"Dubrovsky" - who wrote it? "Dubrovsky", Pushkin. Work by A.S. A Robber's Story? The creation of the novel "Dubrovsky" A brief history of writing the novel Dubrovsky

"Dubrovsky". This unfinished work is about two warring noble families and the love between their descendants: Vladimir Dubrovsky and Masha Troekurova.

History of creation

The plot is based on a real story that a friend told Pushkin. One poor nobleman was suing a neighbor for land and, as a result, was forced out of his own estate. Left without land, but with peasants, he organized a gang and began to rob. Pushkin used this material almost entirely, changing only the surname of the main character.

The name of the robber novel was given in 1841, at the first publication, and it was given not by the author, but by the publisher. Work on the work began in 1832, and the last chapter was written in February 1833. The author did not have time to finish the work and prepare it for publication. Literary scholars note that in this novel by Pushkin there are many moments and situations similar to those that can be found in works and other Western European works of a similar genre written at that time.

Plot

A brief description of the plot of the novel is as follows: the father of the protagonist, a poor retired lieutenant Andrei Gavrilovich, lives next door to a former colleague, a wealthy retired general Troekurov. At the beginning of the work, relations between neighbors are depicted as friendly. Troekurov, however, is shown as a cruel and capricious man, with whims, a tyrant, to whom officials and neighbors curry favor. Suffice it to say that Troekurov has a habit of unexpectedly locking his own guests in the same room with a hungry bear and presents it as a joke.

Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky is a nobleman and an independent person, the owner of an estate, but does not have much money. One day the neighbors are quarreling. The quarrel begins with the impudent behavior of Troekurov’s servant, and it all ends with Troekurov, having bribed the court, taking away Dubrovsky’s estate with impunity. Right in the courtroom, Andrei Gavrilovich goes crazy, and his son Vladimir, who serves in the guard with the rank of cornet and lives at this time in St. Petersburg, is now forced to return home.

At home, the hero finds his father in serious condition. Soon he dies, and the noble hero, filled with a thirst for revenge, sets fire to his own estate, which has now passed into the hands of his scoundrel neighbor. Court officials who arrived at the former Dubrovsky estate to formalize the transfer of property also die in the fire. This is the answer to the question why Dubrovsky became a robber. The hero, after he has broken with the law in this way, has no other choice.

Dubrovsky turns into a local, and the surrounding landowners tremble in horror before him. The hero, however, bypasses the estate of the villain Troekurov. One day the hero comes across a French teacher who goes to Troekurov to enter his service. Dubrovsky bribes this man and, under his name, enters the enemy’s house, where he begins to play the role of tutor. Troekurov tries to pull off his favorite bear joke on Dubrovsky, but the hero kills the animal by shooting him in the ear.

Masha, Troekurov’s seventeen-year-old daughter, falls in love with Dubrovsky. The father is going to marry the girl against her will to a certain Prince Vereisky, an old man of fifty years old. The hero tries to prevent his beloved's unwanted marriage, but is too late. Armed robbers, led by Dubrovsky, catch up with the wedding cortege as it leaves the church and heads to Vereisky’s estate, that is, after the marriage has been concluded. Masha refuses to consider herself free and accept Dubrovsky’s help, because from her point of view it is too late, the wedding has taken place, fate is predetermined.

Vereisky inflicts a wound on Dubrovsky and ends up in the hands of robbers, but the hero orders him not to touch him. The gang, led by Dubrovsky, goes back into the forests and there they encounter soldiers who are combing the area. The robbers emerge victorious from this battle, but the government continues to hunt for them, and the hero disbands the gang and flees abroad.

Pushkin made several sketches for the final, third volume of the novel, but this work was never created. According to researchers, Dubrovsky was supposed to return to Russia after the death of Masha’s husband, Prince Vereisky, probably under the guise of an Englishman. However, someone writes a denunciation against the hero, and plans to reunite with his beloved are in jeopardy.

Image and character

Pushkin gives a vivid portrait of Dubrovsky. This is a young man of twenty-three years old, of average height, beardless, brown eyes, fair hair, with a straight nose and pale skin, with a sonorous voice. Knows how to make a majestic impression. The hero's mother dies early, and Vladimir's father raises him as a child. Later, the hero goes to St. Petersburg, where he studies in the Cadet Corps, and after graduation he enlists in the guard with the rank of cornet. Serves in an infantry regiment stationed in St. Petersburg.

