Felitsa read the summary. Essay analysis of ode Derzhavin Felitsa

In the 70s of the 18th century, changes began in Russian literature. They deal specifically with poetry in a way that disrupts canonized forms. Little by little Lomonosov, Maikov, Kheraskov started this, but Derzhavin approached the world of genres like a rebel.

This is especially true for the genre of solemn ode, as evidenced by, if you read carefully and thoughtfully, the ode “Felitsa”, a brief summary of which is presented below.

Title of the ode

Felicitas means "happiness" in Latin. But this is not enough. Derzhavin read a fairy tale that Catherine II wrote for her grandson, Alexander, on behalf of Princess Felitsa to Prince Chlorus, who will later appear in the text as an active hero.

Due to ridicule of the nobles surrounding Catherine II, friends did not advise publishing the ode. It is not harmless, this ode to “Felitsa”. A summary of a long work could anger high dignitaries. And how could the empress herself react to the humorous description of her life? Moreover, it also speaks about important issues. Nevertheless, the ode was published and brought tears of tenderness to the empress. She found out who its author was and did him all the best. The ode “Felitsa” is not of interest to schoolchildren these days. They will read the summary out of necessity and with longing.

Start

The first ten verses tell how the princess, like the gods, showed the way to the captive prince Chlorus - the way to the place where the rose grows without thorns. He needed this rose to free himself from slavery. And the rose grows on a high mountain, where the abode of virtue is located. This tale about the prince and the khan’s daughter Felitsa was composed, as already mentioned, by the empress herself. So the ode “Felitsa”, a brief summary of which includes a retelling of the work of Catherine II, could no longer help but flatter the empress. The second ten verses ask Felitsa for help in learning to live correctly, because the author himself is weak and cannot cope with everyday passions.

"Simplicity" of the Empress

In the next ten poems, Derzhavin creates an ideal image of the heroine, describing her behavior and habits: love for walking, simple food, reading and writing, and a measured daily routine. Her contemporaries were no different from all this. There is no portrait description (referring to the ode “Felitsa”). Derzhavin, a brief summary of this shows, highlights the monarch’s democracy, unpretentiousness, and friendliness.

Irony and satire

The poet introduces such an innovation into the ode, while previously such liberties were not allowed in this genre. He contrasts the virtuous Felitsa with her environment. The poet writes in the first person, but means Prince Potemkin, who leads a riotous lifestyle at court and, when fighting, imagines himself as a sovereign ruler, like the Sultan. When preparing for war, and he fought a lot and, as a rule, successfully, he spends his days in feasts, where exquisite food, which is countless, is served on golden dishes. Or he rides in a golden carriage, accompanied by friends, dogs, and beauties.

The author also does not forget A.G. Orlov (ode “Felitsa”). Derzhavin (we are considering a summary) talks about his love for horse racing. The Orlovs bred purebred trotters at their stud farms. The count organized races on his wonderful horses. Derzhavin also remembers the passion of the Orlov favorites for dancing and fist fights. This made their spirit happy.

In addition, the poet mentions P.I. Panin, who helped the empress in the coup. Panin loved hound hunting and devoted a lot of time to it, forgetting about government affairs. Derzhavin does not neglect such a great courtier as Naryshkin, who loved to ride along the Neva at night, and why at night, it is unknown, accompanied by a whole orchestra of musicians with horn instruments. Peace and quiet in the capital city could only be dreamed of by the common man who worked hard to earn his living. Well, how can you not smile at the peaceful entertainment of Prosecutor General Vyazemsky? In his free time, he read popular stories and dozed over the Bible.

The poet is also ironic about himself, as if counting himself among a narrow circle of the elite. No one dared to write in such an ironic vein. The ode “Felitsa” (Derzhavin), a brief summary of which is conveyed here, became an innovative work. When Derzhavin was reproached for ridicule, which nowadays seems quite harmless, the poet pointed to the place where he describes his shortcomings, for example, chasing pigeons in a dovecote or simply playing cards like a fool. People, according to the poet, and rightly so, are not inclined to deal with serious matters all the time. It is only important not to run after empty dreams, not to lead a luxurious and lazy life, and not to grumble when they demand money for government affairs. And both Potemkin and Prince Vyazemsky were famous for this, whom Catherine II described in her fairy tale about Prince Chlorus under the names Lazy and Grumpy.

