The nineteenth century is the golden age of Russian literature. During this period, a whole galaxy of geniuses of the art of the word, poets and prose writers was born, whose unsurpassed creative skill determined the further development of not only Russian literature, but also foreign literature.
The subtle interweaving of social realism and classicism in literature corresponded exactly to the national ideas and canons of that time. In the 19th century, for the first time, such acute social problems began to be raised, such as the need to change priorities, the rejection of outdated principles, and the confrontation between society and the individual.
The most significant representatives of Russian classics of the 19th century
Word geniuses like A.A. Bestuzhev-Marlinsky and A.S. Griboyedov, in their writings openly demonstrated contempt for the upper strata of society for their selfishness, vanity, hypocrisy and immorality. V.A. Zhukovsky, on the contrary, introduced dreaminess and sincere romance into Russian literature with his works. In his poems, he tried to get away from the gray and boring routine in order to show in all colors the sublime world that surrounds a person. Speaking of Russian literary classics, one cannot fail to mention the great genius A.S. Pushkin - poet and father of the Russian literary language. The works of this writer made a real revolution in the world of literary art. Pushkin's poetry, the story "The Queen of Spades" and the novel "Eugene Onegin" became a stylistic presentation, which was repeatedly used by many domestic and world writers.
Among other things, the literature of the nineteenth century was also characterized by philosophical concepts. They are most clearly revealed in the works of M.Yu. Lermontov. Throughout his creative activity, the author admired the Decembrist movements and defended freedoms and human rights. His poems are saturated with criticism of the imperial power and opposition calls. In the field of dramaturgy, A.P. Chekhov. Using subtle but "prickly" satire, the playwright and writer ridiculed human vices and expressed contempt for the vices of representatives of the nobility. His plays from the moment of his birth to the present day do not lose their relevance and continue to be staged on the stage of theaters all over the world. It is also impossible not to mention the great L.N. Tolstoy, A.I. Kuprin, N.V. Gogol, etc.
Group portrait of Russian writers - members of the editorial board of the journal Sovremennik».
Ivan Turgenev, Ivan Goncharov, Leo Tolstoy, Dmitry Grigorovich, Alexander Druzhinin, Alexander Ostrovsky.
Features of Russian literature
In the nineteenth century, Russian realistic literature acquired an unprecedented high artistic perfection. Its main distinguishing feature was originality. The second half of the 19th century in Russian literature passed with the idea of a decisive democratization of artistic creation and under the sign of a tense ideological struggle. Among other things, the pathos of artistic creativity changed during these time frames, as a result of which the Russian writer was faced with the need for artistic understanding of the unusually mobile and impetuous elements of being. In such an environment, literary synthesis originated in much narrower temporal and spatial periods of life: the need for a certain localization and specialization was dictated by the special state of the world, characteristic of the era of the second half of the nineteenth century.
Literature in the 19th century in Russia is associated with the rapid flowering of culture. Spiritual uplift and important are reflected in the immortal works of writers and poets. This article is dedicated to the representatives of the Golden Age of Russian literature and the main trends of this period.
Historical events
Literature in the 19th century in Russia gave birth to such great names as Baratynsky, Batyushkov, Zhukovsky, Lermontov, Fet, Yazykov, Tyutchev. And above all Pushkin. This period was marked by a number of historical events. The development of Russian prose and poetry was influenced by the Patriotic War of 1812, and the death of the great Napoleon, and the passing of Byron. The English poet, like the French commander, for a long time dominated the minds of revolutionary-minded people in Russia. and the Russian-Turkish war, as well as the echoes of the French revolution, heard in all corners of Europe - all these events turned into a powerful catalyst for advanced creative thought.
While revolutionary movements were being carried out in Western countries and the spirit of freedom and equality began to emerge, Russia was strengthening its monarchical power, and suppressing uprisings. This could not go unnoticed by artists, writers and poets. The literature of the early 19th century in Russia is a reflection of the thoughts and experiences of the advanced strata of society.
Classicism
This aesthetic direction is understood as an artistic style that originated in the culture of Europe in the second half of the 18th century. Its main features are rationalism and observance of strict canons. Classicism of the 19th century in Russia was also distinguished by its appeal to ancient forms and the principle of three unities. Literature, however, in this artistic style already at the beginning of the century began to lose ground. Classicism was gradually supplanted by such trends as sentimentalism, romanticism.
