Analysis of the poem “The Ascension of Elizabeth. Ode" by Lomonosov

During the lesson we will consider “Ode on the day of accession to the All-Russian throne of Her Majesty Empress Elizabeth Petrovna in 1747.” Let's understand what an ode is, let's understand its tasks. Let's consider that M.V. Lomonosov in his ode wants to convey to Elizabeth I.

During the lesson we will look at the topic: “M.V. Lomonosov “Ode on the day of accession to the All-Russian throne of Her Majesty Empress Elisaveta Petrovna in 1747.” First, let's find out what an ode is.

The ode genre is typical for this literary direction, like classicism, which is based on the ideology of the Enlightenment. The French enlighteners Francois-Marie-Arouet (Voltaire) and Denis Diderot believed that an “enlightened monarchy” would lead to the greatest benefit for the people of the state (Fig. 1).

Rice. 1. Enlighteners

This means that the state must be ruled by an educated and developed monarch. But monarchs did not necessarily turn out to be enlightened, and in order to show them something, advise them without risking their lives, poets in odes praised the character traits of the rulers and the ideas that they wanted to embody.

Let's consider that M.V. Lomonosov in his ode wants to convey to Elizabeth I (Fig. 2).

Rice. 2. Empress Elizabeth

Rice. 3. Stanza 3

Silence here means the end of the war with Sweden of 1741-1743. But the idea of ​​peace in the ode is broader: (Fig. 4).

Rice. 4. Excerpt from the work

What is important for a ruler is not the expansion of the borders of the state, but the happiness of his subjects. And the corresponding character traits are attributed to the empress: meekness, humility.

“The soul of her zephyr is quieter,
And the vision is more beautiful than heaven.”

The sixth stanza contains the main idea of ​​the ode. M.V. Lomonosov - scientist, founder of the Russian Academy of Sciences - glorifies science (Fig. 5).

Rice. 5. Stanza 6

In the seventh stanza, a character appears who is not immediately called by name, but is referred to as a man with a capital P; he was sent to Russia by the Creator himself, that is, the creator. The founder, according to M.V. Lomonosov, more venerable than Mars and Neptune. This man is Peter I, he is building a new Russia, a new city, and it is he who will sign the decree establishing the Academy of Sciences. The academy was already organized by Catherine I.

In the ninth stanza, sciences turn into living beings. The sciences have hands that extend them to Peter as a sign of respect.

Having mourned the death of Peter the Great and briefly mentioned Catherine, the author returns to Elizaveta Petrovna in the ode (Fig. 6).

Rice. 6. Excerpt from the work

Lomonosov returns to the value of peace and the inadmissibility of war.

In the thirteenth stanza military glory is eclipsed not by crying for their dead, but by the groaning of the vanquished (Fig. 7).

Rice. 7. Stanza 13

The author tries to assure Elizabeth I and the reader that Russia needs science, because the country’s wealth is enormous and can be mastered with the help of science (Fig. 8). To describe the expanses of the state, the author uses seven stanzas and describes from the position of the creator.

Rice. 8. Excerpt from the work

The last two stanzas of the ode (the most quoted) are dedicated to a person who, with the help of science, will master created wealth. Isaac Newton and Plato are mentioned in these lines, because the idea of ​​​​creating a scientific school of Russian scientists is important to Lomonosov. In those days, the children of nobles were taught science by foreigners who did not know them at all and were not scientists (Fig. 9).

Rice. 9. Excerpt from the work

science (Fig. 10).

Rice. 10. Excerpt from the work

At the end of the text, according to the canons of the ode, we return to the image of Elizabeth, glorifying her.

The main ideas set out in the ode are the glorification of peace and the denial of war, the affirmation of the need for happiness for every person, the glorification of Peter I, Catherine and Elizabeth, and the most main idea- glorification of science and its greatest possibilities (Fig. 11).

