Students of group 133
Yakovleva Olga
Shadrinsk, 2008
Satyricon…………………………………………………………………………………..3
A.T. Averchenko……………………………………………………..….5
“Two crimes of Mr. Vopyagin”……….7
Sasha Cherny………………………………………………………8
Poems………………………………………………………………………………….10
Teffi…………………………………………………………………..11
“Woman’s Book”………………………………………………………..14
Bibliography……………………………………………………….16
Satyricon
Speaking about the main trends of Russian poetry of the Silver Age, poetry schools and individual groups, one cannot fail to mention another association that went down in the history of literature called “Satyricon”.
"Satyricon" was the outlet that is always lacking under the regime in the old sense of the word. The regime was tsarist, life was so-so, and there were plenty of characters and plots to ridicule. This is how Satyricon arose - a caustic and mocking magazine.
April 1, 1908 became a symbolic date. On this day, the first issue of the new weekly magazine “Satyricon” was published in St. Petersburg, which then had a noticeable influence on public consciousness for a whole decade. The first editor-in-chief of the magazine was the artist Alexey Aleksandrovich Radakov (1877-1942), and from the ninth issue this post passed to the satirist writer, playwright and journalist Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko.
The editorial office of the magazine was located on Nevsky Prospekt, in house No. 9. “Satyricon” was a cheerful and caustic publication, sarcastic and angry; in it, witty text interspersed with caustic caricatures, funny anecdotes were replaced by political cartoons. At the same time, the magazine differed from many other humorous publications of those years in its social content: here, without going beyond the bounds of decency, representatives of the authorities, obscurantists, and Black Hundreds were uncompromisingly ridiculed and scourged. The position of the magazine in the last point was determined not so much by writers and journalists with Jewish roots - V. Azov, O. Dymov, O. L. D'Or, but by purebred Russians: A. Averchenko, A. Bukhov, Teffi and others, who gave to anti-Semites far more violently rebuffed than their Jewish counterparts.
Such satirists as V. Knyazev, Sasha Cherny and A. Bukhov were published, L. Andreev, A. Tolstoy, V. Mayakovsky were published, famous Russian artists B. Kustodiev, I. Bilibin, A. Benois provided illustrations. For comparatively short term- from 1908 to 1918 - this satirical magazine (and its later version “New Satyricon”) created a whole trend in Russian literature and an unforgettable era in its history.
Particular credit for such a resounding popularity of "Satyricon" largely belonged to the gifted poets - satirists and humorists who collaborated in the magazine.
The reader quickly appreciated everything that the satirists were trying to convey to him. All of Russia was engrossed in stories, poems, humoresques, epigrams and parodies, which were complemented by brilliant caricatures, cartoons and drawings. “Satyricon” attracted readers because its authors practically abandoned denunciations of specific high-ranking officials. They also did not have the “generally obligatory love for the junior janitor.” After all, stupidity remains stupidity everywhere, vulgarity remains vulgarity, and therefore the desire to show a person such situations when he himself is funny comes to the fore. Objective satire is replaced by “lyrical satire,” self-irony, which allows one to reveal character “from the inside.” This was especially evident in poetry, where the object of satirical or humorous depiction is the lyrical hero.
The work of Sasha Cherny, Teffi, P. Potemkin, V. Goryansky, V. Knyazev, E. Vensky and other leading poets of the Satyricon was presented on its pages in various genres: poetic cartoons, pamphlets, humoresques, parodies, fables, epigrams.
During the heyday of the magazine, in 1911, its publisher M. G. Kornfeld published “General History, processed by Satyricon” in the magazine library. The authors of this brilliant parody-satirical work were Teffi, O. Dymov, Arkady Averchenko and O. L. D’Or; The book was illustrated by satirical artists A. Radakov, A. Yakovlev, A. Yunger and Re-Mi (N. Remizov).
The popularity of Teffi and Averchenko in those years is difficult to find analogues. Suffice it to say that Nicholas II himself read these authors with pleasure and bound their books in leather and satin. And it was not at all by chance that Teffi was assigned to “edit” the beginning of “General History”; knowing whose favorite writer she was, there was no need to fear censorship objections. Thus, speaking against the Duma, the government, officials, bureaucrats of all stripes, Satyricon, with the highest favor, unexpectedly fell into the role of legal opposition; its authors managed to do much more in politics with their poetic and prose creativity than any politician.
However, in May 1913, the magazine split over financial issues. As a result, Averchenko and all the best literary forces left the editorial office and founded the magazine “New Satyricon”. The former Satyricon, under the leadership of Kornfeld, continued to publish for some time, but lost its best authors and, as a result, closed in April 1914. And “New Satyricon” continued to exist successfully (18 issues were published) until the summer of 1918, when it was banned by the Bolsheviks for its counter-revolutionary orientation.
