Classicism is a literary style that was developed in France in the 17th century. It gained its distribution in Europe in the 17-19 centuries. The direction that turned to antiquity as an ideal model is closely connected with the Enlightenment. Based on the ideas of rationalism and rationality, it strove to express social content, to establish a hierarchy of literary genres. Speaking of the world representatives of classicism, one cannot fail to mention Racine, Moliere, Cornell, Larochefoucauld, Boileau, Labruyre, Goethe. In theater, the ideas of classicism were inspired by Mondori, Leken, Rachel, Talma, Dmitrievsky.
The desire to display the ideal in the real, the eternal in the temporal - these are the characteristic features of classicism. In literature, not a specific character is created, but a collective image of a hero or villain, an ideal person or base. In classicism, a mixture of genres, images, and characters is unacceptable. There are boundaries here that nobody can destroy.
Classicism in Russian literature is a definite turn in art, which attached special significance to such genres as an epic poem, an ode, a tragedy. The founder of the ode genre is rightfully considered Lomonosov, the tragedy - Sumarokov. The ode combined journalism and lyrics. Comedies were directly related to ancient times, while tragedies narrated figures of national history. Speaking of the great Russian figures of the period of classicism, it is worth mentioning Derzhavin, Knyazhnin, Sumarokov, Volkov, Fonvizin, etc.
Classicism in Russian literature of the 18th century, as in French, was based on the position of the tsarist government. As the representatives of classicism themselves said , art must guard the interests of society, give people a certain idea of civic behavior and morality. The ideas of serving the state and society are in tune with the interests of the monarchy, so classicism has spread throughout Europe and in Russia. But you should not associate it only with the ideas of glorifying the power of the monarchs, Russian writers reflected in their works the interests of the "middle" layer.
Classicism in Russian literature. Key features
The basic ones include:
- appeal to antiquity, its various forms and images;
- the principle of the unity of time, action and place (one storyline prevails, the action lasts up to 1 day);
- in the comedies of classicism, good triumphs over evil, vices are punished, at the heart of the love line is a triangle;
- the characters have “speaking” names and surnames, they themselves have a clear division into positive and negative.
Going deep into history, it is worth recalling that the era of classicism in Russia originates from the writer Antioch Cantemir, who was the first to write works in this genre (epigrams, satire, etc.). Each of the writers and poets of this era was a pioneer in his field. In the reform of literary Russian, Lomonosov played a major role. At the same time, a reform of versification took place.
According to V. Fedorov, the first prerequisites for the emergence of classicism in Russia appeared during the time of Peter the Great (in 1689-1725). As a genre of literature, the classicism style was formed by the mid-1730s. In the second half of the 60s there is rapid development. The dawn of journalistic genres in periodicals. It had already evolved by 1770, while the crisis began in the last quarter century. By that time, sentimentalism had finally taken shape, the tendencies of realism intensified. The final fall of classicism occurred after the publication of "Conversations of lovers of the Russian word."
Classicism in Russian literature of the 30-50s influenced the development of the sciences of the Enlightenment. At this time, there was a transition from church to secular ideology. Russia needed knowledge and new minds. All this gave her classicism.