Brief retelling of the story of a city. Saltykov-Shchedrin: The history of one city: On the origin of the Foolovites

History of one city

This story is a "genuine" chronicle of the city of Glupov, "Glupovsky Chronicler", embracing the period from 1731 to 1825, which was "successively composed" by four Stupov archivists. In the chapter "From the Publisher" the author especially insists on the authenticity of the "Chronicler" and invites the reader to "catch the physiognomy of the city and follow how its history reflected the various changes that simultaneously took place in the higher spheres."

"Chronicler" opens with "Appeal to the reader from the last archivist-chronicler". The archivist sees the chronicler's task in "being a depiction" of "touching conformity" - the authorities, "daring in measure", and the people, "giving thanks to the measure". History, therefore, is the history of the reign of various city governors.

First, a prehistoric chapter "On the origin of the Foolovites" is given, which tells how the ancient people of the bunglers defeated the neighboring tribes of walrus-eaters, onion-eaters, kosobryukhy, etc. But, not knowing what to do so that there was order, the bunglers went to look for a prince . They turned to more than one prince, but even the most stupid princes did not want to "rule the stupid" and, having taught them with a rod, let them go with honor. Then the bunglers called in a thief-innovator who helped them find the prince. The prince agreed to “volunteer” them, but did not go to live with them, sending a thief-innovator instead. The prince himself called the bunglers "stupid", hence the name of the city.

The Foolovites were a submissive people, but the Novotor needed riots to pacify them. But soon he was stealing so much that the prince "sent a noose to the unfaithful slave." But the newcomer "and then dodged:<...>without waiting for the loop, he stabbed himself with a cucumber.

The prince and other rulers sent him - Odoev, Orlov, Kalyazin - but they all turned out to be sheer thieves. Then the prince "arrived in his own person to Foolov and cried out:" I'll screw it up. "With these words, historical times began."

In 1762, Dementy Varlamovich Brodasty arrived in Foolov. He immediately struck the Foolovites with his sullenness and reticence. His only words were "I won't stand it!" and "I'll break it!". The city was lost in conjecture, until one day the clerk, entering with a report, saw a strange sight: the body of the mayor, as usual, was sitting at the table, while his head was completely empty on the table. Foolov was shocked. But then they remembered about the watch and organ affairs of master Baibakov, who secretly visited the mayor, and, having called him, they found out everything. In the head of the mayor, in one corner, there was an organ that could play two pieces of music: "I will ruin!" and "I will not stand it!". But on the way, the head got damp and needed to be repaired. Baibakov himself could not cope and turned to St. Petersburg for help, from where they promised to send a new head, but for some reason the head was delayed.

Anarchy ensued, ending with the appearance of two identical mayors at once. "The impostors met and measured each other with their eyes. The crowd slowly and in silence dispersed." A messenger immediately arrived from the province and took away both impostors. And the Foolovites, left without a mayor, immediately fell into anarchy.

The anarchy continued throughout the next week, during which six mayors changed in the city. The townsfolk rushed from Iraida Lukinichna Paleologova to Clementine de Bourbon, and from her to Amalia Karlovna Stockfish. The claims of the first were based on the short-term activity of the mayor of her husband, the second - of her father, and the third - she herself was a mayor's pompadour. The claims of Nelka Lyadokhovskaya, and then Dunka the fat-footed and Matryonka the nostrils, were even less substantiated. In between hostilities, the Foolovites threw some citizens from the bell tower and drowned others. But they are also tired of anarchy. Finally, a new mayor arrived in the city - Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov. His activity in Foolovo was beneficial. "He introduced mead and brewing and made the use of mustard and bay leaves obligatory," and also wanted to establish an academy in Foolov.

Under the next ruler, Peter Petrovich Ferdyshchenko, the city flourished for six years. But in the seventh year, "Ferdyshchenko was embarrassed by the demon." The mayor was inflamed with love for the coachman's wife Alenka. But Alenka refused him. Then, with the help of a series of successive measures, Alenka's husband, Mitka, was branded and sent to Siberia, and Alenka came to her senses. A drought fell upon the Foolovs through the sins of the mayor, and famine followed it. People started dying. Then came the end of Foolov's patience. First they sent a walker to Ferdyshchenko, but the walker did not return. Then they sent a petition, but this did not help either. Then they finally got to Alenka, and they threw her off the bell tower. But Ferdyshchenko did not doze off either, but wrote reports to his superiors. No bread was sent to him, but a team of soldiers arrived.

