Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich (1766-1826) - Russian historian-historiographer, writer, poet, honorary member of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences, creator of the “History of the Russian State” - one of the first generalizing works on the history of Russia.
Briefly about the biography of N.M. Karamzin
N.M. Karamzin was born on December 1 (12), 1766, the village of Mikhailovka (Preobrazhenskoye) of the Buzuluk district of the Simbirsk province (according to other sources - the village of Bogorodskoye of the Simbirsk district of the Simbirsk province). He was born into the family of a middle-income landowner. Having received his initial education at home, he studied at a noble boarding school in Simbirsk, then at one of the best private boarding schools of Moscow University professor I.M. Schaden, and also attended lectures at Moscow University. Nikolai Karamzin is the author and one of the publishers of the first children's magazine " Children's reading for the heart and mind." Interest in world and domestic history, ancient and new, and the events of today prevails in the publications of Russia's first socio-political and literary-artistic magazine "Bulletin of Europe", published by Karamzin in 1802-03. He also published here several essays on Russian medieval history (“Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novagorod”, “News about Martha the Posadnitsa, taken from the life of St. Zosima”, “Journey around Moscow”, “Historical memories and notes on the way to the Trinity” etc.), testifying to the plan of a large-scale historical work. In 1801 Nikolai Karamzin married E. I. Protasova, who died a year later. Karamzin’s second marriage was to P. A. Vyazemsky’s half-sister, E. A. Kolyvanova (1804), with whom he lived happily until the end of his days. In October 1803, Karamzin obtained from Alexander I an appointment as a historiographer with a pension of 2,000 rubles. for writing Russian history. Libraries and archives were opened for him. To last day Karamzin’s life was busy writing “The History of the Russian State,” which had a significant influence on Russian historical science and literature, allowing us to see in it one of the notable cultural-forming phenomena not only of the 19th century, but also of the 20th. Starting from ancient times and the first mentions about the Slavs, Karamzin managed to bring “History” to the Time of Troubles. This amounted to 12 volumes of text of high literary merit, accompanied by more than 6 thousand historical notes, in which historical sources and works of European and domestic authors were published and analyzed.
Detailed biography of N.M. Karamzin here, here, here
Articles about the life and work of N.M. Karamzin
10 links
- Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin - biography
Detailed biography - Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich
Article in Literary Encyclopedia - What do Pushkin's heroes read?
About the story by N.M. Karamzin "Natalia, the boyar's daughter" - M.P. Alekseev. English translations produce...
Early experiences wider and systematic acquaintance in England with new Russian literature dates back to the beginning of the 19th century. One of the first living Russian writers at that time, whose works repeatedly attracted English translators, was N. M. Karamzin - Belinsky V.G. History of the Russian state...
- P.I.Shalikov. About Mr. Karamzin's style
Mr. Karamzin's style constituted a new era in the Russian language, and Mr. Karamzin acquired the flattering name of the Author of the Classic. - N.V.Shelgunov. Attempts at Russian consciousness. Sep...
- G. P. Makogonenko. Nikolai Karamzin and his “Pi...
- “Bulletin of Europe” by N.M. Karamzin. 1802–1803
- N.N. Strakhov. Sigh on Karamzin's coffin
Letter to the editor of Zarya
Portrait of N.M. Karamzin
Artist Tropinin.(1818, Moscow, Tretyakov Gallery) Source
Works by N.M. Karamzin
3 links
- Complete list of works by N.M. Karamzin
- List of individual journal articles by N.M.Ka...
- Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin “Letters to Ivan...
A reissue of a unique book from 1866, references to which are flooded in the literature about both Karamzin and Dmitriev.
