The term "sentimentalism" was formed from the word "sentimental", which literally translated from French means: "sensitive." So in the XVIII century began to be called a literary direction, which includes "sensitive poetry", "romance in letters", "tearful play."
Instruction manual
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The authors, who adhere to sentimentalism, sought not only to reveal in detail the inner world of their heroes, but also to touch readers, arouse pity and sympathy in them. Sentimentalism quickly became very popular, including in Russia. The founder of this literary style in Russia was the famous writer, historian and statesman - Nikolai Mikhailovich Karamzin. He was born in December 1766 in the family of a retired officer. A distant ancestor of the future sentimentalist was the Tatar Kara-Murza, who went to the service of the Russian Tsar. His name, slightly modified into Russian, became a surname. Thus arose the noble family of the Karamzins.
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Fulfilling the will of his father, 16-year-old Nikolai in 1783 entered the service of the most prestigious guards regiment - Preobrazhensky, but soon became disillusioned with military service and retired. A few years later, Karamzin went abroad. He visited many large cities, in particular, Koenigsberg, Paris. The result of this trip, as well as meetings and conversations of Karamzin with some famous people (including Voltaire), was the book "Letters of a Russian Traveler". Published in 1791-1792, it brought a very young author who had barely stepped over the twenty-five year boundary, great fame and glory. And when in 1792 another Karamzin's novel “Poor Liza” was published, it became completely clear that a mature author with his own style, striving to reveal the inner world of a person as fully as possible, came to Russian literature.
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Some researchers believe that it is from these works that modern Russian literature originates, written immaculately correct and at the same time lively and figurative language, without pathos, metaphors, pretentiousness. In the “Letters of a Russian Traveler”, the author seemed to share with the reader his thoughts about himself, about his thoughts, feelings that arise when he sees beautiful monuments, natural objects, from meetings with famous people. He openly talked not only about his enthusiastic impressions, but also about periods of melancholy, homesickness.
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Many authors, delighted and inspired by Karamzin's "Letters of a Russian Traveler, " set about creating similar works. Based on the motives of this book, “Travel to Kazan, Vyatka, and Orenburg in 1800” (Nevzorov), “Travel to Little Russia” (Shpalikov), “Travel to Midday Russia” (Izmailov) and others were soon written. This is how sentimentalism arose and developed in Russia.
