Key questions What events in Leskov's life helped him become the author of the tale? How is a story different from a fairy tale? What elements folklore works you noticed? Who do you think the narrator could be? History and fiction. Find inconsistencies in the text. History and fiction. Find inconsistencies in the text. Who is the link of all the events of the tale?

Research activities of students Literary critics. How is a story different from a fairy tale? What legend underlies the tale of N.S. Leskov? Presentation of the Historian When and where does the action of the tale take place? State people: collect historical material about them. Find inconsistencies in the text. Presentation Presentation Linguists How new, unusual words said? What is the role of such words? Presentation

Basic concepts. Skaz is a genre of epic, based on folk traditions and legends, narration, conducted on behalf of the narrator. It is characterized by a combination of accurate sketches of folk life and customs with the fabulously fantastic world of folklore. The narrator in the tale is not a real person, but artistic image having all the features real person. The narration is conducted on behalf of the narrator, a person with a special character and style of speech. Irony is an expression of ridicule.

"Lefty" Tale of the Tula oblique left-hander and about steel flea What events in Leskov's life helped him become the author of the tale? What elements of folklore do you notice? The beginning, repetitions, ending of the tale contains an edification. What do you think, who could be the narrator, the narrator? The narrator is a simple man, an artisan, a craftsman. There are many irregularities in his speech, vernacular, inversions characteristic of folklore works, historical characters - Alexander I and Platov - are shown from the point of view of a commoner.

The plot of the work. Alexander I received a microscopic steel flea as a gift from the British, brought it home and forgot it. Nicholas I found a flea and instructed Ataman Platov to transfer it to Tula, and Tula craftsmen to think about it. The Tula people shod the flea, causing surprise and admiration among the English masters.

Statesmen 1. Find quotes characterizing Alexander I and Platov. Alexander Pavlovich: - affection; – sympathy for the industrial West; - distrust of one's own nation. Platov: sharpness, not diplomacy; confrontation Western culture; faith in Russian people. Platov M.I. Alexander I "He traveled all over the country and everywhere through his affectionateness had internecine conversations with all sorts of people"; “We Russians are good for nothing with all our knowledge” “And as soon as Platov notices that the sovereign is interested in something foreign, then everyone is silent, and Platov will now say: so and so, and we have our own house no worse” ; “and Platov keeps his agitation that everything means nothing to him”

How is Platov depicted in the drawings of Kuzmin N.? The figure shows Platov, who, in the cabinet of curiosities in front of the emperor and the English generals, takes out a rifle screwdriver from his trousers and picks the lock of the pistol. Three surprised Englishmen in dress uniforms gathered around Platov, and Alexander the First stood and smiled sweetly on the right. The artist N. Kuzmin Platov in the drawing is a serious, gloomy gray-haired old man in orders, his face is simpler and more severe than the faces of the sovereign and the surprised Englishmen. The artist depicts this scene satirically.

Third Chapter The effect of fabulousness is enhanced by the very nature of the narration. Watch how Alexander I hides a flea. He “dipped the flea into the nut ... and in order not to lose the nut itself, he dipped it into his golden snuffbox, and ordered the snuffbox to be put in his travel box. Reminiscent of fabulous descriptions of Kashcheev's hidden death: a needle in an egg, an egg in a duck, a duck in a chest, etc.

How are new, unusual words formed? "Melkoskop" - a microscope; “dolbitsa” - table, “Abolon polvedersky - Apollo Belvedere; "ceramides" - pyramids; "double" - double; "mother of pearl" - mother of pearl. What is the role of such words? Such "folk" words create a humorous effect. When does the narrator use unusual words? The narrator uses new words and expressions when he encounters words that are not in the speech of ordinary people, or when he needs to tell about what the heroes saw abroad. A word game is also a denunciation: “slander” (because newspaper feuilletons often contain slander); “public statements” (you hear “public” and “police”).

Conclusions The tale "Lefty" belongs to the best examples of this genre. The narrator conveys not only the point of view of an individual, but embodies the popular opinion. The narrator's speech is complex, sometimes incorrect. A small flea becomes a test for the heroes - their feeling of love for their homeland is tested. Ataman Platov acts as the protector of the nation during the tsar's foreign excursions.

Sources Big Encyclopedia Cyril and Methodius

"Lefty" is a touching story about a master who devoted his whole life to working for the good of his homeland. Leskov creates many literary images living and acting in the atmosphere of bygone days.

In 1881, the magazine "Rus" published "The Tale of Tula Lefty and about the steel flea. Later, the author will include the work in the collection "The Righteous".

Fictional and real are intertwined in a single whole. The plot is based on true events that allow one to adequately perceive the characters described in the work.

So, Emperor Alexander I, accompanied by the Cossack Matvey Platov, really visited England. In accordance with his rank, he was accorded due honors.

The true story of Lefty unfolded in 1785, when two Tula gunsmiths, Surnin and Leontiev, were sent to England by order of the emperor to get acquainted with the weapons industry. Surnin is tireless in acquiring new knowledge, while Leontiev "plunges" into a disorderly life and "gets lost" in a foreign land. Seven years later, the first master returns home to Russia and introduces innovations to improve weapons production.

It is believed that the master Surnin is the prototype of the protagonist of the work.