Through the next hobby of Ferdyshchenko, archer Domashka, fires came to the city. Pushkarskaya Sloboda was on fire, followed by Bolotnaya Sloboda and Scoundrel Sloboda. Ferdyshchenko again shied away, returned Domashka to the “optism” and called the team.

The reign of Ferdyshchenko ended with a journey. The mayor went to the city pasture. In different places, the townspeople greeted him and dinner was waiting for him. On the third day of the journey, Ferdyshchenko died of overeating.

Ferdyshchenko's successor, Vasilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin, took up his post resolutely. Having studied the history of Glupov, he found only one role model - Dvoekurov. But his achievements were already forgotten, and the Foolovites even stopped sowing mustard. Wartkin ordered that this mistake be corrected, and added Provence oil as punishment. But the fools did not give in. Then Borodavkin went on a military campaign against Streletskaya Sloboda. Not everything in the nine-day campaign was successful. In the dark, they fought with their own. Many real soldiers were fired and replaced with tin soldiers. But Wartkin survived. Having reached the settlement and not finding anyone, he began to pull the houses into logs. And then the settlement, and behind it the whole city, surrendered. Subsequently, there were several more wars for enlightenment. In general, the reign led to the impoverishment of the city, which finally ended under the next ruler, Negodyaev. In this state, Foolov found the Circassian Mikeladze.

No events were held during this period. Mikeladze stepped aside from administrative measures and dealt only with the female sex, to which he was a great hunter. The city was resting. "The visible facts were few, but the consequences are innumerable."

The Circassian was replaced by Feofilakt Irinarkhovich Benevolensky, a friend and comrade of Speransky in the seminary. He had a passion for law. But since the mayor did not have the right to issue his own laws, Benevolensky issued laws secretly, in the house of the merchant Raspopova, and scattered them around the city at night. However, he was soon dismissed for relations with Napoleon.

The next was Lieutenant Colonel Pryshch. He did not deal with business at all, but the city flourished. The harvests were huge. The fools were worried. And the secret of Pimple was revealed by the leader of the nobility. A great lover of minced meat, the leader sensed that the head of the mayor smelled of truffles and, unable to stand it, attacked and ate the stuffed head.

After that, state councilor Ivanov arrived in the city, but "turned out to be so short that he could not contain anything spacious," and died. His successor, the immigrant Vicomte de Chario, constantly had fun and was sent abroad by order of his superiors. Upon examination, it turned out to be a girl.

Finally, State Councilor Erast Andreevich Sadtilov appeared in Foolov. By this time the Foolovites had forgotten the true God and clung to idols. Under him, the city was completely mired in debauchery and laziness. Hoping for their happiness, they stopped sowing, and famine came to the city. Sadtilov was busy with daily balls. But everything suddenly changed when she appeared to him. The wife of the pharmacist Pfeifer showed Sadtilov the path of goodness. The holy fools and the wretched, who experienced hard days during the worship of idols, became the main people in the city. The Foolovites repented, but the fields remained empty. The Glupovsky beau monde gathered at night to read Mr. Strakhov and "admiration", which the authorities soon learned about, and Sadtilov was removed.

The last Foolovsky mayor - Ugryum-Burcheev - was an idiot. He set a goal - to turn the Foolovs into "the city of Nepreklonsk, eternally worthy of the memory of Grand Duke Svyatoslav Igorevich" with straight, identical streets, "companies", identical houses for identical families, etc. Ugryum-Burcheev thought out the plan in detail and proceeded to execution. The city was destroyed to the ground, and it was possible to start building, but the river interfered. She did not fit into the plans of Ugryum-Burcheev. The indefatigable mayor led an offensive against her. All the garbage, all that was left of the city, was put into action, but the river washed away all the dams. And then Moody-Grumbling turned around and walked away from the river, leading the Foolovites with him. A completely flat lowland was chosen for the city, and construction began. But something has changed. However, the notebooks with the details of this story were lost, and the publisher gives only the denouement: "... the earth shook, the sun went dark<...>Oh, it came." Without explaining what exactly, the author only reports that "the scoundrel instantly disappeared, as if dissolved in the air. History has stopped flowing."

