A brief description of Krylov's biography. Message about Krylov! Life and work of Ivan Krylov. Full biography

Krylov Ivan Andreevich- Russian writer, poet, publicist, translator, fabulist, publisher of satirical magazines. He is better known to a wide circle of readers as the author of fables.

Years of life: born in Moscow (according to an unofficial version in the Trinity Fortress, now the city of Taganrog) - February 13, 1769- died November 21, 1844 in St. Petersburg. Died at the age of 75.

Main periods of life.

1773-1775– lives with his mother in Orenburg. His father serves near Orenburg and many researchers suggest that Captain Krylov became the prototype of Captain Mironov from the story “The Captain's Daughter”. Personal conversations between A. S. Pushkin and I. A. Krylov about the childhood of the fabulist helped Pushkin reliably describe the life and historical moments of the Pugachev uprising.

1774-1783- Krylov’s father resigns and goes to Tver with his family. Little Vanya is educated at home. After his father’s death, he began working as a clerk in court, and after moving to St. Petersburg, he received the position of a minor official in the Treasury Chamber. Actively engaged in self-education.

1805 – I. A. Krylov draws inspiration from the satirists of the past - the founder of the fable genre, Aesop, and the later, Jean de La Fontaine. First, he translates La Fontaine's fables, and then writes his own instructive and sometimes accusatory fables. The heroes of these satirical pamphlets, through their actions, exposed the vices of officials and statesmen. And it was in this field that I. A. Krylov achieved unprecedented success and fame.

1824– Krylov’s fables are published in French translation. The author leaves behind an impressive legacy - more than 200 fables and other works of the writer have been written.

1812-1841– For 30 years, I. A. Krylov has been serving in the Public Library. The result of his activities as a librarian was the preservation and collection of unique publications and the compilation of a Slavic-Russian dictionary.

Personal life of I. A. Krylov.

The writer never tied the knot in his entire life, but there was an unsuccessful attempt to marry Anna Alekseevna Konstantinova. The bride's family did not want a poor and ignorant groom, and did not agree to the wedding. There is unconfirmed information that he did have an illegitimate daughter, Alexandra, whom he raised after the death of her mother.

Curious facts from the biography.

• Ivan Andreevich loved to eat heartily, and therefore there were jokes on this topic in society.
• He had a strange urge to see fires.
• He was passionate about gambling and lost fabulous sums in both capitals.
• Loved attending cockfights.
• He knew how to quickly react to attacks in his direction, and responded to his opponent with caustic and witty phrases.

Brief information about Ivan Andreevich Krylov.

Glorified throughout the centuries as a writer, and almost unknown as a person - this is a brief summary of Krylov’s biography.

A brilliant satirist and one of the most talented writers of his time, whose artistic thought is accessible even to children.

Having come to all-Russian fame from ignominy and poverty, Ivan Andreevich, apart from his literary heritage, left almost no personal documents.

Biographers had to reconstruct information about life events and character from the memories of friends and acquaintances of the famous Muscovite.

I. A. Krylov - Russian writer and fabulist

The small genre of fables glorified the son of a poor army officer. This says a lot about a person.

About the ability to grasp the very essence of complex moral issues and modern historical problems and present it in an accessible form with accuracy and humor, sometimes with malicious satire.

The small size of the work requires the highest concentration of language, thoughtfulness of the system of images and artistic and expressive means. Knowing about such nuances, you are only surprised how many fables Krylov wrote: 236!

The list of collections published during his lifetime includes 9 editions - and all of them sold out with a bang.

However, he took a long time to get into shape and started with high drama. Answering the question of when Krylov wrote his first play, biographers give an approximate answer - in 1785. After all, the tragedy “Cleopatra” has not been preserved. But just by the title you can understand that the young author tried to create within the framework of classicism.

However, it is in subsequent comedies that fans of Krylov’s work find his inherent courage of thought, accuracy of expression, sensitivity to the native language and a sense of the potential of Russian national culture.

Brief biography of Ivan Andreevich Krylov

The years of the writer's life cover a period of 75 years. And although the writer’s birthplace remains speculative, the year is precisely established – 1769. We will cite only the most important events.

Father and mother

The future writer was born into the family of a poor army officer, Andrei Prokhorovich, who rose to the rank through his own strength and abilities, without connections. The soldier was the organizer of the defense of Yaitsk from the Pugachevites, and subsequently anonymously published a story about this in Otechestvennye zapiski.

The first-born appeared in the family during the years of life in the capital, Troitsk or Trans-Volga region - one can only guess. Already at the age of 10, little Ivan, then living with his parents in Tver, lost his father - he died and left his son and widow in complete poverty.

The mother of the great Russian writer Maria Alekseevna was a poorly educated woman, perhaps even illiterate. But energetic, enterprising, smart and loving her children. Unlike her husband, she was not keen on reading books, but she encouraged her son to study them in every possible way.

Childhood

Information about childhood is extremely scarce. As a young child he lived in Yaitsk; during the Pugachev riot his mother took him to Orenburg, after which the family moved to Tver. His father instilled in the future famous writer a love of books and an interest in literature.

After the death of his father, the young man began working in the Kalyazin zemstvo court, and later transferred to the Tver magistrate.

Education

Homely and unsystematic: no gymnasium, no home teacher, no theological seminary or municipal school. During the years of living in Tver, Ivan Krylov, who had lost his father, out of mercy studied with the children of the local influential and wealthy Lvov family.

In 1783, the benefactors moved to St. Petersburg, taking Ivan Andreevich with them. He entered the service of the local Treasury Chamber, while at the same time reading a lot and studying science on his own.

As a result, he learned to play the violin, showed great talent in mathematics, and mastered the French, Italian and German languages ​​- enough for a deep acquaintance with world classical literature.

Of the fateful meetings pointing to the future of the brilliant writer, only two are known from this period of his life. At Lvov, Krylov met the famous classicist playwright Yakov Borisovich Knyazhnin and the great poet Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin.

Krylov's creative path

The writer had to search for himself for a long time, paying tribute to the fashion for classicism (creating high tragedies “Cleopatra” and “Philomela” and comedies “The Coffee House”, “The Writer in the Hallway”, etc.).

The young writer felt the breath of time. Russian literature turned from imitating European models to itself: language, themes, cultural customs.

Krylov worked as a publisher on the magazine “Mail of Spirits”. One of the sections was devoted to the correspondence of elves ridiculing among themselves the morals of Catherine’s enlightened absolutism. In 1790, censorship banned the publication (the government everywhere saw the threat of the French Revolution). The following magazines, Spectator and Mercury, suffered the same fate, although the editor in them toned down his tone somewhat.

