NS. Leskov "Lefty": description, characters, analysis of the work

One of the most important characters in the story "Lefty" by NS Leskov is a Cossack Platov. During the first few chapters, the reader gets the impression that he is the main character. The author deliberately assigns such a role to the characterization of Platov from the story "Lefty" in order to emphasize how important the character is not only in the plot, but also in the ideological content of the work.

Service with Emperor Alexander

He is a seasoned and courageous soldier who found himself in the service of Tsar Alexander Pavlovich, as well as a simple Russian man who did not like to bend his heart and adapt to others - this is the description of Platov from Levsha.

The emperor believed: “We, Russians, are worthless with our importance,” therefore he spent almost all the time abroad, admiring other people's skills, and the Cossack Platov was forced to accompany him on his trips. He did not admire the achievements of the British, saying that Russian masters can create inventions no worse, but the emperor constantly besieged him, repeating: "Do not spoil my politics." The tsar simply blindly admired everything foreign, which made the Cossack very upset. After all, faith in a Russian person is one of the most important qualities of Platov.

Pain and resentment from the relationship of the king to his people

The situation was indicative when the tsar, visiting one after another English cabinet of curiosities, came to a real delight from a gun of the finest work. The British were flattered and pleased. But when Platov opened the product and saw there a note that it was created by a Russian gunsmith, he was overjoyed. The Russian warrior hoped that the tsar would also be happy and proud. However, the emperor became very ashamed and uncomfortable in front of the British, because because of his subordinate they were in an uncomfortable position.

Platov reacted sharply and painfully to such behavior of the tsar. The image of Platov in the story "Lefty" personifies a person with high patriotic feelings. NS. Leskov showed how important it was for a subject to influence the Tsar's opinion about his country, on which its future depends.

An opportunity to prove the power of folk art

Returning home, Platov retired. However, when the new Tsar Nikolai Pavlovich ascended the throne and tried to understand what kind of English gift it was in the form of a dancing flea, Platov immediately arrived at the court and told everything as it was. Seeing Platov's faith in the strength and intelligence of the Russian man, the emperor instructed him to go to Tula, show the local craftsmen there an English invention and ask them to create something similar.

Justified cruelty

Platov showed some cruelty when he demanded that the Tula masters show their invention. He also rather harshly treated Lefty when he brought him to Petersburg, almost pulling out his remaining hair. However, even such a characterization of Platov from the tale "Lefty" once again proves his devotion to the Fatherland and the new Tsar Nikolai Pavlovich, who was so confident in the high abilities of the Russian people, unlike his predecessor. Therefore, Platov was afraid to disappoint him. But, realizing his mistake, he changed his attitude towards the great folk craftsman Lefty and apologized to him.

The answer left the guest

Characteristic:
Russian emperor. He is a big fan of English culture, admires the technical inventions of this country. Arriving in England with Ataman Platov, A.P. admires various interesting things, innovations that the British proudly demonstrate to him. He does not dare to show them the products and achievements of Russian masters in opposition to them. AP is a politician, he is afraid to spoil relations with the British, he lacks the proper patriotism. He is opposed by his brother Nikolai Pavlovich and chieftain Platov, who are many great patriots and painfully experience the humiliation of the Russian people.

W Quotes:
1) one oblique left-hander, a birthmark on the cheek, and the hairs on the temples were torn out during training
2) Although he has an Ovechkin's fur coat, so is the soul of a human

3) - And your name is here? - asked the sovereign.

Not at all, - the left-hander answers, - my one is not.

Why is that?

And because, - he says, - I worked smaller than these horseshoes: I forged carnations, which are stuffed in the horseshoes - no small scope can take there anymore.

4) - Forgive me, brother, that I tore you by the hair.

The left-hander answers:

God will forgive - this is not the first time we have such a snow on our heads.

We are poor people and because of our poverty we do not have our own small-scale scope, but with us we have aimed our eyes like that.
5) The courier said:

He is left-handed and does everything with his left hand.