Dubrovsky demonstrates such qualities as courage, generosity, kindness, intelligence, courage, and generosity. Living in St. Petersburg, the hero, despite the family’s limited funds, thinks little about the future and leads a wasteful lifestyle, plays cards and gets into debt. He dances the waltz deftly, knows how to play the piano and is agile in the hunt.

The hero knew little of his father, since he lived in St. Petersburg from his youth and had little contact with his parent. Nevertheless, Dubrovsky is warmly attached to him and has a hard time experiencing the tragic illness, and later the death of his father. For the sake of his father, the hero leaves the service. The peasants treat the young owner with respect and join him when Vladimir decides to become a robber.

Having taken a crooked path, the hero continues to demonstrate nobility: he does not rob everyone, but only the well-known rich people in the area, and does not take anyone’s life.

Love

The love story of Masha and Dubrovsky is simple. The young heroine, who grew up reading French novels, lives with dreams of “beautiful” love. Among the people entering the Troyekurovs' house, there is not a single suitable candidate for the role of an ardent lover with whom Masha would want to connect her life. The men around the heroine are mainly interested in hunting, money, drinking - mundane and unromantic things. The young French tutor, under whose guise Dubrovsky is hiding, is not like those whom the girl had to know before.

Masha falls in love with him after the episode with the bear. In the eyes of the heroine, Dubrovsky looks like a brave and proud hero who “does not intend to tolerate offense” - atypical behavior for a tutor, that is, a person of the kind who is usually treated with disdain in the Troyekurov family.

Dubrovsky himself, for the sake of love for Masha, abandons the plans of revenge that he had previously cherished, entering Troekurov’s service under someone else’s guise. Later, Dubrovsky reveals himself to Masha and reveals who he really is. This discovery frightens the girl. Masha knows about Dubrovsky’s hatred of Troekurov, the heroine’s father. Dubrovsky, despite his hostility towards Masha’s parent, has tender feelings for her and convinces the girl of his own sincerity. The hero is about to run away with his beloved when he learns about Troekurov’s plans for the wedding, but chance breaks their plans.

Film adaptations

The first film adaptation of the novel “Dubrovsky” was a black and white American film called “The Eagle”. This is a silent film from 1925 with a heavily altered plot from the book. The role of Dubrovsky is played by the famous actor and sex symbol of the silent film era, Rudolf Valentino. In the film, cornet Dubrovsky, a handsome officer of the imperial guard, rejects the love claims of the empress herself, who is trying to seduce a proud young man.

After this, the hero becomes an outcast, leaves the army and returns home, where he finds his father near death, and the family property and land are in the hands of the scoundrel Kirill Troekurov. The hero's father dies in his arms, and Vladimir himself, inflamed with a thirst for revenge, gathers a gang of mounted bandits and, under the name Black Eagle, begins to defend the oppressed and poor, like Robin Hood. In the finale, the hero, with the connivance of the loving empress, escapes abroad with Masha, escaping a death sentence.

The next film adaptation was released in 1936 in the USSR. It's still a black and white film, but this time the writer strictly follows the plot of the novel. He played the role of Dubrovsky.

In 1946, an Italian film adaptation was released with Rossano Brazzi in the role of Dubrovsky (“The Black Eagle” or “Aquila Nera”). The plot is again noticeably changed. In this version, Dubrovsky, together with a gang of robbers on horseback, burst into Troekurov’s estate right before the wedding, when Masha was supposed to be married off against her will. Dubrovsky kills his rival groom, who is called “Prince Sergei” in the film. Troekurov's carriage, in which he is trying to escape from Dubrovsky along with his daughter, falls into a ravine, Troekurov dies, and Masha and Dubrovsky are happily reunited.

The first color film adaptation of the novel was released in 1988 under the title “The Noble Robber Vladimir Dubrovsky.” This is a four-part melodrama produced in Russia, where Dubrovsky played the role. There are no tricks with the plot here; the action develops in accordance with the Pushkin canon.

Not so long ago, in 2014, a full-length film and its five-episode version for television called “Dubrovsky” were released with the leading role. The action takes place in modern Russia. Dubrovsky turns into a Moscow lawyer-careerist who hangs out at fashionable clubs. The hero's father is a retired colonel, and Masha Troekurova is a graduate of an English college and the daughter of a businessman.

