Gargantua, Pantagruel and Panurge. Francois Rabelais - Gargantua and Pantagruel - I

The main object for Rabelais's sharp satire this work the church, monasticism and clergy appear. The creator of Gargantua and Pantagruel was a monk in his youth, but he did not like life in a monastic cell, and thanks to the help of his mentor Geoffroy d'Etissac, he managed to leave without any consequences.

Characteristic feature The novel is an abundance of extremely detailed and at the same time comical listings of meals, books, sciences, laws, sums of money, animals, funny names of warriors and the like.

In his novel, Rabelais describes the inherent vices of many people and the satirist states. Various pretensions, laziness and ignorance of the monks get the most. The author quite vividly and colorfully shows the sins and vices of churchmen, which were condemned by the public during the Reformation - exorbitant greed, righteous hypocrisy, covering up the corruption of church ministers and the political ambitions of the highest clergy.

Some Bible passages have also been ridiculed. For example, the moment of the resurrection of Epistemon by Panurge parodies the famous biblical legend about the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus Christ, and the story of the giant Khurtali makes fun of Noah's Ark. Blind faith in a divine miracle and spiritual fanaticism are reflected in the episode of the birth of Gargantua from the mother’s ear; Rabelais calls everyone who does not believe in the possibility of a child emerging from the ear, by the will of the almighty Lord God, heretics. Thanks to these and other blasphemous episodes, all 5 volumes of Gargantua and Pantagruel were declared heretical by the theological faculty of the Sorbonne.

Humanism of the novel

In his work, Rabelais not only tries to fight the “old world” with the help of humor and sharp satire, but also describes new world, the way he sees it. The ideals of free self-sufficiency are contrasted in the novel with lawlessness. The new, free world is described in the chapters telling about the Abbey of Thelema, in which the harmony of freedom reigns, and there is no prejudice or coercion. The motto and the only principle of the charter of Thelema Abbey is: “Do what you want.” In the part of the novel dedicated to the abbey and the education of Gargantua by Ponocrates, the writer finally formed and embodied on paper the basic principles of humanism.

"Gargantua and Pantagruel" is inextricably linked with folk culture France of the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. From it Rabelais borrowed both his main characters and some literary forms.

In Wikisource

"Gargantua and Pantagruel"(fr. La vie très horrifique du grand Gargantua, père de Pantagruel ) - a satirical novel by the 16th-century French writer Francois Rabelais in five books about two good glutton giants, father and son. The novel ridicules many human vices and does not spare modern to the author state and church. In Russian it is best known in the translation by Nikolai Lyubimov (1961).

Novel concept

The main object of Rabelais's satire is the church, the white clergy and monasticism. The author of “Gargantua and Pantagruel” was himself a monk in his youth, but he did not like monastic life, and with the help of his patron Geoffroy d’Etissac, Rabelais was able to live without unpleasant consequences leave the monastery.

In the novel, Rabelais ridicules, on the one hand, the numerous claims of the church, and on the other, the ignorance and laziness of the monks (knowing the latter subject firsthand). Rabelais colorfully shows all the vices of the Catholic clergy that caused mass protest during the Reformation - an exorbitant desire for profit, the popes' claims to political dominance in Europe, sanctimonious piety covering up the depravity of church ministers. Medieval scholasticism suffers greatly - divorced from real life reflections on the place of God in earthly existence - and famous scholastic philosophers in particular:

“And in vain you think that heroes and demigods owe all their bliss in the Champs Elysees to asphodels, ambrosia and nectar, as our old women chatter here. In my opinion, the whole point is that they wipe themselves with goslings, and this is the opinion of the most learned John Scott.”
Book One, Chapter XIII.

Some passages from the Bible received special ridicule. For example, the episode with the resurrection of Epistemon by Panurge parodies the biblical tale of the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus Christ, and the story about the giant Hurtali ridicules the legend of Noah's Ark. Birth of Gargantua via left ear Rabelais explains to his mother the omnipotence of the Lord God, and declares those who refuse to believe this to be heretics (religious fanaticism and blind faith in gospel miracles dating back to Tertullian are parodied here - “I believe because it is absurd”). It is not surprising that all the books of Gargantua and Pantagruel were condemned as heretical by the theological faculty of the Sorbonne.

