Famous Western writers and poets of the 18th century. Russian literature of the 18th century

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Every person would probably like to visit the past at least once in their life. This is easy to do with the help of books. Together with the author of that era, you will delve into the life of people, into the life of the country, and experience for yourself how everything was arranged before.

English, French, Russian writers in their works showed what excited, worried, and delighted them. Thus, the 18th century can be called the century of enlightenment. This is a new movement that has given birth to a new stage in the arts.

Writers of the 18th century created a turning point when everything suddenly changed - from the consciousness of people to the flow of literature. Religion dictated its own rules, politics its own, but in the end everything grew into something new and beautiful.

Foreign writers have removed everything mystical and spiritual from their works. Rationalism appeared in relation to the world and man. That is, religion has faded into the background among people, replaced by faith in technological progress.

We have compiled a list of the best writers of the 18th century. It is from their works that you will learn a lot of interesting and educational things, you will see how people’s worldviews change, how art changes. All this is clearly and vividly described in the works of writers of that era.

The books depicted not a person with his passions, but an image of the ideal in the real. At the same time, the literary movement provided for a clear separation of the lower from the higher, tragedy from comedy, and more.

The writers and poets of the 18th century in the list that we have compiled for you will show you the world of the past, when everything was just beginning to change, when people moved away from religion, when the church ceased to have such an influence on people. These are amazing stories that everyone should read.

• Jane Austen
• Daniel Defoe
• Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
• Walter Scott
• (Jonathan Swift)
• Nikolai Karamzin (Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin)
• Ernst Theodor Amadeus Hoffmann
• Charles Perrault
• Voltaire (François Marie Arouet)
• Denis Diderot
• (Ivan Andreevich Krylov)
• Friedrich Schiller (Johann Christoph Friedrich Schiller)
• Benjamin Franklin
• Jean-Jacques Rousseau
• Immanuel Kant
• Robert Burns
• Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel)
• Charles Montesquieu (Charles-Louis de Seconda, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu)
• Adam Smith

Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin, sensitive to the spirit of the era, compared Russia in the 18th century to a ship launched “with the sound of an ax and the thunder of cannons.” “The sound of the ax” can be understood in different ways: either as the scale of construction, the remaking of the country, when St. Petersburg, from the shores of which the ship departed, still resembled a hastily put together theatrical set, had not yet been dressed in granite and bronze for centuries; either the sound of the ax meant that they were in a hurry to launch the ship, and work continued on it, already leaving; or it was the sound of an ax chopping off unruly heads. And the “crew” of this ship was in a hurry to enter Europe: they hastily cut the ropes that connected the ship with its native shore, with the past, forgetting traditions, consigning to oblivion cultural values ​​that seemed barbaric in the eyes of “enlightened” Europe. Russia was moving away from Rus'.

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, migrated from ancient history to the new, 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 is a constant desire to see the world with “spiritual eyes” and create images of people of high spirituality; this is inexhaustible patriotism; it has 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. What stands out from the general flow is the so-called “fine literature,” 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, the creator of artistic worlds. In the 18th century, the time of author's literature began to be valued, not the truthfulness of what was described, 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 of 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 dominate both human life and 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 great educational value. Classicism divides all literary genres into “high” genres and “low” ones. The first include tragedy, epic, ode. They describe events of national significance 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 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 addresses the new queen, but glorification turns into teaching, into a “lesson to 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, was unable to 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 songs, 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 Sumarokov’s love lyrics are a breakthrough to the “inner” person, interesting not because he is a citizen, a public figure, but because he carries within himself a whole world of 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 broadest sense - from the administration of the state to the management of the estate. 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 of the 18th century, “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow,” is imbued with educational ideas. Radishcheva(1749-1802), the author of this work, Catherine the Great called “a rebel worse than Pugachev.” The book is structured in the form of travel notes, life observations, sketches and reflections, which lead the author to the idea of ​​​​the injustice of the entire system of life, starting with autocracy.

The literature of the 18th century looks more and more carefully not at clothes and actions, not at social status and civic duties, but at the soul of a person, at the world of his feelings. Under the sign of "sensibility" literature says goodbye to the 18th century. On the basis of educational ideas, a literary movement grows - 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 the inner world of man as the main theme of art, demonstrating the spiritual equality of all people as opposed to social inequality. Karamzin laid the foundation for Russian prose, cleared the literary language of archaisms, and the narrative of pomposity. He taught Russian writers independence, because true creativity is a deeply personal matter, impossible without inner freedom. But internal freedom also has its external manifestations: writing becomes a profession, the artist no longer has to commit himself to service, because 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.