Quotes

“We must live in the right of the people.”

“Calm down, Masha. I'm Dubrovsky. You don’t have to be afraid.”

Dubrovsky

"Dubrovsky"- the most famous robber novel in Russian, an unprocessed (and possibly unfinished) work by A. S. Pushkin. It tells the story of the love of Vladimir Dubrovsky and Maria Troekurova - descendants of two warring landowner families.

History of creation

When creating the novel, Pushkin was based on the story of his friend P.V. Nashchokin about how he saw in the prison “one Belarusian poor nobleman, named Ostrovsky, who had a lawsuit with a neighbor for land, was forced out of the estate and, left with only peasants , began to rob, first the clerks, then others.” During the work on the novel, the main character's surname was changed to "Dubrovsky". The story takes place in the 1820s and spans approximately a year and a half.

The title was given to the novel by publishers upon its first publication in 1842. In the Pushkin manuscript, instead of the title, there is the date when work on the work began: “October 21, 1832.” The last chapter is dated February 6, 1833.

Plot of the novel

A rich and capricious Russian gentleman, retired general-in-chief landowner Kirila Petrovich Troekurov, whose whims are catered to by his neighbors and at whose name provincial officials tremble, maintains friendly relations with his closest neighbor and former comrade in the service, a retired lieutenant, the poor but independent nobleman Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky. Troekurov has a cruel character, often subjecting his guests to cruel jokes, locking them in a room with a hungry bear without warning.

Because of the insolence of the slave Troekurov, a quarrel occurs between Dubrovsky and Troekurov, turning into enmity between neighbors. Troekurov bribes the provincial court and, taking advantage of his impunity, seizes Dubrovsky's Kistenevka estate from him. The elder Dubrovsky goes crazy in the courtroom. The younger Dubrovsky, Vladimir, a guards cornet in St. Petersburg, is forced to leave the service and return to his seriously ill father, who soon dies. Dubrovsky sets fire to Kistenevka; The estate given to Troekurov burns down along with the court officials who came to formalize the transfer of property. Dubrovsky becomes a robber like Robin Hood, terrifying local landowners, but not touching Troekurov’s estate. Dubrovsky bribes a passing French teacher, Deforge, who proposes to enter the service of the Troekurov family, and under his guise he becomes a tutor in the Troekurov family. He is put to the test with a bear, which he kills with a shot in the ear. Love arises between Dubrovsky and Troekurov’s daughter, Masha.

Troekurov gives seventeen-year-old Masha in marriage to the old Prince Vereisky against her will. Vladimir Dubrovsky tries in vain to prevent this unequal marriage. Having received the agreed sign from Masha, he arrives to save her, but is too late. During the wedding procession from the church to Vereisky's estate, Dubrovsky's armed men surround the prince's carriage, Dubrovsky tells Masha that she is free, but she refuses his help, explaining her refusal by the fact that she has already taken an oath. After some time, the provincial authorities try to surround Dubrovsky’s detachment, after which he disbands the “gang” and hides abroad from justice.

Possible sequel

In Maykov's collection of Pushkin's drafts, several drafts of the last, third volume of the novel have been preserved. Transcript of a later version: The text is based on the book “From the Papers of Pushkin” Researchers interpret Pushkin's plan this way: after Vereisky's death, Dubrovsky returns to Russia to reunite with Marya. Perhaps he is pretending to be English. However, Dubrovsky receives a denunciation related to his robbery, which is followed by the intervention of the police chief.

Criticism

In literary criticism, the similarity of certain situations of “Dubrovsky” with Western European novels on a similar topic, including those authored by Walter Scott, is noted. A. Akhmatova ranked “Dubrovsky” lower than all other works of Pushkin, pointing out its compliance with the standard of the “tabloid” novel of that time:

Film adaptations

• "Eagle" ( The Eagle) - Hollywood silent film with a greatly changed plot (1925); starring Rudolph Valentino
• “Dubrovsky” - a film by Soviet director Alexander Ivanovsky (1936)
• “The Noble Robber Vladimir Dubrovsky” is a film directed by Vyacheslav Nikiforov and its 4-episode extended television version called “Dubrovsky” (1989).

