(Russian) is a broad concept, and everyone puts their own meaning into it. If you ask readers what associations it evokes in them, then the answers will be different. For some, this is the basis of the library fund, someone will say that the works of classical Russian literature are a kind of sample with high artistic merit. For schoolchildren, this is everything that is studied at school. And they will all be absolutely right in their own way. So what exactly is classical literature? Russian literature, today we will talk only about it. We will talk about foreign classics in another article.
Russian literature
There is a generally accepted periodization of formation and development domestic literature. Its history is divided into the following time periods:
What works are called classics?
Many readers are sure that classical literature (Russian) is Pushkin, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy - that is, the works of those writers who lived in the 19th century. It's not like that at all. The era of the Middle Ages and the 20th century can be classical. By what canons and principles to determine whether a novel or a story is a classic? First, a classic work must have a high artistic value to be a model for others. Secondly, it must have worldwide recognition, it must be included in the fund of world culture.
And you need to be able to distinguish between the concepts of classical and popular literature. A classic is something that has stood the test of time, and oh popular work can quickly forget. If its relevance continues for more than a dozen years, perhaps it will eventually become a classic as well.
Origins of Russian classical literature
IN late XVIII century, the newly formed nobility of Russia split into two opposing camps: conservatives and reformers. Such a split was due to different attitudes towards the changes that took place in life: Peter's reforms, understanding of the tasks of the Enlightenment, the sore peasant question, attitude towards power. This struggle of extremes led to the rise of spirituality, self-consciousness, which gave rise to Russian classics. We can say that it was forged in the course of dramatic processes in the country.
Classical literature (Russian), having been born in the complex and contradictory 18th century, was finally formed in the 19th century. Its main features are: national identity, maturity, self-awareness.
Russian classical literature of the 19th century
The growth of national consciousness played an important role in the development of the culture of that time. Opening more and more educational institutions, the social significance of literature is increasing, writers are beginning to pay much attention to mother tongue. even more made me think about what is happening in the country.
Karamzin's influence on the development of 19th century literature
Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin, the greatest Russian historian, writer and journalist, was the most influential figure in the Russian cultures XVIII-XIX centuries His historical novels and the monumental "History of the Russian State" had a huge impact on the work of subsequent writers and poets: Zhukovsky, Pushkin, Griboedov. He is one of the great reformers of the Russian language. Karamzin introduced a large number of new words into use, without which we cannot imagine modern speech today.
Russian classical literature: a list of the best works
Select and list the best literary works- the task is difficult, because each reader has his own preferences and tastes. A novel that for one will be a masterpiece, another will seem boring and uninteresting. How, then, to compile a list of classical Russian literature that would satisfy the majority of readers? One way is to conduct surveys. On their basis, it is possible to draw conclusions about which work the readers themselves consider the best of the proposed options. These data collection methods are carried out regularly, although the data may vary slightly over time.
The list of the best creations of Russian classics, according to the versions of literary magazines and Internet portals, looks like this:
In no case should this list be considered a reference. In some ratings and polls, not Bulgakov, but Leo Tolstoy or Alexander Pushkin may be in the first place, and some of the writers listed may not exist at all. Ratings are extremely subjective. It is better to make a list of your favorite classics for yourself and focus on it.
The Importance of Russian Classical Literature
The creators of Russian classics have always had a great social responsibility. They never acted as moralizers, did not give ready-made answers in their works. Writers set a difficult task for the reader and forced him to think about its solution. They raised in their works serious social and public problems, which even now have for us great importance. Therefore, Russian classics remain as relevant today.
Surely many people believe that classical works, by their definition, are long, boring, have many years of limitation of writing, and therefore are not always understandable for modern reader. This is a common mistake. After all, in fact, the classic is everything that is not subject to time. The themes revealed in such works are relevant for any age. And if a 19th-century author were to write such a book now, it would again become a bestseller. The best classics are brought to your attention. They conquered millions of readers. And even those who claim to be dissatisfied with the creation of the author, believe me, did not remain indifferent.
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The novel consists of two different, but intertwined parts. The time of the first is modern Moscow, the second is ancient Jerusalem. Each part is filled with events and characters - historical, fictional, as well as scary and amazing creatures.
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What forces move the people? They are the result of actions individuals- kings, generals - or such a feeling as patriotism, or there is a third force that determines the direction of history. The main characters are painfully looking for the answer to this question.
