Article

Name: Sumarokov’s paper «On Versification of Kamchadals» (1759): the Purification of Poetry by Ritual Song

Authors: Rastyagaev Andrey Viktorovich, Slozhenikina Yulia Vladimirovna

Moscow City University, Moscow, Russian Federation; Samara State Technical University, Samara, Russian Federation

In the section Study of literature

Abstract: The paper of the present authors studies A. P. Sumarokov’s paper «On Versification of Kamchadals» in the aspect of the metatextual and communicative unity of the January issue of the journal «Hard-working Bee» (1759). The communicative strategy of this issue is the primordium and creation of a unified orientation of thoughts, desires and socially useful activity of the authors and readers of the journal. Each articles of the January issue continues the previous one, and together they form a metatextual unity new for the 18th century. The Kamchadal ritual song becomes the foundation of a new literary cosmogony. The author sees in Kamchadals an example of new Arcadian residents whose versification can free the 18th century poetry from artificiality, the consequence of the competition with antique authors that was raised to the cult by the poet’s contemporaries.

Keywords: sumarokov, «hard-working bee», poetry, kamchadals, myth

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