Alas, the fates of the Satyricons were not happy. Someone left their homeland, someone was repressed and died... An attempt to revive the magazine by Russian emigrants was unsuccessful. But a considerable legacy remains, which must certainly find its reader.
A 
Rkadiy
Timofeevich Averchenko
Born on March 15, 1881 in Sevastopol in the family of a poor businessman Timofey Petrovich Averchenko.
Arkady Averchenko graduated from only two classes of the gymnasium, since due to poor eyesight he could not study for a long time and, moreover, in childhood, as a result of an accident, he severely damaged his eye. But the lack of education was compensated over time by natural intelligence, according to the testimony of the writer N. N. Breshkovsky.
Averchenko began working early, at the age of 15, when he joined a private transport office. He didn't last long there, just over a year.
In 1897, Averchenko left to work as a clerk in the Donbass, at the Bryansk mine. He worked at the mine for three years, subsequently writing several stories about life there (“In the Evening,” “Lightning,” etc.).
In 1903, he moved to Kharkov, where on October 31, his first story appeared in the Yuzhny Krai newspaper.
In 1906-1907 he edited the satirical magazines “Bayonet” and “Sword”, and in 1907 he was fired from his next duty station with the words: “You good man, but you’re no good for hell.” After this, in January 1908, A. T. Averchenko left for St. Petersburg, where in the future he would become widely known.
So, in 1908, Averchenko became the secretary of the satirical magazine “Dragonfly” (later renamed “Satyricon”), and in 1913 - its editor.
Averchenko has been successfully working for many years in the magazine’s team with famous people - Teffi, Sasha Cherny, Osip Dymov, N.V. Remizov (Remi), etc. It was there that his most brilliant humorous stories appeared. During Averchenko's work at Satyricon, this magazine became extremely popular; plays based on his stories were staged in many theaters across the country.
In 1910-1912, Averchenko repeatedly traveled around Europe with his satirical friends. These travels provided Averchenko with rich material for creativity, so that in 1912 his book “The Satyricon Expedition to Western Europe” was published, which caused a lot of noise in those days.
After the October Revolution, everything changed dramatically. In August 1918, the Bolsheviks considered the New Satyricon anti-Soviet and closed it. Averchenko and the entire staff of the magazine took a negative position towards Soviet power. In order to return to his native Sevastopol (to Crimea, occupied by the whites), Averchenko had to get into numerous troubles, in particular, making his way through German-occupied Ukraine.
From June 1919, Averchenko worked for the newspaper “Yug” (later “South of Russia”), campaigning for help for the Volunteer Army.
On November 15, 1920, Sevastopol was captured by the Reds. A few days before this, Averchenko managed to sail on a ship to Constantinople.
In Constantinople, Averchenko felt more or less comfortable, since at that time there were a huge number of Russian refugees there, just like him.
In 1921, in Paris, he published a collection of pamphlets, “A Dozen Knives in the Back of the Revolution,” which Lenin called “a highly talented book ... by a White Guard embittered to the point of insanity.” It was followed by the collection “A Dozen Portraits in Boudoir Format.”
Averchenko did not stay in any of these cities for a long time, but moved on June 17, 1922 to Prague for permanent residence.
In 1923, the Berlin publishing house Sever published his collection of emigrant stories, Notes of the Innocent.
Life far from the Motherland, from the native language was very difficult for Averchenko; Many of his works were devoted to this, in particular, the story “The Tragedy of the Russian Writer.”
In the Czech Republic, Averchenko immediately gained popularity; his creative evenings were a resounding success, and many of his stories were translated into Czech.
Name: Arkady Averchenko
Age: 43 years
Place of Birth: Sevastopol, Russia
A place of death: Prague, Czechoslovakia
Activity: Russian writer, satirist
Family status: unknown
Arkady Averchenko - biography
Arkady Averchenko is the author of many satirical stories. His works are also interesting to modern readers, because they contain subtle humor, with the help of which the writer managed to expose human weaknesses and vices that are invariably present in society at all times.
Arkady Averchenko - Early years
Arkady Averchenko was born on March 30, 1881. The satirist's hometown is Sevastopol. The father was a small merchant whose business was so unsuccessful that it led the family to complete ruin. The future writer, as evidenced by his autobiographical works, was forced to receive his education at home, with the help of his older sisters. At the age of fifteen, Averchenko left his hometown and entered service in the Donetsk mine as a clerk. And three years later he got a job at one of the Kharkov joint-stock companies. During this period, the future writer began to write short stories.
The beginning of the work of Arkady Averchenko
The first work in the creative biography of Arkady Averchenko, which was published in the Kharkov literary magazine, was created in 1902. The story was called “The ability to live.” But another creation attracted the attention of critics. “The Righteous” is a story that was published in St. Petersburg. The revolutionary events of 1905 inspired the young writer. During this period, he created many essays and feuilletons, which for the most part were prohibited by censorship.
