Classical literature (Russian). Russian classical literature: a list of the best works

Classical literature (Russian) is a broad concept, and everyone puts their own meaning into it. If you ask readers what associations it causes them, the answers will be different. For some, this is the basis of the library fund, someone will say that the works of classical Russian literature is a kind of example with high artistic dignity. For schoolchildren, this is all that they learn at school. And all of them will be absolutely right in their own way. So what is classical literature? Russian literature, today we will only talk about it. We will talk about foreign classics in another article.

Periodization of the history of Russian literature

There is a generally accepted periodization of the formation and development of domestic literature. Her story is divided into the following time periods:

1. The pre-literary period. At this time, until the XI century, there were no written texts, and the works were transmitted orally.
2. From the 11th century to the 14th, ancient Russian literature existed . The adoption of Christianity in Russia had a great influence on its development. Translated Greek books appear, new genres develop: the lives of saints, annals, walking, the gospel.
3. The next period is medieval literature. It existed from the 15th to the 17th century.
   
4. XVIII century - the era of Russian enlightenment. This time is associated with those writers who laid the foundations of Russian classical literature. These include: Karamzin, Fonvizin, Lomonosov, Zhukovsky, Sumarokov, Radishchev, Krylov.
5. The 19th century is the time when those writers and poets lived and created, who in our time are called classics of literature. “Golden Age” - this name was given to this period. The best Russian classical literature was created then.
6. The 20th century is called, by analogy with the previous century, the “Silver Age”, since to some extent it was its logical continuation.

What works are called classic?

Many readers are sure that classical literature (Russian) is Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy - that is, the works of those writers who lived in the 19th century. It's not like that at all. A classic literary work can be both the era of the Middle Ages and the 20th century. What canons and principles determine whether a novel or a story is a classic? Firstly, a classic work must have high artistic value, be a model for others. Secondly, it must have worldwide recognition, it must be included in the fund of world culture.

And you need to be able to distinguish between the concepts of classical and popular literature. A classic is something that has been tested by time, but they can quickly forget about a popular work. If its relevance will remain for more than a dozen years, it is possible, over time, it will also become classics.

The origins of Russian classical literature

At the end of the XVIII century, only the existing nobility of Russia split into two warring camps: conservatives and reformers. Such a split was due to a different attitude to the changes that took place in life: the Petrine reforms, understanding of the Enlightenment tasks, a sore peasant question, attitude to power. This struggle of extremes led to the rise of spirituality, self-awareness, which gave rise to Russian classics. We can say that it was forged during the dramatic processes in the country.

Classical literature (Russian), born in the complex and controversial 18th century, was finally formed in the 19th century. Its main features: national identity, maturity, self-awareness.

Russian classical literature of the 19th century

A major role in the development of the culture of that time was played by the growth of national consciousness. More and more educational institutions are opening up, the social significance of literature is increasing, and writers are beginning to pay much attention to their native language. The Decembrist uprising made us think more about what was happening in the country.

Karamzin's influence on the development of 19th century literature

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, the largest Russian historian, writer and journalist, was the most influential figure in Russian culture of the 18th-19th centuries. His historical novels and the monumental “History of the Russian State” had a huge impact on the work of subsequent writers and poets: Zhukovsky, Pushkin, Griboedov. He is one of the great reformers of the Russian language. Karamzin introduced a large number of new words, without which we can not imagine modern speech today.

Russian classical literature: a list of the best works

Selecting and compiling a list of the best literary works is a difficult task, since each reader has his own passions and tastes. The novel, which for one will be a masterpiece, will seem boring and uninteresting to the other. How to make a list of classical Russian literature that would satisfy most readers? One way is to conduct surveys. Based on them, we can conclude which work the readers themselves consider the best of the proposed options. Such data collection methods are carried out regularly, although data may vary slightly over time.

The list of the best creations of Russian classics, according to the versions of literary magazines and Internet portals, looks like this:

1. Mikhail Bulgakov with the mystical novel "The Master and Margarita".
2. Leo Tolstoy with the epic work “War and Peace”.
3. Fyodor Dostoevsky with three novels: Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov and Idiot. The great Russian thinker accurately and ruthlessly described the darkest sides of human nature. Friedrich Nietzsche once said that Dostoevsky was the only psychologist from whom he could learn anything.
   
4. Nikolai Gogol - "Dead Souls". One of the most mysterious Russian writers was able to create unusually vivid, lively images of his characters. The story “Viy” and the collection of the writer “Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka” are also very beloved by readers.
5. Alexander Pushkin with the novel "Eugene Onegin." According to surveys, Pushkin is the most beloved writer of schoolchildren, and Onegin is the most recognizable literary hero.
6. Anton Chekhov and his stories.
7. Mikhail Lermontov - “Hero of our time”.
8. Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov - the classics of the XX century, the people with a great sense of humor. Their novel "Twelve Chairs" has long been a favorite book of many readers.
9. Ivan Turgenev and his work “Fathers and Sons”.
10. Alexander Griboedov with the comedy "Woe from Wit." Having written only one work in his entire life, but created at such a high level, he forever remained among the best authors of Russian classical literature.

In no case should you consider this list as a reference. In some ratings and polls, the first place may not be Bulgakov, but Leo Tolstoy or Alexander Pushkin, and some of the listed writers may not even exist. Ratings are a highly subjective thing. It’s better to make yourself a list of your favorite classics and focus on it.

The value of Russian classical literature

The creators of Russian classics have always had great social responsibility. They never acted as moralizers, did not give ready-made answers in their works. The writers set the reader a difficult task and made him think about its solution. They raised serious social and social problems in their works, which even now are of great importance to us. Therefore, Russian classics still remain relevant today.