M. Saltykov-Shchedrin "The Horse". A Brief History of the Tale

The tales of ME Saltykov-Shchedrin, written primarily in the eighties of the XIX century (they are often called political), became a satire on the existing in Russia order. The description of the position of the Russian peasant is devoted to the work "Konyaga", the feature of which is that the author after the image of the unfortunate animal shows a man oppressed by slavery. An important point is that the Soybean symbolizes in the fairy tale both the invincible strength of the people, and its sluggishness and reluctance to resist the established regime. Symbols are also images of the Neplyasis, behind which the main layers of Russian society of the middle of the 19th century are hidden.

How the Soyuga lives

A brief tale begins with a description of the animal itself. It was not easy for him to share. So he unharnessed his muzhik, gave him food, and Konyaga lay down by the road and was dozing. A difficult band today stood out: one pebble - just a couple of with the peasant defeated. Kind at Konjaga unsightly: shoulders were worn out, edges stick out, legs are broken, the mane fell, always depreciates walks. And everything from the unbearable work - all year round under the yoke - and the food is unbearable. In the summer, there is still a lot of grass where you can grab, and in the winter just a stubble straw. So the peasant has to lift up the poles in the spring. This depicts the hero of the tale "Konyaga" Saltykov-Shchedrin.

The summary of the introduction will complement the picture of the life of the host of the animal. A man at Konyagi is kind, he does not maim for nothing, he tries to raise a shout. The beast crouches with its forelegs, takes away its hind legs, presses its head against the breast; You look - and went. And the peasant on the back plows down on the plow, does not regret his strength. The band will pass, and it seems to both of them that death has come. But no, they left. And so every day.

The impossible task

The tale "The Horse", the summary of which is given here, continues with the description of the fields that stretch on both sides of the road. There is no end to them, they encircle the village with a dense ring. Here moves on an endless space the figure of a peasant, and then suddenly disappears, as if her field sucked. For centuries trying to figure out how to defeat this fairy-tale force, a man and a horse. From birth to the grave, they struggle over how to free themselves from the captivity in which they found themselves, but all in vain. And there is no escape to them from exhausting work.

In agony

The description of the "rest" continues to be brief. Shchedrin (The kolyaga symbolizes the peasant himself) describes the agonizing state of the dormant (or dying from unbearable labor) animal. He lies in the very sun, above it clouds of insects. But Tormented Konyaga almost does not react to their bites. Something huge, then black, then fiery, rushes before his eyes and as if dragging him to the bottomless depths. And suddenly again there is an infinite field. Here it was just born and is blooming ... And now it's dead again, under a white shroud ... And as there is no edge to the field, there is no end to bondage and torment ... So one by one describes the sad images of life in slavery of Saltykov.

The konjaga (the brief content allows it to understand) was born only for one purpose - heavy physical labor. And everything that happens around is done only to enable him to carry out this very work. The food and rest are released just enough to get up. And to new wounds nobody cares. Not his well-being, but the ability to endure the yoke of work - only this worries others for many centuries. So it turns out that Konyaga (a brief description describes his short life as infinity) and does not live, and does not die. He has only the hope that someone in the future will be able to answer the question about why he was given such an existence?

The Parable of the Pustules

In the meantime, the Konyaga lies half-forgotten, his brethren pass by. Few people will say that once he, "uncouth and unfeeling", and Pustples, "polite and sensitive," were born from one father. The parent of the first one suffered a long time, but once he judged: "A horse is straw, and Pustaplyas is oats." Since then, it has been said that one starvation lives half-starved and wears out of work, and the other - in a warm stall and on a satiated honey revels.

The fairy tale of "Konyaga" is continued with a brief summary of the conversations conducted by Blondes, looking at immortality - it can not be penetrated by anything! - his own kind. One noted that in Konyag, a lot of common sense has accumulated from hard work, because he is quiet and he does his job. The second disagreed: the "life of the spirit and the spirit of life" are great in it, so you can not crush it with a stick. The third one said that Konyaga "found a real work" for himself, he also gives him stability, which the centuries of slavery could not conquer. The fourth one is sure of another: he has been leading such a life from time immemorial and has become so used to it that sometimes it seems there is no strength to get up, but no, you will warm him with a whip, and he will immediately come to life and go about doing business, to which he is assigned.

"N-but, convict, move!"

While these empty conversations are being held, the peasant will wake up and call upon Konyaga to work in simple words. And now Blondes are delighted with how he rests, and raps with his hind legs. Here, shout, learn from anyone you need! That's who to imitate! And they themselves are driven: "N-but, convict, n-no!" So ends the tale of "The Horse" Saltykov-Shchedrin.

The summary only conveys the main points of the narrative, however, in order to understand the author's ideological intent, it is necessary to get acquainted with the full text of the work.