Masters of the artistic word began to create their works in new genres. Works in the style of a historical novel, romantic story, ballad, ode, poem, landscape, philosophical and love lyrics gained popularity.
Realism
Literature in the 19th century in Russia is associated primarily with the name of Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin. Closer to the thirties, realistic prose took a strong position in his work. It should be said that Pushkin is the ancestor of this literary trend in Russia.
Journalism and satire
Some features of the European culture of the 18th century were inherited by the literature of the 19th century in Russia. Briefly, we can outline the main features of the poetry and prose of this period - the satirical nature and publicism. The tendency to depict human vices and shortcomings of society is observed in the work of writers who created their works in the forties. In literary criticism, it was later defined that united the authors of satirical and journalistic prose. "Natural School" - this was the name of this artistic style, which, however, is also called the "Gogol School". Other representatives of this literary trend are Nekrasov, Dal, Herzen, Turgenev.
Criticism
The ideology of the "natural school" was substantiated by the critic Belinsky. The principles of the representatives of this literary movement became the denunciation and eradication of vices. A characteristic feature in their work was social problems. The main genres are essay, socio-psychological novel and social story.
Literature in the 19th century in Russia developed under the influence of the activities of various associations. It was in the first quarter of this century that there was a significant rise in the journalistic field. Belinsky had a huge influence on. This man possessed an extraordinary ability to feel the poetic gift. It was he who first recognized the talent of Pushkin, Lermontov, Gogol, Turgenev, Dostoevsky.
Pushkin and Gogol
The literature of the 19th and 20th centuries in Russia would have been completely different and, of course, not so bright without these two authors. They had a huge impact on the development of prose. And many of the elements they introduced into literature have become classical norms. Pushkin and Gogol not only developed realism, but also created completely new artistic types. One of them is the image of the "little man", which later developed not only in the work of Russian authors, but also in foreign literature of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries.
Lermontov
This poet also had a considerable influence on the development of Russian literature. After all, it is to him that the creation of such a concept as the “hero of time” belongs. With his light hand, it entered not only literary criticism, but also into public life. Lermontov also took part in the development of the psychological novel genre.
The entire period of the nineteenth century is famous for the names of talented great personalities who worked in the field of literature (both prose and poetry). Russian authors at the end of the eighteenth century adopted some of the merits of Western colleagues. But due to a sharp jump in the development of culture and art, it eventually became an order of magnitude higher than the Western European one that existed at that time. The works of Pushkin, Turgenev, Dostoevsky and Gogol have become the property of world culture. The works of Russian writers became a model on which German, English and American authors later relied.
"Verily, that was the golden age of our literature,
the period of her innocence and bliss! .. "
M. A. Antonovich
M. Antonovich in his article called the "golden age of literature" the beginning of the 19th century - the period of creativity of A. S. Pushkin and N. V. Gogol. Subsequently, this definition began to characterize the literature of the entire 19th century - up to the works of A.P. Chekhov and L.N. Tolstoy.
What are the main features of Russian classical literature of this period?
Fashionable at the beginning of the century, sentimentalism gradually fades into the background - the formation of romanticism begins, and from the middle of the century realism rules the ball.
New types of heroes appear in literature: the "little man", who most often dies under the pressure of the foundations accepted in society, and the "extra man" - this is a string of images, starting with Onegin and Pechorin.
Continuing the traditions of the satirical image, proposed by M. Fonvizin, in the literature of the 19th century, the satirical image of the vices of modern society becomes one of the central motifs. Often satire takes on grotesque forms. Vivid examples are Gogol's "Nose" or "The History of a City" by M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin.
Another distinguishing feature of the literature of this period is an acute social orientation. Writers and poets are increasingly turning to socio-political topics, often plunging into the field of psychology. This leitmotif permeates the works of I. S. Turgenev, F. M. Dostoevsky, L. N. Tolstoy. A new form appears - the Russian realistic novel, with its deep psychologism, the most severe criticism of reality, irreconcilable enmity with the existing foundations and loud calls for renewal.
