Derzhavin, “Felitsa”: essays summary
A separate niche is occupied by civil odes, which are addressed to influential government officials: monarchs and nobles. One of the most striking representatives of this poetic genre is the ode “Felitsa”; a brief summary of it will be presented below. The poet dedicated it to the Russian Empress Catherine II.
Derzhavin began serving in the Preobrazhensky Regiment of St. Petersburg, this moment coincided with the beginning of his poetic activity. For 40 years he held various civil and military posts and was even a member of the secret commission to capture Emelyan Pugachev. Then he was in the service of General A. A. Vyazemsky. At this very time he will write his famous ode “Felitsa”. The summary of this work tells about a wise and kind Kyrgyz princess, whose name was Felitsa. Here she appears as a fair ruler, legislator and gracious monarch.
Artistic features of the ode “Felitsa”
Derzhavin worked in the genre of classicism. This direction strictly forbade combining several genres, for example, high ode and satire. But the poet decided on such a bold experiment. Moreover, he not only combined them in his text, but also did something unprecedented for the literature of that very conservative time.
Derzhavin simply destroys the traditions of the laudatory ode, actively using reduced, colloquial vocabulary in his text. He even uses frank vernacular, which, in principle, were not welcomed in literature in those years. Most importantly, he portrays Empress Catherine II as an ordinary person, abandoning her classical ceremonial description, which was actively used in similar works.
That is why in the ode you can find descriptions of everyday scenes and even literary still life.
Ode and Praise
Getting to the topic: “Felitsa,” summary,” it should be noted that Derzhavin took the image for his ode from “The Tale of Prince Chlorus,” written by Catherine II for her grandchildren.
This tradition - writing laudable odes to the image of an enlightened monarch - was continued by Derzhavin, who borrowed it from Lomonosov. These great people saw in the monarch a person entrusted by society with taking care of the welfare of the state and its people.
The work shows the struggle directed against the abuse of their position by high-ranking nobles. Everyone should serve for the good of Russia - this became the defining feature of Derzhavin’s work. It was in the enlightened monarchy that he saw the force that would worthily lead such a powerful state as Russia.
Transformation of the ode genre in Derzhavin’s work. The originality of the ode “Felitsa”
In formal terms, Derzhavin in “Felitsa” strictly adheres to the canon of Lomonosov’s solemn ode: iambic tetrameter, ten-line stanza with the rhyme aBaBVVgDDg. But this strict form of the solemn ode in this case is a necessary sphere of contrast, against the background of which the absolute novelty of the content and style plans appears more clearly. Derzhavin addressed Catherine II not directly, but indirectly - through her literary personality, using for his ode the plot of a fairy tale that Catherine wrote for her little grandson Alexander. The characters in the allegorical “Tale of Prince Chlorus” - the khan’s daughter Felitsa (from the Latin felix - happy) and the young prince Chlorus are busy searching for a rose without thorns (an allegory of virtue), which they find, after many obstacles and overcoming temptations, on the top of a high mountain , symbolizing spiritual self-improvement. This indirect appeal to the empress through her literary text gave Derzhavin the opportunity to avoid the sublime tone of addressing the highest person. Taking up the plot of Catherine's fairy tale and slightly aggravating the oriental flavor inherent in this plot, Derzhavin wrote his ode on behalf of, playing on the legend about the origin of his family from the Tatar Murza Bagrim. In the text of the ode itself, two plans are clearly drawn: the author’s plan and the hero’s plan, connected to each other by the plot motif of the search for a “rose without thorns” - virtue. The “weak”, “depraved”, “slave of whims” Murza, on whose behalf the ode was written, turns to the virtuous “god-like princess” with a request for help in finding a “rose without thorns” - and this naturally sets two intonations in the text of the ode: apology against Felitsa and denunciation against Murza. Thus, Derzhavin’s solemn ode combines the ethical principles of older genres - satire and ode, which were once absolutely contrasting and isolated, but in “Felitsa” united into a single picture of the world. This combination in itself literally explodes from within the canons of the established oratorical genre of ode and classicist ideas about the genre hierarchy of poetry and the purity of the genre. But the operations that Derzhavin performs with the aesthetic attitudes of satire and ode are even more daring and radical. It would be natural to expect that the apologetic image of virtue and the denounced image of vice, combined in a single odo-satirical genre, would be consistently maintained in their traditional typology of artistic imagery: the abstract-conceptual embodiment of virtue would have to be opposed by the everyday image of vice. However, this does not happen in Derzhavin’s “Felitsa,” and both images, from an aesthetic point of view, represent the same synthesis of ideologizing and everyday-descriptive motifs. But if the everyday image of vice could, in principle, be subject to some ideologization in its generalized, conceptual presentation, then Russian literature before Derzhavin fundamentally did not allow the everyday image of virtue. In the ode “Felitsa”, contemporaries, accustomed to abstract conceptual constructions of odic images of the ideal monarch, were shocked by the everyday concreteness and authenticity of the appearance of Catherine II in her everyday activities and habits. The individualized and specific personal image of virtue is opposed in the ode “Felitsa” by a generalized collective image of vice, but it is opposed only ethically: as an aesthetic essence, the image of vice is absolutely identical to the image of virtue, since it is the same synthesis of odic and satirical typology of imagery, deployed in the same plot motive of the daily routine.