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The novel is based on the experience that Dostoevsky received in hard labor. The student Raskolnikov, who lived in poverty for several months, is convinced that a humane goal will justify the most terrible act, even the murder of a greedy and useless old pawnbroker.
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A novel that was ahead of its time and came out long before such a cultural phenomenon like postmodernism. The main characters of the work - 4 sons born from different mothers - symbolize those irrepressible elements that can lead to the death of Russia.
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Should I stay with my husband, who was always indifferent to her inner world and never loved her, or should I give myself with all my heart to the one who made her feel happy? Throughout the novel, the heroine, the young aristocrat Anna, suffers from such a choice.
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The poor young prince is returning by train home to Russia. On the way, he meets the son of one of the rich merchants, who is obsessed with a passion for one girl, a kept woman. In the metropolitan society, obsessed with money, power and manipulation, the prince turns out to be an outsider.
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Despite the name, the work itself has nothing to do with mysticism, which is mainly inherent in the work of this writer. In the tradition of "severe" realism, the life of landowners in the Russian provinces is described, where a former official comes to pull off his scam.
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The young Petersburg rake, having had enough of love and secular entertainment, leaves for the village, where a friendship is struck up with a poet who is in love with one of the daughters of a local nobleman. The second daughter falls in love with the rake, but he does not return her feelings.
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The famous Moscow surgeon decides to conduct a very risky experiment on a stray dog in his large apartment, where he receives patients. As a result, the animal began to turn into a human. But at the same time he acquired all human vices.
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People come to the provincial town who, it would seem, cannot be connected with anything. But they know each other because they belong to the same revolutionary organization. Their goal is to arrange a political revolt. Everything goes according to plan, but one revolutionary decides to quit the game.
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iconic work XIX century. In the center of the story is a student who does not accept traditional public morality and opposes everything old, non-progressive. For him represents the price only scientific knowledge which can explain everything. Except love.
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By profession he was a doctor, by vocation he was a writer, whose talent was fully revealed when creating short humorous stories. They quickly became classics all over the world. In them, in an accessible language - the language of humor - human vices are revealed.
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This piece is on par with Gogol's poem. In it, the main character is also a young adventurer who is ready to promise everyone what, in principle, is impossible to do. And all for the sake of a treasure, which a few more people know about. And no one is going to share it.
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After a three-year separation, young Alexander returns to the house of his beloved Sophia to propose to her. However, she refuses him and says that she now loves another. The rejected lover begins to blame the society in which Sophia grew up.
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What should a real nobleman do if the life of a young noble girl depends on him? Sacrifice yourself, but do not drop the honor. This is what the young officer directs when the fortress in which he serves is attacked by the impostor tsar.
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Terrible poverty and hopelessness suffocate the old inhabitant of Cuba. One day he, as usual, goes to sea, not hoping for a big catch. But this time, a large prey comes across his hook, with which the fisherman fights for several days, not giving her the opportunity to leave.
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Ragin selflessly serves as a doctor. However, his zeal is coming to naught, he sees no reason to change life around him, because it is impossible to cure the madness that reigns around him. The doctor begins daily visits to the ward where the mentally ill are kept.
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What is more destructive - to do nothing and only indulge in dreams about how it is worth living, or to get up from the couch and start realizing your plans? The young and lazy landowner Ilya Ilyich at first occupied the first position, but after falling in love, he woke up from his sleepy state.
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You can write great works not only about life big city but also about the life of a small Ukrainian farm. During the day, the usual rules apply here, and at night power passes to supernatural forces which can both help and destroy at the same time.
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A talented surgeon settles illegally in Paris, but at the same time he is not prevented from practicing medical practice. Before moving, he lived in Germany, from which he fled, but at the same time he let his beloved die. In the new place, he quickly begins another romance.
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The Russian tutor goes on a journey with the family in which he serves. At the same time, he is secretly in love with the girl Polina. And so that she understands all his nobility, he begins to play roulette in the hope of getting big money. And he succeeds, but the girl does not accept the winnings.
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The world of family comfort, nobility and true patriotism is breaking down under the onslaught of a social catastrophe in Russia. The fleeing Russian officers settle in Ukraine and hope that they will not fall under the rule of the Bolsheviks here. But one day the defense of the city weakens, and the enemy goes on the offensive.
