The main stages of the life and work of Oliver Goldsmith, the creator of the sentimental novel genre. Biography and review of Oliver Goldsmith's work

Night of Mistakes (She Humiliates herself to Win, or Night of Mistakes) is a comedy by Oliver Goldsmith. The premiere took place at London's Covent Garden Theater on May 15, 1773. The play was a stunning success: 13 performances until the end of the season. That same year the play ran for four individual publications. Original title- “Night of Errors” - was replaced with a more extensive one (thanks to J. Dryden, who really liked the play). The plot is based on real incident from the life of the author. It is believed that “The Night of Errors” was written in opposition to the sentimental comedies of H. Kelly “False Scrupulosity” (1768) and R. Cumberland “The Hindu” (1771). Goldsmith substantiated the principles and aesthetics of a real “merry comedy” in his treatise “An Essay on the Theater, or a Comparison of Merry and Sentimental Comedy” (1772). “Night of Errors” became the embodiment of theoretical postulates and was created in best traditions English classic comedy morals

As in D. Farquer's farce "The Cunning Plan of the Fops" (1707), in Goldsmith's play "The Night of Errors" the development comic situation occurs due to a misunderstanding, or mistake: the young rogue Tony Lumpkin tries to play a joke on two traveling gentlemen and directs them instead of a hotel to the house of Mr. Hardcastle, who is waiting for the son of his friend Sir Charles Marlowe to visit. Not knowing where they ended up, young people behave recklessly, and misunderstandings multiply. Goldsmith resorts to the technique of “double irony” (for example, in the episode with the “theft” of Constance Neville’s jewelry), but the author does not pursue didactic purpose, - his task is to make the viewer laugh. The most comical character is Tony Lumpkin, his irrepressible antics and jokes are a kind of engine of the plot. The master's daughter Kate disguises herself as a maid to seduce young Marlow, who finds himself in a very awkward position. The dialogues between Marlow and Mr. Hardcastle, Marlow and Kate, and the skirmishes between Mrs. Hardcastle and Tony are masterfully constructed with humor.

Samuel Johnson admitted that he Lately he had not seen a comedy “that would not only amuse the audience, but make it a little happier.” G. Walpole held the opposite opinion: “I condemn not the theme of the play itself (although it is vulgar), but its embodiment. The result is no morality, no edification. The play is opposed to sentimental comedy, but is no better than it.”

Goldsmith's Night of Errors was no less popular in America than in England. Musical version entitled “Two Roses” was a success on the New York stage (November 21, 1904, directed by S. Strange). Many theater stars played in this play, among them: Charles Kemble, Mrs. Langtry, Fanny Davenport, Rose Coghlan, Annie Russell, Julia Marlowe, Mary Shaw, Sidney Drew, Robert Mantell, Cyril Maude. In New York, productions were revived in 1905, 1924 and 1928. A surge of interest in the play was observed in the 1930s.

In Russia, acquaintance with Goldsmith's comedy began with late XVIII century. Pushkin scholars consider it one of the probable sources of the story “The Young Lady-Peasant”.

Oliver Goldsmith (10 November 1730 - 4 April 1774) was an English novelist, poet and playwright of Irish descent. bright representative sentimentalism.

Biography

Son of a priest. In 1749 he graduated from Trinity College in Dublin and tried to continue his medical education in Edinburgh. Without receiving a diploma, the self-proclaimed “Doctor Goldsmith” went on a trip to Europe, from where in 1756 he arrived in London penniless and got a job as an assistant pharmacist. His journalistic essays in large quantities were published in the London press, but among the many beginning authors, Goldsmith stood out favorably for his grace and lightness of style.

Social and everyday essays with satirical overtones “Citizen of the World, or Letters Chinese philosopher, living in London, to his friends in the East" (1762) brought him fame and allowed him to enter the circle of intellectuals led by Samuel Johnson, Edmund Burke and Joshua Reynolds. In 1764, the company founded its own club, of which Goldsmith was among the nine founding members. In the same year, his poem “The Traveler” received great attention, comparing national customs and the degree of satisfaction with life in different parts of Europe.

The habit of living large dragged Goldsmith into debt, and he was forced to earn money by compiling compilation histories of Greece, Rome and England. In 1766, he decided to publish the sentimental and melodramatic novel “The Vicar of Wakefield”, written four years earlier, which vividly describes the persecution of a virtuous priest by a landowner against the backdrop of an idealized rural life. The novel was a huge success, and in 1770 Goldsmith returned to its main themes in the poetic anti-idyll The Deserted Village.

Goldsmith's last major work was the farce "The Night of Errors, or Humiliation before Pride" (1773), which did not leave the English stage until the 20th century. A year later, the 43-year-old writer died suddenly and was buried in the Temple Church. 15 days after his death, “Retribution” appeared in print - a series of satirical portraits of his contemporaries, dressed by Goldsmith in the form of humorous epitaphs.

With his pock-marked face and gift of wit, Goldsmith was always the subject of discussion and admiration in London society. As a gambler and a narrow-minded wit, he is depicted in Boswell’s “Life of Samuel Johnson,” who wrote about him that “there is no wiser man with a pen in his hand, or more foolish without it.” A more objective description is contained in the biography of Goldsmith written by Washington Irving.