In his novel, Rabelais not only fights the “old world” with the help of satire and humor, but also proclaims the new world as he sees it. Rabelais contrasts medieval inertia and lack of rights with the ideals of freedom and human self-sufficiency. The author of Pantagruel most fully outlined his vision of these ideas in practice in the episode with the Abbey of Theleme, which Brother Jean organizes with the permission of Gargantua. There is no coercion or prejudice in the abbey and all conditions for harmonious development have been created human personality. The abbey's charter consists of one rule: "Do what you want"(Fais ce que voudras).

Brother Jean Rabelais explains the significance of such a structure in the monastery as follows:

“...free people, descended from good, enlightened parents, living in a decent society, are endowed by nature itself with an instinct and driving force that constantly guides them to good deeds and distracts them from vice, and this force is called honor by them. But when the same people are crushed and oppressed by vile violence and coercion, they turn their noble ardor, with which they voluntarily rushed towards virtue, to throw off and overthrow the yoke of slavery, for from time immemorial we have been drawn to the forbidden and we long for it , what we have been denied.”
Book One, Chapter LVII.

The chapters about the Abbey of Thelema, as well as about the education of Gargantua under the leadership of Ponocrates, are a complete embodiment of the principles of humanism. In this regard, “Gargantua and Pantagruel” is the brightest literary monument of the Renaissance, when there was a breakdown of one cultural paradigm - the medieval one, and the emergence of another - the Renaissance one.

Once upon a time there lived a giant king, Grangusier, and his wife, also a giantess, Gargamela from Gargantua and Pantagruel, a brief summary of which we will present to you. They lived happily, ate a lot and drank a lot. So much that hundreds and thousands of cows, piglets, rams and all kinds of living creatures went to feed them. They brought provisions from all over the kingdom, because they are kings, which means their table should be royal. In addition, each member of the royal house had a huge mouth. The giant kings, along with the salad, could swallow one of their subjects, as happened once with the crown prince, who sent six pilgrims hiding behind him into his mouth. cabbage leaves. True, the pilgrims managed to escape, but they suffered a lot of fear.

An event in the lives of Grangousier and Gargamella was the birth of the son Gargantua, the same one who later almost swallowed six pious pilgrims. Gargamela gorged herself on offal, “she ate sixteen barrels of these very intestines, two kegs and six pots” and in such an illness she was relieved of her burden. The royal son, as befits royal sons, was born in an unusual way, he came out of his parent's left ear.

So, the king's son was born. But as soon as he was born, he roared loudly: “Drink!” This brought Grangousier (Big Throat) to great delight. The son clearly showed hereditary traits. “What a hefty throat you have!” - exclaimed the happy father (kyo gran tu a). This is how the son was named - Gargantua. The fabulous country in which all this happens is obviously France, because the French live there. They are “by nature cheerful, simple-minded, friendly and loved by everyone.” From the looks of it, the kingdom must be huge. But, taking a closer look, we see that the homeland of the giants is just a small area around the village of La Deviniere. which belonged to Father Rabelais. However, everything here is like in real big kingdoms - cities, fortresses, monasteries, and wars.

Gargantua was tall like his parents and was distinguished by the same exorbitant appetite. He lived for his own pleasure, drank, ate, slept and did everything that children of his age do. A learned man, a scholastic, was assigned to him for science, who taught him Latin, but in such a way that the royal child became stupider from year to year. This was eventually noticed, and the king's son was given another teacher, a learned humanist, who used a completely different method of teaching and achieved remarkable results. Gargantua has grown amazingly reasonable person. On this occasion, the author recalls the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, who dreamed of a state where kings would be philosophers, and philosophers would be kings.

The kindest Grangousier doted on his son and sent him to Paris to study. There the young prince studied and had fun. One day he sat on the tower of the Cathedral of Our Lady. This ungodly act greatly surprised the townspeople. Then the prince liked the bells of the Cathedral, and he used them as rattles on his mare's neck. This caused even more commotion. To rescue the bells, a master of the local university (Sorbonne), a certain theologian, who combed his hair like Julius Caesar (Julius Caesar, as you know, was bald), was “unsightly” and “dirtier than dirt” was sent to the prince.

