Biography and creativity Karamzin NM List of works by Karamzin

Familiar words like charity, attraction and even love, are often used by us. But very few people know that if it were not for Nikolai Karamzin, then maybe they would never have appeared in the dictionary of a Russian person. Creativity Karamzin 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 of the History of the Russian State. Karamzin did this without describing a separate historical stage, the contemporary of which he was, and 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 Yegorovich, who was a retired captain. Nikolai lost his mother early, so his upbringing was completely occupied with the pope.

As soon as he learned to read, the boy took books from his mother's library, among which were French novels, works by Emin, Rollin. Primary education Nikolai received at home, then studied at the Simbirsk noble boarding house, and after, in 1778, he was sent to the board of Professor Moskovsky.

Even in his childhood, he began to be interested in history. This was facilitated by a book on the history of Emin.

Nikolay's inquisitive mind did not allow him to sit for long on the spot, he started studying languages, went to listen to lectures at the Moscow University.

Carier start

Karamzin's creative work dates back to the times when he served in the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment of St. Petersburg. It was during this period that Nikolai Mikhailovich began to try himself in the role of a writer.

Contributed to the formation of Karamzin as an artist of the word and acquaintance, which he started in Moscow. Among his friends were N. Novikov, A. Petrov, A. Kutuzov. In the same period, he joined the public activities - helped in the preparation and release of the magazine for children "Children's reading for the heart and mind."

The period of service became not only the beginning of Nikolay Karamzin's creative activity , but also formed him as a person, gave the opportunity to make many acquaintances that were useful. After the death of his father, Nikolai decided to quit his service so that he would never return to her. In light of this at the time, this was regarded as boldness and challenge to society. But who knows, if he did not quit his service, he could publish his first translations, as well as original works, in which there is a keen interest in historical topics?

Trip to Europe

Life and work of Karamzin abruptly changed their habitual way, when from 1789 to 1790, He travels through Europe. During the trip, the writer visits Immanuel Kant, which made him an extraordinary impression. Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, whose chronological table is replenished with his presence in France during the Great French Revolution, later writes his Letters of a Russian Traveler. It is this work that makes him famous.

There is an opinion that it is this book that opens the new era of Russian literature. This is not unreasonable, since such roadside notes were not only popular in Europe, but also found their followers in Russia. Among them A. Griboyedov, F. Glinka, V. Izmailov and many others.

Hence "feet grow" and compare Karamzin with Stern. "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 career. In addition, he becomes a professional writer and journalist. But the apogee of this period is, of course, the publication of the Moscow Journal, the first Russian literary magazine in which Karamzin's works were published.

In parallel, he published collections and almanacs, which strengthened him as a father of sentimentalism in Russian literature. Among them, "Aglaia", "Pantheon of Foreign Literature", "My trivialities" and others.

Moreover, Emperor Alexander I established the title of a court historian 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

To the writers Karamzin joined already in the service, as attempts to try himself in this field at the university were not crowned with great success.

Creativity of Karamzin Can be divided into three main lines:

• Art prose, which is an essential part of the heritage (in the list: stories, novels);
• Poetry - it 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

Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich translated the attention of writers, and, as a consequence, their readers, to feelings as a dominant human essence. It is this trait that is fundamental to sentimentalism and separates it from classicism.

At the basis of the normal, natural and correct existence of man there should be no 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 his strength, but enrich him, teach him to feel the world subtly, to respond to changes.

The program 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 the Russian Traveler," sentimentalism introduced roadside notes.

The Poetry of Karamzin

Karamzin's poems occupy much less space in his work. But do not underestimate their importance. As in prose, Karamzin the poet becomes a neophyte of sentimentalism.

Poetry of that time was guided by Lomonosov, Derzhavin, while Nikolai Mikhailovich changed course towards European sentimentalism. There is a reorientation of values in literature. Instead of an external, rational world, the author delves into the inner world of man, is interested in his spiritual powers.

Unlike classicism, characters become simple characters, everyday life, respectively, the object of Karamzin's poem is a 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 that poetry becomes poor and mediocre. On the contrary, it is the main goal pursued by Karamzin's poetic creativity to be able to find the available artistic means, so that they produce the proper effect and at the same time convey the experience of the hero.

The verses are not monumental. They often show the duality of human nature, two views on things, the unity and struggle of opposites.

