemy is at the walls of Moscow. Personal interests of intrigue, a career become their main goal.

True nobles

But the high society is not limited to the listed heroes of the novel. Against their background, the images of honest and noble representatives of the nobility stand out brighter. It is no coincidence that Prince Andrei during the Patriotic War refuses to serve at the headquarters. He dislikes the struggle of his colleagues for a warm and well-fed place. He goes where real life boils and his experience and knowledge will be useful. The father of the young prince is sick with his soul for Russia no less than his son. The last words before death are addressed to the Fatherland. “The soul hurts,” says the old man. Harmless and funny Pierre plans to kill Napoleon. Natasha Rostova parted with her property without regret, helping wounded soldiers to get out of Moscow. Marya Bolkonskaya does not allow the thought of remaining under the power of the enemy and, having barely buried her father, sets off on a long and dangerous journey for the girl. Sixteen-year-old Petya dies heroically in battle. Without uttering lofty words, Nikolai Rostov risks his life on the battlefields. Destroys the French in the rear, creating a partisan detachment, Vasily Denisov. All of them are also people of high society, accustomed to luxury and wealth. Only these heroes, not in words, but in deeds, love their Motherland and are ready to sacrifice everything for its salvation from the invaders. It is these nobles who, according to the author, are the hope and support of the Russian state.

Lesson 116 “I TRIED TO WRITE THE HISTORY OF THE PEOPLE” (L. N. TOLSTOY) (HISTORY OF THE CREATION OF THE NOVEL-EPIC “WAR AND PEACE”. FEATURES OF THE GENRE AND COMPOSITION. S

Lesson 116
“I tried to write the history of the people” (L. N. Tolstoy)
(History of the creation of the epic novel
"War and Peace". Features of the genre and composition.
meaning of the title)

Goals : to acquaint students with the history of writing "War and Peace"; find out what is genre originality and features of the composition; explain the meaning of the name.

Visual aids: reproduction of Ilya Repin's painting “The Room in Yasnaya Polyana, where Tolstoy wrote War and Peace” (1891).

During the classes

I. Teacher's story(summary).

The history of the creation of the epic novel "War and Peace"

The colossal four-volume work "War and Peace" Leo Tolstoy wrote during 6 years from 1863 to 1869. Describing his work, he pointed out that he collected and studied historical materials "with the zeal of a scientist." Tolstoy not only scrupulously studied archives, documents, historical books and works, but also met with veterans, participants in the Patriotic War of 1812, even visited the Borodino field.

Initially, Tolstoy conceived the idea of ​​writing the story "The Decembrists", the hero of which Petr Ivanovich Labazov- A Decembrist who returned from Siberian exile. But soon the writer came to a new idea, to the era of 1825, the era of "misfortunes" of his hero. Pyotr Ivanovich Labazov from the story "Decembrist" as a result ... turned into Pyotr Kirillovich Bezukhov, and then into Pierre.

Tolstoy decided to show the youth of the Decembrist, and this is 1812, "the time of the triumph of Russia" in the war with Napoleon. Then he turned to the earlier era of 1805-1807, the time of "failures" and "shame" of Russia.

Thus, according to Tolstoy's plan, the hero, and no longer alone ("but many ... heroes and heroines"), must go through the historical events of 1805, 1807, 1812, 1856. This idea was not fully realized.

On the pages of "War and Peace" Tolstoy managed to combine a huge and diverse material. The number of characters in the work is striking, there are more than 600 of them.

The time of action in "War and Peace" is 15 years (from 1805 to 1820). Events take place either in Moscow and St. Petersburg, or in noble estates, or abroad, in Austria.

According to Leo Tolstoy, in his work he "loved the thought of the people." In early manuscripts there is such an entry: “I tried to write a“ history of the people ”. "The thought of the people" is put by the great writer as the basis for characterizing the heroes of the work, historical events and historical figures.

II. Performances of students with individual tasks.

1. About the title of the novel

The original - "Three Times", then "1805", a new version - "All is well that ends well", the last - "War and Peace".

Q: What is the meaning of the title? (“War” is military actions, battles, “war” is misunderstanding, enmity, separation of people.

"Peace" is the life of the people without war, it is also that "community, that unity to which people should strive."

2. About the genre

L. N. Tolstoy refuses to give a genre definition of War and Peace: “This is not a novel, even less a poem, even less a historical chronicle. "War and Peace" is what the author wanted and could express in the form in which it was expressed, "but the researchers of Tolstoy's work called "War and Peace" epic novel.

The epic novel tells about the most important historical events, tells about various aspects of the life of the people, illuminates the views, as well as the life and customs of various strata of society.

3. About composition and plot

Composition (construction, arrangement and interconnection of all parts, images, episodes, scenes in a work; division into parts, chapters, actions; way of narration; place and role of descriptions, monologues and dialogues) is striking in its complexity.

Widely depicted socio-historical and family-domestic era background. Historical scenes, scenes of private life and philosophical discussions in "War and Peace" are "mixed". Yu. V. Lebedev called it "divine nonsense" and considered it the most important compositional element of the book.

The novel reveals two main conflicts: the struggle of Russia with the army of Napoleon (the climax is the Battle of Borodino, the denouement is the defeat of Napoleon) and the struggle of the advanced nobles with the “conservatism of government spheres and public life” (the culmination is the dispute between P. Bezukhov and Nikolai Rostov, the denouement is the entry of P. Bezukhov into a secret society ).

One of the methods of composition is antithesis(opposition). play an important role in the novel internal parallels, or comparisons.

The writer pays much attention to the depiction of fractures, changes in public life.

There are many plots in the epic novel, each storyline has its own plot. The plots are based on the spiritual search for their place in the life of the writer's favorite characters.

4. The system of images in the epic novel

In the center is a chronicle of the life of noble families (Bolkonsky, Rostov, Bezukhov, Kuragin).

3. Episode analysis in:

џ “In the salon of A.P. Scherer” (chapters 1–5).

Questions:

1) Who are the hostess of the salon and her guests? (Pay attention to the appearance, clothing, behavior, manner of communication of guests.)

2) What is the meaning of the life of the regulars of the secular salon?

3) What is the difference between Pierre and Andrey from the guests?

џ “In the house of Count Bezukhov” (chapters 18–21).

Questions:

1) Tell us about the struggle for the will of the dying count.

2) How did the attitude towards Pierre change when he got rich?