Literary joke

But the poet has no condemnation of the empress, who is surrounded by people with human weaknesses. After all, their talents are at the service of the prosperity of the great empire. This is shown by the analysis of Derzhavin’s poem “Felitsa”. The literary anecdote technique is used in the portraits of high-ranking courtiers. In those days, an anecdote was understood as a real story about a real person, but artistically processed, which has an instructive or satirical sound. Indeed, in the memory of descendants there remained a reveler, a duelist and a tireless ladies' man, the favorite of Catherine II, Alexei Orlov, a cautious Panin, a sybarite, but also a victorious warrior Potemkin. The gradual departure from the scene of the Freemasons, which began during the time of Catherine II under the influence of the bloody revolution that took place in France, is described. The Masons are mentioned at the very beginning of the ode. But in general, Derzhavin’s irony was not pathetic, accusatory in nature; it was soft, rather playful.

How the image of Catherine is created

Through the fairy tale about the clever Felitsa, who helps Prince Chlorus, Derzhavin creates the image of an ideal ruler. Where an ordinary person, says Derzhavin, goes astray and follows passions, one princess is able to illuminate everything with her wisdom. He hints at the creation of provinces in the state, which would bring its administration into greater order. He appreciates in Catherine II that she does not humiliate people, does not oppress and destroy like a wolf, and turns a blind eye to their weaknesses. Catherine II is not God, and behaves accordingly. People are more subject to God than to the king. This is what the analysis of Derzhavin’s poem “Felitsa” says. The Empress observes this rule, because she is an enlightened monarch.

And, nevertheless, Derzhavin decides to give very delicate advice to the empress: dividing the state into provinces, sealing them with laws so that there are no disagreements. He goes on to beautifully compare her to a skilled captain leading a ship through a stormy sea.

Emphasizing modesty and generosity in the image of Catherine

Many stanzas are devoted to this, but the most important thing is that she refused the titles “Wise”, “Great”, “Mother of the Fatherland”, which the senators presented to her. Yes, the modesty was false, but it looked beautiful. When you carefully read not only the ode, but also the comments to it, such conclusions are implied by the analysis of the ode “Felitsa” by G. R. Derzhavin.

Idealization of the image of Catherine

In the first part of the ode, the image of a monarch with the simple habits of an ordinary person greatly impresses the poet. Further, Derzhavin praises her as a wise statesman. This is the image of an enlightened sovereign in comparison with the queens who ruled before her, often deeply ignorant and cruel. In the third, final part, the image of a philosopher soaring high above his subjects is created, who deeply thinks about the fate of the state and the people.

These are all the ideals of G. R. Derzhavin in the ode “Felitsa”. Felitsa is a living goddess on earth, which is confirmed by the final stanzas. They are full of praise, and it is no wonder that the empress shed tears while reading this essay.

Oriental motifs in ode

Having built the ode “Felitsa” from beginning to end on an oriental fairy tale written by the monarch herself, Derzhavin gave it an oriental flavor. It contains Lazy Guy, Grumpy, Murza, Khan, the Khan's daughter, and a godlike princess. This creates a special “flavor” that is unusual neither in Russian prose nor poetry. In addition, having made the monarch the subject of poetry, the poet wrote the ode as praise and at the same time as a satirical work. This ensures the originality of Gabriel Derzhavin’s ode “Felitsa”. He was one of the first poets to begin to discover new treasures of the living word in literature, one of those whose work does not fit into the framework of the theory of three styles.

- the largest phenomenon in Russian literature of the 18th century. He is known mainly for his odes, besides which he also left wonderful lyrics. Seemingly observing the external forms of classicism, Derzhavin in his odes made a whole poetic revolution: he breaks with the conventional demands of classicism where they interfere with his poetic creativity. So, for example, in laudatory odes he introduces a satirical element, moving from a high solemn style to the simplest, sometimes humorous tone; uses simple words, everyday expressions, without observing the “high calm” that Lomonosov and Sumarokov strictly adhered to.