N.M. Karamzin “Natalia, the boyar’s daughter”
In 1792, N.M. Karamzin’s story “Natalya, the Boyar’s Daughter” was published in the Moscow Journal. As many researchers of Karamzin’s work have noted, this story was the first experience of artistic reproduction of the Russian historical past. According to Rezanov, the “Karamzin movement” is characterized by “a tendency to process a plot taken from the same Russian antiquity in a much less intricate, simple and with possible for that time respect for fidelity or at least historical probability” About the story
N.M. Karamzin “Poor Liza”
In the 18th century, many wonderful people worked in the field of literature, among them the writer and historian Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin. His pen includes such a story as Poor Lisa. At the center of the story are two characters: the peasant woman Lisa and the nobleman Erast. The characters' characters are revealed in their attitude towards love. The story begins with a description of Moscow, where the author calls it greedy, with a description of the S...inov monastery, not far from which Lisa was later buried. Continuation
N.M. Karamzin Poor Lisa
Illustration for the story “Poor Liza” by Mstislav Dobuzhinsky
Source
Features of sentimentalism in the story by N.M. Karamzin “Poor Liza” Essay
Themes, ideas, images of the story by N.M. Karamzin "Poor Liza". Composition
The main problems of love in Karamzin's story Poor Liza
Russian Animation- Poor Lisa- Poor Lisa (N.Karamzin),part1
Soyuzmultfilm, 1978
1 video
The musical "Poor Lisa" at the Nikitsky Gate Theater
N. Karamzin
Director: Mark Rozovsky
Artists: Vera Desnitskaya, Stanislav Fedorchuk, Galina Borisova, Margarita Rasskazova, Yuri Golubtsov, Sergei Lazutkin, Maxim Zausalin, M. Leonova and others
About the performance
The director made us look at the plot of Karamzin's story in a new way. Mark Rozovsky composed his “ Poor Lisa"together with the talented poet Yuri Ryashentsev, known to all of us for his songs for the film "The Three Musketeers" and the musical "Metro". Songs based on Ryashentsev’s words confirmed or made one doubt the sincerity of the heroes, commented on or ridiculed them, declared their love. (from reviews of the performance)
N.M. Karamzin "Letters of a Russian Traveler"
The “Letters” are based on a real journey made by Karamzin through the countries of Western Europe (Germany, Switzerland, France and England) from May 1789 to September 1790. These are the extreme dates of the “Letters” indicated in
their text, but probably not entirely consistent with the real chronology of Karamzin’s journey.
“Letters...” is an original modification of the genre of travel notes, popular in the sentimentalism of all European literatures, combining simultaneously two types of narrative and two genre varieties of travel. Continuation
Title page of “Letters of a Russian Traveler” by N. M. Karamzin in the ed. 1797 (Moscow).
Frontispiece to “Letters of a Russian Traveler” by N. M. Karamzin in the German edition of 1800.
Source
N.M. Karamzin "History of the Russian State"
The fate of Nikolai Mikhailovich’s main creation is amazing
Karamzin - “History of the Russian State.” During the author's lifetime
Almost all of enlightened Russia was reading, they even read aloud in
salons, exchanged impressions about the dramatic events described by the masterful hand of the historian, the most sensitive shed tears. Let us refer to the testimony of an ardent admirer of the talent of Nikolai Mikhailovich A.S. Pushkin: “Everyone, even secular women, rushed to read
the history of their fatherland, hitherto unknown to them. She was a new discovery for them." What is the attractive power of becoming immortal?
Karamzin's works? Why was “The History of the Russian State” reprinted six times during the second quarter of the 19th century alone? Continuation
N.M. Karamzin History of the Russian State
Edition of "History of the Russian State" 1850
Source
History of the Russian State, first series "Rurik"
1 video
History of the Russian State, third series "Askold and Dir"
1 video
History of the Russian State (episode 245)
1 video
Yu.M. Lotman. Karamzin's poetry
Among the writers who in their time directed the development of culture, but who were far from the aesthetic ideas of the modern reader, is Karamzin. Even an educated person of our days knows Karamzin only as the author of the sensitive and archaic “Poor Liza,” and remembers his “History” from several Pushkin epigrams. The “peaceful” image of Karamzin, canonized by gymnasium and school textbooks, contradicts what we know about the historical fate of his legacy. Continuation of the article
Steezy N. Karamzina here, here, here
N.M. Karamzin - about happiness
In 1797, the first edition of a small brochure was published in Moscow. N.M. Karamzin "Talk about happiness"(2nd ed. 1802), in which, in the form of conversations between Philalethes and Melodorus, the concept of happiness, representative of the Russian version of sentimentalism, is set out. It is largely focused on the debates and theories that have unfolded regarding this idea in the European XVIII literature century. Let us try to determine the uniqueness of Karamzin’s view of this problem. Karamzin believes that life takes place in a circle, like nature (cf. poem of 1789 "Hymn", translation from Thomson). From the opposition of moving time and static eternity arises the pre-romantic opposition here and there (cf. poem of 1787 "Happiness is truly preserved...".) In a poem "Peace and Glory"(1797) Karamzin argues with Rousseau, who believed that under the influence of science and the arts, man lost the values of “peace and freedom,” and, consequently, happiness.