Works

- “Citizen of the World, or Letters from a Chinese Philosopher Living in London to His Friends in the East” (1762).
- “The Traveler” (1764).
- “The Priest of Wakefield” (1766).
- “The Abandoned Village” (1770).
- “The Night of Errors, or Humiliation rather than Pride” (1773), English. "She Stoops to Conquer".

Film adaptations

- “Night of Errors, or Humiliation rather than Pride” (1773) - Night of Errors (1974) - director Mikhail Kozakov

Oliver Goldsmith (1728-1774) was born in the Irish village of Pallas (County Longford) into the family of a village priest, who soon moved to another Irish village - Lissoy, with which Goldsmith has connections best memories childhood, reflected in his works. There, under the guidance of a village teacher, Goldsmith began his education. In the autumn of 1758, Goldsmith undertook the publication of a weekly satirical sheet "The Bee" only eight issues were published). Goldsmith wrote articles not only for his own magazine, Bees, but also for a number of other magazines. All these articles were published as a separate book in 1765.

During 1760-1761 Goldsmith published his “Chinese Letters” in the newspaper “Public Gazette”, which he published in 1762 as a separate book entitled “The Citizen of the World, or Letters from a Chinese Philosopher Living in London to His Friends in the East” (The Citizen of the World.). During this period, Goldsmith met the then maker of literary taste, the critic Samuel Johnson, who immediately appreciated his talent.

Goldsmith already had the manuscripts of his famous “The Priest of Wakefield” and the poem “The Traveler” ready when their author was sent to debtor’s prison. The advance received for the novel helped Goldsmith out, but the publisher delayed publishing the book for several more years. Only success The Traveler, published in December 1764, but dated 1765, finally prompted the publisher to publish The Vicar of Wakefield, 1766..

Goldsmith found himself at the pinnacle of fame. He became an honorary member of the Literary Club, which included his close friends - Samuel Johnson, publicist Burke, artist Reynolds, etc.

In 1768, Goldsmith wrote his first comedy, The Good-natur'd Man. In 1770 his famous poem “The Deserted Village” was published, and in 1773 his second comedy “She Stoops to Conquer, etc.” was published. In addition, Goldsmith penned biographies of the famous dandy and dandy Richard Nash, the poet Parnell, the philosopher and politician Bolingbroke, books on the history of England and Rome, “A History of the Earth and Animated Nature” (1774) and many other works are the fruits of professional literary work.

Only one thing emerged from Goldsmith's journal work. great work- "Citizen of the world". An example of this genre, like many genres of the 18th century, was already available in “The Spectator” - in one of the letters composed by Steele based on the idea submitted by Swift (May 27, 1711). But this genre gained widespread success only with the advent of Montesquieu’s unsurpassed “Persian Letters” (1721). They served as a model for Goldsmith. As with all works of this genre, Goldsmith uses the humor of relativity. He describes English life through the perception of an Easterner. Lien Chi is surprised to hear a man sitting in a debtor's prison praising English freedom. Watching the magnificent departure of a noble lord, Lien Chi assumes that he sees a very worthy and honored person, and is amazed to learn that only the distant ancestors of the lord were heroes and statesmen, but after one of them married a cook, and she cheated on him with a groom, all subsequent generations were only interested in good cuisine and good stables.

Free from the illusions of Europeans, Lien Chi immediately notices everything that does not catch the eye of the British: he sees that the seven-year war between England and France is being waged essentially because of Canadian furs, that selective the fight is on between supporters of imported gin and domestic brandy, etc. It is not for nothing that Lien Chi calls himself a citizen of the world: he has traveled to many countries, comprehended the relativity of all national customs, and only “folly, ignorance and vice” in any country are funny to him.

Chinese origin Goldsmith uses his hero to introduce Chinese stories, parables and fairy tales, in which, under a transparent exotic veil, the same English life. Such, for example, is a witty tale about a prince who, instead of government affairs, was engaged in collecting mice and was ready to give half his kingdom for a white mouse with green eyes. The free genre of friendly letters allows Goldsmith to devote a lot of space to discussions on common topics. Thus, he touches, without naming names, on Rousseau’s dispute with the encyclopedists about the benefits and harms of science. Goldsmith tries to reconcile both points of view, arguing that science is harmful to primitive society and useful to civilized society. But in general, he still joins Rousseau’s opponents, arguing that the development of luxury and, as a consequence, the development of sciences lead to an improvement in morals; at civilized man there are many vices, the savage has few, but his vices are many times more terrible and grosser. Subsequently, in The Deserted Village, Goldsmith took a different point of view regarding the influence of luxury on morals and moved significantly closer to Rousseau.

However, in “Citizen of the World” there are statements that are very reminiscent of Rousseau. This is, for example, the beginning of the fifteenth letter: “Man was born to live in innocence and simplicity, but he departed from nature; he was born to share in the blessings of heaven, but he monopolized them.”

Goldsmith attached special meaning his poetic experiences. Among Goldsmith's minor poems, the remarkable song of the deceived girl from "The Vicar of Wakefield" and the ballad about Edwin and Angelina from the same novel stand out. But most of His poems are not lyrical, but humorous in nature. These are “Retaliations” (1774) and “Game” (1776), dedicated to the description of friendly feasts, as well as comic “elegies” in which Goldsmith parodies the flattering elegies on the death of a noble person, common in the literature of classicism.

