The image of the Siberian merchant in the Russian literature at the end of the XVIII - the first half of the XIX centuries

The article presents the image of a merchant, formed in the Russian literature at the end of XVIII - the first half of XIX centuries. The author shows the basic features of merchants in the works of Russian writers. Literature sources such as magazine «Irtysh turning into Ipokren» are considered here. The publisher of this magazine P.P Sumarokov, poet, who was exiled to Tobolsk, and poet N.S. Smirnov, who was also exiled to Siberian, ridiculed the greed, naivety of merchants in fables and epigrams of this magazine. The next work is «Memorials» of commerce adviser and «eminent» merchant P.T. Basnin, published by his grandson P.P. Basnin. In it P.T. Basnin speaks about the oppression of merchants under the reign of Governor N. Treskin. The novel of Irkutsk writer I.T. Kalashnikov «The Daughter of the merchant Zholobova» and «Notes of Irkutsk resident» - are an ode to the merchant class. The works of the famous writer P.P. Ershov «Konyok-gorbunok» and «Grandfather's hat» (Dedushkin kolpak) paint merchant lust for profit and at the same time show the perseverance of merchants to achieve the goal. The well known Siberian writer and social activist P.A. Slovtsov appreciates Tobolsk society in his work «Walk around Tobolsk». And in his «Letters from Siberia» he complains about the lack of educated interlocutors. The journalist and writer N. Polevoy, coming from an old Kursk merchants family, in the «Tales of the Russian soldier» shows merchant's loyalty to habitual way of life and traditions. He creates a positive image of an honest merchant in his short story «A bag of gold.» The writer E.A. Avdeeva-Polevaya in the «Notes and observations about Siberia» says about business honor of merchants. Their household way of life was an example for the rest of the population of Siberian cities not having the nobility. The essays of N.A. Belogolovy - the son of big merchant said about Irkutsk merchants, their good breeding, great desire for education. Thus, on the base of literature works, we can come to the conclusion that the Siberian merchants were outstanding and unique in the history of the region. Merchantry attracted attention of the Siberian sosiety. Studing the works of these writers, we can create the image of the Siberian merchants of the first half of XIX century, which includes an idealization of merchant's features and exaggeration of their vices and shortcomings in connection with various degrees of artistic objectivity of writers and different reasons.

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