Peter Ershov: biography and interesting facts from life. Ershov's Tales

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

In the first third of the nineteenth century, Russians began to show remarkable interest in folk culture and folklore. In different cities, societies of connoisseurs of antiquity appeared and ethnographic magazines were published. Even in the gymnasiums, collections of poems and stories were published, from which the creative path of most famous poets and writers began. Among them was Peter Ershov, whose biography will be described in this article. So let's get started.

Childhood

Ershov was born in 1815 in the village of Bezrukovo (Tobolsk province). From birth, he was a very weak child, so his parents, according to Siberian superstition, sold him through the window to a beggar for only one penny.

When the boy was ten, his father, who worked as a district police officer, was transferred to Tobolsk. The future poet was amazed by the huge stone houses, the ancient Kremlin and the deserted Chuvash Cape, near which the armies of Khan Kuchum and Yermak once fought. But most of all, Peter liked to go tocrowded fairs.

Study

In 1830, the young man graduated from high school with honors and entered St. Petersburg University at the Faculty of Law. But Pyotr Ershov, whose biography is in any literary encyclopedia, was not considered a diligent student. Only luck helped him not to be expelled. For example, when preparing for an exam in law, he studied only one ticket, and he would definitely come across one. After graduating from the university, Peter himself was upset: “Being a university candidate, I do not speak a single foreign language.”

Humpbacked Horse

In 1833, Professor Pletnev, at one of his lectures, read to students the first part of the fairy tale "The Little Humpbacked Horse", written by Ershov as a term paper. Everyone was delighted. Later Pletnev showed the tale to Pushkin. Alexander Sergeyevich also liked it, and he even edited the first four verses in it, declaring to his friends: “If it goes on like this, then I can safely move away from this kind of writing. This Ershov knows rhyme perfectly.”

In 1834, the tale was published by the Library for Reading magazine. In the same year, it was published as a separate book, which brought national fame to the nineteen-year-old poet. During the life of the poet, it was reprinted as many as seven times. Many authors of that time tried to imitate her. Only the strict Belinsky criticized the work, calling it a fake for folk art. It is worth noting that the harsh critic considered even Pushkin's poems to be fakes.

Newworks

After graduating from the university, Pyotr Pavlovich was sent to work as a teacher at a gymnasium. In Tobolsk, the poet became friends with the composer Alyabyev and several Decembrists. He even sent Odoevsky's reply to Pushkin's poetic message to St. Petersburg.

At that time, the work of Pyotr Ershov takes on a new breath. He writes the true story "The Siberian Cossack", composes the story "Resourcefulness of the poor" and the poem "Suzge". But they were all ordinary works. The people were waiting for new fairy tales by Ershov, but the inspiration seemed to have left the poet. Of course, Peter had many plans. For example, he planned to write a whole epic about Ivan Tsarevich.

Many are still wondering: "How many fairy tales did Ershov write?" According to official data - only one. Perhaps he composed others, but they did not reach the descendants. According to the son of Pyotr Pavlovich, the poet had an archive of seven solid, well-bound volumes. But he still hasn't been found.

Marriage

In Tobolsk, Pyotr Ershov, whose biography is well known to fans of his work, fell in love with Serafima Leshchova. He was not embarrassed by the fact that she was a widow, burdened with four children. Seraphim was beautiful, educated and practical, so she did not immediately marry a twenty-three-year-old teacher. However, in early September 1939, the wedding of lovers still took place.

New position

Five years later, Pyotr Ershov (the 200th anniversary of the poet's birth was celebrated this year) was appointedhigh school inspector. But he himself dreamed of a completely different position. Here is what Pyotr Pavlovich wrote to Professor Pletnev: “The director of our gymnasium went on a three-month vacation, and, according to rumors, he will no longer return to Tobolsk. There are many applicants for his place, and one of them was recommended to the minister. Meanwhile, this position was my main goal. I think after 13 years of impeccable service, I rightfully deserve it. Is it possible to hope for your petition with the Minister regarding the consideration of my candidacy? Unfortunately, the poet never became the director of the gymnasium.

Conclusion

Ershov Petr Pavlovich, whose interesting facts of life were given in this article, entered the history of literature as the author of one fairy tale. The poet himself took this calmly, realizing the limits of the gift allotted to him. He wrote to Professor Pletnev: “You asked about my literary works? Well, what can I say. They ended with the transition of Sovremennik into the hands of Nekrasov. If the former editors had remained there, I would have gladly participated in the work. But the new direction of the magazine is not for me at all. For a long time I was not a doer, but an observer of literature and learned to objectively evaluate the surrounding things. I think that at present literary fame is not too flattering even for a mediocre author. And poetry?.. She was buried together with Lermontov and Pushkin… Zhukovsky's swan song was drowned out by magazine screamers, and it will be very sad if it is interrupted, like Gogol's song… A bright poetic future is possible only if a powerful talent arrives, which will makerevere our cold age before the harmony of sound.”

Peter Ershov (biography described above) died in 1869 in the city of Tobolsk.