The theologian made a brilliant “fly agaric” speech in defense of the bells, in which, among other things, he said that, in the event of the successful completion of his mission, he. theologian, will receive from the Sorbonne “ten spans of sausages and excellent trousers.” "Oh! Oh! - the Sorbonist complained. “Not everyone has pants, I know this well from myself!” Gargantua was moved and the bells were returned. This is how the days of young Gargantua passed in Paris. Soon, however, he had to return home. The war has begun. The reason for it was a fight over cakes.

The reason, as in all wars, is insignificant, but the consequences are terrible. The neighboring king, Picrohol, attacked the kingdom with his army. Grangousier wanted to end the feud peacefully (he was not into fights), but Picrocholus became stubborn, and the war began. A monk named Jean distinguished himself in the war. There was little in him that was monastic, but he had heroic strength and smashed the enemy so much that he received the nickname Jean Teethbreaker. Picrocholus was defeated and lost his kingdom. One old woman told him that he would return his throne when the cancer whistled. And from that time on, the former king Picrohol, despised by everyone, pitiful and evil, asked everyone if anyone had heard how a cancer whistled across the seas and beyond the valleys.

Meanwhile, the family of the giant Grangousier was in good health. True, Grangousier himself had already died, but his son, now King Gargantua, married to Queen Badbek (this word in the Gascon dialect means “Razinya”), peacefully ruled the state.

Gargantua and Badback have a son, Pantagruel, cheerful, intelligent and extremely good-natured. Everything would be fine, but a certain king Anarch dreamed of world domination and, like Picrocholus once, attacked the kingdom ruled by Gargantua. The ending turned out to be disastrous for the instigator this time too. The anarch lost his throne and became an onion merchant.

And again peace reigned in the country. Now the spotlight is on Prince Pantagruel and his friends. Among them are Jean the Teeth Grinder, the humanist Ponocrates, the mischievous but most learned little Panurge, and others. A cheerful, noisy and, I must say, smart company. Panurge decided to get married. Marriage is a simple matter, but how can an old bachelor make the decision? And for Panurge “noon has already passed.” And then great doubts began. What if the future spouse starts cheating, or what if she starts fighting? Panurge's doubts are shared by his entire company. They turn to scientists, healers, smart people and fools alike for advice. There is no convincing answer. The good company finally decided to go on a long journey to unknown countries to the oracle of the Divine Bottle.

What wonders, what monsters they saw along the way! Finally they arrived at the Divine Bottle, but instead of answering, it made a special sound, however, the same sound that a bottle can make: “Trink!”

strange, amazing work! It has been living for the fifth century. Interest in him continues unabated. What's special about it? - Fairy tale. Fiction. Fantasy. Jokes, jokes. "Gargantua and Pantagruel"... Summary, of course, conveys only the main events, and the book itself is a huge volume. Its author is the most learned man, Doctor of Medicine Francois Rabelais.

Francois Rabelais is the author of one novel, but what a novel! His voluminous and unreadable work became a manifesto new era, where a person becomes level with his creator, and does not fall on his face, groveling and fearing heavenly punishment. The book gave a fearfully shrunken world the image of a Renaissance man - a rebirth to a full life.

"Gargantua and Pantagruel" is a satirical novel created with the help of such literary devices as grotesque and hyperbole. Unfortunately, the meaning of many of Francois Rabelais’s sarcastic attacks has now been lost, so the voluminous work is difficult to read, although it was supposed to amuse the audience, like a fair booth (in style, the novel resembles the buffoonish stories of a clown who viciously ridicules the way of life, without fear of being punished) .

Main themes

The author exposes the eternal human vices and ridicules the weaknesses, shortcomings and problems of his time. Rabelais' favorite objects for ridicule are the church and the Catholic institute of monasticism, which is not surprising - he knew firsthand about laziness, ignorance, greed, hypocrisy and hypocrisy of the clergy, because he himself lived in a monastery in his youth. In addition, it is known that Rabelais was a physician, which means he had rational thinking and a lively mind, and not the blinkered consciousness of a fanatic.

His pen also inherited medieval scholasticism, divorced from the reality that the main characters love so much in all its manifestations. Blind faith and religious hypocrisy aroused such aversion in Rabelais that he did not hesitate to even take aim at the Holy Scriptures, some episodes from which he cleverly parodied in the novel. So, it is no wonder that all parts of Gargantua and Pantagruel were condemned by the theological faculty of the Sorbonne as heretical.

