What is modern about 18th century literature? Question: Essay on the topic Literature of the 18th century in the perception of the modern reader

This text is 4 or more pages. If you studied "Poor Liza" then this is what you need → The history of secular fiction opens in the 18th century. The literature of the 18th century reflected all those historical events that took place during that era. The main directions of literature of that time were classicism and sentimentalism. It is difficult for the modern reader to perceive the literature of the 18th century, since it is very diverse for him. There are very few people left who read books these days. Interesting and entertaining books have been replaced by computers and telephones. But still, there is still a part of people who read books and do it with pleasure.The 18th century is the century of beautiful words and sharp thoughts. But still, this is a problematic time with such hopes and sorrows that are not relevant today. This is another sign why the reader is becoming increasingly incomprehensible and meaningless. literature XVIII century. However, do not forget immortal works poets and writers of this time, expressing the feelings of man that he experiences at all times. For example, the well-known story by N.M. Karamzin “ Poor Lisa" This work is unlikely to leave anyone indifferent. I think this work will appeal to many modern readers. "Poor Lisa" has a very effective plot. There you can find love, experiences, betrayal and death. N.M. Karamzin’s story “Poor Liza” was one of the first sentimental works of Russian literature of the 18th century. Lisa was capable of sincerely loving a person who was not fully worthy of her love. Erast has intelligence and a kind heart. Having lost at cards, he is forced to marry a rich widow and leave Lisa, which is why she committed suicide. However, human feelings did not die in Erast and, as the author assures us, “Erast was unhappy until the end of his life. Having learned about Lizina’s fate, he could not console himself and considered himself a murderer.”Not only the author himself got along with Erast and Lisa, but also thousands of contemporaries - readers of the story. This was facilitated by good recognition not only of the circumstances, but also of the place of action. Karamzin quite accurately depicted in “Poor Liza” the surroundings of the Moscow Simonov Monastery, and the name “Lizin’s Pond” was firmly attached to the pond located there. Moreover, some unfortunate young ladies even drowned themselves here, following the example of the main character of the story. Lisa became a model that people sought to imitate in love, though not peasant women, but girls from the nobility and other wealthy classes. The rare name Erast became very popular among noble families. “Poor Liza” and sentimentalism responded to the spirit of the times. In this story, Karamzin writes nothing about emperors and empresses, or about the empire, or about enlightened Reason, or about the rational structure of the world or the state. His heroes become simple people. The events that unfold in the story are simple and dramatic.Stories like the one told in the story “Poor Liza” educate the heart, enlighten it with sensitive pictures, and give the refined pleasure of compassion. dear soul, rejoice in your selfless ability to be human."Oh! - exclaimed the narrator. – I love those objects that touch my heart and make me shed tears of tender sorrow.Besides the sad and tragic works in the 18th century there were also comedies. Therefore, I am sure that modern readers can enjoy a lot of works of the 18th century.

The literary movement of sentimentalism came to Russia from France at the end of the 18th century, and addressed mainly problems human soul.
Karamzin's story "Poor Liza" tells about the love of a young nobleman
Erast and the peasant woman Liza. Lisa lives with her mother in the outskirts of Moscow. The girl sells flowers and here she meets Erast. Erast is a man “with a fair amount of intelligence and kind hearted, kind by nature, but weak and flighty." His love for Lisa turned out to be fragile. Erast plays cards. In an effort to improve matters, he is going to marry a rich widow, so he leaves Lisa. Shocked by Erast's betrayal, Lisa throws herself into the pond in despair and drowns. This tragic end is largely predetermined by the class inequality of the heroes. Erast is a nobleman. Lisa is a peasant woman. Their marriage is impossible. But the ability to love and be happy do not always coincide. In the story, the author values ​​not nobility and wealth, but spiritual qualities, the ability to feel deeply.
Karamzin was a great humanist, a man with subtle soul. He denied serfdom, not recognizing the power of people to control the lives of other people. Although the heroine of the story is not a serf girl, but a free peasant woman, nevertheless, the class wall between her and her lover is insurmountable. Even Lisa's love could not break this barrier.
Reading the story, I am completely on Lisa’s side, experiencing the delight of love and grieving over the death of the girl. Turning to the lofty theme of unrequited love, Karamzin understood and felt that the drama human feelings cannot be explained solely by social reasons. The image of Erast in this sense is very interesting, his character is contradictory; He has a gentle, poetic nature and is handsome, which is why Lisa fell in love with him. At the same time, Erast is selfish, weak-willed, and capable of deception; with cold cruelty he takes Lisa out of his house, but upon learning of her death, he could not be consoled and considered himself a murderer. The author emphasizes that no class superiority frees a person from responsibility for his actions.

