Define the genre: "Lefty" - a tragedy or a tale?

Nikolai Semenovich Leskov lived and died an incomprehensible and unrecognized writer. His literary biography was extremely unsuccessful. A huge talent, which he himself was perfectly aware of, and next to him - complete rejection of both right-wing and left-wing critics. They created in the reading public opinion about NS. Leskov as a writer of little significance.

Literary Activity (short)

Initially N. Leskov was published in Otechestvennye Zapiski, in a large, notable journal, which was published almost 70 years ago. Under the leadership of AA. Kraevskogo magazine adopted a Western-liberal orientation, and later, when it owned by NA. Nekrasov and M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin is a revolutionary-democratic trend. Leskov did not approve of extremes, and critics of all stripes beat him to the left and right. The left, after the novel "Nowhere", attributed N. Leskov antidemocratic views. The rightists (AA Katkov) after the novel "On the knives" demanded more adaptation to their interests. A N.S. Leskov wanted to work freely, without instructions. He was not going to like anyone. And it was published by small, inconspicuous editions. The writer died in the hands of his son in complete oblivion. L. Tolstoy called him "the most Russian of our writer," but this was after the death of N. Leskov. In 1881, one short story attracted for a while again an ambiguous attention to the writer. She had a very unusual genre. "Lefty" is filled with such masterly mastery of the word that it was accepted with coolness, if not with irony.

History of creation of the work

In 1881, three issues of the magazine "Rus" published a new novel by the writer. And in 1882 - a separate book after a number of revisions. Washed and the essence was pointed, but the genre has not changed. "Lefty" - a work of tragic. This is what we will consider in this article. The work is accompanied by jokes and jokes, distorting words, but this is a conventional genre. "Lefty" is a story heard by N. Leskov from an old gunsmith, a native of Tula, in Sestroretsk. Where there was a fable about the competition of our masters with English, it is not known. But, apparently, she left either from Tula, or from Izhma, or from Sestroretsk. In any case, the tale (genre) "Lefty" poses the foreigners with their skills. This is the pride of our Russian gunsmiths. In the same story, one of the reasons for our failures in the Crimean War is being clarified.

People's Mythology

The story "Lefty" genre has a very original. Its peculiarity is that it is not always clear what kind of person it is. But from the very beginning the language is painted very peculiarly. This is typical for Leskov in general. His language in all works is virtuosic and weaves magic laces of words. In "Lefty" due to the plot used, it is painted with humor and tragedy. The writer, as the readers thought, tells the story of the people. For almost thirty years she has been supplemented with rumors and speculation. The writer also says that previously nobody knew about Levsha (the main character and his deeds) that this is entirely his invention. Such a hoax was necessary, so that the writer was, as it were, not involved in the story "Lefty." The genre of the work required this approach.

Visit of the Emperor Alexander I to England

The first three chapters describe how the emperor, after the Congress of Vienna, visited foreign countries, accompanied by a true patriot, ataman of the Don Cossacks Platov. The British tried most to prove that they were superior to the Russian people in everything. In their kunstkamera, the British showed different military devices. Particularly outstanding was the pistol of an unknown master. Alexander all aahal and wondered. Platov took out a screwdriver, turned the lock in the pistol, and beneath it stood the inscription that she was made by a Russian master in Tula. The British were terribly embarrassed and showed the clockwork flea that danced the quadrille in a small scoop. The Tsar bought it for a lot of money, and Platov was deeply angry at heart. So begins the story Leskov. "Lefty," whose genre is already determined by speech techniques, will continue its operation in Russia.

How did the flea get to Tula, and then to St. Petersburg

Whether the time ran for a long time, but the Ataman Platov brought the flea to Tula and ordered the most skilled craftsmen to surpass the English. Platov went to the Don, and on the way back decided to pick up what the craftsmen will do. Praying, they got down to business in great secrecy. Only it was audible how the mallets were taped. Returning from the Don, Platov took the box with the flea. He saw that she was exactly the same as she was. The ataman was angry and took with him the oblique Lefty. Tsar Nikolai Pavlovich examined it in a small-scale scrap and saw that it was just lying and moved its antennae. Dragged for the whirlwinds Lefty, and he explained that the flea must look into the strongest melkoscope. I looked at Nikolay Pavlovich and saw the horseshoes on every flea foot. He embraced the dirty craftsman, kissed and ordered to be sent to England. If you ask: "What is the genre of the" Lefty "story?", Then it can be answered that this is a stylistic tale. In fact, the work of the masters was done by the most skillful, but absolutely meaningless. This is a plot technique of the skaz, which in addition has a very unusual coloring of words.

In England and again in St. Petersburg

In London, examined the flea and wrote about it slander (a combination of two words: feuilleton and slander). They began to persuade Lefty to stay, but he, after examining their weapons factories, was eager for home. On the ship Lefty and the under-captain arranged a competition - who will drink to whom, and when the ship in the St. Petersburg harbor landed, the drunk Lefty was taken to the police station, and then, in the cold, stripped, was taken to the hospital for the poorest. When Lefty was dying, his last words were: "Tell the Emperor that the guns are not cleaned with bricks. They are not suitable for shooting from this. " With these words, he died. And his words were not conveyed to the tsar - there is nothing Left-handed to interfere in state affairs.

N. Leskov ends his story with the words that one should not forget such traditions, in which the national spirit is deeply grasped. Lubkov's story was told by Leskov ("Lefty"). Genre of the writer's work Called a tale. He is very stylized, but he has a very serious theme, patriotic and bitter, as well as many other things that the master of the word N.S. Leskov.