The Golovlyov Family

The Golovlyov Family

First edition
Author Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin
Original title Господа Головлёвы
Country Russia
Language Russian
Publisher Otechestvennye Zapiski
Publication date
1880

The Golovlyov Family (Gospoda Golovlyovy, Господа Головлёвы) is a novel by Mikhail Saltykov-Shchedrin, written in the course of five years, first published in 1880 by Alexey Suvorin's publishing house, and generally regarded as the author's magnum opus.[1]

The novel is divided into 7 chapters. The first five were initially published as a series of short stories, part of a cycle called The Well-Meant Speeches (1875–1876) in Otechestvennye Zapiski. In 1876 Saltykov-Shchedrin united all the parts into one novel and added two more chapters to it, which appeared in the same magazine. The book came out in 1881, original texts considerably changed by the author.[2]

The history of publications

Characters

Synopsis

In the mid-19th century old-fashioned estate based on serfdom laws and traditions, tough and shrewd Arina Petrovna tries her best to make her realm prosper and even expand – despite unwillingness of her husband and three of her four children to lend helping hands... Ten years on, serfdom abolished, and now Porfiry-Yudishka, the epitome of a corrupt, cruel hypocrite, becomes the heir to the estate. Dullness and horrors of life, spent in according to just one desire: destroy everybody around him, finally makes him to slowly realize things went somehow wrong. Half-mad, apparently, he goes to the cemetery to "ask for forgiveness" from his mother Arina Petrovna, and dies somewhere along his way, his frozen corpse found the next day. [3]

Screen adaptations

References

  1. Prozorov, V.V. (1990). "М.Е.Saltykov-Shchedrin". Russian Writers. Biobibliographical Dictionary. Vol 2. Ed. P.A.Nikolayev. Мoscow, "Prosveshcheniye" Publishers. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
  2. Goryachkina, M.S. Selected Works by M.E.Saltykov-Shchedrin. Commentaries. Moscow. Khudozhestvennaya Literatura, 1954. P.593
  3. Kharlamova, R.A. "Gospoda Golovlyovy". Classics in Brief (site) // World Literature Masterpieces in Brief. Russian Literature in the 19th Century. Ed. by V.I.Novikov. Moscow. Olymp AST Publishers. 1996. P.832. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Sunday, January 17, 2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.