Literature of the 18th century as perceived by the modern reader

Features of the works

The eighteenth century is the era of Enlightenment, when different trends in literature actively developed. Russian writers first translated texts of English and German authors, and later began to create their own stories, which were no worse than foreign ones. Thanks to the peculiarities of works of literature of the 18th century, they still remain interesting to readers.

Classicism flourished during this period. He divided all literature into low and high. The first is designed for common people, and the second type is intended for an aristocratic society. This style was based on the rule of three unities:

• actions;
• time;
• places.

A work should have only one storyline. The events in the text take place over the course of one day. And also a mandatory condition - all the heroes must be in one place.

The characters are clearly divided into negative and positive, the authors give them special “speaking” surnames. From them you can immediately determine the character of a person.

The works are moralizing; they touch on the topic of the relationship between parents and children, education and rules of behavior.

Such texts have a light plot, they are structured logically, and the story is told briefly - a few dozen pages are enough for the author to express the main idea.

Later, classicism gave way to sentimentalism. This style emphasizes the emotions and experiences of the characters. Writers push rational arguments into the background and allow their characters to immerse themselves in real feelings. The authors paid much attention to the cult of love and nature.

Popular genres

Although classicism remained the dominant trend in literature, its high style was replaced by lower ones. Instead of tragedies, other genres appeared, more understandable to uneducated people. The most popular among them:

• comedy;
• comic opera;
• satire;
• novel;
• drama.

In the noble comedy, the abstract characters of the heroes were replaced by everyday plots. The authors created such texts in order to re-educate society to confront the bourgeoisie and the peasantry.

Such creativity was not negative; it kindly ridiculed the nobles, but did not touch upon the system of relations between feudal lords and serfs. With the help of comedies, writers tried to teach morality to readers.

They laughed at the false education, empty-mindedness, rudeness and free-thinking of small landowners.

Comic operas were written to be staged in theaters. The texts included insert numbers for musical accompaniment and singing. The plots were limited to descriptions of peasant life. This literary genre did not develop for long; within a few years it reached its peak and was almost completely forgotten.

Satire can be traced in journalistic activity. In the 18th century, several magazines were published that promoted the ideology of the bourgeoisie. Examples: “Drone”, “Wallet”, “Painter”, “Parnassian squeamish”. Satire made it possible to talk about anti-noble tendencies, but at the same time it focused attention on the social problems of the bourgeoisie.

The second half of the century was devoted to the creation of novels. They were distributed in printed and handwritten form. Such works were read by all segments of the population - from peasants to nobles. Translated poetry about knights, shepherds and salons, as well as prose with an instructive ending, were especially popular.

In the era of sentimentalism, drama develops. At first, only translations were printed, but later imitations written in Russian were found.

The authors in their works paid more attention to the confrontation between the nobility and peasants, ridiculing and showing hatred towards the latter.

Baroque features

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the Baroque style emerged in Italy. He touched not only painting and architecture, but also literature. Although it is rare in Russian works, there are many translations with its features. Baroque features:

• crisis of Renaissance ideals;
• the decline of titanism;
• the opposition of man to a soulless world.

This contradictory direction allowed the authors to combine the incongruous. They combined deep tragedy with oxymorons, wordplay, paradoxes and sophisticated expressions. But it was during the Baroque era that interest in living and dead nature emerged. Books and short essays contained an abundance of descriptions of landscapes, discussions of the eternal, and many allegories.

Poetry, characterized by refined forms, was popular. The graphic series merged with the visual ones, that is, the authors tried not just to write a poem, but as if to draw it. Many sophisticated genres have appeared:

• sonnets;
• rondo;
• madrigals;
• odes.

The most famous were the works of Spanish, Italian and German writers. They entered the golden fund of world literature. The texts were disassembled into separate aphorisms and inserted into later stories. But in the 19th century, the decline of the Baroque began, and it was practically forgotten for a whole century. And only after this time the direction began to revive.

Characteristics of classicism

Baroque gave way to classicism - a movement whose relevance continued for more than a century and a half. The basis of this style is the idea of ​​​​orderliness of the world. A person is perceived as a rational being, and society is represented by a special mechanism.

Thanks to such features, literary works were also built according to strict canons. The period of antiquity became the model for any type of art. It was he who was considered an example of orderliness and correct forms.

In any work there must be a pyramidal consciousness - a center around which the entire plot was built . The state allowed writers to describe the monarchy as a correct and beneficial system for all citizens.

