Old Russian spiritual and moral values in N.M. Karamzin's short story 'Poor Liza'

N.G. Komar

Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008 Russia

E-mail: Bellenkaja@yandex.ru

Received September 20, 2016

Full text PDF

Abstract

The present paper aims to analyze the poetics of N.M. Karamzin's short story “Poor Liza”. It addresses the problem of coexistence of Old Russian and West European literary traditions while depicting relationships, representing family and family values.

The study has revealed the connection between artistic elements of the short story, such as artistic detail, artistic discourse, and the traditions of Old Russian literature and West European literature. The following methods have been used in order to achieve the aim: comparative-historical, biographical, and evolutional. Along with N.M. Karamzin's “Poor Liza” and “The Knight of Contemporary World”, the sources include “The Tale of Peter and Fevronia of Murom” by Hermolaus-Erasmus, “Station Master” by A.S. Pushkin, “The Old World Landowners” by N.V. Gogol, and “The Storm” by A.N. Ostrovsky.

The paper provides a number of examples which demonstrate the presence of West European traditions in the short story “Poor Liza”, especially when depicting love troubles and love relationships. These traditions clash with the Old Russian literary tradition based on the Gospel idea of love. Nevertheless, there are examples which testify to the evident presence of Old Russian literary traditions in the story.

The analysis of some artistic elements in the short story “Poor Liza” has made it possible to conclude that it combines two literary traditions. In certain points, the form of perception and representation of love sentiments and love relationships, family and family values are absolutely opposite. However, N.M. Karamzin's artistic mentality is characterized as the one where these opposing spiritual and moral sets of norms typical of two different literary traditions coexist and do not openly confront each other. The conclusion presents the evolution of N.M. Karamzin's artistic worldview. His creation becomes increasingly devoted to the history and culture of Old Russia. The results obtained can be helpful in further research on N.M. Karamzin's poetology.

Keywords: N.M. Karamzin, short story “Poor Liza”, traditions of Old Russian literature, family issues, love collision

References

1. Likhachev D.S. Selected Works on Russian and World Culture. Russkaya kul'tura Novogo vremeni i Drevnyaya Rus' [Russian Culture of the Modern Age and Ancient Rus]. St. Petersburg, SPbGUP, 2006. 416 p. (In Russian)
2. Sapchenko L.A. Karamzin: pro et contra. Karamzin v dvizhenii vremeni [Karamzin in Time Progress]. St. Petersburg, RKhGA, 2006. Available at: http://az.lib.ru/k/karamzin_n_m/text_0950.shtml. (In Russian)
3. Alpatova T.A. N.M. Karamzin's prose: Narration poetics. Extended Abstract of Cand. Philol. Sci. Diss. Moscow, 2012. 43 p. (In Russian)
4. Toporov V.N. Karamzin's “Poor Liza”. Experience of Reading: On 200th Anniversary of Publishing. Moscow, Izd., Ross., Gos., Gumanit., Univ., 1995. 511 p. (In Russian)
5. Uzhankov A.N. Historical Poetics of the Old Russian Literature. Genesis of Literary Formations. Moscow, Izd. Lit. Inst. im. A.M. Gor'kogo, 2011. 511 p. (In Russian)
6. History of Literatures in the Western and Southern Slavs. 3 Vols. T. 1. Ot istokov do serediny XVIII veka [Vol. 1: From Origins to the Middle of the 18th Century]. Moscow, Indrik, 1997. 887 p. (In Russian)
7. Dobrokhotov A.L. Dante Alighieri. Moscow, Mysl', 1990. 208 p. (In Russian)
8. Antiseri D., Reale G. Western Philosophy from the Origins to the Present Day. From Renaissance to Kant. Mal'tsev (Ed.). St. Petersburg, Pnevma, 2002. 880 p. (In Russian)
9. Rousseau J.-J. The Social Contract. Discourse on the Origin and Basis of Inequality among Men. Moscow, Terra-Kn. Klub, Kanon-Press-Ts, 2000, pp. 51–150. (In Russian)
10. Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary. Pervorodnyi Grekh [Original Sin]. 86 Vols., Vol. 23 (45). St. Petersburg, F.A. Brokgauz, I.A. Efron, 1898, pp. 172–174. (In Russian)
11. Pogodin M.P. Eternal Beginning. Russian Spirit. Moscow, Inst. Russ. Tsiviliz., 2011. 824 p. (In Russian)

For citation: Komar N.G. Old Russian spiritual and moral values in N.M. Karamzin's short story “Poor Liza”. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki, 2017, vol. 159, no. 1, pp. 66–76. (In Russian)

The content is available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.