The British began to be even more surprised - and began to pump wine over both the left-handed man and the courier and spent three whole days doing so, and then they said: "Now that's enough." They took the water with the erfix over the symphony and, completely refreshed, began to ask the left-hander: where did he study and what did he learn and how long does he know arithmetic?

The left-hander answers:

Our science is simple: but the Psalter and according to Half-Dream, and we do not know arithmetic in the least.

The British looked at each other and said:

It is amazing.

And Lefty answers them:

We have it so everywhere.

And what is this, - they ask, - for the book in Russia "Half Dream"?

This, - he says, - is a book that refers to the fact that if in the Psalter King David unclearly revealed anything about fortune-telling, then in Half-Dream the addition is guessed.

They say:

It's a pity, it would be better if you knew at least four rules of addition from arithmetic at least, then you would be much more useful than the whole Half-Dream. Then you could figure out that in every machine there is a calculation of force; otherwise you are very skillful in your hands, but you didn’t realize that such a small machine, like in the nymphosoria, is designed for the most accurate accuracy and cannot bear its horseshoes. Through this now nymphozoria does not jump and dance.

The left-hander agreed.

About this, - he says, - there is no doubt that we have not gone into the sciences, but only faithful to our fatherland.

And the British tell him:

Stay with us, we will give you great education, and you will become an amazing master.

But the left-hander did not agree to this.

I, - he says, - have parents at home.

The British called themselves to send money to his parents, but the left-hander did not take it.

We, - he says, - are committed to our homeland, and my old man is already an old man, and my parent is an old woman and are used to going to church in her parish, and I will be very bored here alone, because I am still a bachelor.

You, they say, will get used to it, you will accept our law, and we will marry you.

This, - answered the left-hander, - can never be.

Why is that?

Because, - he replies, - that our Russian faith is the most correct, and as our righteous fathers believed, the descendants should also believe in the same way.

In 1814, Emperor Alexander Pavlovich traveled across Europe, accompanied by the Don Cossack Platov:

"When Emperor Alexander Pavlovich graduated from the Vienna Council, he wanted to travel around Europe and see miracles in different states ... With him was the Don Cossack Platov ..."

In Europe, everyone likes Emperor Alexander because of his gentleness:

"... everywhere, through his gentleness, he always had the most internecine conversations with all sorts of people ..."

Traveling around Europe, Alexander I studies the achievements of science, technology and art from different countries. The Tsar really likes foreign inventions:

"The British ... invented various tricks to captivate him with their strangeness and distract from the Russians, and in many cases they achieved this ..."

“The British immediately began to show various surprises and explain what's what…. The sovereign rejoices at all this, everything seems to him very good ... "

Cossack Platov, accompanying the king, does not share this enthusiasm. Platov argues with the tsar, claiming that "our home is no worse than ours":

“And as soon as Platov notices that the sovereign is very interested in something foreign, then all the escorts are silent, and Platov will now say: so and so, and we have our own at home, not worse, and will take something away.”

In London, the British give Alexander I an amazing steel flea:

“This is our humble offering to Your Majesty.<…>This, - they answer, - is not a speck, but a nymphosoria. "

For the invention of this flea, Alexander orders to give the British a million:

"The sovereign immediately ordered the British to give a million in whatever money they want - they want it in silver patches, they want it in small banknotes."

Having presented Alexander with a flea, the British refuse to give a cover to her - and this despite the million he gave them. The soft, weak-minded Alexander is afraid to "spoil the politics", so he gives in to the cunning Englishmen and pays separately for the cover:

“Leave me, please, it's none of your business - don't spoil my politics. They have their own custom. "

The weak-willed Alexander does not protest against the "fraud" of the British. He justifies this trick with some kind of "custom":

"They have their own custom."

After a trip to England, Alexander I admits that Russian masters are worse than English ones and that they are "worthless":

"... The sovereign thought so that the British have no equal in art ..."