The man in the book played the role of a link that ensures the connection of all the elements of the pyramid of the universe. Much emphasis was placed on his behavior rather than his inner experiences. The reader in such works can see descriptions of monarchs and nobles who care about their subordinates and rule wisely and fairly. But it is almost impossible to find out anything about their personal life or thoughts.

The essence of each character was determined by an important idea, which is why “speaking” surnames were used. They immediately revealed the characters’ characters, pointing out their shortcomings or strengths.

But classicism and baroque have common features. The new direction borrowed from the previous one an interest in emblems, symbols and signs. Every thinker and creative person should have been surrounded by things that confirmed his activity.

The writer was always surrounded by his books, the tailor was depicted with a needle in his hand, the cook was depicted in the kitchen wearing a cap. Because of such features, a special solution to conflicts was described. Authors have always sacrificed feelings in favor of duty or reason.

Classicism divided all literary genres into high and low. The first include ode, epic and tragedy. And to the second - satire, fable and comedy. But after the production of Moliere’s works, comedy texts became very popular. In Russia, classicism appeared only at the end of the century, although the characteristics of the literature of the 18th century remained the same - it did not differ from the works of foreign authors.

Signs of sentimentalism

In the middle of the century, such a movement as sentimentalism appeared. Works in this style were first written by English and then French authors. Although sentimentalism coexisted with classicism for a long time, they had different features. One direction was based on feelings, the second on reason.

It turned out to be easy to interest readers in sentimental books : the authors conveyed the world of the characters through their feelings and experiences. At first the descriptions were scarce and limited only to thoughts of love. But later attention was paid to internal energy, depth of feelings, and conflicts.

The heroes were not only good-natured, but also morally pure. They had virtues - pride and honor, thanks to which they achieved happiness.

The first novels were naive, did not convey philosophical depth, and were didactic. And a few years later, sentimentalism turned writers into thinkers.

In their books, they began to describe conflicts between man and civilization, presenting the latter in a negative light.

The reader was left to look at the world through the eyes of the character, but had to figure out some points on their own, since straightforwardness disappeared from the texts. The authors skillfully talked about the struggle between feelings, duty and moral principles. In sentimentalism, emotions and sensations have always won.

There was an interest in nature - natural processes, behavior, feelings. Sentimentalists did not divide characters by class. They tried to convey that everyone can feel, even a peasant. This was an interesting discovery for noble society.

Literature of the 18th century as perceived by the modern reader

The literature of the 18th century remains relevant at the moment; many turn to it and do not lose interest in it. Many people pay more attention to it than to the works of modern authors. All works written in the 18th century have their own special connection with modern storytelling, while a person can get acquainted with the culture of past years and find useful information about how people lived and conducted their everyday life.

At this time, it is clear which trends become in demand and which fade into the background. Classicism gives way to sentimentalism, and then turns into romanticism. There are quite a few differences between all the styles. Thus, in classicism three unities are distinguished; the author must take into account the unity of time, place and action. Writers who work in this direction are accustomed to using a lot of old words, they seem to take it to another dimension.

In sentimentalism, writers violate many literary rules, the feelings and experiences of a person become paramount, and the driving interest becomes love and personal experiences, the search for one’s place and purpose, all of which is affected by the surrounding landscape.

The difference between modern literature and that written in the 18th century is that people's interests have completely changed. During this time, serfdom was abolished, and conflicts began to be resolved in a civilized way. The changes did not become a sudden change, they occurred gradually, changing literature along with it.

Essay “Literature of the 18th century in the perception of the modern reader”

The 18th century was considered the Age of Enlightenment, which affected the formation of Russian literature. Even at the beginning of the century, the works of domestic authors were more translations.

But the time came when they began to create their own creations. In the 18th century, the government came to the idea that the country's backwardness needed to be overcome.

It was decided to resort to the help of culture and literature.

Features of 18th century literature in the perception of modern readers

From the works of that time you can learn about many historically important events. One of these is the reform of Peter I; it allowed the state to renew itself and become Europeanized. From the works of the 18th century you can learn about how the formation of a world power took place; the severity of serfdom is no exception.

Modern people associate the works of authors Lomonosov and Radishchev with this period. In them we see how classicism was born. Its founders are true masters of artistic expression.