Details of Karamzin's views
Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich; Russian Empire, St. Petersburg; 12/01/1766 – 05/22/1826
Karamzin N.M. practically needs no introduction. This historian, writer and poet made an impressive contribution to the creation of modern Russian literature, history and language. Karamzin's books are still one of the most authoritative sources on the history of Russia. And the writer’s works in the field of improving the Russian language brought a lot of new words into it and contributed to its improvement after the death of the writer.
Biography of Nikolai Karamzin
Nikolai Karamzin was born in 1766 into the family of the middle-class Simbirsk nobleman Mikhail Egorovich Karamzin. Until the age of 12, he studied at his native estate in Simbirsk, and then was sent to study in Moscow. Here he entered the I.M. boarding school. Schaden and attended lectures by the philosopher I.G. Schwartz at Moscow University. In 1783 he was enrolled in the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment in St. Petersburg, but then went back to Simbirsk. Here he joined the Golden Crown Masonic lodge, and upon returning to Moscow in 1785 he was a member of the Friendly Learned Society.
At the age of 23, Karamzin went on a trip to Europe. The result of this was "" and large number followers of this journey. Upon returning to Moscow, Nikolai Karamzin was completely absorbed in literature. His first great success was the story “Poor Liza,” which was enthusiastically received by critics and readers. Then there was a whole series of almanacs and collections from the writer, in which he paid increasing attention to the historical past of the country. According to him, this forced even secular women to read the history of their state.
In 1804, Emperor Alexander I awarded Karamzin the title of historiographer, which was no longer before or after Karamzin. From this time on, Nikolai Mikhailovich began to work on one of the most important works of his life. Karamzin’s “History of the Russian State” was published in 1818 and was literally swept off the bookshelves. Subsequently, 3 more volumes of Karamzin’s book “History of the Russian State” were published, and after his death the unfinished 12th volume of the work was published. The writer and historian died in 1826 in St. Petersburg from a cold.
Books by Karamzin on the Top books website
Karamzin’s books are quite popular to read in our time. In addition to Karamzin’s “History of the Russian State,” the book “Poor Liza” is popular. It was with her that the writer got into our rating. In addition, this work is presented in the rating best books Russian classics and, apparently, will be included in the ratings of our site more than once.
Nikolai Karamzin list of books
- Evgeniy and Yulia
- A note about the ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations
- Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novagorod
- My confession
- Natalya, boyar's daughter
- About friendship
- Autumn
- Bornholm Island
- Translation - retelling of “The Tale of Igor’s Campaign”
- Letters from a Russian traveler
- Letters from a Russian traveler
- The beautiful princess and happy Karla
- Knight of our time
- Sierra Morena
- Sensitive and cold
Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich |
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Date of birth: |
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Place of birth: |
Znamenskoye, Kazan Governorate, Russian Empire |
Date of death: |
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Place of death: |
Saint Petersburg |
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Russian Empire |
Type of activity: |
Historian, publicist, prose writer, poet and state councilor |
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Direction: |
Sentimentalism |
"Children's reading for the heart and mind" - the first Russian magazine for children |
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Honorary Member St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences (1818) |
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Biography
Start of a career
Trip to Europe
Return and life in Russia
Karamzin - writer
Sentimentalism
Karamzin's poetry
Works by Karamzin
Karamzin's language reform
Karamzin - historian
Karamzin - translator
Works of N. M. Karamzin
(December 1, 1766, family estate Znamenskoye, Simbirsk district, Kazan province (according to other sources - the village of Mikhailovka (now Preobrazhenka), Buzuluk district, Kazan province) - May 22, 1826, St. Petersburg) - an outstanding historian, the largest Russian writer of the era of sentimentalism, nicknamed Russian Stern.
Honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences (1818), full member of the Imperial Russian Academy(1818). Creator of the “History of the Russian State” (volumes 1-12, 1803-1826) - one of the first generalizing works on the history of Russia. Editor of the Moscow Journal (1791-1792) and Vestnik Evropy (1802-1803).
Karamzin went down in history as a great reformer of the Russian language. His style is light in the Gallic manner, but instead of direct borrowing, Karamzin enriched the language with tracing words, such as “impression” and “influence,” “falling in love,” “touching” and “entertaining.” It was he who introduced into use the words “industry”, “concentrate”, “moral”, “aesthetic”, “era”, “scene”, “harmony”, “catastrophe”, “future”.
Biography
Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin was born on December 1 (12), 1766 near Simbirsk. He grew up on the estate of his father, retired captain Mikhail Egorovich Karamzin (1724-1783), a middle-class Simbirsk nobleman, a descendant of the Tatar Murza Kara-Murza. Received home education. In 1778 he was sent to Moscow to the boarding school of Moscow University professor I.M. Schaden. At the same time, he attended lectures by I. G. Schwartz at the University in 1781-1782.
Start of a career
In 1783, at the insistence of his father, he entered service in the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment of St. Petersburg, but soon retired. By the time military service These are the first literary experiments. After retirement, he lived for some time in Simbirsk, and then in Moscow. During his stay in Simbirsk, he joined the Masonic lodge of the Golden Crown, and after arriving in Moscow, for four years (1785-1789) he was a member of the Friendly Scientific Society.
In Moscow, Karamzin met writers and writers: N.I. Novikov, A.M. Kutuzov, A.A. Petrov, and participated in the publication of the first Russian magazine for children - “Children’s Reading for the Heart and Mind.”
Trip to Europe
In 1789-1790 he made a trip to Europe, during which he visited Immanuel Kant in Königsberg, and was in Paris during the great French Revolution. As a result of this trip, the famous “Letters of a Russian Traveler” were written, the publication of which immediately made Karamzin a famous writer. Some philologists believe that it is from this book that modern Russian literature begins. Be that as it may, in the literature of Russian “travels” Karamzin truly became a pioneer - quickly finding both imitators (V.V. Izmailov, P.I. Sumarokov, P.I. Shalikov) and worthy successors (A.A. Bestuzhev, N. A. Bestuzhev, F. N. Glinka, A. S. Griboyedov). It is since then that Karamzin has been considered one of the main literary figures in Russia.
Return and life in Russia
Upon returning from a trip to Europe, Karamzin settled in Moscow and began his activities as a professional writer and journalist, starting the publication of the Moscow Journal 1791-1792 (the first Russian literary magazine, in which, among other works of Karamzin, the story “The Poor One” appeared, which strengthened his fame Liza"), then published a number of collections and almanacs: “Aglaya”, “Aonids”, “Pantheon of Foreign Literature”, “My Trinkets”, which made sentimentalism the main literary movement in Russia, and Karamzin its recognized leader.
Emperor Alexander I, by personal decree of October 31, 1803, granted the title of historiographer to Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin; 2 thousand rubles were added to the rank at the same time. annual salary. The title of historiographer in Russia was not renewed after Karamzin’s death.
WITH early XIX century Karamzin gradually moved away from fiction, and from 1804, having been appointed by Alexander I to the post of historiographer, he stopped all literary work, “taking monastic vows as a historian.” In 1811, he wrote “A Note on Ancient and New Russia in its Political and Civil Relations,” which reflected the views of conservative layers of society dissatisfied with the liberal reforms of the emperor. Karamzin’s goal was to prove that no reforms were needed in the country.
