What folklore images are there in the tale of the left-hander? Lefty is a folk hero. Other works on this work

The main part of my essay “Lefty - folk hero“(as well as the idea of ​​N.S. Leskov’s tale itself) is an unquenchable faith in the Russian person, his decency, loyalty to the fatherland and incomparable skill. The personification of the collective image of the folk hero in the story of Nikolai Semenovich is the simple Tula master Lefty.

The similarity of the image of Lefty with folk heroes

The image of Lefty in Leskov’s work echoes the heroes of the Russian folk art, where the generalized image personified characteristic features, identity and aspirations of the Russian people. Lefty's closeness to folk heroes is also evidenced by his namelessness. After all, we do not know his name or any biographical information. The namelessness of the hero emphasizes the fact that in Rus' there were many people just as devoted to the state - unsurpassed masters and the real sons of their land.

Individual traits in the image of the Tula master

The hero has only two features. Main feature is the extraordinary talent of the master. Together with Tula craftsmen, Lefty managed to create a truly wonderful invention by shoeing a miniature English flea. In addition, in this very difficult work, Lefty got the most difficult part - forging microscopic nails for horseshoes.

The second individual feature of the hero is his natural feature - he is left-handed, which has become the character’s common name. This fact, which simply shocked the British, only emphasizes his uniqueness - being able to create such a complex invention without having any special devices, and even being left-handed.

The problem of power and people in the story

The people and power in the tale “Lefty” is one of the problems that the author raises. N.S. Leskov contrasts two kings - Alexander and Nicholas, during whose reign the events of the work take place, in their attitude towards the Russian people. Emperor Alexander Pavlovich loved everything foreign and spent little time in home country, because he believed that Russian people were not capable of anything great. His brother Nicholas, who followed him to the throne, had a completely opposite point of view; he believed in the true skill and dedication of his people.

Nikolai Pavlovich’s attitude towards ordinary Russian people is perfectly illustrated by the case of Lefty. When Platov could not understand what the invention of the Tula craftsmen was, deciding that they had deceived him, he sadly reported this to the tsar. However, the emperor did not believe it and ordered to send for Lefty, expecting something incredible: “I know that my people cannot deceive me. Something has been done here beyond the pale.”

And the Russian people, in the form of Lefty, did not disappoint the sovereign.

Simplicity and modesty, indifference to wealth and fame, the namelessness of the character and great love to the fatherland allow us to consider Lefty as a collective image of the Russian people in the work. The national hero Lefty is the personification of the true soul of a simple Russian man, for whom the work of serving the fatherland, although it cost his life, was able to justify the trust placed in him and prove the power of skill.

Work test

Leskov N. S.

An essay on a work on the topic: Folklore traditions in the work of one of the Russian writers of the 19th century. (N. S. Leskov. “Left-handed.”)

Few nineteenth-century writers made such extensive use of folklore and folk traditions in his creativity. Deeply believing in the spiritual power of the people, he is nevertheless far from idealizing them, from creating idols, from “idol liturgy for the peasant,” using Gorky’s expression. The writer explained his position by the fact that he “studied the people not from conversations with St. Petersburg cab drivers”, but “grew up among the people” and that “it was not appropriate for him to either raise the people on stilts or put them under his feet.”
Confirmation of the writer’s objectivity can be “The Tale of the Tula Oblique Lefty and the Steel Flea,” which was assessed at one time by critics as “a set of clownish expressions in the style of ugly foolishness” (A. Volynsky). Unlike other fairy tale works by Leskov, the narrator from the folk environment does not have specific features. This anonymous person speaks on behalf of an indefinite multitude, as its unique mouthpiece. There are always various rumors among the people, passed on from mouth to mouth and in the process of such transmission acquire all sorts of conjectures, assumptions, and new details. The legend is created by the people, and it appears in “Lefty” that it is so freely created, embodying the “voice of the people.”
It is interesting that in the first printed editions Leskov introduced the following preface to the story: “I wrote down this legend in Sestroretsk according to a local tale from an old gunsmith, a Tula native, who moved to the Sister River during the reign of Emperor Alexander the First. The narrator two years ago was still in good health and with a fresh memory; he readily recalled the old days, greatly honored Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich, lived “according to the old faith,” read divine books and bred canaries.” The abundance of “reliable” details left no room for doubt, but everything turned out to be true. a literary hoax, which was soon exposed by the author himself: “...I composed this whole story in the month of May last year, and Lefty is a person I made up.” Leskov will return to the question of the fictional nature of Lefty more than once, and in his lifetime collected works he will remove the “preface” completely. Leskov needed this very hoax to create the illusion that the author was not involved in the content of the tale.
However, with all the outward simplicity of the narrative, this story by Leskov also has a “double bottom.” Embodying popular ideas about Russian autocrats, military leaders, about people of another nation, about themselves, the simple-minded narrator knows nothing about what the author who created him thinks about the same thing. But Leskov’s “secret writing” makes it possible to clearly hear the author’s voice. And this voice will tell that the rulers are alienated from the people, neglecting their duty to them, that these rulers are accustomed to power, which does not need to be justified by the presence of its own merits, that it is not the supreme power that is concerned with the honor and fate of the nation, but ordinary Tula men. They protect the honor and glory of Russia and constitute its hope.
However, the author will not hide the fact that the Tula craftsmen, who managed to shoe the English flea, essentially ruined the mechanical toy, because “they were not good at science,” that they, “deprived of the opportunity to make history, made jokes.”
England and Russia (Oryol region, Tula, St. Petersburg, Penza), Revel and Merrekul, the Ukrainian village of Peregudy - such is the “geography” of Leskov’s stories and tales in just one book. People of different nations enter into the most unexpected connections and relationships here. The “truly Russian person” sometimes puts foreigners to shame, sometimes he finds himself dependent on their “system.” Finding the universal in life different nations and trying to understand the present and future of Russia in connection with the course of historical processes in Europe, Leskov was at the same time clearly aware of the uniqueness of his country. At the same time, he did not fall into the extremes of Westernism and Slavophilism, but maintained the position of objective artistic research. How did a “through-and-through Russian” writer and a man who passionately loved Russia and his people manage to find a measure of such objectivity? The answer lies in Leskov’s work itself.
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The image of the Russian people in the tale “Lefty” by N. S. Leskov

