LAFONTAIN JEAN DE - French writer, member of the French Academy (1684).
You come from a pro-win-tsi-al bourgeois family. In 1641, he entered the Saint-Mag-lu-ar-se-mi-na-riu in Pa-ri-zhe, but did not finish studying, turning to literary work -wha-st-wu. He began writing poetry in 1643, under the guidance of F. Ma-ler-bu, later became interested in anti-tich-ny-mi av-to-ra-mi, pre -properly Roman-ski-mi. In 1645-1647 he studied law in Pa-ri-zhe, kept acquaintance with A. Fu-ret-er, J. Cha-p-le -nom, V. Kon-ra-rom and others. In 1647, the father transferred to La Fontaine his position of overseeing the waters and forests of Cha-to-Thierry. Lafontaine's first published work is the comedy "Eu-nukh" ("L"eunuque, 1654), re-worked by the same name plays Te-ren-tion, - had no us-pe-ha.
Moved to Paris in 1657, through the patronage of the clan-st-ve-n-ka, he became one of the li-te-ra-to-rows, the Polish signed by N. Fu-ke; presented him with an emu “Ado-nis” (“Adonis”, 1658), in which, under the influence of Ovid, he felt mo influence of J. Ma-ri-no. In the unfinished al-le-gorical poem “Dream in Vaux” (“Songe de Vaux”, 1558-1561) he described the art-hi-tech-tur-no-par- en-assembly of the castle of Fou-ke in Vaux-le-Vie-comte; in the elegy “Aux nymphes de Vaux” (“Aux nymphes de Vaux”, 1662) and “Ode Ko-ro-lu...” (“Ode au roi...”, 1663) pro-force Lu-do-vi-ka XIV about condescending to his disgraced blood. In 1663, J. Jean-na-ra, a friend of Fu-ke, was sent from Paris to the province of Li-mu-zen; a literary report about this trip entitled “Description of one pu-te-she-st-viya from Pa-ri-zha to Li-mu-zen” (“Relation d 'un voyage de Paris en Limousin", 1663) na-pi-san in the form of pi-same-not, where about-for-che-du-et-sya with sti-ha-mi.
La Fontaine’s collections “Tales...” (“Contes...”, 1664, 1665, 1671, 1674), containing re-transition at the moment of all the fri-free sy-s-ts, for-im-st-in-van-nyh from factories, as well as from pro-from -ve-de-niy J. Bok-kach-cho, L. Ario-sto, N. Ma-kia-vel-li, F. Rab-le, Mar-ga-ri-ty Na-varr-skoy, etc. . Lafontaine's canon of poetic novels (“fairy tales”) was later used by J. B. J. Ville-la-rom de Gré-ku-rom, J. Vergier, Vol-te-rom and others. World-wide knowledge of the “Bass” nor" La Fontaine ("Fables", books 1--2, 1668-1694), in which he used the same themes of Ezo-pa, Phèd-ra, K. Ma -ro, M. Re-nier et al.
La Fontaine developed the bass genre, which was considered “low-key”, os-la-beating its didactic orientation and giving it uv-le-ka- tel-ny ha-rak-ter. Describe different types of li-tse-mers, shche-go-leys, flatterers, pe-dan-tovs, deceivers, misers , ignoramus, etc. and re-created many life-situations, Lafontaine in the spirit of class-si-tsiz-ma races-cri-ti-ko -Val human-like things from the point of view of reason and common sense. La Fontaine's story “The Love of Psi-hei and Ku-pi-do-na” (“Les amours de Psyché et de Cupi-don”, 1669), based on a plot from ro -ma-na Apu-ley “Me-ta-mor-fo-zy”, dedicated to the Duke of Bui-on, with whom Lafontaine lived in Pa- ri-zhe; Ancient Greek plot, under-lit al-lu-zia-mi on modernity, it becomes a point to discuss questions at home is-kus-st-va.
Lafontaine also wrote the same significant influence on the religious “Eme about the captivity of St. Mal-ha” (“Poème de la captivité de saint Malc”, 1671); didactic poem “Khi-na” (“Quinquina”, 1682) about le-che-nii li-ho-rad-ki and others. In co-author-st-ve with co- media-gra-fom Sh. le Roman comique", 1684; according to the mo-ti-you "Ko-mi-che-sko-go-ro-ma-na" by P. Scar-ro-na), "Flo-ren-ti-ets" (" Le flo-rentin", 1685) and "The Magic Cube" ("La coupe enchantée", 1686), as well as the libretto of the opera "As-t-reya" (“Ast-rée”, 1691; music by P. Ko-las-sa) after the mo-ti-you of the same name by O. d’Urfe.
In Russia, the work of Lafontaine has been widely known since the 18th century. Some “fairy tales” have been published in journals, but La Fontaine is known as “free-free-but- go av-to-ra” for-tmi-li his bas-ni. Their re-re-vo-di-li and re-re-ra-ba-you-va-li V. K. Tre-dia-kov-sky, A. P. Su-ma-ro-kov, D. I. Fon-vi-zin, I. I. Khem-nitser, I. I. Dmit-ri-ev, D. I. Khvo-stov, K. N. Batyush-kov, V. A. Zhu-kov-sky, I. A. Kry-lov and others. The story “Love of Psi-hei and Ku-pi-do-na” was published in translation by F. I. Dmit-rie-va- Ma-mo-no-va (1769), with co-storage-ne-ni-em pro-zi-met-ri-che-skoy structure-tu-ry ori-gi-na-la, but without “about” -ram-laying” the story of four friends in the Versailles gardens; I. F. Bo-gda-no-vich created it in full poetic translation in ma-ne-re ro-ko-ko (“Du-shen-ka An ancient story", 1783).