There is a clear boundary between the creations of the first and second halves of the 18th century, and the works created at the beginning of the century are very different from those that followed.

In the West, major literary forms were already developing and preparations were underway for the creation of the novel genre, while Russian authors were still rewriting the lives of saints and praising rulers in clumsy, unwieldy poems. Genre diversity in Russian literature is poorly represented; it lags behind European literature by about a century.

Among the genres of Russian literature of the early 18th century it is worth mentioning:

• hagiographic literature(origins - church literature),
• Panegyric literature(texts of praise),
• Russian poems(origins - Russian epics, composed in tonic versification).

Vasily Trediakovsky, the first professional Russian philologist who was educated in his homeland and consolidated his linguistic and stylistic mastery at the Sorbonne, is considered a reformer of Russian literature.

Firstly, Trediakovsky forced his contemporaries to read and his followers to write prose - he created a mass of translations of ancient Greek myths and European literature created on this classical basis, giving his contemporaries-writers a theme for future works.

Secondly, Trediakovsky revolutionaryly separated poetry from prose and developed the basic rules of syllabic-tonic Russian versification, drawing on the experience of French literature.

Genres of literature of the second half of the 18th century:

• Drama (comedy, tragedy),
• Prose (sentimental journey, sentimental story, sentimental letters),
• Poetic forms (heroic and epic poems, odes, a huge variety of small lyrical forms)

Russian poets and writers of the 18th century

Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin occupies a significant place in Russian literature along with D.I. Fonvizin and M.V. Lomonosov. Together with these titans of Russian literature, he is included in the brilliant galaxy of founders of Russian classical literature of the Enlightenment era, dating back to the second half of the 18th century. At this time, largely thanks to the personal participation of Catherine the Second, science and art were rapidly developing in Russia. This is the time of the appearance of the first Russian universities, libraries, theaters, public museums and a relatively independent press, although very relative and for a short period, which ended with the appearance of “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow” by A.P. Radishcheva. The most fruitful period of the poet’s activity dates back to this time, as Famusov Griboyedov called it, “the golden age of Catherine.”

Selected poems:

Fonvizin's play is a classic example of comedy in compliance with the traditional rules of creating plays:

• The trinity of time, place and action,
• Primitive typification of heroes (classicism assumed a lack of psychologism and depth of character of the hero, so they were all divided into either good and bad, or smart and stupid)

The comedy was written and staged in 1782. Denis Fonvizin’s progressiveness as a playwright lies in the fact that in a classic play he combined several issues (the problem of family and upbringing, the problem of education, the problem of social inequality) and created more than one conflict (a love conflict and a socio-political one). Fonvizin's humor is not light, serving solely for entertainment, but sharp, aimed at ridiculing vices. Thus, the author introduced realistic features into the classic work.

Biography:

Selected work:

The time of creation is 1790, the genre is a travel diary, typical of French sentimental travelers. But the journey turned out to be filled not with the bright impressions of the voyage, but with gloomy, tragic colors, despair and horror.

Alexander Radishchev published “Journey” in a home printing house, and the censor, apparently having read the title of the book, mistook it for another sentimental diary and released it without reading it. The book had the effect of a bomb exploding: in the form of scattered memories, the author described the nightmarish reality and life of the people he met at each station along the route from one capital to another. Poverty, dirt, extreme poverty, bullying of the strong over the weak and hopelessness - these were the realities of Radishchev’s contemporary state. The author received a long-term exile, and the story was banned.

Radishchev's story is atypical for a purely sentimental work - instead of tears of tenderness and enchanting travel memories, so generously scattered by French and English sentimentalism, an absolutely real and merciless picture of life is drawn here.

Selected work:

The story “Poor Liza” is an adapted European story on Russian soil. Created in 1792, the story became an example of sentimental literature. The author sang the cult of sensitivity and the sensual human principle, putting “inner monologues” into the mouths of the characters, revealing their thoughts. Psychologism, subtle portrayal of characters, great attention to the inner world of heroes are a typical manifestation of sentimental traits.

Nikolai Karamzin's innovation was manifested in his original resolution of the heroine's love conflict - the Russian reading public, accustomed mainly to the happy ending of stories, received a blow for the first time in the form of the suicide of the main character. And this meeting with the bitter truth of life turned out to be one of the main advantages of the story.