Well, the main reason that prompted many critics to call the 19th century the golden age of Russian culture: the literature of this period, despite a number of unfavorable factors, had a powerful influence on the development of world culture as a whole. Absorbing all the best that world literature offered, Russian literature was able to remain original and unique.
Russian writers of the 19th century
V.A. Zhukovsky- Pushkin's mentor and his Teacher. It is Vasily Andreevich who is considered the founder of Russian romanticism. It can be said that Zhukovsky "prepared" the ground for Pushkin's bold experiments, since he was the first to expand the scope of the poetic word. After Zhukovsky, the era of the democratization of the Russian language began, which was so brilliantly continued by Pushkin.
Selected Poems:
A.S. Griboyedov went down in history as the author of one work. But what! Masterpiece! Phrases and quotes from the comedy "Woe from Wit" have long become winged, and the work itself is considered the first realistic comedy in the history of Russian literature.
Work:
A.S. Pushkin. He was called differently: A. Grigoriev claimed that "Pushkin is our everything!", F. Dostoevsky "the great and still incomprehensible Forerunner", and Emperor Nicholas I admitted that, in his opinion, Pushkin is "the smartest person in Russia". Simply put, this is Genius.
Pushkin's greatest merit is that he radically changed the Russian literary language, saving it from pretentious abbreviations, such as "young, breg, sweet", from ridiculous "marshmallows", "Psyche", "Cupids", so revered in high-sounding elegies, from borrowings, which then so abounded in Russian poetry. Pushkin brought colloquial vocabulary, craft slang, elements of Russian folklore to the pages of printed publications.
A. N. Ostrovsky also pointed out another important achievement of this brilliant poet. Before Pushkin, Russian literature was imitative, stubbornly imposing traditions and ideals alien to our people. Pushkin, on the other hand, "gave courage to the Russian writer to be Russian", "revealed the Russian soul". In his stories and novels, for the first time, the theme of the morality of the social ideals of that time is so vividly raised. And the main character, with Pushkin's light hand, is now becoming an ordinary "little man" - with his thoughts and hopes, desires and character.
Selected works:
Selected Tales:
M.Yu. Lermontov- bright, mysterious, with a touch of mysticism and an incredible thirst for will. All his work is a unique fusion of romanticism and realism. Moreover, both directions do not oppose at all, but, as it were, complement each other. This man went down in history as a poet, writer, playwright and artist. He wrote 5 plays: the most famous is the drama "Masquerade".
And among prose works, the real diamond of creativity was the novel "A Hero of Our Time" - the first realistic novel in prose in the history of Russian literature, where for the first time the writer tries to trace the "dialectics of the soul" of his hero, mercilessly subjecting him to psychological analysis. This innovative creative method of Lermontov will be used by many Russian and foreign writers in the future.
Selected works:
N.V. Gogol known as a writer and playwright, but it is no coincidence that one of his most famous works - "Dead Souls" is considered a poem. There is no other such Master of the word in world literature. Gogol's language is melodious, incredibly bright and figurative. This was most clearly manifested in his collection Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka.
On the other hand, N.V. Gogol is considered the founder of the "natural school", with its satire bordering on the grotesque, accusatory motives and ridicule of human vices.
Selected works:
I.S. Turgenev- the greatest Russian novelist who established the canons of the classic novel. He continues the traditions established by Pushkin and Gogol. He often refers to the theme of "an extra person", trying to convey the relevance and significance of social ideas through the fate of his hero.
Turgenev's merit also lies in the fact that he became the first propagandist of Russian culture in Europe. This is a prose writer who opened the world of the Russian peasantry, intelligentsia and revolutionaries to foreign countries. And the string of female images in his novels became the pinnacle of the writer's skill.
Selected works:
A.N. Ostrovsky- an outstanding Russian playwright. I. Goncharov most accurately expressed Ostrovsky's merits, recognizing him as the founder of the Russian folk theater. The plays of this writer became a "school of life" for the playwrights of the next generation. And the Moscow Maly Theater, where most of the plays of this talented writer were staged, proudly calls itself the "Ostrovsky House".
