Mikhail Vasilievich Lomonosov is one of the most outstanding personalities of the 18th century. He was an outstanding scientist, journalist and philologist. Lomonosov’s works are still of interest to scientists all over the world and are a striking phenomenon in the history of culture and science.
short biography
Lomonosov was born in the family of an ordinary peasant fisherman. Education Michael received in a local school at the church clerk. The mother of the future scientist died early, and his father remarried. Relations with the stepmother did not develop. They often swore, and the atmosphere in the house was unpleasant for Mikhail.
Lomonosov does a lot of work independently and reads a lot. When he finds out that his father wants to marry him, he pretends to be sick, and then leaves for Moscow to study. He is finishing the best educational institution of the Russian Empire at that time - the Slavic-Greek-Latin Academy. Being one of the best students, he was sent to a university at the Academy of Sciences in St. Petersburg, and then to Germany, where he studied mining, metallurgy, chemistry and other sciences. After returning to Russia, Lomonosov was enrolled in the Academy of Sciences. At this time, he creates the first research laboratories in Russia, and also organizes a university, which later received his name.
Circle of interests
Engineering, languages, mathematics, mechanics, philosophy - this is not a complete list of sciences that Lomonosov was interested in. Classicism, whose works were aimed at rigor, hierarchy and clarity, opened up many possibilities for the future scientist. He also independently studied literature, versification and philology.
Lomonosov was a man who can be safely called a man of universal knowledge. He was literally interested in everything, and he tried to find out everything that is possible in each particular science. Artworks M.V. Lomonosov played a very important role in the development of physics and chemistry, and also had a strong influence on the Russian language.
Lomonosov and philology
Linguistics and philology are important topics to which the works of Lomonosov are devoted. The list includes work on the creation of the phonetic system of the Russian language, as well as an attempt to fully systematize national literature and language.
The scientist assigns an important role to versification. His first work on this subject was “A Letter on the Rules of Russian Poem”. The work is written in a clear and lively style, characterizes the rhythm and pettiness of the Russian language. This work allows us to call Lomonosov the author of Russian versification. He demonstrated his talent in the poem "On the Capture of Khotin", which fully meets all the theoretical statements of the author. The work of “Rhetoric” also deserves attention.
Throughout his work, the scientist pays particular attention to the harmonious comparison of the content of poems with their art form. He also argued that you need to focus not on popular destinations, but to look for something of your own. It is the national characteristics of the language that make it unique. However, he also said that the Russian language should be independent, but not cut off from the rest of the world, therefore all European achievements and advanced ideas also need to be taken into account.
Theory of literature
Lomonosov's works laid the foundation for the Russian national theory of literature. A particularly important role here is played by the development by scientists of methods of versification.
Lomonosov to the existing iamba and chorea offers three-complex options - dactyl, anapaest and amphibrach. The scientist also argued that in verses you can use a variety of rhymes, and not just male and female, about which Trediakovsky wrote.
Poetry of Lomonosov
The poet is another profession that Lomonosov has mastered well. Works, the list of which is quite impressive, clearly show the national expression of the author. He was the first to discover the features of Russian poetry that were subsequently continued and more deeply revealed by his followers. We are talking about such characteristics as optimism, citizenship, interest in the historical past, faith in a better future, and more.
Lomonosov’s works performed several roles at once: they were used for civic education, and also as a method of influencing society. This is due to the role of enlightenment, which played a very large role in the work and life of the scientist. Regardless of what Lomonosov’s works to consider, they all directly or indirectly carry this in themselves. The following works deserve special attention: "Conversation with Anacreon", "Peter the Great", "Inscription on Illumination" and others.
Journalism
Lomonosov's works, the list of which is simply astounding, also concern journalism. Enlightenment played a very important role in the activities of the scientist, he understood that it was the press that was responsible for the dissemination and promotion of information. At that time, the St. Petersburg Vedomosti newspaper was published in Russia, with which a small supplement, Historical, Genealogical, and Geographical Notes, was published. This part was entrusted to Lomonosov for editing.
Later, at the initiative of the scientist at the Academy of Sciences, the first scientific journal “Monthly Works for Employees to Use and Amusement” began to be published, intended for a wide range of readers. The emphasis was on interest and accessibility for people who are not involved in science.
The role of the scientist in the formation of the Russian literary language
The development of the national language is an important topic that Lomonosov studied. The works, the list of which is simply huge, indicate two important innovations. Firstly, this is the development of the syllabonic tonic system of versification, and secondly, the development of the theory of three styles, according to which the whole Russian language can be divided into three more parts. The author offers the following styles:
- Tall. For this, generally accepted and Church Slavonic words are used.
- Middle. Uses only commonly accepted words.
- Low. Use only colloquial words.
In accordance with this, styles could be used to form different genres:
- High - an ode, a heroic poem, a tragedy.
- The middle one is drama and lyrics.
- Low - comedy, satire, fable.
As for the scientist himself, he undoubtedly preferred a high style. Lomonosov's works, among which odes occupy a separate place, clearly illustrate this. Accordingly, for his works, the author applied only churchly and generally accepted vocabulary, excluding simple spoken language.
Mikhail Lomonosov is an outstanding personality not only in Russian, but also in world science. This man was a carrier of encyclopedic knowledge, and also authored many theories in various sciences.