We see all this already in the ode “Felitsa”, which created Derzhavin’s fame (see its full text and analysis on our website).

Derzhavin. Felitsa. Oh yeah

The name of “Felitsa”, in which Derzhavin personifies Empress Catherine II, is taken from her fairy tale “ About Prince Chlorus».

"Godlike Princess"
Kirghiz-Kaisak horde,
Whose wisdom is incomparable
Discovered the right tracks
To Tsarevich young Chlorus
Climb that high mountain
Where does a thornless rose grow?
Where virtue lives:
Give me some advice to find her.”

This is how Derzhavin begins his ode. Praising Catherine - Felitsa, he talks about her tastes and lifestyle, comparing her with the nobles around her, whom he calls “Murzas”. He also calls himself “Murza,” hinting at his Tatar origin; - but often this Murza, on whose behalf the ode seems to have been written, depicts one of the famous nobles - Potemkin, Orlov, Naryshkin, Vyazemsky; Derzhavin mercilessly ridicules them.

Portrait of Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin. Artist V. Borovikovsky, 1811

In contrast to her nobles, Catherine loves simplicity:

“Without imitating your Murzas,
You often walk
And the food is the simplest
Happens at your table.
Not valuing your peace,
You read and write in front of the lectern
And all from your pen
Shedding bliss to mortals!

Then follow portraits of various nobles. Potemkin, “The Magnificent Prince of Taurida,” is beautifully depicted, with his enormous state plans, fantastic luxury and rich feasts:

“And I, having slept until noon,
I smoke tobacco and drink coffee;
Transforming everyday life into a holiday,
My thoughts are spinning in chimeras:
Then I steal captivity from the Persians,
Then I direct arrows towards the Turks,

Ode “Felitsa” written in 1782 is the first poem that made Gavril Romanovich Derzhavin very famous, and also which became an example of a new style in Russian poetry.

The ode received its name from the heroine of “The Tale of Prince Chlorus,” which was written by Catherine II herself. She is also named by the same name, which translates as “happiness,” in Derzhavin’s ode, which glorified the empress and caricatured her entire entourage. Indeed, breaking all the traditions of the genre of laudable odes, Derzhavin

He widely introduced colloquial vocabulary and even non-literary statements into it, but most importantly, he did not draw an official portrait of the empress, but depicted her human appearance. But not everyone was as delighted with this poem as the empress. It confused and worried many.

On the one hand, in the ode “Felitsa” a completely established image of a “god-like princess” is drawn, which expresses the writer’s concept of the standard of the Right Reverend monarch. Noticeably embellishing the real Catherine II, Derzhavin firmly believes in the image he painted.

On the other hand, in the writer’s poems one can hear the idea not

Only about the wisdom of the authorities, but also about the dishonesty of the performers, who are only interested in their own benefit. The idea is not new, but behind the figures of the nobles who were described in the ode, the features of real people were clearly visible.

In these images you can easily recognize the favorite of the Empress Potemkin, her close associates Alexei Orlov, Panin, Naryshkin. By painting their bright, mocking portraits, Derzhavin showed great courage - because any of those whom the poet offended could easily deal with the writer. And only the empress’s benevolent attitude saved Derzhavin. And he even decides to give a recommendation to Catherine: to obey the law, which is the same for everyone. The work ends with the traditional praise of Catherine and the wish for all the best to her.

Thus, in “Felitsa” Derzhavin appeared as a bold pioneer who combined the style of a laudatory ode with the individualization of characters and satire, and introduced elements of low styles into the high genre of ode. Later, the author himself defined the genre of “Felitsa” as a “mixed ode”.