The only aesthetic difference between the images of Felitsa the virtue and Murza the vice is their correlation with the specific personalities of Derzhavin’s contemporaries. In this sense, Felitsa-Ekaterina is, according to the author's intention, an accurate portrait, and Murza is the mask of the author of the ode, the lyrical subject of the text - a collective, but concrete to such an extent that to this day its concreteness tempts researchers of Derzhavin's work to see in the features this mask is similar to the face of the poet himself, although Derzhavin himself left unambiguous and precise indications that Potemkin, Orlov, Naryshkin with their characteristic properties and everyday preferences - “whimsical disposition”, “hunting” served as prototypes for this collective image of a nobleman-courier before the horses race”, “exercises in dress. And here it is impossible not to notice two things: firstly, that the technique of self-exposing characterization of vice in his direct speech genetically goes back directly to the genre model of Cantemir’s satire, and secondly, that, creating his own collective image of Murza as a lyrical subject ode “Felitsa” and forcing him to speak “for the whole world, for the entire noble society,” Derzhavin, in essence, took advantage of the Lomonosov odic method of constructing the image of the author. In Lomonosov’s solemn ode, the author’s personal pronoun “I” was nothing more than a form of expressing a general opinion, and the image of the author was functional only insofar as it was capable of embodying the voice of the nation as a whole - that is, it had a collective character. Thus, in Derzhavin’s “Felitsa,” ode and satire, intersecting with their ethical genre-forming guidelines and aesthetic features of the typology of artistic imagery, merge into one genre, which, strictly speaking, can no longer be called either satire or ode. The forms of expression of the personal author's principle through the category of the lyrical hero and the poet as a figurative unity, fusing the entire set of individual poetic texts into a single aesthetic whole, are the factor that determines the fundamental innovation of Derzhavin the poet relative to the national poetic tradition that preceded him.
G. Derzhavin, “Felitsa”: poem
The ode “Felitsa” brought unprecedented fame to its author and generous rewards from the empress herself, who gave him a precious snuffbox made of pure gold and studded with diamonds.
In the 80s, Derzhavin was not yet so closely acquainted with Catherine II; he created her image from stories that were disseminated at her own will. But the poet knew many of her close associates, under whose command he had to serve at different times. In the ode, the idealization of the image of Catherine II is combined with criticism of her court nobles.
Merciful Queen
An order document written by Catherine II became an assistant for creating the main image. In this "Instruction" she wrote about the need to soften some laws on the death penalty, which were often applied for minor offenses. Therefore, Derzhavin endowed his heroine Felitsa with such mercy and condescension as Her Majesty Catherine II.
Felitsa in the work is glorified in that she stopped persecuting those who had the courage to express all kinds of insults against her.
This is clearly stated in the ode “Felitsa”. The summary describes that from the first lines of the ode you can recognize the Russian ruler Catherine II. So Derzhavin draws her image, first of all, relying on her inherent human qualities, and adds that from her first days in Russia she began to follow its rituals and customs. She was very successful in this matter and therefore aroused the sympathy of the courtyard nobles and guards. There is information that the ode moved the empress to tears.
Derzhavin showed literary innovative abilities and combined laudatory and accusatory principles with satire in the ode, but then this was unacceptable. The wise Felitsa and her ideal image were contrasted with careless nobles - “Murzas”. In Catherine's court they were G. A. Potemkin, Count P. I. Panin, Counts Orlov, Prince A. A. Vyazemsky, etc.