Arkady Averchenko - Satyricon
Since 1908, Averchenko worked as a secretary in the editorial office of one of the St. Petersburg periodicals. He was able to completely reorganize the work in this organization. First of all, he changed the name of the magazine. “Satyricon” was the name of the literary magazine, which under Averchenko was especially popular among readers. The publication paid great attention to revolutionary, political and social topics. Arkady Averchenko managed to involve not only authors working in the genre of satire, but also such outstanding prose writers and poets as Leonid Andreev and Alexander Kuprin in working on the magazine.
New Satyricon by Arkady Averchenko
Of course, the main employee of Satyricon - the readable magazine in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the century - Averchenko himself appeared. But eight years after Averchenko joined the editorial staff, a split occurred in the magazine. Averchenko’s magazine became “New Satyricon”. Not a single number of this periodical never appeared without a small satirical work by its founder.
Over the years, Averchenko’s literary skills have been honed, and a unique style of the writer has developed. The main and characteristic properties of Averchenko’s stories were exaggeration and depiction of some anecdotal situation, which the author often brought to the point of complete absurdity. His stories were not particularly plausible, and therefore enjoyed even greater success among the so-called intelligent public. By the way, the very word “intelligent” was introduced into everyday speech not without the assistance of the “Satyriconists.”
Arkady Averchenko - Special style
The magazine's employees, led by its editor-in-chief, extremely valued their reputation. They ignored base tastes, stupid buffoonery and direct political engagement were not inherent in them. In their essays and articles, the magazine's staff expressed a somewhat mocking disloyalty. Their position differed favorably in the literary world of that time, where there was a complete absence of censorship.
Averchenko and his comrades certainly welcomed the February revolution. But then unbridledness and “democratic” lawlessness reigned in Russia, which made the writer wary. Like many representatives of the intelligentsia, the Satyriconists perceived what was happening in the country as a monstrous misunderstanding. The works of the now Soviet writer began to contain the most acute humor, bordering on black. Such grotesqueness is inherent in the work of Bulgakov, Ilf, which indicates the influence of the greatest social change on literature and art.
Arkady Averchenko - Emigration and death
In 1918, the “New Satyricon” was banned by the new government. Averchenko fled to the South, where he continued to write and published several anti-Bolshevik essays. In 1920 he managed to leave for Constantinople. Abroad, the writer felt relatively comfortable, since he had the opportunity to communicate with Russian emigrants. Subsequently, Averchenko moved to the Czech Republic, where his works enjoyed wide popularity. Most of them were translated into Czech. In 1925, the Russian writer passed away after a long, serious illness. Averchenko was buried in Prague.
- GOUVPO
- Department of Journalism
- The evolution of the magazine "Satyricon".
Completed by: Mukhametnurova O.U.
(FZHV -201)
Checked: Art. Rev. Ratnikov K.V.
Chelyabinsk
-
2012
Introduction______________________________ ______________________________ 1
§1.1. History of the magazine "Satyricon" _____________________________________3
§2.1. The evolution of the style of satire in the magazine “Satyricon” _______________ 5
Conclusion____________________ ______________________________ __7
List of used literature____________________ ___________8
Introduction
The revolutionary events that took place in the world and, in particular, in Russia at the beginning of the 20th century led to the fact that the Russian public became more liberated. She began to more clearly express her democratic aspirations, not immediately and not directly, but through feuilletons, epigrams and other ironic means. This could not help but be noticed by the press, in which humorous and satirical publications began to develop. One of them is the humorous magazine “Dragonfly” (1875-1918), which, however, soon lost popularity 1. But he gave the basis to another no less bright St. Petersburg satirical magazine “Satyricon” (1908 - 1913). Named after the ancient novel of the same name by the Roman writer Petronius Arbiter, it continued the best traditions of biting satire. Target work - to trace the history of the development and evolution of the magazine "Satyricon". This leads to two tasks: 1. To trace the history of the magazine “Satyricon”. 2. Highlight the main developments and evolution of the magazine “Satyricon”.
The history of the development of this printed publication is full of ups and downs. So the magazine was able to get back on its feet after the First Russian Revolution (1905-1907) and by 1912 to flourish in full bloom (which was greatly facilitated by the policies of P.A. Stolypin and other democratic reforms). Then he fell into the crisis of 1913 and emerged from it renewed, having survived severe attacks from censorship. Already the “New Satyricon” survived until the beginning of 1918. Only after the October Revolution the magazine was closed, and most of the authors ended up in exile.