In most of the works of Nikolai Semenovich Leskov, a special folk type the hero is a person, a bearer of high moral qualities, a righteous person. These are the characters in the works “The Enchanted Wanderer”, “The Man on the Clock” and others. Leviticus - main character“The Tale of the Tula Oblique Left-Hander and the Steel Flea” is one such image.

Outwardly, the left-hander is modest and unattractive. He is oblique, “there is a birthmark on his cheek, and the hair on his temples was torn out during training.” He is poorly dressed, “one trouser leg is in a boot, the other is dangling, and the collar is old, the hooks are not fastened, they are lost, and the collar is torn.” Platov is even ashamed to show his left-hander to the Tsar. He is uneducated and inexperienced in communicating with noble people.

But this person turns out to be the only positive hero of the work. He does not see a big problem in his own ignorance, but not because he is stupid. Length common man there is something more important than own person. “We are not advanced in science, but only faithfully devoted to our fatherland,” this is how the left-hander answers the surprised Englishmen who noticed his ignorance.

Lefty - true patriot of his fatherland. He does not speak loud words about love for his homeland. However, he never agrees to stay in England, although he is promised all sorts of benefits. "We<…>committed to their homeland,” is his answer.

Lefty, being a skilled craftsman, does not boast of his talent. Inspecting the factories and workshops of the British, he sincerely praised the guns, recognizing their superiority: “This<…>There is no example against ours.” Once in Europe, the left-hander is not at a loss. He behaves confidently, with dignity, but without arrogance. The innate culture of a simple person evokes respect.

The life of a left-handed person is full of difficulties. But he does not despair, does not complain about fate, but tries to live as best he can, and resignedly endures Plato’s lawlessness when he takes him to St. Petersburg without a passport. This speaks of such folk traits, as life wisdom and patience.

Leskov draws readers one of best representatives people, a simple Russian person with excellent moral qualities. But at the same time, a left-handed person is susceptible to the main Russian vice - drunkenness. He could not refuse numerous invitations from the British to drink. Illness, drunkenness, a difficult return home by sea, lack of medical care, indifference of others - all this destroyed the left-hander.

Leskov admires the left-handed man, admires his talent and spiritual beauty, and sympathizes with his difficult fate. The image drawn by the writer is a symbol of the Russian people, strong, talented, but unnecessary to their own government.

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• as the Leskov people are depicted in the tale by the left-hander
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Composition

1. The best features of the Russian people are Lefty.
2. The hero’s originality and talent.
3. Lefty's patriotism.
4. The tragedy of the image.

Leskov is a most original Russian writer, alien to any outside influences. Reading his books, you feel Rus' better...
M. Gorky

N. S. Leskov based his famous tale “Lefty” on a folk joke about how “the British made a flea out of steel, and our Tula people shod it and sent it back to them.”

With the power of artistic imagination, the writer created the image of a talented hero-nugget. Lefty is the embodiment of natural Russian talent, hard work, patience and cheerful good nature. The image of Lefty embodied the best features of the Russian people: intelligence, modesty, originality. How many such unknown folk craftsmen were there in Rus'!

The whole story is imbued with a feeling of deep patriotism. Undoubtedly, an important point is the fact that “Sovereign Nikolai Pavlovich was very confident in his Russian people, and did not like to yield to any foreigner.” This is what he told the Cossack Platov, ordering him to convey it to the Tula craftsmen: “Tell them from me that my brother was surprised at this thing and praised the strangers who made the ciliates most of all, but I hope for my own people that they are no worse than anyone. They won’t take my word, they’ll do something.”