Selected works:
I.A. Goncharov continued to develop the traditions of the Russian realistic novel. The author of the famous trilogy, who, like no one else, managed to describe the main vice of the Russian people - laziness. With the light hand of the writer, the term "Oblomovism" also appeared.
Selected works:
L.N. Tolstoy- a real block of Russian literature. His novels are recognized as the pinnacle of the art of novel writing. The style of presentation and the creative method of L. Tolstoy are still considered the standard of the writer's skill. And his ideas of humanism had a huge impact on the development of humanistic ideas throughout the world.
Selected works:
N.S. Leskov- a talented successor to the traditions of N. Gogol. He made a huge contribution to the development of new genre forms in literature, such as pictures from life, rhapsodies, incredible events.
Selected works:
N.G. Chernyshevsky- an outstanding writer and literary critic who proposed his theory of the aesthetics of the relationship of art to reality. This theory became the reference for the literature of the next few generations.
Selected works:
F.M. Dostoevsky is a brilliant writer whose psychological novels are known all over the world. Dostoevsky is often called the forerunner of such trends in culture as existentialism and surrealism.
Selected works:
M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin- the greatest satirist, who brought the art of denunciation, ridicule and parody to the heights of skill.
Selected works:
A.P. Chekhov. With this name, historians traditionally complete the era of the golden age of Russian literature. Chekhov was recognized throughout the world during his lifetime. His short stories have become a benchmark for short story writers. And Chekhov's plays had a huge impact on the development of world drama.
Selected works:
By the end of the 19th century, the traditions of critical realism began to fade away. In a society permeated through and through with pre-revolutionary moods, mystical moods, partly even decadent ones, have come into fashion. They became the forerunner of the emergence of a new literary trend - symbolism and marked the beginning of a new period in the history of Russian literature - the silver age of poetry.
The century before last was an interesting stage in the development of human history. The emergence of new technologies, faith in progress, the spread of enlightenment ideas, the development of new social relations, the emergence of a new bourgeois class that became dominant in many European countries - all this was reflected in art. The literature of the 19th century reflected all the turning points in the development of society. All shocks and discoveries are reflected in the pages of novels by eminent writers. 19th century literature– multifaceted, diverse and very interesting.
Literature of the 19th century as an indicator of public consciousness
The century began in the atmosphere of the Great French Revolution, the ideas of which captured all of Europe, America and Russia. Under the influence of these events, the greatest books of the 19th century appeared, a list of which you can find in this section. In Great Britain, with the coming to power of Queen Victoria, a new era of stability began, which was accompanied by a national upsurge, the development of industry and art. Public tranquility produced the best books of the 19th century, written in all sorts of genres. In France, on the contrary, there was a lot of revolutionary unrest, accompanied by a change in the political system and the development of social thought. Of course, this also influenced the books of the 19th century. The literary age ended with an era of decadence, which is characterized by gloomy and mystical moods and a bohemian lifestyle of representatives of art. Thus, the literature of the 19th century gave works that everyone needs to read.
Books of the 19th century on the site "KnigoPoisk"
If you are interested in 19th century literature, the list of the KnigoPoisk site will help you find interesting novels. The rating is based on the feedback from visitors to our resource. "Books of the 19th century" - a list that will not leave anyone indifferent.
The 19th century is called the "Golden Age" of Russian poetry and the century of Russian literature on a global scale. It should not be forgotten that the literary leap that took place in the 19th century was prepared by the entire course of the literary process of the 17th and 18th centuries. The 19th century is the time of the formation of the Russian literary language, which took shape largely thanks to A.S. Pushkin.
But the 19th century began with the heyday of sentimentalism and the formation of romanticism. These literary trends found expression primarily in poetry. Poetic works of poets E.A. Baratynsky, K.N. Batyushkova, V.A. Zhukovsky, A.A. Feta, D.V. Davydova, N.M. Yazykov. Creativity F.I. Tyutchev's "Golden Age" of Russian poetry was completed. However, the central figure of this time was Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin.