The main reason for the high popularity of the magazine was that it combined both political satire (directed, for example, against German foreign policy before and during the First World War, against the Black Hundreds, and after October 1917 - against the Bolsheviks) and harmless humor . It was also important that figures of Russian culture of the Silver Age, who are collectively called “Satyriconists,” also took an active part in it. The editor-in-chief of the magazine was Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko, who attracted a galaxy of talented poets and prose writers: Sasha Cherny, Osip Dymov, Teffi, Arkady Bukhov, Leonid Andreev, S. Marshak, A. Kuprin, A.N. Tolstoy, S. Gorodetsky. And in 1915-1917. V.V. collaborated with the New Satyricon. Mayakovsky. Among the main employees were no less talented graphic artists A.A. Radakov, N.V. Remizov-Vasiliev (Remi), A.A. Yunger (Bayan), A.V. Remizova (Miss). Their bold caricatures and caricatures also graced every issue of the bold magazine and were also subject to censorship.
The magazine "Satyricon" left a bright mark on the history of periodicals, exposing in the form of caustic satire the political and social life of Russia at the beginning of the 20th century.
§1.1. History of the magazine "Satyricon"
The eventful history of the magazine “Satyricon” began in the depths of another satirical publication called “Dragonfly”. It was there that in the fall of 1907, the future editor-in-chief of Satyricon, Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko, began working. In 1907, young artists Re-Mi (N.V. Remizov-Vasiliev), A. Radakov, A. Yunger, A. Yakovlev, Miss (A.V. Remizova) and the poet Krasny (K M. Antipov). All of them were dissatisfied with the colorless, empty “Dragonfly” and persistently suggested that the publisher reform it. Oddly enough, Averchenko’s appearance seemed to serve as the final impetus for the cautious editor Kornfeld to agree.
At one of the regular editorial meetings, it was decided to turn Dragonfly from a humorous magazine into a satirical one, reflecting current events in social and political life in the country. They immediately came up with a different name for the magazine. It was suggested by Radakov. He remembered the famous ancient Roman novel “Satyricon” by Gaius Petronius Arbiter, which tells about the nightmarish era of Nero, where the details of life are bizarrely mixed with grotesque images of a disgusting world.
This is how the creative face of the new organ was determined. And on April 3, 1908, instead of the boring Dragonfly, the satirical magazine Satyricon began to be published, which set itself the task of moral correction of society through satire on morals. And “Dragonfly” soon ceased to exist completely. “Satyricon” chose the tactics of socio-political satire, the main object of which was political life. “Satyriconists” made fun of the State Duma, political intrigues and parties. The Satyricons creatively ridiculed everyone who was a stronghold of government and public reaction. Very often and willingly they criticized the Cadet Party, primarily for its behavior in the First State Duma. The symbol of the helplessness of the cadets was the “Vyborg pretzel”. This meant the well-known Vyborg appeal of the Cadets, in which they called on the people “not to pay taxes and to pursue tactics of passive resistance.”
By the end of 1911, there was a clear decline in the political sharpness of the Satyricon. From a frontier satirical organ, it gradually turns into a humorous one, differing less and less from the “Alarm Clock”, “Jester”, “Fragments” that he ridiculed. However, many were not satisfied with this principle of “smiling satire”. So in 1911, Sasha Cherny left Satyricon, not wanting to put up with the fact that the magazine was taking on a “dance class direction.” This decline in radicalism is partly due to the expectations that P.A.’s policy gave. Stolypin and the events of the Trade Union coup, when Nicholas II made significant concessions.
In 1913, a split occurred in the editorial office of the magazine, as a result of which the “New Satyricon” was formed. The immediate cause of the split was monetary misunderstandings and a quarrel between the main shareholders of the magazine: publisher M.G. Kornfeld, on the one hand, and Averchenko, Radakov and Remizov, on the other. According to the agreement concluded between the publisher and employees, Averchenko, Radakov and Remizov had the right to control the economic part of the magazine, and Kornfeld agreed not to increase the subscription and retail fees for the magazine.
New Satyricon continued to exist successfully (18 issues were published) until the summer of 1918, when it was banned by the Bolsheviks for its counter-revolutionary orientation.
- §2.1. The evolution of the style of satire in the magazine "Satyricon"
“Octobrist: We, gentlemen, stand on guard...
Peasant MP (horrified): More guards? Eh, Rosseya!!” 3
However, after the storms of the First Russian Revolution subsided, the laughter of the poets and prose writers of Satyricon becomes more good-natured. In this regard, No. 3 of the satirical publication for 1913, dedicated to the memory of the “unforgettable Kozma Prutkov,” is characteristic. Celebrating the 50th anniversary of their predecessor, satiricists are sophisticated in witty parodies, but their public impact is small. Inflated paradox and sentimental intimacy are increasingly beginning to replace socially significant satire. The pages of the magazine flash naked female bodies, stories about the “atheist artist” and the milliner whom he seduced, Easter, Shrovetide, and Christmas trinkets 4 .