"... You will no longer argue that we, Russians, are worthless with our meaning."

Platov advises Alexander I to change the "rules of life, science and food" in Russia - then Russian craftsmen will work no worse than the British. However, the tsar does not heed the advice of the Cossack:

“And he imagined to the sovereign that the English masters had completely different rules of life, science and food, and each person had all the absolute circumstances in front of him, and therefore he had a completely different meaning.The sovereign did not want to listen to this for a long time, and Platov, seeing this, did not intensify. "

Military affairs lead to melancholy (sadness, melancholy) on the soft and sensitive king. He leaves for Taganrog:

"... The sovereign became melancholy from military affairs and he wanted to have a spiritual confession in Taganrog with priest Fedot."

After the death of Alexander I, the box with the flea passed to his brother, Emperor Nicholas I:

"An amazing flea made of Aglitsk blued steel remained with Alexander Pavlovich in a box under a fishbone until he died in Taganrog, giving it to the priest Fedot, so that he would hand it over to the empress when she calmed down."

Criticism about the image of Alexander Pavlovich in "Lefty"

“It is important to pay attention ... how the Russian tsars behave. Alexander, the winner in the war with Napoleon, in relations with the British appears, oddly enough, as a weak-hearted, impermissibly infantile, easily inspired, and most importantly, indifferent to the national interests of his country.

The very "gentleness" of Alexander, about which ... the narrator speaks, in fact turns into "emptyness", sentimental sensitivity, which is not at all befitting the king of a mighty state.

Alexander's readiness to mindlessly admire all the rarities that the British demonstrate to him, not without insidious intent, reveals the complete absence of patriotic feelings in this head of state.<…>

Alexander takes the flea presented by the British with him to Russia, and does not think about the possibility of any retaliatory step that would make the British doubt their superiority over the Russians.

The new Russian autocrat, Nicholas I, is a ruler of an incomparably stronger character ...<…>Nikolai's self-serving patriotism ... is subject to unconditional ridicule, as is Alexander's lightweight Anglomancy. "

(I. V. Stolyarova, "Leskov. Complete works in 30 volumes", introductory article to volume 1, 1996)

The story of N.S. Leskov's "Lefty" was published in 1881. The plot of the work combines historical facts and fictional events. The actions described in the story relate to the period of the reign of the Russian Emperor Alexander I.

The image of Alexander Pavlovich, the main character of the work, is very conditionally similar to the image of Alexander I. This image can be considered a caricature. Leskov has a negative attitude towards the hero, who was an adherent of everything that was created and produced in the West. At the time of his visit to England, he never ceases to be amazed and admired the products of English craftsmen. The British, by the way, went out of their way to impress Alexander Pavlovich, to cause his delight.

Among the innovations and outlandish items, the emperor was shown a flea made of steel. In addition to the fact that this flea was negligible, it could dance. It was a mechanical toy. The astonished Alexander Petrovich bought it for a million rubles and brought it home to St. Petersburg. Accompanied by the emperor Platov - the ataman of the Don Cossack Host. As a patriot of Russia, he was negative about the emperor's commitment to everything foreign.

After the death of Alexander I, his brother, Emperor Nicholas I, ascended the throne. Among the things that belonged to his brother, he found a flea brought from England. But I could not understand in any way what it is and how it works. I had to call ataman Platov to the court. He explained the principle of the flea. But he did not fail to notice that Russian craftsmen know their craft and will not yield to the British.

Emperor Nikolai Petrovich also believed that Russian masters would surpass English masters. Therefore, he sent the chieftain to the city of gunsmiths - Tulu. Arriving in Tula, Platov found the most famous gunsmiths. Among them was Lefty. These artisans had to make some curiosity so that the British could wipe their nose.

And such a thing was made by Tula craftsmen. It was a microscopic flea, all of whose limbs were shod. The emperor and his entourage were in indescribable delight. It was decided to send Lefty, along with his craft, to England. The left-hander who visited England was asked to stay there. But the Russian craftsman refused.

