The story "Spassky polish" Radishcheva: a summary, the main idea and analysis of the work

"Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow" contains three main themes: criticism of autocracy and serfdom, the question of the inevitability of the revolution. Radishchev in this work goes beyond sentimentalism and approaches the realistic principle of depicting reality. The book is unique in that it has collected a variety of genres: from stories to philosophical reasoning, from letters to allegories. All these "pieces" are assembled in a single whole with the help of a general idea of the archaic nature of the autocratic system and serfdom. In addition, the end-to-end character is a traveler, despite the fact that each chapter has its own storyline and its own composition completeness.

Spassky Polist

One of the most critical socially critical chapters is "Spassky Polist". She sums up Radishchev's reflections on the dangers of autocracy. That there is only a story about the governor, who used money not for the purposes of public service, but for personal use (he purchased oysters). And his assistant, thanks to "obedient" service, was promoted to rank. That is, there is embezzlement and nepotism. The traveler's dream is a satirical allegory of the entire reign of Catherine II. According to the writer, it was in her reign that the rottenness and viciousness of the autocracy reached its apogee. This is especially evident in the chapter "Spassky Polyst".

Radishchev is a Russian democrat and public figure of the eighteenth century, who made an invaluable contribution to Russian culture, literature and social thought. In the chapter "Spassky Politics", as in the entire "Journey", the author acts on behalf of the humiliated and tired peasants in order to speak his word in response to the oppressors. There was no other such consecutively and revolutionary-minded writer as the author of a large-scale work, which included the chapter "Spassky Polist" (the analysis will confirm this).

Censorship

The work could not be printed, although Konstantin Ryleev missed it without even reading it. Then the writer equipped his printing press and released 25 copies for sale. The remaining 600 left at home. But even twenty-five pieces were enough to make the city "buzz". Rumor reached Catherine. The Empress was angry. Despite the anonymity of the authorship of "Travel", Radishchev was quickly found. The investigation went on for a long time. Before the writer there were three tasks: not to give out accomplices, to protect children and to save one's life. It ended with the death penalty being replaced by exile to Siberia. So "rebel, worse than Pugachev" remained alive. Radishchev committed suicide when, after returning from the link, he realized that the persecution did not end.

Real reality

In Radishchev's book (and in separate chapters, such as "Spassky Polist"), the main idea is the denunciation of serfdom. Catherine saw in her echoes of the French Revolution, although by and large all events were inspired by Russian reality. Each meeting of the traveler only increases his confidence in the arbitrariness and scale of bribery prevailing in the country. The writer was not afraid to openly condemn serfdom. He calls this violence against man in both physical and moral terms. "Spassky Polist" is built on a vivid contrast to the external greatness of the kingdom and its internal rotting, despotism. A sharp line draws the author between the court, drowning in luxury, and mendicant Russia. The author openly speaks about the fact that there are people in power who are capable of baseness. The images of embezzlers and swindlers, bureaucrats and tyrants are multifaceted. All are tied with a mutual guarantee and think only of how to increase their fortune and more to rob the peasants. The story "Spassky Polist" draws this in bright light.

Searches for an exit

Criticism exposes Radishchev and enlightened absolutism, and with it the clergy and the church. They, in the opinion of Radishchev, are the main assistants of the tsar in the oppression of serfs. The only way out of this situation is the revolution. The writer says that the people have reached the extreme. The moment has come when violence will overthrow violence.

According to Radishchev, in Russia there may be a republican government based on private property. Everyone has the right to it. That is, as a result of the overthrow of the monarchy, the land will be given to the peasants. Of course, he perfectly understood that all this will not come tomorrow. First, the revolution must take place in the minds of the peasants, and then really in fact.

Summary

The chapter "Spassky Polist" tells how, on the way to Polist, the fellow traveler tells him his story. Everything was good, his wife was, but not for long. The companion was deceived by his companion, as a result of which he stayed on the beans, and even in debt. A pregnant wife gave birth to a nervous shock before her time. Neither the baby nor the mother survived. And the most deceived had to hide. The traveler sincerely sympathizes with his companion and even presents himself in the place of the supreme ruler, just and kind, in which the country blooms, the people are happy. But suddenly the veil falls from the eyes of the ruler, and he sees that in fact the country is ruined, and those in power are outraged. This chapter is "Spassky Polist", the summary of which is presented above.

Traveler

The "journey" genre allows the hero to evolve towards the finale of the work, as well as to find the truth. Who is a traveler Radishchev? One can not say for sure that he is the writer himself. In principle, from the work we practically do not learn anything about the facts of his biography. They are scattered in separate chapters in very small numbers. He is an official and a poor representative of the nobility. From the work it becomes clear that he does not have a wife, but there are children. At the beginning of the "Journey" the hero himself recalls his shameful deed, when he never beaten his coachman. This is his recollection suggests that earlier he was an ordinary master serf. The traveler came to understand the negative basis of the autocracy later. He repented and even wanted to take his life, as he understood his powerlessness to change anything. Despite the negative events and pictures, the narrative becomes more optimistic towards the end. Radishchev believes that this will not last long.

Three Ways

The traveler, and with him Radishchev, come to the conclusion that there are three possible ways of ridding Russia of serfdom. This is reform ("Khotilov"), enlightenment of noblemen ("Crushers"), rebellion (Zaitsevo). Many contemporaries believed that the author himself was a supporter of rebellion. But this is not so. Radishchev considers all three methods, and to each of them pays tribute.

Attitude to the Church

Man Radishchev believed that the fall of morality, rampant debauchery and vice with each other are interrelated. At the head of everything is the church and the autocracy. The writer touched everything: both censorship, and the royal court, and the immorality of those in power. The source of joy for the author is that healthy beginning, which the people have not yet lost. It is in him that the writer seeks and finds support and hope for a brighter better. After all, no matter what, the people work, live and rejoice. It is in simple peasants that the author sees the future of the country. Not only against the autocracy made Radishchev, but also against reactionary trends, such as Freemasonry. They distracted a person from public affairs and occupied his mind with delirium. The ideal for Radishchev is a brave man who lives the life of Russia, who cares for the truth. Of course, Radishchev overtook his century by a hundred. Today we highly appreciate his merit before the fatherland.