Caricatures of fashionable writers and artists occupied a central place in the magazine. A special section “Russian bed on Parnassus” appeared in this magazine, and the authors of stylized parodies P. Potemkin and S. Gorny 5 became the poetic leaders in the magazine.
By 1912, disagreements began within the editorial board, which soon led to a split. This was evident from the editors of the magazine themselves. So in the New Year's issue of the magazine, drawing a ceremonial parade of employees, A. Radakov depicted Sasha Cherny on the sidelines, “sometimes throwing himself even at his own people.” In 1911, Sasha Cherny broke with the magazine, publicly declaring that he did not share its direction. Meanwhile, liberal critics enthusiastically welcomed Satyricon's turn to humor. In their opinion, the main merit of the magazine was that it was able to entertain Russian society, despondent after 1905, with thoughtless, frivolous laughter.
According to Averchenko, “Satyricon” was supposed to please that part of Russian society that felt the need to shake off the oppressive nightmare of Stolypinism from their souls, breathe freely, and laugh merrily. The magazine offered laughter as a saving grace from melancholy and despondency 6 . He sees the new function of satire of those years in saving the intellectual, drowning in pessimism, and helping the “recovering” part of Russia to have some fun.
But, unfortunately, this strategy was a winning one, since the litigation of war and devastation in the country provided little reason for fun. And the radical reshuffle of political forces after October 1918, when the Bolsheviks became the head of power, completed the logical end of this bright magazine.
- Conclusion
Tired of the faceless humor of “Dragonfly”, “Alarm Clock” and “Fragments”, the young employees of “Satyricon” began to famously criticize politics and the social system and morals in Russia. Only a short respite before the First World War gave rise to the liberal reforms of P.A. Stolypin gave them a reason to switch to smiling and harmless satire. This could not but give reasons for discontent among the radicals (and, first of all, the Bolsheviks). They called such satire “toothless.” Added to this thematic confusion was the discord in the editorial team (especially between A.T. Averchenko and M.G. Kornfeld). And the coming to power of the Bolshevik radicals in October 1917 completed the outcome of this satirical publication.
Thus, the goal of the work has been fulfilled: the history of the creation and development of the magazine “Satyricon” has been traced and the main milestones of its development have been highlighted.
However, even in the 21st century. the traditions of “Satyricon” are alive: in 2006, the electronic magazine “Satyricon – encore!” began life. 7. The artist Alexey Karakovsky deliberately chose a design style in domestic and foreign retro postcards. The name of the magazine is symbolic: “encore,” on the one hand, means continuity from the “New Satyricon” by Arkady Averchenko, and on the other hand, applause.
- List of used literature:
2. Poets of "Satyricon". [Preface G. E. Ryklina. Entry Art. Evstigneeva L.A.], M.L., 1966
3. Cossack V. Lexicon of Russian literature of the 20th century. M., 1996
4. URL: http://www.satirikon.biz/
On the eve of revolutionary upheavals and during the revolutionary era, satirical magazines gained particular popularity. The most famous magazines are "Alarm Clock", "Beach", "Guillotine", "New Satyricon", and the pamphlet organ "Scaffold".
Weekly magazine "New Satyricon". In the foreground is a magazine page with V. Mayakovsky's poem "The Judge" ("Hymn to the Judge").
“For about two decades, we, smart, free people, were ruled by this boring bourgeois couple... Who allowed it? And everyone was silent, endured and sometimes even sang “God Save the Tsar” at the top of their lungs. Who allowed this disgrace and all-Russian mockery of us "Who allowed it? Ay-ya-ay" 1 .
Arkady Averchenko
Into the revolution with satire
The St. Petersburg weekly satirical magazine “Satyricon”, which since 1913 has been called “New Satyricon”, has received well-deserved attention from readers. The magazine originated from the humorous weekly "Dragonfly". The editor and inspirer of the "New Satyricon" was Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko. The Satyriconists, led by the editor-in-chief, were optimistic and enthusiastic about the revolutionary events of February 1917. The slogan “Long live the Republic!” was placed on the cover of all issues. One of the main subjects of satirical works was the royal couple; favorite topics were the politics of the former Emperor Nicholas II and his ministers.
Indicative is the article by Averchenko himself, “What do I think about this,” published in April 1917 and presenting the author’s thoughts on the state Russian state and society.
The authors of satirical and humorous pamphlets were often called to court by those about whom they were written. Thus, Averchenko received a summons to Chelyabinsk to participate in a court hearing at the request of “some Chelyabinsk police officer.” The receipt of the summons and Averchenko’s refusal to attend the meeting, as well as the further absence of any punishment, along with the awareness of complete freedom, prompted the editor of the New Satyricon to think about the state and society of post-revolutionary Russia bordering on anarchy: “The paper is completely fresh, "And what is she now? Where is now "by order of His Majesty"? Where is this strict police officer now? Where are you, my dear?" 2. This idea became a harbinger of the magazine's lack of support for the Bolsheviks in the future.