Rice. 11. Composition of an ode

Bibliography

1. Kurdyumova T.F. and others. Literature. 9th grade. Textbook-reader in 2 parts. - M.: Bustard, 2013.
2. Zinin S.A., Sakharov V.I., Chalmaev V.A. Literature. 9th grade. Textbook in 2 parts. - 7th ed. - M.: 2012. Part 1 - 344 p., Part 2 - 408 p.
3. Literature. 9th grade. Textbook in 2 parts / Ed. Belenky G.I. - M.: Part 1 - 13th ed., 2009, 368 pp.; Part 2 - 11th ed., 2010, 423 p.
4. Buneev R.N., Buneeva E.V. and others. Literature. 9th grade. The history of your literature. In 2 parts. - 2nd ed., revised. - M.: 2010., Part 1 - 304 p., Part 2 - 272 p.
5. Korovina V.Ya., Zhuravlev V.P., Korovin V.P. and others. Literature. 9th grade. Textbook in 2 parts. - M.: Education, 2013. -Part 1 - 399 p., Part 2 - 383 p.
6. Merkin G.S., Merkin B.G. Literature. 9th grade. Textbook in 2 parts. - M.: 2011. Part 1 - 344 p., Part 2 - 264 p.
7. Kurdyumova T.F. and others. Literature. 9th grade. Textbook-reader in 2 parts - 15th ed., erased. - M.: 2013; Part 1 - 272 p., Part 2 - 288 p.

1. Internet portal “Rvb.ru” ()
2. Internet portal “Litra.ru” ()
3. Internet portal "Festival pedagogical ideas"Public lesson"" ()

Homework

Answer the questions:

1. What is ode?
2. For what purpose does M.V. Did Lomonosov write his work?
3. What are the main ideas of “Ode on the Day of the Accession to the All-Russian Throne of Her Majesty the Empress Elisaveta Petrovna in 1747”?

Let us turn to the analysis of one of Lomonosov’s best odes, “On the day of the accession to the All-Russian throne of Her Majesty the Empress Elizaveta Petrovna, 1747.” The term “ode” (from the Greek “ωδή, which means song) became established in Russian poetry, thanks to Trediakovsky, who, in turn, borrowed it from Boileau’s treatise. In the article “Discourse on Ode,” Trediakovsky described this genre as follows: “In ode material that is always and certainly described is noble, important, rarely tender and pleasant, in very poetic and magnificent speeches." Despite the hostility towards his literary opponent, Trediakovsky gave a definition of the genre, essentially based on Lomonosov's poetic experiments. This is exactly what Lomonosov's ode is. She addressed thematically to “noble and important matter”: peace and tranquility in the country, the wise rule of an enlightened monarch, the development of domestic sciences and education, the development of new lands and the prudent use of wealth in old lands.

Lomonosov developed in practice and approved for decades to come the formal characteristics of the genre, or, in other words, its poetics. In the ode we encounter large-scale images; a majestic style that raises the described pictures above the everyday; “lush” poetic language, rich in Church Slavonicisms, rhetorical figures, colorful metaphors and hyperboles. And at the same time - the classicist rigor of construction, the “harmony of verse”: consistent iambic tetrameter, ten-line stanza, unbreakable flexible rhyme scheme ababvvgddg.

Let's start analyzing the text from the first stanza:

The joy of kings and kingdoms of the earth, Beloved silence, The bliss of villages, the fence of cities, Since you are useful and beautiful!

As if from a bird's eye view, the poet surveys villages, cities, eared grain fields, ships plowing the seas. They are all covered and protected by “blessed silence” - there is peace and quiet in Russia. The ode is dedicated to the glorification of Empress Elizabeth Petrovna, but even before her appearance in the ode, the poet manages to express his main and cherished idea: peace, not war, contributes to the prosperity of the country. The Empress, who enters the ode in the next stanza, turns out to be, according to artistic logic, derived from this all-encompassing peaceful silence (“The soul of her zephyr is quieter”). A very interesting move! On the one hand, the poet maintains the parameters of the laudatory genre (“nothing in the world can be more beautiful than Elizabeth”). But on the other hand, from the first lines of the work he firmly outlined his author’s position. And then the poet’s lyrical voice, and not a projection onto the image of the empress, will more and more clearly lead the development of the narrative. The dominant role of the lyrical hero in the ode is an undoubted artistic achievement of Lomonosov in this traditional classic genre.

