Lessons 28 · 1 lessons · M. E. Rozhnova, U. T. Yaminova. Russian Language, Grade 8 (textbook for general secondary schools with Uzbek and other languages of instruction), 2nd revised edition. “Uzbekistan” Publishing and Printing Creative House, Tashkent, 2019
28
N. A. Nekrasov: life. The poem «Школьник»
Textbook: pp. 104–106
GoalLearn about N. A. Nekrasov’s life and work; retell and read expressively the poem «Школьник»; grasp the main idea of the poem.
New words
школьник · maktab o‘quvchisiдорога · yo‘lнарод · xalqжурнал · jurnal
Explanation
N. A. Nekrasov was born on 10 December 1821 in Nemirov in Ukraine; his youth passed on his father’s estate in the village of Greshnevo near Yaroslavl. His father wanted him to be an officer, his mother hoped he would enter a university after the gymnasium. In 1832–1837 he studied at the Yaroslavl gymnasium. At sixteen he went to Petersburg against his father’s will, was left without support and gave up the idea of university; he gave lessons and wrote articles and poems. His first collection «Мечты и звуки» appeared in 1840 but was not a success. Real fame came after the 1856 collection. Nekrasov edited the journals «Современник» (from 1847) and «Отечественные записки» (from 1868). His main theme was the life of the people: he wrote about the people and for the people. He died in Petersburg in 1878. The poem «Школьник» closes the first section, about the people, of the 1856 collection.
Worked examples
Summary of «Школьник»: a traveller invites a barefoot, ragged peasant boy on the road to ride with him. Seeing a book in the boy’s bag, he guesses that the boy is going to school. He imagines how the money may have been found and encourages the boy: “Don’t be afraid, you won’t be lost.”
Continuation: the traveller recalls the Arkhangelsk peasant who became wise and great by his own will (usually read as an allusion to Lomonosov). He says the boy too may reach the university and see his dream come true. At the end the poet declares his love for Rus: a land that brings so many wise and noble people out of the common folk will not perish.
Class activity
“A talk on the road”. Two pupils in the roles of the traveller and the boy read a dialogue of four or five lines: the traveller encourages, the boy says why he goes to school.
Practice
1
What was Nekrasov’s first collection called and when did it appear?
«Мечты и звуки», 1840; it was not a success.
2
Which journals did Nekrasov edit?
«Современник» and «Отечественные записки».
3
How did the traveller guess the boy was going to school?
He saw a book in the boy’s bag.
4
What hope is expressed in the poem?
The boy may study, reach the university, and see his dream come true.