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Cycle small works, which are written in a different artistic manner. Here you can find both a romantic duelist and sentimental stories about eternal love, and a harsh picture of a reality in which money rules, and because of them, a person can lose the most important thing.
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What Pushkin did not succeed in his time, Dostoevsky succeeded. The work is completely a correspondence between a poor official and a young girl who also has a small income. But at the same time, the heroes are not poor in soul.
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A story about the invincibility and resilience of a man who does not want to be someone's loyal soldier. For the sake of freedom, Hadji Murad goes over to the side of the imperial troops, but he does this in order to save not himself, but his family, which is held captive by the enemy.
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In these seven works, the author leads us through the streets of St. Petersburg, which was built with the help of strength and ingenuity in a swampy area. Deception and violence hide under its harmonious façade. The inhabitants are confused by the city itself, giving them false dreams.
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This compilation short stories- first major work which won recognition for the author. It is based on personal observations while hunting on his mother's estate, where Turgenev learned about abuse with the peasants and the injustice of the Russian system.
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The protagonist is the son of a landowner whose property was confiscated by a corrupt and treacherous general. After the death of his father, the hero becomes a criminal. To achieve the ultimate goal - revenge - he resorts to more cunning means: he seduces the daughter of his enemy.
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This classic novel about the war is written from the perspective of a young German soldier. The hero is only 18 years old, and he, under the pressure of his family, friends and society, enters military service and goes to the front. There he witnesses such horrors that he dares not tell anyone.
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Mischievous and energetic Tom enjoys childish pranks and games with his friends. One day, at the city cemetery, he witnesses a murder committed by a local tramp. The hero makes a vow that he will never talk about it, and so begins his journey into adulthood.
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The story of a miserable Petersburg official who was robbed of his expensive overcoat. No one wants to help him return the thing, from which the hero eventually becomes seriously ill. Even during the life of the author, critics adequately appreciated the work from which all Russian realism was born.
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The novel is on a par with another work of the author - "The Call of the Ancestors". Most of « White Fang” is also written from the point of view of the dog whose name appears in the title. This allows the author to show how animals see their world and how they see a person.
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The novel tells the story of 19-year-old Arkady - the illegitimate son of a landowner and a maid - as he struggles to make amends and "become a Rothschild" despite Russia still being tied to its old value system.
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A novel about how the hero, who is very broken and disappointed due to a failed marriage, returns to his estate and finds his love again - only to lose it. This reflects the main theme: a person is not destined to experience happiness, except as something ephemeral.
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A dark and fascinating tale tells of the struggle of an indecisive, aloof hero in a world of relative values. The innovative work introduces moral, religious, political and social topics, which dominate the later masterpieces of the author.
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The narrator arrives in Sevastopol, which is under siege, and makes a detailed inspection of the city. As a result, the reader has the opportunity to study all the features of military life. We get to the dressing station, where horror reigns, and to the most dangerous bastion.
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The work is partly based on the life experience of the author, who took part in the war in the Caucasus. A nobleman, disillusioned with his life of privilege, enlists in the army to escape superficiality. Everyday life. A hero in search of a full life. 38.$
First social romance the author, which is partly an artistic introduction for those who belonged to the previous era, but lived at a time when political and social movements began. This era has already been forgotten, but it is worth remembering.
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One of the greatest and most successful dramatic works. A Russian aristocrat and her family return to their estate to see how the public auction is going, where their house and huge garden are put up for debt. The old masters lose in the fight against the new trends of life.
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The hero was sentenced to death on charges of killing his wife, but was subsequently exiled to Siberian penal servitude for 10 years. Life in prison is hard for him - he is an intellectual and experiences the anger of other prisoners. Gradually, he overcomes disgust and experiences a spiritual awakening.
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On the eve of his wedding, a young aristocrat learns that his fiancee had an affair with the king. It was a blow to his pride, so he renounces everything worldly and takes the vows as a monk. So pass long years of humility and doubt. Until he decides to become a hermit.
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A manuscript falls into the hands of the editor, which tells about a young and depraved man who worked as a forensic investigator. It becomes one of the "corners" in love triangle in which a married couple is involved. The outcome of the story is the murder of his wife.
