"The Tale of the Golden Cockerel": a brief summary and a hidden meaning

The list of fairy tales in verse written by the great Russian poet Alexander Pushkin is not as great as, for example, Charles Perrault or Hans Andersen. And, frankly speaking, some of the works were not planned as children's by the poet himself. But the creations of the Russian storyteller know today every schoolboy. Among them - and "The Tale of the Golden Cockerel." The summary of this work will fit on one page of a paper sheet. But the appeal of the images and the inherent potential greatly exceed the simplicity of the plot. Let us also remember: what is this work about?

"The Tale of the Golden Cockerel." Summary

This poem is a fairy tale written by Pushkin in 1834. It was published in 1835. Pushkin's fairy tale "On the Golden Cockerel" was the last of this series written by the poet. And according to the conclusions of some researchers of creativity, and the most incomprehensible in the plot and semantic respect. The main heroes of the fairy tale about the golden cockerel are: astrologer, queen-tsarina, king Dadon. He, in fact, was presented with a cockerel made of gold, capable of informing about impending danger. And gave a living gold weathervane astrologer, sage and skopets. In return, demanding the fulfillment of the desire left for later. The king vows to do so.

At first, the cockerel regularly did its job, warning of the arrival of enemies. The army successfully reflects the attacks. It even goes so far that the enemies are afraid to attack Dadon. But something went wrong, and the king's offspring, sent with a part of the troops (one by one) into the places indicated by the golden cockerel, disappear for no reason and no news. Then the king decides to march on his own.

Culmination and denouement

But what does he see? Sons are dead (they kill each other in battle near the tent), and from the room comes the maiden - the Shamakhan queen, who magically enchants the elderly Dadon with her beauty and youth. For some time the king feasted with the Shamakhan queen. And then, together with her, she returns to her homeland, to her kingdom. On the way he meets an old stargazer, who demands from Dadon to fulfill the promised - to yield to the Shamakhan beauty. But the king does not agree with this interpretation and, at first proposing something in return, then kills the stargazer-scopza with a baton. Then the golden cockerel, donated by the old man, descends from the knitting needle on which he sat, and pecks Dadon directly in the head. The king dies. And the girl first laughs, and then disappears completely, dissolving into the air.

Morality

It seems that everyone understands what the "Fairy Tale about the Golden Cockerel" is about. It seems that Dadon is to blame for everything. Stargazer rights in their claims. A cockerel acts as a sword of fate, punishing for violation of human rules and these promises. But this is only at first glance. "The Tale of the Golden Cockerel" (see briefly above) - is not so simple. In fact, there are a lot of inconsistencies and incomprehensible moments in the work itself, which until today have puzzled many researchers of the poet's work. And Pushkin's fairy tale "On the Golden Cockerel" has the title of the most incomprehensible of all written by the author.

Opinions of literary critics

Some of the Pushkin scientists believe that the meaning of the plot is not fully disclosed by the author. After a careful reading of the famous creation in verse (if you take aside all the magic and craftsmanship of the poetic style), the attentive reader has many questions. Especially in children, and in adults. Why did the golden gift of the astrologer scream for the first time, because no one tried to attack? Why did the king's offspring kill each other? What for the astrologer Shamahanskaya maiden, if he is a skopec? Where, in fact, disappears the queen at the end of the work? And many others, no less legitimate. To accuse the great Russian poet in illogicality and inconsistency seems unreasonable. Rather, Pushkin deliberately allows some inconsistencies. For what? This is a separate issue. Maybe this poet wants to say that the main meaning of the magic fairy tale is that the inner enemy is stronger and more dangerous than the enemies of the external?

Sources of the plot

According to the latest literary data, sources are found in which the "Tale of the Golden Cockerel" derives its existence. A brief summary of this story was also found in the Coptic folklore (Arabic fairy tales), and in V. Irving's legend "About the Arabian starlet."