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And yet you cannot escape yourself. You can change your Russian dress to a German one, cut your beard and learn Latin. There are external traditions, and there are internal ones, invisible to us, developed by our ancestors over hundreds and hundreds of years. What changed in the 18th century? Much, but the deepest, most intangible and most important national values ​​remained, from ancient history migrated to a new one, from ancient Russian literature they quietly but confidently entered the literature of the 18th century. This is a reverent attitude towards the written word, faith in its truth, faith that a word can correct, teach, enlighten; This constant desire see the world with “spiritual eyes” and create images of people of high spirituality; this is inexhaustible patriotism; this is a close connection with folk poetry. Writing never became a profession in Rus', it was and remains a calling, literature was and remains a guide to a correct, high life.

According to established tradition, in the 18th century we begin the countdown of new Russian literature. From that time on, Russian literature began to move towards European literature, in order to finally merge with it already in the 19th century. The so-called " belles lettres", that is fiction, the art of words. Fiction, author's imagination, and entertainment are encouraged here. The author - poet, playwright, prose writer - is no longer a copyist, not a compiler, not a recorder of events, but a creator, creator art worlds. In the 18th century the time comes original literature, it is not the truthfulness of what is described that begins to be valued, not adherence to canons, not similarity to models, but, on the contrary, the originality, uniqueness of the writer, flight of thought and imagination. However, such literature was just being born, and Russian writers at first also followed traditions and patterns, the “rules” of art.

One of the first cultural acquisitions of Russia from Europe was classicism. It was a very harmonious, understandable and uncomplicated system artistic principles, quite suitable for Russia in the early and mid-18th century. Typically, classicism arises where absolutism—the unlimited power of the monarch—is strengthened and flourishes. This was the case in France in the 17th century, and this was the case in Russia in the 18th century.

Reason and order must prevail in human life, and in art. A literary work is the result of the author’s imagination, but at the same time a reasonably organized, logically, according to rules, creation. Art should demonstrate the triumph of order and reason over the chaos of life, just as the state personifies reason and order. Therefore, art also has a huge educational value. Classicism divides everything literary genres into “high” and “low” genres. The first include tragedy, epic, ode. They describe events of national importance and the following characters: generals, monarchs, ancient heroes. “Low” genres - comedy, satire, fable - show the life of people of the middle classes. Each genre has its own educational meaning: tragedy creates a role model, and, for example, an ode glorifies the deeds of modern heroes - generals and kings, “low” genres ridicule the vices of people.

The originality of Russian classicism was already manifested in the fact that from the very beginning it began to actively intervene in modern life. It is significant that, unlike France, the path of classicism in our country begins not with tragedies on ancient themes, but with topical satire. The founder of the satirical movement was Antioch Dmitrievich Kantemir(1708-1744). In his passionate satires (accusatory poems), he stigmatizes nobles who shirk their duty to the state, to their honored ancestors. Such a nobleman does not deserve respect. The focus of Russian classic writers is the education and upbringing of an enlightened person who continues the work of Peter I. And Kantemir, in his satires, constantly addresses this theme, which was cross-cutting for the entire 18th century.

Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov(1711 - 1765) entered the history of Russian literature as the creator of odes and solemn poems on “high” themes. The purpose of the ode is glorification, and Lomonosov glorifies Russia, its power and wealth, its present and future greatness under the enlightened leadership of a wise monarch.

In an ode dedicated to the accession to the throne of Elizabeth Petrovna (1747), the author refers to new queen, but glorification turns into teaching, into a “lesson for kings.” The new monarch must be worthy of his predecessor, Peter the Great, and the rich country he inherited, and therefore he should patronize the sciences and preserve “beloved silence,” that is, peace: Lomonosov’s Odes glorify both the achievements of science and the greatness of God.