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A work banned until 1988, in which, through the fate of a military doctor, the story of a people who perished in the turmoil of the revolution is told. From the general madness, the hero, together with his family, runs deep into the country, where he meets the one he does not want to let go.
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The protagonist, like all his friends, is a war veteran. He is a poet at heart, but works for a friend who runs a small tombstone business. This money is not enough, and he receives additional income by giving private lessons and playing the organ in a local mental hospital.
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In a foreign war, Frederic falls in love with a nurse and tries to seduce her, after which their relationship begins. But one day the hero is wounded by a fragment of a mortar shell, and he is sent to a Milan hospital. There, away from the war, he is healed - both physically and morally.
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During breakfast, the barber discovers a human nose in his bread. With horror, he recognizes it as the nose of a regular visitor who bears the rank of collegiate assessor. In turn, the injured official discovers the loss and submits an absurd ad to the newspaper.
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The protagonist, a boy, striving for independence and freedom, escapes from his alcoholic father by faking his own death. And so begins his journey through the south of the country. He meets a runaway slave and they float down the Mississippi River together.
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The plot of the poem is based on the events that really took place in St. Petersburg in 1824. The political, historical and existential questions that the author formulates with dazzling power and conciseness continue to be the subject of controversy among critics.
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In order to save his beloved, who was forcibly taken away by an evil sorcerer, the warrior Ruslan will have to go on an epic and dangerous journey, facing many fantastic and terrible creatures. This is a dramatic and witty retelling of Russian folklore.
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The most famous play describes a family of aristocrats who struggle to find any meaning in their lives. The three sisters and their brother live in a remote province, but they struggle to return to the sophisticated Moscow where they grew up. The play captures the decline of the "masters of life".
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The hero is obsessed with an all-consuming love for one princess, who hardly knows about his existence. One day, a society lady receives an expensive bracelet for her birthday. The husband finds a secret admirer and asks him to stop compromising a decent woman.
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In this classic literary representation of gambling, the author explores the nature of the obsession. Secret and otherworldly clues alternate with the story of a fiery Herman who wants to make his fortune at the card table. The secret of success is known to one old woman.
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Muscovite Gurov is married and has a daughter and two sons. However, he is not happy family life and often cheats on his wife. Resting in Yalta, he sees a young lady walking along the embankment with her little dog, and is constantly looking for opportunities to get to know her.
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This collection is in some way the culmination of the work that he did throughout his life. The stories were written on the eve of a terrible world war in the context of a collapsing Russian culture. The action of each work concentrates on a love theme.
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The story is told from the point of view of an anonymous narrator who reminisces about his youth, in particular his stay in a small town west of the Rhine. Critics consider the hero a classic "extra person" - indecisive and undecided about his place in life.
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Four laconic plays, later known as "Little Tragedies", were written at the moment of the rise of creative forces, and their influence cannot be overestimated. Being the author's transcription of plays by Western European authors, "Tragedies" offer readers topical problems.
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This story takes place in Europe, in a hedonistic society during the Roaring Twenties. rich girl, suffering from schizophrenia, falls in love with her psychiatrist. As a result, a whole saga of troubled marriages, love affairs, duels and incest unfolds.
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Some scholars distinguish three poems in the work of this author, in which one original idea. One of them is, of course, Mtsyri. The main character is a 17-year-old monk who was forcibly taken away from his village as a child, and one day he escapes.
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A completely young mongrel runs away from her permanent owner and finds herself a new one. It turns out to be an artist who performs in a circus with numbers in which animals participate. Therefore, for a smart little dog, his own separate number is immediately invented.
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In this story, among its many themes, such as Europeanized Russian society, adultery and provincial life, the theme of a woman comes to the fore, or rather, the planning of a murder by a woman. The title of the piece is a reference to Shakespeare's play.
61. Leo Tolstoy - Fake Coupon
Schoolboy Mitya is in desperate need of money - he needs to repay the debt. Depressed by this situation, he follows the evil advice of his friend, who showed him how to change the denomination of the banknote. This act sets off a chain of events that affects the lives of dozens of other people.
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Most outstanding work Proust, which is known for its length and the theme of involuntary memories. The novel began to take shape as early as 1909. The author continued to work on it until his last illness which caused the work to stop.
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The voluminous poem tells the story of seven peasants who set out to ask various sections of the village population if they are happy. But wherever they went, they were always given an unsatisfactory answer. Of the planned 7-8 parts, the author wrote only half.