Lomonosov strives to adhere to the compositional norms of the genre, that is, the principle of constructing an odic poem. The introductory part states the subject of chanting and the main idea works (though, as we have seen, the poet swapped them). This is the thesis. The main part substantiates and proves the stated thesis about the greatness and power of the glorified subject. And finally, the conclusion (or ending) gives a look into the future, into the further prosperity and power of the glorified phenomena. The norms of classicism are rationalistic, therefore one compositional part of the work strictly and consistently follows the prescribed other.

The introductory part, or, as it is also called, the exposition, occupies twelve stanzas in this Lomonosov ode. The poet glorifies Elizabeth against the backdrop of her predecessors on the throne, strictly following one after another. In the royal portrait gallery, the father of the current ruler, Peter I, is especially highlighted. This is the idol of the poet. It is clear to the reader from the detailed and highly pathetic characterization of Peter that it was from him that his daughter took over the baton of great deeds.

From the fourteenth stanza the ode enters its main part. The idea expands, and its artistic implementation suddenly begins to exhibit new, unconventional features. The lyrical pathos moves from the dynasty of rulers to the majestic image of the Fatherland, to its inexhaustible natural resources, enormous spiritual and creative possibilities:

This glory belongs to You alone, Monarch, Your vast power, Oh, how it thanks You!

Look at the high mountains, Look at your wide fields, Where the Volga, the Dnieper, where the Ob flows;

The wealth in them is hidden, Science will reveal, That blooms with Your generosity.

This is where there is scope for the inspiration of the lyrical hero! The virtues of “beautiful Elizabeth” are gradually fading into the background. The poet's thoughts are now occupied with something else. The very thematic direction of the ode changes. And the author himself is now not just a copyist. He is a patriotic scientist who draws readers' attention to pressing problems for Russia. The development of science will help to master the riches of the North, the Siberian taiga and the Far East. Russian sailors, with the help of cartographers, discover new lands, paving the way to “unknown peoples”:

There the wet path of the fleet turns white, And the sea strives to give way: Columbus of Russia, through the waters, Hastens to proclaim Your bounties to unknown peoples.

Pluto himself, the mythical owner of underground wealth, is forced to give in to the mineral developers of the Northern and Ural (Rifean) mountains. Let us remember, by the way, that Lomonosov perfectly studied the mining business:

And behold, Minerva strikes the top of Rifeyski with a spear. Silver and gold flow through all your inheritance. Pluto is restless in the crevices, That Ross is given into his hands Dragging his metal from the mountains, Which nature hid there;

The topic of the decisive role of science and education in the development of the country was stated, as we remember, by Cantemir. Trediakovsky served science with his creativity and his whole life. And now Lomonosov perpetuates this theme, puts it on a poetic pedestal. Exactly so, because the two stanzas just quoted are the culmination of the ode, its highest lyrical peak, the pinnacle of emotional animation.

But the poet seems to come to his senses, remembering that the ode is dedicated to an official event: the annually celebrated date of the empress’s accession to the throne. The final stanza again directly addresses Elizabeth. This stanza is obligatory, ceremonial and therefore, I think, not the most expressive. The poet effortlessly rhymes the boring word “without stumbling” with the epithet “blessed”:

To you, O Source of mercy, O Angel of our peaceful years!

The Almighty is a helper to him who dares with his pride, seeing our peace, to rebel against you in war;

The Creator will preserve you in all your paths without stumbling, and will compare your blessed life with the number of your bounties. Clearly not the best stanza! Let's try to pose the question as follows: if the genre of the classicist ode is an expression of certain political and state views, then in Lomonosov's ode whose views are these to a greater extent, the empress or the poet himself? In answering this question, the third stanza is especially important. In it, Elizabeth is presented as a peacemaker who stopped all wars for the sake of peace and happiness of the Russians: When She ascended the throne, As the Most High gave her a crown, She returned You to Russia, Put an end to the war;

Having received you, she kissed you: “I am full of those victories,” she said, “For which blood flows.” I enjoy Ross's happiness, I don't change their calmness., the opposite of what she established in relation to military operations! With his ode, Lomonosov told Elizaveta Petrovna that Russia needs peace and does not need war. The pathos and style of the work are peacemaking, and not invitingly aggressive. The stanzas become beautiful and magnificent in terms of the abundance of expressive means when the poet addresses the theme of peace together with the sciences and demands that the “fiery”, that is, military, sounds fall silent:

Be silent, fiery sounds, And stop shaking the light: Here in the world, Elizabeth deigned to expand science.