Goldsmith's first poem, "The Traveler", made a great impression on his contemporaries. Johnson believed that such a beautiful poem had not appeared since the time of Pope. In terms of its stylistic characteristics, this poem, written in “heroic couplets” and constructed according to a strict plan, does not go beyond the scope of classicism. Thomson, in one of his letters, expressed the opinion that it would be a very interesting task for a poet to paint “the poetic landscape of individual countries, mixed with moral observations on their character and people.” “Poetic landscape,” however, is almost absent in “The Traveler,” completely giving way to “moral observations.” The model for Goldsmith was rather the poetic “Letter from Italy to Lord Halifax” by Addison, which Goldsmith himself included in the collection “The Beauties of English Poetry” (1767). What Goldsmith brought to this genre was the strengthening of the lyrical element. The author turns into lyrical hero poems. Climbing to the peaks of the Alps, he looks at the countries spread out before him; we sympathize with his longing for his homeland, we listen to his reasoning about the shortcomings of the system of various states; we sympathize with the traveler who does not know where to lay his head. Goldsmith's "Traveller" is a distant ancestor of "Childe Harold".

Some of the motifs and images of the last part of the Traveler, depicting England, were fully developed in another Goldsmith poem, “The Deserted Village,” written eight years later. “The Abandoned Village” is a much less rationalistic work than “The Traveler.” There is more immediate feeling and more real experience. “The Abandoned Village” is both an idyll and an elegy. The past of this village, its way of life, its people are described idyllically.

In the field of drama, Goldsmith shows great conservatism. He insists on a strict separation between tragedy and comedy and considers all intermediate forms to be “bastards.” However, in “Citizen of the World,” Goldsmith gives a very sharp characterization of the traditional “high tragedy”: “With what indignation I listen as the heroes of tragedy, whose greatest disasters are based on arrogance and pride, complain of misfortunes and difficulties! Their most cruel sufferings are mere pleasures in comparison with what many poor people meekly endure every day.”

However, there was no tragedy depicting the life of the poor, and attempts made at that time to elect heroes dramatic work the modest, virtuous bourgeois did not receive any sympathy from Goldsmith.

Goldsmith deliberately contrasts his comedies with “tearful comedy,” returning to Moliere and English comedy genre times of the Restoration. Both of Goldsmith's comedies, The Good Man and She Humbles to Conquer, were attacked for being "crude" and contrasting with the "nobility" of the sentiments of the maudlin comedy.

But Goldsmith's "rudeness" was only frank and unconstrained fun. During the reign of maudlin and serious comedy, Goldsmith preserved the brilliant realistic comedy of intrigue and character that Sheridan and Beaumarchais later revived.

"The Vicar of Wakefield" completes a series of remarkable English novels XVIII century. Realistic novel gradually freed himself from the stringing together of adventurous episodes, characteristic of Defoe, Fielding and Small-

lettu; the action became increasingly concentrated around the fate of several individuals, usually associated family relationships. "The Wakefield Priest" is a further step in this direction. The narrative includes only what is connected with the fate of the close-knit family of vicar Primrose. Through the history of this family, all other relationships in society are shown.

In "The Vicar of Wakefield" the patriarchal purity of rural morals is contrasted with the corruption of the city and big world. Goldsmith says about his hero in the preface: “In these times of excessive luxury and refinement of morals, can such a type please the public? Hunters of high society life will disdainfully turn away from his modest home in the bosom of rural simplicity.”

However, Goldsmith himself makes fun of the patriarchal limitations of this “modest hearth.” He endows all members of Primrose's family with a variety of comic traits. The lovingly depicted character of Vicar Primrose himself - a variant of the type of beautiful-hearted eccentric already familiar to us from Fielding and Smollett - is the best in Goldsmith's novel. When they tell him that he is ruined and therefore advise him to be more modest, he, on the contrary, behaves even more independently, because “the loss of a fortune brings pride worthy person It’s only increasing.” He is unable to suspect others of insidious plans and therefore easily gets into trouble. He is considered a wise man only in a narrow family circle, but even here all his authority and all his admonitions cannot overcome the ridiculous vanity of his wife and daughters. With all Goldsmith's sympathy for excellent qualities of his hero, a realistic feeling forces him to introduce ironic motives into the interpretation of Primrose. Thanks to this good-natured irony, Goldsmith's “moral and Christian” novel, as Goethe notes, is devoid of “hypocrisy and pedantry,” but is full of a philosophy of submission to fate and pious hopes in Providence.

Meanwhile, Squire Allworthy falls seriously ill. Feeling the end approaching, he gives his final orders regarding the inheritance. Only Tom, who passionately loves his adopted father, is inconsolable, while everyone else, including Blifil, is only concerned about his share of the inheritance. A messenger arrives at the house and brings a message that Bridget Allworthy, who was away from the estate for several days, has suddenly died. By the evening of the same day, the squire feels better and is clearly on the mend. Tom is so happy that even Bridget's death cannot darken his joy. Wanting to celebrate the recovery of the named father, he gets drunk, which causes condemnation from others.