Leskov widely uses the folklore layer. So, the feuilleton about the miracle master Ilya Yunitsyn, who creates tiny locks, no larger than a flea, is the basis for the image of Lefty.

Real historical material is harmoniously integrated into the narrative.

Genre, direction

There are differences in terms of genre. Some authors prefer the story, others prefer the tale. As for N. S. Leskov, he insists that the work be defined as a tale.

"Lefty" is also characterized as a "weapons" or "shop" legend that has developed among people of this profession.

According to Nikolai Semenovich, the source of the tale is the "fable" he heard in 1878 from some gunsmith in Sestroretsk. The legend became the starting point that formed the basis of the idea of ​​the book.

The writer's love for the people, admiration for his talents, ingenuity found its embodiment in relief characters. The work is full of elements fairy tale, winged words and expressions, folk satire.

essence

The plot of the book makes you think about whether Russia can truly appreciate its talents. The main events of the work clearly indicate that both the authorities and the mob are equally blind and indifferent towards the masters of their craft. Emperor Alexander I visits England. He is shown an amazing piece of work by the English craftsmen - a dancing metal flea. He acquires a "curiosity" and brings it to Russia. For a while, the "nymphosoria" is forgotten. Then Emperor Nicholas I became interested in the “masterpiece” of the British. He sent General Platov to the Tula gunsmiths.

In Tula, a "courageous old man" orders three craftsmen to do something more skillful than the "English" flea. The craftsmen thank him for the sovereign's trust and set to work.

Two weeks later, Platov, who arrived for the finished product, without understanding what exactly the gunsmiths did, grabs Lefty and takes him to the palace to the king. Appearing before Nikolai Pavlovich, Lefty shows what work they have done. It turned out that the gunsmiths had shod the "English" flea. The emperor is happy that the Russian fellows did not let him down.

Then follows the order of the sovereign to send the flea back to England in order to demonstrate the skill of Russian gunsmiths. The left-hander accompanies the "nymphosoria". The British welcome him warmly. Interested in his talent, they do everything possible so that the Russian craftsman remains in a foreign land. But Lefty refuses. He is homesick and asks to be sent home. The British are sorry to let him go, but you can't keep him by force.

On the ship, the master meets the half-skipper, who speaks Russian. Acquaintance ends with drinking. In St. Petersburg, a half-skipper is sent to a hospital for foreigners, and Lefty, who is sick, is imprisoned in a "cold quarter" and robbed. Later, they are brought to die in the common people's Obukhov hospital. The left-hander, living out his last hours, asks Dr. Martyn-Solsky to inform the sovereign of important information. But it does not reach Nicholas I, since Count Chernyshev does not want to hear anything about it. Here's what the piece says.

Main characters and their characteristics

1. Emperor Alexander I- "the enemy of labor." Differs in curiosity, a very impressionable person. Suffering from melancholy. Bows before foreign miracles, believing that only the British can create them. Compassionate and compassionate, building a policy with the British, carefully smoothing out sharp corners.
2. Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich- ambitious "soldafon". Has an excellent memory. He does not like to yield to foreigners in anything. He believes in the professionalism of his subjects, proves the failure of foreign masters. However, the common man does not interest him. He never thinks about how hard this skill is achieved.
3. Platov Matvei Ivanovich- Don Cossack, Count. Heroism and sweeping prowess emanates from his figure. A truly legendary person, who is the living embodiment of courage and courage. He has great endurance, willpower. He loves his native land immensely. A family man, in a foreign land he misses his native household. Insensitive to foreign creations. He believes that the Russian people will be able to do everything, no matter what they look at. Impatient. Without understanding, he can beat a commoner. If he is wrong, then he will certainly ask for forgiveness, since a magnanimous heart is hidden behind the image of a tough and invincible chieftain.
4. Tula masters is the hope of the nation. They are well-versed in the "metal business". They have a bold imagination. Excellent gunsmiths who believe in miracles. Orthodox people are full of church piety. They hope for God's help in solving difficult problems. They honor the gracious word of the sovereign. Thank you for the trust placed in them. They personify the Russian people and their good qualities which are described in detail here.
5. oblique southpaw- Skilled gunsmith On the cheek - birthmark. He wears an old "ozyamchik" with hooks. In the modest appearance of a great worker, a bright mind is hidden and kind soul. Before taking on any important business, he goes to church to receive a blessing. The characteristics and description of Lefty are detailed in this essay. He patiently endures Platov's bullying, although he did nothing wrong. Later, he forgives the old Cossack, not harboring resentment in his heart. The left-hander is sincere, speaks simply, without flattery and cunning. Immensely loves the fatherland, never agrees to exchange his homeland for well-being and comfort in England. It is difficult to endure separation from their native places.
6. half-skipper- an acquaintance of Levsha, who speaks Russian. We met on a ship bound for Russia. We drank a lot together. After arriving in St. Petersburg, he takes care of the gunsmith, trying to rescue him from the terrible conditions of the Obukhov hospital and find a person who would convey an important message from the master to the sovereign.
7. Dr. Martyn-Solsky- a true professional in his field. He tries to help Lefty overcome the disease, but does not have time. He becomes that confidant to whom Lefty tells a secret intended for the sovereign.
8. Count Chernyshev- a narrow-minded Minister of War, with great conceit. He despises the common people. He has little interest firearms. Because of his narrow-mindedness, narrowness of thinking, he substitutes the Russian army in battles with the enemy in the Crimean War.