Opera

• Dubrovsky - opera by E. F. Napravnik. The first production of Eduard Napravnik's opera "Dubrovsky" took place in St. Petersburg, on January 15, 1895, at the Mariinsky Theater, under the direction of the author.
• • Dubrovsky (film-opera) - film-opera by Vitaly Golovin (1961) based on the opera of the same name by E. F. Napravnik

Lesson in 6th grade.

The history of the creation of A.S. Pushkin’s novel “Dubrovsky”.

Lesson objectives: acquaintance with the history of the creation of the novel, finding out the reasons for Vladimir Dubrovsky’s protest, developing students’ speech.

Tasks:

Tell about the history of the creation of the novel "Dubrovsky".

Determine the character of the heroes.

Working with a dictionary.

Learn to analyze text.

Methods: analytical conversation, work with a book, episode analysis, oral drawing, expressive reading, vocabulary, teacher's story. Forms: collective, partially individual.

During the classes

1. Organizational moment.

Report the topic of the lesson, its purpose and objectives.

2. Teacher's word:

A.S. Pushkin worked on the novel "Dubrovsky" from 1832 to 1833 . It was not completed and was not published during the poet's lifetime. The publishers themselves named the manuscript after the name of the main character. The novel is based on the message of P.V. Nashchokin , who was a friend of the poet, “about one poor nobleman named Ostrovsky: who had a lawsuit with a neighbor for land. He was forced out of the estate and, left with only peasants, began to rob:.” It is also known that before starting work on the novel, Pushkin visited Boldin and Pskov, where similar cases of the Nizhny Novgorod landowners Dubrovsky, Kryukov, and Muratov were considered. Thus, A.S. Pushkin’s novel was based on life circumstances . The novel takes place in the 1820s and develops over the course of a year and a half.

Pushkin's creative path from the very beginning has been a continuous ascent. But this ascent manifests itself most intensively in the 30s, when the poet’s inherent nationalism, historicism and realism were revealed in the fullness of his creative capabilities. It is at this stage that Pushkin, affirming the human personality, defending its rights and dignity, shows his heroes in their struggle with the environment they hate, in their protest.

In the 30s, new tasks, new topics occupied Pushkin - he wanted to talk about the life of different classes and estates of Russian society. He wants to show life as it is, without inventing anything, without decorating it.

Pushkin conceived a novel about an exceptional personality, daring, successful, offended by a rich landowner and the court and avenging himself

3. Heuristic conversation.

What is a novel? (Familiarize yourself with the definition of this term using a dictionary of literary terms and a textbook. Write the definition in a notebook.)

What signs of a novel do we find in Dubrovsky?

Notebook entry:

1. Large narrative work;

2. branched plot;

3. significant volume;

Vocabulary work.

On the board you see the words: adventure, adventure, popular, chronology, novel, plot. Based on this interpretation of these words, can A. S. Pushkin’s work be called an adventure novel? Give reasons for your answer.

An adventure is a risky business of dubious integrity, undertaken with the expectation of random success. An adventure is an incident, an unexpected incident in life, in one’s adventures. Popular - 1. publicly accessible, quite understandable in its simplicity and clarity of presentation; 2. widely known.

Roman (French Roman - narrative)- a large narrative work, usually characterized by a variety of characters and a branching plot.

Plot - sequence and connection of events in a work of art.

(Yes. Here we see a risky, questionable business (Dubrovsky became a robber), an unexpected event in life (the ruin of the Dubrovskys). The work can be called a novel, because there are many characters and events.)

Write down the definition novel and plot in a notebook.

Characteristics of the novel. Elements of composition.

Where does the first chapter take place? Read the description of Kistenevka and Pokrovsky. How does this description help you understand

What is the property status of the characters in the novel?

Pay attention to the author’s remark about Troekurov and Andrei Dubrovsky: “Being the same age, born in the same class, raised the same, they were somewhat similar in character and inclinations. In some respects and fate

theirs was the same." Justify the author’s idea by comparing what is known about the characters.

(The fates of both are similar: neighbors on the estate, served together, married for love, were widowed early, one is raising a son, the other a daughter).

What kind of relationships did Troekurov have with the surrounding landowners and officials? How can we explain this? What kind of people did Troekurov select to fulfill his whims?

(Neighbours, landowners and officials treated Troekurov flatteringly, servilely, “they were glad to please his slightest whims”; “provincial officials trembled at his name.”