Squire Western dreams of marrying his daughter to Blifil. This seems to him to be an extremely profitable business, since Blifil is the heir to most of Allworthy's fortune. Not even interested in my daughter's opinion. Western hurries to get Allworthy's consent to the marriage. The wedding day has already been set, but Sophia unexpectedly announces to her father that she will never become Blifil’s wife. The angry father locks her in the room, hoping that she will come to her senses.

At this time, Blifil, who had secretly hated Tom since childhood, because he feared that most of the inheritance would go to the foundling, hatched an insidious plan. Exaggerating the colors, he tells the squire about Tom’s unworthy behavior on the very day when Allworthy was on the verge of death. Since all the servants witnessed the riotous fun of the tipsy Tom, Blifil manages to convince the squire that Tom was happy about his imminent death and that he would soon become the owner of a considerable fortune. Believing Blifil, the angry squire throws Tom out of the house.

Tom writes to Sophia Farewell letter, realizing that, despite his ardent love for her, now that he is doomed to wandering and a miserable life, he has no right to count on her favor and ask for her hand. Tom leaves the estate, intending to become a sailor. Sophia, desperate to beg her father not to marry her to Blifil, whom she hates, runs away from home.

At a provincial hotel, Tom accidentally meets Partridge, the same teacher whom Allworthy once expelled from his village, considering him the father of a foundling. Partridge convinces young man that he suffered innocently, and asks permission to accompany Tom on his travels.

On the way to the city of Epton, Tom saves a woman, a certain Mrs. Waters, from the hands of a rapist. At a city hotel, Mrs. Waters, who immediately took a liking to the handsome Tom, easily seduces him.

At this time, Sophia, who is heading to London, hoping to find shelter with an old friend of their family, also stays at the Epton hotel and is happy to learn that Tom is among the guests. However, upon hearing that he cheated on her, the angry girl, as a sign that she knows everything about her lover’s behavior, leaves her muff in his room and leaves Upton in tears. By a lucky coincidence, Sophia’s cousin, Mrs. Fitzpatrick, who ran away from her husband, a scoundrel and libertine, also stays at the same hotel. She invites Sophia to hide from her pursuers together. In fact, immediately after the fugitives leave, Sophia's furious father and Mr. Fitzpatrick arrive at the hotel.

In the morning, Tom realizes why Sophia did not want to see him, and in despair leaves the hotel, hoping to catch up with his beloved and receive her forgiveness.

In London, Sophia finds Lady Bellaston. She welcomes the girl cordially and, hearing her sad story, promises her his help.

Tom and Partridge soon also arrive in London. After a long search, Tom manages to get on the trail of his beloved, but her cousin and Lady Bellaston prevent him from meeting Sophia. Lady Bellaston has her own reasons for this: despite the fact that she is old enough to be Tom's mother, she falls passionately in love with him and tries to seduce the young man. Tom guesses what the lady wants from him, but nevertheless he does not refuse to meet with her and even accepts money and gifts from her, because he has no choice: firstly, he hopes to find out where Sophia is, and secondly , he has no means of subsistence. However, in his relationship with Lady Bellaston, Tom manages to maintain his distance. Finally, Tom accidentally meets his beloved, but she, having heard assurances of eternal love and loyalty, rejects Tom, because he cannot forgive him for his betrayal. Tom is desperate.

In the house where Tom and Partridge rent a room, Mr. Nightingale lives, with whom Tom immediately became friends. Nightingale and Nancy, the daughter of their mistress, Mrs. Miller, love each other. Tom learns from a friend that Nancy is pregnant with his child. But Nightingale cannot marry her, because he is afraid of his father, who found him a rich bride and, wanting to get his hands on the dowry, insists on an immediate wedding. Nightingale submits to fate and secretly moves out from Mrs. Miller, leaving Nancy a letter in which he explains to her the reasons for his disappearance. Tom learns from Mrs. Miller that her Nancy, who dearly loves Nightingale, having received his farewell letter, has already tried to commit suicide. Tom goes to the father of his frivolous friend and announces to him that he is already married to Nancy. Nightingale Sr. resigns himself to the inevitable, while Mrs. Miller and her daughter hastily prepare for the wedding. From now on, Nancy and her mother consider Tom their savior.

Lady Bellaston, madly in love with Tom, constantly demands dates from him. Realizing how much he owes her. Tom is unable to refuse her. But her harassment soon becomes unbearable for him. The foundling offers her friend a cunning plan: he must write her a letter proposing marriage. Since Lady Bellaston takes into account the opinion of the world and does not dare to marry a man who is half her age, she will be forced to refuse Tom, and he, taking advantage of this, will have the right to end all relations with her. The plan succeeds, but the angry lady decides to take revenge on Tom.

Sophia, who still lives in her house, is courted by the wealthy Lord Fellamar. He proposes to her, but is refused. The treacherous Lady Bellaston explains to the lord that the girl is in love with a beggar rogue; if the lord manages to get rid of his rival, Sophia's heart will be free.

