THE RISE OF INTELLECTUALS

I. Before Peter the Great

a. Tsars and Grand Princes
b. Priests and Patriarchs

II. After Peter the Great

a. New class

1. intellectuals

b. Reasons

1. education policies
2. imposition of Western culture
3. secularization of culture

III. 1700s = Enlightenment

A. Neoclassicism

1. Most major Latin and Greek classics translated. Also French Literature.
2. Hierarchy of forms

a. Ode, epic, tragedy
b. comedy, satire
c. journalism

3. General and Universal themes

a. Lomonosov's odes devoted to themes of national consequence.
b. Derzhavin's odes more philosophical in nature.

4. Avoid expressing intimate personal thought

B. Catherine the Great 1762-1796

1. Created atmosphere for development of intellectual class.
2. Corresponded with Voltaire
3. Encouraged publication of books and journals
4. Wrote a satiric journal

a. Satire was meant to educate and to curtail public vices.

C. Mikhail Vasilevich Lomonosov (1711-65)

1. Russia's Benjamin Franklin

a. Leading scientist
b. Conducted experiments in electricity.
c. Studied in Europe.

2. Reformed literary language

a. Theory of Three Styles
b. Wrote poetry (philosophic rather than religious)

D. Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin (1743-1816)

1. Greatest poet of his age.
2. First Russian poet on an equal level with Europeans
3. Wrote odes to God and to Catherine the Great (Felicity)

E. Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev (1749-1802)

1. Publisher of satiric journals
2. Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow

a. Sentimentalism
b. Appeal against serfdom
c. Peasants speak like nobles

3. Focuses on societal evil rather than vice

F. Nikolai M. Karamzin (1766-1826)

1. Historian
2. Short story writer (sentimentalism)
3. Poor Liza