The simple Russian craftsman turned out to be more than just an excellent craftsman. He turned out to be much more patriotic than Alexander Pavlovich, who clearly lacked patriotism.

Option 2

The famous work "Lefty" was published at the end of the 19th century. The story contains not only facts from history, but also a share of fiction. All the actions that take place in the story fall on the period of the great Russian emperor Alexander I.

Alexander Pavlovich is the protagonist of the work, somewhat similar to Alexander I. This character can be confidently called a caricature. The author himself has a very negative attitude towards the hero, who was an ardent adherent of everything connected with the West. When Alexander visited England, he always admired everything that was done there. In addition, the English masters tried very hard to surprise the Russian emperor. Most of all, the hero was struck by such a miracle as a flea, which was made of steel. In addition, this curiosity was small, but it also moved rhythmically. There was no chapel to the emperor's delight, he bought it for a lot of money and brought it home to show everyone there. During the entire trip, Alexander was accompanied by the well-known ataman Platov. He was a true patriot of his state and had a rather negative attitude to all this.

After Alexander I died, his throne passed by inheritance - to Nicholas I. Among all the things that belonged to Alexander, Nicholas found the very flea. However, he could not understand in any way what this curiosity was. Then he decided to ask ataman Platov, who carefully explained everything to the new emperor, however, he noticed that Russian masters can do this no worse than Western ones.

Nikolai Petrovich believed the same, because he was a patriot of the Russian Empire, his state. Then he decided to send the chieftain to Tula, to the city of armourers. When Platov arrived there, he immediately found the craftsmen of this skill. Among them, of course, was Lefty. The task was set for the masters: to do some unusual thing in order to wipe the nose of foreigners.

And of course it worked. Tula masters coped with their task. It was also a flea, only she did not dance, but was shod. The emperor was delighted. Nikolai decided to send the Tula master Lefty to England to demonstrate his miracle there. The British, too, were delighted with the curiosity and offered the master to stay with them, however, Lefty refused.

Lefty was not only a great master of his craft, but also a patriot of his country. He did not want to stay in England, as he loved Russia and his emperor with all his heart. Unfortunately, Alexander Pavlovich just did not have enough of this love for the Fatherland.

Composition Description and image of Alexander Pavlovich

In the story of Nikolai Semyonovich Leskov "Lefty", the Russian emperor Alexander Pavlovich goes abroad to look at curiosities. The emperor is shown many wonders, he is surprised at everything and admires the overseas masters. Alexander Pavlovich took with him on the trip Platov, who is a Don Cossack. Platov is a patriot of his country, unlike the emperor.

The British are trying in every possible way to surprise Alexander Pavlovich, but Platov always refutes all their efforts. Alexander Pavlovich was a very gentle emperor and could not firmly answer and insist on something, so many used it. It was easy to surprise him with simple things that the masters of Russia could do in the same way, but it seemed to Alexander Pavlovich that this was not so.

You can even say that Alexander Pavlovich was a naive person, he liked to travel in search of something new, but he did not notice that he had all this in his homeland. Platov tried in every possible way to tell the emperor that it was time to go home, that there were enough curiosities at home, but Alexander Pavlovich did not pay attention to this.

From the British, Andrei Pavlovich brought a flea that can dance dance. Still, the British managed to surprise the Russian emperor, despite the skepticism of his accompanying Platov. Andrei Pavlovich was very well-mannered and did not want to spoil normal relations between Russia and foreign politicians.

Emperor Alexander Pavlovich was offended by Platov's attitude to the curiosities shown by the British, so at the end of the trip he did not want to take him with him to Priest Fedot. After his death, his place was taken by his brother Nikolai Pavlovich, who loved everything about his Motherland and did not immediately find the box with the flea that Alexander Pavlovich had brought. The brother decided to keep the foreign curiosity in honor of his deceased brother, who was very kind and naive.

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