Essays:
Œuvres diverses. P., 1958
Love Psi-hei and Ku-pi-do-na. M.; L., 1964
Œuvres com-pletes. P., 1991; Bass-ni. M., 1999.
He began his fable work with translations of Aesop and became a famous fabulist of the New Age (17th century).
La Fontaine's creative heritage is rich: poems, poems, fairy tales and stories in verse, prose), but in world literature he remained primarily a fabulist, who developed and enriched the fable genre.
From the biography
Jean de La Fontaine (1621-1695) was born on July 8, 1621 in the town of Chateau-Thierry in the province of Picardy. His father Charles was the manager of the royal hunt and the chief forester of the Duchy of Chateau-Thierry.
At first, Lafontaine was preparing for the clergy, but then he began to study law in Paris, while simultaneously attending a circle of young poets.
In 1647, at the insistence of his father, he married the young Marie Ericard, who was only 14 or 15 years old. But to marriage and further family life Lafontaine is very frivolous, not raising his only son and living in Paris separately from his family, among friends, admirers and admirers of his talent.
In 1649 he received a lawyer's diploma and a position at the High Court in Paris. But he soon moved to Chateau-Thierry, where he received a leadership position in the forestry of the duchy. Here he reads a lot and often travels to Paris to meet with friends.
La Fontaine's first work, the comedy The Eunuch, was published in 1654 and was not successful.
In 1658, one of La Fontaine’s relatives introduced him to Nicolas Fouquet, the superintendent of finances of France in early years reign of Louis XIV, one of the most powerful and richest men in France. Fouquet becomes Lafontaine's patron. Subsequently, Lafontaine would have other very influential patrons. Lafontaine's work develops, he publishes one work after another. His popularity is growing. But the first collection of fables was published only in 1668.
It was called "Aesop's Fables, Transposed into Poems by M. de La Fontaine." Later, several more volumes of fables were published, and this genre became quite popular.
The significance of La Fontaine for the history of literature
It lies in the fact that he created a new genre of fable, borrowing only the external plot from ancient authors. His fables are not so much philosophical as lyrical, determined by the individual character of La Fontaine.
The artistic significance of La Fontaine's fables is promoted by the beauty of poetic introductions and digressions, his figurative language, and the richness and variety of poetic form.
La Fontaine's Fables
The moral of La Fontaine's fables is peculiar. He does not lecture, but states the fact that the cunning and dexterous usually prevail over kind and simple people. He convinces the reader that the poor and disenfranchised do not have to fight against circumstances and injustice, but only need to adapt to the life in which they are forced to live and come to terms with the circumstances.
Lafontaine
Frog and Ox
The frog, seeing Ox in the meadow,
She decided to match his stature herself:
She was envious
And well, puff up, puff and pout.
“Look, wah, what, will I get rid of him?” -
He says to his friend. - “No, gossip, far away!”
“Look how wide I am now.
Well, what's it like?
Am I replenished? - “Almost nothing.”
“Well, how now?” - “Everything is the same.” Puffed and puffed
And my idea ended with
That, not being equal to Vol,
With an effort it burst and died.
There is more than one example of this in the world:
And is it a wonder when a tradesman wants to live,
As a distinguished citizen,
And the fry is small, like a noble nobleman.
(Translation by I. Krylov. The content of the fable is borrowed from Phaedrus)
His heroes are those who know how to arrange their own destiny. V. A. Zhukovsky, who himself translated La Fontaine’s fables, spoke about them like this: “Don’t look for his morality in his fables - there is none!” And Rousseau and Lamartine generally expressed doubt about the usefulness of La Fontaine’s fables for children, because they interpret vice as inevitable and do not develop a sense of pity in children.
But his fables express sympathy for ordinary people and condemnation of idleness.
Lafontaine
The Farmer and his Sons 
Work as hard as you can
Without resting your hands! The work is the same treasure.
One peasant, being rich
And standing on the edge of the grave,
He called his children and told them so
He is without witnesses, on his deathbed:
“A rich treasure is buried in the ancestral land,
Sell it - God protect you!
I myself do not know where it is hidden;
But you, with the help of work and patience,
You will find it without a doubt.
You are in August, having finished threshing,
Plow the field immediately:
Let the plow pass everywhere,
Dig, rummage there in the wild,
The smallest corner in the field
Walk along and across."
He died. The sons dug up the whole field,
They searched here and there. Next year
It gave double income
But the treasure was never discovered in the ground.
Father in his own special way
He showed them that labor is the same treasure.
He ridicules the arrogance, vanity and arrogance of the aristocracy, its meanness, stinginess, pettiness and cowardice, thereby defending universal spiritual values. La Fontaine's fables are filled with the author's original and non-standard philosophy.
Lafontaine
Madman and Sage
A madman once threw stones at a sage, 
Chasing him; The sage tells him this:
"My friend! you're in the sweat of your brow
Worked; Here's a coin for that:
Work deservedly must be rewarded.
Look, there's a man passing by, he
Immensely rich
And he will probably reward your gifts generously.”
The fool walked towards the passerby in a hurry
Strike him in the hope of making a profit;
But he received a different reward:
A passing servant called the servants, and they hurried quickly
Beat up the Fool and drive away the barely alive one.
We see such madmen near kings:
To amuse the gentleman,
They are always ready to make you laugh.
Don't touch them to silence them.
Moreover, if you are not strong, then
No matter how angry you are, it will not help you;
Refer them to someone who can repay them.
(Translation by N. Yuryin)
At the same time, moralizing morality in his fables fades into the background. It was much more important for the author to express his own thoughts and feelings. His fables are characterized by philosophical reflections and numerous lyrical digressions.
Lafontaine
Lion and Mouse
The Mouse humbly asked Leo for permission
Set up a village nearby in a hollow
And so she said: “Although here, in the forests,
You are both mighty and glorious;
Although no one is equal to Leo in strength,
And his roar alone brings fear to everyone,
But who will guess the future?
