FOLK PROVERBS AND SAYINGS IN A.S. PUSHKIN’S LETTERS OF THE 1828–1831 YEARS

The article deals with numerous instances of referring to Russian proverbs and sayings in letters written by A.S. Pushkin in 1828–1831 and provides further analysis of the principles of their creative usage in the epistolary heritage of the poet in relation to his belles-lettres works. We have chosen chronologically definite period: from 1828 to 1831 inclusive, that is the period taking in Pushkin’s life in Saint Petersburg and Moscow, his journey to Arzrum in the middle of 1829, famous autumn in Boldino in 1830, and also the first year of his family life. In the article the author cites I.S. Tourgenev’s opinion. Already in 70-s years of XIX century in his preface to the publication of A.S. Pushkin’s letters to his wife, Tourgenev not only explained the significance of these letters for the reader, but also shrewdly noted one important and curious peculiarity of published letters: “Pushkin was not only the most talented, but also the most Russian person of his time; and already from this very point of view his letters are worthy of attention of every educated Russian person; for the historian of literature they are a real treasure; manners, the very life of the definite epoch was reflected in them although in quick, but bright features”. It is concluded that proverbs and sayings naturally and organically come into the text of Pushkin’s letters, are used in the connection of different life events, closely resembling the way such sayings are traditionally used by Russian people.