Who is Francois Rabelais?

Francois Rabelais is the first singer of the Renaissance who dared to rebel against medieval inertia and the lack of rights of common sense. He contrasted the ideals of freedom and humanism with inhuman dogmas. The chapters about the Abbey of Thelema, as well as about the education of Gargantua under the leadership of Ponocrates, are a complete embodiment of humanistic principles. Therefore, “Gargantua and Pantagruel” is the most voluminous literary monument of the Renaissance.

Very little is known about the author himself, since he was hiding from the authorities for his literary research. He wrote at a time when one could pay for freedom of speech with eternal captivity, or even life. There are references to the fact that he lived in a monastery in his youth, which is why he knows so well inner side customs and the sin of the clergy. Then he ran away from God's temple, despairing of becoming a virtuous Catholic. From then on, the time of his wanderings began, when he mastered the art of healing and the mastery of words. Communicating with patients, the doctor learned many legends and tales about the national heroes of fair booths - Gargantua and Pantagruel, which later migrated to his book.

Comic effect

Exactly ordinary people The church oppressed most of all, because this institution had a monopoly in the field of education among the broad masses. That's why comic effect in the novel Rabelais is placed in the form of rough humor, understandable to the common man. Jokes are related to body defects and physiology, the absorption of food and wine, sexual relations and sexually transmitted diseases. All these themes in the novel “Gargantua and Pantagruel” were completely unusual for medieval literature, which was closely connected with religious tradition.

During the historical literary process Attempts have been made repeatedly to “adapt” Rabelais to changing ideas about morality and ethics, but, as you know, you can’t erase a word from a song - the “cleaned up” novel is, without a doubt, inferior to the original.

Stylistics of Rabelais

The language in the novel “Gargantua and Pantagruel” is replete with obscene phrases and caricatured excerpts from sacred texts. The text is inextricably linked with the folk culture of France in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The images of the main characters, Gargantua and Pantagruel, whose names are taken directly from French folklore, symbolize the Renaissance with its rejection of the traditional life attitudes of the Middle Ages. The main idea of ​​the Renaissance– return of interest in secular art and knowledge of the world, free from dogma and restrictions.

Rabelais language- bizarre, complex, a jumble of expressions and means artistic expression confuses the reader, forcing him to re-read the sentence more than once in pursuit of the essence.

Composition

The grotesque-comic structure of the novel "Gargantua and Pantagruel" has several functions. It lures the reader in, keeps him interested throughout the story, and makes it easier to perceive the deep thoughts at the core. creative method Rabelais. On the other hand, it masks them, that is, it serves as a shield from corrosive censorship. Buffoonery and fooling around form a powerful comic effect in medieval literature on the threshold of the Renaissance. The composition of the novel is a free alternation of episodes and images.

The main idea that binds Gargantua and Pantagruel is the grotesque. folk character. Not all of Rabelais' thoughts have been deciphered. A special case of the grotesque is the size of Gargantua in the first two books. This is an exaggerated desire of nature to free itself from the oppression of medieval norms.

main idea

Although the book is large in volume, like its hero, it carries a very specific message. Rabelais saw how people suffer from the dominance of religious superstition, perceiving inept sermons as the word of God, although it is in them that the meaning of any religious cult is lost. The people vegetated in ignorance and fanaticism, so parents did not want to treat and teach their children, considering any interference in the mind and body of their child as demonic work. That's why main idea Rabelais' novel - to show familiarization with the national French culture, its origins, and not slavish obedience to the creepy demagoguery of Catholicism. He wanted a person to rely on his common sense, and not on the abstract and misinterpreted teachings of the scholastics. The theorists were cut off from life; they did not earn their own bread, so they could not teach the people based on their needs.