A.S. Pushkin began his ascent to the literary Olympus with the poem "Ruslan and Lyudmila" in 1920. And his novel in verse "Eugene Onegin" was called an encyclopedia of Russian life. Romantic poems by A.S. Pushkin's "The Bronze Horseman" (1833), "The Fountain of Bakhchisaray", "Gypsies" opened the era of Russian romanticism. Many poets and writers considered A. S. Pushkin their teacher and continued the traditions of creating literary works laid down by him. One of these poets was M.Yu. Lermontov. His romantic poem "Mtsyri", the poetic story "Demon", many romantic poems are known. Interestingly, Russian poetry of the 19th century was closely connected with the social and political life of the country. Poets tried to comprehend the idea of their special purpose. The poet in Russia was considered a conductor of divine truth, a prophet. The poets urged the authorities to listen to their words. Vivid examples of understanding the role of the poet and influence on the political life of the country are the poems of A.S. Pushkin "Prophet", ode "Liberty", "The Poet and the Crowd", a poem by M.Yu. Lermontov "On the Death of a Poet" and many others.
Along with poetry, prose began to develop. The prose writers of the beginning of the century were influenced by the English historical novels of W. Scott, whose translations were very popular. The development of Russian prose of the 19th century began with the prose works of A.S. Pushkin and N.V. Gogol. Pushkin, under the influence of English historical novels, creates the story "The Captain's Daughter", where the action takes place against the backdrop of grandiose historical events: during the time of the Pugachev rebellion. A.S. Pushkin did a tremendous job exploring this historical period. This work was largely political in nature and was directed to those in power.
A.S. Pushkin and N.V. Gogol identified the main artistic types that would be developed by writers throughout the 19th century. This is the artistic type of the “superfluous person”, an example of which is Eugene Onegin in the novel by A.S. Pushkin, and the so-called type of "little man", which is shown by N.V. Gogol in his story "The Overcoat", as well as A.S. Pushkin in the story "The Stationmaster".
Literature inherited its publicism and satirical character from the 18th century. In the prose poem N.V. Gogol's "Dead Souls", the writer in a sharp satirical manner shows a swindler who buys up dead souls, various types of landowners who are the embodiment of various human vices (the influence of classicism affects). In the same plan, the comedy "The Inspector General" is sustained. The works of A. S. Pushkin are also full of satirical images. Literature continues to satirically depict Russian reality. The tendency to depict the vices and shortcomings of Russian society is a characteristic feature of all Russian classical literature. It can be traced in the works of almost all writers of the 19th century. At the same time, many writers implement the satirical trend in a grotesque form. Examples of grotesque satire are the works of N.V. Gogol "The Nose", M.E. Saltykov-Shchedrin "Gentlemen Golovlevs", "History of one city".
Since the middle of the 19th century, the formation of Russian realistic literature has been taking place, which is being created against the backdrop of a tense socio-political situation that developed in Russia during the reign of Nicholas I. A crisis in the serf system is brewing, contradictions between the authorities and the common people are strong. There is a need to create a realistic literature that sharply reacts to the socio-political situation in the country. Literary critic V.G. Belinsky marks a new realistic trend in literature. His position is being developed by N.A. Dobrolyubov, N.G. Chernyshevsky. A dispute arises between Westernizers and Slavophiles about the paths of Russia's historical development.
Writers turn to the socio-political problems of Russian reality. The genre of the realistic novel is developing. Their works are created by I.S. Turgenev, F.M. Dostoevsky, L.N. Tolstoy, I.A. Goncharov. Socio-political and philosophical problems prevail. Literature is distinguished by a special psychologism.
The development of poetry somewhat subsides. It is worth noting the poetic works of Nekrasov, who was the first to introduce social issues into poetry. His poem “Who is living well in Russia?” is known, as well as many poems, where the difficult and hopeless life of the people is comprehended.
The literary process of the late 19th century discovered the names of N. S. Leskov, A.N. Ostrovsky A.P. Chekhov. The latter proved to be a master of a small literary genre - a story, as well as an excellent playwright. Competitor A.P. Chekhov was Maxim Gorky.
The end of the 19th century was marked by the formation of pre-revolutionary sentiments. The realist tradition was beginning to fade. It was replaced by the so-called decadent literature, the hallmarks of which were mysticism, religiosity, as well as a premonition of changes in the socio-political life of the country. Subsequently, decadence grew into symbolism. This opens a new page in the history of Russian literature.