The story is closed by "acquittal documents", that is, the writings of various city governors, such as: Borodavkin, Mikeladze and Benevolensky, written as a warning to other city governors.

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The story describes the life of the city of Glupov for a hundred years until 1825. The chronicle of the city during this time was kept by four archivists. The history of Glupov is directly connected with the period of government of various mayors. In the first prehistoric chapter, the author considers the question of the origin of the city's population. The people of the bunglers were able to defeat other tribes. The bunglers decided to find a prince to manage them. Many rulers refused to rule over stupid people. One of them agreed, but did not live in the city, leaving instead of himself a governor - a newcomer. The governor turned out to be a thief. The prince sent a noose to a dishonest newcomer. But he did not wait and stabbed himself with a cucumber. After this, the prince appointed several more rulers in his place. But they all stole terribly. The prince himself arrived in Foolov and from that moment began a historical period in the life of the city. Further, the work provides a description of the mayors of Glupov, tells the biographies of the most significant.

Dementy Varlamovich Brodysty was very gloomy and taciturn. He always used two phrases: "I will not tolerate and I will ruin." Once the clerk saw an incredible picture. The busty man was sitting at the table as usual, but his head was separate and completely empty. It turned out that the head of the mayor contained only two organs with melodies: I will not stand it and I will ruin it. But somehow, due to dampness, the head became unusable. Watchmaker Baibakov ordered a new head in the capital. But she did not come on time, so Brody was without a head.

After that, two self-proclaimed chiefs appeared in the city. A messenger from the province quickly picked them up. And Foolov plunged into anarchy. During the week, the city was ruled by six women mayors. Residents quickly got tired of such confusion. Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov became the new mayor. His activities for the city had a positive meaning, he even dreamed of opening an academy in the city.

Pyotr Petrovich Ferdyshchenko managed the city very well for the first six years, while Glupov prospered during these years. But then the mayor was beguiled by a demon. He kindled with feelings for the wife of the coachman Alenka. She refused the mayor. Then Ferdyshchenko exiled her husband to Siberia, and Alenka had to obey. But as a punishment for such actions, a drought came to the city, followed by famine. Residents then threw Alenka from the bell tower. Ferdyshchenko wrote various letters to his superiors, even a detachment of soldiers arrived in Foolov. When the mayor fell in love with Domashka again, strong fires began in the city. The ruler was frightened and refused Domashka. Ferdyshchenko's reign ended in travel when he died from overeating.

Vasilisk Semyonovich Borodavkin became the new mayor. He considered himself a smart ruler and even waged wars to educate the people. During his reign, Foolov began to decline.

Another ruler, Theophylact Irinarkhovich Benevolsky, liked to issue various laws, although he did not have the right to do so. Therefore, he scattered leaflets with laws at night. The mayor was dismissed for cooperation with Napoleon.

Then Lieutenant-Colonel Pryshch controlled Glupov. He did not actually participate in the management, but the city surprisingly developed due to excellent harvests. It turned out that Pimple had a stuffed head, which the leader ate, smelling truffles from it.

Under the next mayor - State Councilor Erast Andreevich Sadtilov, Glupov did not develop at all. Laziness and debauchery became characteristic features of the Foolovites. The mayor spent all his time at balls. Soon famine came to Foolov. Sadtilov was soon removed. For a hundred years, the last mayor was Ugryum Burcheev. He was not very intelligent, in fact, was an idiot. Burcheev decided to completely rebuild the city. Foolov was destroyed to the ground. The river interfered with the new construction, but Burcheev failed to block its channel, although he tried very hard. Therefore, Burcheev led the Foolovites to a lowland, it was decided to build a city there. But something went wrong. The mayor literally vanished into thin air and disappeared without a trace. The story ended there.

"The history of one city", a summary of which is given in this article, is an ironic, grotesque chronicle of the city of Foolov. The satire of Saltykov-Shchedrin is transparent, so the face of modern Russia is easily guessed in the text.