Characteristics of the main characters

1. The descriptions of the characters in the book are extremely scattered and abundant, so it can be difficult to immediately figure out who is who. To understand the essence of the novel, it is necessary to clearly understand who Gargantua is? This is the king of the state of Utopia from a family of giants. Appears in the first and occasionally in the second and third books of the novel. The image of Gargantua is a symbol of the emerging Renaissance with its anthropocentric position. Man is not a servant of God, he literally grew up, became a giant, and not a louse.
2. As we know, this is not the only giant in Rabelais’ creation. Who is Pantagruel? This is the son of Gargantua, the prince of the kingdom of Utopia. Appears in the novel from the second book. Represents a type advanced person Renaissance, who is interested in several scientific disciplines and types of art.
3. Giants travel and find friends of conviction who express certain ideas of the author and entertain royalty. Who is Brother Jean Teethbreaker (Frère Jean des Entommeures)? This is a monk of the Order of St. Benedict. Appears in the first, third, fourth and fifth books. He shows himself wonderfully, both during the war with Picrohol, and during the numerous feasts of Gargantua and his son. Brother Jean is “a young man, quick, dapper, cheerful, broken, brave, courageous, decisive, tall, thin, loud-mouthed, big-nosed, an expert at striking the clock, saying mass and performing vespers.”
4. Brother Jean had an assistant needed at the feasts. Panurge is a dropout student from Touraine. Appears in the second book. He agrees with his brother Jean in his inexhaustible love of life and passion for various kinds fun tricks. True, unlike the monk, Panurge is a little cowardly (“I am not afraid of anything except dangers”). “Panurge was a man... with a hooked nose that resembled a razor handle, who loved to leave others with their noses, in highest degree courteous, however, slightly dissolute and from birth susceptible to a special illness, which in those days was described as follows: Lack of money is an unbearable illness.”
5. Epistemon. This former mentor Pantagruel. Like Panurge, he appears in the novel in the second book. Of all Pantagruel's friends, he is the most educated; he often indulges in various abstract discussions, which does not prevent him from being a faithful comrade and a good drinking companion.

Analysis of the first book

In the first book, Gargantua is a kind, peace-loving giant king. There are actually three such handsome men in the novel: Grangouzier, Gargantua and Pantagruel. There are also three main topics:

1. Raising Gargantua. Contrasting medieval and Renaissance education. But even in such a serious topic, the author uses a parody game (for example, exaggerating the diligence shown by humanistic educators).
2. War with Picrohole. The contrast between Picrocholus and Gargantua is a comparison between a medieval and a humanistic ruler.
3. Thelema monastery. This is, firstly, the contrast between a medieval monastery and the utopia of the new world. Brother Jean is a product of the monastery walls and at the same time their mocking denial. The motto of the monastery is “Do what you want” - a mocking inversion of the monastery charter. The people there are terribly educated: they know 5-6 languages, they can write poetry in them, but how do they use their knowledge? Of what use to the world is their learning? Monks do not help lay people become better people, they simply run away from problems, encouraging their selfishness, hoping to beg for an easy share in heaven. The author ridicules this position.

Analysis of the second book

In the second book, Pantagruel is a good giant, a kind fellow, a glutton and a drinker. The motive of thirst that accompanies the birth of Pantagruel is the greed of knowledge and ordinary thirst. New person- “hungry for knowledge”, and not a thick-headed slave of someone’s conjectures. At the same time, he is cheerful and easy to use; he does not have the stiffness and isolation of a medieval person. The parallel between drinking and science runs throughout the book. Letter from Gargantua to Pantagruel - a manifesto of the Renaissance. It contains an apology for the sciences, an apology for the movement of history and the development of culture.

Bakhtin believes that the third book is an organic continuation of the first two. All proportions change in it: the action lasts only 30 days, the hero Pantagruel is already of normal size.

What did the author want to say in the fifth and fourth books?

Closer to the finale there was more seriousness, the folk-carnival basis was weakened. Islands in books 4-5 most often symbolize social institutions and values. There is no longer a main character, all are travelers. Pantagruel is exalted, Panurge is the opposite.

In the first three books, Panurge challenges the old stagnant society, which is why he is so likable, but in subsequent parts, not everywhere, the protest is blurred and becomes less deliberate. In those episodes that appeared in chapter 48, he is the same, and in those that appear in chapter 52 he is emphatically cowardly (for example, the episode with the storm, Sausages).

This is apparently due to the fact that Panurge and Pantagruel are different poles of the Divine nature. Pantagruel is an ideal person, Panurge is a real one. But the writer is disappointed in real person, which is why the image decreases.

How does the novel end?