In 1794, Ivan Andreevich was forced to leave the northern capital and move to Moscow, a year later he was asked to move from there. The disgraced young author had a hard time experiencing the social and literary blockade. He found shelter and support in the family of General Sergei Fedorovich Golitsyn, who had also fallen out of favor. He worked as the secretary of the head of the family and was involved in the education of children, and over the years he wrote only a couple of poems and a few stories.

After Alexander the First came to power, at the dawn of the 17th century, Ivan Andreevich returned to Moscow and began to create again. Yes, with such fervor that the censorship vetoed the publication of the comedy “Podchipa or Triumph” - and the manuscripts circulated throughout Russia.

The author boldly ridiculed the height of the classicist Triumph and Podshchipa, which was alien to Russian political life - they say, the Russian writer has already outgrown patriarchy. The subsequent plays “Pie” and “Fashion Shop” were staged and became part of the theater repertoire for a long time.

In 1805, the fables “The Oak and the Reed” and “The Picky Bride” were published, and four years later the first collection was published. This became an event, as evidenced by the controversy surrounding Krylov’s work in Vestnik Evropy.

The recognized genius poet V. A. Zhukovsky reproached the fabulist for the rudeness of expressions, fashionable and following his own path A. S. Pushkin - sees in them the merit of hiding behind a pseudonym (the first fables, who experienced the disfavor of those in power, were signed by Krylov Navi Volyrk).

It is the simple language that makes these works unique not only for the genre, but for all Russian poetry in general.

The fables were circulated for quotations not only in Russia: a two-volume set was published in Paris, they are being translated into Italian. International popularity is also explained by the genre itself - an ancient one, actively using allegories and symbols, plots and themes common to many European peoples.

A Russian writer could borrow the image of his Italian or French predecessor - and they speak and think like modern Russian people. That’s what they say: the speech of the fables is lively and natural, almost freely conversational. Krylov was able to find his own unique winged language of apt expressions.

During his lifetime, Ivan Andreevich was revered as a luminary. However, taught by experience, he preferred to live in the shadows - not to participate in political and literary disputes, not to go out into the world, to dissuade himself from the attention of journalists by laziness and absent-mindedness, in his clothes and manners he showed eccentricity and carelessness, he preferred a hearty dinner to everything and loved to play cards. Therefore, many speculations have been generated about Krylov’s life and work - he has become a constant hero of jokes.

This image is contradicted by his friendship with A.S. Pushkin, which seems to be deep: only the great poet, already mortally wounded in a duel, said goodbye to his “grandfather.” An interesting fact from Krylov’s biography - already being an old man, the poet studied ancient Greek.

Personal life

I. A. Krylov was not officially married. However, biographers believe that his actual wife was the housekeeper Fenyushka, who gave birth to his daughter Sasha. The child lived in the Krylov house as a goddaughter. One can understand why the writer never officially recognized his own child and did not marry his mother.

Fenyushka was one of the simple ones, close and dear in spirit. However, the world would not forgive the “grandfather of Russian literature” for his misalliance. And it didn’t matter that he himself came from a poor and unborn family. He who kissed the hand of the empress could not kiss the hands of a rootless housekeeper.

However, it seems that Ivan Andreevich loved his wife and daughter very much. He sent Sasha to a boarding school, provided her with a dowry, did not alienate her from him after the death of his wife, and married her to a completely worthy man. After his death, he transferred all his fortune and rights to Sasha’s husband, whose origins did not allow him to challenge the will and deprive his daughter of his inheritance.

Last years of life and death

He was treated kindly by the royal family. He received a pension, was awarded a government order and the rank of state councilor.

Krylov's seventieth birthday was celebrated throughout the country.

He died of severe pneumonia in the house of his daughter - everyone's goddaughter - in St. Petersburg in 1844.

He was buried at the Tikhvin Cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra in St. Petersburg.

The writer was distinguished by a strange love for observing fires. There were legends about him as a great glutton. They even said that he died after eating too many pancakes. He posed for many artists; at least three portraits were written by famous painters of those times.

Famous fables and works of Ivan Krylov

It is difficult to single out the most famous ones. But, probably, every reader will be able to remember at least a line from the fables “The Dragonfly and the Ant,” “The Fable of the Crow and the Fox,” or “The Swan, the Pike and the Crayfish.”

But the latter, for example, was the writer’s deeply personal response to the political events of his time - the inconsistency of the allies in the war against Napoleon (according to another version - conflicts in the State Council).

But the magic of the genre and the extraordinary talent of the author made the work a fable for all time. There are many such creations in the works of Ivan Andreevich, and reading them is a real pleasure.

Conclusion

Many writers in Russia turned to short allegorical poems with a didactic meaning. Including A. S. Pushkin, L. N. Tolstoy, D. Bedny and S. Mikhalkov.

But no one was called the best fabulist after Krylov. Reading Krylov's fables, comparing them with previous and subsequent ones, you understand and even feel why.

A very short biography (in a nutshell)

Born on February 13, 1769 in Moscow. Father - Andrei Prokhorovich Krylov (1738-1778), military man. Mother - Maria Alekseevna (c.1750-1788). I did not study anywhere, I was engaged in self-education. In 1789, the monthly magazine “Mail of Spirits” began to be published. In 1792, the magazine “Spectator” began publishing. In 1810, he got a job as an assistant librarian at the Imperial Public Library. He was not married, had no official children, but probably had an illegitimate daughter from a cook. Died November 21, 1844, aged 75. He was buried at the Tikhvin Cemetery in St. Petersburg. Main works: “Swan, Crayfish and Pike”, “Dragonfly and Ant”, “Quartet”, “Crow and Fox”, “Monkey and Glasses” and others.

Brief biography (details)

Ivan Andreevich Krylov is a Russian writer, poet-fabulist, satirist, translator, State Councilor, academician member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences. Born on February 13, 1769 in Moscow in the family of a retired officer. The writer's early years were spent traveling; he studied reading and writing at home, since his father had a large library of books. In 1780, he began working part-time as a clerk. Later, Krylov enters service in the government chamber. In 1789, the satirical magazine “Mail of Spirits” began to be published. By that time, he had already written many works and translated a French opera. In 1792, his magazine “The Spectator” began to be published, which was also satirical in nature.

In 1797, the writer met Prince Sergei Golitsyn and went to work for him as a secretary and teacher of his children. The writer began to show himself as a fabulist in 1805, after he translated two of La Fontaine’s fables into Russian. Soon his works appeared: “A Lesson for Daughters”, “Fashion Shop”, “Ilya Bogatyr, Magic Opera”, “Lazy Man” and others. In 1810 he went to work at the Imperial Public Library, where he worked until his retirement in 1841. In 1811 he joined the literary society of lovers of Russian literature. In the same year he became a member of the Russian Academy.