Who knows? who will need whom?
And no matter how small I seem,
And maybe sometimes I’ll be useful to you.”
"You! - Leo screamed. - You pathetic creature!
For these daring words
You are worth death as punishment.
Get away, get away from here while you're still alive
Or your ashes will not be.”
Here the poor Mouse, unable to remember from fear,
She took off with all her might and left no trace of her.
However, this pride was not in vain for Leo:
Setting off to look for prey for lunch,
He got caught in a snare.
The strength in him is useless, the roar and groan are in vain,
No matter how he rushed or rushed,
But everything remained the hunter's prey,
And he was taken away in a cage to be shown to the people.
He remembered about the poor Mouse late here,
So that she could help him,
That the net would not survive from her teeth
And that his own arrogance ate him up.
Reader, loving the truth,
I will add to the fable, and not on my own
It is not in vain that people say:
Don't spit in the well, it will come in handy
Drink some water.
(Translation by I. Krylov. The content of the fable is borrowed from Aesop)
The language of La Fontaine's fables is vibrant and original, sometimes close to folklore. La Fontaine's fables are like little comic plays.
Russian fabulists Sumarokov, Khemnitser, Izmailov, Dmitriev and even the famous Krylov also studied with Lafontaine. Krylov’s path as a fabulist began with the translation in 1805 of two fables by La Fontaine: “The Oak and the Cane” and “The Picky Bride.”
Jean de La Fontaine is a famous French fabulist. He was born on July 8, 1621 at Chateau-Thierry in Champagne, and died on April 13, 1695 in Paris.
Having not received a sufficient education, in his 20th year he entered the oratorio school in Reims to study theology, but after a year and a half he abandoned this calling and indulged in a cheerful, riotous life. Only at the age of 25, under the influence of reading Malherbe’s ode on the death of Henry IV, did La Fontaine’s poetic talent awaken. He began to read diligently, first Malherbe and Voiture, then other writers, especially Italian, as well as Villon, Marot, Rabelais, and with the help of friends he became acquainted with Greek and Latin authors; He was especially interested in Horace. La Fontaine's first work was a translation of Terence's The Eunuch. To keep La Fontaine from a disorderly life, his father married him (1647) and transferred to him his post of “chief of waters and forests.” But La Fontaine, whose character surprisingly combined kindness of heart with frivolity, absent-mindedness and awkwardness with intelligence, abandoned his position and his wife and lived mostly in Paris, where his patrons took care of him all his life, like a small child, and provided him with the means of subsistence. In close mental communication with Moliere, Racine, Boileau, and especially with the learned canon Mocroy, La Fontaine remained aloof from the court. Louis XIV, dissatisfied with the ease of La Fontaine's morality or his affection for the deposed minister Fouquet, which La Fontaine was not afraid to express publicly, treated the poet unkindly all the time and even wanted to prevent his election to the academy (1684). A serious illness (1692) and constant pressure from the clergy caused a complete change in La Fontaine's way of thinking. He renounced his frivolous works and devoted himself exclusively to translations from the Bible.
Jean de Lafontaine
La Fontaine's main works: frivolous, but beautifully told "Tales" in 5 books (1665 - 85), which brought the greatest pleasure to the gallant society of his time, and "Fables" in 12 books, written in free verse (1668 - 95). The plots of these works are borrowed from everywhere, but the sincerity and naivety of the story, healthy morality and perfection of the verse make them unsurpassed examples. In addition, La Fontaine wrote 11 theatrical plays and a significant number of small poems, many of which are lost.
“La Fontaine,” says Lautheisin in “History of French Literature of the 17th Century,” is a unique phenomenon in the classical literature of France. At first glance, he appears to be outside the framework of his time, belonging to another, later generation. But this first impression does not agree with reality. La Fontaine belonged to his time in the same way as all the other “classical” writers of France. The French of the 17th century, contrary to established opinion, were not, without exception, fanatical adherents of conventional rules. Next to the strict, pedantic, immovable direction, a free oppositional current, close to the national spirit, made its way on a fairly wide scale. La Fontaine was a representative of this latter in his main works - fables and stories, while remaining in others a follower of the “academic” prescriptions of the then legislators of literature.
Lafontaine gained worldwide fame for his fables; in them, he - in contrast to all previous fabulists - did not at all have the exclusive goal of preaching this or that morality. In many of his fables practical application morality turns out to be even impossible; very often he simply depicted with amazing skill the most diverse phenomena of human life, without thinking at all about any moral lessons. The sphere in which he lived and moved, with his keen powers of observation, gave him abundant and grateful material. Distinctive Features his creativity - naturalness and simplicity, under which lies humor, often manifested in the best meaning of this concept; His ability to depict is so strong that in many fables, in one verse, in one word, he draws the entire figure of a person or animal (by which, of course, a person is also meant), often an entire situation. With a huge number of examples one could easily prove that he really was a poet, in whose works life and truth unfold in rich abundance. True, the field of fables he chose is narrow and relatively insignificant, but in it La Fontaine still occupies the first place.
Where he lived all his life among friends, admirers and admirers of his talent; He forgot about his family for years and only occasionally, at the insistence of friends, went to his homeland for a short time.
His correspondence with his wife, whom he made the confidant of his many romantic adventures, has been preserved. He paid so little attention to his children that, having met his adult son in the same house, he did not recognize him. In Paris, Lafontaine was a brilliant success; Fouquet awarded him a large pension. He lived in Paris first with the Duchess of Bouillon, then, when the latter died and he left her house, he met his acquaintance d’Hervart, who invited him to live with him. “That’s exactly where I was heading,” was the fabulist’s naive answer.
