Peter Ershov: biography and interesting facts from life. Fairy tales of Ershov

In the first third of the nineteenth century, Russians began to show an unusual interest in folk culture and folklore. In different cities there appeared societies of connoisseurs of antiquity and ethnographic magazines were issued. Even in gymnasiums came out collections of poems and stories, from which the creative path of most famous poets and writers began. Among them was Peter Ershov, whose biography will be described in this article. So, let's get started.

Childhood

Ershov was born in 1815 in the village of Bezrukovo (Tobolsk province). From birth, he was a very weak child, so his parents, according to the Siberian superstition, sold him through the window to a beggar for only one penny.

When the boy was ten, his father, who worked as a district police officer, was transferred to Tobolsk. The future poet was struck by huge stone houses, the ancient Kremlin and the deserted Chuvash cape, near which the armies of Khan Kuchum and Ermak once fought. But most of all, Peter liked to go to crowded fairs.

Learning

In 1830, a young man graduated from high school with honors and entered the St. Petersburg University at the Faculty of Law. But Peter Ershov, whose biography is in any literary encyclopedia, was not considered a zealous student. Do not be deducted it helped only luck. For example, preparing for the exam by law, he taught only one ticket, and he certainly came across. After graduating from university, Peter himself was upset: "Being a candidate of the university, I do not speak any foreign language".

The Little Humpbacked Horse

In 1833, Professor Pletnev, at one of his lectures, read to the students the first part of the fairy tale "The Humpbacked Horse" written by Ershov as a course work. Everyone was delighted. Later Pletnev showed a fairy tale to Pushkin. Alexander Sergeyevich liked it too, and he even edited the first four verses in it, saying to his friends: "If this continues, then I can safely depart from this kind of work. This Ershov perfectly owns the rhyme. "

In 1834 the tale was published by the magazine "Library for Reading". In the same year it was published as a separate book, which brought the nineteen-year-old poet popular fame. During the life of the poet she was reprinted as many as seven times. Many authors of the time tried to imitate her. Only strict Belinsky criticized the work, calling it a forgery for folk art. It is worth noting that the harsh critic even considered Pushkin's poems as fakes.

New works

After graduating from the university, Pyotr Pavlovich was sent to work as a teacher in a gymnasium. In Tobolsk, the poet became friends with the composer Alyabyev and several Decembrists. He even forwarded Odoevsky's reply to Pushkin's poetic message to Petersburg.

At that time the creativity of Peter Ershov takes on a new breath. He wrote "The Siberian Cossack", composes the story "Poor man's prowess" and the poem "Suzge". But all these were ordinary works. The people were waiting for Ershov's new tales, but the poet seemed to have lost his inspiration. Of course, Peter had many plans. For example, he planned to write an entire epic about Ivan Tsarevich.

Many still ask the question: "How many fairy tales did Ershov write?" According to official data, only one. Perhaps he composed others, but they did not reach the descendants. According to the son of Pyotr Pavlovich, the poet had an archive of seven solid, well-intertwined volumes. But it is still not found.

Marriage

In Tobolsk, Peter Ershov, whose biography is well known to fans of his work, fell in love with Seraphim Leschov. He was not embarrassed by the fact that she was a widow burdened by four children. Seraphima was beautiful, educated and practical, so she did not immediately marry a twenty-four-year-old teacher. However, in early September 1939, the wedding of the lovers still took place.

New post

Five years later, Peter Ershov (200 years since the birth of the poet was celebrated this year) was appointed inspector of the gymnasium. But he himself dreamed of another post. Here is what Pyotr Pavlovitch wrote to Professor Pletnev: "The director of our gymnasium went on a three-month vacation, and, according to rumors, he will not return to Tobolsk any more. In his place, there are many applicants and one of them was recommended to the minister. Meanwhile, this post was my main goal. I think after 13 years of impeccable service, I deserved it by right. Can I hope for your petition from the minister about considering my candidacy? "Unfortunately, the poet did not become the director of the gymnasium.

Conclusion

Ershov Peter Pavlovich, interesting facts of life which were given in this article, entered the history of literature as the author of one fairy tale. The poet himself took it calmly, realizing the limits of the gift given to him. He wrote to Professor Pletnev: "Did you ask about my literary works? Well, what to say. They ended with the transition of "Contemporary" in the hands of Nekrasov. If there were former editors there, then I would be happy to participate in the work. But the new direction of the magazine is not for me at all. For a long time I was not an actor, but an observer of literature and I learned to objectively evaluate the surrounding things. I believe that at present literary fame is not too flattering even for an incompetent author. And the poetry? .. They buried her along with Lermontov and Pushkin ... Zhukovsky's swan song was muffled by the journal criminals, and it will be very sad if it breaks off, like Gogol's song ... A bright poetic future is possible only in the event of the arrival of a mighty talent that will make the coldest age revere Before the harmony of sound. "

Peter Ershov (biography described above) died in 1869 in the city of Tobolsk.