During the war with Napoleon, the poet acted as a patriot, although later he ridiculed the vices of secular society in his works. He also ridiculed many human shortcomings, such as pride, selfishness, vanity, and stupidity. During his life, Krylov wrote about 200 fables, the most famous of which are “Swan, Crayfish and Pike”, “Dragonfly and Ant”, “Quartet”, “Crow and Fox”. His fables have been translated into French, Italian, Georgian and other languages.

Krylov died on November 21, 1844 at the age of 75 from bilateral pneumonia. He was buried at the Tikhvin Cemetery in St. Petersburg.

Brief biography video (for those who prefer to listen)

early years

"Spirit Mail"

"Spectator" and "Mercury"

Translations of fables

Last years

Interesting Facts

Perpetuation of the name

In philately

Addresses in St. Petersburg

Essays

Other writings

Bibliography

Ivan Andreevich Krylov(February 2 (13), 1769, Moscow - November 9 (21), 1844, St. Petersburg) - Russian poet, fabulist, translator, writer. Full member of the Imperial Russian Academy (1811), ordinary academician of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in the Department of Russian Language and Literature (1841).

In his youth, Krylov was known primarily as a satirist writer, publisher of the satirical magazine “Mail of Spirits” and the parody tragicomedy “Trumph”, which ridiculed Paul I. Krylov was the author of more than 200 fables from 1809 to 1843, they were published in nine parts and were reprinted in very large editions for those times. In 1842, his works were published in German translation. The plots of many fables go back to the works of Aesop and La Fontaine, although there are many original plots.

Many expressions from Krylov's fables have become popular expressions.

I. A. Krylov’s fables were set to music, for example, by A. G. Rubinstein - the fables “The Cuckoo and the Eagle”, “The Donkey and the Nightingale”, “The Dragonfly and the Ant”, “Quartet”.

early years

His father, Andrei Prokhorovich Krylov (1736-1778), knew how to read and write, but “did not study science,” he served in a dragoon regiment, in 1772 he distinguished himself while defending the Yaitsky town from the Pugachevites, then he was the chairman of the magistrate in Tver and died, leaving a widow with two young children. He died with the rank of captain and poverty.

Ivan Krylov spent the first years of his childhood traveling with his family. He learned to read and write at home (his father was a great lover of reading, after him a whole chest of books passed to his son); He studied French in a family of wealthy neighbors. In 1777, he was enrolled in the civil service as a sub-clerk of the Kalyazin Lower Zemstvo Court, and then of the Tver Magistrate. This service was, apparently, only nominal and Krylov was considered to be probably on leave until the end of his training.

Krylov studied little, but read quite a lot. According to a contemporary, he “I visited with particular pleasure public gatherings, shopping areas, swings and fist fights, where I jostled among the motley crowd, listening greedily to the speeches of the common people”. In 1780 he began to serve as a sub-office clerk for a pittance. In 1782, Krylov was still listed as a sub-office clerk, but “this Krylov did not have any business on his hands.”

At this time he became interested in street fighting, wall to wall. And since he was physically very strong, he often emerged victorious over older men.

Bored by the fruitless service, Krylov at the end of 1782 went to St. Petersburg with his mother, who intended to work for a pension and a better arrangement for her son’s fate. The Krylovs remained in St. Petersburg until August 1783, and their efforts were not fruitless: upon their return, despite a long-term illegal absence, Krylov resigned from the magistrate with the rank of clerk and entered service in the St. Petersburg treasury chamber.

At this time, “The Miller” by Ablesimov enjoyed great fame, under whose influence Krylov wrote the opera “The Coffee House” in 1784; He took its plot from Novikov’s “The Painter,” but changed it significantly and ended with a happy ending. Krylov took his opera to the bookseller and printer Breitkopf, who gave the author 60 rubles worth of books (Racine, Moliere and Boileau) for it, but did not print the opera. “The Coffee House” was published only in 1868 (in an anniversary edition) and is considered an extremely young and imperfect work, moreover, written in clumsy verse. When comparing Krylov's autograph with the printed edition, it turns out, however, that the latter is not entirely correct; Having removed many of the publisher's oversights and obvious slips of the young poet, who in the manuscript that has reached us has not yet completely finished his opera, the poems of “The Coffee House” can hardly be called clumsy, and an attempt to show that newfangledness (the subject of Krylov’s satire is not so much a corrupt coffee house, how much is Lady Novomodova) and “free” views on marriage and morality, strongly reminiscent of the adviser in “The Brigadier”, do not exclude the cruelty characteristic of the Skotinins, as well as many well-chosen folk sayings, make the opera of the 16-year-old poet, despite the uncontrolled characters, a phenomenon remarkable for that time. The “Coffee House” was probably conceived back in the provinces, close to the way of life that it depicts.

In 1785, Krylov wrote the tragedy “Cleopatra” (it has not reached us) and took it to the famous actor Dmitrevsky for viewing; Dmitrevsky encouraged the young author to continue his work, but did not approve of the play in this form. In 1786, Krylov wrote the tragedy “Philomela,” which, except for the abundance of horrors and screams and lack of action, does not differ from other “classical” tragedies of that time. The comic opera “The Mad Family” and the comedy “The Writer in the Hallway”, written by Krylov at the same time, are little better; about the latter, Lobanov, Krylov’s friend and biographer, says: “I have been looking for this comedy for a long time and I regret that I finally found it.” Indeed, in it, as in “Mad Family”, apart from the liveliness of the dialogue and a few popular “words”, there are no merits. The only curious thing is the fertility of the young playwright, who entered into close relations with the theater committee, received a free ticket, an assignment to translate the opera “L'Infante de Zamora” from French and the hope that “The Mad Family” will be shown at the theater, since it has already been ordered music.

In the state chamber, Krylov then received 80-90 rubles. per year, but was not satisfied with his position and moved to Her Majesty’s Cabinet. In 1788, Krylov lost his mother and in his arms was left his little brother Lev, whom he cared for all his life like a father about a son (he usually called him “daddy” in his letters). In 1787-1788 Krylov wrote the comedy “Pranksters”, where he brought to the stage and cruelly ridiculed the first playwright of that time, Ya. B. Knyazhnin ( Rhyme thief) and his wife, daughter Sumarokov ( Taratora); according to Grech, the pedant Tyanislov was copied from the bad poet P. M. Karabanov. Although in “The Pranksters”, instead of true comedy, we find a caricature, but this caricature is bold, lively and witty, and the scenes of the complacent simpleton Azbukin with Tyanislov and Rhymestealer could be considered very funny for that time. The “pranksters” not only quarreled Krylov with Knyazhnin, but also brought upon him the displeasure of the theater management.

