"The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish" by Alexander Pushkin. Tale of a golden fish in a new way

Who among us since childhood is not familiar with the "Tale of a Fisherman and a Fish"? Someone read it in childhood, someone first met with her, seeing a cartoon on the television screen. The plot of the work is undoubtedly familiar to everyone. Not many people know how and when this fairy tale was written. It is about the creation, origins and characters of this work that we will talk about in our article. And also consider the modern alterations of the fairy tale.

Who wrote a fairy tale about a goldfish and when?

The fairy tale was written by the great Russian poet Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin in the village of Boldino on October 14, 1833. This period in the writer's work is usually called the second Boldinskaya autumn. The first published work was in 1835 on the pages of the magazine "Library for Reading." At the same time Pushkin created another famous work - "The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights".

History of creation

In his early work, Pushkin began to take an interest in folk art. The fairy tales he heard in his cradle from his beloved nanny have been preserved in his memory for the rest of his life. In addition, later, already in the 1920s, the poet was studying folklore in the village of Mikhailovskoye. It was then that the ideas of future fairy tales began to appear.

However, Pushkin addressed himself directly to popular subjects only in the 1930s. He began to try himself in creating fairy tales. One of them became a fairy tale about a goldfish. In this work the poet tried to show the nationality of Russian literature.

For whom did Pushkin write a fairy tale?

Pushkin wrote fairy tales in the highest flowering of his work. And initially they were not intended for children, although they immediately entered the circle of their reading. The tale of a goldfish is not just entertainment for children with morality at the end. This is primarily a model of creativity, traditions and beliefs of the Russian people.

Nevertheless, the plot of the fairy tale itself is not an exact retelling of folk works. In fact, little from Russian folklore is reflected in it. Many researchers argue that most of the poet's fairy tales, including a fairy tale about a goldfish (the text of the work confirms this), was borrowed from German fairy tales collected by the brothers Grimm.

Pushkin chose the plot he liked, reworked it at his own discretion and clothed him in a poetic form, not caring how true the stories would be. However, the poet managed to convey, if not the plot, the spirit and character of the Russian people.

Images of main characters

The tale of a goldfish is not rich in characters - there are only three of them, but this is enough for an exciting and instructive story.

The images of the old man and the old woman are diametrically opposed, and their views on life are completely different. They are both poor, but they reflect different aspects of poverty. So, the old man is always disinterested and ready to help in trouble, because he himself has often been in the same position and knows what grief is. He is kind and calm, even when he was lucky, he does not use the offer of a fish, but simply lets her go free.

The old woman, despite the same social situation, is arrogant, cruel and greedy. She pushes the old man, plagues him, constantly scolds him and is always unhappy with everything. For this she will be punished at the end of the tale, left with a broken trough.

However, the old man does not receive any compensation, because he is unable to resist the will of the old woman. For his obedience, he did not deserve a better life. Here Pushkin describes one of the main features of the Russian people - long-suffering. It does not allow you to live better and quieter.

The image of the fish is incredibly poetic and saturated with folk wisdom. It acts as the supreme power, which for the time being is ready to fulfill the desire. However, her patience is not unlimited.

Summary

A fairy tale about an old man and a goldfish begins with a description of the blue sea, near the shore of which 33 years old an old man and an old woman live in a dugout. They live very poorly and the only thing that feeds them is the sea.

One day the old man goes fishing. He twice throws the net, but both times he brings only the sea mud. The third time, the old man is lucky - in his network gets a goldfish. She speaks in a human voice and asks her to let her go, promising to fulfill her desire. The old man did not ask the fish, but just let it go.

Returning home, he told his wife. The old woman began to scold him and told him to go back, ask the fish for a new trough. The old man went, bowed to the fish, and the old woman received what she asked.

But this was not enough for her. She demanded a new home. The fish has fulfilled this desire. Then the old woman wanted to become a pillar noblewoman. Again the old man went to the fish, and again she fulfilled the desire. The fisherman himself was sent by the evil wife to work in the stable.

But this was not enough. The old woman ordered her husband to go back to the sea and ask her to make her a queen. This desire was fulfilled. But even this did not satisfy the old woman's greed. Once again she summoned an old man to her and told him to ask the fish to make her a queen of the sea, and she herself served on her premises.

The fisherman said the words of his wife. But nothing answered the fish, just splashed its tail and swam into the depths of the sea. He stood by the sea for a long time, waiting for an answer. But the fish no longer appeared, and the old man returned home. And there he was waiting for an old woman with a broken trough, sitting at an old dugout.

Source of the plot

As noted above, the fairy tale about a fisherman and a goldfish has its roots not only in Russian, but also in foreign folklore. Thus, the plot of this work is often compared with the tale "Greedy old woman", which was part of the collection of the Brothers Grimm. However, this resemblance is very remote. German authors emphasized all the attention in the tale on a moral conclusion - greed does not lead to good, you need to be able to be content with what you have.

Actions in the fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm also unfold on the seashore, but instead of a goldfish, the plunderer appears as the performer of desires, which later turns out to be an enchanted prince. Pushkin replaced this image with a gold fish symbolizing prosperity and luck in Russian culture.

Tale of a golden fish in a new way

Today, you can find a lot of rework of this tale in a new way. Characteristic for them is the change in time. That is, from antiquity the main characters are transferred to the modern world, where there is as much poverty and injustice. The moment of catching a goldfish remains unchanged, just like the magic heroine herself. But the old woman's desire is changing. Now she already needs an "Indesit" car, new boots, a villa, a "Ford". She wants to be a blonde with long legs.

In some alterations, the end of the story also changes. A fairy tale can end with a happy family life of an old man and an old woman who have grown young for 40 years. However, such an end is rather an exception than a rule. Usually the ending is either close to the original, or tells about the death of an old man or an old woman.

conclusions

Thus, the fairy tale about the goldfish lives up to now and remains relevant. This is confirmed by a number of its rework. Sounding in a new way gives her a new life, but the problems laid down by Pushkin, even in alterations, remain unchanged.

All about the same heroes are told by these new variants, the same old and greedy old woman, and obedient old man, and a wish-fulfilling fish that speaks of the incredible skill and talent of Pushkin who managed to write a work that remains relevant for almost two centuries.