Tom visits Mrs. Fitzpatrick to talk to her about Sophia. Leaving her house, he runs into her husband. The enraged jealous man, who finally got on the trail of the fugitive and found out where she lives, mistakes the young man for her lover and insults him. Tom is forced to draw his sword and accept the challenge. When Fitzpatrick falls, pierced by Tom's sword, they are suddenly surrounded by a group of burly fellows. They grab Tom, hand him over to the constable, and he goes to jail. It turns out that Fellamar sent several sailors and ordered them to recruit Tom onto the ship, letting them know that he wanted to get rid of him, and they, having caught Tom during a duel, when he wounded his opponent, decided to simply hand Tom over to the police.

Sophia's father, Mr. Western, comes to London. He finds his daughter and announces to her that until Allworthy and Blifil arrive, the girl will sit under house arrest and wait for the wedding. Lady Bellaston, deciding to take revenge on Tom, shows Sophia his letter with a marriage proposal. Soon the girl learns that Tom is accused of murder and is in prison. Allworthy arrives with his nephew and stays with Mrs. Miller. Allworthy is her longtime benefactor; he invariably helped the poor woman when her husband died and she was left without funds with two young children in her arms. Having learned that Tom is the squire's adopted son, Mrs. Miller tells him about the nobility of the young man. But Allworthy still believes the slander, and the praise lavished on Tom does not touch him.

Nightingale, Mrs. Miller and Partridge often visit Tom in prison. Soon the same Mrs. Waters comes to him, a casual relationship with whom led to a quarrel with Sophia. After Tom left Elton, Mrs. Waters met Fitzpatrick there, became his mistress and left with him. Having learned from Fitzpatrick about his recent clash with Tom, she hastened to visit the unfortunate prisoner. Tom is relieved to learn that Fitzpatrick is safe and sound. Partridge, who also came to visit Tom, informs him that the woman who calls herself Mrs. Waters is actually Jenny Jones. birth mother Tom. Tom is horrified: he sinned with his own mother. Partridge, who has never been able to keep his mouth shut, tells Allworthy about this, and he immediately calls Mrs. Waters to his place. Having appeared before her former master and learned from him that Tom is the same baby whom she threw into the squire’s house, Jenny finally decides to tell Allworthy about everything she knows. It turns out that neither she nor Partridge had anything to do with the birth of the child. Tom's father is the son of Allworthy's friend, who once lived in the squire's house for a year and died of smallpox, and his mother is none other than the squire's sister, Bridget. Fearing her brother's condemnation, Bridget hid from him that she had given birth to a child, and for a large reward she persuaded Jenny to drop the boy into their house. Allworthy's old servant, having heard that the squire had learned the whole truth, confesses to his master that Bridget revealed her secret to him on her deathbed and wrote a letter to her brother, which he handed to Mr. Blifil, for Allworthy was unconscious at that moment. Only now does Allworthy realize the treachery of Blifil, who, wanting to get his hands on the squire’s fortune, hid from him that he and Tom were siblings. Soon Allworthy receives a letter from former teacher boy, philosopher Square. In it, he informs the squire that he is dying and considers it his duty to tell him the whole truth. The squire, who never loved Tom, sincerely repents: he knew that Blifil had slandered Tom, but, instead of exposing Blifil, he chose to remain silent. Allworthy learns that only Tom was inconsolable when the squire was between life and death, and the reason for such immoderate joy of the young man was precisely the recovery of his named father.

Allworthy, having learned the whole truth about his nephew, sincerely repents of everything that happened and curses the ungrateful Blifil. Since Fitzpatrick did not bring any charges against Tom, he is released from prison. Allworthy asks Tom for forgiveness, but noble Tom does not blame the squire for anything.

Nightingale tells Sophia that Tom did not intend to marry Lady Bellaston, since it was he, Nightingale, who persuaded Tom to write her the letter that she saw. Tom comes to Sophia and again asks for her hand. Squire Western, having learned of Allworthy's intention to make Tom his heir, happily gives his consent to their marriage. After the wedding, lovers go to the village and live happily away from the bustle of the city.

4.)Goldsmith Oliver

Wakefield priest. 1766

But misfortune befalls the family: the merchant who was in charge of its fortune goes bankrupt. Primrose happily accepts the offer to take over a small parish far from her native Wakefield and urges the household to “give up luxury without regret.”

During the move, the family meets Mr. Burchell, an intelligent, generous and courteous man, but apparently poor. He saves the life of Sophia, who fell from her horse into a stormy stream, and when the Primroses settle in a new place, he becomes a frequent guest in the one-story thatched house, along with the farmer Flambro and the blind flutist.

The pastor’s new parishioners live on their own household, “knowing neither need nor excess.” They have preserved patriarchal simplicity, work with pleasure on weekdays and indulge in simple-minded fun on holidays. And the Primroses also “rise with the sun and stop working when it sets.”

One day on a holiday, Mr. Thornhill, the nephew of Sir William Thornhill, “known for his wealth, virtue, generosity and eccentricities,” appears. The uncle placed almost all of his fortune and estates at the disposal of his nephew. The pastor's wife, Deborah, and both daughters, seduced by the guest's luxurious outfit and relaxed manners, gladly accept his compliments and introduce a new acquaintance into the house. Soon Deborah sees Olivia married to the owner of all the surrounding lands, although the pastor warns her against the dangers of “unequal friendship,” especially since Thornhill has a very bad reputation.