"Take a rag for a statesman"
Fully and completely welcoming the republic, Averchenko talked about the human essence of Nicholas II: “Somehow in hindsight I’m scared that Nikolai Alexandrovich, sitting on the throne, was not the real emperor of all Russia, but a very ordinary person, just like you and me ... Maybe his ideal is to play screw on the hundredth, plant flowers in the garden at the dacha and, having arrived from the dacha for work in Petrograd (he should serve as an assistant to the head of the department), go to Nevsky in the evening, find the night fairy there and invite her somewhere on Karavannaya, fearfully and timidly change her to his grumpy and domineering wife, but already withered from worries and fuss with the children. Maybe he - this former king - by character and his whole make-up - this is exactly such a person! " In such a disrespectful representation of the emperor, one can trace the destruction of the myth of the tsar’s anointing with God, the sacredness and inviolability of his figure, the overthrow of himself and his entire family to the average representatives of the bourgeois class. However, Averchenko did not feel pity for the fate of the august person, he felt sincere surprise at how such a person could get to the Russian throne: “Excuse me! What’s the matter? How did they allow Nikolai Aleksandrovich Peretykin to do this (if he hadn’t had the surname Romanov, it would have happened) something like that), how did they allow him to walk around in an ermine robe and give audiences to reigning persons and ambassadors,” “And we are good too! Take an icicle, a rag for a statesman!” 3.
The author pays much attention to his own assumptions about the reaction of Nicholas II to the events taking place. To enhance the effect, Averchenko simplified the emperor’s experiences, despite eyewitness accounts of the difficulty of making the decision to abdicate the throne: “To him, Guchkov, worrying and stumbling, proves that he needs to abdicate the throne, but he? Has he shown at least some greatness of a tyrant , did he drop at least one historical phrase?.. They say he sat and stroked his mustache with a pencil. And then, silently signed the renunciation and said after: “Well, okay, I’ll go to Livadia, I’ll plant flowers” 4.
Rigidity, exaggeration and bringing the situation to the point of absurdity became integral features of Arkady Averchenko’s work during this period. The editor's accusatory articles set the general tone for the entire publication. In the April issue of the magazine, under the portraits of the imperial couple, “In Concerns for the Welfare of Loyal Subjects...”, there are photographs of tools found in one of the former police dungeons “for twisting fingers, widening wounds and for rupturing the eardrum during interrogations that are especially important for state purposes” 5 .
Caricature - not in the eyebrow, but in the eye
A favorite topic of satirical journalists of the revolutionary era was the relationship of the imperial family with Germany and, in particular, with Emperor Wilhelm II. The German origin of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna became the immediate reason for her portrayal as a spy, whose only desire was the collapse of Russia from within, which had nothing to do with reality. A striking example of the development of this topic on the pages of the magazine were the published cartoons of Re-mi. The cover of the magazine depicted the Empress behind a counter with a sign: "Supplier of the Court of Wilhelm II. Latest news of the season" - offering representatives of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria a secret plan. Signature under the cartoon: “Selling Russia wholesale and retail. How some “Grand Duchesses” lived and worked.” - How, Your Majesty?! Do you find a million rubles for the plan of this fortress expensive?! But don’t forget that I’m selling you the very dear to me - our dear Russia..." 6
The same issue published a cartoon “How Russian people imagined German spies and what they were really like,” consisting of two drawings. The first depicts a man in a black cloak running across a field with a small lantern in his hands, the second shows Alexandra Feodorovna in the royal phaeton near a military unit with a camera in her hands. The troops salute her, and the empress notes the features of the structure of the fortress 7.
"Protopopov wants to shoot himself while walking"
Not only the imperial family, but also prominent dignitaries in the past were attacked. The favorite figures were the Chairman of the Council of Ministers P.A. Stolypin and Minister of Internal Affairs A.D. Protopopov. A. Radakov’s caricature of the “Stolypin tie” is known, entitled “The Last Consolation”, which became a response to the news that in Kiev a monument to Stolypin was thrown from its pedestal, lifting it by the neck with a crane on iron chains: “Stolypin: - How lucky it turned out, that I used my “Stolypin” tie on others during my lifetime, but it was used on me only a few years after my death..." 8
Sergei Mikheev's poem was awarded to former minister Protopopov, about whom there were rumors of mental illness (in 1917, Protopov was actually diagnosed with bipolar affective disorder, characterized by frequent alternations of symptoms of mania and depression). This was probably the reason for adding the following lines:
The fortress alleys are slumbering
Frost turns silver...
