Abstract: The article analyses the only work about post-reform Russia by Ivan Goncharov, the sketch “A Literary Evening”. Using the material of a series of critical articles of Ivan Goncharov’s contemporaries as well as a number of works by literary critics of the 20th and the 21st centuries, the author proves that the problem of connection of this sketch with the writer’s creative work of the 1870s has not been researched and the image of one of the leading characters, the “vaudeville” figure of Kryakov, who earned particular attention of Nikolay Mikhaylovsky and some of the contemporaries of writer Ivan Goncharov, has not been studied in the science. The comparative analysis shows the connection of Kryakov’s image with that of Alexandr Chatsky, the latter being specifically interpreted by Ivan Goncharov in the article “Myriad of Agonies”. The article also analyses the affinity of Kryakov and Mark Volokhov, a nihilist, viewing the common devices of creation of these characters. For the first time the author of the article analyses the artistic structure of the sketch from the point of view of using both dramatic and comic devices. Analysing the image of the opponent of Kryakov, old Dmitriy Cheshnev, whose prototype is considered to be Fyodor Tyutchev, the author of the article proves that this character becomes the voice of Ivan Goncharov himself necessary to tell directly the progressive social, political, moral and aesthetic position of the writer in the 1870s. The images of Dmitriy Cheshnev and Kryakov are viewed as the personification of “fathers” and “sons”, whose conciliation is symbolic — it reflects Ivan Goncharov’s thought of the necessity of nation unity on the path of the great reforms, which were being held by Alexander II of Russia at that time.
References
Anikst A. Teoriia dramy v Rossii ot Pushkina do Chekhova [The theory of drama in Russia from Pushkin to Chekhov]. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1972, 639 p. (In Russ.)
Bagautdinova G. G. Ritmoobrazuiushchie printsipy sozdaniia portretov personazhei v “Literaturnom vechere” I. A. Goncharova [Rhythm-forming principles for creating character portraits in the “Literary evening” by I. A. Goncharov]. Vestnik Mariiskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta [Vestnik of the Mari State University]. 2019, Vol. 13, № 2, pp. 228–231. (In Russ.)
Geiro L. S. I. A. Goncharov i M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin: (O “Literaturnom vechere” Goncharova) [I. A. Goncharov and M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin: (On the “Literary evening” by Goncharov]. Vestnik Leningradskogo universiteta [Vestnik of Leningrad University]. Leningrad, 1967, № 14, Iss. 3, pp. 84–93. (In Russ.)
Goncharov I. A. I. A. Goncharov v neizdannykh pis'makh k grafu P. A. Valuevu. 1877–1882 [I. A Goncharov in the Unpublished Letters to Count Valuev P. A. 1877–1882]. Saint-Petersburg, Tipografiya Voeikova Publ., 1906, 64 р. (In Russ.)
Goncharov I. A. Neobyknovennaya istoriya: (Istinnye sobytiya) [An Uncommon Story (True events)]. I. A. Goncharov: Novye materialy i issledovaniya (Literaturnoe nasledstvo. T. 102) [I. A. Goncharov: New materials and research (Literary Heritage. Vol. 102)]. Moscow, Institute of World Literature, Nasledie Publ., 2000, pp. 184–326. (In Russ.)
Goncharov I. A. Sobranie sochinenii: v 8 t. [Collection of works: in 8 vols.] Moscow, Pravda Publ., 1952. (In Russ.)
Goncharov I. A. Polnoe sobranie sochinenii i pisem: v 20 t. [Complete works and letters by I. A. Goncharov: in 20 vols.]. Saint-Petersburg, Nauka Publ., 1997–. (In Russ.)
Griboedov A. S. Gore ot uma [Woe from Wit]. Leningrad, Detskaia literatura Publ., 1975, 176 p. (In Russ.)
Grigor'ev A. A. Teatral'naia kritika [Theatre Criticism]. Leningrad, Iskusstvo Publ., 1985, 408 p. (In Russ.)
Denisenko S. V. “Mil'on terzanii” I. A. Goncharova v teatral'nom diskurse [“Myriad of Agonies” by I. A. Goncharov in the theatrical discourse]. Russkaia literature [Russian Literature]. 2008, № 2, pp. 122–130. (In Russ.)
Denisenko S. V. O prototipakh i personazhakh “Literaturnogo vechera” I. A. Goncharova. Iz zametok kommentatora k pervonachal'nomu i pechatnomu tekstam [On the prototypes and characters of the “Literary evening” by I. A. Goncharov. From the notes of the commenter to the initial and printed texts]. Russkaia literatura [Russian Literature]. 2012, № 2, pp. 90–97. (In Russ.)
Ermolaeva N. L. I. A. Goncharov i A. N. Ostrovskii ob akterakh, teatral'nom repertuare i publike [I. A. Goncharov and A. N. Ostrovsky on the actors, theatre repertoire and the public]. Dukhovno-nravstvennye osnovy russkoi literatury [Spiritual and moral basics of the Russian literature]. Kostroma, KGU Publ., 2014, pp. 33–36. (In Russ.)
Ermolaeva N. L. Goncharov Ivan Aleksandrovich [Goncharov Ivan Aleksandrovich]. A. N. Ostrovskii: Entsiklopediia [A. N. Ostrovsky: Encyclopedia]. Kostroma, Kostromaizdat; Shuia, ShGPU Publ., 2012, pp. 110–112. (In Russ.)
Zhuravleva A. I. “Pravda – khorosho, a schast'e luchshe” [“Truth is good, but Happiness is better”]. Literatura v shkole [Literature in School]. 1998, № 3, pp. 12–18. (In Russ.)
