Genre of sentimentalism. Features of sentimentalism in literature

The genres of sentimentalism, unlike the classicist ones, called the reader to know simple human feelings, to the naturalness and kindness of the internal state, to fusion with living nature. And if classicism worshiped only reason, building the entire existence on logic, the system (according to Boileau's theory of poetry), the sentimentalist artist was free in feeling, expressing it, in flight of imagination. Born of a protest against the dryness of reason inherent in the Age of Enlightenment, all genres of sentimentalism are not what they got from culture, but what the depths of the soul get from their bottom.

The prerequisites for the emergence of sentimentalism

The absolutist regime of feudalism fell into a deep crisis. In place of social values came the values contained in the human personality, and vsesoslovnoy. Sentimentalism is the definition in the literature of the moods of the broadest layers of society with a powerful anti-feudal pathos.

The third estate, economically well-off, but socially and politically disenfranchised, became more active against the aristocracy and the clergy. It was there, in the third estate, that the famous "Freedom, equality, brotherhood" was born , which became the slogan of all revolutions. The social culture of society demanded democratization.

Rationalistic worldview put forward the primacy of the idea, hence the ideological nature of the crisis. Absolute monarchy as one of the forms of state organization fell into decay. The idea of monarchism was discredited, the idea of an enlightened monarch was also, since practically none of the others corresponded to the real needs of society.

Conquering Culture

The opportunities of the bourgeoisie by the second half of the 18th century increased so much that it began to dictate terms to all other classes, through culture especially. As a supporter of ideas of progress, she extended them to literature and art.

Moreover, she occupied them with her own representatives of the environment: Rousseau - from the watchmaker's family, Voltaire - the notary public, Diderot - the artisan ... There is no point in talking about artists, as they are completely third estate, solely and exclusively.

Although in all segments of the society of the 18th century, democratic sentiments grew both in leaps and bounds not only in the third estate. These moods also demanded from the late Enlightenment other heroes, special conditions and new feelings. However, the genres of sentimentalism in the literature were not new. Elegical lyrics, epistolary genre, memoirs - all the long-known forms filled with new content.

The main features of sentimentalism in literature

As an alternative to the rationalistic principle of the Enlightenment, another means of perception is clarified in philosophy: not by the mind, but by the heart, that is, referring to the category of sensations and feelings. Literature is precisely the field where all genres of sentimentalism flourished.

Sentimentalists were sure that a person by nature should be alien to rationality and rationality, he is close to the natural environment, which through the education of feelings gives inner harmony. Virtue should be natural, they wrote, and only with a high degree of sensitivity can humanity get real happiness. The main genres of sentimentalism in literature therefore were chosen on the principle of chamberness: pastoral, idyll, travel, personal diaries or letters.

Reliance on natural principles (education of feelings) and being in a natural environment - in nature - these are the two pillars on which all genres of sentimentalism are based.

Technical and social progress, the state, society, history, education - these words in the mainstream of sentimentalism are mostly abusive. Progress as the foundation on which the Enlightenment was built by Encyclopaedic scientists was considered excessive and very harmful, and any manifestations of civilization were harmful to humanity. In the cult at least a private rural life was raised, and as a maximum - primitive life and as wild as possible.

Heroic stories of the past genres of sentimentalism did not contain. Everyday, simplicity of impressions filled them. Instead of vivid passions, the struggle of vices and virtues, sentimentalism in the literature of the 18th century presented the purity of feelings and the wealth of the inner world of the ordinary man. Most often comes from the third estate, the origin is sometimes the most that neither is low. Sentimentalism, the definition of democratic pathos in literature, completely rejects the class distinctions imposed by civilization.

The inner world of man: a different view

Concluding the era of the Enlightenment, the new direction, of course, did not go far from enlightening principles. Nevertheless, sentimentality and classicism in the literature are easy to discern: in the classicist writers the character is unambiguous, in character - the predominance of some one trait, the mandatory moral evaluation.

Sentimentalists also showed the hero as an inexhaustible and contradictory personality. He could combine both genius and villainy, since from birth in him both good and evil are laid. And nature is a good beginning, civilization is evil. Monosyllabic evaluation often does not suit the actions of the hero of the sentimentalist work. He may well be a villain, but no one is absolute, for he always has the opportunity to understand nature and return to the path of good.