Protopopov on a walk
Wants to shoot himself...
- I'm tired of royal ethics,
Drama crushes my heart...
Eh, I wish I could get a pistol -
I'd like to hit him straight in the forehead...
The soldier answered this,
Looking somehow more strictly:
- This is us without a gun
We can very simply...
Just take heart
And, I will say without flattery,
Run like a fly
I'll put it in place.
There is also time to pray -
Quiet as everywhere else...
But... the suicide screams:
- Uncle!.. I won’t...
The fortress alleys are slumbering,
The evening began to fall...
Someone cried while walking:
- No, I want to shoot myself! 9
"Did you get through? Did you make me a minister?"
The position of minister itself was also ridiculed, as evidenced by N. Radlov’s cartoon “Before, Now.” A counterweight happy family era of tsarism, experiencing joy and pride in the successes of the head of the family, in the lower part of the picture there is a man announcing his appointment to new position with the corresponding signature: “Did you get through? Did you make me a minister? You don’t feel sorry for your family... Don’t cry, Petka, it won’t be any easier anyway...” 10
In 1917, many publications divided the history of Russia into pre- and post-revolutionary. These two Russias are opposed to each other. The February Revolution widely declared the equality of rights of all citizens of the Russian Empire, regardless of gender, nationality, or religion. In turn, the “era of tsarism” became associated with inequality and favoritism. A. Radakov's cartoon "People of First Necessity and Last Necessity" is proof of this. The first part of the caricature depicts Emperor Nicholas II, Empress Alexandra Feodorovna and Grigory Rasputin, giving gifts to the nobles, the highest Russian and foreign officials. The second part of the cartoon illustrates the indifference of the above to the needs of the soldiers dying on the fields of the First World War 11 .
P.S.
These are just some of the examples of the cruel trial of the New Satyricon journalists over the bygone era of old Russia. Despite the opposition to the tsarist regime, the constant development of themes discrediting and overthrowing the authority of the former “masters of life,” the “New Satyricon” did not find a place in Soviet Russia. The October issue of the magazine was signed “With deep malice we dedicate it to the Bolsheviks and internationalists”; the first post-October issues were full of mocking attacks on the Bolsheviks, who were equated to street robbers. For the Satyriconists, the new revolution seemed like chaos. It is not surprising that in July 1918 “New Satyricon” was banned; its ideological inspirer Arkady Averchenko went over to the side of the whites and ended his days in exile.
1. Averchenko A. What do I think about this // New Satyricon. 1917. April. N 14. P. 2.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid. S. 3.
4. Ibid.
5. Concerns for the welfare of loyal subjects // New Satyricon. 1917. April. N 15. P. 2.
6. Wholesale and retail sales to Russia // New Satyricon. 1917. April. N 14. P. 1.
7. About one Grand Duchess // Ibid. S.5.
8. Last consolation // New Satyricon. 1917. April. N 14. P. 4.
9. Mikheev. S. Suicide // Ibid.
10. Before, now // New Satyricon. 1917. June. N 22. P. 13.
11. People of first necessity and last // New Satyricon. 1917. April. N 14. P. 9.
One of the most beloved magazines in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the twentieth century was Satyricon. It originated in the bowels of the editorial office of the old humorous magazine "Dragonfly", which at one time was also loved by readers, but by 1905 it was already quite boring. The young satirist Arkady Timofeevich Averchenko, who published the Beach magazine in Kharkov and moved to St. Petersburg, was invited to the editorial meeting of Dragonflies. His appearance at first caused general discontent and grumbling - why invite an outsider to discuss internal editorial affairs? But within a week, Averchenko, who proposed several poignant and funny topics for cartoons, became indispensable and began working as the editorial secretary.
At that time, a number of talented young artists collaborated with Dragonfly: Re-Mi (N.V. Remizov-Vasiliev), A. Radakov, A. Yakovlev, Miss (A.V. Remizova), poet Krasny (K.M. Antipov). Under the influence of Averchenko, the editorial office decided to publish a new magazine, Satyricon. This name was proposed by Radakov - by analogy with the famous novel “Satyricon” by the ancient writer Gaius Petronius Arbiter. The direction of the new magazine was supposed to be ironic and poisonous, but the irony was supposed to be graceful and calm, without anger and rage - as in the above-mentioned novel.
"Satyricon" began publication in April 1908. In June, both editorial offices – “Dragonfly” and “Satyricon” – united under a new name. In addition to the named artists and poets of Dragonflies, the best satirists and humorists of the capital were involved in the work in “Satyricon” - Pyotr Potemkin, Sasha Cherny, Teffi.