And by the fact that the Bottle said: “Trink”, which means “drink” (and “drink”, and drink from the source of wisdom). Rabelais reproduced the voyage to truth, the journey in search of this coveted treasure. Is it true, absolute truth no, only the Fata Morgana appears before the adventurers. Therefore, they drink and enjoy life without the specter of death and dubious promises of divine mercy in exchange for earthly happiness.

Interesting? Save it on your wall!

Encyclopedic YouTube

1 / 4

✪ audio play, Francois Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel

✪ Francois Rabelais. Gargantua and Pantagruel. The Glass Bead Game (all episodes)

✪ Rabelais' riddle

✪ Moscow State University professor about Rabelais and Bakhtin

Subtitles

Novel concept

The main object of Rabelais's satire is the church, the white clergy and monasticism. The author of “Gargantua and Pantagruel” was himself a monk in his youth, but he did not like a different life, and with the help of his patron Geoffroy d’Etissac, Rabelais was able to leave the monastery without any consequences.

In the novel, Rabelais ridicules, on the one hand, the numerous claims of the church, and on the other, the ignorance and laziness of the monks (knowing the latter subject firsthand). Rabelais colorfully shows all the vices of the Catholic clergy that caused mass protest during the Reformation - an exorbitant desire for profit, the priests' claims to political dominance in Europe, sanctimonious piety covering up the depravity of church ministers. Medieval scholasticism - reflections divorced from real life about the place of God in earthly existence - and famous scholastic philosophers in particular:

“And in vain you think that heroes and demigods owe all their bliss in the Champs Elysees to asphodels, ambrosia and nectar, as our old women chatter here. In my opinion, the whole point is that they wipe themselves with goslings, and this is the opinion of the most learned John Scott.”
Book One, Chapter XIII.

Some passages from the Bible received special ridicule. For example, the episode with the resurrection of Epistemon by Panurge parodies the biblical tale of the resurrection of Lazarus by Jesus Christ, and the story about the giant Khurtali ridicules the legend of Noah's Ark. Rabelais explains the birth of Gargantua through the left ear of his mother by the omnipotence of the Lord God, and declares those who refuse to believe this to be heretics (religious fanaticism and blind faith in gospel miracles dating back to Tertullian are parodied here - “I believe because it is absurd”). It is not surprising that all the books of Gargantua and Pantagruel were condemned as heretical by the theological faculty of the Sorbonne.

In his novel, Rabelais not only fights the “old world” with the help of satire and humor, but also proclaims the new world as he sees it. Rabelais contrasts medieval inertia and lack of rights with the ideals of freedom and human self-sufficiency. The author of Pantagruel most fully outlined his vision of these ideas in practice in the episode with the Abbey of Theleme, which Brother Jean organizes with the permission of Gargantua. There is no coercion or prejudice in the abbey, and all conditions have been created for the harmonious development of the human personality. The abbey's charter consists of one rule: "Do what you want"(French Fais ce que voudras).

Brother Jean Rabelais explains the significance of such a structure in the monastery as follows:

“...free people, descended from good parents, enlightened, moving in a decent society, are endowed by nature itself with instinct and motivating force, which constantly instructs them in good deeds and distracts them from vice, and this force is called honor by them. But when the same people are crushed and oppressed by vile violence and coercion, they turn their noble ardor, with which they voluntarily rushed towards virtue, to throw off and overthrow the yoke of slavery, for from time immemorial we have been drawn to the forbidden and we long for it , what we have been denied.”
Book One, Chapter LVII.

The chapters about the Abbey of Thelema, as well as about the education of Gargantua under the leadership of Ponocrates, are a complete embodiment of the principles of humanism. In this regard, “Gargantua and Pantagruel” is the brightest literary monument of the Renaissance, when there was a breakdown of one cultural paradigm - the medieval one, and the emergence of another - the Renaissance one.

Stylistics of the novel

Rabelais' favorite technique is the grotesque, hyperbole (“superhyperbole”, according to A. Dzhivelegov). This is due to the personalities of the main characters - the giants Gargantua and Pantagruel. Sometimes they get along calmly with ordinary people(they eat at the same table with them, sail on the same ship), but not always. Gargantua sits down to rest on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris and mistakes cannonballs for flies; Pantagruel is chained to his cradle with chains used to block the harbors. This technique reaches its climax when Pantagruel, sticking out his tongue, shelters his army from the rain, and one of his entourage accidentally falls into the mouth of his master and discovers cities and villages there.