Topics and issues

1. The theme of Russian talents runs like a red thread through all of Leskov's work. The left-hander, without any glass enlargers, was able to make small studs to nail horseshoes to a metal flea. His imagination has no limits. But it's not just about talent. Tula gunsmiths are hard workers who do not know how to rest. With their diligence, they create not only outlandish products, but also a unique national code that is passed down from generation to generation.
2. The theme of patriotism deeply worried Leskov. Dying on the cold floor in the hospital corridor, Lefty thinks about his homeland. He asks the doctor to find an opportunity to inform the sovereign that it is impossible to clean the guns with bricks, since this will result in their unsuitability. Martyn-Solsky is trying to convey to the Minister of War, Chernyshev, this information, but everything turns out to be fruitless. The words of the master do not reach the sovereign, but the cleaning of guns continues until the very Crimean campaign. Outrageous is this unforgivable disregard of the tsarist officials for the people and for their fatherland!
3. The tragic fate of Lefty is a reflection of the problem of social injustice in Russia. Leskov's tale is both cheerful and sad at the same time. The story of how Tula craftsmen shoe a flea, demonstrating a selfless attitude to work, is captivating. In parallel with this, serious reflections of the author about the difficult fate of brilliant people from the people sound. The problem of attitude to folk craftsmen at home and in a foreign land worries the writer. In England, Lefty is respected, they offer him excellent working conditions, and they also try to interest him in various curiosities. In Russia, he is faced with indifference and cruelty.
4. The problem of love for one's native places, to native nature. The native corner of the earth is especially dear to man. Memories of him captivate the soul and give energy to create something beautiful. Many, like Lefty, are drawn to their homeland, since no foreign blessings can replace parental love, the atmosphere of their home and the sincerity of faithful comrades.
5. Attitude problem talented people to work. Masters are obsessed with finding new ideas. These are workers who are fanatically passionate about their work. Many of them “burn out” at work, because they give their all to the implementation of their plans without a trace.
6. Issues of power. What is the true strength of a person? Representatives of the authorities allow themselves in relation to ordinary people go beyond the “permitted”, shout at them, use your fists. craftsmen with calm dignity withstand such an attitude of the masters. The true strength of a person is in balance and steadfastness of character, and not in the manifestation of incontinence and spiritual impoverishment. Leskov cannot stay away from the problem of a heartless attitude towards people, their lack of rights and oppression. Why is so much cruelty applied to the people? Doesn't he deserve humane treatment? The poor Lefty is indifferently left to die on the cold hospital floor, without doing anything that could somehow help him get out of the strong bonds of the disease.

the main idea

Lefty is a symbol of the talent of the Russian people. Another bright image from Leskov's gallery of "righteous people". No matter how hard it is, the righteous always fulfills the promise, gives himself to the fatherland to the last drop, without demanding anything in return. Love for the native land, for the sovereign works wonders and makes you believe in the impossible. The righteous rise above the line of simple morality and disinterestedly do good - this is their moral idea, their main idea.

Many statesmen this is not appreciated, but in the memory of the people there always remain examples of selfless behavior and sincere, disinterested deeds of those people who lived not for themselves, but for the glory and well-being of their Fatherland. The meaning of their life is in the prosperity of the Fatherland.

Peculiarities

Having brought together bright flashes of folk humor and folk wisdom, the creator of "The Tale" wrote work of fiction reflecting a whole era of Russian life.

In places in "Lefty" it is difficult to determine where good ends and evil begins. This shows the "cunning" of the writer's style. He creates characters, sometimes contradictory, carrying positive and negative traits. So, the courageous old man Platov, being a heroic nature, could never raise his hand against a “little” person.

"Wizard of the word" - this is how Gorky called Leskov after reading the book. vernacular the heroes of the work - their bright and accurate description. The speech of each character is figurative and original. It exists in unison with his character, helping to understand the character, his actions. The Russian person is characterized by ingenuity, so he comes up with unusual neologisms in the spirit of “folk etymology”: “trifle”, “busters”, “tapping”, “valdakhin”, “melkoskop”, “nymphosoria”, etc.

What does it teach?

N. S. Leskov teaches a fair attitude towards people. All are equal before God. It is necessary to judge each person not by his social affiliation, but by Christian deeds and spiritual qualities.

Only then can one find a diamond that glows with righteous rays of warmth and sincerity.

Interesting? Save it on your wall!

Leskov N. S.

Essay on a work on the topic: Folklore traditions in the work of one of the Russian writers of the 19th century. (N. S. Leskov. "Lefty".)