New magazine arose in difficult conditions, when despondency and decline were intensifying, and laughter was turning from accusatory and impudent into a means of oblivion, distraction from troubles and pain. The Satyriconists themselves felt this. No wonder Sasha Cherny, one of the magazine’s most prominent poets, wrote:
And laughter, magical alcohol,
In spite of earthly poison,
Ringing, pain rocks,
Like the waves of a dead naiad.
But by some miracle “Satyricon” remained sharp and caustic for a long time; Later, the Satyriconists began to skillfully use Aesopian language.
In the first issue of the magazine, the editors addressed the readers: “We will bitingly and mercilessly scourge all the lawlessness, lies and vulgarity that reign in our political and social life. Laughter, terrible, poisonous laughter, like the stings of scorpions, will be our weapon.” "Satyricon" was something of an anomaly and allowed itself some rather bold antics. The objects of his satire were the State Duma, its individual deputies and parties, the government and local authorities, including governors general, and reactionary journalists.
For example, it contained cartoons with captions like this:
Lucky: Sorry, I'm not wearing a tie.
- Well, thank the Creator.
This was a transparent allusion to “Stolypin ties” - as gallows nooses were ironically called at that time - a type of execution so widespread during the era of Stolypin’s premiership.
Another caption under the cartoon parodied Chichikov’s famous conversation with the men about the location of the village of Zamanilovka:
– Where is your constitution, brothers?
– Not a constitution, but an execution?
- No, the constitution.
- Execution, it will be to your disadvantage, but there is no constitution! It is called that, that is, its nickname is execution, but there is no constitution at all.
The work methods of A.S. Suvorin’s friend and colleague, the unprincipled journalist V.P. Burenin, were ridiculed in the poems of P. Potemkin:
Siskin rides in a boat
In the rank of admiral,
Should I drink some vodka?
For this reason?
The vodka has been purchased
Splashing in the decanter...
Should I scold Kuprin?
For this reason?
Stolypin’s statement: “The government and the state will steadily guard the people’s representation, protecting the Duma from the powerless attacks of the black crow” - was accompanied by a caricature: a black double-headed eagle claws the Duma.
The Satyriconians were very friendly with each other: they were united by youth, talent, common satirical goals, and the ability to laugh. “The employees of Satyricon,” recalled Chukovsky, “a young magazine, at one time were inseparable from each other and walked everywhere in a crowd. Having seen one, you could say in advance that you would now see the rest. In front stood the chubby Arkady Averchenko, a portly man, very prolific a writer who filled almost half of the magazine with his humor. Walking next to him was Radakov, an artist, a laugher and a bohemian, picturesquely shaggy..."
But times became increasingly harsh. It became necessary to publish satires “on the Turkish Sultan” more and more often, and to introduce the heading “Persian Affairs.” The magazine increasingly began to appear with “blank spots” and editorial announcements about materials removed from the issue by censorship. Satire became smaller, turning its edge on the average person and his vices. In "Satyricon" the laughter became bitter, it sounded tragic, hopeless notes.
In 1913 it was introduced new law about the press, to which the magazine responded with a cartoon by Re-Mi “Sad Note” with the caption: "Editor (standing over the black coffin). I, of course, knew that the printing bill would be shelved, but I did not think that this box would be of this shape." The death of Foma Opiskin was immediately reported - this was the pseudonym of Averchenko, which stood under the most acute materials. In the same year, a final split occurred in the editorial office of Satyricon: a group of employees led by Averchenko began publishing the New Satyricon, which lasted until the beginning of 1918.
Russian emigrants in the 30s tried to revive Satyricon. In 1931, M. Kornfeld in Paris gathered a group of satiricalists and again began publishing the magazine. The first issue of the revived Satyricon was published in April 1931. It was attended by V. Azov, I. Bunin, V. Goryansky, S. Gorny, Don-Aminado (A.P. Shpolyansky), B. Zaitsev, A. Kuprin, Lolo (Munshtein), S. Litovtsev, A. Remizov, Sasha Cherny, S. Yablonovsky. The art department was composed of A. Benois, I. Bilibin, A. Gross, M. Dobuzhinsky, K. Korovin and others. The revived Satyricon did not have much success (only about 20 issues were published). The lack of ties with his homeland harmed him much more than the lack of funds.
Sasha Cherny in 1931, in memory of the magazine dear to his heart, composed the following nostalgic poems:
Above the bluish-gray Fontanka
In good old Petersburg
In low, cozy rooms
"Satyricon" flourished.
Barges were colorful outside the window
With white-trunked firewood,
And opposite the Apraksin Courtyard
Stared ocher into the sky.
In low, cozy rooms
It was noisy and free...
Crazy drawings
Spread out on all the tables...
(Based on the book: Muravyova I.A. Bygone Petersburg. The Century of Art Nouveau. – St. Petersburg: Pushkin Fund Publishing House, 2004)