Having “borrowed” classicism from the West, Russian writers nevertheless introduced into it the traditions of ancient Russian literature. This is patriotism and instructiveness. Yes, tragedy created an ideal person, a hero, a role model. Yes, satire made fun of it. Yes, the ode glorified. But, giving an example to follow, ridiculing, glorifying, the writers taught. It was this edifying spirit that made the works of Russian classicists not abstract art, but an intervention in their contemporary life.

However, so far we have only named the names of Kantemir and Lomonosov. And V.K. Trediakovsky, A.P. Sumarokov, V.I. Maikov, M.M. Kheraskov, D.I. Fonvizin paid their tribute to classicism. G. R. Derzhavin and many others. Each of them contributed something of their own to Russian literature, and each deviated from the principles of classicism - so rapid was the development of literature in the 18th century.

Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov(1717-1777) - one of the creators of Russian classicist tragedy, the plots for which he drew from Russian history. Thus, the main characters of the tragedy “Sinav and Truvor” are the Novgorod prince Sinav and his brother Truvor, as well as Ilmena, with whom both of them are in love. Ilmena reciprocates Truvor's feelings. Consumed by jealousy, Sinav pursues his lovers, forgetting about the duty of a just monarch. Ilmena marries Sinav because her nobleman father demands it, and she is a man of duty. Unable to bear the separation, Truvor, expelled from the city, and then Ilmena commit suicide. The reason for the tragedy is that Prince Sinav did not curb his passion, could not subordinate his feelings to reason and duty, and this is precisely what is required of a person in classical works.
But if Sumarokov’s tragedies generally fit into the rules of classicism, then in love lyrics he was a true innovator, where, as we know, feelings always triumph over reason. What is especially noteworthy is that in Sumarokov’s poetry he relies on the traditions of folk women’s lyrical song, and often it is the woman who is the heroine of his poems. Literature sought to go beyond the circle of themes and images prescribed by classicism. AND love lyrics Sumarokova is a breakthrough to the “inner” person, interesting not because he is a citizen, public figure, but by what it carries the whole world feelings, experiences, suffering, love.

Along with classicism, Enlightenment ideas also came to Russia from the West. All evil comes from ignorance, the enlighteners believed. They considered ignorance to be tyranny, the injustice of laws, the inequality of people, and often the church. The ideas of the Enlightenment resonated in literature. The ideal of an enlightened nobleman was especially dear to Russian writers. Let's remember Starodum from the comedy Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin(1744 (1745) - 1792) "Minor" and his statements. The monologues and remarks of the hero, the reasoner, the mouthpiece of the author’s ideas, reveal the educational program. It comes down to the demand for justice in the very in a broad sense- from state management to estate management. The author believes that justice will triumph when the laws and the people who implement them are virtuous. And for this it is necessary to educate enlightened, moral, educated people.

One of the most famous books 18th century - "Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow." Radishcheva(1749-1802), the author of this work, Catherine the Great called “a rebel worse than Pugachev.” The book is structured in the form travel notes, life observations, sketches and reflections that lead the author to the idea of ​​​​the injustice of the entire system of life, starting with autocracy.

Literature of the 18th century looks more and more closely not at clothes and actions, but at social status and civil duties, but into the soul of a person, into the world of his feelings. Under the sign of "sensibility" literature says goodbye to the 18th century. On the basis of educational ideas grows literary direction — sentimentalism. Do you remember the little story Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin(1766-1826) "Poor Liza", which to some extent became a turning point for Russian literature. This story proclaimed inner world human being the main theme of art, demonstrating the spiritual equality of all people in contrast social inequality. Karamzin laid the foundation for Russian prose, purified literary language from archaisms, and the narrative - from pomposity. He taught Russian writers independence, because true creativity is a deeply personal matter, impossible without inner freedom. But inner freedom has its own external manifestations: writing becomes a profession, the artist from now on can no longer bind himself to service, for creativity is the most worthy public field.

“Life and poetry are one,” proclaims V. A. Zhukovsky. “Live as you write, write as you live,” picks up K. N. Batyushkov. These poets will step from the 18th century into the 19th century, their work is another story, the history of Russian literature of the 19th century.

And all the achievements of the Renaissance. The literature of the 18th century had a huge impact on societies, which made an invaluable contribution to world culture. The Enlightenment gave impetus to the Great french revolution, which completely changed Europe.