Few nineteenth-century writers made such extensive use of folklore and folk traditions in your creativity. Deeply believing in the spiritual strength of the people, he is nevertheless far from its idealization, from the creation of idols, from “an idol liturgy for a peasant,” to use Gorky’s expression. The writer explained his position by the fact that he “studyed the people not from conversations with St. Petersburg cabmen”, but “grew up among the people” and that he “neither should lift the people on stilts, nor put them under his feet.”
A confirmation of the writer's objectivity can serve as "The Tale of the Tula Oblique Lefty and the Steel Flea", which was once estimated by critics as "a set of clownish expressions in the style of ugly foolishness" (A. Volynsky). Unlike Leskov's other fairy tales, the narrator from the folk environment does not have specific features. This anonymous person acts on behalf of an indefinite multitude, as his original mouthpiece. There are always various rumors among the people, transmitted from mouth to mouth and overgrown in the process of such transmission with all sorts of conjectures, assumptions, and new details. The legend is created by the people, and it is this freely created, embodying the “voice of the people” that it appears in “Lefty”.
Interestingly, in the first printed editions, Leskov prefaced the story with the following preface: “I wrote down this legend in Sestroretsk according to a local tale from an old gunsmith, a native of Tula, who moved to the Sestra River back in the reign of Emperor Alexander the First. The narrator two years ago was still in good spirits and in fresh memory; he willingly recalled the old days, greatly honored the sovereign Nikolai Pavlovich, lived “according to old faith", read divine books and bred canaries." The abundance of "reliable" details left no room for doubt, but everything turned out. a literary hoax, which the author himself soon exposed: “... I composed this whole story in May last year, and Lefty is a person I invented.” Leskov will return to the question of the invention of Lefty more than once, and in his lifetime collected works he will remove the “preface” completely. This hoax itself was necessary for Leskov to create the illusion that the author was not involved in the content of the tale.
However, with all the outward simplicity of the narrative, this story by Leskov also has a “double bottom”. In embodying popular ideas about Russian autocrats, military leaders, about people of another nation, about themselves, the simple-hearted narrator knows nothing about what the author who created him thinks about the same thing. But Leskov's "secret writing" allows you to clearly hear the author's voice. And this voice will tell that the rulers are alienated from the people, they neglect their duty to them, that these rulers are accustomed to power, which does not need to be justified by the presence of self-worth that it is not the supreme power that is concerned about the honor and fate of the nation, but ordinary Tula peasants. It is they who protect the honor and glory of Russia and constitute her hope.
However, the author will not hide the fact that the Tula craftsmen, who managed to shoe an English flea, in fact, spoiled the mechanical toy, because they “didn’t get into the sciences”, that they, “deprived of the opportunity to make history, created jokes”.
England and Russia (Orlovshchina, Tula, St. Petersburg, Penza), Revel and Merrekul, the Ukrainian village of Peregudy - such is the “geography” of Leskov’s stories and short stories in just one book. People of different nations enter into the most unexpected connections and relationships here. A “truly Russian person” sometimes puts foreigners to shame, sometimes it turns out to be dependent on their “system”. Finding common humanity in the lives of different peoples and striving to comprehend the present and future of Russia in connection with the course historical processes in Europe, Leskov, at the same time, was clearly aware of the uniqueness of his country. At the same time, he did not fall into the extremes of Westernism and Slavophilism, but kept to the position of objective artistic research. How did the “through Russian” writer and man who passionately loved Russia and his people manage to find a measure of such objectivity? The answer lies in Leskov's work itself.
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Lesson 25 N. S. Leskov - an outstanding Russian writer, connoisseur and connoisseur of folk life and popular word. tale "Lefty"

Goals: provide students with a summary biographical information about Leskov; to acquaint with the history of the creation of "Lefty", to begin work on the tale.

During the classes

I. Learning new material.

1. Introductory speech of the teacher about N. S. Leskov and his work.

The childhood of Nikolai Semenovich Leskov (1831-1895) passed, as the writer constantly emphasized, "... among the people themselves", in the small estate of Panino in the Oryol region.

On the screen - "Autobiographical note" by N. S. Leskov; reading it is continued by the teacher or specially trained students.

<…>“By origin, I belong to the hereditary nobility of the Oryol province, but our nobility is young and insignificant, it was acquired by my father by the rank of collegiate assessor (in Tsarist Russia, civil rank 8 th class). Our family actually comes from the clergy, and here behind it there is a kind of honorary line. My grandfather, priest Dmitry Leskov, and his father, grandfather and great-grandfather were all priests in the village of Leski, which is located in the Karachaevsky or Trubnevsky district of the Oryol province. From this village of Leski came our family name - Leskovy ...

My father, Semyon Dmitrievich Leskov, "did not go to the priesthood", but stopped his spiritual career immediately after completing the course of sciences at the Sevsk Seminary. This, they said, seemed to upset the grandfather very much and almost brought him to the grave ...

Driven out of the house by my grandfather for refusing to go to the clergy, my father fled to Oryol with forty kopecks of copper, which his late mother gave him "through the back gate" ...

With forty kopecks, my father came to Oryol and "because of bread" was taken to the house of the local landowner Khlopov, from whom he taught children, and must have been successful, because he was "poached" from Khlopov by the landowner Mikhail Andreevich Strakhov, who then served Oryol district marshal of the nobility ...

In the place of a teacher in Strakhov's house, his father drew attention to himself with his excellent mind and honesty, which was an excellent feature of his entire long-suffering life ...

I was born on February 4, 1831, in the Oryol district in the village of Gorokhovo, where my grandmother lived, with whom my mother was visiting at that time ...

We lived in a tiny house, which consisted of one large peasant log house, plastered inside and covered with straw ...

In the countryside I lived in complete freedom, which I used as I pleased. Peasant children were my peers, with whom I lived and lived soul to soul. I knew the life of the common people to the smallest detail, and to the smallest nuances I understood how they treat it from a large manor house, from our “small chicken house”, from an inn and from Popovka ...