“A Note on Ancient and New Russia in its Political and Civil Relations” also played the role of an outline for Nikolai Mikhailovich’s subsequent enormous work on Russian history. In February 1818. Karamzin released the first eight volumes of “The History of the Russian State,” the three thousand copies of which sold out within a month. In subsequent years, three more volumes of “History” were published, and a number of translations of it into the main European languages appeared. Coverage of the Russian historical process brought Karamzin closer to the court and the tsar, who settled him near him in Tsarskoe Selo. Karamzin's political views evolved gradually, and by the end of his life he was a staunch supporter of absolute monarchy.
The unfinished XII volume was published after his death.
Karamzin died on May 22 (June 3), 1826 in St. Petersburg. His death was the result of a cold contracted on December 14, 1825. On this day Karamzin was on Senate Square.
He was buried at the Tikhvin Cemetery of the Alexander Nevsky Lavra.
Karamzin - writer
Collected works of N. M. Karamzin in 11 volumes. in 1803-1815 was printed in the printing house of the Moscow book publisher Selivanovsky.
“Karamzin’s influence on literature can be compared with Catherine’s influence on society: he made literature humane,” wrote A. I. Herzen.
Sentimentalism
Karamzin’s publication of “Letters of a Russian Traveler” (1791-1792) and the story “Poor Liza” (1792; separate publication 1796) ushered in the era of sentimentalism in Russia.
Sentimentalism declared feeling, not reason, to be the dominant of “human nature,” which distinguished it from classicism. Sentimentalism believed that the ideal of human activity was not the “reasonable” reorganization of the world, but the release and improvement of “natural” feelings. His hero is more individualized, his inner world is enriched by the ability to empathize and sensitively respond to what is happening around him.
The publication of these works was a great success among readers of that time; “Poor Liza” caused many imitations. Karamzin's sentimentalism had a great influence on the development of Russian literature: it inspired, among other things, the romanticism of Zhukovsky and the work of Pushkin.
Karamzin's poetry
Karamzin's poetry, which developed in line with European sentimentalism, was radically different from the traditional poetry of his time, brought up on the odes of Lomonosov and Derzhavin. The most significant differences were the following:
Karamzin is not interested in the external, physical world, but in the internal, spiritual world of man. His poems speak “the language of the heart,” not the mind. The object of Karamzin’s poetry is “ simple life", and to describe it he uses simple poetic forms - poor rhymes, avoids the abundance of metaphors and other tropes so popular in the poems of his predecessors.
“Who is your dear?”
I'm ashamed; it really hurts me
The strangeness of my feelings is revealed
And be the butt of jokes.
The heart is not free to choose!..
What can I say? She...she.
Oh! not important at all
And talents behind you
Has none;
The Strangeness of Love, or Insomnia (1793)
Another difference between Karamzin’s poetics is that the world is fundamentally unknowable for him; the poet recognizes the existence different points view of the same subject:
It's scary in the grave, cold and dark!
The winds howl here, the coffins shake,
Quiet in the grave, soft, calm.
The winds blow here; sleepers are cool;
Herbs and flowers grow.
Cemetery (1792)
Works by Karamzin
- “Eugene and Yulia”, story (1789)
- "Letters of a Russian Traveler" (1791-1792)
- "Poor Liza", story (1792)
- “Natalia, the Boyar’s Daughter”, story (1792)
- “The Beautiful Princess and the Happy Karla” (1792)
- "Sierra Morena", a story (1793)
- "The Island of Bornholm" (1793)
- "Julia" (1796)
- “Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novagorod”, story (1802)
- “My Confession,” letter to the magazine publisher (1802)
- "Sensitive and Cold" (1803)
- "A Knight of Our Time" (1803)
- "Autumn"
Karamzin's language reform
Karamzin's prose and poetry had a decisive influence on the development of Russian literary language. Karamzin purposefully refused to use Church Slavonic vocabulary and grammar, bringing the language of his works to the everyday language of his era and using the grammar and syntax of the French language as a model.
Karamzin introduced many new words into the Russian language - as neologisms (“charity”, “love”, “freethinking”, “attraction”, “responsibility”, “suspiciousness”, “industry”, “refinement”, “first-class”, “humane” ") and barbarisms ("sidewalk", "coachman"). He was also one of the first to use the letter E.