"Spirit Mail"

In 1789, in the printing house of I. G. Rachmaninov, an educated and devoted person to the literary work, Krylov published the monthly satirical magazine “Mail of Spirits”. The depiction of the shortcomings of modern Russian society is presented here in the fantastic form of correspondence between gnomes and the wizard Malikulmulk. The satire of “Spirit Mail”, both in its ideas and in its degree of depth and relief, serves as a direct continuation of the magazines of the early 70s (only Krylov’s biting attacks on Rhythmokrad and Taratora and on the management of theaters introduce a new personal element), but in relation to the art of depiction, a major step forward. According to J. K. Grot, “Kozitsky, Novikov, Emin were only smart observers; Krylov is already an emerging artist.”

"Spirit Mail" was published only from January to August, as it had only 80 subscribers; in 1802 it was published in a second edition.

His magazine business aroused the displeasure of the authorities and the Empress offered Krylov to travel abroad for five years at the government’s expense. But he refused. In his youth, Krylov was an eternally dissatisfied freethinker.

"Spectator" and "Mercury"

In 1790, Krylov wrote and published an ode to the conclusion of peace with Sweden, a weak work, but still showing the author as a developed person and a future artist of words. On December 7 of the same year, Krylov retired; the following year he became the owner of the printing house and from January 1792 began publishing the magazine “Spectator” in it, with a very broad program, but still with a clear inclination towards satire, especially in the editor’s articles. Krylov’s largest plays in “The Spectator” are “Kaib, an Eastern Tale”, the fairy tale “Nights”, satirical and journalistic essays and pamphlets (“A eulogy in memory of my grandfather”, “A speech spoken by a rake in a meeting of fools”, “Thoughts of a philosopher according to fashion").

From these articles (especially the first and third) one can see how Krylov’s worldview is expanding and how his artistic talent is maturing. At this time, he was already the center of a literary circle, which entered into polemics with Karamzin’s “Moscow Journal”. Krylov's main employee was A.I. Klushin. “Spectator” already had 170 subscribers and in 1793 turned into “St. Petersburg Mercury”, published by Krylov and A. I. Klushin. Since at this time Karamzin’s “Moscow Journal” ceased to exist, the editors of “Mercury” dreamed of distributing it everywhere and gave their publication the most literary and artistic character possible. “Mercury” contains only two satirical plays by Krylov - “A speech in praise of the science of killing time” and “A speech in praise of Ermolafides, given at a meeting of young writers”; the latter, ridiculing the new direction in literature (under Ermolafid, that is, a person who carries ermolafia or nonsense, it is implied, as J. K. Grot noted, mainly Karamzin) serves as an expression of Krylov’s literary views of that time. This nugget severely reproaches the Karamzinists for their lack of preparation, for their contempt for the rules and for their desire for common people (bast shoes, zipuns and hats with a crease): obviously, the years of his journal activity were educational years for him, and this late science brought discord into his tastes , which probably caused the temporary cessation of his literary activity. Most often, Krylov appears in “Mercury” as a lyricist and imitator of Derzhavin’s simpler and playful poems, and he shows more intelligence and sobriety of thought than inspiration and feelings (especially in this regard, the “Letter on the Benefits of Desires” is characteristic, which, however, remained not printed). Mercury lasted only one year and was not particularly successful.

At the end of 1793, Krylov left St. Petersburg; Little is known about what he was doing in 1794-1796. In 1797, he met in Moscow with Prince S. F. Golitsyn and went to his Zubrilovka estate, as a children's teacher, secretary, etc., at least not in the role of a free-living parasite. At this time, Krylov already had a broad and varied education (he played the violin well, knew Italian, etc.), and although he was still weak in spelling, he turned out to be a capable and useful teacher of language and literature (see. “Memoirs” by F. F. Vigel). For a home performance in Golitsyn’s house, he wrote the joke-tragedy “Trumph” or “Podschipa” (printed first abroad, then in “Russian Antiquity”, 1871, book III), a rough, but not devoid of salt and vitality, parody of classic drama, and through it forever put an end to his own desire to extract the tears of the audience. The melancholy of rural life was such that one day visiting ladies found him at the pond completely naked, with an overgrown beard and uncut nails.

In 1801, Prince Golitsyn was appointed governor-general of Riga, and Krylov was appointed his secretary. In the same or the next year, he wrote the play “Pie” (printed in the VI volume of “Collection of Akd. Sciences”; presented for the first time in St. Petersburg in 1802), a light comedy of intrigue, in which, in the person of Uzhima , casually touches upon the sentimentalism that is antipathetic to him. Despite friendly relations with his boss, Krylov resigned again on September 26, 1803. We don’t know what he did for the next 2 years; They say that he played a big game of cards, once won a very large sum, traveled to fairs, etc. For playing cards, he was at one time forbidden to appear in both capitals.

Fables

In 1805, Krylov was in Moscow and showed I. I. Dmitriev his translation of two fables by La Fontaine: “The Oak and the Cane” and “The Picky Bride.” According to Lobanov, Dmitriev, after reading them, said to Krylov: “this is your true family; at last you have found it.” Krylov always loved La Fontaine (or Fontaine, as he called him) and, according to legend, already in his early youth he tested his strength in translating fables, and later, perhaps, in altering them; fables and “proverbs” were in vogue at that time. An excellent connoisseur and artist of simple language, who always loved to clothe his thoughts in the plastic form of an apologist, and, moreover, strongly inclined towards ridicule and pessimism, Krylov, indeed, was, as it were, created for a fable, but still he did not immediately settle on this form of creativity: in 1806 he published only 3 fables, and in 1807, 3 of his plays appeared, two of which, corresponding to the satirical direction of Krylov’s talent, had great success on stage: this is “The Fashion Shop” (finally processed back in 1806). and presented for the first time in St. Petersburg on July 27) and “A Lesson for Daughters” (the plot of the latter is freely borrowed from Moliere’s “Précieuses ridicules”; presented for the first time in St. Petersburg on June 18, 1807). The object of satire in both is the same, in 1807 it was completely modern - the passion of our society for everything French; in the first comedy, Frenchmania is associated with debauchery, in the second it is brought to the Herculean pillars of stupidity; In terms of liveliness and strength of dialogue, both comedies represent a significant step forward, but the characters are still missing. Krylov's third play: “Ilya Bogatyr, Magic Opera” was written by order of A. L. Naryshkin, director of theaters (staged for the first time on December 31, 1806); despite the mass of nonsense characteristic of extravaganzas, it presents several strong satirical features and is curious as a tribute to youthful romanticism, brought by such an extremely unromantic mind.

