Журнал «Филоlogos»

THE GEOPOLITICAL PROJECTS OF RUSSIA OF THE XVIII CENTURY IN THE INTERPRETATION OF G.R. DERZHAVIN AND J.G. BYRON

Author: Rudneva O.N., Sitnikova G.V.

The article deals with the implementation of Russian geopolitical projects in the XVIII century and their perception by the Russian and Western consciousness. Significant historical events of a distant epoch for Russia are considered by the authors in the context of the current geopolitical situation. The capture of the Turkish fortress of Izmail is presented by G.R. Derzhavin and J.G. Byron as an important event for the Russian state, which allowed Russia not only to expand its borders in the East, but also to weaken the West and preserve the Russian mentality. However, if Derzhavin unconditionally accepts the plans of Catherine II, then Byron, striving for objectivity in understanding history, still remains a person of Western self-consciousness. The Russian poet and statesman considers the spiritual potential of the people as a means of solving political, state, socio-economic problems. In the work under study by Derzhavin - "A lyrical Song to Ross on the capture of Izmail" - the concept of state, sovereign construction of Russia is embodied. In "Don Juan" by Byron, a man of Western civilization and an artist who tends to a realistic depiction of the world come into a certain contradiction between themselves. The poet ambiguously assesses Catherine II, A.V. Suvorov, the Russian people. Defining the strengths and weaknesses of the characters of the empress and the commander, the English poet focuses on the fact that the war waged by Russia is the embodiment of tyranny, imperial designs, and in this, according to Byron, Russians differ little from his compatriots. Nevertheless, the analysis of the works of the authors belonging to different cultures shows that during critical periods of Russia's history, the nation was saved by powerful reserves of spiritual strength of the Russian people, who were adherents of the idea of statehood and strengthening of the country. The sovereign layer of the Russian national consciousness acts at key moments of history as a regulator of the relations in the society.