Selected work:

On the threshold of the Golden Age of Russian literature

Europe passed the path from classicism to realism in 200 years, Russia had to rush to master this material in 50-70 years, constantly catching up and learning from the example of others. While Europe was already reading realistic stories, Russia had to master classicism and sentimentalism in order to move on to creating romantic works.

The Golden Age of Russian literature is the time of development of romanticism and realism. Preparations for the emergence of these stages among Russian writers took place at an accelerated pace, but the most important thing that the writers of the 18th century learned was the opportunity to assign to literature not only an entertaining function, but also an educational, critical, morally formative one.

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 a fairly wide range of 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 of 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 of 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 the realistic literary images of heroes of the 19th and 20th centuries, but a significant shift towards the description of more life-like characters is already noticeable.

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

English literature of 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.

Children's works occupy an important place among other types of fiction, since they largely reflect the cultural characteristics of a particular people and their value system. Each culture has its own concepts of good and evil, right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, fair and unfair. As children, we absorb values ​​that stay with us throughout our lives. The importance of literature for children, therefore, should not be underestimated.

It should be noted that a characteristic feature of children's books is the combination of artistry and pedagogical requirements. Such literature should not only entertain, but also instruct, guide, orient. Children's writers of the 18th century (and their works, of course) sought to convey to children important knowledge about the world and instill correct values.

Let's take two countries - Great Britain and Russia - and using the example of children's works created in these countries, we will see that this is indeed the case. writers and their works are offered to your attention.

British children's literature of the 18th century

Each of us has favorite books from childhood: fairy tales "Alice in Wonderland", "The Kid and Carlson Who Lives on the Roof", "Matilda", "Thumbelina", "Gulliver's Travels" and "Robinson Crusoe" (a list, of course , everyone has their own). But suppose we grew up not in the 21st century in Russia, but in the 18th century in England, what could we read then?

From the above list, we would only have the book “Robinson Crusoe” by Daniel Defoe (1719) and “Gulliver’s Travels” by Jonathan Swift (1726) in a special version for children, written in simplified language, with many pictures.

However, does this mean that English children had nothing to read in the 18th century? Let's figure it out.

The fact is that fairy tales have always existed, and there has never been a shortage of them. Even when there was no written language, they were passed down from generation to generation in the form of folklore. But in the 17th and 18th centuries, with the development of printing, more and more professional writers, in particular for children, began to appear. Fairy tales, then as now, delighted and frightened children, creating fantastic worlds that adults, absorbed in everyday concerns, did not always approve of.

Here are just the main children's writers of the 18th century and their works.

"Robinson Crusoe" by Daniel Defoe

Let's go back to 18th century England. At that time, so to speak, the real “bestseller” was Defoe’s work. The book "Robinson Crusoe" praised the courage, resilience, and resourcefulness of a person forced to exist in extreme conditions. Jonathan Swift's fairy tale was also extremely popular, in which one can feel the author's call to discover new dimensions and horizons.

"Gulliver's Travels" by Jonathan Swift

The success of Gulliver's Travels even led to the appearance of other books for children, in which there was a clear desire to imitate this work, with the words "Gulliver" and "Lilliputian" in the titles to evoke a well-known association. One of the earliest examples is the children's Journal of the Lilliputians, published in 1751, the creator of which was John Newbery, a writer from London. Another example is The Lilliputian Library, or Gulliver's Museum, in ten small volumes, published in Dublin in the 1780s. This book was published specifically for children, and its price was low so that children could buy it for themselves. The total cost of 10 volumes was only five British shillings, and individual parts could be purchased for six pence each. However, even this relatively low price was still too much for many children and their parents. Only representatives of middle- and high-income families could afford to buy such literature and had the literacy necessary to read it.

Other books

Cheap books in the genre of popular literature existed even then and were accessible to segments of the population. They included children's stories, stories, travels, songs, prayer books, stories about robbers, robbers and murderers. These volumes were of poor quality and sold for a penny or two.

In 1712, a translation into English of the famous Arabic tales "A Thousand and One Nights" appeared.

As you can see, children's literature of that time was actively developing in England. What happened on Russian territory? Read more about this.

Russian books for children of the 18th century

Children's writers of the 18th century and their works appear in Russia (the first Russian books written specifically for children were created on the territory of our state back in the 17th century, the 18th century continued this tradition).

The era of Peter I gave impetus to the development of education, in particular literature for children. The Tsar himself believed that it was very important to take care of the education of the younger generation. At this time, children's books pursue mainly educational purposes. Textbooks, alphabet books and primers are printed.