It is not known to what time Krylov’s unfinished comedy in verse (it contains only one and a half acts, and the hero has not yet appeared on stage) dates back to: “The Lazy Man” (published in volume VI of the “Collection of Academic Sciences”); but it is curious as an attempt to create a comedy of character and at the same time merge it with a comedy of morals, since the shortcoming depicted in it with extreme harshness had its basis in the living conditions of the Russian nobility of that and later eras.

In these few verses we have a talented sketch of what was later developed in Tentetnikov and Oblomov. Without a doubt, Krylov found a fair dose of this weakness in himself and, like many true artists, that is why he set out to depict it with possible strength and depth; but to completely identify him with his hero would be extremely unfair: Krylov is a strong and energetic person when necessary, and his laziness, his love of peace ruled over him, so to speak, only with his consent. The success of his plays was great; in 1807, his contemporaries considered him a famous playwright and put him next to Shakhovsky (see “The Diary of an Official” by S. Zhikharev); his plays were repeated very often; “Fashion Shop” was also performed in the palace, in the half of Empress Maria Feodorovna (see Arapov, “Chronicle of the Russian Theater”). Despite this, Krylov decided to leave the theater and follow the advice of I. I. Dmitriev. In 1808, Krylov, who again entered the service (in the coin department), published 17 fables in the “Dramatic Herald” and between them several (“Oracle”, “Elephant in the Voivodeship”, “Elephant and Moska”, etc.) that were quite original . In 1809, he published the first separate edition of his fables, in the amount of 23, and with this little book he won a prominent and honorable place in Russian literature, and thanks to subsequent editions of the fables, he became a writer to such a national degree as no one else had been before. . From that time on, his life was a series of continuous successes and honors, which, in the opinion of the vast majority of his contemporaries, were well deserved. In 1810, he became an assistant librarian at the Imperial Public Library, under the command of his former boss and patron A. N. Olenin; At the same time, he was given a pension of 1,500 rubles a year, which was subsequently (March 28, 1820), “in honor of excellent talents in Russian literature,” doubled, and even later (February 26, 1834) quadrupled, at which point he was elevated to in ranks and positions (from March 23, 1816 he was appointed librarian); upon his retirement (March 1, 1841), “unlike others,” he was given a pension full of his library allowance, so that in total he received 11,700 rubles. Ass. in year. Krylov has been a respected member of the “Conversation of Lovers of Russian Literature” since its very foundation. On December 16, 1811, he was elected a member of the Russian Academy, on January 14, 1823, he received a gold medal from it for literary merits, and when the Russian Academy was transformed into the department of Russian language and literature of the Academy of Sciences (1841), he was confirmed as an ordinary academician (according to legend, Emperor Nicholas I agreed to the transformation on the condition “that Krylov be the first academician”). On February 2, 1838, the 50th anniversary of his literary activity was celebrated in St. Petersburg with such solemnity and at the same time with such warmth and sincerity that such a literary celebration cannot be mentioned earlier than the so-called Pushkin holiday in Moscow.

Ivan Andreevich Krylov died on November 9, 1844 from indigestion. He was buried on November 13, 1844 at the Tikhvin cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra. On the day of the funeral, friends and acquaintances of I. A. Krylov, along with an invitation, received a copy of the fables he published, on the title page of which, under a mourning border, was printed: “An offering in memory of Ivan Andreevich, at his request.”

Anecdotes about his amazing appetite, slovenliness, laziness, love of fires, amazing willpower, wit, popularity, evasive caution are all too well known.

Krylov did not reach a high position in literature right away; Zhukovsky, in his article “On Krylov’s fables and fables,” written about the publication. 1809, also compares him with I.I. Dmitriev, not always to his benefit, points out “errors” in his language, “expressions contrary to taste, rude” and with obvious hesitation “allows himself” to raise him here and there to La Fontaine , as a “skilled translator” of the king of fabulists. Krylov could not have any particular claim to this verdict, since out of the 27 fables he had written up to that time, in 17 he, indeed, “took both fiction and story from La Fontaine”; on these translations, Krylov, so to speak, trained his hand, sharpened the weapon for his satire. Already in 1811, he appeared with a long series of completely independent (of the 18 fables of 1811, only 3 were borrowed from documents) and often amazingly bold plays, such as “Geese”. “Sheets and Roots”, “Quartet”, “Council of Mice”, etc. The entire best part of the reading public then recognized Krylov’s enormous and completely independent talent; his collection of “New Fables” became a favorite book in many homes, and Kachenovsky’s malicious attacks (“Vestn. Evropy” 1812, No. 4) damaged the critics much more than the poet. In the year of the Patriotic War of 1812, Krylov became a political writer, precisely the direction that the majority of Russian society adhered to. The political idea is also clearly visible in the fables of the two subsequent years, for example. “Pike and Cat” (1813) and “Swan, Pike and Cancer” (1814; she does not mean the Congress of Vienna, six months before the opening of which she was written, but expresses the dissatisfaction of Russian society with the actions of the allies of Alexander I). In 1814, Krylov wrote 24 fables, all of them original, and repeatedly read them at court, in the circle of Empress Maria Feodorovna. According to Galakhov’s calculations, only 68 fables fall in the last 25 years of Krylov’s activity, while in the first twelve - 140.