M. A. Strakhov was married to my mother’s sister, Natalya Petrovna, a great beauty ...

The fruit of the marriage of Strakhov and my aunt was six heads of children - three daughters and three sons, of which two were a little older than me, and the third was the same age. And since there were Russian and German teachers and a Frenchwoman in the house for their upbringing, and my parents could not keep anything like that for me, I lived with the Strakhovs until almost eight years old, and this served me in favor: I was well-restrained, then he knew how to behave decently in society, did not shy away from people and had decent manners - he answered politely, bowed decently and chatted early in French.

But on the other hand, with these favorable things for my upbringing, certain unfavorable things also crept into my soul: I early felt pricks of self-love and pride, in which I expressed a great resemblance to my father. I was undoubtedly gifted with greater abilities than my cousins, and what they got in the sciences with difficulties, I did not care. The German teacher Kolberg had the imprudence to expose this to my aunt, and I began to notice that my progress was unpleasant to her.

The fact is that, according to the report of the careless, but honest Kohlberg, they wanted to “encourage” me for good manners and success. To do this, once in the evening they gathered all the children in the living room. It was some kind of holiday, and there were many guests in the house with children of almost the same age ...

I was ordered to go to the table and receive the award awarded to me by the family council, which I did, very embarrassed, especially since I noticed some disapproving smiles from the elders, as well as from some children, who, obviously, were aware of the evil plot against me. joke.

Instead of a commendation sheet, they gave me an advertisement for an opedeldoc * , which I noticed only when I unfolded the sheet and dropped it amid general laughter.

This joke outraged my childish soul, and I did not sleep all night, every minute I jumped up and asked: “Why, why did they offend me?”.

Since then, I did not want to stay with the Strakhovs for anything and asked my grandmother to write to my father to take me. And so it was done, and I began to live in our poor hut, considering myself extraordinarily happy that I had escaped from the big house, where I was offended without any fault on my part.

But on the other hand, however, I had nowhere else to study, and now I am again returning to the fact that I was taken to the Oryol gymnasium ...

I missed terribly, but I studied well, although the gymnasium ... was conducted very badly, badly ...

I went home three times a year: for the summer holidays, for Christmas time, and for Holy Week with Easter. During this last visit, my father and I always went to fast together - which gave me special pleasure, since at this time there is a thaw and we went to church on horseback.

Question:

- What do you think the words and expressions mean: “because of bread” was taken into the house”, “decent manners”, “pricks of vanity”, “virtue”, “had a speech”?

To the impressions of Leskov's childhood, the experience of the gymnasium years in Orel, as well as the unforgettable Kyiv years, is added. But the most important step towards his true vocation was private service: for three years, the future writer travels around Russia, accompanying the parties of peasant settlers. Therefore, Leskov knew the people well. The impressions of these years constituted a unique pantry of his memory.

The future writer comes to literature as a 35-year-old man, having behind him the richest life path. “He took up the work of the writer as a mature man, excellently armed not with bookish, but with genuine knowledge of life” (M. Gorky). All previous life prepared him for literary work and the fulfillment of the task that historically fell to him as an artist.

By the strength of talent, N. S. Leskov can be put on a par with I. S. Turgenev, F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy, M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin, A. P. Chekhov.

He created such masterpieces as "The Enchanted Wanderer", "The Sealed Angel", "Dumb Artist" and many others.

"The Tale of the Tula Oblique Left-hander and the Steel Flea" belongs to the masterpieces of Lesk's creativity" (Yu. Nagibin).

Leskov in the first printed editions (1881) prefaced the story with the following “preface”: “I wrote down this legend in Sestroretsk according to a local tale from an old gunsmith, a native of Tula, who moved to the Sister River in the reign of Emperor Alexander I. The narrator was two years ago still in good spirits and in fresh memory; he willingly recalled the old days, greatly honored Tsar Nikolai Pavlovich, lived "according to strict faith", read divine books and bred canaries. People treated him with respect." But soon the author himself “exposed” himself: “... I composed this whole story in May last year; and the left-handed person is a face I invented.

Leskov will return to the question of the invention of the left-hander repeatedly, and in his lifetime collected works he will remove the “preface” completely. All this fictitious story was necessary for Leskov to create the illusion that the author was not involved in the content of the tale.

2. Work with the textbook.

- What is a "story"? (p. 306 of the textbook).

skaz - a genre of epic, based on folk traditions and legends. The narration is conducted on behalf of the narrator, a person with a special character, style of speech.

3. Reading by the teacher of the first three chapters"Saying..."

4. Reading analysis.

– When and where does the action take place?

- Highlight and read the quotes characterizing Tsar Alexander Pavlovich, and then Platov.

Writing quotes in notebooks.

Alexander Pavlovich:

“He traveled all over the countries and everywhere, through his affectionateness, had the most internecine conversations with all sorts of people.”

“We Russians are no good with our meaning.”

"The sovereign rejoices in all this."

"The sovereign looked at the pistol and couldn't get enough of it."

“Why did you embarrass them very much, I feel very sorry for them now.”

"Please don't spoil politics for me."

“You are the first masters in the whole world, and my people cannot do anything against you.”

"The sovereign thought so that the British have no equal in art."

