Usual words like charity, attraction and even love are often used by us. But few people know that if it were not for Nikolai Karamzin, then maybe they would never have appeared in the dictionary of Russian people. The work of Karamzin was compared with the works of the outstanding sentimentalist Stern, and even put writers on one level. Possessing deep analytical thinking, he managed to write the first book, “History of the Russian State.” Karamzin did this, not describing a separate historical stage, of which he was a contemporary, but giving a panoramic image of the historical picture of the state.
Childhood and youth of N. Karamzin
The future genius was born on December 12, 1766. He grew up and was brought up in the house of his father, Mikhail Egorovich, who was a retired captain. Nikolai lost his mother early, so his father was completely engaged in his upbringing.
As soon as he learned to read, the boy took books from his mother’s library, among which were French novels, works of Emin, Rollin. Nicholas received primary education at home, then studied at the Simbirsky noble boarding house, and then, in 1778, he was sent to the boarding school of a professor of Moscow.
As a child, he began to be interested in history. This was facilitated by a book on the history of Emin.
Nikolai’s inquiring mind didn’t let him sit still for a long time, he started studying languages, went to listen to lectures at Moscow University.
Carier start
The work of Karamzin dates back to the time when he served in the Transfiguration Guards Regiment of St. Petersburg. It was during this period that Nikolai Mikhailovich began to try himself as a writer.
They contributed to the formation of Karamzin as an artist of the word and acquaintance that he made in Moscow. Among his friends were N. Novikov, A. Petrov, A. Kutuzov. In the same period, he became involved in social activities - he helped in the preparation and release of the children's magazine "Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind."
The period of service was not only the beginning of the creative activity of Nikolai Karamzin, but also shaped him as a person, made it possible to make many acquaintances that were useful. After the death of his father, Nicholas decides to quit the service so as never to return to her. In the light at the time, this was regarded as impudence and a challenge to society. But who knows, if he had not quit his service, would he be able to publish his first translations, as well as original works, in which a keen interest in historical subjects can be traced?
Trip to europe
The life and work of Karamzin abruptly changed their usual way, when from 1789 to 1790. he travels to Europe. During the trip, the writer visits Immanuel Kant, which made a remarkable impression on him. Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, whose chronological table is replenished with his presence in France during the French Revolution, subsequently writes his “Letters of a Russian Traveler”. It is this work that makes him famous.
It is believed that this particular book opens the reckoning of a new era of Russian literature. This is not unreasonable, since such travel notes were not only popular in Europe, but also found their followers in Russia. Among them are A. Griboedov, F. Glinka, V. Izmailov and many others.
Hence the “legs grow” and the comparison of Karamzin with Stern. The “Sentimental Journey” of the latter on the subject resembles the works of Karamzin.
Arrival in Russia
Returning to his homeland, Karamzin decides to settle in Moscow, where he continues his literary work. In addition, he becomes a professional writer and journalist. But the climax of this period is, of course, the publication of the Moscow Journal, the first Russian literary magazine in which Karamzin’s works were also published.
In parallel, he published collections and almanacs that strengthened him as the father of sentimentalism in Russian literature. Among them are Aglaya, Pantheon of Foreign Literature, My Trinkets and others.
Moreover, Emperor Alexander I established the title of court historiographer for Karamzin. It is noteworthy that after no one was awarded such a title. This not only strengthened the financial position of Nikolai Mikhailovich, but also strengthened his status in society.
Karamzin as a writer
Karamzin joined the writing class while already in the service, since attempts to try himself in this field at the university were not crowned with great success.
Creativity Karamzin can conditionally be divided into three main lines:
- artistic prose, which forms an essential part of the heritage (in the list: short stories, novels);
- poetry is much less;
- fiction, historical works.
In general, the influence of his works on Russian literature can be compared with the influence of Catherine on society - there were changes that made the industry humane.
Karamzin is a writer who has become the starting point of new Russian literature, the era of which continues to this day.
Sentimentalism in the works of Karamzin
Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin turned the attention of writers, and, as a consequence, of their readers, to feelings as the dominant of human nature. It is this feature that is fundamental to sentimentalism and separates it from classicism.
The basis of a normal, natural and correct existence of a person should not be a rational beginning, but the release of feelings and impulses, the improvement of the sensory side of man as such, which is given by nature and is natural.
The hero is no longer typical. He was individualized, gave him uniqueness. His experiences do not deprive him of strength, but enrich, teach to feel the world subtly, respond to change.
The software product of sentimentalism in Russian literature is considered to be “Poor Lisa”. This statement is not entirely true. Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, whose work exploded literally after the publication of “Letters of a Russian Traveler,” sentimentalism introduced precisely the notes of the road.
Poetry of Karamzin
Karamzin's poems take up much less space in his work. But do not downplay their significance. As in prose, the Karamzin poet becomes a neophyte of sentimentalism.