A comparison of his manuscripts and numerous editions shows with what extraordinary energy and care this otherwise lazy and careless man corrected and smoothed out the initial drafts of his works, which were already apparently very successful and deeply thought out. He sketched out the fable so fluently and unclearly that even to himself the manuscript only resembled something thought out; then he rewrote it several times and corrected it every time wherever he could; Most of all, he strived for plasticity and possible brevity, especially at the end of the fable; moral teachings, very well conceived and executed, he either shortened or completely threw out (thus weakening the didactic element and strengthening the satirical one), and thus through hard work he reached his sharp, stiletto-like conclusions, which quickly turned into proverbs. With the same labor and attention, he expelled from the fables all book turns and vague expressions, replaced them with folk, picturesque and at the same time quite accurate ones, corrected the construction of the verse and destroyed the so-called. "poetic license". He achieved his goal: in terms of the power of expression, the beauty of the form, Kryloa’s fable is the height of perfection; but still, to assure that Krylov does not have incorrect accents and awkward expressions is an anniversary exaggeration (“from all four legs” in the fable “The Lion, the Chamois and the Fox”, “You and I can’t fit in there” in the fable “Two Boys” , “The fruits of ignorance are terrible” in the fable “The Atheists”, etc.). Everyone agrees that in the mastery of the story, in the relief of the characters, in the subtle humor, in the energy of the action, Krylov is a true artist, whose talent stands out the brighter the more modest the area he has set aside for himself. His fables as a whole are not a dry moralizing allegory or even a calm epic, but a living drama in one hundred acts, with many charmingly outlined types, a true “spectacle of human life,” viewed from a certain point of view. How correct this point of view is and how edifying Krylov’s fable is for contemporaries and posterity - opinions on this are not entirely similar, especially since not everything necessary has been done to fully clarify the issue. Although Krylov considers the benefactor of the human race “the one who offers the most important rules of virtuous actions in short expressions,” he himself was not a didacticist either in magazines or in his fables, but a bright satirist, and, moreover, not one who punishes with ridicule the shortcomings of his contemporary society, in view of the ideal firmly rooted in his soul, and as a pessimistic satirist who has little faith in the possibility of correcting people by any means and strives only to reduce the amount of lies and evil. When Krylov, as a moralist, tries to propose “the most important rules of virtuous actions,” he comes out dry and cold, and sometimes not even very smart (see, for example, “Divers”); but when he has the opportunity to point out the contradiction between the ideal and reality, to expose self-delusion and hypocrisy, phrases, falsehood, stupid complacency, he is a true master. Therefore, it is hardly appropriate to be indignant at Krylov for the fact that he “did not express his sympathy for any discoveries, inventions or innovations” (Galakhov), just as it is inappropriate to demand that all his fables preach humanity and spiritual nobility. He has another task - to execute evil with merciless laughter: the blows he inflicted on various types of meanness and stupidity are so accurate that no one has the right to doubt the beneficial effect of his fables on a wide circle of their readers. Are they useful as pedagogical material? Without a doubt, like any truly artistic work, completely accessible to the child’s mind and helping its further development; but since they depict only one side of life, material from the opposite direction should also be offered next to them. The important historical and literary significance of Krylov is also beyond doubt. Just as in the age of Catherine II the pessimist Fonvizin was needed next to the enthusiastic Derzhavin, so in the age of Alexander I Krylov was needed; acting at the same time as Karamzin and Zhukovsky, he represented them as a counterweight, without which our society could go too far along the path of dreamy sensitivity.

Not sharing Shishkov’s archaeological and narrowly patriotic aspirations, Krylov consciously joined his circle and spent his entire life fighting against half-conscious Westernism. In fables he appeared as our first “truly folk” (Pushkin, V, 30) writer, both in language and in images (his animals, birds, fish and even mythological figures are truly Russian people, each with the characteristic features of the era and social provisions), and in ideas. He sympathizes with the Russian working man, whose shortcomings, however, he knows very well and portrays strongly and clearly. The good-natured ox and the eternally offended sheep are his only so-called positive types, and the fables: “Leaves and Roots,” “Worldly Gathering,” “Wolves and Sheep” put him far ahead among the then idyllic defenders of serfdom. Krylov chose a modest poetic field for himself, but in it he was a major artist; his ideas are not lofty, but reasonable and strong; its influence is not deep, but extensive and fruitful.

Translations of fables

Krylov's first translator into Azerbaijani was Abbas-Quli-Aga Bakikhanov. In the 30s of the 19th century, during Krylov’s own lifetime, he translated the fable “The Donkey and the Nightingale.” It would be appropriate to note that, for example, the first translation into Armenian was made in 1849, and into Georgian in 1860. Over 60 of Krylov’s fables were translated by Hasanaliaga Khan of Karadag in the 80s of the 19th century. As the outstanding Azerbaijani literary critic Mikail Rafili noted, “the translations of Khan Karadag were of exceptional importance in the cultural life of Azerbaijan. Thanks to his translations, educational literature was enriched with new, socially rich works, and Russian literature truly became the property of the broad masses of Azerbaijan. These translations were read and studied with love by schoolchildren; they were perceived as an original phenomenon in literary life. Karadagsky sought to provide a translation very close in content to the original. It is very characteristic that the translator did not limit himself to conveying the content, but sometimes also gave his own conclusions, drawn from folk sayings and expressing the quintessence of Krylov’s work... Translations of Krylov’s fables occupied the most important place in the entire translation activity of Azerbaijani writers of the late 19th century.” Interest in Krylov’s work was great and it is no coincidence that the outstanding Azerbaijani writer Abdurragim bey Akhverdiyev began his literary activity in 1885 with a translation of Krylov’s fable “The Oak and the Cane.” Further, as they say, more. Rashid bey Efendiyev, Mirza Alekper Sabir, Abbas Sihhat, Abdullah Shaig - they all turned to Krylov’s work. In 1938, A. Shaig’s book was published, which included translations of 97 Krylov’s fables. Shaig’s translations clearly show the first, but bold experiments in translating Garadagh (“Shaig’s interest in poetry and literature appeared at the age of seven, when he began to study at a Tiflis school. He memorized poems in Azerbaijani, Russian and Persian. His first textbook was “Veten” dili“, which included the fables of I. A. Krylov translated by Hasanaliag Khan of Karadag (Garadagi).”

Last years

At the end of his life, Krylov was treated kindly by the authorities. He had the rank of state councilor, a six-thousandth boarding house.

Krylov lived a long time and did not change his habits in any way. Completely lost in laziness and gourmand. He, an intelligent and not very kind man, eventually settled into the role of a good-natured eccentric, an absurd, unembarrassed glutton. The image he invented suited the court, and at the end of his life he could afford anything. He was not ashamed to be a glutton, a slob and a lazy person.

When he died, everyone thought it was from gluttony, but in fact from double pneumonia.

The funeral was magnificent. Count Orlov - the second person in the state - removed one of the students and himself carried the coffin to the road.

Contemporaries believed that the daughter of his cook Sasha was his father. This is confirmed by the fact that he sent her to a boarding school. And when the cook died, he raised her as a daughter and gave her a large dowry. Before his death, he bequeathed all his property and rights to his compositions to Sasha’s husband.

• Once Krylov, at home, having eaten eight pies, was struck by their bad taste. Opening the pan, I saw that it was all green with mold. But he decided that if he was alive, he could finish the remaining eight pies in the pan.
• I really loved watching fires. Didn't miss a single fire in St. Petersburg.
• Above the sofa in Krylov’s house there was a healthy painting hanging “on my word of honor.” Friends asked him to drive in a couple more nails so that it would not fall and break his head. To this he replied that he had calculated everything: the painting would fall tangentially and would not hit him.
• At dinner parties, he usually ate a dish of pies, three or four plates of fish soup, several chops, roast turkey and a few small things. Arriving home, I ate it all with a bowl of sauerkraut and black bread.
• One day, at dinner with the queen, Krylov sat down at the table and, without saying hello, began to eat. Zhukovsky shouted in surprise: “Stop it, let the queen at least treat you.” “What if he doesn’t treat me?” - Krylov was scared.

