Literary and philosophical position of A.P. Sumarokov in the polemic with V.K. Trediakovsky

Abstract

The philosophical views of Aleksandr P. Sumarokov, one of the greatest Russian writers and thinkers of the middle of the 18th century, were also reflected in his literary works, including those written in the genre of tragedy, the most important one for this author. This article is an attempt to examine the philosophical system outlined in Sumarokov's early tragedies through the prism of criticism by his literary opponent – Vasily K. Trediakovsky, who wrote a review of Sumarokov's first tragedy "Khorev" (1747). The fundamental difference in the interpretation of the nature of social "prejudices" which the writers demonstrate, sheds light on the way Sumarokov understood human nature in general, as well as the essence of its good and evil beginnings. The writer's philosophical system, found both in his artistic and publicistic works (the articles "On Disagreement", "On Unjust Foundations", "On the Reason of Man According to Locke" and others, published in the magazine "Trudolyubivaya Pchela" (The Laboring Bee) in 1759) bears the imprint of the ideological influence of Voltaire, H. von Wolf, John Locke and others, but is in fact quite original. The study of the evolution of Sumarokov's tragedy and the creative history of his individual works allows us to trace the formation and transformation of these views: the author of the article examines Sumarokov's four early tragedies ("Khorev", "Hamlet", "Sinav and Truvor", and "Artystone"), written at the time when the writer's philosophical views were formed, and compares two revisions of the tragedy "Khorev". It is concluded that as Sumarokov's tragedy evolved, the metaphysical foundations of the artistic world of the plays became more Christianized, and the role of pagan motifs in it diminished.