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A story about sad life a young girl who lived in extreme poverty and became an orphan in an instant, but is adopted by rich family. When she meets her new stepsister, Katya, she instantly falls in love with her, and both soon become inseparable.
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Main character - classic hero Hemingway: a violent guy, an underground liquor dealer who smuggles weapons and transports people from Cuba to the Florida Keys. He risks his life to dodge the Coast Guard's bullets and manages to outsmart her.
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During a train ride, one of the passengers overhears a conversation going on in the compartment. When one woman claims that marriage should be based on true love he asks her: what is love? In his opinion, love quickly turns into hatred, and tells his story.
67. Leo Tolstoy - Notes of the marker
The narrator is a simple marker, a person who keeps score and arranges balls on a billiard table. If the game goes well and the players come across not stingy, then he gets a good reward. But one day a very gambling young man appears in the club.
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The protagonist is looking for peace in Polissya, which should cheer him up. But in the end he gets one unbearable boredom. But one day, having gone astray, he comes across a hut, where an old woman and her beautiful granddaughter are waiting for him. After such a magical meeting, the hero becomes a frequent guest here.
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In the center of attention is a janitor of high stature and powerful physique. He falls in love with a young washerwoman and wants to marry her. But the lady decides differently: the girl goes to the eternally drunk shoemaker. The hero finds his consolation in caring for a small dog.
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One evening, the three sisters shared their dreams with each other: what would they do if they became the wives of the king. But the prayers of only the third sister were heard - Tsar Saltan marries her and orders her to give birth to an heir by a certain date. But envious sisters begin to mischief.
All the romantic pathos that shrouded the Middle Ages is presented in Ivanhoe. Valiant Knights, lovely ladies, castle sieges and the political subtleties of vassal relations - all this found a place in the novel by Walter Scott.
In many ways, it was his creation that contributed to the romanticization of the Middle Ages. The author described historical events, which cover the period in English history after the Third crusade. Of course, there were some serious artistic improvisations and fiction, but this made the story only more exciting and beautiful.
It was impossible not to include in this selection the most famous creation of Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol. For many schoolchildren, the study of "Dead Souls" is the highlight of the literature lessons.
Nikolai Gogol is one of the few classics who knew how to write about the problems of petty-bourgeois life and Russia as a whole in such a sarcastically direct tone. There is neither the epic heaviness of Tolstoy, nor the unhealthy psychologism of Dostoevsky. Reading is easy and enjoyable. However, hardly anyone will deny him the depth and subtlety of the observed phenomena.
The adventure novel "The Headless Horseman" is multi-layered: detective and love motives are intertwined in it. The plot intricacies create intrigue and keep you in suspense until the very last pages of the book. Who is this headless horseman? A ghost, a figment of the heroes' imagination, or someone's insidious trick? You are unlikely to fall asleep until you get an answer to this question.
Charles Dickens was extremely popular during his lifetime. People were waiting for him following novels about the same as we are now waiting for the release of some "Transformers". The educated English public loved his books for inimitable style and story dynamics.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club is Dickens' funniest work. The adventures of English snobs, who proclaimed themselves to be researchers of human souls, are full of ridiculous and comical situations. Social issues, of course, is present here, but it is presented in such a simple form that one cannot fall in love with English classic after reading it is simply impossible.
Madame Bovary is rightfully considered one of the greatest novels of the world classics. This title does not detract from the fascination of Flaubert's creation - the defiant story of Emma Bovary's love adventures is bold and daring. After the publication of the novel, the writer was even brought to trial for insulting morality.
The psychological naturalism that permeates the novel allowed Flaubert to clearly reveal the problem that is relevant in any era - the convertibility of love and money.
The most famous work of Oscar Wilde touches the nerve with a deeply developed image of the protagonist. Dorian Gray, an aesthete and a snob, has an extreme beauty that contrasts with the internal ugliness that develops over the course of the story. You can revel in watching Gray's moral decline, allegorically reflected in the visual change in his portrait, for hours on end.
"An American Tragedy" is the underside of the American Dream. The desire for wealth, respect, position in society, money is characteristic of all people, however, for the majority, the path to the top is closed by default for various reasons.