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Essay on literature on the topic: Brief summary of Felitsa Derzhavin

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1. The poet's reputation develops during his lifetime. The real understanding of his poetry and its place in literary development is determined and conditioned by history. A striking illustration of this pattern is the work of Derzhavin. Fame came to Derzhavin suddenly in 1783, when in the first issue Read More......
2. The main genre of Russian poetry of the 18th century is the ode. The odes of M. V. Lomonosov “On the day of the accession to the throne of Empress Elizabeth...” (1747) and G. R. Derzhavin “Felitsa” are considered textbook. Both of these works glorify Russian empresses, but they differ sharply from each other. Read More......
3. Monument to Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin - the great Russian poet of the 18th century. In his work, he illuminated all the problems that were present in the high society of Russia. In 1795, he wrote the poem “Monument,” in which he proclaimed his right to immortality. Initially, the poem was Read More......
4. Notes Notes from well-known incidents and genuine cases, containing the life of Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin. The author, who lists all his ranks, positions and orders at the beginning of his notes, but does not mention his poetic glory at all, was born in Kazan from Read More ......
5. Derzhavin's work is deeply contradictory. While revealing the possibilities of classicism, he at the same time destroyed it, paving the way for romantic and realistic poetry. Derzhavin's poetic creativity is extensive and is mainly represented by odes, among which civil, victorious-patriotic, philosophical and anacreontic odes can be distinguished. A special place Read More ......
6. Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin (1743-1816) is another outstanding figure in Russian literature of the 18th century. His poetry completes the classicist tradition and at the same time opens up new paths, preparing the emergence of Pushkin’s “poetry of reality.” According to Belinsky, Derzhavin’s poetry “was the first step in the transition from rhetoric to Read More......
7. G. R. Derzhavin - poet of the last third of the 18th century. His predecessors adhered to the principles of classicism, but the further development of poetry could not be carried out without violating, and subsequently destroying, the boundaries of the genre. These violations began to be committed by the classic writers themselves (Lomonosov, Sumarokov, Kheraskov and Read More ......
8. Many of Derzhavin's contemporaries considered him a court poet. But he was never like that, despite attempts to persuade him to do so (remember the unsuccessful admonition of the poet A.V. Khrabrovitsky, Secretary of State of Catherine II). His poems talk about the frailty of life, death and immortality. Read More......

Godlike princess
Kirghiz-Kaisak horde!
Whose wisdom is incomparable
Discovered the right tracks
To Tsarevich young Chlorus
Climb that high mountain
Where does a thornless rose grow?
Where virtue lives, -
She captivates my spirit and mind,
Let me find her advice.

Bring it on, Felitsa! instruction:
How to live magnificently and truthfully,
How to tame passions and excitement
And be happy in the world?
Your voice excites me
Your son is accompanying me;
But I am weak to follow them.
Disturbed by the vanity of life,
Today I control myself
And tomorrow I am a slave to whims.

Without imitating your Murzas,
You often walk
And the food is the simplest
Happens at your table;
Not valuing your peace,
You read and write in front of the lectern
And all from your pen
You shed bliss on mortals;
Like you don't play cards,
Like me, from morning to morning.

You don't like masquerades too much
And you can’t even set foot in the club;
Keeping customs, rituals,
Don't be quixotic with yourself;
You can't saddle the horse of Parnassus,
You don’t enter a gathering of spirits,
You don’t go from the throne to the East;
But walking the path of meekness,
With a charitable soul,
Have a productive day.

And I, having slept until noon,
I smoke tobacco and drink coffee;
Transforming everyday life into a holiday,
My thoughts are spinning in chimeras:
Then I steal captivity from the Persians,
Then I direct arrows towards the Turks;
Then, having dreamed that I was a sultan,
I terrify the universe with my gaze;
Then suddenly, seduced by the outfit,
I'm off to the tailor for a caftan.

Or am I at a rich feast,
Where do they give me a holiday?
Where the table glitters with silver and gold,
Where are thousands of different dishes:
There's a nice Westphalian ham,
There are links of Astrakhan fish,
There are pilaf and pies there,
I wash down the waffles with champagne;
And I forget everything in the world
Among wines, sweets and aroma.

Or among a beautiful grove
In the gazebo where the fountain is noisy,
When the sweet-voiced harp rings,
Where the breeze barely breathes
Where everything represents luxury to me,
To the pleasures of thought he catches,
It languishes and revitalizes the blood;
Lying on a velvet sofa,
The young girl feels tender,
I pour love into her heart.

Or in a magnificent train
In an English carriage, golden,
With a dog, a jester or a friend,
Or with some beauty
I'm walking under the swing;
I go to taverns to drink mead;
Or, somehow I’ll get bored,
According to my inclination to change,
With my hat on one side,
I'm flying on a fast runner.