Creation
Early works
La Fontaine's first published work was the comedy "The Eunuch" ( Eunuque,), which was a reworking of the work of the same name by Terence. In 1658, La Fontaine presented his patron Fouquet with the poem “Adonis” ( Adonis), written under the influence of Ovid, Virgil and possibly Marino. Having temporarily become the “official” poet of Fouquet, La Fontaine took up the description of the palace in Vaux-le-Vicomte that belonged to the minister. Since it was necessary to describe the architectural and park ensemble that had not yet been completed, La Fontaine built his poem in the form of a dream ( Songe de Vaux). However, due to Fouquet's disgrace, work on the book was interrupted. In 1662, the poet allowed himself to stand up for his patron in an ode addressed to the king ( l'Ode au Roi), as well as in “Elegy to the Nymphs of Vaud” ( L'elégie aux nymphes de Vaux). By this act he apparently incurred the wrath of Colbert and the king.
"Fairy Tales"
Publication "Fables"
The significance of La Fontaine for the history of literature lies in the fact that he created a new genre, borrowing the external plot from ancient authors (primarily Aesop and Phaedrus; in addition, La Fontaine drew from the Panchatantra and some Italian and Latin authors of the Renaissance). In 1668, the first six books of fables appeared, under the modest title: “Aesop's Fables, Translated into Poems by M. de La Fontaine” ( Fables d'Esope, mises en vers par M. de La Fontaine). It was the first collection that included the famous, later arranged by I. A. Krylov, “The Crow and the Fox” (more precisely, “The Raven and the Fox”, Le Corbeau et le Renard) and “Dragonfly and Ant” (more precisely, “Cicada and Ant”, La Cigale et la Fourmi).
The second edition, which already included eleven books, was published in 1678, and the third, including the twelfth and last book, at the end of 1693. The first two books are more didactic in nature; in the rest, Lafontaine becomes more and more free, combining didactics with the transmission of personal feelings.
The originality of didacticism
La Fontaine is least of all a moralist and, in any case, his morality is not sublime; he teaches a sober outlook on life, the ability to use circumstances and people, and constantly depicts the triumph of the clever and cunning over the simple-minded and kind; There is absolutely no sentimentality in it - his heroes are those who know how to arrange their own destiny. Already Rousseau, and after him Lamartine, expressed doubt: how useful are La Fontaine’s fables for children, do they not accustom the reader to the inevitability of vice in a world ignorant of pity? V. A. Zhukovsky spoke especially categorically on this matter: “Don’t look for his morality in the fables - there is none!” Sometimes the morality of the Fables is compared with the precepts of Epicurus: the need for moderation and a wisely equanimous attitude towards life. In the fable "Horoscope" - a satire on astronomers - Lafontaine claims that the movement of the planets, the radiance of the sun, and the change of seasons occur according to their own laws, independent of man. Similar thoughts are found in François Bernier. While affirming the divine origin of the world, the philosopher does not deny the existence of real natural causes that determine phenomena.
Poetics
The artistic significance of La Fontaine's fables is also contributed by the beauty of La Fontaine's poetic introductions and digressions, his figurative language, his special art of conveying movements and feelings with rhythm, and in general the amazing richness and variety of poetic form.
La Fontaine's fables are written in most cases in free verse; in the 17th century, the poetic nature of this genre itself was not welcomed by everyone - the fable was perceived primarily as an edification. He also complicated the relationship between plot and morality.
Y.B. Vipper, outlining the moments of the formation of classicism in the 17th century and some trends in its future development, tries to identify La Fontaine’s predecessors and those ideological and poetological features that will develop and be expressed in forms that are perfect and specific to his work: Charron’s democracy (contrasted with the aristocracy of Du Vert), whose influence was felt in the first book of La Fontaine's fables in 1668; "esprit gaulois"<галльский дух>, "the gift of a subtle compliment, a playful joke", irony and artistic tact in the chansons and small poems of Philippe Deporte; the Epicurean tradition of the poetry of Pierre Motin, dating back to Clément Marot and the anacreontics of the Pleiades, continued in Contes; the artistic style of Rainier's satires, reflected in La Fontaine's lyrics. On the question of the attitude to tradition - the prototype of the debate about the “ancient” and the “new” - La Fontaine also inherits Rainier, who (in contrast to Malherbe, who “disdained the national” and believed that works, in order to be intelligible, “captivate […] with the purity [ ...] and the clarity of light phrases" (N. Boileau), should contain the minimum of ancient mythology) preferred "harmonic<его>solution", synthesis: following the principle of imitation of ancient samples, took into account the national tradition
"The Love of Psyche and Cupid"
A tribute to gallant literature was the prose work of La Fontaine - the story “The Love of Psyche and Cupid” ( Les amours de Psyché et de Cupidon,), which is a reworking of the fourth and fifth books of Apuleius’s novel “The Golden Ass”. Lafontaine presented the plot, well known to the reader of that time, in an elegant form reminiscent of an opera production. The book made a great impression on the Russian writer I. F. Bogdanovich, who created his poem “Darling” () based on the same plot.
"Poem about the cinchona tree"
La Fontaine tried his hand at the genre of the natural science poem, popular during the Renaissance and dating back to Lucretius. His "Poem about the Cinchona Tree" ( Poème du Quinquina, ) reads like a kind of advertisement for a new medicine(bark began to be imported to Europe in the middle of the 17th century with the assistance of Louis XIV).
Comedy
In the second half of the 1680s, La Fontaine wrote, in collaboration with the actor Charles Cheviler de Chanmele, the comedies “Ragotin” based on the story of Scarron, “The Florentine” and “The Magic Cup” based on the story of Ariosto. Researchers noted that Lafontaine tried himself in various genres, incl. alien to his talent, and explained this by the need for diversity.
The comedy “The Magic Cup” was translated into Russian, and this anonymous translation was published in 1788 by Nikolai Novikov without attribution.
