From ancient literature, works of the 18th century inherited best themes and directions. Such as patriotism, social issues and humanism. The new image was social relations and an outside view. Such literature elevated the life of the ordinary ordinary person. Writers of the 18th century sought to show a person as an individual, regardless of his class. Along with all this, the works of the 18th century were spoiled by love monologues and female characters. Lyrics and poems about the vain and the eternal, about freedom and bondage developed.

In general, the literature of the 18th century testified to the rapid development of new trends in European artistic creativity. One of these directions is Classicism. In classicism, three genres should be supported and distinguished: high (tragedy, ode) and low (comedy, fable, epic).

In classicism, at its very dawn, Antioch Dmitrievich Kantemir was recognized as a master of satire.

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He created nine satires, which were very popular and were included in many lists. The motives for his satires are essays on the morals of the post-Petrine era. He introduced a kind of censorship - a word division, dividing the verse into two hemistiches, giving it a more flexible, expressive character. This age of literary discovery and bold experimentation needed outstanding personalities. Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov. He mastered Latin and Greek, studied ancient and medieval poetry. Lomonosov mastered the ode; this genre is widely represented in his work. Lomonosov's patriotic feelings, his respect for the Empress, for her contribution to science are widely described there. His activities gave a powerful impetus to the development of various genres of poetry, as well as literature in general. But the founder of Russian drama is Alexander Petrovich Sumarkov. He wrote nine tragedies and twelve comedies. In dramaturgy, Sumarkov made his debut in the genre of tragedy. The advantage of his tragedies was their appeal to the events of their native history.

Many writers contributed to the literature of the 18th century, such as Fonvizin, Derzhavin, Radishchev, Karamzin. This period was the biggest step towards modern literature. The people really liked this topic, as the writers highlighted ordinary personalities, touched on their problems and the clashes of their thoughts and contradictions. This literature is very touching and heartfelt in its experiences. And also honest with the people, because in the works of that century stupid nobles and dishonest people in general can be ridiculed.

Updated: 2015-05-06

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One can say about the literature of the 18th century in one word: ponderous. It’s difficult for us to read all the works of that time; it’s hard to understand phrases, vocabulary, comparisons...

It is clear that reality itself is changing, and so is the language. The realities that were described at that time simply no longer exist. The language is also becoming simpler. (Now we generally abbreviate everything in SMS messages.) Complex designs are disappearing. After Mayakovsky with his chopped rhythm (one word per line), read, for example, Cantemir, in whose works there are a dozen long words in each line!..

At that time, the church was still very influential, so there are many biblical comparisons in the verses. People also studied ancient languages ​​and encountered myths, so mythical heroes were familiar. Now everyone only knows about the Muse. In her poems, everything was clear to everyone from one word-name, we have to look on the Internet.

There were also many solemn poems praising the kings. For example, Derzhavin’s odes are known. Now people may think that the ode is an attempt to win over the monarch, on whose one word your fate may depend. But I feel like they were sincere words praise. Gabriel Romanovich believed in the chosenness of Catherine the Second and understood her responsibility to all the people.

There was also criticism in that era. For example, Fonvizin exposed the vices of society in his works. In his most famous work, “The Minor,” Denis Ivanovich criticizes the limited and cruel landowner, her spoiled son, who, as they said then, neglected the sciences. In this play, as in others, the characters are clear, they are “pure”, as in the ancient theater, where masks were still used. If a character is negative, then he is bad, and good - vice versa. It was the next century that blurred all the boundaries between good and evil with its psychologism.

It is important that at that time enlightened people specially worked on versification, on the Russian language. They deliberately tried to make it lighter, more expressive... So that it would become no worse than, for example, the French that dominated the court.

I think that poets and writers have achieved their goal.

Option 2

The 18th century is a century of change for Russia, not only from a territorial point of view, but also from a literary one. In the 18th century, Russian readers learned about such geniuses of the pen as Mikhail Vasilyevich Lomonosov, Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin, Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin, Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev. The images created by the great classicists evoked a lot of different emotions among the reading public, especially Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” can boast of this. But more than two hundred years have passed since Fonvizin’s glory, how do modern readers feel about the literature of the 18th century?

In classical literary criticism, the 18th century is considered the century of the birth of Russian literature. The authors actually had no freedom and wrote whatever the authorities wanted, trying to truly reflect it in colorful and sublime tones.

However, despite this, literature is indebted to the 18th century for the birth of such geniuses as Radishchev and Fonvizin, who for the first time spoke about the litigation of peasant life in Rus' and the decaying nobility.

Radishchev did this especially successfully in his work “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow,” the main character of which is a writer of everyday life of the common population during the trip. The terrible cases of oppression of peasants by landowners told by Radishchev aroused incredible anger in the ruling circles and aroused understanding in the eyes of the progressive nobility. The government machine paid harshly to Radishchev for unprecedented freedom at that time, but the idea of ​​total injustice in Russian Empire gave birth to the Decembrists, who in turn are the progenitors of popular revolutions in Russia. That is, we can say with confidence that the work “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow” influenced the liberation of the peasants from under the landowner’s boot.

The modern reader, fully understanding this, cannot help but pay his debt to the past and read the thoughts of a person who stood up for freedom during tsarist totalitarianism, and even though the style of the writers of the 18th century is very specific and in many ways incomprehensible to us, residents of the 21st century, the thoughts contained in works of that time are an excellent foundation for every person who is not alien to such concepts as justice, freedom, equality.

In conclusion, I would like to say that the modern reader does not just read the literature of the 18th century, he loves and understands it, because without love and understanding of Russian literature it is impossible to understand either himself or the people around him living throughout Russia.