Only at first glance it seems that the story, like an inventory of city governors, is a gallery of madness and human moral deformities. In fact, each image is recognizable in its own way.

Unfortunately, the work does not lose its uniqueness to this day.

The history of the creation of the "History of one city"

The idea of ​​the work was nurtured by the author for several years. In 1867, a story appears about a mayor with a stuffed head, eaten with appetite at the end. This hero was transformed into a governor named Pimple. And the story itself became one of the chapters of the story.

Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin (1826-1889)

A year later, the author began writing the chronicle of Glupov. The work lasted over a year. Initially, the work was called "Glupovsky Chronicler", the final title appeared later. The name change is due to the fact that the second carries a wider semantic load.

In the year of graduation, the story was first published in the almanac "Notes of the Fatherland", where Mikhail Evgrafovich signed with the pseudonym N. Shchedrin. A self-published edition comes out six months later. The text is somewhat different. The sequence of chapters has been changed, and the characteristics and descriptions of the governors have been rewritten in abbreviation, but have become more expressive.

Main characters and their characteristics

The main characters of the work are the mayors and townspeople - the inhabitants of Glupov. Below is a table with specifications. A brief overview of the main characters is given.

Amadeus Manuylovich Klementy	Italian. At home he served as a cook. His signature and most delicious dish was pasta. The Duke of Courland, admiring his culinary skills, took him with him as a family cook. After Amadeus Manuylovich received a high status, which helped him to take the post of mayor. Klementy forced all the Foolovites to make pasta. Sent into exile for high treason.
Fotiy Petrovich Ferapontov	He was the personal hairdresser of the Duke of Courland. Then he began to rule the city. Big spectator. Never missed public punishments on the square. He was always present when someone was flogged with rods. In 1738, the manager was torn to pieces by dogs.
Ivan Matveyevich Velikanov	He is famous for drowning the director responsible for the economy and the economy in a pond. For the first time introduced a tax from the townspeople. From each, a few kopecks to the treasury of the board. Often severely beat police officers. Seen in an indecent relationship with the first wife of Peter I (Avdotya Lopukhina). After that, he was taken into custody, where he remains to this day.
Manyl Samylovich Urus-Kugush-Kildibaev	Brave soldier, guardsman. Control methods are appropriate. He was remembered by the townspeople for his courage bordering on madness. Once even took the city of Foolov by storm. There is little information about him in the chronicle. But it is known that in 1745 he was dismissed from the post of governor.
lamvrokakis	A fugitive Greek citizen of unknown origin, name and family. Before becoming a mayor, he traded soap, oils, nuts and other small things in the market of a neighboring city. He died in his own bed in an unequal battle with bedbugs.
Ivan Matveyevich Baklan	He is famous for his height of more than two meters. Died during a hurricane. A strong wind broke the man in half.
Dementy Varlamovich Brodysty	The role of the brain in his head was performed by a peculiar mechanism resembling an organ. But this did not interfere with the performance of the duties of the governor, the preparation and execution of papers. Therefore, the inhabitants affectionately called him Organchik. He did not contact the public, but constantly uttered the only formidable phrase “I will not tolerate!” Why the inhabitants of the city were in perpetual fear. Actively collected taxes and taxes. After his reign, there was anarchy for about a week. The image symbolizes the stupidity, emptiness and limitations of most officials and managers.
Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov	Active and proactive manager. Paved roads (as many as two). Organized local production of beer and honey drinks. He forced the inhabitants to cultivate and use mustard, as well as bay leaves. He collected arrears more actively than others. For any infractions and without them, stupid people are beaten with rods. The only one who died of natural causes.
Petr Petrovich Ferdyshchenko	Former soldier. He was Potemkin's batman himself, which he was pretty proud of. The first six years passed quietly. But then the brigadier seemed to be crazy. The depth of the mind did not differ. He had a speech impediment, so he was tongue-tied. Died from overeating.
Vasilisk Semenovich Borodavkin	Appears in the Enlightenment Wars chapter. The portrait of the hero corresponds to the surname. The longest reign in the history of the city. The predecessors launched arrears, so Wartkin took it sternly. In the process, more than 30 villages burned down, and only two and a half rubles were saved. Equipped one area, planted trees on one street. Constantly fastened with all the buttons, put out fires, created false alarms. Solve problems that didn't exist. He forced the Foolovites to build houses on foundations, plant Persian chamomile, and use Provence oil. He dreamed of annexing Byzantium, and then renaming Constantinople to Ekaterinograd. Tried to open an academy, failed. So he built a prison. He fought for education, but at the same time against it. True, the inhabitants of the city did not see the difference. Could do a lot more "useful", but suddenly died.
Onufry Ivanovich Negodyaev	Man of the people. He served as a stoker in Gatchina. He ordered the destruction of the streets paved by his predecessors. And from the resulting stone to rebuild the monuments and memorials. Foolov fell into decay, devastation was all around, and the townspeople became wild, even overgrown with wool. He was fired from his position.
Gloomy-Grumbling	In the past, a military man, therefore he is obsessed with the army and military operations. Empty limited, stupid, like most of the characters in the book. He preferred to destroy Foolov and rebuild another city nearby, making a military fortification out of it. He forced the inhabitants to walk in military uniform, live according to the army schedule, carry out absurd orders, line up and march. Ugryumov always slept on bare ground. Went missing during a natural phenomenon that no one could explain.
Erast Andreevich Sadilov	He always looked offended, upset, which did not prevent him from being depraved, vulgar. During his reign, the city was mired in debauchery. He wrote melancholy odes. He died of inexplicable anguish.
Acne	Like many rulers of the city, from the former military. Was in office for several years. Decided to take over management to take a break from work. The Foolovites unexpectedly became rich under him, which aroused suspicion and unhealthy reactions among the masses. Later it turned out that the governor had a stuffed head. The ending is deplorable and unpleasant: the head was eaten.