Clyde Griffiths - a native of the grassroots, who is trying with all his might to break into high society. He is ready to do anything for his dreams. But society, with its ideals of success as an absolute life purpose is itself a catalyst for the violation of morality. As a result, Clyde breaks the law in order to achieve his goals.
To Kill a Mockingbird is an autobiographical novel. Harper Lee described her childhood memories. The result is a story with an anti-racist message, written in simple and accessible language. Reading the book is useful and interesting, it can be called a textbook of morality.
Not so long ago, a continuation of the novel was published under the title " Go set a watchman". It's got so much inside out characters. classical work writers that cognitive dissonance when reading cannot be avoided.
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Domestic fiction has always been characterized by a focus on displaying the inner world of heroes. This is main feature creativity of Russian writers. The ability to describe the morals of the characters in such a way that the reader has a vivid emotional response is admired by many critics of past centuries and the present. Description of spiritual contradictions, overcoming moral obstacles, attempts to find the right solution in situations where personal needs are in confrontation with public ideas about duty and decency, finding one's own way - all this the best Russian books hide behind their bindings and covers. The current review contains works that have played a significant role in the personal development of more than one generation. Non-trivial plots, memorable characters that have become symbols of eras, elements of merciless sarcasm and sad irony are perceived by readers in different ways, but even those who are not used to absorbing the meaning of printed lines with every cell do not remain indifferent open heart. So, top 10 best Russian books of all times.
10. Two captains, Veniamin Kaverin
Written by the Soviet prose writer Veniamin Kaverin, even during the life of the author, this novel brought the creator the highest literary award that time in the USSR - Stalin Prize. sustained in the spirit of patriotic heroism and adventurous adventure, the work tells about the amazing intersection of the destinies of two worthy people era. The dangerous expedition of Captain Tatarinov to the northern shores haunted Sanka Grigoriev with early childhood. Having matured, the young man decides to repeat the route of the brave navigator. On this difficult path, many unexpected meetings and discoveries, as well as the opportunity to find love and discover qualities in yourself, the presence of which in other circumstances is difficult to guess. Some of the heroes of history have real prototypes. Expedition to the region eternal ice described with the reliability with which it is possible to interpret the circumstances described in the diaries of the members of the team of researchers of the Arctic waters Brusilov and Sedov.
9. Crime and Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
Included in the school curriculum, the philosophical novel of the great Russian classic F. M. Dostoevsky undoubtedly provides much more reason for reflection than the minds of high school students can capture. However, the work can influence the formation of their inner views and beliefs, become a motivating phenomenon for the desire to compose own opinion and tell others about it. The question of whether a person has the right to dispose of someone else's life (even in the context of the subsequent performance of good deeds) is one of the eternally relevant. The protagonist is a student who has overcome the threshold of poverty and is steadily striving for a social abyss, for poverty. Desperation leads him to the idea of getting money by committing murder. Justifying his act, Raskolnikov convinces himself that the future victim is an unworthy person, and her means will help many more. noble people improve life. Does the hero have reason to reason in this way when his main opponent is his own conscience? In this inevitable dialogue, there are obviously losers, but the outcome becomes known only after the fatal decision is made.
8. Dead Souls, Nikolai Gogol
A work conceived by the author in the format three volumes, has an unusual genre definition for a prosaic text. Gogol called his epistolary work a poem and presented it to the world in 1842. Masterfully using the technique of generalization where appropriate, the author managed to create an encyclopedic collection of characters of representatives of various social strata of the middle of the century before last. In the center of the presentation is the adventurer Chichikov. He accumulates around him people who embody bright and eloquent images of landowners, noble or ruined. The task of a visiting guest is to acquire serfs, who, according to documents, are considered deceased. What caused such interest, and which souls are actually long dead? Immortal literary classic and one of the best Russian books appears as a field for limitless knowledge in the ephemeral sphere of human passions.
7. Amphibian Man, Alexander Belyaev
The Amphibian Man is one of the best Russian science fiction books that has gained immense popularity among the readers of Soviet society and has remained the standard of the corresponding genre in the modern world. Based on Dr. Salvator's amazing experiment. Originally with the noble goal of saving the life of a dying child, the surgical experience resulted in a man with the unique ability to breathe underwater. The sea became a native element for Ichthyander, however insidious people decide to use the hero's powers to their advantage. The love line organically fits into the plot and adds sensuality to the narrative, provokes empathy. The struggle for life and love, merged into a single weighty reason to resist evil, prompted talented Soviet directors create art picture, which gathered at the screens a record number of viewers for that time.
