Mikhail Evgrafovich S altykov-Shchedrin is one of the most famous Russian writers of the mid-19th century. His works are written in the form of fairy tales, but their essence is far from being so simple, and the meaning does not lie on the surface, as in ordinary children's counterparts.
About the author's work
Studying the work of S altykov-Shchedrin, one can hardly find at least one children's fairy tale in it. In his writings, the author often uses such a literary device as the grotesque. The essence of the technique lies in a strong exaggeration, bringing to the point of absurdity both the images of the characters and the events that happen to them. Therefore, the works of S altykov-Shchedrin may seem creepy and too cruel even to an adult, not to mention children.
One of the most famous works of Mikhail Evgrafovich S altykov-Shchedrin is the fairy tale "The Selfless Hare". It, like all his creations, has a deep meaning. But before starting the analysis of S altykov's fairy tale,Shchedrin "The Selfless Hare", you need to remember its plot.
Storyline
The tale begins with the main character, a hare, running past the wolf's house. The wolf calls out to the hare, calls him to him, but he does not stop, but adds even more speed. Then the wolf catches up with him and accuses him of the fact that the hare did not obey the first time. A forest predator leaves him near a bush and says he will eat him in 5 days.
And the hare ran to his bride. Here he sits, counts the time to death and sees - the brother of the bride hurries to him. The brother tells how bad the bride is, and this conversation is heard by the wolf and the she-wolf. They go out into the street and report that they will release the hare to the betrothed to say goodbye. But with the condition that he will return to be eaten in a day. And the future relative will remain with them for the time being and, in case of non-return, will be eaten. If the hare returns, then perhaps they will both be pardoned.
The hare runs to the bride and runs quickly enough. He tells her and all his family his story. I don’t want to return, but the word is given, and the hare never breaks the word. Therefore, after saying goodbye to the bride, the hare runs back.
Running, and on the way he meets various obstacles, and he feels that he does not have time on time. From this thought fights off with all his might and only adds speed. He did give his word. In the end, the hare barely manages to save the bride's brother. And the wolf tells them that until they eat them, let them sit under the bush. Maybe when he will have mercy.
Analysis
In order to give a complete picture of the work, you need to analyze the fairy tale "The Selfless Hare" according to the plan:
- Characteristic of the era.
- Features of the author's work.
- Characters.
- Symbolism and imagery.
The structure is not universal, but it allows you to build the necessary logic. Mikhail Evgrafovich S altykov-Shchedrin, whose analysis of the fairy tale "The Selfless Hare" needs to be carried out, often wrote works on topical topics. So, in the 19th century, the topic of dissatisfaction with the royal power and oppression by the government was very relevant. This should be taken into account when analyzing S altykov-Shchedrin's fairy tale "The Selfless Hare".
Different strata of society reacted to the authorities in different ways. Someone supported and tried to join, someone, on the contrary, tried with all his might to change the current situation. However, most of the people were enveloped in blind fear, and they could do nothing but obey. This is what S altykov-Shchedrin wanted to convey. An analysis of the fairy tale "The Selfless Hare" should begin with showing that the hare symbolizes precisely the last type of people.
People are different: smart, stupid, brave, cowardly. However, all this is of no importance if they do not have the strength to repulse the oppressor. In the form of a hare, the wolf makes fun of the noble intelligentsia, who show their honesty and devotion towards the one who oppresses them.
Speaking of lookshare, which was described by S altykov-Shchedrin, the analysis of the fairy tale "The Selfless Hare" should explain the motivation of the protagonist. The hare's word is an honest word. He couldn't break it. However, this leads to the fact that the life of the hare collapses, because he shows his best qualities in relation to the wolf, who initially treated him cruelly.
The hare is not guilty of anything. He simply ran to the bride, and the wolf arbitrarily decided to leave him under a bush. Nevertheless, the hare steps over himself in order to keep his word. This leads to the fact that the whole family of hares remains unhappy: the brother failed to show courage and escape from the wolf, the hare could not help but return so as not to break his word, and the bride remains alone.
Conclusion
S altykov-Shchedrin, whose analysis of the fairy tale "The Selfless Hare" turned out to be not so simple, described the reality of his time in his usual grotesque manner. After all, there were quite a lot of such people-hares in the 19th century, and this problem of unrequited obedience greatly interfered with the development of Russia as a state.
In conclusion
So, this was an analysis of the fairy tale "The Selfless Hare" (S altykov-Shchedrin), according to a plan that can also be used to analyze other works. As you can see, a seemingly simple fairy tale turned out to be a vivid caricature of the people of that time, and its meaning lies deep inside. In order to understand the work of the author, you need to remember that he never writes anything just like that. Every detail in the plot is needed forin order for the reader to understand the deep meaning that lies in the work. This is what makes the fairy tales of Mikhail Evgrafovich S altykov-Shchedrin interesting.