You impudent whirlwinds, do not dare to roar, but meekly divulge Our beautiful names. In silence, listen, universe: Behold, the delighted Lyra wants to say great names. Lomonosov's metaphors are especially colorful. Metaphor (in Greek metaphora´ means transfer) is an artistic device that combines into one image

various phenomena

or objects, transferring the properties of these different objects to each other. Because phenomena or objects are compared within the image, it receives additional emotional and semantic meanings, its boundaries are expanded, the image becomes three-dimensional, bright and original. Lomonosov loved metaphors precisely for their ability to connect disparate details into a coherent grandiose picture, to lead to the main idea of ​​the work. “Metaphor,” he noted in his “Rhetoric” (1748), “ideas appear much more lively and more magnificent than simply.” Lomonosov's artistic thinking was essentially, as they would say now, synthesizing.

Most of the space in this stanza is occupied by a complex and florid metaphor. More often, metaphors are several words or one sentence long. Here you are amazed at the scale of the metaphorical image. To isolate it, you will have to think carefully about the text. Before us is an exquisite compliment to the Empress. The poet complains that he does not have sublime words equal to the virtues of Elizabeth, and nevertheless, he decides to sing these virtues. At the same time, he feels like an inexperienced swimmer who has dared to swim alone “through the raging waves” of the “pont” (that is, the Black Sea). The swimmer is guided and supported along the way by a “capable”, that is, tailwind. In a similar way, the poetic spirit of the author is ignited and guided by the remarkable deeds of Elizabeth, her “generosity.”

To convey the greatness and scope of thought to the ode, Lomonosov had to resort to difficult turns of phrase. In his "Rhetoric" he theoretically substantiated the legitimacy of the "decoration" of the poetic syllable. Each phrase, obeying the high odic style, should give rise to a feeling of pomp and splendor. And here, in his opinion, even inventions are commendable: for example, such “sentences in which the subject and predicate are combined in some strange, unusual or unnatural way, and thus constitute something important and pleasant.” G.A. Gukovsky figuratively and accurately spoke about this poet’s desire for both colorful splendor and harmonious harmony: “Lomonosov builds entire colossal verbal buildings, reminiscent of Rastrelli’s huge palaces; his periods, by their very volume, by their very rhythm, give the impression of a gigantic rise of thought and pathos. Groups of words and sentences symmetrically located in them seem to subordinate the immense elements of the present and future to human thought and the human plan.”

The splendor and splendor of the poetic style help Lomonosov to recreate the powerful energy and colorful clarity of the paintings described. For example, in an ode from 1742 there is a surprisingly vivid picture of a military battle, in the center of which is the personified image of Death. The contemplation of this image gives me goosebumps:

There the horses with stormy feet fling up thick ashes to the sky, There Death between the Gothic regiments Runs, furious, from rank to rank, And the greedy jaw opens, And stretches out cold hands, Their proud spirit is snatched away.

And what wonderful horses with “stormy legs”! You can’t express yourself like that in ordinary speech, but you can in poetic speech. Moreover, the “stormy legs” of the horses, flying thick dust to the sky, is almost a cosmic image. Carried out along a very thin poetic blade. A little to the side, and everything will break into absurdity.

Half a century later, the innovative poet, founder of Russian romanticism V.A. Zhukovsky, describing a special state of mind inspired by the twilight descending in rural silence, will write: “The soul is full of cool silence.” He will amaze his contemporaries with an unprecedentedly bold combination of words. "Can silence be cool!" - strict critics will reproach the poet. But Lomonosov was the first in Russian poetry to resort to bold combinations of words and concepts in his metaphorical style!

Subject: literature.

Topic: “Ode on the day of accession to the All-Russian throne of Her Majesty Empress Elisaveta Petrovna in 1747.”