Better: on the contrary, fulfillment of all whims, impunity make Troekurov a vindictive, cruel and soulless person who does not value other people. He does not hesitate to use the services of low, dishonest people. These include Spitsyn, who testified at the trial in favor of Troekurov, Shabashkin, with the help of the Dubrovskys' estate was taken away.)

Why did Troekurov, “arrogant in relations with people of the highest rank,” respect Dubrovsky?(“being the same age, born in the same class, brought up in the same way, they were partly similar in character and inclinations. Andrei Gavrilovich Dubrovsky, like Troekurov, was proud and independent, although poor, “directly expressed his opinion”; Dubrovsky was “an experienced and subtle connoisseur of canine virtues”, “an ardent hunter” - all this aroused Troekurov’s respect.)

How did the characters' personalities emerge during the quarrel?

(To answer this question, you can read the episode “At the Kennel” and observe how the author assesses the internal state.

How Troekurov reacted to the disappearance of Dubrovsky? Did Troekurov want to offend his friend?Let us highlight the verbs that characterize the actions and actions of Troekurov. (“He ordered to immediately catch up and return without fail,” he “sent a second time” for his neighbor. Having received a letter from the offended Dubrovsky: “I am not a joke, but an old nobleman,” Troekurov “roared,” “jumped up,” and then “scolded the guests,” deliberately went fields of Dubrovsky,” “I missed him.” Troekurov did not want to offend Dubrovsky.)

What goal did Troekurov pursue in taking away Dubrovsky’s estate?

(Of course, the rich Troekurov did not need to increase his possessions. He wanted to create such conditions for his friend that he would be completely dependent on him, so that Dubrovsky would ask for leniency and humiliate himself in front of him. The rich “friend” wanted to bring Dubrovsky to complete poverty , break his pride, trample human dignity.)

How has old Dubrovsky changed since the trial?(“Health was poor”, “strength was weakening”, “was unable . Think about your affairs, about business orders.")

Conclusion: What conclusion can be summed up at the end of our conversation?(The court scene is the climax in the history of Troekurov’s quarrel with Dubrovsky, which explains a lot about their characters and moral principles.) (“The assessor stood up and turned to Troekurov with a low bow,” “Troekurov came out..., accompanied by the entire court.”)

Homework.

Prepare a profile of Dubrovsky. (with quotes from the text)

This work of the great Russian classic about the descendants of two warring landowner families remained unfinished, was not prepared for publication, the author’s notes and comments remained on the pages of the manuscript, and did not even have a title. But, nevertheless, this particular novel is still considered one of the most famous works about robbers in the Russian language.

The first publication of the novel dates back to 1841. But the work underwent strict censorship, during which it underwent significant distortions and changes; some parts of the novel were cut out and omitted. The reason for such changes was, of course, the popularization of freethinking, the portrayal of the robber chieftain as a positive hero with the ability to love, compassion and empathy. Only many years later, already in Soviet times, the reader had the opportunity to familiarize himself with it in full.

The history of the creation of the novel “Dubrovsky”

The idea to write a novel of this kind came to Pushkin after he heard from friends a story about a nobleman of Belarusian origin, Ostrovsky. It was he who became the prototype of the main character, and it was his life’s ups and downs that formed the basis of the work. This story happened in 1830, when Ostrovsky’s family estate was taken away from him, and his peasants, not wanting to become the property of the new owner, chose the highway of robbery.

This story struck Pushkin to the depths of his soul, who was an irreconcilable fighter for the human right to freedom of thought and tried in every possible way to emphasize this in his works, for which he was persecuted and disgraced.

About the plot of the novel “Dubrovsky”

During the course of the story, the hero goes through not one, but three life paths - from an ambitious and wasteful guard officer to the courageous and unusually modest teacher Deforge, to the irreconcilable and formidable robber chieftain.

Having lost his parental home, his usual childhood environment, society and the opportunity for simple cultural communication, the hero also loses love. At the end of the novel, he has no choice but to go against the law and enter into a brutal duel with the prevailing morals and foundations of society at that time.

Several films were made based on this text, and its plot became the basis of a famous opera. At the same time, for many of Pushkin’s contemporaries and the most eminent researchers of his work, this is just an adventurous story; the creation of the novel “Dubrovsky” is declared by many to be a delusion, an obvious mistake of the great poet. Is it so?