Derzhavin depicted them so accurately that it was not difficult to guess who was being discussed in his work.
Satire on nobles
A literary analysis of the ode “Felitsa” suggests that Derzhavin, with deep satire, emphasized all their weaknesses, petty interests and whims. Respectable people of high rank should not appear in such an inappropriate manner. For example, he portrayed Potemkin as a gourmet and glutton who loved feasts and table entertainment. The Orlovs loved to have fun by dancing and fist fights. Panin, leaving others to carry out his duties, went hunting with dogs. And Vyazemsky enlightened his mind by reading “Polkan and Bova,” since he often fell asleep over the Bible.
Let's continue to study the odes in brief. Derzhavin “Felitsa” presents the image of the author himself in the work in an original and very bold way. He wrote vividly and truthfully: “Sitting at home, I will commit mischief, playing fools with my wife...”.
The very original oriental flavor of the ode also attracts attention, since it is narrated from the perspective of the Tatar Murza, and the eastern cities of Smyrna, Kashmir and Baghdad are also mentioned. The ode ends, according to tradition, in a high and laudatory style.
Derzhavin in his ode compares the reign of Catherine II, who created a number of laws useful for the Great State, with the unjust and cruel morals that reigned in Russia under Anna Ioannovna, called the times of Bironovschina.
Irony and satire
The poet introduces such an innovation into the ode, while previously such liberties were not allowed in this genre. He contrasts the virtuous Felitsa with her environment. The poet writes in the first person, but means Prince Potemkin, who leads a riotous lifestyle at court and, when fighting, imagines himself as a sovereign ruler, like the Sultan. When preparing for war, and he fought a lot and, as a rule, successfully, he spends his days in feasts, where exquisite food, which is countless, is served on golden dishes. Or he rides in a golden carriage, accompanied by friends, dogs, and beauties.
The author also does not forget A.G. Orlov (ode “Felitsa”). Derzhavin (we are considering a summary) talks about his love for horse racing. The Orlovs bred purebred trotters at their stud farms. The count organized races on his wonderful horses. Derzhavin also remembers the passion of the Orlov favorites for dancing and fist fights. This made their spirit happy.
In addition, the poet mentions P.I. Panin, who helped the empress in the coup. Panin loved hound hunting and devoted a lot of time to it, forgetting about government affairs. Derzhavin does not neglect such a great courtier as Naryshkin, who loved to ride along the Neva at night, and why at night, it is unknown, accompanied by a whole orchestra of musicians with horn instruments. Peace and quiet in the capital city could only be dreamed of by the common man who worked hard to earn his living. Well, how can you not smile at the peaceful entertainment of Prosecutor General Vyazemsky? In his free time, he read popular stories and dozed over the Bible.
The poet is also ironic about himself, as if counting himself among a narrow circle of the elite. No one dared to write in such an ironic vein. The ode “Felitsa” (Derzhavin), a brief summary of which is conveyed here, became an innovative work. When Derzhavin was reproached for ridicule, which nowadays seems quite harmless, the poet pointed to the place where he describes his shortcomings, for example, chasing pigeons in a dovecote or simply playing cards like a fool. People, according to the poet, and rightly so, are not inclined to deal with serious matters all the time. It is only important not to run after empty dreams, not to lead a luxurious and lazy life, and not to grumble when they demand money for government affairs. And both Potemkin and Prince Vyazemsky were famous for this, whom Catherine II described in her fairy tale about Prince Chlorus under the names Lazy and Grumpy.
The image of Felitsa in Derzhavin’s odes “Felitsa”, “Nobleman”
After “Felitsa,” which forever glorified Derzhavin, the poet proceeds to the ode “Nobleman.” Here again, the construction is based on two principles - laudatory and satirical. But if in “Felitsa” there was more of a positive beginning, cheerful satire and laughter at the nobles, then in the ode “Nobleman” there is a different relationship between good and evil. There is very little laudatory part - only at the very end, more related to the mention of P. A. Rumyantsev. Most of it is outweighed by angry satire. One can hear the author's indignation at the indifference of the nobles to their duty to their Fatherland. This was not much different from the works of the 18th century. Derzhavin is outraged by the situation of his people and subjects, suffering from criminally indifferent courtiers, at whose reception a military leader, a widow with a child in her arms, and a wounded soldier could sit in line for hours and wait for an audience.