Pushkin and Lafontaine
In the poem “Town,” speaking about his favorite books, Pushkin also writes in a humorous tone about the French writer. For him, Lafontaine is, first of all, the author of fables, which were part of the lyceum curriculum. The perception of La Fontaine through the prism of Rococo poetry is also noticeable here:
Some famous fables
- Wolf and Dog
- Wolf and Heron
- The Wolf and the Lamb
- Wolf, Goat and Kid
- Wolf Shepherd
- Raven and fox
- Thieves and donkey
- The Dove and the Ant
- Two Goats
- Two donkeys
- Two rats, an egg and a fox
- Oak and Reed
- Hare and tortoise
- Goat and fox
- Horse and donkey
- Kite and nightingale
- Little Rabbit, Weasel and Cat
- Grasshopper and ant
- Merchant, nobleman, shepherd and king's son
- Swan and cook
- Lion and mosquito
- Lion and Mouse
- Fox and Goat
- Fox and Heron
- Fox and grapes
- Horse and donkey
- Love and madness
- Frog and rat
- Thrush and jug
- Sea and bee
- A mouse turned into a girl
- Nothing over the top
- Monkey and dolphin
- Monkey and cat
- Monkey and leopard
- The Oracle and the Atheist
- Eagle and Beetle
- Farmer and shoemaker
- Shepherd and lion
- Shepherd and sea
- Spider and swallow
- Rooster and pearl
- Gout and the spider
- Field mouse visiting the town mouse
- Fish and cormorant
- Teacher and student
- Priest and dead man
- Stingy and chicken
- Death and the Dying
- Dog with master's lunch
- Council of mice
- Old man and three young people
- Fortune and the boy
- Hornets and bees
- Schoolboy, mentor and garden owner
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Notes
Literature
- Jasinski R. La Fontaine et le premier recueil des Fables. - P.: Nizet. - 1966.
- Collinet J.-P. Le Monde littéraire de La Fontaine. - Grenoble: Presses universitaires de Grenoble. - 1970.
- Dandrey P. La Fabrique des Fables. - P.: Klincksieck. - 1992.
- Duchene R. Jean de La Fontaine. - P.: Fayard. - 1990.
- Bury E. L'esthétique de La Fontaine. - P.: Sedes. - 1995.
- Vengerova Z. A.// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
- Lukasik V. Yu. Jean de Lafontaine // History of foreign literature of the 17th century. - M.: Higher school. - 2005. P. 170-183.
Modern editions of La Fontaine's works
- Oeuvres completes: Fables et Contes. Ed. J.-P. Collinet. - P.: Gallimard (collection « Pléiade"). - 1991.
- Le Songe de Vaux. - Geneve-Paris: Droz-Minard. - 1967.
- Fables. - M.: EKSMO-Press. - 1999.
- The love of Psyche and Cupid. Fables. - M.: EKSMO-Press. - 2006.
Links
- // Encyclopedia “Around the World”.
- (French)
Excerpt characterizing Lafontaine, Jean de
“Well, you little doll, get around, look,” Denisov suddenly shouted, turning purple and throwing himself at the footman with a threatening gesture. “You better have your wallet, otherwise you’ll burn.” Got everyone!Rostov, looking around Denisov, began to button up his jacket, strapped on his saber and put on his cap.
“I tell you to have a wallet,” Denisov shouted, shaking the orderly by the shoulders and pushing him against the wall.
- Denisov, leave him alone; “I know who took it,” Rostov said, approaching the door and not raising his eyes.
Denisov stopped, thought and, apparently understanding what Rostov was hinting at, grabbed his hand.
“Sigh!” he shouted so that the veins, like ropes, swelled on his neck and forehead. “I’m telling you, you’re crazy, I won’t allow this.” The wallet is here; I'll take the shit out of this mega-dealer, and it will be here.
“I know who took it,” Rostov repeated in a trembling voice and went to the door.
“And I’m telling you, don’t you dare do this,” Denisov shouted, rushing to the cadet to hold him back.
But Rostov snatched his hand away and with such malice, as if Denisov were his greatest enemy, directly and firmly fixed his eyes on him.
- Do you understand what you are saying? - he said in a trembling voice, - there was no one in the room except me. Therefore, if not this, then...
He couldn't finish his sentence and ran out of the room.
“Oh, what’s wrong with you and with everyone,” they were last words, which Rostov heard.
Rostov came to Telyanin’s apartment.
“The master is not at home, they have left for headquarters,” Telyanin’s orderly told him. - Or what happened? - added the orderly, surprised at the upset face of the cadet.
- No, nothing.
“We missed it a little,” said the orderly.
The headquarters was located three miles from Salzenek. Rostov, without going home, took a horse and rode to headquarters. In the village occupied by the headquarters there was a tavern frequented by officers. Rostov arrived at the tavern; at the porch he saw Telyanin's horse.
In the second room of the tavern the lieutenant was sitting with a plate of sausages and a bottle of wine.
“Oh, and you’ve stopped by, young man,” he said, smiling and raising his eyebrows high.
“Yes,” said Rostov, as if it took a lot of effort to pronounce this word, and sat down at the next table.
Both were silent; There were two Germans and one Russian officer sitting in the room. Everyone was silent, and the sounds of knives on plates and the lieutenant’s slurping could be heard. When Telyanin finished breakfast, he took a double wallet out of his pocket, pulled apart the rings with his small white fingers curved upward, took out a gold one and, raising his eyebrows, gave the money to the servant.
“Please hurry,” he said.
The gold one was new. Rostov stood up and approached Telyanin.
“Let me see your wallet,” he said in a quiet, barely audible voice.
With darting eyes, but still raised eyebrows, Telyanin handed over the wallet.