Literature of the 18th century in the perception of the modern reader essay 9th grade

The work of writers of the 18th century is a significant event in Russian history, since it was at this time that such artistic movements as classicism, sentimentalism, satire, and romanticism began to develop.
Literary works in the style of classicism are marked with the names of M.V. Lomonosov, A.N. Radishchev, who are considered the founders of this direction.

The basis of classicism is the excess of the social principle, duty and honor over personal feelings, depicted using the theory of trinity, which consists in limiting the displayed events of the work by time, place and actions.

One of the popular literary genres of the era of classicism is considered to be the ode, in which the authors praised rulers, heroes, gods and used Old Russian words as artistic techniques, without deviating from the rules and norms of literature. In the works of A.N. Radishchev, for example, folklore notes inherent in the Russian reality of that time are brilliantly used.

For the current generation, familiarity with the works of classicism provides an invaluable opportunity to understand and study the origins of the development of Russian literature.

In the sentimental direction, directly opposite to classicism, there is an emphasis on human feelings (love, affection, friendship) and the enormous influence of nature on human relationships. N.M. Karamzin is recognized as a prominent representative of sentimentalism, skillfully revealing in his works the inner world of the main characters, their personal experiences (“Poor Liza”). From the point of view of modern readers, books by writers are a unique way to get acquainted with the thoughts, motivations, and anxieties of compatriots who lived at that time.

Writers who created works in the romantic direction considered the main character an ideal character, deeply lonely, suffering and protesting against a life without rights. The brilliant pioneers of the romantic style are undoubtedly represented by the names of V.A. Zhukovsky, K.F. Ryleev, E.A. Baratynsky, M.Yu. Lermontov.

In addition to the features of the considered literary styles, literary works of the 18th century are also distinguished by their educational orientation, a brilliant example of which is the master of high style Fonvizin D.I., who created the comedy “The Minor.” The work acutely touches on the problems of home education of children, which was widespread in those years, and who later became spiritually wretched, deceitful, and dependent members of society.

By reading the works of authors of the 18th century, modern book lovers gain a comprehensive understanding of the past of their people, analyze various historical events, give their own assessment of socio-political events in Russia at that time, and even have the opportunity to replenish and expand their vocabulary by studying the style and artistic techniques of presenting a writer's work. text.

Literature of the 18th century in the perception of the modern reader

/ Works / Radishchev A. / Travel from St. Petersburg to Moscow / Literature of the 18th century in the perception of the modern reader.

The literature of the 18th century still remains relevant in modern society. Despite the fact that several centuries have passed, READERS of our time continue to READ the literature of those times, without losing interest in it, and sometimes even paying more attention than to modern literature.

In any work, one can trace the connection with the time in which it was written, therefore, when reading works of the 1700s, a person simultaneously studies the history and life of past times. The literature of the 18th century tracks changes in the demand for directions and trends. Classicism gave way to sentimentalism, and by the end of the century it gave way to romanticism.

There are quite a lot of differences between them. Classicism observes the rule of three unities: time, place and action; writers who used this direction in their work used many Old Russian words in their works and strictly observed literary norms and rules.

The works promoted the cult of duty and reason; in the sphere of interests, the social life of a person came first; positive and negative characters were clearly distinguished.

Dramatic changes were observed in sentimentalism: many literary rules were violated, human feelings came to the fore, personal life and love played a major role in the sphere of interest, and the enormous influence of landscape was manifested. In order to consider the role of 18th century literature in the modern world, I am going to draw on these works: N.M. Karamzin “Poor Liza”, A.N.

Radishchev "Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow." There are a lot of differences in modern literature and the literature of the 18th. This is due to the fact that people’s interests, worldview, style and lifestyle, and concepts about different things have completely changed.

A more civilized time has come, serfdom has been abolished, all conflicts that affect people in different countries are being resolved in a civilized way, the economy, education, and classifications of government bodies have changed. All this and much more played a significant role in literature.

Of course, changes occurred gradually, but if you compare the work of modern writers and the 1700s, anyone can find the differences. But despite global progress, society continues to remember and appreciate the works of past centuries, many of which help people understand the life of that time, experience events on a par with our ancestors, and learn something from them.

In “The Journey...” you can notice that the author focuses on folklore, thereby showing that folk art is not forgotten, reminding the reader of it: “Whoever knows the voices of Russian folk songs admits that there is something in them that signifies spiritual sorrow. Almost all the voices of such songs are in a soft tone. In them you will find the formation of the soul of our people.”