The changes in language proposed by Karamzin caused heated controversy in the 1810s. The writer A. S. Shishkov, with the assistance of Derzhavin, founded in 1811 the society “Conversation of Lovers of the Russian Word”, the purpose of which was to promote the “old” language, as well as criticize Karamzin, Zhukovsky and their followers. In response, in 1815, the literary society “Arzamas” was formed, which ironized the authors of “Conversation” and parodied their works. Many poets of the new generation became members of the society, including Batyushkov, Vyazemsky, Davydov, Zhukovsky, Pushkin. The literary victory of “Arzamas” over “Beseda” strengthened the victory of the linguistic changes that Karamzin introduced.
Despite this, Karamzin later became closer to Shishkov, and, thanks to the latter’s assistance, Karamzin was elected a member of the Russian Academy in 1818.
Karamzin - historian
Karamzin developed an interest in history in the mid-1790s. He wrote a story on a historical theme - “Martha the Posadnitsa, or the Conquest of Novagorod” (published in 1803). In the same year, by decree of Alexander I, he was appointed to the position of historiographer, and until the end of his life he was engaged in writing “The History of the Russian State,” practically ceasing his activities as a journalist and writer.
Karamzin’s “History” was not the first description of the history of Russia; before him there were the works of V.N. Tatishchev and M.M. Shcherbatov. But it was Karamzin who opened the history of Russia to a wide educated public. According to A.S. Pushkin, “Everyone, even secular women, rushed to read the history of their fatherland, hitherto unknown to them. She was a new discovery for them. Ancient Russia seemed to be found by Karamzin, like America by Columbus.” This work also caused a wave of imitations and contrasts (for example, “The History of the Russian People” by N. A. Polevoy)
In his work, Karamzin acted more as a writer than a historian - describing historical facts, he cared about the beauty of the language, least of all trying to draw any conclusions from the events he described. Nevertheless, his commentaries, which contain many extracts from manuscripts, are of high scientific value, mostly first published by Karamzin. Some of these manuscripts no longer exist.
In his “History” elegance, simplicity
They prove to us, without any bias,
The need for autocracy
And the delights of the whip.
Karamzin took the initiative to organize memorials and erect monuments to outstanding figures of Russian history, in particular, K. M. Minin and D. M. Pozharsky on Red Square (1818).
N. M. Karamzin discovered Afanasy Nikitin’s “Walking across Three Seas” in a 16th-century manuscript and published it in 1821. He wrote:
Karamzin - translator
In 1792-1793, N. M. Karamzin translated a wonderful monument of Indian literature (from English) - the drama “Sakuntala”, authored by Kalidasa. In the preface to the translation he wrote:
Family
N. M. Karamzin was married twice and had 10 children:
Memory
The following are named after the writer:
- Karamzin passage in Moscow
- Regional clinical psychiatric hospital in Ulyanovsk.
A monument to N.M. Karamzin was erected in Ulyanovsk, and a memorial sign was erected in the Ostafyevo estate near Moscow.
In Veliky Novgorod, on the monument “1000th Anniversary of Russia”, among 129 figures of the most outstanding personalities in Russian history (as of 1862) there is the figure of N. M. Karamzin
The Karamzin Public Library in Simbirsk, created in honor of the famous fellow countryman, opened for readers on April 18, 1848.
Addresses
Saint Petersburg
- Spring 1816 - house of E.F. Muravyova - embankment of the Fontanka River, 25;
- spring 1816-1822 - Tsarskoye Selo, Sadovaya street, 12;
- 1818 - autumn 1823 - house of E.F. Muravyova - embankment of the Fontanka River, 25;
- autumn 1823-1826 - Mizhuev apartment building - Mokhovaya street, 41;
- spring - 05/22/1826 - Tauride Palace - Voskresenskaya street, 47.
Moscow
- The Vyazemsky-Dolgorukov estate is the home of his second wife.