Mr. Thornhill organizes a village ball in honor of the young ladies Primrose and appears there, accompanied by two “extremely sumptuously dressed persons,” whom he introduces as noble ladies. They immediately express their affection for Olivia and Sophia and begin to describe the delights of metropolitan life. The consequences of a new acquaintance turn out to be the most detrimental, awakening vanity that had faded during a simple rural life. The once-disappeared “frills, trains and jars of rubbing oils” are being used again. And when the London ladies start talking about taking Olivia and Sophia as companions, even the pastor forgets about prudence in anticipation of a brilliant future, and Burchell’s warnings cause general indignation. However, fate itself seems to be trying to restrain the naive and ambitious aspirations of the pastor’s household. Moses is sent to the fair to sell a working stallion and buy a riding horse, on which it is not shameful to ride in public, and he returns with two dozen green glasses that no one needs. Some swindler handed them to him at a fair. The remaining gelding is sold by the pastor himself, who considers himself a “great man.” worldly wisdom" And what? He also returns penniless, but with a forged check received from a handsome, gray-haired old man, an ardent supporter of monogamy. The family commissions a portrait from a traveling painter "in historical genre", and the portrait turns out great, but the trouble is, it is so big that there is absolutely nowhere in the house to put it. And both society ladies suddenly leave for London, allegedly having received a bad review of Olivia and Sophia. The culprit of the collapse of hopes is none other than Mr. Burcheld. He is refused his home in the most drastic form,

But the real disasters are yet to come. Olivia runs away with a man described as similar to Burchell. Deborah is ready to renounce her daughter, but the pastor, with a Bible and staff tucked under his arm, sets out on the road to save the sinner. “A very decently dressed gentleman” invites him to visit and starts a conversation about politics, and the pastor makes a whole speech, from which it follows that “he has an innate disgust for the face of any tyrant,” but human nature is such that tyranny is inevitable, and monarchy - the least evil, because in this case “the number of tyrants is reduced.” A major quarrel is brewing, since the owner is a champion of “freedom”. But then the real owners of the house, Arabella Wilmot’s uncle and aunt, return, along with their niece, the former bride of the pastor’s eldest son, and his interlocutor turns out to be just a butler. Everyone visits a traveling theater together, and the stunned pastor recognizes one of the actors as George. While George is talking about his adventures, Mr. Thornhill appears, who, as it turns out, is wooing Arabella. He not only does not seem upset, seeing that Arabella is still in love with George, but, on the contrary, provides him with the greatest service: he buys him a lieutenant’s patent and thus sends his rival to the West Indies.

By chance, the pastor finds Olivia in a village inn. He clutches his “sweet lost sheep” to his chest and learns that the true culprit of her misfortunes is Mr. Thornhill. He hired street girls posing as noble ladies to lure Olivia and her sister to London, and when the idea failed thanks to a letter from Mr. Burchell, he persuaded Olivia to run away. A Catholic priest performed a secret wedding ceremony, but it turned out that Thornhill had either six or eight such wives. Olivia could not come to terms with this situation and left, throwing money in the face of the seducer.

On the very night when Primrose returns home, a terrible fire breaks out, and he barely manages to save his younger sons from the fire. Now the whole family is huddled in a barn, having only the property that good neighbors shared with them, but Pastor Primrose does not complain about fate - after all, he has preserved the main asset - the children. Only Olivia remains in inconsolable sadness. Finally Thornhill appears, who not only does not feel the slightest remorse, but insults the pastor with an offer to marry Olivia with anyone, so that “her first lover remains with her.” Primrose angrily kicks out the scoundrel and hears in response the threats that Thornhill has already the next day it is carried out: the pastor is sent to prison for debts.

In prison, he meets a certain Mr. Jenkinson and recognizes in him the same gray-haired old man who so cleverly tricked him at the fair, only the old man is much younger because he took off his wig. Jenkinson is generally a kindly fellow, albeit a notorious swindler. The pastor promises not to testify against him in court, which wins his gratitude and favor. The pastor is amazed that he hears no screams, no lamentations, no words of repentance in prison - the prisoners spend their time in rough fun. Then, forgetting about his own hardships, Primrose addresses them with a sermon, the meaning of which is that “there is no benefit in their blasphemy, and they can lose a lot,” because unlike the devil, whom they serve and who did not give They have nothing but hunger and deprivation, “The Lord promises to accept everyone to Himself.”

And new troubles befall the Primrose family: George, having received his mother’s letter, returns to England and challenges his sister’s seducer to a duel, but he is beaten by Thornhill’s servants and ends up in the same prison as his father. Jenkinson brings the news that Olivia has died of illness and grief. Sophia is kidnapped by an unknown person. The pastor, showing an example of truly Christian fortitude, addresses relatives and prisoners of prison with a sermon of humility and hope for heavenly bliss, especially precious for those who have experienced nothing but suffering in life.