Minor characters

prince	A foreign ruler whom the Foolovites asked to become their prince. He was stupid but cruel. He solved all questions with the exclamation: “I’ll screw up!”
Iraida Lukinichna Paleologova	An impostor who appeared during the period of unrest after the death of Brodystoy (Organchik). Based on the fact that her husband reigned for several days, and her historical surname (a hint of Sophia Paleolog - the grandmother of Ivan the Terrible) demanded power. Rules for a few days outside the city.
Interception-Zalkhvatsky	He appeared victorious on a white horse. Burned down the high school. Zalikhvatsky became the prototype of Paul I.
Foolovites	City dwellers. The collective image of the people, blindly worshiping the tyranny of power.

The list of heroes is not complete, it is given in abbreviation. Only in times of turmoil, more than ten rulers were replaced, of which six were women.

It is a summary of the work by chapters.

From the publisher

The narrator assures the reader of the authenticity of the document. To prove the absence of artistic fiction, an argument is made about the monotony of the narrative. The text is entirely devoted to the biographies of the mayors and the peculiarities of their government.

The story begins with the address of the last clerk, setting out a chronicle of events.

About the origin of fools

The chapter describes the prehistoric period. A tribe of bunglers waged internecine wars with their neighbors, defeating them. When the last enemy was defeated, the population was confused. Then they began to search for a prince to rule them. But even the most stupid princes did not want to take power over the savages.

They found someone who agreed to "go free", but did not go to live on the territory of the estate. He sent governors who turned out to be thieves. I had to appear to the prince in person.

organ

The reign of Dementiy Brudasty began. The townsfolk were surprised by his lack of emotion. It turned out that he had a small device in his head. The mechanism played only two short compositions: “I will ruin” and “I will not tolerate”.

Then the unit broke down. The local watchmaker was unable to fix it himself. We ordered a new head from the capital. But the package, as is often the case in Russia, was lost.

Because of anarchy, unrest began, and then a week-long anarchy.

The Tale of the Six Mayors

During the anarchist week, six impostors changed. Women's claim to power was based on the fact that their husbands, brothers, or other relatives once ruled. Or they themselves were in the service of the families of the mayors. And some had no reason at all.

The news about Dvokurov

Semyon Konstatinovich stayed in power for about eight years. Ruler of progressive views. Main innovations: brewing, honey brewing, planting and use of bay leaves and mustard.