- The house on the corner of Tverskaya and Bryusov Lane, where he wrote “Poor Liza”, has not survived
Works of N. M. Karamzin
- History of the Russian State (12 volumes, until 1612, Maxim Moshkov’s library)
- Poems
- Karamzin, Nikolai Mikhailovich in the library of Maxim Moshkov
- Nikolai Karamzin in the Anthology of Russian Poetry
- Karamzin, Nikolai Mikhailovich “Complete collection of poems.” Library ImWerden.(See other works by N. M. Karamzin on this site.)
- Karamzin N. M. Complete collection of poems / Introduction. Art., prepared. text and notes Yu. M. Lotman. L., 1967.
- Karamzin, Nikolai Mikhailovich “Letters to Ivan Ivanovich Dmitriev” 1866 - facsimile reprint of the book
- “Bulletin of Europe”, published by Karamzin, facsimile pdf reproduction of magazines.
- Karamzin N. M. Letters of a Russian traveler / Ed. prepared Yu. M. Lotman, N. A. Marchenko, B. A. Uspensky. L., 1984.
- N. M. Karamzin. A note on ancient and new Russia in its political and civil relations
- Letters from N. M. Karamzin. 1806-1825
- Karamzin N. M. Letters from N. M. Karamzin to Zhukovsky. (From Zhukovsky’s papers) / Note. P. A. Vyazemsky // Russian Archive, 1868. - Ed. 2nd. - M., 1869. - Stb. 1827-1836.
- Karamzin N. M. Selected works in 2 volumes. M.; L., 1964.
We often use familiar words like charity, attraction, and even love. But few people know that if it were not for Nikolai Karamzin, then perhaps they would never have appeared in the Russian dictionary. Karamzin's work was compared with the works of the outstanding sentimentalist Stern, and even put the writers on the same level. Possessing deep analytical thinking, he managed to write the first book, “History of the Russian State.” Karamzin did this without describing a separate historical stage, of which he was a contemporary, but by presenting 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 father was completely involved 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 by Emin and Rollin. Nikolai received his primary education at home, then studied at the Simbirsk noble boarding school, and then, in 1778, he was sent to the boarding school of Professor Moskovsky.
Even as a child, he began to be interested in history. This was facilitated by a book on the history of Emin.
Nikolai's inquisitive mind did not allow him to sit still for long; he began studying languages and went to listen to lectures at Moscow University.
Start of a career
Karamzin's creativity dates back to the time when he served in the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment in St. Petersburg. It was during this period that Nikolai Mikhailovich began to try himself as a writer.
Words and the acquaintances he made in Moscow contributed to Karamzin’s formation as an artist. Among his friends were N. Novikov, A. Petrov, A. Kutuzov. During the same period, he became involved in social activities - he helped in the preparation and publication of the children's magazine “Children's Reading for the Heart and Mind.”
The period of service was not only the beginning of Nikolai Karamzin, but also shaped him as a person and gave him the opportunity to make many acquaintances that were useful. After the death of his father, Nikolai decides to quit his service and never return to it. In the world at that time, this was regarded as insolence and a challenge to society. But who knows, if he had not left the service, he would have been able to publish his first translations, as well as original works, which show a keen interest in historical topics?
Trip to Europe
Karamzin’s life and work radically changed their usual structure when, from 1789 to 1790. he travels around Europe. During the trip, the writer visits Immanuel Kant, which made a remarkable impression on him. Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, whose chronological table is supplemented by his presence in France during the Great French Revolution, subsequently writes his “Letters of a Russian Traveler.” It is this work that makes him famous.
There is an opinion that this book marks the beginning 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. Griboyedov, F. Glinka, V. Izmailov and many others.
This is where the comparison between Karamzin and Stern “grows.” The latter’s “Sentimental Journey” is reminiscent of Karamzin’s works in theme.
Arrival in Russia
Returning to his homeland, Karamzin decides to settle in Moscow, where he continues his literary activity. 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, which published Karamzin’s works.
At the same time, 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 that no one was awarded a similar title. This not only strengthened 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.
Karamzin’s creativity can be divided into three main lines:
- literary prose, which forms a significant part of the heritage (listed: stories, novellas);
- poetry - there is much less of it;
- fiction, historical works.