Platov:

“Platov… didn’t like this declension… And as soon as Platov notices that the sovereign is very interested in something foreign, then all the escorts are silent, and Platov will now say: so and so, and we have our own house no worse, and than- will take you somewhere."

"... and Platov keeps his anticipation that everything means nothing to him."

“Platov shows the sovereign a dog, and there, on the very bend, a Russian inscription is made: “Ivan Moskvin in the city of Tula.”

“... and Platov argued that ours would look at something - everyone can do it, but only they don’t have useful teachings ... the English masters have completely different rules for life, science and food ...”.

II. Summing up the lesson.

2) highlight (and write down) quotes characterizing Tsar Nikolai Pavlovich, Platov, left-handed;

3) prepare an artistic retelling of one of the chapters;

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Realizing the place and significance of N.S. Leskov in the literary process, we always note that this is a surprisingly original writer. The outward dissimilarity of his predecessors and contemporaries sometimes forced him to see in him a completely new phenomenon, which had no analogues in Russian literature. Leskov is brightly original, and at the same time, you can learn a lot from him..He is an amazing experimenter who gave birth to a whole wave of artistic searches in Russian literature; he is a cheerful, mischievous experimenter, and at the same time extremely serious and deep, setting great educational goals for himself.

Creativity Leskov, one might say, knows no social boundaries. He displays in his works people of various classes and circles: and landlords - from the rich to the semi-poor, and officials of all stripes - from the minister to the quarter, and the clergy - monastic and parish - from the metropolitan to the deacon, and the military of various ranks and types of weapons, and peasants, and people from the peasantry - soldiers, artisans and any working people. Leskov willingly shows different representatives of the nationalities of the then Russia: Ukrainians, Yakuts, Jews, Gypsies, Poles ... Leskov's versatility of knowledge of the life of each class, estate, nationality is amazing. Leskov's exceptional life experience, his vigilance, memory, his linguistic instinct were needed to describe the life of the people so closely, with such knowledge of life, economic structure, family relations, folk art, folk language.

With all the breadth of coverage of Russian life, there is a sphere in Leskov's work, to which his most significant and famous works belong: this is the sphere of the life of the people.

Who are the heroes of Leskov's most beloved works by our readers?

Heroes" The sealed angel- masons workers "Lefty"- blacksmith, Tula gunsmith," Tupey artist"- serf hairdresser and theatrical make-up artist

To put a hero from the people at the center of the story, one must first of all master his language be able to reproduce the speech of different strata of the people, different professions, destinies, ages. The task of recreating the living language of the people in a literary work required special art when Leskov used the form of a tale.

The tale in Russian literature comes from Gogol, but in particular it was skillfully developed by Leskov and glorified him as an artist. The essence of this manner is that the narration is conducted, as it were, not on behalf of a neutral, objective author; the narration is led by a narrator, usually a participant in the reported events. The speech of a work of art imitates the live speech of an oral story. At the same time, in a tale, the narrator is usually a person of a different social circle and cultural stratum to which the writer and the intended reader of the work belong. Leskov's story is led either by a merchant, or a monk, or an artisan, or a retired mayor, or a former soldier. . Each narrator speaks according to his education and upbringing, his age and profession, his concept of himself, his desire and ability to impress listeners.

This manner gives Leskov's story a special liveliness. The language of his works, unusually rich and varied, deepens the social and individual characteristics of his heroes, becomes for the writer a means of finely assessing people and events. Gorky wrote about the Leskovsky tale: "... The people in his stories often talk about themselves, but their speech is so amazingly alive, so truthful and convincing that they stand before you just as mysteriously tangible, physically clear, like people from the books of L. Tolstoy and others, otherwise say, Leskov achieves the same result, but with a different method of skill.

To illustrate Leskov's tale manner, let's take some tirade from Lefty. Here is how the narrator, based on Lefty's impressions, describes the living and working conditions of English workers : "Each worker is constantly full of them, dressed not in scraps, but on each capable tunic vest, shod in thick anklets with iron knobs so that they don’t cut their feet anywhere; he works not with a boilie, but with training and has himself In front of everyone, a multiplication table hangs in plain sight, and an erasable tablet is at hand: everything that the master does, he looks at the block and checks with the concept, and then writes one thing on the tablet, erases the other and neatly reduces: what is written on the numbers , then it really comes out."

The narrator did not see the English workers. He dresses them according to his imagination, connecting a jacket with a vest. He knows that they work there “according to science”, he himself heard only about the “multiplication dowel” in this part, which means that the master, who works not “by sight”, but with the help of “tsifirs”, should compare his products with it. The narrator, of course, lacks familiar words, he distorts unfamiliar words or uses them incorrectly.. "Shoes" become "shoes" - probably by association with panache. The multiplication table turns into a "dolbitsa" - obviously, because the students "hollow" it. Wanting to designate some kind of extension on the boots, the narrator calls it a knob, transferring the name of the extension on a stick to it.

Narrators from the folk environment often change strange-sounding foreign words into Russian., which, with such a rework, receive new or additional values; Leskov especially willingly imitates this so-called "folk etymology ". So, in "Lefty" the barometer turns into a "buremeter", "microscope" - into a "melkoskop", "pudding" - into "studing " etc. Leskov, who passionately loved puns, puns, witticisms, jokes, filled "Lefty" with linguistic curiosities. But their set does not evoke the impression of excess, because the immense brightness of verbal patterns is in the spirit of folk buffoonery. And sometimes word game not only amuses, but behind it is a satirical denunciation.