Reformatory activity is worthy of respect. But the changes were violent, ridiculous and unnecessary.

hungry city

The first six years of the governorship of Petr Ferdyshchenko were measured and calm. But then he fell in love with someone else's wife, who did not share her feelings. A drought began, then other cataclysms. The result: starvation and death.

The people rebelled, caught and threw the chosen one of the official from the bell tower. The uprising was brutally suppressed.

thatched city

After the next love affair of the steward, fires began. The whole area burned down.

fantasy traveler

The governor went on a journey to homes and villages, demanding that food be brought to him. This was the cause of his death. The townsfolk are frightened that they will be accused of deliberately feeding the boss. But everything worked out. A new one has arrived to replace the fantastic traveler from the capital.

Wars for enlightenment

Wartkin approached the post thoroughly. Studied the activities of predecessors. I decided to look up to the reformer Dvoekurov. He ordered to sow mustard again, to collect arrears.

The inhabitants rebelled on their knees. Wars "for enlightenment" began to be waged against them. Power has always been the winner. As a punishment for disobedience, it is ordered to use Provence oil and sow Persian chamomile.

The era of dismissal from wars

Under Negodyaev, the city became even more impoverished than under the previous ruler. This is the only manager of the people who previously served as a stoker. But the democratic principle did not benefit the population.

The Pimple period is noteworthy. He did not engage in any activity, but the people grew rich, which raised doubts. The marshal of the nobility revealed a secret: the chief's head was stuffed with truffles. A quick-witted henchman personally feasted on her.

Worship of mammon and repentance

The successor of the stuffed head, State Councilor Ivanov, died from a decree that he could not understand, burst from mental strain.

The Vicomte de Chario took over. With him, life was fun, but stupid. Nobody was involved in administrative affairs, but there were many holidays, balls, masquerades, and other amusements.

Confirmation of repentance and conclusion

The last manager was Ugryum-Burcheev. Dumb-headed type, martinet. The author calls him "the purest type of idiot." He believed to destroy the city and recreate a new one - Nepreklonsk, making it a military fortification.

supporting documents

Notes created by foremen as a warning to followers and successors are given.

Analysis of the work

The work cannot be classified as a small literary form: a story or a fairy tale. In terms of content, composition and depth of meanings, it is much wider.

On the one hand, the syllable, style of writing resemble real summaries. On the other hand, the content, description of the characters, events, brought to the point of absurdity.

The retelling of the history of the city covers about a hundred years. Four local archivists took part in writing the chronicle in turn. The plot even covers the history of the nation. The locals are descended from an ancient tribe of "thugs". But then they were renamed by neighbors for savagery and ignorance.

Conclusion

The history of the state is reflected from the time of Rurik's calling to the principality and feudal fragmentation. The appearance of two False Dmitrys, the reign of Ivan the Terrible and the turmoil after his death are highlighted. He appears in the form of Brody. Dvokurov, who becomes an activist and innovator, establishing brewing and mead production, symbolizes Peter I with his reforms.

Foolovists unconsciously worship autocrats, tyrants, carrying out the most absurd orders. Residents are the image of the Russian people.

The satirical chronicle could be applied to any city. The fate of Russia is ironically conveyed in the work. The story does not lose its relevance to this day. A film was made based on the work.

Each work of Mikhail Evgrafovich Saltykov-Shchedrin caused a flurry of emotions and judgments. Children rejoiced and smiled while reading his fairy tales.

Adults... Adults, reading "adult" works, reacted differently. Who was angry, blaming the author for all the sins of mortals, who chuckled approvingly, who scolded, who praised ... But there was not a single indifferent person.

In 1870, M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin wrote the novel "The History of a City". And immediately an avalanche of accusations of being unpatriotic, of insulting the Russian people, and the whole people in general, fell upon him, and also that national history was distorted.

So, the wonderful city of Foolov

For a hundred years of history, four archivists kept its chronicle. The bunglers - a wonderful people - could not find a ruler for themselves. Nobody wanted to rule over fools. But one agreed to become a prince.

He himself did not begin to live in the city, but appointed a newcomer - his governor. But he turned out to be a thief. As well as all the others whom the prince appointed after the first one stabbed himself with a cucumber. And then the prince decided to personally arrive in the city. Actually from this moment the history of the city begins.