Perpetuation of the name

• In St. Petersburg there is Krylov Lane
• In Lipetsk there is Krylova Street
• In Nizhny Novgorod there is Krylova Street
• In Tver there is Krylova Street
• In Bobruisk there is Krylova Street
• In Yoshkar-Ola there is Krylova Street
• In Kharkov (Ukraine) there is Krylova Street
• In Saransk there is Krylova Street
• In the city of Surgut (KhMAO-Yugra) there is Krylova Street
• In Karaganda there is Krylov Street
• In Gukovo there is Krylova Street
• In Ust-Kamenogorsk there is Krylova Street
• In Kazan there is Krylova Street
• In Vladivostok there is Krylova Street
• In Krasnoyarsk there is Krylova Street

In philately

Addresses in St. Petersburg

• 1791-1796 - house of I. I. Betsky - Millionnaya street, 1;
• 1816 - 03.1841 - house of the Imperial Public Library - Sadovaya Street, 20;
• 03.1841 - 09.11.1844 - Blinov apartment building - 1st line, 8. Historical monument of Federal significance. Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation. No. 7810123000 // Website “Objects of cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of the peoples of the Russian Federation.” Verified

Essays

Fables

Other writings

• The Coffee House (1783, published 1869, comic opera),
• The Mad Family (1786, comedy),
• The Writer in the Hallway (1786-1788, published 1794, comedy),
• Pranksters (1786-1788, published 1793, comedy),
• Philomela (1786-1788, published 1793, tragedy),
• The Americans (1788, comedy, together with A.I. Klushin),
• Kaib (1792, satirical story),
• Nights (1792, satirical story; unfinished),
• Trumpf (“Podschipa”; 1798-1800, published 1859; distributed in handwritten copies),
• Pie (1801, published 1869, comedy),
• Fashion Shop (1806, comedy),
• A Lesson for Daughters (1807, comedy),
• Ilya the Bogatyr (1807, comedy).

Bibliography

• The first monographs about Krylov were written by his friends - M. E. Lobanov (“The Life and Works of Ivan Andreevich Krylov”) and P. A. Pletnev (with the complete works of Ivan Krylov, ed. by J. Jungmeister and E. Weimar in 1847); Pletnev’s biography was reprinted many times both in the collected works of Krylov and in his fables.

• Notes, materials and articles about him appeared both in historical and general journals (for a list of them, see Mezhov, “History of Russian and General Words.”, St. Petersburg, 1872, as well as Kenevich and L. Maikov).

• In the year of the centenary anniversary of Krylov’s birth, “Bibliographer” was published. and history notes to Krylov’s fables”, V.F. Kenevich, and Volume II of “History of Russian Literature” by A.D. Galakhov, where a small but valuable study is devoted to Krylov and his fables.

• Kenevich’s serious and conscientious, but far from complete work (2nd ed., without additions and even with abbreviations, 1878) was included as part of the VI volume of the “Collection of Russian Language and Literature of the Academy of Sciences” (1869), all whose articles are dedicated to Krylov; At the same time, several monographs appeared in magazines.

• Valuable material is provided by the article by L. N. Maykov: “The first steps of I. A. Krylov in the literary field” (“Russian Bulletin” 1889; reprinted in “Historical and Literary Essays”, St. Petersburg 1895).
• A. Lyashchenko, in the “Historical Bulletin” (1894 No. 11);
• A. Kirpyachnikova in “Initiation”,
• V. Peretz in “Annual. Imp. Theaters for 1895"
• a number of articles about Krylov in the Journal of Min. Nar. Enlightened." 1895 Amon, Draganov and Nechaev (the latter caused the brochure of A. Lyashchenko).

• The first scientific work about Krylov was published under the editorship of Kallash (St. Petersburg, 1903-1905).

• S. Babintsev. Krylov's world fame (I. A. Krylov. Research and materials. Moscow, OGIZ, 1947, 296 pp.), 274 pp.
• M. Rafili. I. A. Krylov and Azerbaijani literature, Baku, Azerneshr, 1944, pp. 29-30.
• Mirakhmedov A. M. Abdulla Shaik. Baku: “Elm”, 1956, p. 6

The attitude of the Russian people towards the great fabulist Ivan Andreevich Krylov (1769-1844) has always been extremely warm. They called him “Grandfather Krylov,” thereby emphasizing respect and love for this extraordinary man. N.V. Gogol called Krylov’s fables “The Book of Folk Wisdom.” But the great fabulist created not only fables; he showed his talent in a wide variety of literary genres. A brave satirist, a subtle lyrical poet, a witty author of funny comedies. This was Krylov at the end of the 18th century.

This period of creative activity prepared the writer for the field of fabulist, which brought him well-deserved fame. At the same time, the 80-90s of the 18th century can be considered as an independent stage in the creative formation of Ivan Andreevich. He, as a writer, took a worthy place in the literary life of those years, and his early works are examples of biting satire and still arouse keen interest among readers.

Biography of I. A. Krylov

Ivan Andreevich Krylov was born on February 2, 1769 in Moscow in the family of a modest army officer. His father, Andrei Prokhorovich Krylov, served for a long time as an ordinary soldier, then as a company clerk, and eventually rose to the rank of sergeant. He distinguished himself during the suppression of the Pugachev uprising and retired in 1774 with the rank of captain.

After his resignation, he was appointed to the post of chairman of the Tver provincial magistrate. So little Krylov ended up in Tver. He was raised by his mother. She was, according to the fabulist himself, a simple woman without education, but naturally intelligent. At the age of 10, the boy’s father died, and the family was left without any means of subsistence.

The boy's mother, having become a widow, sought a pension, addressed a petition to the highest name, and begged him to condescend to her poverty and take into account her husband's long and blameless service. But the pension was denied, and Krylov’s mother began to earn money for her daily bread by performing services in rich houses and reading the psalter for the dead.

The youngest Krylov was assigned as a sub-clerk to the same provincial magistrate where his father served during his lifetime. But in the winter of 1782, mother and son moved to St. Petersburg. There Krylov was taken to the office of the St. Petersburg Treasury Chamber. The family owed this to the merits of their deceased father. Although the widow was denied a pension, the state showed participation, and the son of the honored captain was given a more or less decent job.

Creativity in your youth

In the capital, Krylov became interested in theater. At first I simply went to plays as a spectator, and then decided to try my hand at drama. At the age of 14, he wrote a comic opera in verse, “The Coffee House.” Then he wrote tragedies from ancient Greek life: “Philomela” and “Cleopatra”. In 1786-1788, the young man wrote a number of comedies and met such prominent actors as Dmitrievsky, Rykalov, Plavilshchikov. But Krylov's creations were not staged.