The poetry of that time was guided by Lomonosov, Derzhavin, while Nikolai Mikhailovich changed course to European sentimentalism. There is a reorientation of values ​​in the literature. Instead of the external, rational world, the author delves into the inner world of a person, is interested in his spiritual powers.
Unlike classicism, the characters are characters of simple life, everyday life, respectively, the object of Karamzin's poem is simple life, as he himself claimed. Of course, when describing everyday life, the poet refrains from lush metaphors and comparisons, using standard and simple rhymes.
But this does not mean at all that poetry is becoming poor and mediocre. On the contrary, being able to choose affordable art means so that they produce the desired effect and at the same time convey the hero’s experiences is the main goal pursued by Karamzin’s poetic work.
Poems are not monumental. They often show the duality of human nature, two views on things, the unity and struggle of opposites.
The prose of Karamzin
The aesthetic principles of Karamzin displayed in prose are also found in his theoretical works. He insists on moving away from the classic obsession with rationalism to the sensitive side of man, his spiritual world.
The main task is to persuade the reader to maximize empathy, to make him worry not only about the hero, but also with him. Thus, empathy should lead to an internal transformation of a person, forcing him to develop his spiritual resources.
The artistic side of the work is built in the same way as the poems: a minimum of speech complex turns, splendor and pretentiousness. But in order that the traveler’s notes were not dry reports, in them the orientation to display the mentality and characters comes to the fore.
Karamzin's novels describe in detail what is happening, focusing on the sensory nature of things. But since there were many impressions from the trip abroad, they passed onto paper through a sieve of the author's “I”. He does not become attached to conscious associations. For example, London was not remembered by him for the Thames, bridges and fog, but in the evenings when the lights are lit and the city shines.
The characters find the writer themselves - these are his companions or interlocutors whom Karamzin meets during the trip. It is worth noting that these are not only noble persons. He without hesitation communicates with both secular lionesses and poor students.
Karamzin is a historian
The 19th century leads Karamzin to history. When Alexander I appoints him a court historiographer, the life and work of Karamzin again undergo cardinal changes: he refuses literary activity completely and plunges into writing historical works.
Oddly enough, Karamzin devoted his first historical work, “A Note on Ancient and New Russia in its Political and Civilian Relations,” to criticism of the emperor’s reforms. The purpose of the Note was to show the conservative strata of society, as well as their dissatisfaction with liberal reforms. He also tried to find evidence of the futility of such reforms.
Karamzin - translator
Karamzin, whose biography and work is very diverse, also sought himself in the field of translation. And the search was successful. Nikolai Mikhailovich became not only a major practitioner, but a theoretician of the translation of his time.
Languages ​​from which he translated works:
The writer did not make literal translations, but tried to stylistically modify them, bring them closer, accommodate them to the “Russian ear”. He not only paid special attention to the style of writing the original, but also carefully worked to recreate the mood that is embodied in the original, so as not to lose the slightest particle to convey experiences.
Starting to work on the creation of a specific author, he studied Karamzin's work, briefly acquainted with additional information from readers.
The writer identified three main principles on which a quality translation should be based:
- Cleanliness - concerns lexical material.
- Smoothness - we are talking about stylistic uniformity.
- Pleasantness - the translation should be as accurate as possible, but in no case parallel. It should be easily perceived.
Karamzin Language Reform
Influencing literature, the work of Karamzin could not but touch on changes in speech. The main task of the writer was to approach a living, spoken language. He strove to cleanse him of obsolete vocabulary, elaborate explanations. But at the same time, Nikolai Mikhailovich was also an opponent of the abuse of common words, such that they do not fit into the understanding of high-quality speech, accessible, but beautiful.
Karamzin enriched the Russian language by inventing many new words, thanks to the addition of the basics, the transformation of phrases or introducing them from other languages. Among these words: industry, love, humanity and others.
"History of Russian Goverment"
The most famous historical work that Karamzin wrote is History of the Russian State. The basis of the work was the "Note on ancient and new Russia in its political and civic respect." It was while working on it that Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, whose works always had historical excursions, notes from history, was thinking about creating a great analytical work.
Possessing the global nature of the work, he drew information from the annals, many of which were first used in science in general. Karamzin not only recreated bit by bit the story, but also found more and more new sources. So, it was he who discovered the Ipatiev Chronicle.
The structure of the "History":
- introduction - the role of history as a science is described;
- history until 1612 from the time of nomadic tribes.
Each story, narrative ends with conclusions of a moral and ethical nature.
Meaning of "Story"
As soon as Karamzin finished his work, the “History of the Russian State” literally scattered like hotcakes. During the month, 3000 copies were sold. Everything was read by the “History”: the reason for this was not only filled white spots in the history of the state, but also simplicity, ease of presentation. On the basis of this book, then there was more than one work of fiction, since “History” also became a source of stories.
“The History of the Russian State” was the first analytical work on the history of Russia. It also became a template and example for the further development of interest in history in the country.
The author insisted on the effectiveness of the autocracy as the only true way of the state. This caused a storm of indignation among the liberal-minded part of the population.