Aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov and their meaning. The shortest aphorism of Kozma Prutkov. Kozma Prutkov: thoughts, quotations and aphorisms

Kozma Prutkov is a unique phenomenon not only for Russian, but also for world literature. There are fictional heroes who put monuments, they open museums in the houses where they lived, but none of them had their own biography, collected works, critics of their creativity and adherents.

Kozma Prutkov's aphorisms were printed in such well-known print publications in the 19th century as Contemporary, Iskra and Entertainment. Many famous writers of the time believed that this is a real person.

"Guardians" of the hero

Kozma Prutkov appeared thanks to the joint pranks of the brothers Zhemchuzhnikov, Alexey, Vladimir and Alexander, and Count Alexei Tolstoy. The Zhemchuzhnikov brothers came from an old Russian clan, in which were voevods, stewards and senators. Alex, Alexander and Vladimir were poets, and their brother Leo - a famous artist and engraver.

Aleksei Konstantinovich Tolstoy is a famous Russian writer, playwright and poet. Kozma Prutkov, whose quotes and aphorisms were loved by many of their contemporaries, arose from the failure of the play written in co-authorship by Tolstoy and Alexei Zhemchuzhnikov. Nicholas I, who was present at the show, was dissatisfied, the play was removed from the repertoire, and in retaliation the brothers began writing poems of the parody poets, named Kozma Prutkov, pleasing to the tsar.

Gradually printed in various publications on behalf of Prutkov's works was so much that the creators had to give him not only a biography, but also appearance. Thus, they become patrons and advisers of the graphomaniac created by them.

Biography of Kozma Prutkov

The famous aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov in the literary circles became the main reason for their author to gain his face. Presented in 1854 by the brothers Zhemchuzhnikovymi and Tolstoy Prutkov, according to them, was born April 11, 1803 in the village of Tentelevoy. He even had his own little Pustynka estate near the station of Sablino.

At the age of 17, the future graphomaniac entered the military service in the hussar regiment, in which he served for slightly more than 2 years. After he retired, Kozma joined the Assay Tent where he made a successful career.

Prutkov died on 13.01.1863 due to a nervous blow that caught him in his office in the director's office.

Prutkov in military service

Military aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov arose against the background of his memories of military service, which ended very hastily. The reason for leaving in 1823 from the regiment was a dream that the young hussar dreamed the night of his birthday on April 11.

A naked brigadier general, who ordered him to stand up and follow him, dreamed of Kozma. After wandering through the dark corridors, the general led the young hussar to the crypt on the top of the mountain, from which he began to get expensive cloths and show him. After the brigadier spent one of the materials on Prutkov's body, he was struck by a current and he woke up.

Despite the fact that the dream happened after a strong drinking, he made such an indelible impression on Kozma that he resigned.

Thanks to this short service, readers were able to get acquainted with his "outstanding" thoughts about the army:

• "Building new soldiers with greatcoats, remember that they drank and ate."
• "Let the precise alignment of ammunition be the goal of soldier's ambition".
• "You want to be beautiful, enter the hussars" and many others.

Career in the civil service

Kozma Prutkov, whose quotations and aphorisms had undoubted success with the public, made a brilliant career not only in the literary field.

The bosses to the young employee of the Assay Tent treated very favorably, since they noticed zeal for work, for which they encouraged and rewarded him. Talents of Kozma allowed him to go from a simple employee to the highest civilian status of a state counselor and to obtain not only the post of director of the Assay Tent, but also the Order of St. Stanislaus 1 st degree.

The aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov about public service are no less profound than about the military path. "Only in the civil service you will know the truth," he sincerely believes. "Do not be tailors, how would you distinguish the official departments?" - this is the question vital for every official.

Friends of the grieving author and his literary guardians Tolstoy and Zhemchuzhnikov encouraged their ward to publish their works. Thus, the book "Thoughts and aphorisms" by Kozma Prutkov appeared, in which his statements about life, love and many other things are collected.

Literary career

The first literary experience of the new graphomaniac was his play "Fantasy", the production of which failed in the presence of the august person. Discouraged by this, Prutkov wanted to give up literary pursuits, but his friends persuaded him to continue writing and were right.

The philosophical aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov ("No one will embrace the immensity", for example) have weakened the glory of a wise man who deeply sees the essence of things. It is interesting that many readers of Sovremennik perceived the author of aphorisms, fables and satirical verses as a real person. Prutkov even had his critics and admirers. So, Dostoevsky for a long time perceived him as a grief-creator of bad poetry.

Not only aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov, but also his fables, poems, romances and prose have formed the basis of the author's collection of works. The books were not only published and had success with readers who lived in his time, but even after his death they were reprinted, and utterances were used to be known as clever and educated people.

About love

Kozma Prutkov's aphorisms about love showed his true attitude towards a woman, love and marriage:

• "The wedding ring is the first link in the chain of marital life."
• "Girls are like checkers: not everyone does, but everyone wants to get into the queens."
• "What we have, do not store, we lose - we cry."

In fact, many of Kozma Prutkov's statements, despite his limited mind, are worthy of attention. Without his own family, he devoted all his time to the service, writing poetry and to his friends.

His colleagues valued him, his penmates and relatives loved him, the authorities treated him with sympathy, this was enough to match his aphorism: "Do you want to be happy, be it."

Some phrases of the author were perceived by the readers as an admonition or even a warning. For example, "Bdi!" - the shortest aphorism of Kozma Prutkov - sounded like a military order and caused anxiety among the people around.

His other expressions began to be used in everyday life as allegorical vernaculars. The phrase "If you have a fountain, plug it" was pronounced as "Shut the fountain", which meant "shut up".

The aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov and their significance aroused laughter in the readers, as they were an indicator of the stupidity and self-confidence of the pompous graphomaniac who considered his statements worthy of the wisdom of ancient philosophers: "Many people are like sausages: what they are stuffed with, they carry in themselves."

Portrait of Prutkov

Thanks to the efforts of the Zhemchuzhnikov brothers and Alexei Tolstoy, their fictional hero gained not only the glory of a graphomaniac and his biography, but also his personality. Lev Zhemchuzhnikov and his friends-painters were invited by Prutkov to write a portrait of a "great" writer who wished to publish a collection of his works with him.

So there was a famous image, transmitted so realistically that the customer flattered about the artists. They depicted his graying hair, warts, and even a plaster on his neck, where there was a cut from the razor.

At the request of Kozma Prutkov, the painters placed under the portrait a lyre with rays radiating from it. Although the literary activity of this hero lasted only 5 years, he left a notable mark in Russian literature, and his famous "Thoughts and Aphorisms" were printed and quoted many years after his death.

Creativity Prutkov today

Today, 10 aphorisms of Kozma Prutkov are most famous, which became usual phrases in everyday life. Among them, the most popular are "Bdi!" And "Look at the root!". Often people, uttering them, do not even know who their author is.

The phenomenon of Kozma Prutkov remains unsurpassed, as more in the world literature did not appear a hero who has his own collected works and life.