Or music and singers,
Suddenly with an organ and bagpipes,
Or fist fighters
And I make my spirit happy by dancing;
Or, taking care of all matters
I leave and go hunting
And I am amused by the barking of dogs;
Or over the Neva banks
I amuse myself with horns at night
And the rowing of daring rowers.

Or, sitting at home, I’ll play a prank,
Playing fools with my wife;
Then I get along with her at the dovecote,
Sometimes we frolic in blind man's buff;
Then I’m having fun with her,
Then I look for it in my head;
I like to rummage through books,
I enlighten my mind and heart,
I read Polkan and Bova;
Over the Bible, yawning, I sleep.

That's it, Felitsa, I'm depraved!
But the whole world looks like me.
Who knows how much wisdom,
But every person is a lie.
We do not walk the paths of light,
We run debauchery after dreams.
Between a lazy person and a grumbler,
Between vanity and vice
Did anyone accidentally find it?
The path of virtue is straight.

I found it, but why not be mistaken?
To us, weak mortals, on this path,
Where does reason itself stumble
And one must follow passions;
Where are the learned ignoramuses for us?
Like the darkness of travelers, their eyelids are dark?
Seduction and flattery live everywhere,
Pasha oppresses everyone with luxury.-
Where does virtue live?
Where does a rose without thorns grow?

You alone are only decent,
Princess! create light from darkness;
Dividing Chaos into spheres harmoniously,
The union will strengthen their integrity;
From disagreement to agreement
And from fierce passions happiness
You can only create.
So the helmsman, sailing through the show-off,
Catching the roaring wind under sail,
Knows how to steer a ship.

You just won’t offend the only one,
Don't insult anyone
You see through your fingers the tomfoolery
The only thing you cannot tolerate is evil;
You correct misdeeds with leniency,
Like a wolf, you don’t crush people,
You know right away their price.
They are subject to the will of kings, -
But God is more just,
Living in their laws.

You think sensibly about merit,
You give honor to the worthy,
You don't consider him a prophet,
Who can only weave rhymes,
What crazy fun is this?
Honor and glory to the good caliphs.
You condescend to the lyrical mode:
Poetry is dear to you,
Pleasant, sweet, useful,
Like delicious lemonade in summer.

There are rumors about your actions,
That you are not at all proud;
Kind in business and in jokes,
Pleasant in friendship and firm;
Why are you indifferent to adversity?
And in glory she is so generous,
That she renounced and was considered wise.
They also say it’s not false,
It's like it's always possible
You should tell the truth.

It's also unheard of,
Worthy of you alone
It's like you're bold to the people
About everything, and show it and at hand,
And you allow me to know and think,
And you don’t forbid about yourself
To speak both true and false;
As if to the crocodiles themselves,
All your mercies to Zoilas,
You are always inclined to forgive.

Pleasant rivers of tears flow
From the depths of my soul.
ABOUT! when people are happy
There must be their destiny,
Where is the meek angel, the peaceful angel,
Hidden in the porphyry lightness,
A scepter was sent down from heaven to wear!
There you can whisper in conversations
And, without fear of execution, at dinners
Don't drink to the health of kings.

There with the name Felitsa you can
Scrape out the typo in the line,
Or a portrait carelessly
Drop it on the ground.

They are not fried in ice baths,
They don’t click on the nobles’ mustaches;
Princes don't cluck like hens,
Favorites don't want to laugh at them
And they don’t stain their faces with soot.

You know, Felitsa! are right
And men and kings;
When you enlighten morals,
You don't fool people like that;
In your rest from business
You write lessons in fairy tales
And you repeat to Chlorus in the alphabet:
"Don't do anything bad,
And the evil satyr himself
You will make a despicable liar.”

You are ashamed to be considered great,
To be scary and unloved;
The bear is decently wild
Tearing animals and shedding their blood.
Without extreme distress in the heat of the moment
Does that person need lancets?
Who could do without them?
And how nice it is to be a tyrant,
Tamerlane, great in atrocity,
Who is great in goodness, like God?

