Literature wasn’t aimed on entertaining but on teaching and improving the society. However, it is very interesting to read these simple stories, plays and poems. The authors felt the responsibility and believed they could change the world, so they had no time to show off but just were trying in their simple and honest way to show what is right and what is wrong.
Lomonosov Mihailo Vasilevich, 1711-1765
The oldest and the best Russian university - the Moscow State University - is called in his name. He was an impressive person. The one who studied physics, chemistry, metallurgy, history, art and made an invention in every field. He was the first Russian scientist who was accepted in the academy of science in St. Petersburg (mostly German scientists were there at that time). He was the one who invented the theory of Russian language and developed the literature theory. I have never read his science works, but his lyrics are interesting and unusual.
The diplomat and bureaucrat who wanted Russia to be powerful, Fonvizin was also a talented narrator. He worked for several magazines and wrote plays. He was trying to improve the society by showing the usual life problems and making jokes out of it. His most famous play -“Nedorosl” or “The Minor” in English is about a stupid noble son who doesn’t want to study in a proper way but wants to get his privileges for nothing.
Krylov’s fables are well known in Russia. He wasn’t the first who started to write it here, but he was the most popular author. He is considered to be the founder of Russian fable tradition, although he translated much of Rable fables. Fables of Krylov aren’t just the stories about birds and beasts, he was writing about simple rules of the life, which brings honor to it. His stories were quite popular. An educated Russian of 19th century could tell you by heart a dozen of his fables.
A famous author of the famous “Memoir on Ancient and Modern Russia”- the first popular printed history of Russia. He accomplished a hard task – he moved the interest of the society back to the origins. Besides, his small but very sensitive novel – “Bednaya Liza” (“Poor Liza” in English) was the youth bestseller in the end of 18th century.