Goal: study of the odes “On the Day of the Ascension...”, “Evening Reflection...”, revealing the role of the Enlightenment in the works.

Objectives: educational:

Analyze the odes, identify their main themes and ideas;

Make a plan for “Ode on the Day of Ascension...”;

Identify the features of the style of the works being studied;

Educational:

Improve skills in analyzing a work of art, expressive reading of poetic text.

Educational: - cultivate interest in literature and history home country, awareness of the importance of education, the study of sciences, the desire to master them.

During the classes

1. Organizational moment.

2. Updating knowledge.

Tell us about the theory of versification that you created.

Which of the 3 types of genres does ode belong to?

Define ode.

3. Work on new material. Text analysis.

Today we will get acquainted with two odes. What do you think are the goals of our work on these works?

Reading by the teacher of the ode “Evening Reflection on God’s Majesty...”

Can this work be called civil or political? Why?

By what signs do we understand that this work is written in the genre of ode?

Work on “Ode on the Day of Ascension...”

Read the full title of the ode. What event is it dedicated to?

The day of accession to the throne occupied a central place in the annual cycle of court holidays. In 1747, the fifth anniversary of Elizabeth's accession was celebrated. Why did Lomonosov write this ode only 5 years after Elizabeth ascended the throne? The reason is this: this year Russian Academy Sciences was granted by Elizabeth a new charter. Lomonosov had great hopes for him in spreading education in Russia, and yet, as you remember, the goal of Lomonosov’s life was “the establishment of science in the fatherland.”

Expressive reading and highlighting micro-topics; drawing up an ode plan. Key question: Can this ode be considered classic in content and form?

1.Introduction. Peace is the basis of the good of the state.

2. Main part. The greatness of Russia, its prosperity:

a) Praise of Elizabeth:

- “put an end to the war” - the happiness of the Russian people is more valuable than new lands and victories;

Expands science.

b) Merits of Peter 1 to the people of Russia:

Contributed to the spread of science in Russia;

He was a reformer and moved the country forward.

c) Description of the boundless expanses and riches of Russia: occupies a huge space, a lot of forest, animals; strong navy; rich subsoil.

d) Appeal to young people, the desire to master the sciences.

3. Conclusion. Traditional gratitude to the Tsarina for her deeds for the benefit of Russia.

Conversation on the read work, identifying its features:

What is the main, leading theme of the ode?

Conclusion 1: the leading theme is the Motherland and its prosperity, enlightenment.

Formulate the idea of ​​an ode,

Conclusion 2: great wealth can be discovered and developed only with the help of science, the development of which is the task of Russian sovereigns.

What style is the ode written in?

Using all of the above, answer the fundamental question: Can this ode be considered classic in content and form?

5. Homework.

1. Learn an excerpt from “Ode...”.

2. Ind. - message about life and creativity

The work that we will consider has a longer and more meaningful title: “Ode on the day of the accession to the All-Russian Throne of Her Majesty Empress Elizabeth Petrovna 1747.” It was written in honor of the most important holiday for the entire country. In this article we will look at what I wanted to say in my own - “Ode on the Day of Ascension”. Summary and analysis of this work will help us understand the scientist’s message. So let's get started.

Lomonosov, “Ode on the Day of Ascension.” Summary

In his work, the author glorifies the greatness of Russia, the riches of its lands and seas, happy villages, strong cities, and harvests. Then he moves on to the image of Elizabeth. Lomonosov describes her as beautiful, kind, generous, calm, having ended the war on Russian soil. He says that science is developing in peaceful Russia, and good times have come. All this is described using various metaphors and others with which Lomonosov’s ode “On the Day of Ascension” is full.

In the last part he returns to the “source of mercy” - Elizabeth. Lomonosov calls her the angel of peaceful years. He says that the Almighty protects and blesses her.

Analysis of M. V. Lomonosov’s ode on the day of the accession of Empress Elisaveta Petrovna

As readers have probably noticed, the author praises the empress for peacetime. However, it was not like that. This was the only way he tried to convey to the empress his opinion that Russia had enough of fighting, a lot of blood had been shed, it was time to enjoy peace.