Felitsa glory, glory to God,
Who pacified the battle;
Which is poor and wretched
Covered, clothed and fed;
Which with a radiant eye
Clowns, cowards, ungrateful
And he gives his light to the righteous;
Equally enlightens all mortals,
He comforts the sick, heals,
He does good only for good.

who gave freedom
Jump into foreign regions,
Allowed his people
Seek silver and gold;
Who allows water
And it doesn’t prohibit cutting down the forest;
Orders to weave, and spin, and sew;
Untying the mind and hands,
Tells you to love trading, science
And find happiness at home;

Whose law, right hand
They give both mercy and judgment.-
Prophecy, wise Felitsa!
Where is a rogue different from the honest?
Where does old age not wander around the world?
Does merit find bread for itself?
Where does revenge not drive anyone?
Where do conscience and truth live?
Where do virtues shine? -
Isn't it yours at the throne?

But where does your throne shine in the world?
Where, branch of heaven, do you bloom?
In Baghdad? Smyrna? Cashmere? -
Listen, wherever you live, -
I appreciate my praises to you,
Don’t think about hats or beshmetya
For them I wanted from you.
Feel the good pleasure
Such is the wealth of the soul,
Which Croesus did not collect.

I ask the great prophet
May I touch the dust of your feet,
Yes, your words are the sweetest current
And I will enjoy the sight!
I ask for heavenly strength,
Yes, their sapphire wings spread out,
They keep you invisibly
From all illnesses, evils and boredom;
May the sounds of your deeds be heard in posterity,
Like the stars in the sky, they will shine.

Analysis of Derzhavin’s poem “Felitsa”

In 1781, “The Tale of Prince Chlorus” appeared in print, which Empress Catherine II composed for her grandson, the future Emperor Alexander I. This instructive work influenced not only little Alexander Pavlovich, but also Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin (1743–1816). It inspired the poet to create an ode to the empress, which he called “Ode to the wise Kyrgyz princess Felitsa, written by the Tatar Murza, who had long settled in Moscow, and lived on his business in St. Petersburg. Translated from Arabic 1782."

The poem was first published in 1783 in the magazine Sobesednik. The poet did not leave a signature under the work, but like the entire text of the ode, the title is full of hints. For example, the “Kyrgyz-Kaisak princess” means Catherine II, who was the mistress of the Kyrgyz lands. And under Murza is the poet himself, who considered himself a descendant of the Tatar prince Bagrim.

The ode contains many allusions to various events, people and sayings related to the reign of Catherine II. Take, for example, the name given to it by the author. Felitsa is the heroine of The Tale of Prince Chlorus. Like the empress, she has a husband who prevents her from realizing her good intentions. In addition, Felitsa, according to Derzhavin’s explanation, is the ancient Roman goddess of bliss, and it was with this word that many contemporaries characterized the reign of Catherine II, who favored the sciences, arts and held rather free views on the social structure.

These and other numerous virtues of the empress are praised by Gabriel Romanovich. In the first stanzas of the ode, the poet walks through the empress’s entourage. The author allegorically describes the unworthy behavior of the courtiers, speaking as if about himself:
With my hat on one side,
I'm flying on a fast runner.

In this passage we are talking about Count Alexei Orlov, who is eager for fast races.

Another fragment speaks of the idle Prince Potemkin, soaring in the clouds:
And I, having slept until noon,
I smoke tobacco and drink coffee;
Transforming everyday life into a holiday,
My thoughts are spinning in chimeras.

Against the background of these playmakers, the figure of the wise, active and fair empress acquires an aura of virtue. The author rewards her with the epithets “generous”, “kind in business and jokes”, “pleasant in friendship”, “wise”, metaphors “branch of heaven”, “meek angel”, etc.

The poet mentions the political successes of Catherine II. Using the metaphor of “Dividing Chaos into spheres orderly,” he points to the establishment of the province in 1775 and the annexation of new territories to the Russian Empire. The author compares the reign of the empress with the reign of her predecessors:
There are no clownish weddings there,
They are not fried in ice baths,
They don’t click on the mustaches of nobles...

Here the poet hints at the reign of Anna Ioannovna and Peter I.

Gabriel Romanovich also admires the queen’s modesty. In lines:
You are ashamed to be considered great,
To be scary, unloved...

indicates Catherine II’s renunciation of the titles “Great” and “Wise”, which were offered to her by the Senate nobles in 1767.