Much space in the novel is devoted to crude humor associated with the human body, a lot is said about clothing, wine, food and venereal diseases (the prologue of the first book begins with the words “ Worshipful drunkards and you, venerable venereals (for to you, and not to anyone else, are my writings dedicated)!"). This is completely atypical for medieval romance, which considered the listed topics low and not worthy of mention.

A characteristic feature of Pantagruel is the abundance of extremely detailed and at the same time comical listings of meals, books, sciences, laws, sums of money, animals, funny names of warriors and the like. Voluminous and meticulous lists sometimes form entire chapters (Book IV, Chapter LX “On what sacrifices the Gastrolatras made to their god on fasting days,” etc.).

"Gargantua and Pantagruel" is inextricably linked with the folk culture of France in the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. From it Rabelais borrowed both his main characters and some literary forms (for example, blazons or the so-called coq-à-l"âne- verbal nonsense), and, most importantly, the language of the narrative itself - with many obscene verbal turns and comic allusions to various sacred texts, a language imbued with the atmosphere of a cheerful folk holiday, from which all seriousness is driven away. This language was strikingly different from the one in which medieval scholastic treatises or the Latinized bohemian works of some of Rabelais's contemporaries were written (imitation of Latin is ridiculed in the chapter on the Limousin of the second book of the novel).

After Rabelais, his main techniques were used French writers 16th century Bonaventure Deperrier, Noël du Fail, and others.

Publication history

In 1533, 39-year-old Lyon physician, bachelor of medicine Francois Rabelais published a book about the good-natured giant Pantagruel, which contained a description of his “terrifying and terrifying deeds and exploits.” IN next year Rabelais publishes an essay about Pantagruel's father, Gargantua. Thus, chronologically, the first part of the novel is Pantagruel. However, already in 1542, when Rabelais published both books together, they were in a different order: first Gargantua, then Pantagruel; Since then, this sequence has been considered traditional.

The third book was published in 1546. The following year in Grenoble, and a year later in Lyon, a fragment of the fourth book from the prologue and 11 chapters was published (in the final version they amounted to 25 chapters, and Rabelais rewrote the prologue). The entire fourth book was published in 1552.

In 1562, nine years after Rabelais's death, an excerpt from the fifth book of the novel appeared, entitled “Vocal Island,” consisting of 16 chapters. The book was published in full in 1564. Most researchers of the great writer’s work agree that only part of the fifth book was written by Rabelais.

The first two books of “Gargantua and Pantagruel” were first published in Lyon under the pseudonym Alcofribas Nasier (French Alcofribas Nasier - an anagram of the name Francois Rabelais). The rest are in Paris, signed with the author's real name.

First book

“The Tale of the Terrible Life of the Great Gargantua, Father of Pantagruel, Once Composed by the Master Alcofribas Nazier, Extractor of the Quintessence” (1534)
Gargantua, the young son of the giant king Grangousier and his wife Gargamela, is apprenticed to learned theologians, as a result of which he becomes much stupider than he was before. The disgruntled Grangousier gives his son a new mentor and sends him to Paris. There, Gargantua causes a flood (“urine flood”) and takes the large bells from the cathedral for himself. Notre Dame of Paris to hang them around your mare's neck. The method of education used by Ponocrates gives completely different results - Gargantua becomes versatile educated person, not forgetting about physical development.

Meanwhile, the kingdom of Grangousier is attacked by its neighbor, King Picrohol. Gargantua returns home and, with the help of his friends, as well as his brother Jean, a Benedictine monk from Seiya, defeats the army of Picrocholus.

For his services in the war against the invaders, Gargantua allows Brother Jean to build a monastery to his taste - Thelema Abbey, the charter of which is strikingly different from the charters of all other monasteries.

Second book

"Pantagruel, king of the dipsodes, shown in his authentic form, with all his terrifying deeds and exploits" (1533)
Gargantua gives birth to a son, Pantagruel. Having matured, he goes to study at different universities in France and eventually ends up in Paris. Having received a letter from his father, in which he wrote about great importance education in human life, Pantagruel takes on science with even greater zeal; and having resolved the great litigation between Senor Peyvino and Senor Lizhizad, he receives universal recognition of his intelligence and talents.

