Nature Images in Russian Odic Poetry of the 18th – Early 19th Centuries: Functional Role and Influence on the Further Literary Process

• Published in: Two centuries of the Russian classics
• Main Author: Alexey V. Svyatoslavsky
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Russian
• Published: Russian Academy of Sciences, A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature 2021
• Subjects: poetry of nature; ode; classicism; michael lomonosov; vasily trediakovsky; alexander sumarokov; michael kheraskov; gabriel derzhavin; dmitry khvostov; Literature (General); PN1-6790; Mikhail Lomonosov
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.22455/2686-7494-2021-3-2-40-61; https://doaj.org/article/064c249151ce4df58a56ed04567c1725

The article is devoted to the functional role of nature images in the formation of the imaginary structure of Russian odic poetry of the 18th – early 19th centuries. Examples are taken from the odic poetry of Mikhail Lomonosov, Vasily Trediakovsky, Alexander Sumarokov, Mikhail Kheraskov, Gavrila Derzhavin, Dmitry Khvostov. An attempt was undertaken to answer two questions: the place nature images occupied in odic poetry in the era of its pride and, secondly, the possibility to find in the poetry of classicism, despite the condescending attitude towards it that developed later in the history of Russian literature, something that constituted an organic part of the Russian classics of the 19th and 20th centuries. The functional role of nature images in the odic genre is shown, which, as it seemed, by definition is alien to natural themes, being organically connected with the pathos of civic consciousness and the appeal to the themes of heroism, great personalities, and historical events. However, as it turns out in a number of cases, the very objects of nature evoke the poet's admiration as an impressive work of the Creator, in others, nature is a background that in a certain way enhances the impression of the very historical events that constitute the subject of odic poetry. The conclusion is made about a certain continuity in the depiction of nature – from odic poetry to Russian lyric poetry and prose of the 19th and 20th centuries.