Disappointed in the opportunity to see his plays on stage, Krylov broke with the theater and decided to take up journalism. In 1788, he began collaborating with the Morning Hours magazine, which was headed by I. G. Rachmaninov. The type of activity of the future fabulist in his new field was very diverse. He proved himself both as a poet, and as a satirist, and as a journalist. The first fables were published in the magazine “Morning Hours”: “The Shy Gambler”, “The Peacock and the Nightingale” and a number of others.

Rachmaninov, under whom Krylov worked, was close to the radical intelligentsia grouped around Radishchev. And this affected the activities of Ivan Andreevich. In January 1789, he began publishing the magazine “Mail of Spirits”, the main purpose of which was to expose the noble society of that time.

Krylov, thus, acted as a continuer of the traditions of Radishchev, Novikov, Fonvizin. Spirit Mail became a one-author magazine. It displayed correspondence between fictitious “spirits” and the equally fictitious “Arab philosopher Malikulmulk.” Such satire made it possible to speak quite transparently about the shortcomings of the existing system.

But the magazine existed only until August 1789. The Great French Revolution led to increased reaction in Russia. This made further publication of Spirit Mail impossible. However, Krylov, together with actor Dmitriev, playwright Plavilshchikov, and young writer Klushin, organized the publication of a new magazine “Spectator”. It began publication in 1782.

In “The Spectator” Ivan Andreevich published such works as “Kaib”, “Nights”, “Equivalence in memory of my grandfather”. And these creations, which came from the pen of the future fabulist, largely continued and deepened the satirical motifs of “Spirit Mail”.

Catherine II died in 1796, but the government’s strict policy regarding literature did not change. The new Emperor Paul I intensified the persecution of free thought. He ordered the closure of private printing houses and established strict censorship over the press.

In the fall of 1797, Ivan Andreevich Krylov settled in the village of Kozatsky, Kyiv province. This was the estate of Prince S. F. Golitsyn, who fell out of favor with Paul I. The mood of the future fabulist was extremely oppositional. This was evidenced by the buffoon comedy “Podshchipa”, written in Kozatsky. It was an evil parody of the existing order in the country. It was published for the first time only in 1871.

Ivan Andreevich's stay in Kozatsky ended with the death of Emperor Paul I. In the fall of 1801, S. F. Golitsyn was appointed governor general in Riga. Krylov went with his patron as a secretary. And in 1802, the second edition of “Mail of Spirits” was published in St. Petersburg and the comedy “Pie” was staged.

Creativity in adulthood

Soon Krylov retired and left for Moscow. In the January issue of the magazine “Moscow Spectator” for 1806, the first fables of Ivan Andreevich were published, which determined his future creative path. By the beginning of 1806, the aspiring fabulist arrived in St. Petersburg. He lived in this city for all subsequent years.

His life returned to a monotonous and peaceful course. He takes an active part in the capital's literary life and becomes a member of literary and scientific communities. He became closely acquainted with the most famous writers of the time. Lives next door to the translator of the Iliad N. I. Gnedich and is an employee of the Public Library.

Krylov becomes close to the President of the Academy of Arts A. N. Olenin. In those years, famous scientists, writers, and artists gathered in the Olenins’ house. There were Shakhovsky, Ozerov, Gnedich, Batyushkov, later Pushkin and many other popular people. All literary news, newly appeared poems, information about interesting books, original paintings immediately entered the house.

With the coming to power of Alexander I, liberal trends gained strength in the country. As a result of this, Ivan Andreevich Krylov returned to literary activity. Along with fables, which became his main activity, in 1806-1807 such comedies as “Fashion Shop”, “Lesson for Daughters”, “Ilya the Bogatyr” were written. They were a success with the audience and were imbued with love and respect for Russian national culture.

They depicted the ignorant provincial nobility in a vitally truthful, cheerful, apt manner. It revered everything foreign, and as a result of its gullibility, it allowed itself to be robbed and fooled by foreign scoundrels. But it was not comedies, but fables that brought Krylov national fame.

In 1809, the first book of fables by Ivan Andreevich was published. And since then, for a quarter of a century, he devoted all his energy to writing fables. In 1811, he was elected a member of the “Conversations of Lovers of the Russian Word,” which united writers of the older generation. At this time, Krylov no longer looked like that daring rebel who dared to hit the empress herself with arrows of satire.

He becomes sedate, unhurried, withdraws into himself, and those around him begin to consider him eccentric. And how can one not count it if Ivan Andreevich Krylov could now sit for hours at the window in his room with a pipe in his teeth, thinking about the course of human life. Legends began to circulate about his absent-mindedness and laziness. They said that he once appeared at the palace in a uniform, the buttons on which were wrapped in paper by a tailor. And Pushkin, who knew Krylov closely, wrote about him at the time as a lazy eccentric.

However, Pushkin’s friend P. A. Vyazemsky did not at all consider Ivan Andreevich an eccentric. He perspicaciously wrote: “Krylov was not at all the absent-minded and simple-hearted La Fontaine that everyone had long considered him to be. In everything and always he was extremely smart. Fables were his calling. In them he could say a lot without pretending, and under the guise of animals, touch on issues, circumstances, personalities that he did not have the courage to directly approach.”

I. V. Turgenev, who met the famous fabulist in his youth, described his appearance this way: “I saw Krylov only once at an evening with a St. Petersburg writer. He sat motionless between two windows for more than 3 hours and during this time he did not say a word. He was dressed in a spacious, worn tailcoat, a white neckerchief, and boots with tassels clinging to his plump legs. He rested his hands on his knees and never turned his head. Only the eyes moved under the overhanging eyebrows. It was impossible to understand whether he was listening or just sitting there.”

This was Ivan Andreevich Krylov, the great Russian fabulist. In his youth, he established himself as a rebel, boldly attacking those who held power, and in his mature years he hid, assuming the image of a lazy eccentric. He began to express the truth about the world around him through fables, skillfully hiding his true thoughts and feelings.

At the end of life's journey

In 1838, a solemn celebration of Krylov took place on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of his literary activity. At this meeting, V. Zhukovsky described Ivan Andreevich’s fables as poetic lessons of wisdom that will reach posterity and never lose their strength and freshness. And the reason for this is that they turned into folk proverbs, and they always live with the people.

The great fabulist worked at the Public Library for about 30 years. He retired in March 1841 at the age of 72. Settled in a quiet apartment on Vasilyevsky Island. The writer's last work was the preparation for publication in 1843 of a complete collection of his fables. Ivan Andreevich Krylov died on November 9, 1844 at the age of 75.

The cause of death was bilateral pneumonia. The funeral was extremely magnificent with a large crowd of people. The great fabulist wrote a total of 236 fables, which were included in 9 collections during his lifetime. They were published from 1809 to 1843. Many expressions from fables have become catchphrases.