This is didactic, and at times tendentious, and sentimentalism is connected firmly with the era that gave birth to it.

Cult of feeling and subjectivity

The main genres of sentimentalism are highly relevant to the subject, in this way they are most fully capable of showing the movements of the human heart. These are novels in letters, these are elegies, diaries, memoirs and all that allows you to tell from the first person.

The author does not detach himself from the subject he portrays, and his reflection is the most important element of the narrative. The structure is also freer, the literary canons do not fetter the imagination, the composition is arbitrary, and there are as many lyrical digressions.

Born in the tenth years on the shores of England, the main genres of sentimentalism by the second half of the century have already blossomed throughout Europe. Most brightly - in England, France, Germany and Russia.

England

The lyrics were the first to bring into their lines the lines of sentimentalism in literature. The most vivid representatives: the follower of the classicist theorist Nicola Boalo is James Thomson, who devoted his elegy to the English nature, full of pessimism; The founder of the "cemetery" poetics Edward Young; Supported the subject of Scot Robert Blair with the poem "Tomb" and Thomas Gray with elegy, composed in a rural cemetery. All of these authors have the main idea of the equality of people before Death.

Then - and most fully - the features of sentimentalism in literature were manifested in the genre of the novel. Samuel Richardson decisively broke with the traditions of adventure, adventure and picaresque novel, writing a novel in letters. "The father" of the direction was Lawrence Stern after writing the novel "A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy by Mr. Yorick", which gave the name to the direction. The peak of critical English sentimentalism is rightfully considered the work of Oliver Goldsmith.

France

The most classical form of sentimentalism is observed in the first third of the eighteenth century in France. De Marivo was at the very beginning of such prose, describing the life of Marianne and the peasant, who had gone into the people. The Abbot of Prevost enriched the palette of the feelings described by literature - a passion leading to disaster.

The culmination of sentimentalism in France is Jean-Jacques Rousseau with his epistolary novels. Nature in his writings is valuable, man is natural. The novel "Confession" is a frank autobiography in the world literature.

De Saint-Pierre, a disciple of Rousseau, continued to substantiate the truth, which is preached by the main genres of sentimentalism: the happiness of man in accord with virtue and nature. He also anticipated the flowering of the "exotic" in romanticism, depicting tropical lands beyond the distant seas.

Also did not give up the position of the followers of Rousseau and J.-S. Mercier, pushing in the novel "Savage" primitive (ideal) and civilizational forms of existence. The fruits of the same civilization Mercier identified as a publicist in the "picture of Paris."

The self-taught writer de La Bretonne (two hundred volumes of works!) Is one of Rousseau's most devoted followers. He wrote about how destructive the urban environment, turning a criminal into a moral and pure youth, and also discussed the ideas of pedagogy in terms of women's education and upbringing.

With the onset of revolutions, the lines of sentimentalism in literature have naturally disappeared. The genres of sentimentalism in the literature were enriched by new realities.

Germany

A new view of literature in Germany was formed under the influence of G.-E. Lessing. It all began with the polemic of the professors of the University of Zurich Bodmer and Breitinger with an ardent follower of classicism - the German Gottscheid. The Swiss were in favor of a poetic fantasy, and the German did not agree.

F.-G. Klopstock strengthened the position of sentimentalism with the help of folklore: the medieval German traditions were easily intertwined with the feelings of the German heart. But the very flowering of German sentimentality came only in the seventies of the 18th century in connection with the work on the creation of national original literature by the participants in the movement "Storm and onslaught".

In this young age, I.-V. Goethe. "The suffering of the young Werther" Goethe poured provincial German literature into the pan-European literature. The obvious influence of "Storm and onslaught" is also the drama of I.-F. Schiller.

Russia

Russian sentimentality was discovered by Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin - "Letters of the Russian traveler", "Poor Lisa" - masterpieces of sentimental prose. Sensitivity, melancholy, craving for suicide - the main features of sentimentalism in literature - Karamzin combined with many other innovations. He became the founder of a group of Russian writers who fought against the arrogant archaism of the syllable and for a new poetic language. To this group belong II Dmitriev, VA Zhukovsky and others.