18th century literature

Each of us read different authors, poets, became acquainted with their works and biography. Thanks to classics and poetry, you can understand what true love should be like and the norms of behavior in society. Despite the years and centuries that have passed between the works and our time, human feelings, cases and situations that arise in life are similar. Literature teaches us not to withdraw into ourselves, to explore a new world, to be open to new feelings and adventures, to behave with dignity in any situation, to be noble. Authors of the 18th century, when creating their works, bring to us the features of that era, the time in which they lived. In writing works, the style changes from classicism to sentimentalism. Clarity and logic are replaced by highlighting the emotional side of the characters. Their emotions and experiences come to the fore.

Classicism

For example, the play “Minor” by Denis Ivanovich Fonvizin. A striking example of classicism. The play is written in the style of comedy.

The name itself in those days meant young man belonging to the noble class, who for some reason did not receive proper education. They were not accepted into the service, they could not marry. By making fun of these people, the author wanted to draw children's attention to the importance of learning. In the play there are different classes from peasants to noble classes. Main characters: Mitrofanushka and Mrs. Prostakova, who is his mother. A powerful woman controls everything and everyone who is subordinate to her. This play openly condemns the traditional noble upbringing, their savagery and morals. There are only good and bad heroes. Their surnames speak for them: Prostakovs, Skotinins, Mitrofan, Starodum, Pravdin and others.

The work itself is easy to read, even after so much time we understand all the humor and horror of that situation.

Sentimentalism

We can see a completely different picture in later works.

For example, the story “Poor Liza” by Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin.

The main character, Lisa, is forced to work to support herself and her mother. Unfortunately, she met a young man with whom she fell in love. Her lover turned out to be not entirely decent and left her. When Lisa saw him with another girl, her heart could not stand it, and she threw herself into the pond. The author describes the heroine's feelings in detail, and the reader is completely immersed in those magical feelings of first love and knows all the bitterness of the situation at the end. The modern reader is not at all alien to such sensations; he also experiences love and separation, resentment and hatred.

From all this we can conclude that no matter in what style the works were written at that time, they will forever remain relevant and interesting to the reader. It is in them that you can experience the deepest feelings of love, learn about life and customs, and learn how to behave in society.

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Description of the presentation by individual slides:

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Literature of the 18th century in the perception of the modern reader. (preparation for essay)

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I. Introduction. Relevance of 18th century literature. II. Main part. 1.Features of works of literature of the 18th century. 2. Karamzin’s story “Poor Liza” is an example of sentimentalism. 3. Similarities and differences between 18th century literature and modern literature. III.Conclusion. The influence of 18th century literature on modern readers. Essay plan.

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G. A. Gukovsky: An example of... a psychological experiment was the story “Poor Liza,” which was a huge success, opening up a whole world of emotions to contemporaries. This story is based on a plot common in European literature of the second half of the 18th century. - about the love of a nobleman and a simple girl. The humanity of democratic sentimentalism, which demanded freedom for every person, turned into the formula “even peasant women know how to love.” Criticism of the story "Poor Liza" by Karamzin

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V. N. Toporov “Poor Liza” is precisely the root from which the tree of Russian classical prose has grown, whose powerful crown sometimes hides the trunk and distracts from reflection on the historically very recent origins of the very phenomenon of Russian literature of modern times." Criticism of the story "Poor Liza " Karamzin

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comp. N. I. Dyunkin and A. I. Novikov The story “Poor Liza” is the best example of our sentimental story.<...>The characters in the story are quite plausible, as human types, but they sin, as national types. In this regard, Lisa most of all cannot stand criticism. The author puts into her mouth speeches, both in content and in method of expression, that are completely unsuitable for the face of a peasant girl. This is more likely to be said by an educated, sentimental young lady. Psychologically, all her actions are quite plausible: a young village girl fell in love with a handsome gentleman and drowned herself in despair when he abandoned her.

Despite the fact that it is the 21st century, a time of advanced technologies, literature of the 18th century still remains very relevant and popular among readers.

The 18th century is rich in good works and novels written by great authors such as Derzhavin, Fonvizin, Radishchev, Karamzin.

Modern literature is very different from what was written in the 18th century. Firstly, because people had a slightly different worldview and perception of life. Everything was idealized. Secondly, all works were subject to strict censorship, and writers were not allowed to write whatever their heart desired. Many moments in the books were smoothed out and depicted in brighter colors. Nowadays, you can write about anything.

The problems that arose in those works are still relevant today. Love, friendship, duty, betrayal, honor, courage - all this happens in our lives.

Old books are filled with deep meaning, nobility and warmth. For today's reader they are somewhat naive, but when reading them, one involuntarily wants to imitate the heroes and let the same spiritual kindness into your life.

From books of the 18th century, the reader learns about the way of life of that time, how people communicated, how they spent their leisure time and what kind of relationships they had. Of course, a lot has changed, but a lot has remained the same.

For example, in Karamzin’s story “Poor Liza” problems such as love and betrayal, good and evil are involved. The sublime feelings of two people from different walks of life ended in tragedy. Great value The social inequality of the lovers, Lisa and Erast, played a role, and the author himself confirmed that such love is doomed. Similar situations occur in our lives today.

In Fonvizin’s work “The Minor” the main character is Mitrofanushka. He doesn’t work anywhere and doesn’t want to work. All he needs is to eat and laze around. This is an example of what a person should not be. It is imperative to develop and strive for some goal in life.

Literature of the 18th century instills in readers many positive qualities, such as kindness, mercy, hard work, the ability to forgive and love. And also do not harm other people and do not become cruel.

Together with the article “Essay “What is modern literature of the 18th century?” read:

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