The narrator in a tale usually refers to some interlocutor or group of interlocutors., the narrative begins and progresses in response to their questions and remarks. At the core "Toupee artist"- the story of an old nanny to her pupil, a nine-year-old boy. This nanny is a former actress of the Oryol fortress theater of Count Kamensky. This is the same theater that is described in Herzen's story "The Thieving Magpie" under the name of Prince Skalinsky's theater. But the heroine of Herzen's story is not only a highly talented, but, due to the exceptional circumstances of life, an educated actress... Leskov's Lyuba is an uneducated serf girl, by natural talent capable of singing, dancing, and playing roles in plays "observe" (that is, hearsay, following other actresses ). She is not able to tell everything and reveal what the author wants to tell the reader, and not everything can know (for example, the conversations of the master with his brother). Therefore, not the whole story is told on behalf of the nanny; part of the events are presented by the author with the inclusion of excerpts and small quotes from babysitter's story.

In the very popular work Leskova - "Lefty" we meet with a tale of a different kind. There is no author, no audience, no narrator. More precisely, the author's voice is heard for the first time after the end of the tale: in the final chapter, the writer characterizes the story told as a "fabulous legend", an "epos" of masters, "a myth personified by folk fantasy".

(*10) The narrator in "Lefty" exists only as a voice that does not belong to a specific, named person. This is, as it were, the voice of the people - the creator of the "gunsmith's legend".

"Lefty"- not a household tale, where the narrator tells about the events he experienced or personally known to him; here he retells the legend created by the people, as folk narrators perform epics or historical songs. As in the folk epic, in "Lefty" there are a number of historical figures: two kings - Alexander I and Nicholas I, ministers Chernyshev, Nesselrode (Kiselvrode), Kleinmikhel, ataman of the Don Cossack army Platov, commandant of the Peter and Paul Fortress Skobelev and others.

Contemporaries did not appreciate either "Lefty" or Leskov's talent in general.They believed that Leskov was excessive in everything: he overlays bright colors too thickly, puts his heroes in too unusual positions, makes them speak in an exaggeratedly characteristic language, strings too many episodes on one thread etc.

Most associated with the work of the people "Lefty". At the very basis of its plot lies a comic proverb in which the people expressed admiration for the art of the Tula masters: "Tula people shod a flea". Leskov used and went among the people legends about the skill of Tula gunsmiths. Also in early XIX century, an anecdote was published about how an important Russian gentleman showed an expensive English pistol to the workman of the Tula Arms Plant, and he, taking the pistol, "unscrewed the trigger and showed his name under the screw." In "Lefty" Platov arranges the same demonstration to prove to Tsar Alexander that "we have our own house no worse." In the English "armory of curiosities", (*12) having picked up the especially touted "pistol", Platov unscrews the lock and shows the tsar the inscription: "Ivan Moskvin in the city of Tula."

As you can see, love for the people, the desire to discover and show the best sides of the Russian national character did not make Leskov a panegyrist, did not prevent him from seeing the features of slavery and ignorance that his history imposed on the people. Leskov does not hide these features in the hero of his myth about a brilliant craftsman. The legendary Lefty with two of his comrades managed to forge and attach horseshoes to the paws of a steel flea made in England with carnations. On each horseshoe "the master's name is displayed: which Russian master made that horseshoe." These inscriptions can be seen only in the "microscope, which magnifies five million." But the artisans did not have any microscopes, but only "shooting the eye."

This is, of course, a fabulous exaggeration, but it has real grounds. Tula craftsmen have always been especially famous and are still famous for their miniature products, which can only be seen with a strong magnifying glass.

Admiring the genius of Lefty, Leskov, however, is far from idealizing the people as they were, according to historical conditions, at that time. The left-hander is ignorant, and this cannot but affect his work. The art of the English masters was manifested not so much in the fact that they cast a flea from steel, but in the fact that the flea danced, wound up with a special key. Grounded, she stopped dancing. And the English masters, cordially receiving the one sent to England with a savvy flea, Lefty , indicate that he is hindered by a lack of knowledge: "... Then you could figure out that in every machine there is a calculation of strength, otherwise you are very skillful in your hands, and you didn’t realize that such a small machine, as in a nymphosoria, is designed for the most accurate accuracy and its horseshoes are not Because of this, now nymphosoria does not jump and dance does not dance. "Leskov attached great importance to this moment. In an article devoted to the tale of Lefty, Leskov contrasts Lefty's genius with his ignorance, and his (ardent patriotism) with the lack of concern for the people and homeland in the ruling clique. Leskov writes: one person, and that where "Lefty" stands, one should read "Russian people."