In general, the influence of his works on Russian literature can be compared with the influence of Catherine on society - changes occurred that made the industry humane.
Karamzin is a writer who became the starting point of new Russian literature, the era of which continues to this day.
Sentimentalism in the works of Karamzin
Karamzin Nikolai Mikhailovich turned the attention of writers, and, as a result, their readers, to feelings as the dominant feature of human essence. 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 principle, but the release of feelings and impulses, the improvement of the sensual side of a person as such, which is given by nature and is natural.
The hero is no longer typical. It was individualized and given uniqueness. His experiences do not deprive him of strength, but enrich him, teach him to feel the world subtly and respond to changes.
“Poor Liza” is considered to be the programmatic work of sentimentalism in Russian literature. This statement is not entirely true. Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, whose work exploded literally after the publication of “Letters of a Russian Traveler,” introduced sentimentalism precisely with travel notes.
Karamzin's poetry
Karamzin's poems occupy much less space in his work. But their importance should not be underestimated. As in prose, Karamzin the poet becomes a neophyte of sentimentalism.
The poetry of that time was guided by Lomonosov and Derzhavin, while Nikolai Mikhailovich changed course towards European sentimentalism. There is a reorientation of values in literature. Instead of the external, rational world, the author delves into the inner world of man and is interested in his spiritual powers.
Unlike classicism, the heroes become characters of simple life, everyday life; accordingly, the object of Karamzin’s poem is simple life, as he himself claimed. Of course, when describing everyday life, the poet refrains from pompous metaphors and comparisons, using standard and simple rhymes.
But this does not mean at all that poetry becomes poor and mediocre. On the contrary, to be able to select those that are available so that they produce the desired effect and at the same time convey the hero’s experiences - this is the main goal pursued by Karamzin’s poetic work.
The poems are not monumental. They often show the duality of human nature, two ways of looking at things, unity and the struggle of opposites.
Karamzin's prose
Karamzin’s aesthetic principles reflected in prose are also found in his theoretical works. He insists on moving away from the classicist fixation on rationalism to the sensitive side of man, his spiritual world.
The main task is to incline the reader to maximum 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 structured in the same way as that of the poems: a minimum of complex speech patterns, pomp and pretentiousness. But so that the same traveler’s notes are not dry reports, in them the focus on displaying mentality and characters comes to the fore.
Karamzin's stories describe what is happening in detail, focusing on the sensual nature of things. But since there were many impressions from the trip abroad, they passed onto paper through the sieve of the author’s “I”. He does not become attached to associations that are firmly established in his mind. For example, he remembered London not for the Thames, bridges and fog, but in the evenings, when the lanterns are lit and the city shines.
The characters find the writer themselves - these are his fellow travelers or interlocutors whom Karamzin meets during the journey. It is worth noting that these are not only noble people. He communicates without hesitation with both socialites and poor students.
Karamzin - historian
The 19th century brings Karamzin to history. When Alexander I appoints him court historiographer, Karamzin’s life and work again undergo dramatic changes: he refuses literary activity completely and immerses himself in writing historical works.
Oddly enough, but the first one historical work, “A Note on Ancient and New Russia in its Political and Civil Relation,” Karamzin dedicated to criticism of the emperor’s reforms. The purpose of the “Note” was to show conservative-minded sections of society, as well as their dissatisfaction with liberal reforms. He also tried to find evidence of the futility of such reforms.
Karamzin - translator
Structure of the “History”:
- introduction - describes the role of history as a science;
- history up to 1612 from the time of nomadic tribes.
Each story or narrative ends with conclusions of a moral and ethical nature.
The Meaning of "Stories"
As soon as Karamzin completed his work, “The History of the Russian State” literally sold out like hot cakes. Within a month, 3,000 copies were sold. Everyone was engrossed in “history”: the reason for this was not only the filled-in blank spots in the history of the state, but also the simplicity and ease of presentation. Based on this book, more than one was later created, since “History” also became a source of plots.
“The History of the Russian State” became the first analytical work on the subject. It also became a template and example for the further development of interest in history in the country.