“Yes, a nice wallet... Yes... yes...” he said and suddenly turned pale. “Look, young man,” he added.
Rostov took the wallet in his hands and looked at it, and at the money that was in it, and at Telyanin. The lieutenant looked around, as was his habit, and suddenly seemed to become very cheerful.
“If we’re in Vienna, I’ll leave everything there, but now there’s nowhere to put it in these crappy little towns,” he said. - Well, come on, young man, I’ll go.
Rostov was silent.
- What about you? Should I have breakfast too? “They feed me decently,” Telyanin continued. - Come on.
He reached out and grabbed the wallet. Rostov released him. Telyanin took the wallet and began to put it in the pocket of his leggings, and his eyebrows rose casually, and his mouth opened slightly, as if he was saying: “yes, yes, I’m putting my wallet in my pocket, and it’s very simple, and no one cares about it.” .
- Well, what, young man? - he said, sighing and looking into Rostov’s eyes from under raised eyebrows. Some kind of light from the eyes, with the speed of an electric spark, ran from Telyanin’s eyes to Rostov’s eyes and back, back and back, all in an instant.
“Come here,” Rostov said, grabbing Telyanin by the hand. He almost dragged him to the window. “This is Denisov’s money, you took it...” he whispered in his ear.
– What?... What?... How dare you? What?...” said Telyanin.
But these words sounded like a plaintive, desperate cry and a plea for forgiveness. As soon as Rostov heard this sound of the voice, a huge stone of doubt fell from his soul. He felt joy and at the same moment he felt sorry for the unfortunate man standing in front of him; but it was necessary to complete the work begun.
“People here, God knows what they might think,” Telyanin muttered, grabbing his cap and heading into a small empty room, “we need to explain ourselves...
“I know this, and I will prove it,” said Rostov.
- I…
Telyanin's frightened, pale face began to tremble with all its muscles; the eyes were still running, but somewhere below, not rising to Rostov’s face, sobs were heard.
- Count!... don’t ruin young man...here is this unfortunate money, take it... - He threw it on the table. – My father is an old man, my mother!...
Rostov took the money, avoiding Telyanin’s gaze, and, without saying a word, left the room. But he stopped at the door and turned back. “My God,” he said with tears in his eyes, “how could you do this?”
“Count,” said Telyanin, approaching the cadet.
“Don’t touch me,” Rostov said, pulling away. - If you need it, take this money. “He threw his wallet at him and ran out of the tavern.
In the evening of the same day, there was a lively conversation between the squadron officers at Denisov’s apartment.
“And I’m telling you, Rostov, that you need to apologize to the regimental commander,” said a tall staff captain with graying hair, a huge mustache and large features of a wrinkled face, turning to the crimson, excited Rostov.
Staff captain Kirsten was demoted to soldier twice for matters of honor and served twice.
– I won’t allow anyone to tell me that I’m lying! - Rostov screamed. “He told me I was lying, and I told him he was lying.” It will remain so. He can assign me to duty every day and put me under arrest, but no one will force me to apologize, because if he, as a regimental commander, considers himself unworthy of giving me satisfaction, then...
- Just wait, father; “Listen to me,” the captain interrupted the headquarters in his bass voice, calmly smoothing his long mustache. - In front of other officers, you tell the regimental commander that the officer stole...
“It’s not my fault that the conversation started in front of other officers.” Maybe I shouldn’t have spoken in front of them, but I’m not a diplomat. Then I joined the hussars, I thought that there was no need for subtleties, but he told me that I was lying... so let him give me satisfaction...
- This is all good, no one thinks that you are a coward, but that’s not the point. Ask Denisov, does this look like something for a cadet to demand satisfaction from the regimental commander?
Denisov, biting his mustache, listened to the conversation with a gloomy look, apparently not wanting to engage in it. When asked by the captain's staff, he shook his head negatively.
“You tell the regimental commander about this dirty trick in front of the officers,” the captain continued. - Bogdanych (the regimental commander was called Bogdanych) besieged you.
- He didn’t besiege him, but said that I was telling a lie.
- Well, yes, and you said something stupid to him, and you need to apologize.
- No way! - Rostov shouted.
“I didn’t think this from you,” the captain said seriously and sternly. “You don’t want to apologize, but you, father, not only before him, but before the entire regiment, before all of us, you are completely to blame.” Here's how: if only you had thought and consulted on how to deal with this matter, otherwise you would have drunk right in front of the officers. What should the regimental commander do now? Should the officer be put on trial and the entire regiment be soiled? Because of one scoundrel, the whole regiment is disgraced? So, what do you think? But in our opinion, not so. And Bogdanich is great, he told you that you are telling lies. It’s unpleasant, but what can you do, father, they attacked you yourself. And now, as they want to hush up the matter, because of some kind of fanaticism you don’t want to apologize, but want to tell everything. You are offended that you are on duty, but why should you apologize to an old and honest officer! No matter what Bogdanich is, he’s still an honest and brave old colonel, it’s such a shame for you; Is it okay for you to dirty the regiment? – The captain’s voice began to tremble. - You, father, have been in the regiment for a week; today here, tomorrow transferred to adjutants somewhere; you don’t care what they say: “there are thieves among the Pavlograd officers!” But we care. So, what, Denisov? Does it matter?
Denisov remained silent and did not move, occasionally glancing at Rostov with his shining black eyes.
“You value your own fanabery, you don’t want to apologize,” the headquarters captain continued, “but for us old men, how we grew up, and even if we die, God willing, we will be brought into the regiment, so the honor of the regiment is dear to us, and Bogdanich knows this.” Oh, what a road, father! And this is not good, not good! Be offended or not, I will always tell the truth. Bad!
And the headquarters captain stood up and turned away from Rostov.
- Pg "avda, chog" take it! - Denisov shouted, jumping up. - Well, G'skeleton! Well!