A modern reader who reads this work will be able to remember where creativity began. Karamzin's story "Poor Liza" is fully consistent with sentimentalism. It teaches the reader to love and feel, shows the versatility of the human soul and character, and draws attention to people of lower origin. In this work you can find both good and evil in one person, which is not found in classicism. On the one hand, Lisa’s BELOVED LOVED her, he was a good person, but on the other hand, he had no sense of duty to the fatherland, which is why, instead of fighting for his homeland, he lost his fortune at cards. Lisa is also not a completely positive character, she really LOVED her mother and Erast, but when she learned about the betrayal, she drowned herself, forgetting about everything.

From this we can conclude that the literature of the 18th century still has a huge influence on the modern reader, it instills in him various positive qualities, tries to point out negative ones, teaches him to love, shows a person from different points of view. Thanks to the works of that time, society also draws conclusions about the history and life of the people of those centuries.

Added

: GremlinRobin

Source: https://www.litra.ru/composition/get/coid/00433561436208143949

Essay-reasoning Literature of the 18th century in the perception of the modern reader

The literature of the 18th century is associated with the development of such a literary movement as classicism. But during this same period, sentimentalism also arose, which, in contrast to classicism, argued that the world would be saved not by reason, but by sensitivity. The most important thing in a person is the heart, his ability to sympathize, sympathize, and empathize.

If representatives of classicism strictly divided their heroes into positive and negative, giving them “speaking names,” then sentimentalists showed the complexity and inconsistency of the human personality, paying great attention to the landscape, which helped reveal the inner world of the heroes.

One of the best examples of sentimental prose is the story

N. M. Karamzin “Poor Liza.” Nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with the idea that all people are equal from birth and are capable of deep feelings. But in 1792, during the time of serfdom, when serfs were sold on the market as goods, the phrase “for even peasant women know how to love!” seemed new to readers, amazed the imagination, sounded like a revelation.

The heroine of Karamzin, a simple poor girl, forced to work day and night, tenderly caring for her mother and protecting her, evokes the sympathy of the modern reader. The writer creates his ideal - the image of a sensitive, modest, sweet peasant woman living in harmony with nature. Lisa’s purity and innocence attracts Erast, a young man, a nobleman, a city dweller, leading an absent-minded lifestyle and disillusioned with the world, to her. Having met Lisa in Moscow, where the girl went to sell lilies of the valley, as pure, tender, fresh as herself, Erast saw something extraordinary in her, unlike the frivolous secular beauties. Communication with Lisa gave him hope of being reborn in soul; he was proud of the purity and integrity of this relationship. Are you enrolling in 2021? Our team will help you save your time and nerves: we will select directions and universities (according to your preferences and expert recommendations); we will fill out applications (all you have to do is sign); we will submit applications to Russian universities (online, by e-mail, by courier); we will monitor competition lists ( we will automate the tracking and analysis of your positions); we will tell you when and where to submit the original (we will evaluate the chances and determine the best option). Entrust the routine to professionals - more details.

But Erast was corrupted by the light and could not maintain platonic feelings, and Lisa was so inexperienced that she did not understand what was happening to her. The author regrets the moral decline of Lisa, but Erast, who could not remain faithful, is more condemned. He does not act as his heart dictates, not according to conscience, but according to calculation. Having lost his fortune at cards during his military service, Erast decides to marry an elderly and ugly widow for her money.

Lisa could not bear such betrayal and drowned herself in the pond. Erast is worthy of condemnation for his cruelty. He gave Lisa a hundred rubles and escorted her out of the yard. The author, like his readers, sympathizes with poor Liza, his heart bleeds, and in Erast he “forgets the person.” But this young man was punished by fate for the evil he caused to his beloved girl. Until the end of his life, he was unhappy, having learned about the tragic fate of Lisa and considering himself her killer.

What moral lessons can be learned from the actions of the heroes? Reading “Poor Liza” now, the modern reader learns fidelity, devotion to the one you “tamed,” and responsibility for your actions. But the most important thing is to learn kindness, mercy, empathy and compassion, honesty, decency, and hard work.

Undoubtedly, the features of sentimentalism clearly manifested themselves in Karamzin’s story. Firstly, democracy, since the heroine was a simple peasant woman worthy of respect and sympathy. Secondly, the characters of the heroes are not one-line, as in classicism, but multifaceted, complex and contradictory. Thirdly, the writer strives to deeply and fully reveal the inner world of his characters and their experiences. Fourthly, the landscape plays an important role in the story, which conveys the experiences of the characters.

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