As an artist, the poet is especially captivated by the empress’s attitude towards freedom of expression. The author is fascinated by the queen’s love for poetry (“Poetry is dear to you, Pleasant, sweet, useful...”), the opportunity she affirmed to think and speak out as you wish, to travel, organize enterprises, etc.

Catherine II herself highly appreciated the poet’s skill. She liked the ode “Felitsa” so much that the Empress presented Derzhavin with a richly decorated snuff box, which she herself sent to her entourage. Contemporaries also reacted very favorably to the poem. Many reviews noted not only the truthfulness and lack of flattery in the lines of the ode, but also its elegant composition and poetic style. As Russian philologist J. K. Grot wrote in his commentary, this ode gave rise to a new style. “Felitsa” is devoid of pompous expressions and does not contain a list of gods, as was previously customary.

Indeed, the language of the ode is simple but exquisite. The author uses epithets, metaphors, pictorial comparisons (“like stars in the sky”). The composition is strict but harmonious. Each stanza consists of ten lines. First comes a quatrain with a cross rhyme of the form abab, then a couplet cc, followed by a quatrain with a ring rhyme of the form deed. Meter: iambic tetrameter.

Although the poem contains quite a few expressions that are outdated today, and many of the hints may be incomprehensible, it is still easy to read.

The poet's reputation develops during his lifetime. The real understanding of his poetry and its place in literary development is determined and conditioned by history. A striking illustration of this pattern is the work of Derzhavin.

Fame came to Derzhavin suddenly in 1783, when his ode “Felitsa” was published in the first issue of the magazine “Interlocutor of Lovers of the Russian Word.” The Empress liked the poem addressed to Catherine II, and the author was awarded a gold snuffbox and 500 chervonets.

This happened at a time of growing crisis of classicism, when the ode was becoming obsolete. The rules of normative poetics obliged to follow models (in fact, in the Russian Federation, to imitate Lomonosov’s odes).

Derzhavin acted as a daring destroyer of the aesthetic system of classicism, a brave innovator who opened new paths for Russian poetry.

What did Derzhavin do? “You have chosen an untrodden and new path.” And along this path, his originality manifested itself: while maintaining a high theme - chanting the “virtues” of the empress - he abandoned rhetoric and in a simple style expressed his personal attitude towards Catherine II and her entourage: “You knew how to elevate yourself among us with simplicity.”

His early odes, especially the famous "Felitsa", also contain a surge of solemn praise of the queen for the high virtue of her reign. Of the 26 ten lines of “Felitsa” (a lyrical meditation of 260 verses), 19 express such drawn-out and largely monotonous praise.

But the author of this ode began to create at a time when the hyperpersonality of civil thinking, characteristic of “orthodox” classicism, began to be lost, when differentiation of the personal principle, excited by the beginning of the crisis of the old class society and its power, was already arising in it. This led to significant shifts in the sphere of artistic “worldview”, to overcoming its civil-moralistic abstraction and, in particular, to a significant strengthening of substantive representation in the genre of civil ode. Derzhavin acted in this place as an innovative poet - he amazed his contemporaries by introducing motifs of a humorous depiction of private life into that very “high” and solemn genre.

In “Felitsa”, after 4 stanzas of introduction and the first praises of the strict life of the queen, in contrast to them, there are 7 stanzas containing a slightly mocking image of the free and carefree life of the lyrical subject himself, one of the queen’s close associates, and in hints, her nobles. In these stanzas, substantive depiction arises when reproducing individual moments of the nobleman’s free life; it directly prevails over meditativeness. But it is still subordinated to the general ironic intonation of the description. And moreover, syntactically, as many as five stanzas of such a description are interconnected by anaphoric repetitions of the conjunction “or” (“Or at a rich feast, // Where a feast is given for me, // Where the table glitters with silver and gold, // Where thousands of different dishes... ", "Or in the middle of a beautiful grove, // In the gazebo, where the fountain is noisy...", etc.). And then, developing the same contrast, the poet also turns to long, tense and solemn praises of the queen and conducts them in an abstract and meditative manner.