Why is he writing about this? At that time, the question arose about whether Russia would participate in the war along with the countries that fought against France and Prussia. The author, like many others, is against this. He wants Russia to develop. Therefore, it can be said that his laudatory ode is political in nature, his own program for peace.

Nevertheless, the empress had merit. She began to conduct peace negotiations with Sweden. Lomonosov did not forget to note this moment in his song of praise (“Ode on the Day of Ascension”). The summary shows us how a scientist and writer praises Elizabeth for the development of science. This is due to the fact that in 1747 the Empress increased the amount of funds for the needs of the Academy. After this act, his famous ode was written by the scientist.

Techniques used in the work

Main literary device, used in the ode, is a metaphor. Thanks to her, Lomonosov manages to beautifully exalt his country, its ruler, and call for peace and development. He calls peacetime beloved silence, war - fiery sounds.

Comparisons are also found in the work: “the soul of her marshmallow is quieter,” “the vision is more beautiful than paradise.”

Thanks to personification, Lomonosov animates various phenomena: “be silent... sounds”, “whirlwinds, do not dare to roar”, “Mars was afraid”, “Neptune was imagining”.

Why did the author choose such a genre as ode for his work?

Lomonosov was a true patriot of his country. He praised her in every possible way, rooted for her with all his soul. Many of his works were written in the genre of ode. This is due to the fact that this genre allowed him to glorify everything that seemed significant to him. After all, “ode” is translated from Greek as “song”. This genre helped Lomonosov use a majestic style and artistic techniques. Thanks to him, he was able to convey his view of the development of Russia. At the same time, he maintained the classicistic rigor of the language in his “Ode on the Day of Ascension.” The summary shows us how important the author was able to touch upon in his ode. Another genre would hardly have given him the opportunity to so eloquently convey his ideas and views to the ruler.

Conclusion

We have examined one of the best literary works written by M.V. Lomonosov - “Ode on the day of Elizabeth Petrovna’s accession to the throne.” The summary showed what topics the author touched upon, how he conveyed them, and what significance they had. We learned that Lomonosov was a patriot. He wanted the ruler Elizabeth to continue the work of her father: to engage in education and science.

We learned that the scientist and writer was against war and the shedding of blood. With the written ode, he managed to convey his views on the desired future of Russia to the empress herself. Thus, he wrote this work not just in honor of the annual celebration of the empress’s accession to the throne. To them, Lomonosov conveyed to the ruler his vision of the country's development.

Why do you think ode has become one of the main genres? literary creativity M.V. Lomonosov?

Lomonosov gave preference in works of art heroic themes, asserted the glory and power of the Russian state, sang the victories of Russian weapons, saw the future of his country in enlightenment, the dissemination of sciences, and domestic education. The task of glorifying the state and its most worthy statesmen and military figures was best met by the ode. In the poem “Conversation with Anacreon,” Lomonosov explained this literary passion of his in the following words:

Although I am not deprived of heartfelt tenderness in love, I am more delighted with the eternal glory of heroes.

Although in his youth Lomonosov loved to write love songs, two of which have survived to this day, main task for him it became through examples national heroes to instill in their fellow citizens a sense of duty and a desire for socially useful activities. The ode genre then made it possible to combine lyricism and journalism in a large work, to speak out on issues of national importance, and to do this, according to the popular researcher of Russian literature of the 18th century A.V. Zapadov, powerfully, figuratively, beautifully.

What, in your opinion, is the main, leading theme of “Ode on the day of accession to the All-Russian throne of Her Majesty Empress Elisaveta Petrovna, 1747”? How are other seemingly freely developing topics related to it?

The theme leading is “Odes on the day of accession to the All-Russian throne...” - the theme of Russia, its present and future, the praise of its greatness, wealth, i.e. the theme is patriotic. It is revealed through a number of subordinate themes that specify the author’s attitude towards his homeland and its people. Among them are the images of Peter I and Empress Elisaveta Petrovna, personifying Russia and carrying out progressive reforms, the theme of war and peace (beloved silence), the theme of science and art, the beauty and enormous natural wealth of Russia, as well as the theme of the young generation, symbolizing its future prosperity.

