Classical literature (Russian). Russian classical literature: a list of the best works

Classical literature (Russian) is a broad concept, and everyone puts his own meaning into it. If you ask readers what associations they cause, then the answers will be different. For someone it is the foundation of the library fund, someone will say that the works of classical Russian literature are some kind of sample possessing high artistic merit. For school children this is all that they learn in school. And they will be absolutely right in their own way. So what is classical literature like? Russian literature, today we will only talk about it. About foreign classics, we'll talk in another article.

Periodization of the history of Russian literature

There is a generally accepted periodization of the development and development of Russian literature. Its history is divided into the following time intervals:

1. The preliterary period. At this time, until the eleventh century, there were no written texts, and the works were transmitted orally.
2. From the 11th century to the XIV there existed ancient Russian literature. The adoption of Christianity in Russia greatly influenced its development. There are translated Greek books, new genres are developing: the lives of saints, chronicles, walking, the gospel.
3. The next period is medieval literature. It existed from the XV to the XVII century.
4. XVIII century - the era of Russian enlightenment. This time is associated with those writers who laid the foundations of Russian classical literature. These include: Karamzin, Fonvizin, Lomonosov, Zhukovsky, Sumarokov, Radishchev, Krylov.
5. The nineteenth century was a time when writers and poets lived and worked, which in our time are called classics of literature. "Golden Age" - this name was given to this period. The best Russian classical literature was created just then.
6. XX century is called by analogy with the previous century "Silver Age", because to some extent it was his logical continuation.

What works are called classical?

Many readers are sure that classical literature (Russian) is Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy - that is, the works of those writers who lived in the XIX century. It's not like that at all. The classic literary work can be both the Middle Ages and the 20th century. By what canons and principles determine whether a novel is a classic or a novel? First, the classical work must have high artistic value, be a model for others. Secondly, it must have universal recognition, it must be part of the world culture fund.

And you need to be able to distinguish between the concepts of classical and popular literature. Classics - this is what is tested by time, and a popular work can quickly forget. If the relevance of it will persist for more than a decade, perhaps it will eventually become a classics.

The Origins of Russian Classical Literature

At the end of the 18th century, only the established Russian nobility split into two opposing camps: conservatives and reformers. Such a split was due to different attitudes to the changes that were taking place in life: the Petrovsky reforms, the understanding of the tasks of the Enlightenment, the painful peasant question, the attitude to power. This struggle of extremes led to the rise of spirituality, self-awareness, which gave rise to Russian classics. We can say that it was forged in the course of dramatic processes in the country.

Classical literature (Russian), born in a complex and contradictory XVIII century, was finally formed in the XIX century. Its main features: national identity, maturity, self-awareness.

Russian classical literature of the 19th century

An important role in the development of culture of that time was played by the growth of national consciousness. More and more educational institutions are opening, the social importance of literature is growing, writers pay much attention to their native language. The uprising of the Decembrists made the situation in the country even more thoughtful.

The influence of Karamzin on the development of literature of the 19th century

Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, the largest Russian historian, writer and journalist, was the most influential figure in Russian culture of the 18th and 19th centuries. His historical novellas and the monumental "History of the Russian State" had a huge impact on the work of subsequent writers and poets: Zhukovsky, Pushkin, Griboyedov. He is one of the great reformers of the Russian language. Karamzin introduced into use a large number of new words, without which we can not imagine today's speech.

Russian classical literature: a list of the best works

To choose and make a list of the best literary works is a difficult task, as each reader has his own preferences and tastes. A novel, which for one will be a masterpiece, will seem boring and uninteresting to another. How to make a list of classical Russian literature, which would satisfy most readers? One way is to conduct surveys. On their basis, you can draw conclusions that the readers themselves consider the best of the proposed options. Such methods of collecting information are conducted regularly, although the data may vary slightly with time.

List of the best creations of Russian classics, according to the versions of literary magazines and Internet portals, looks like this:

1. Mikhail Bulgakov with the mystical novel "Master and Margarita".
2. Leo Tolstoy with the epic work "War and Peace".
3. Fedor Dostoevsky with three novels: Crime and Punishment, The Brothers Karamazov and The Idiot. The great Russian thinker accurately and ruthlessly described the darkest aspects of human essence. Friedrich Nietzsche once said that Dostoevsky is the only psychologist with whom he could learn anything.
4. Nikolai Gogol - "Dead Souls". One of the most mysterious Russian writers was able to create unusually bright, lively images of his characters. The story "Viy" and the collection of the writer "Evenings on a Farm near Dikanka" are also very beloved by readers.
5. Alexander Pushkin with the novel "Eugene Onegin". According to the polls, Pushkin is the most favorite writer of schoolchildren, and Onegin is the most recognizable literary hero.
6. Anton Chekhov and his stories.
7. Mikhail Lermontov - "The Hero of Our Time".
8. Ilya Ilf and Yevgeny Petrov are classics of the 20th century, people with a great sense of humor. Their novel "The Twelve Chairs" has long become a favorite book of many readers.
9. Ivan Turgenev and his work "Fathers and Sons."
10. Alexander Griboyedov with the comedy "Woe from Wit". Having written only one work for his entire life, but created at such a high level, he was forever among the best authors of Russian classical literature.

In no case should you consider this list a reference. In some ratings and surveys in the first place can not stand Bulgakov, and Leo Tolstoy or Alexander Pushkin, and one of the listed writers may not be at all. Ratings - a highly subjective thing. It is better to make a list of your favorite classics for yourself and focus on it.

The Importance of Russian Classical Literature

Creators of Russian classics have always had a great public responsibility. They never acted as moralizers, they did not give ready answers in their works. Writers put before the reader a difficult task and made him think about her decision. They raised serious social and social problems in their works, which are still of great importance for us today. Therefore, Russian classics still remain as relevant today.