Rostov, blushing and turning pale, looked first at one officer, then at the other.
- No, gentlemen, no... don’t think... I really understand, you’re wrong to think about me like that... I... for me... I’m for the honor of the regiment. So what? I will show this in practice, and for me it is an honor to the banner... well, anyway, really, it’s my fault!.. - Tears stood in his eyes. - I’m guilty, I’m guilty all around!... Well, what else do you need?...
“That’s it, Count,” the captain, turning, shouted, hitting him. big hand on the shoulder.
“I’m telling you,” Denisov shouted, “he’s a nice little guy.”
“That’s better, Count,” the headquarters captain repeated, as if for his recognition they were beginning to call him a title. - Come and apologize, your Excellency, yes sir.
“Gentlemen, I’ll do everything, no one will hear a word from me,” Rostov said in a pleading voice, “but I can’t apologize, by God, I can’t, whatever you want!” How will I apologize, like a little one, asking for forgiveness?
Denisov laughed.
- It's worse for you. Bogdanich is vindictive, you will pay for your stubbornness,” said Kirsten.
- By God, not stubbornness! I can’t describe to you what a feeling, I can’t...
“Well, it’s your choice,” said the headquarters captain. - Well, where did this scoundrel go? – he asked Denisov.
“He said he was sick, and the manager ordered him to be expelled,” Denisov said.
“It’s a disease, there’s no other way to explain it,” said the captain at the headquarters.
“It’s not a disease, but if he doesn’t catch my eye, I’ll kill him!” – Denisov shouted bloodthirstyly.
Zherkov entered the room.
- How are you? - the officers suddenly turned to the newcomer.
- Let's go, gentlemen. Mak surrendered as a prisoner and with the army, completely.
- You're lying!
- I saw it myself.
- How? Have you seen Mack alive? with arms, with legs?
- Hike! Hike! Give him a bottle for such news. How did you get here?
“They sent me back to the regiment again, for the devil’s sake, for Mack.” The Austrian general complained. I congratulated him on Mak’s arrival... Are you from the bathhouse, Rostov?
- Here, brother, we have such a mess for the second day.
The regimental adjutant came in and confirmed the news brought by Zherkov. We were ordered to perform tomorrow.
- Let's go, gentlemen!
- Well, thank God, we stayed too long.
Kutuzov retreated to Vienna, destroying behind him bridges on the rivers Inn (in Braunau) and Traun (in Linz). On October 23, Russian troops crossed the Enns River. Russian convoys, artillery and columns of troops in the middle of the day stretched through the city of Enns, on this side and on the other side of the bridge.
The day was warm, autumn and rainy. The vast perspective that opened up from the elevation where the Russian batteries stood protecting the bridge was suddenly covered with a muslin curtain of slanting rain, then suddenly expanded, and in the light of the sun objects as if covered with varnish became visible far away and clearly. A town could be seen underfoot with its white houses and red roofs, a cathedral and a bridge, on both sides of which masses of Russian troops poured, crowding. At the bend of the Danube one could see ships, an island, and a castle with a park, surrounded by the waters of the confluence of the Ensa and the Danube; one could see the left rocky bank of the Danube covered with pine forests with the mysterious distance of green peaks and blue gorges. The towers of the monastery were visible, protruding from behind a pine forest that seemed untouched; far ahead on the mountain, on the other side of Ens, enemy patrols could be seen.
Between the guns, at a height, the chief of the rearguard, a general, and a retinue officer stood in front, examining the terrain through a telescope. Sitting somewhat behind on the trunk of a gun was Nesvitsky, sent from the commander-in-chief to the rearguard.
The Cossack accompanying Nesvitsky handed over a handbag and a flask, and Nesvitsky treated the officers to pies and real doppelkümel. The officers joyfully surrounded him, some on their knees, some sitting cross-legged on the wet grass.
- Yes, this Austrian prince was not a fool to build a castle here. Nice place. Why don't you eat, gentlemen? - Nesvitsky said.
“I humbly thank you, prince,” answered one of the officers, enjoying talking with such an important staff official. - Wonderful place. We walked past the park itself, saw two deer, and what a wonderful house!
“Look, prince,” said the other, who really wanted to take another pie, but was ashamed, and who therefore pretended that he was looking around the area, “look, our infantry have already climbed there.” Over there, in the meadow outside the village, three people are dragging something. “They will break through this palace,” he said with visible approval.
“Both,” said Nesvitsky. “No, but what I would like,” he added, chewing the pie in his beautiful, moist mouth, “is to climb up there.”
He pointed to a monastery with towers visible on the mountain. He smiled, his eyes narrowed and lit up.
- But that would be good, gentlemen!
The officers laughed.
- At least scare these nuns. Italians, they say, are young. Really, I would give five years of my life!
“They’re bored,” said the bolder officer, laughing.
Meanwhile, the retinue officer standing in front was pointing something out to the general; the general looked through the telescope.
“Well, so it is, so it is,” the general said angrily, lowering the receiver from his eyes and shrugging his shoulders, “and so it is, they will hit the crossing.” And why are they hanging around there?
On the other side, the enemy and his battery were visible to the naked eye, from which milky white smoke appeared. Following the smoke, a distant shot was heard, and it was clear how our troops hurried to the crossing.
Nesvitsky, puffing, stood up and, smiling, approached the general.
- Would your Excellency like to have a snack? - he said.
“It’s not good,” said the general, without answering him, “our people hesitated.”
– Shouldn’t we go, Your Excellency? - said Nesvitsky.
“Yes, please go,” said the general, repeating what had already been ordered in detail, “and tell the hussars to be the last to cross and light the bridge, as I ordered, and to inspect the flammable materials on the bridge.”
“Very good,” answered Nesvitsky.