In Paris, Pantagruel meets Panurge, who becomes his closest friend. Soon Pantagruel receives news that his homeland has been attacked by an army of giants led by King Anarch. Pantagruel hurries to his father's rescue and defeats his enemies.

Third book

"The Third Book of the Heroic Deeds and Sayings of the Good Pantagruel" (1546)
Peace has been established in the kingdom of Gargantua. Panurge, having received the castellation of Ragu from Pantagruel and squandered all the income from it for several years in advance, decides to get married. However, at the same time, he is tormented by doubts - will he be happy in marriage or will he be horned, beaten and robbed? To resolve such a question, Panurge turns to the sorceress, holy fool, poet, doctor, theologian, jester Tribula, and resorts to fortune telling. Pantagruel interprets all predictions and advice in a bad way, and Panurge - in a good way. Having achieved nothing definite, Pantagruel, Panurge, Brother Jean, Epistemon and their friends decide to go on a journey to the oracle of the Divine Bottle.

Book four

"The Fourth Book of the Heroic Deeds and Sayings of the Valiant Pantagruel" (1552)
The journey begins. Pantagruel's squadron visits many islands (among them the islands of the Papomans and Papefigs and the island of Wild Sausages), and falls into a strong storm. Rabelais uses the episodes with the islands to satire church orders (which, however, is abundantly enough in all previous books), and in the scene with the storm the characters of each of the characters are revealed.

Fifth book

"Fifth and last book heroic deeds and sayings of the good Pantagruel" (1564)
The journey continues. Seafarers land on Zvonky Island (a new satire on the church), Zastenok Island ( satirical image the modern Rabelais court and the arbitrariness that reigned there) and the island of apedeuts (a parody of the fiscal department). As a result, they sail to Lantern Island and hear the sacred word of the Bottle: "Trink!"(“Drink!”)

Main characters

Gargantua(French Gargantua) - king of the state of Utopia from a family of giants. Appears in the first and occasionally in the second and third books of the novel. The image of Gargantua is a symbol of the Renaissance, a symbol of the rejection of traditional life attitudes of the Middle Ages and a reviving interest in secular art and knowledge of the world, free from dogma and restrictions.

Pantagruel(French Pantagruel) - son of Gargantua, prince of the kingdom of Utopia. Appears in the novel starting from the second book. Represents a type of advanced Renaissance man who is interested in several scientific disciplines and types of art at once. Appears starting from the second book. He agrees with his brother Jean in his inexhaustible love of life and passion for all sorts of funny pranks (“ Panurge was a man... with a hooked nose that resembled a razor handle, who loved to leave others in the dust, extremely courteous, however, slightly dissolute and from birth susceptible to a special disease, which in those days they said like this: Lack of money is an unbearable illness"). True, unlike the monk, Panurge is a bit cowardly (“ ...I'm not afraid of anything except adversity»).

Epistemon(French Epistémon) - Pantagruel's former mentor. Like Panurge, he appears in the novel starting from the second book. Of all Pantagruel's friends, he is the most educated; he often indulges in various abstract discussions, which does not prevent him from being a faithful comrade and a good drinking companion.

Charles V, who fought with France for many years.

The names of the characters in the novel

The names of the characters in “Gargantua and Pantagruel” are almost always chosen not by chance; they serve to characterize their bearers. Translated from Greek, Panurge means “swindler, trickster”, Ponocrates - “strong, tireless”, Epistemon - “experienced, knowledgeable”, Eudaemon - “happy”, Karpalim - “swift”, Evsthenes - “strong”. The origin of the names Gargantua and Pantagruel is explained in detail in the chapters devoted to their birth.

Names may also contain a negative, mocking assessment. The name of the conquering king Picrocholes is made up of the Greek words “picros” - bitter and “chole” - bile. Tripe (warlord Picrohol) translated from French means “shkalik”, and Jobelin Bride (theologian, one of Gargantua’s mentors) means “fool-simple.” In some translations of the novel into Russian, such names are given in French, in some - in Russian: for example, in some translations the name of the mentioned master is given in the French version ( Jobelin Bride