KHERASKOV Michael Matveevich

KHERASKOV Michael Matveevich (1733 - 1807), poet, novelist. Born on October 25 (November 5, NS) in Pereyaslav at Poltava in a noble family of Wallachian boyars. Received a good education at home. Then he studied at the land gentry housing in St. Petersburg, which he graduated in 1751. From his youth was seriously fascinated by creativity.

In 1760 - 1762 published the magazine "Useful amusement" in 1873 - "Free clock.

In 1763 - 1802 was (intermittently) the director, then the curator of Moscow University. In the history of Russian literature came as a great representative of Russian classicism in the works that had become apparent movement toward sentimentalism. Is famous as the author of epic poems: "The fruits of Sciences" (1761), "Chemensky Fight" (1771), "Rossiyada" (1779), "Vladimir Reborn" (1785), "The king is saved or Novgorod" (1800).

In drama KHERASKOV made by a follower of classicism. Posted 20 plays, among which are especially notable were: the tragedy of "Flame" (1765), "Borislav" (1774), "the liberation of Moscow" (1798); comedy Bezbozhnik "(1761)," hater "(1774).

However, in the drama "other accidents" (1774), "Blown" (1775) KHERASKOV uses the methods and motives of sentimentalism. Prose Kheraskov was the evolution of philosophical and moralistic novel about the ideal state with the king-philosopher on the throne ( "Numa Pompilius, or Flourishing Rome, 1768) to the novel with a complicated love-adventure intrigue (" Cadmus and Harmony ", 1786).

Scattered genre lyric Kheraskov typical preaching moderation, mourning for depravity of modern society, which in opposition to the quiet life close to nature ( "true wealth", "The Mind", "K A. Rzhevsky", etc.).

At the age of 74 M. KHERASKOV died in Moscow on September 27th (October 9, NS).