Deliverance comes in the person of the noble Mr. Burchell, who turns out to be the famous Sir William Thornhill. It was he who rescued Sophia from the clutches of the kidnapper. He calls his nephew to account, the list of whose atrocities is replenished by the testimony of Jenkinson, who carried out his vile orders. It was he who ordered the kidnapping of Sophia, it was he who informed Arabella about George’s alleged betrayal in order to marry her for a dowry. In the midst of the proceedings, Olivia appears, safe and sound, and Jenkinson announces that instead of forged marriage licenses and a priest, Jenkinson has delivered real ones this time. Thornhill begs for forgiveness on his knees, and his uncle decides that from now on his nephew’s young wife will own a third of the entire fortune. George joins Arabella, and Sir William, having finally found a girl who valued him not for his wealth, but for his personal merits, proposes to Sophia. All the pastor’s misfortunes are over, and now he has only one thing left - “to be as grateful in happiness as he was humble in trouble.”

5.)Goldsmith Oliver (Goldsmith, Oliver) (c. 1730–1774), Anglo-Irish writer. Born November 10, 1730 in Pallas (Ireland), one of seven children of a Church of England priest. Received primary education in Elphin, Athlone and Edgeworthstown; in 1745 he entered Trinity College Dublin, where on February 27, 1750 he received a Bachelor of Arts degree.

After unsuccessful attempts to study law and theology, in October 1752 he entered the medical department of the University of Edinburgh. In an effort to see the world, in 1754 he went to Leiden, supposedly to study with the great anatomist B. S. Albinus, where he remained until the spring of 1755, then wandered around Europe. The threat of war and complete lack of money brought him home, and in early February 1756 he showed up in London.

Goldsmith subsequently made his living by teaching and practicing medicine. His first book, An Inquiry into the Present State of Political Learning, was published in April 1759 and received favorable reviews.

In 1765, Goldsmith published his writings in a collection of Essays, and in March 1766, his only novel, The Vicar of Wakefield, appeared, which Newbery bought at Johnson's insistence back in 1762, freeing Goldsmith from debtor's prison.

Written from the perspective of the hero, the village priest Dr. Primrose, the novel tells of incredible misfortunes that befall the simple-minded and gullible members of his family, but all the troubles end in an incredibly happy outcome. The book remains popular with readers due to its light style and many exciting, touching and funny episodes.

Goldsmith's versatile talent was also expressed in the dramatic genre: on January 29, 1768, his play The Good-Natured Man was shown, not really believing in its success, by J. Coleman at the Covent Garden Theater. After the premiere, changes had to be made to the play because the audience booed the “low” scene with the bailiffs.

Not at all discouraged by the failure, Goldsmith continued his attack on the sentimental comedy that prevailed in the theater: on March 15, 1773, Coleman, again reluctantly, showed the play She Stoops to Conquer, or The Mistakes of a Night, which was a success from the public. The action of the play, based on the fact that the landowner's house was mistaken for a hotel, and the owner's family for servants, is implausible, but the events develop lively and funny. The situations, dialogue and behavior of the characters are irresistibly funny.

In the interval between these plays, Goldsmith published a second great poem, The Deserted Village (1770), which laments the end of “dear Auburn” - a depopulated village whose inhabitants were driven from their native place by the arbitrariness of the rich. Woven into the poem are nostalgic memories of the Irish town of Lissoye, where the writer spent his childhood.

Despite his fame and earnings, Goldsmith could not get rid of debts, and he had to take odd job. So he wrote historical works about England, Greece and Rome, the lives of Bolingbroke, the poet T. Parnell, the trendsetter Handsome Nash, and finally created An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature, published posthumously in 1774.

Anxiety and hard work undermined the writer’s health. In March 1774, while working on the poem Retaliation, Goldsmith fell ill and died at his apartment in the Temple on April 4, 1774.

Wakefield priest. 1766

England, XVIII century. The family of Pastor Charles Primrose enjoys a tranquil existence “in a beautiful home surrounded by picturesque countryside.” The main treasure of the Primrose couple is their six wonderful children: “the sons are great, dexterous and full of courage, the two daughters are blooming beauties.” The eldest son, George, studied at Oxford, the middle one, Moses, was educated at home, and the two youngest, Dick and Bill, were still babies.

Pastor Primrose's favorite topic of sermons is marriage in general and the strict monogamy of clergy in particular. He even wrote several treatises on monogamy, although they remained with the bookseller. He loves philosophical debates and innocent entertainment and hates vanity, vanity and idleness. Having some wealth, he spends everything that the parish gives him “on widows and orphans.”

Oliver Goldsmith

"The Wakefield Priest"

England, XVIII century. Pastor Charles Primrose's family enjoying a serene existence“in a beautiful house among picturesque nature.” The main treasure of the Primrose couple is their six wonderful children: “the sons are brilliant, dexterous and full of courage, the two daughters are blooming beauties.” The eldest son, George, studied at Oxford, the middle one, Moses, was educated at home, and the two youngest, Dick and Bill, were still babies.