Prose of Karamzin

The aesthetic principles of Karamzin reflected in prose are also found in his theoretical works. He insists on moving away from the classic obsession with rationalism towards the sensitive side of man, his spiritual world.

The main task is to persuade the reader to maximal empathy, to force to experience not only for the hero, but also with him. Thus, empathy should lead to an inner transformation of a person, to force him to develop his spiritual resources.

The artistic side of the work is as constructed as the poems: a minimum of speech complex turns, splendor and pretentiousness. But so that the same traveler's notes are not dry records, in them the orientation towards the reflection of the mentality, the characters comes to the fore.

Karamzin's novels describe the events in detail, focusing on the sensual nature of things. But since there were a lot of impressions from the trip abroad, on paper they passed through the sieve of the author's "I". He does not become attached to the associations strengthened in consciousness. For example, London remembered him not by Thames, bridges and fog, but in the evenings, when lights are lit, and the city shines.

Characters find the writer themselves - these are his fellow travelers or interlocutors whom Karamzin meets during the journey. It is worth noting that this is not only notable people. He does not hesitate to talk with secular lionesses, and with poor students.

Karamzin the historian

The nineteenth century leads Karamzin to history. When Alexander I appoints him as a court historiographer, Karamzin's life and work again undergo radical changes: he renounces literary activity completely and is immersed in writing historical works.

Strange as it may seem, Karamzin devoted his first historical work, "A Note on the Ancient and New Russia in Its Political and Civic Relation," to criticizing the reforms of the emperor. The purpose of Zapiski was to show conservative social strata, as well as their discontent with liberal reforms. He also tried to find evidence of the uselessness of such reforms.

Karamzin - translator

Karamzin, whose biography and creativity is very diverse, was also looking for himself in the field of translation. And the search was crowned with success. Nikolai Mikhailovich became not only a major practitioner, but a theorist of the translation of his time.

Languages from which he translated the works:

• English;
• French;
• German.

The writer did not make verbatim translations, but tried to modify them stylistically, to bring them closer, and to encode them to the "Russian ear". He not only paid special attention to the stylistics of writing the original, but also carefully worked on recreating the mood that is embodied in the original, so as not to lose the slightest particle to convey experiences.

Coming to work on the creation of a particular author, Karamzin studied creativity, briefly acquainted with additional information of the readers.

The writer singled out three basic principles on which a quality translation should be based:

• Purity refers to lexical material.
• Smoothness is a question of stylistic monotony.
• Pleasantness - the translation should be as accurate as possible, but in no way parallel. It should be easily perceived.

Reform of the language of Karamzin

Influencing the literature, Karamzin's work could not help but affect the changes in speech. The main task of the writer was to approach the living, colloquial language. He sought to cleanse it of obsolete vocabulary, fanciful explanations. But at the same time, Nikolai Mikhailovich was also an opponent of the abuse of common folk words, such that they do not fit into the understanding of qualitative speech, accessible but beautiful.

Karamzin enriched the Russian language, inventing many new words, thanks to the addition of the foundations, the transformation of word combinations or by introducing them from other languages. Among these words: industry, love, humanity and others.

"History of Russian Goverment"

The most famous historical work, written by Karamzin, is "The History of the Russian State". The basis of the work was "A note about the ancient and new Russia in its political and civil attitude." It is working on it, Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich, whose works have always had historical digressions, notes from history, think about creating a large analytical work.

Waving the globality of the work, he drew information from the annals, many of which were first used in science in general. Karamzin not only recreated the bit by bit history, but also found more and more sources. So, it was he who opened the Ipatiev Chronicle.

The structure of "History":

• Introduction - describes the role of history as a science;
• History until 1612 from the time of nomadic tribes.

Each story, narrative ends with moral and ethical conclusions.

The meaning of "History"

As soon as Karamzin completed his work, the "History of the Russian State" literally shattered like hot pies. For a month, 3000 copies were sold. "History" was read by everyone: the reason for this is not only filled white spots in the history of the state, but also the simplicity, ease of presentation. On the basis of this book, then there was not one artwork, because "History" became also the source of the stories.

"History of the Russian State" was the first analytical work on the history of Russia. It also became a template and an example for further development of interest in history in the country.

The author insisted on the effectiveness of the autocracy as the only true way of life of the state. This caused a storm of indignation among the liberal-minded part of the population.