Before any big or small matter in Rus', people always asked for God's blessing. And the craftsmen in Leskov’s story pray in front of the icon of St. Nicholas, the patron saint of trade and military affairs. The strict secret under which they did their work suggests that the Russian people did not like to flaunt themselves. The main thing for them was to get the job done, not to disgrace their working honor. We tried to scare them, as if the house next door was on fire, but nothing would stop these cunning masters. Once only Lefty stuck out up to his shoulders and shouted: “Burn yourself, but we have no time.” The sad thing is that many such nuggets of Russia lived in a terrible situation of trampled human dignity. And, unfortunately, the “anarchic-intoxicated element” had power over many of them, aggravating their already sad situation. Any tyrant could inadvertently, through negligence, indifference, or simply stupidity, ruin a talent. The submission of Lefty, taken away from God knows where native land without “tugament” he sadly talks about this. “The masters only dared to say to him on behalf of his comrade, how can you take him away from us without any tugment? It will be impossible to follow him back!” But the answer to them was only Platov’s fist. And this humility, combined with self-esteem, confidence in one’s skillful hands, and genuine modesty is clearly reflected by Leskov in the character of Lefty.

His answer to Platov, when he, without understanding, beats him and pulls his hair, evokes respect: “I already had all my hair torn out during my studies, but now I don’t know why I need such repetition?” And confident in his work, he further says with dignity: “We are very pleased that you vouched for us, and we didn’t spoil anything: take a look through the strongest microscope.”

Lefty is not ashamed to appear before the sovereign himself in his “old little house”, whose collar is torn. There is no servility or servility in him. The natural simplicity with which he answers the sovereign without embarrassment surprises the nobles, but all their nods and hints about how to deal with the sovereign in a courtly manner with flattery and cunning lead nowhere. The sovereign himself says: “Leave him... let him answer as best he can.” With this Leskov once again emphasizes that the main thing in a person is not appearance and manners (anyone can be dressed and taught manners), but his talent, his ability to bring benefit and joy to people. After all, it was Lefty who interested the British, and not the courier, although he “had a rank and different languages was learned."

Lefty's patriotism, even in its naive simplicity, evokes sincere sympathy and respect. It is constantly emphasized by the author: “We are all committed to our homeland,” “I have parents at home,” “Our Russian faith is the most correct, and as our forefathers believed, our descendants should believe the same.” The British even poured him tea out of respect, “in Russian style, with a bite of sugar.” And what they offered to Lefty, appreciating his talent and inner dignity, but “the British could not bring him down, so that he would be seduced by them...”.

His longing for his homeland is all the stronger because no comforts, amenities, or innovations could keep Lefty in a foreign land: “As they left the buffet into the Solid Earth Sea, his desire for Russia became such that it was impossible to calm him down...” And what could be more annoying, more deplorable and more absurd than Lefty’s behavior on the ship when returning from England? The “anarchic-intoxicated element” played a tragic role in his fate.

The fate of the hero Leskov is deeply tragic. With what indifference he was greeted in his homeland! Lefty dies senselessly and unknown, as often happened in Russian history, amazing talents perished, neglected by their contemporaries and bitterly mourned by their descendants. “They were transporting Lefty so uncovered, and when they transferred him from one cab to another, they would drop everything, but when they picked him up, they would tear his ears so that he would remember. They brought him to one hospital - they wouldn’t admit him without a certificate, they brought him to another - and they wouldn’t admit him there, and so on to the third, and to the fourth - until the morning they dragged him through all the remote crooked paths and kept changing them, so that he was completely beaten.” Being already near death, Lefty thinks not about his life, but about his Fatherland and asks to convey to the sovereign what struck him most about the British: “Tell the sovereign that the British don’t clean their guns with bricks, even if they don’t clean ours, but then God bless war, they are not suitable for shooting.”

The Tale of Lefty Who Shoes steel flea, soon after writing, became a legend in Russia, and the hero himself became a symbol of the amazing art of folk craftsmen, a true type of Russian folk character, his amazing spiritual simplicity, inner human dignity, talent, patience and honesty. The writer himself agreed with the general idea of ​​the reviewer of “New Time” that “where “left-handed” stands, one should read “Russian people.”

Other works on this work

Author and narrator in N.S. Leskov's story "Lefty" Pride in the people in N.S.’s fairy tale Leskova "Lefty" Lefty is a folk hero. Love and pain for Russia in N. Leskov’s tale “Lefty”. Love and pain for Russia in N. S. Leskov’s fairy tale “Lefty” Russian history in the story “Lefty” by N. S. Leskov The plot and problems of one of the works of N. S. Leskov (“Lefty”). Tragic and comic in N. S. Leskov’s tale “Lefty” Folklore traditions in the work of one of the Russian writers of the 19th century (N.S. Leskov “Lefty”) N.S. Leskov. "Lefty." The originality of the genre. The theme of the Motherland in N. Leskov’s tale “Lefty” Lefty 1 Techniques for depicting folk character in Leskov’s story “Lefty” Lefty 2 The plot and problems of one of Leskov’s stories “Lefty” Brief description of the work “Lefty” by N.S. Leskova Leskov "Lefty" Lefty 3