Mr. Thornhill organizes a village ball in honor of the young ladies Primrose and appears there, accompanied by two highest degree sumptuously dressed persons,” whom he presents as noble ladies. They immediately express their affection for Olivia and Sophia and begin to describe the delights of metropolitan life. The consequences of a new acquaintance turn out to be the most detrimental, awakening vanity that had faded during a simple rural life. The once-disappeared “frills, trains and jars of rubbing oils” are being used again. And when the London ladies start talking about taking Olivia and Sophia as companions, even the pastor forgets about prudence in anticipation of a brilliant future, and Burchell’s warnings cause general indignation. However, fate itself seems to be trying to restrain the naive and ambitious aspirations of the pastor’s household. Moses is sent to the fair to sell a working stallion and buy a riding horse, on which it is not shameful to ride in public, and he returns with two dozen green glasses that no one needs. Some swindler handed them to him at a fair. The remaining gelding is sold by the pastor himself, who considers himself “a man of great worldly wisdom.” And what? He also returns penniless, but with a forged check received from a handsome, gray-haired old man, an ardent supporter of monogamy. The family commissions a portrait from a traveling painter “in the historical genre,” and the portrait turns out to be a success, but the trouble is, it’s so big that there’s absolutely nowhere to put it in the house. And both society ladies suddenly leave for London, allegedly having received a bad review of Olivia and Sophia. The culprit of the collapse of hopes is none other than Mr. Burcheld. He is refused his home in the most drastic form,

But the real disasters are yet to come. Olivia runs away with a man described as similar to Burchell. Deborah is ready to renounce her daughter, but the pastor, with a Bible and staff tucked under his arm, sets out on the road to save the sinner. “A very decently dressed gentleman” invites him to visit and starts a conversation about politics, and the pastor makes a whole speech, from which it follows that “he has an innate disgust for the face of any tyrant,” but human nature is such that tyranny is inevitable, and the monarchy is the least evil, because in this case “the number of tyrants is reduced.” A major quarrel is brewing, since the owner is a champion of “freedom.” But then the real owners of the house, Arabella Wilmot’s uncle and aunt, return, along with their niece, the former bride of the pastor’s eldest son, and his interlocutor turns out to be just a butler. Everyone visits a traveling theater together, and the stunned pastor recognizes one of the actors as George. While George is talking about his adventures, Mr. Thornhill appears, who, as it turns out, is wooing Arabella. He not only does not seem upset, seeing that Arabella is still in love with George, but, on the contrary, provides him with the greatest service: he buys him a lieutenant’s patent and thus sends his rival to the West Indies.

By chance, the pastor finds Olivia in a village inn. He clutches his “sweet lost sheep” to his chest and learns that the true culprit of her misfortune is Mr. Thornhill. He hired street girls posing as noble ladies to lure Olivia and her sister to London, and when the idea failed thanks to a letter from Mr. Burchell, he persuaded Olivia to run away. A Catholic priest performed a secret wedding ceremony, but it turned out that Thornhill had either six or eight such wives. Olivia could not come to terms with this situation and left, throwing money in the face of the seducer.

England, XVIII century. The family of Pastor Charles Primrose lives a carefree life. For him, his main treasure is his children. The main topic their families are married and strictly monogamous, including the clergy. He is fond of philosophical debates, and also prefers innocent entertainment, but is not a supporter of vain celebrations. Having everything he needs to live, he spends all his financial resources “on widows and orphans.” Soon the family loses their entire fortune and Primrose’s native Wakefield comes to his aid.

Having moved, the family meets Mr. Burchell, who saves Sophia's life. After Sophia falls from her horse, he comes to their house more and more often. One day, Mr. Thornhill bursts into their lives, to whom his uncle provided his entire fortune. The pastor's wife, Deborah, and both daughters, who are spoiled by luxury, bring a new stranger into the house. After which Deborah advises Olivia to marry the owner of all the surrounding lands.

Mr. Thornhill arranges a ball especially for the young ladies Primrose, to which he brings two dubious ladies. They successfully charm not only Olivia and Sophia, promising to take them as companions, but also the pastor. Forgetting all the warnings, he rejoices for the future of his daughters. At this time, Moses goes to the fair to sell the stallion and buy a horse, but he is misled and returns without anything. And both ladies suddenly leave for London. Burchell turns out to be to blame.

However, this was just the beginning. Olivia runs away with a man who bears a strong resemblance to Burchell. Deborah decides to leave her daughter. A conflict is brewing because the owner is on the side of the “free”. But the real owners suddenly returned and reveal the entire insidious plan. It turns out that the interlocutor is just a butler in this house.

At this time, Thornhill wooed Arabella. He sees how she looks at George and buys him a lieutenant's patent in order to get rid of his rival once and for all. However, the pastor soon learns that Mr. Thornhill is main reason all the suffering and problems. His whole plan is revealed and Olivia leaves Thornhill, having learned the whole truth about him, including his polygamy. That night a fire breaks out, where Primrose did not manage to save anything except his children. Now they live in a shed, and he does not complain about his fate. Olivia is in a terrible state, but then Thornhill comes and insults the pastor. Unable to bear this, he kicks him out of the house, and the next day Thornhill sends him to prison for debt, where he meets the same old man who fooled him at the fair. Jenkinson turned out to be not that bad and evil, but he was considered to be a light fraud.

And terrible events happen in the family: George challenges his sister’s seducer to a duel and he ends up in prison, where he meets his father. It becomes known that Olivia died of sadness, Sophia is kidnapped. The truth is soon revealed: it was all caused by Mr. Burchell, who was called the famous Sir William Thornhill. All the pastor's misfortunes are over, and Thornhill begs for mercy. George marries Arabella, and Sir William marries Sophia.