Ikuo Onisi. “Literaturnyi vecher” s tochki zreniia metaliteratury [“Literary evening” from the point of view of metaliterature]. I. A. Goncharov: Materialy mezhdunarodnoi nauchnoi konferentsii, posv. 195-letiiu so dnia rozhdeniia I. A. Goncharova [I. A. Goncharov: Materials of the international scientific conference devoted to the 195 anniversary of I. A. Goncharov]. Ul'ianovsk, OOO NIKA-dizain Publ., 2008, pp. 231–235. (In Russ.)
Koroleva M. L. Chatskii – literaturnyi predshestvennik Raiskogo? (Griboedovskie reministsentsii v “Obryve” Goncharova) [Was Chatsky a literary forerunner of Raiskiy? (Griboedov’s reminiscences in “Precipice” by Goncharov)]. Russkaia slovesnost' [Russian literary writings]. 2008, № 2, pp. 11–15. (In Russ.)
Krasnoshchekova E. A. Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov: Mir tvorchestva [Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov: the world of creative work]. Saint-Petersburg, Pushkin fund Publ., 1997, 496 p. (In Russ.)
Kropotkin P. A. Zapiski revoliutsionera [Words of a rebel]. London; Saint-Petersburg: Svobodnaia mysl', 1906, 435 p. (In Russ.)
Liatskii E. A. Goncharov: Zhizn' i tvorchestvo [Goncharov: life and creative work]. Saint-Petersburg, Ogni Publ., 1912, 324 p. (In Russ.)
Meshcheriakov V. P. A. S. Griboedov. Literaturnoe okruzhenie i vospriiatie (XIX – nachalo XX veka) [A. S. Griboedov. Literary surroundings and reception (XIX–beg.XX centuries)]. Leningrad, Nauka Publ., 1983, 268 p. (In Russ.)
- M. [Mikhailovskii N. K.]. Literaturnye zametki [Literary Notes]. Otechestvennye zapiski [Notes of the Fatherland]. № 1. Section l. «Sovremennoe obozrenie», 1880, pp. 94–107. (In Russ.)
Prokopenko Z. T. M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin i I. A. Goncharov v literaturnom protsesse XIX veka [M. E. Saltykov-Shchedrin and I. A. Goncharov in the literary process of the XIX century]. Voronezh, Voronezh University Publ., 1989, 224 p. (In Russ.)
S-V. [Vengerov S. A.]. Novoe proizvedenie I. A. Goncharova. Literaturnyi Vecher, ocherk (Russkaya Rech', yanvar', 1880) [A New Work by I. A. Goncharov. Literary Evening, an essay (Russkaya Rech', January, 1880)]. Russkii vestnik [Russian vestnik]. 1880, № 1, pp. 440–462. (In Russ.)
Sorochan A. Iu. Dva literaturnykh vechera: Zagoskin i Goncharov [Two literary evenings: Zagoskin and Goncharov]. I. A. Goncharov: Materialy mezhdunarodnoi nauchnoi konferentsii, posv. 195-letiiu so dnia rozhdeniia I. A. Goncharova [I. A. Goncharov: Materials of the international scientific conference devoted to the 195 anniversary of I. A. Goncharov]. Ul'ianovsk, OOO NIKA-dizain Publ., 2008, pp. 247–252. (In Russ.)
Surovtseva E. V. Pis'ma I. A. Goncharova k P. A. Valuevu [Letter of I. A. Goncharov to P. A. Valuev]. Nauchnoe priznanie 2019. Sbornik statei Mezhdunarodnogo nauchno-issledovatel'skogo konkursa [Scientific approval 2019. Collection of articles of the international scientific research competition]. Petrozavodsk, Mezhdunarodnyi tsentr nauchnogo partnerstva “Novaia Nauka” Publ., 2019, pp. 29–35. (In Russ.)
Kholkin V. I. Opyt vospominanii serdtsa v “Mil'one terzanii” [The experience of the memoires of the heart in the “Myriad of Agonies”]. Goncharov posle “Oblomova”. Sbornik statei. Materialy III Mezhdunarodnoi goncharovskoi konferentsii v Sankt-Peterburge [Goncharov after “Oblomov”. Collection of articles. Materials of the international Goncharov conference held in Saint-Petersburg]. Tver', Izdatel'stvo Mariny Batasovoi Publ., 2015, pp. 243–257. (In Russ.)
Tseitlin A. G. I. A. Goncharov [I. A. Goncharov]. Moscow, AN SSSR Publ., 1950, 491 p. (In Russ.)
Chernets L. V. “Kak slovo nashe otzovetsya…” [“How our Word will come back Slanted…”]. Moscow, Vysshaya shkola Publ., 1995, 239 p. (In Russ.)
Shevchugova E. I. Avtorskie strategii v kriticheskikh stat'iakh I. A. Goncharova [Author strategies in the critical articles by I. A. Goncharov]. Goncharov posle "Oblomova'. Sbornik statei. Materialy III Mezhdunarodnoi goncharovskoi konferentsii v Sankt-Peterburge [Goncharov after “Oblomov”. Collection of articles. Materials of the international Goncharov conference held in Saint-Petersburg]. Tver', Izdatel'stvo Mariny Batasovoi Publ., 2015, pp. 258–272. (In Russ.)
Shelgunov N. V. Talantlivaia bestalannost' [Talented mediocrity]. I. A. Goncharov v russkoi kritike. Sbornik statei [I. A. Goncharov in Russian criticism. Collection of articles]. Moscow, GIKhL Publ., 1958, pp. 235–276. (In Russ.)