6. Heart of a Dog, Mikhail Bulgakov
A vivid personification of the essence of the socialist society that was formed by the 20s of the last century. The amazing ability to embody the spirit of the era in the characters literary heroes possessed brilliant writer Michael Bulgakov. His hero, Professor Preobrazhensky, demonstrates the unusual revolutionary nature of scientific ideas by constantly performing extraordinary surgical operations. Their action is aimed at obtaining results that mark unprecedented progress in medicine. Another job - transplantation of the pituitary gland of a deceased person to a dog. To the surprise of the genius himself, the object not only survives, but amazingly finds a place in the new society. Taking on the features of a real activist, the new Sharik, named according to the documents as Polygraph Poligrafovich, does not respect the creator, tries to force him out of his personal apartments, writes slander, and conducts provocative indecent speeches in public. These manifestations of character help the hero get the position of chief in the structure for the fight against those to whom Sharikov himself only recently belonged, namely, stray dogs. Only the professor can rein in time again and correct the mistake, which soon begins to threaten his life and well-being. But how is this possible?
5. Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
In the middle of the ranking of the best Russian books is The Brothers Karamazov. The work can be safely assessed as a successful attempt to revise, understand and evaluate moral religious values through the prism of relationships between members of a separate family. Dostoevsky again set up a provocative experiment on human self-consciousness, clearly displayed the serious struggle within the boundaries of the soul of each of the three brothers and their father. The novel is complex, but the insane interest in it arises due to the interweaving of the psychological aspects of the personality and the external religious instructions to which it is subjected. The final point is self-acceptance and finding God within, and not subconsciously forced humility. But which of the brothers will be able to achieve this knowledge before the sins become irreversible, and how useful will it be to them? A connoisseur of mental torment, Fyodor Mikhailovich created Mitya, Alyosha, Ivan and Fyodor Karamazov on the pages of the novel in such a way that the possibility of their real existence is beyond doubt.
4. White Guard, Mikhail Bulgakov
There is nothing more destructive for a country than a war within its borders. Open armed struggle between the inhabitants of the once united state affects the life of every citizen, forcing him to make choices for which it is impossible to be prepared. Civil War finds the intelligent Turbin family in Kyiv. The heroes become witnesses of how the familiar reality changes daily, requiring them to take active actions at every step. Someone prefers to accept and passively watch how everything that was once of great value turns into dust and dirt underfoot. Others dare to enter into confrontation and defend in any way the right to life, love, a natural manifestation of justice and freedom.
3. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
The grandiose epic, which embodies the curious biographies of entire family clans and chronicles of the events of the war with Napoleon, opens the top three Russian books. Four volumes - an impressive panorama that sweeps before the reader as a bright whirlwind of extraordinary destinies. Bezukhovs, Kuragins, Rostovs, Bolkonskys - these names became common nouns and excluded oblivion for their representatives, thanks to the novel by Leo Tolstoy. The character of each character is drawn so carefully that it is very difficult to remain indifferent to the events of his life. The circumstances in which the author places the characters remain in the memory and acquire nominal characteristics. What is the scene where Prince Bolkonsky is given to reflections at the old oak tree! Tolstoy masterfully shows evolution human soul against the background of external objective metamorphoses. Total time described actions is approaching 15 years. Only the epilogue will make you understand the scale of the influence of this period on the characters, and what is read on the reader.
2. Quiet Don, Mikhail Sholokhov
The beginning of the last century was marked for Russia by a number of political and social cataclysms that became life-changing trials for people of all faiths and social statuses. Characters of Sholokhov's novel - Don Cossacks. During the war of 1914-1918 and subsequent civil armed clashes, during the formation of a new government and radical changes in the foundations of the state structure main character epic named Grigory Melekhov is tormented by the need to make a moral and factual choice. There is a sharp political line in the novel, created on the basis of Gregory's definition in relation to the formed power structures, and a lyrical one. Melekhov turns out to be married to a girl he does not love, and happiness with the desired Aksinya seems to be elusive. Time passes, the hero is forced to put up with the consequences own decisions, the value of which he failed to assess properly in time. A powerful impact on the reader is formed due to the talented description of the steppe landscapes, which allows a deeper understanding of the true loneliness and suffering from the loss of the protagonist. Decent second place on the list best books Russian writers.