He called to the Cossack with the horse, ordered him to remove his purse and flask, and easily threw his heavy body onto the saddle.
“Really, I’ll go see the nuns,” he said to the officers, who looked at him with a smile, and drove along the winding path down the mountain.
- Come on, where will it go, captain, stop it! - said the general, turning to the artilleryman. - Have fun with boredom.
- Servant to the guns! - the officer commanded.
And a minute later the artillerymen ran out cheerfully from the fires and loaded.
- First! - a command was heard.
Number 1 bounced smartly. The gun rang metallic, deafening, and a grenade flew whistling over the heads of all our people under the mountain and, not reaching the enemy, showed with smoke the place of its fall and burst.
The faces of the soldiers and officers brightened at this sound; everyone got up and began observing the clearly visible movements of our troops below and in front of the movements of the approaching enemy. At that very moment the sun completely came out from behind the clouds, and this beautiful sound of a single shot and the shine of the bright sun merged into one cheerful and cheerful impression.
Jean de La Fontaine was a famous French writer who lived in the 17th century. One of the most famous European writers of fables. His works were translated in our country by Krylov and Pushkin. Many such works are perceived as original creations by Russian authors. This article will be devoted to the life, work and some of the works of the writer.
Biography (Jean de La Fontaine): early years
The writer was born on July 8, 1621 in the small French town of Chateau-Thierry. His father served in the forestry department, so Lafontaine spent his entire childhood in nature. Quite a bit is known about this period of his life.
At the age of 20, the future writer decides to receive a clergy title, for which he enters the Oratorian brotherhood. However, he devotes more time to poetry and philosophy than to religion.
In 1647, his father decides to step down from his position and passes it on to his son. The parent also chooses a bride for him - a 15-year-old girl living in the same city. Lafontaine took his duties without due responsibility and soon left for Paris. He did not take his wife with him. The writer lived in the capital all his life, surrounded by friends and fans. He did not think about his family for years and rarely came to his hometown to visit.
The correspondence between La Fontaine and his wife, who was the confidant of his love affairs, has been perfectly preserved. He practically did not know his children. It got to the point that, having met his son at a party, the writer did not recognize him.
The capital favored Lafontaine. He was assigned a considerable pension, aristocrats patronized him, and crowds of fans did not allow him to get bored. The writer himself managed to maintain independence. And even in poems of praise he remained mocking.
The first known to La Fontaine came from poems written in 1661. They were dedicated to Fouquet, a friend of the writer. In the work, La Fontaine stood up for a dignitary before the king.
Famous acquaintances
Jean de La Fontaine, despite the fact that he lived almost his entire life in Paris, did not have his own apartment in the capital. At first he lived with the Duchess of Bouillon, who patronized him. Then for 20 years he rented a room in a hotel owned by Madame Sablier. When the latter died, the writer moved into the house of a friend.
From 1659 to 1665, La Fontaine was a member of the "Five Friends" club, which included Molière, Boileau, Chappelle and Racine. La Rochefoucauld was also among the writer's friends. The only place where the poet did not have access was the royal palace, since Louis XIV could not tolerate a frivolous writer. This circumstance greatly slowed down the poet’s election to the academy, to which he was accepted only in 1684.
Last years and death
IN recent years Life Lafontaine became a believer, thanks to the influence of Madame Seblier. However, frivolity and absent-mindedness never left him. In 1692, the writer became seriously ill. This event greatly influenced La Fontaine's attitude towards the world. He lost his taste for worldly pleasures and life. The writer turns to God even more and begins to reread the Gospel. Lafontaine is increasingly asking questions about life after death, the existence of hell and heaven. He is worried about the coming punishment.
Creator of Fables
Critics have long talked about the enormous influence Jean de La Fontaine had on the history of literature. The writer's fables are indeed compared to the example of a new literary genre. The poet borrowed the external plot from ancient authors (Aesop, Phaedra), but radically changed the style and content.
In 1668, six volumes of fables were published, bearing the title “Aesop's Fables, Transposed into Poems by La Fontaine.” It was in these books that the most famous works were found, which were later arranged in our country by Krylov.
Originality of the works
In his fables, Jean de La Fontaine pays least attention to the moral side. In his works, he teaches to look at life soberly, to take advantage of people and circumstances. It is no coincidence that his cunning and dexterity triumph, while kindness and simplicity lose. The poet has absolutely no sentimentality - only those who can control their destiny win. In his fables, Lafontaine transferred to paper the whole world, all the creatures living in it and their relationships. The writer shows himself to be an expert on human nature and the mores of society. But he does not criticize all this, but finds touching and funny moments.
La Fontaine's fables were also popular because they had figurative language, an extraordinary rhythmic pattern, and the beauty of poetic digressions.
Jean de La Fontaine, "The Fox and the Grapes"
The plot of the fable is simple: a hungry fox passes by a vineyard. The cheat decides to feast on it. She climbs the fence, but can’t reach the treasured food. After rushing for some time, the fox jumps to the ground and declares that he did not see a single ripe berry.
It is quite easy to recognize a real-life incident in this situation. Often people who were unable to achieve their goal or get some thing say that their idea was useless, and the thing is not really needed.
Film about a writer
In 2007, a painting entitled “Jean de Lafontaine - a challenge to fate” was released. The film was directed by French director Daniel Vigne. The script was written by Jacques Forge. The film tells about the writer's life in Paris. At this time, his noble patron Fouquet, on whom La Fontaine's future depended, was arrested. The poet throws all his strength into helping him. He completely forgets about his family, living in a remote province, and abandons his writing. La Fontaine turns to Boileau, Racine, and Moliere for help, but this is of little use. The poet is saved by the Duchess of Bollonskaya, whom he practically does not know. She helps the poet not only deal with financial problems, but also realize his calling as a writer.