Typology of an Elegic Artistic Modus in Russian Rhetorics and Poetics of the 18th Century

Abstract

The genre of elegy realizes the need to express feelings, emotions by 18th century poets in Russian literature of the. It becomes reflective and is different in non-canonical form and in communicative approach. The Modus of artistry in elegy allows us to analyze the genesis and formation of its genre. It is possible to determine the main genre characteristics of elegy based on theoretical sources of this period. We can get rid of the void in scientific theory regarding the subordination of elegy to rhetorical instructions. The appearance of elegy in Russian literature falls on the reflex-traditionalist (classical) era, which at the turn of the XVIII–XIX centuries is replaced by a new non-rhetorical era. It creates an idea of the genre as a modus of artistry. The elegiac genre differs in thematic and tonal diversity, demonstrates the flexibility of form. Elegiac modus is characterized by tragic content, unsustainable pattern and emotional focus of the persona on their own worries. The main features of elegy are realized through elegiac motifs, personas, plot, chronotope, communicative strategy and worldview. The sad tone of the elegiac modus implies a rather diverse structural and thematic classification, and ancient history reproduces the independence of the genre form of Elegy from the canons. Specific features of the elegiac modus are the Alexandrian verse, the elegiac Topos, the situation when a person finds himself in the face of time and death, the elegiac contradiction of a person with fleeting time. The most significant works for the formation and development of the genre of Russian elegy should be considered the works on rhetoric and poetics by Feofan Prokopovich, V. Trediakovsky, A. Sumarokov and M. Lomonosov. Feofan Prokopovich emphasizes the absence of an elegiac composition and the presence of a wide range of moods. The scientist suggests transmitting the joyful, angry, mournful, loving moods in elegies. V. Trediakovsky distinguishes between erotic and funeral types of elegies. He believes that the main genre feature of the elegiac mode is the content, emphasizes the rational nature of creativity and the presence of certain rhetorical laws. A. Sumarokov defends the sincerity of feelings with which the poet fills the content of the love elegy. M. Lomonosov calls the Elegy a middle genre in relation to stylistic theory, which is supported by almost all scientists. The study of the elegiac genre allows us to research the Russian elegy of the reflexive era in the aspect of artistic mode as a discursive practice. It will expand our horizons by analyzing the elegiac works of other authors in 18th century.