Russian Robin Hood

Pushkin's genius forced him to set more and more new tasks. The poetry revealed the language that became the basis of great literature and great culture. In prose, in this language - simple, clear, expressive - “Belkin’s Tales” were written, which can hardly be called purely prosaic texts, because in them the place for each word, for each sound is precisely verified in a poetic way.

From "The Young Peasant Lady" to "Dubrovsky"

Although two years after “The Peasant Young Lady”, young people in love from neighboring estates again appear in “Dubrovsky”, they even communicate in a similar way - leaving the necessary message in the hollow of a tree, the history of the creation of the novel “Dubrovsky” shows us a new Pushkin. The matured author looks at the world completely differently.

Beginning in the summer of 1831, it became increasingly important for Pushkin to create a different character, where the main content was a captivatingly told story. The creation of the novel “Dubrovsky” could have begun with the desire to create a Russian replica of the adventure novels that were so popular in Western European literature. But to consider Pushkin’s text only an echo of the novels of Walter Scott or a discussion on the “robber” theme proposed by Schiller is unacceptably banal for the level of Alexander Sergeevich. Perhaps the first motivating thoughts may have had a similar form, but then they became much more significant.

Dubrovsky - Ostrovsky?

It was Ostrovsky who initially planned to name the main character Pushkin. This impression was made on him by the story told by his good Moscow friend P.V. Nashchokin. The creation of the novel “Dubrovsky” was largely determined by Pushkin’s acquaintance through Nashchokin with the circumstances of the case of the Belarusian landowner Pavel Ostrovsky.

The papers for the ownership of a small village of twenty souls, which was located in the Minsk province, were burned during the Napoleonic invasion. A rich neighbor took advantage of this and seized the village from the impoverished landowner. For some time, he was forced to hire himself as a home teacher, but soon attacks on bailiffs and other officials began in those places. The arrested Ostrovsky, according to some sources, managed to escape by sawing through the chains on the shackles, and his trace was lost. Before us is an almost exact plot of Pushkin's novel.

The case of Lieutenant Muratov

In the second chapter of Dubrovsky, Pushkin places a document that sums up Troekurov’s litigation with his former friend. This verdict seems like an author's work, so impressive are its bureaucratic and ponderous phrases. But it turns out that this is a copy of a document from a court case about the alienation of the estate of Lieutenant Martynov in favor of a neighbor, Colonel Kryukov. Pushkin included a copy of the document in the drafts of the novel, only making pencil edits - changing the real surnames to those with which he endowed the heroes of Dubrovsky.

The drafts indicate the place - Kozlovsky district of the Tambov province, where this story took place. The creation of the novel “Dubrovsky” is largely based on similar processes that took place in the vast expanses of the empire. The final version of the main character's surname became a decided matter for Pushkin when he became acquainted with similar court cases in where the famous Pushkin estate Boldino was located. Among real people he met a landowner with such an expressive surname. It was this surname that became the title of the unfinished novel when they decided to publish it in a posthumous collected works.

People's revolt

Of course, it is difficult to imagine Pushkin’s work as a blind compilation based on real everyday cases. The story of the creation of the novel “Dubrovsky” cannot look like this. Pushkin was also interested in more significant phenomena of social life. How could he pass over in silence the armed uprisings of 1830 in Paris and Lille, the Polish national liberation movement directed against Nicholas I, and even in the contemporary Russian Empire, cholera riots broke out here and there.

Pushkin’s work on the history of the Pugachev War left its mark. What story of the creation of the novel “Dubrovsky” - a story about a noble robber who fought with government troops - could do without references to the not forgotten among the people. In the Kistenevskaya Grove, men gather, very similar to those whom Pushkin sent to Pugachev’s army in “The Captain’s Daughter”. Also, we do not see the author’s complete approval of the element of rebellion - in the unfinished “Dubrovsky” a young robber disbands his gang, which seems quite logical.

Bottom line

Even a very brief history of the creation of the novel “Dubrovsky” makes the derogatory opinion of the most respected writers about this work of Pushkin untenable. To define it as a failed attempt to make money by creating lightweight fiction requires a very arrogant attitude towards a great name. Alexander Sergeevich, who is trying to reach the level of Zagoskin, Lazhechnikov or Bulgarin (this is how he is presented in Dubrovsky by some critics), is too pitiful a sight to be true.