The literature of the 18th century performed mainly educational functions; great philosophers and writers became its heralds. They themselves possessed an incredible amount of knowledge, sometimes encyclopedic, and not without reason believed that only an enlightened person could change this world. They carried their humanistic ideas through literature, which consisted mainly of philosophical treatises. These works were written for quite wide range readers capable of thinking and reasoning. The authors hoped in this way to be heard by a large number of people.

The period from 1720 to 1730 is called Enlightenment classicism. Its main content was that writers ridiculed based on examples ancient literature and art. In these works one can feel pathos and heroism, which are aimed at the idea of ​​​​creating a paradise state.

Foreign literature The 18th century did a lot. She was able to show heroes who are true patriots. For this category of people, Equality, Fraternity and Freedom are the main priority. True, it should be noted that these heroes are completely devoid of individuality, character, they are possessed only by sublime passions.

Enlightenment classicism is being replaced by educational realism, which brings literature closer to concepts closer to people. Foreign literature of the 18th century received a new direction, more realistic and democratic. Writers turn to face the person, describe his life, talk about his suffering and torment. Through the language of novels and poems, writers call on their readers to mercy and compassion. Enlightened people of the 18th century began to read the works of Voltaire, Rousseau, Diderot, Montesquieu, Lessing, Fielding and Defoe. The main characters are ordinary people who cannot resist public morality, are very vulnerable and often weak-willed. The authors of these works are still very far from being realistic. literary images heroes of the 19th and 20th centuries, but a significant shift towards describing more life characters.

Russian literature of the 18th century began with the reforms of Peter I, gradually replacing the positions of enlightened classicism with realism. Prominent representatives this period there were such authors as Trediakovsky and Sumarokov. They created fertile soil on Russian soil for development literary talents. Fonvizin, Derzhavin, Radishchev and Karamzin are undeniable. We still admire their talents and civic position.

English literature The 18th century was distinguished by the formation of several different directions at once. The British were the first to use such genres as social and family novels, in which the talents of Richardson, Smollett, Stevenson, and, undoubtedly, Swift, Defoe and Fielding were revealed. Writers in England were among the first to criticize not the bourgeois system, but the bourgeois themselves, their moral and moral principles. True, Jonathan Swift aimed his irony at the bourgeois system itself, showing in his works its most negative aspects. English literature of the 18th century is also represented by a phenomenon called sentimentalism. It is filled with pessimism, disbelief in ideals and is aimed only at feelings, usually of love content.

The literature of the 18th century absorbed the most significant creations, trends and themes ancient literature. For example, ideas such as humanism and patriotism. These works described life common man With high altitude. Poets and writers tried to illuminate a person as brightly as possible and show him as a person, regardless of his belonging to one class or another. At the same time, books and stories of this time were rich in romantic dialogues and female characters. The lyrical part of the poems was actively improved. The verses themselves described eternity and vanity, bondage and freedom.

In short, literary works art of the 18th century, speak of the rapid development of new directions in European creativity. Significant direction V European art occupies Classicism. In it, the writer must adhere to and be able to recognize a rigid system of genres that are divided into:

1. Supreme (ode, tragedy);
2. Inferior (fable, epic, comedy).

Classicism at the beginning of its journey was recognized by the Russian poet, diplomat and old man Antioch Dmitrievich Kantemir.

He became the creator of nine satires, they became very popular and sold well in the most different lists. The purpose of his satires turned out to be sketches of morals of the era after the reign of Peter. He established a certain word division-censorship, which divides the verse into 2 parts; this method allows the verse to be “plastic” and have a more expressive outline. In this century of daring literary experiments, were born prominent figures as if time itself needed them. If speak about significant people of that time, without a doubt, one can single out Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov. He owned Greek, Latin, mastered the ode, studied the poetry of the Middle Ages and antiquity. Lomonosov's affairs were very productive; he and his works had a strong influence on different genres literature and poetry in general.

But we should not forget about the founder of Russian drama, Alexander Petrovich Sumarkov. From his pen came 9 tragedies and 12 comedies. How playwright Alexander Petrovich made his debut in tragic genre. The main difference of his tragedy was the appeal to real events native history.

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