1. Master and Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov
Tops our small list of the best Russian books "Master and Margarita". Everything is mixed up in this literary masterpiece: past and present, religion and aggressive atheism, diabolical and sinless, vices and ideals, genius and mediocrity, love and base manifestations of passions. Bulgakov worked on the novel until the end of his earthly path. The version of the work available to the public was released due to the efforts and hard work of the writer's wife. The theme of the capital of the Russian state of the 1930s reveals catastrophic wormholes in the hearts of its inhabitants. The leitmotif of the confrontation between the worldviews of the Fifth Procurator of Judea and one of those condemned to death by him makes you mentally touch eternity and feel its frightening constancy. An absorbing story of sensual affection, captivating elements of mysticism, capacious quotes that remain relevant, encourage you to read the novel to the last line and absorb the meaning of each word, chosen with amazing accuracy.
valuable treasures epistolary genre are described the best Russian books. Numerous film adaptations classic stories are the works of not only Russian directors, but also foreign ones. The popularity of Russian classics among representatives of the foreign cultural community is explained by the constant efforts to understand and explain the motives of the secretive and therefore mysterious soul Russian person. Domestic readers can only be proud and admire such a rich, inspiring and amazing literary heritage.
Literature as an art form is extremely diverse. But each of its genres has its best, so to speak, exemplary works. These books form an array classical literature, they will never go out of fashion, they will be understandable and close to people from different countries and eras.
About the classics
So, we have already found out that classical literature is the best, most talented works created in certain periods. The very concept of classics arose at the end of antiquity. Then it was understood as certain writers who, thanks to their authority, were models for the masters of the word, as well as in the field of obtaining various knowledge.
First classic writer the Greeks certainly considered the famous Homer . Already in ancient times classical period Hellas of his works "Odyssey" and "Iliad" were considered absolute standards dramatic genre that no one else can achieve.
At the end of the ancient era in Europe, a list of canonical works begins to take shape - those texts that were used for educational purposes. In different cultural centers list of names in this list varied, although to a small extent. The backbone of the canon was everywhere composed by the same authors.
Only at the end of the Middle Ages, not only ancient authors, but also writers who lived in more later eras . The list of classical literature began to gradually expand. These works were considered practically impersonal, they were the common property of mankind.
More modern interpretation classics arises during the European Renaissance when literature moves away from religion, secularization of all spheres occurs public life. Then the Greek writers were considered the greatest authorities.
Over time, interest in antiquity increased so much that such a cultural trend as classicism arose. Its essence was to imitate the best examples of Greek art.
Gradually, in addition to the narrow concept of classics, which included Greek literature, a broader interpretation appeared, which included all the best works of literature in a particular genre.
Best Books of Classical Literature
In this category, there are many wonderful works that are worth reading. Something closer modern man, something not very. But all classical literature has significant artistic and universal value . However, there are the best of the best, which in the modern world are considered to be simply mandatory for acquaintance with any educated person:
- Lev Tolstoy ;
- Fedor Dostoevsky ;
- Victor Hugo ;
- Erich Maria Remarque ;
- Ernest Hemingway ;
- Mikhail Bulgakov and many others.
Theodore Dreiser
This book by the famous American writer tells the story of the life of Clyde Griffiths. He set himself the goal of achieving success, climbing up the social ladder.
To do this, Griffiths uses absolutely any methods, be it meanness, betrayal, or even a crime. Novel , who is dressed in the form of a detective, in fact touches on a number of important philosophical and social issues relating to modern society .
William Somerset Maugham
In that famous creation classic of british literature talks about the tragic love story unfolding among exotic surroundings . A young and promising bacteriologist Walter Fane falls madly in love with the windy and superficial girl Kitty. The young lady agrees to marriage only from the consideration that "it's time."
Since Kitty does not love her husband, she quickly starts an affair on the side in Hong Kong, where the couple moved after the wedding. When Walter finds out about the betrayal, he decides to take revenge on his wife in the most cruel way. Further, the plot becomes more and more tragic character and ends with Walter's death.
Well, don't waste your time and start reading. the best works classical prose, which, by the way, are available on our website in free online access.