"An honest mirror of youth"

Writers of the 18th century (Russian) open the list of children's literature with educational ones. An example is “The Honest Mirror of Youth.” This work described the rules of behavior at court, which Peter I introduced with his reforms. This book was compiled by the tsar’s associates by his personal decree. The head of the writers working on the work was Gavrila Buzhinsky. The book, among other things, included materials on spelling, alphabet, and copywriting. The “Honest Mirror of Youth” was intended for the future elite, the king’s support - children who were later to become courtiers. The main idea in the book is that in achieving success it is not the origin of a person that is more important, but his personal merits, although the special position of the nobility was emphasized. His vices were pointed out and criticized. A special code of twenty virtues was created for girls, among which helpfulness, silence, religiosity, and hard work are especially noteworthy. Writers of the 18th century (Russian) revealed the list of female virtues figuratively, using examples, creating vivid female images in their works.

Translated literature

In the eighteenth century, translated literature, such as Aesop's fables, also spread. These fables, written in the 6th century BC. e. by the sage Aesop, are well received by children due to the opportunity to imagine themselves in the image of heroes - animals, birds, trees, flowers... Aesop's fables provide an opportunity to overcome one's vices by joking and playing and develop associative thinking.

After the 50s, children's writers of the 18th century and their works began to appear. But still, the bulk of children's literature is borrowed from the West (especially from France). Here we should note, of course, the famous 17th century French storyteller Charles Perrault. His fairy tales “Cinderella”, “Sleeping Beauty”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Bluebeard” are known and loved by children all over the world. Not only readers, but also poets and writers of the 18th century drew inspiration from these works.

Writers of the 18th century

The list opens. This author wrote two books for children - “A Brief Russian History”, as well as “The First Teaching to Youths”. In the preface to the second book, he noted that childhood is a very important time in the life of every person, since it is then that the main character traits and habits are formed. Children should read books and love them.

Catherine II

Not only professional poets and writers of the 18th century created children's books. Even heads of state considered it their duty to independently teach young people. Catherine II set a real example in this. She created a large number of works, including books for children, for example, “The Tale of Prince Chlorus” and “The Tale of Prince Thebes.” Of course, they were far from fairy tales in the modern sense of the word, with their bright characters and heroes. These works merely depicted vices and virtues in a general, abstract way. However, the example of Catherine II turned out to be contagious, and many famous Russian writers of the 18th century followed it, creating works specifically for children.

Nikolay Ivanovich Novikov

Nikolai Ivanovich Novikov also made an important contribution to the development of children's literature. He is the publisher of the first children's magazine, Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind. It published works of different genres: fairy tales, short stories, plays, jokes, etc. Not only fiction was presented in the magazine. It also included popular science articles for children, telling young readers about nature, the world around them, various countries, cities, and the peoples inhabiting them. These articles were written figuratively, interestingly, in the form of a conversation. Novikov in his works preached the ideas of goodness and humanism, human dignity, which, in his opinion, should be instilled in children from a young age. The magazine was a great success and was very popular at the time. 18th century were published in this publication.

Nikolai Mikhalovich Karamzin

It is necessary to say a few words about Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin. This writer created and translated more than 30 different works for children. Being a representative of sentimentalism (which was followed by many Russian writers of the 18th century), so close to children's nature, he became especially loved among young readers of middle and older age. In 1789, Karamzin's first works were published in the magazine "Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind." Nikolai Mikhailovich wrote for children even after the closure of this magazine. In the last decade of the 18th century, he created such works as “The Beautiful Princess” and “Ilya Muromets”. Russian epics are reflected in the last fairy tale. This piece was not finished. Ilya Muromets, created by the author’s pen, was not at all like a typical hero from epics, as we usually imagine him, but only partially resembled the latter. The fairy tale does not describe battles with the enemies of Rus'; it reveals the lyrical part of the soul of Ilya Muromets in communication with his beloved. In the spirit of sentimentalism, Karamzin depicted the feelings of the characters in detail, creating vivid paintings.

Conclusion

Thus, the 18th century brought a lot of new things to children's literature both abroad and in our country. Literature for children actively continued its development in the 19th and then in the 20th centuries. Moreover, there is a clear sense of continuity in its development. For example, the fairy tales of Charles Perrault in various versions were later used by Andersen, Pushkin, the Brothers Grimm, and Irving. That is, the motives of some fairy tales fit perfectly into others. The works of Russian writers of the 18th century were read both in the 19th and later. Children's literature of the 19th century was characterized by an even greater connection with fiction for adults, as well as with education and culture in general.