Try to characterize the image of the empress created by Lomonosov in the ode. Compare it with the image of Elizabeth in the portraits of Russian artists of the 18th century known to you.

Glorification of the monarch is one of distinctive features classicist ode, since his image symbolizes the strength and unity of the state, for Russian classicists it is an enlightened monarch who patronizes the law and sciences, who sees the goal of his activities as the well-being of his subjects. This is how Elisaveta Petrovna is depicted in the ode. Her image has a ceremonial, solemn character. As a classicist, Lomonosov, in the image of a monarch, captured his vision of power and who stands at its pinnacle. The Empress in Lomonosov's ode is beautiful and majestic (a vision more beautiful than paradise), she stops wars in the name of the peace of the Russians. The verbal description of the empresses in Lomonosov's odes (Catherine I, Elizaveta Petrovna and Catherine II) was quite consistent with their artistic depiction in the portraits of the classicists. When creating the image of the Russian monarch, artists adhered to the formula “Elizabeth is Peter today,” meaning the resumption and continuation of Peter’s reforms after a decade of Bironovism during the reign of Anna Ioannovna. The advanced part of Russian society hoped for further development Peter's affairs in peacetime.

Cries are heard in the valleys:

“The great daughter of Peter exceeds the generosity of her father, deepens the contentment of the muses, and fortunately opens the door.”

There is a well-known portrait of Elizaveta Petrovna I. Vishnyakov (1743), which is exhibited in the Tretyakov Gallery. The Empress rises majestically above the world, like an immutable pyramid. She is royally motionless, which is emphasized by the coronation robe, the mantle. The image of the autocrat is complemented by such attributes of power as a crown, scepter and orb. On the motionless face there is an expression of greatness and a benevolent smile addressed to his subjects. It seems that Lomonosov’s words are addressed to this appearance of Elizabeth:

This glory belongs to you alone, Monarch, Your vast power, Oh, how it thanks you!

And an appeal characteristic of the solemn odic style:

Look at the high mountains, Look at your wide fields... What attitude did Lomonosov express towards Peter I? What artistic techniques characteristic of classicism are used in the depiction of Peter? How do they affect the reader's perception?

As already mentioned, Peter I for Russian classicists is an ideal enlightened sovereign who cares about strengthening the Russian state, its military power, development of sciences and arts. This is how he is depicted in the ode “On the day of the accession to the All-Russian throne of Her Majesty the Empress Elisaveta Petrovna, 1747.” In his depiction one can see a clear orientation towards antiquity, inherent in the creation of the image of the hero. To show the strength and greatness of Peter I and his deeds, the author uses a comparison with the god of war, Mars, who “feared his sword in Peter’s hands in vain”; Neptune is surprised looking at the fleet created by Peter (" Russian flag"). In general, the ode often mentions ancient realities - the names of gods, muses, Parnassus, with which he compares the collection of muses on Russian soil, the philosopher Plato. At the same time, Lomonosov sees in the appearance of Peter the Great the divine will, the will of the “creator of the world,” which glorifies the creator who sent a man to Russia:

What was unheard of from time to time. Through all the obstacles, he raised the Head, crowned with victories, Russia, trampled by rudeness, raised him to the skies.

Of course, Lomonosov’s odes express a sincere admiration for Peter, albeit an idealized one. The poet seems to forget at what cost his transformations were achieved.

How is Russia depicted in the ode? What attracts the poet's attention? What epithets and comparisons does he use to recreate the image of the Motherland?

Comparing Russia with other countries and their assets, Lomonosov gives Russia an advantage. These are the high mountains, the wide fields, the great rivers Volga, Dnieper, Ob, Lena, equal in width to the seas, a huge expanse of land, the wealth that India boasts of. Russia's riches include deep forests, diverse fauna. As if presenting the empress with her vast possessions, Lomonosov glorifies Russia. And here it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the object of praise in the ode - Elisaveta Petrovna or the vast country under her jurisdiction. These two images sometimes merge into one in the perception of readers, which indicates the priority for the poet of the image of the great native power and its good.

We will glorify your gift to the skies, And we will place a sign of your generosity, Where the sun rises and where the Amur spins on the green banks, Wanting to return again to your power from Manchuria.