Lefty loves his Russia with a simple-hearted and unsophisticated love. He cannot be tempted by an easy life in a foreign land. He rushes home because he has a task that Russia needs to complete; thus she became the goal of his life. In England, Lefty learned that the muzzles of guns should be lubricated, and not cleaned with crushed brick, as was customary then in the Russian army, which is why "bullets hang in them" and guns, "God forbid war, (...) are not suitable for shooting ". With this, he hurries home. He arrives sick, the authorities didn’t bother to provide him with a document, the police completely robbed him, after which they began to take him to hospitals, but they didn’t take him anywhere without a “tugament”, they dumped the patient on the floor, and, finally, his “nape of the parat split” . Dying, Lefty thought only about how to bring his discovery to the king, and still managed to inform the doctor about it. He reported to the Minister of War, but in response he received only a rude shout: "Know (...) your emetic and laxative, and don't interfere in your own business: in Russia there are generals for this."

In the story" "Dumb Artist" the writer displays a rich count with an "insignificant face", revealing an insignificant soul. This is an evil tyrant and tormentor: people who are objectionable to him are torn to pieces by hunting dogs, executioners torment them with incredible torture. Thus, Leskov opposes truly courageous people from the people of the people, "masters", rabid from immeasurable power over people and imagining themselves courageous, because they are always ready to torment and to destroy people at their own whim or whim - of course, by proxy. strong of the world this." The image of one of the master's servants is vividly depicted in "The Toupee Artist". This is pop. Arkady, not frightened by the tortures that threaten him, perhaps mortal, is trying to save his beloved girl from abuse (* 19) over her by a depraved master. The priest promises to marry them and hide them for the night, after which both hope to get into the "Turkish Khrushchuk". But the priest, having previously robbed Arkady, betrays the fugitives to the count's people sent in search of the fugitives, for which he receives a well-deserved spit in the face.

"Lefty"

SPECIFICITY OF NARRATORY. LANGUAGE FEATURES. When discussing the genre originality of the story, we did not say anything about such a definition of the genre as “skaz”. And this is no coincidence. A tale as a genre of oral prose implies a focus on oral speech, narration on behalf of a participant in the event.. In this sense, "Lefty" is not a traditional tale. At the same time, a skaz can also be called such a way of narration, which involves the “separation” of the narrative from the participant in the events. In “Lefty” such a process takes place, especially since the word “fable” is used in the story, suggesting the skaz character of the narration. The narrator, being neither a witness nor a participant in the events, actively expresses his attitude to what is happening in various forms. At the same time, in the tale itself, one can detect the originality of the position of both the narrator and the author.

Throughout the story, the style of the story changes.. If at the beginning of the first chapter the narrator outwardly ingenuously outlines the circumstances of the emperor's arrival in England, then successively tells about the events taking place, using vernacular, obsolete and distorted forms of words, different types of neologisms etc., then already in the sixth chapter (in the story about the Tula masters) the narration becomes different. It does not completely lose its conversational character, however becomes more neutral, practically no distorted forms of words, neologisms are used . By changing the narrative manner, the author wants to show the seriousness of the described situation.. It is no coincidence that it occurs even high vocabulary, when the narrator characterizes "skillful people, on whom the hope of the nation now rested." The same kind of narration can be found in the last, 20th chapter, which, obviously, summing up, contains the author's point of view, so its style differs from that of most of the chapters.

In the calm and outwardly impassive speech of the narrator are often introduced expressively colored words(for example, Alexander Pavlovich decided to “ride around Europe”), which becomes one of the forms of expression author's position deeply hidden in the text.

The story itself skillfully emphasizes intonation features of characters' speech(cf., for example, the statements of Alexander I and Platov).

According to I.V. Stolyarova, Leskov “directs the interest of readers to the events themselves”, which is facilitated by the special logical structure of the text: most of the chapters have an ending, and some have a peculiar beginning, which makes it possible to clearly separate one event from another. This principle creates the effect of a fantastic manner. You can also notice that in a number of chapters, it is in the ending that the narrator expresses the author’s position: “And the courtiers who stand on the steps all turn away from him, they think: “Platov got caught and now they will drive him out of the palace, because they couldn’t stand him for courage” (end of chapter 12).

It should be noted the use of various techniques that characterize the features not only oral speech, but also folk poetic creativity in general: tautologies(“shod on horseshoes”, etc.), peculiar prefixed verb forms(“admired”, “send”, “slap”, etc.), words with diminutive suffixes(“palm”, “bubble”, etc.). It is interesting to pay attention to the introduced saying text(“morning is wiser than night”, “snow on the head”). Sometimes Leskov can modify them.

O the mixing of different manners of narration is evidenced by the nature of neologisms. They can go into more detail describe the object and its function(double carriage) scene(busters - combining the words busts and chandeliers, the writer gives a more complete description of the room in one word), action(whistles - whistles and messengers accompanying Platov), ​​designate foreign curiosities(.merblue mantons - camel mantles, etc.), the state of the heroes (waiting - waiting and agitation, an annoying bite, on which long years lay Platov, characterizing not only the inaction of the hero, but also his wounded pride). The appearance of neologisms in Leskov in many cases is due to literary play.

“Thus, Leskov's tale as a type of narration not only transformed, enriched, but also served to create a new genre variety: a tale of tales. A fairy tale is distinguished by a great depth of coverage of reality, approaching in this sense the novel form. It was Leskov's fairy tale that contributed to the emergence of a new type of truth seeker, who can be put on a par with the heroes of Pushkin, Gogol, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky ”(Mushchenko E.G., Skobelev V.P., Kroichik L.E. S. 115). The artistic originality of "Lefty" is due to the task of finding special forms of expressing the author's position in order to assert the strength of the national character.