Over a hundred years, a lot of city governors have changed. Here are descriptions of the activities of the most significant figures, their deeds for the good, and more often for stupidity and to the detriment of the city, and make up the history of the glorious city of Foolov. “I will not tolerate!”, “I will ruin!” - only this and nothing more could be heard from Dementy Varlamovich Brodasty. Nobody ever heard from him again.

One day the clerk looked in and saw that the mayor, it seems, was somehow sitting, it seems, at the table, and his head was lying to the side. Brains, of course, were not there, and the void was occupied by two small organs. One of them played “I will not tolerate!”, And the second - “I will ruin!”. Due to the great dampness, over time, the head became moldy and became unusable. The mayor was ordered a new head in the center, but the new head, for some reason, did not arrive at the appointed time, because of which Brady remained headless.

To replace the headless Broudastom, out of nowhere, two impostors appeared. But they were quickly seen through and the provincial messenger took them away. And anarchy reigned in Foolov. For a whole week, changing every day, the city was ruled by women - every day is different. This pandemonium very quickly got tired of the bunglers. And then Semyon Konstantinovich Dvoekurov was appointed head of Glupov. This mayor became famous for the fact that during the entire time he was in office, he only did what he dreamed ... Dreamed, dreamed ...

And it would be necessary to open in the city, say, an academy. It doesn't matter which one. Academy - and that's it! Dvoekurov was replaced by Pyotr Petrovich Ferdyshchenko. Oh, and he was a loving gentleman. At first, for six whole years he was restrained and controlled by Glupov without any particular collisions. But then ... Then, how the demon beguiled him. In order to get the coachman's wife Alenka, Ferdyshchenko sent her husband to hard labor in Siberia. He got Alenka, but befell him, and with him the city of punishment from heaven - drought came to the city, and then famine. The bunglers threw Alenka from the bell tower for this.

But Ferdyshchenko did not calm down, but took and fell in love with Domashka. But in Foolovo, strong fires broke out one after another. The mayor was frightened, abandoned his passion and left to travel. There he ate something and died from it. The mayors of Glupov changed like in a kaleidoscope. Vasilisk Semenovich Borodavkin brought the city to complete decline, Feofilakt Irinarkhovich Benevolsky was expelled for cooperation with Napoleon, Lieutenant Colonel Pryshch did not deal with city affairs at all, which means that he did not interfere, and the city developed beautifully, thanks to abundant harvests.

Then there was Erast Andreevich Sadilov, who plunged the city into laziness and debauchery, and he himself only did what he flaunted at numerous balls ... The last of the Foolovsky mayors was Grim Burcheev. This one was just an idiot. But an active idiot. He decided, neither less nor more, but to rebuild the entire city. That is, to demolish absolutely everything and build a new Foolov. He carried out the first part of his plan - he destroyed the city to the ground. But to build a new one ... There the river flowed, but Burcheev failed to block it. Then he decided to build a city in the valley. But, again, something didn't work out. And this mayor disappeared without a trace. Dissolved in the air and that's it.

Instead of an afterword

And there is no afterword. That was the end of the stupid story. That's all.

M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin

Name: History of one city

Genre: novel

Duration:

Part 1: 14min 54sec

Part 2: 13min 52sec

Annotation:

"The History of a City" is the pinnacle of Saltykov-Shchedrin's work in the genre of satire. This work describes the history of the city of Glupov and the life of its inhabitants, which personifies the autocracy in Russia. The first chapter of the novel was published in 1986 and promptly caused condemnation and criticism towards the author. Many people saw in this work disrespect and mockery of national history.
After reading the novel, you will find out why this novel is relevant in our time. Surprisingly, the vices of the 19th century turned out to be so tenacious that they survived to our time.
All city rulers mocked the inhabitants of the city, but compared to the rest, the first one was an innocent lamb. The other explains his actions by the fact that this is required by civilization. And the third asks the inhabitants, no matter what happens, to rely only on themselves, on their valor and courage.
One of the most worthy satirical novels of the 19th century, shows us the confused, but courageous Russian people, who for a long time endure mockery of themselves by their deranged rulers.

M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin - The history of one city, part 1. Listen to the audio summary online.