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Ode "Liberty" (1781-1783) In its style, the ode “Liberty” is direct heir to Lomonosov's laudable odes. It is written in iambic tetrameter, ten-line stanzas with the same rhyme scheme. But its content is strikingly different from Lomonosov’s odes. It is not dedicated to an outstanding historical event, not to the glorification of a commander or king. It is devoted to the social concept of liberty, that is, political public freedom. It was created on the occasion of America's independence and openly glorified the popular uprising against autocracy.

You are and were invincible,Your leader is freedom, Washington.

Previously, the Odopists called themselves slaves of autocrats, but Radishchev proudly calls himself a slave of liberty:

Oh, liberty, liberty, priceless gift,Let the slave sing your praises.

The concept, close to the educational one, about the social contract between the sovereign and society is presented. At the end of the ode, Radishchev makes a direct call for a revolution directed against the autocrat who violated the agreement with the people.In his ode, the people overthrow the monarch, try him and execute him.

Puffy power and obstinacyThe huge idol has been trampled,Having bound the giant with his hundred hands,Attracts him as a citizenTo the throne where the people sat.Criminal, foremost of all,“Come before me, I call you to court!”“One death is not enough,"Die!" die a hundred times over! “

He proves that “man is free in everything from birth.” Starting with the apotheosis of freedom, which is perceived as “a priceless gift of man,” “the source of all great deeds,” the poet discusses what interferes with this. He exposes the dangerous alliance between royal power and the church for the people, speaking out against the monarchy as such.

The brightest rays of the day are brighter,There is a temple transparent everywhere... It is alien to flattery, partiality... It does not know kinship or affection; He shares bribes and executions equally; He is the image of God on earth. And this monster is terrible, Like a hydra, having a hundred heads, It is tender and in tears all the time, But its jaws are full of poison, It tramples down earthly authorities, It reaches the sky with its head... It knows how to deceive and flatter, And it orders us to believe blindly.

The people will be avenged, they will free themselves. The ode ends with a description of the “chosen day” when the revolution will triumph. The pathos of the ode is faith in the victory of the people's revolution, although Radishchev understands that “there is still time to come.”

Excerpts from the ode “Liberty” appear in “Journey”. The narrator, on whose behalf the story is told, meets a certain “newfangled poet” who partly reads this ode to him and partly retells it.

The poem testifies that the exile did not break the spirit of the poet. He remains confident in the rightness of his cause and boldly defends his human dignity (“Not cattle, not a tree, not a slave, but a man!”). In literature, this small work paved the “trail” of the prison, convict poetry of the Decembrists, Narodnaya Volya, and Marxists. Much has been achieved over the course of a century, the author claims, but at a heavy cost. The main idea of ​​the poem is concentrated in an aphoristic verse. Here Radishchev is the continuer of the traditions of scientific poetry laid down by Lomonosov. At the end of the poem, Radishchev expresses hope for the fruits that the educational activities of Peter I and Catherine II gave, and for the fulfillment of the good promises of the young Emperor Alexander I. The ode “Liberty” was created during the period of rise revolutionary movement in America and France. She is filled with firm faith in the triumph of liberation ideas.

Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev is the first revolutionary writer in Russia who proclaimed the right of the people to violently overthrow the despotic power of the landowners and the tsar. Radishchev is the predecessor of Decembrist and revolutionary democratic thought of the 19th century.

Radishchev was not only a prose writer, but also a poet. He owns twelve lyric poems and four unfinished poems: “The Creation of the World”, “Bova”, “Songs sung at competitions in honor of the ancient Slavic deities”, “Historical Song”. In poetry, as in prose, he sought to pave new paths. Radishchev's innovative aspirations are associated with his revision of the poetry of classicism, including poetic meters assigned to certain genres. Radishchev also proposed abandoning rhyme and turning to blank verse. The introduction of rhymeless verse was felt by him as the liberation of Russian poetry from foreign forms alien to it, as a return to folk, national origins. The best of his lyrical poems are the ode “Liberty” and “The Eighteenth Century,” in which the poet strives to comprehend the movement of history and grasp its patterns. Ode "Liberty". It was published with abbreviations in “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow”, in the chapter “Tver”. The ode was created at a time when the American Revolution had just ended and the French Revolution had begun. Its civic pathos reflects the inexorable desire of peoples to throw off feudal-absolutist oppression. Radishchev begins his ode with the glorification of freedom, which he considers a priceless gift of nature. In a country where the overwhelming majority of the population was in serfdom, this very thought was a challenge to the existing order. Religion surrounded the power of the ruler with a divine aura and thereby freed him from responsibility to the people. Not content with speculative evidence of the inevitability of revolution, Radishchev seeks to rely on the experience of history. It recalls the English Revolution, the execution of the English king. Humanity, according to Radishchev, goes through a cyclical path in its development. Freedom turns into tyranny, tyranny into freedom. In its style, the ode “Liberty” is a direct descendant of Lomonosov’s laudable odes. It is written in iambic tetrameter, ten-line stanzas with the same rhyme scheme. But its content is strikingly different from Lomonosov’s odes. Radishchev does not believe in enlightened monarchs and therefore freedom and the indignation of the people against the tsar become the objects of his praise. Radishchev strives to comprehend this turbulent, complex, contradictory era as a whole.

34. Ideological and thematic originality of the “journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow.” The originality of the genre and genre composition.

On the first page, the author indicates the reason that prompted him to write the book: I looked around and my soul suffered from human suffering. Pity gives rise to the desire to help the oppressed. The traveler also belongs to the circle of “sensitive” heroes. He is emotional, impressionable, responsive to other people's joy and to other people's grief. One of the expressions of sensitivity in “The Journey” is tears, which the heroes of sentimental works are never ashamed of, seeing in them a manifestation of the subtle spiritual organization of man. The traveler says goodbye to his friends in tears. The traveler's heightened sensitivity is expressed not only in tears, but also in gestures and actions. So, at Gorodnya station he “holds to his heart” a young recruit, although he sees him for the first time. In Edrovo, he hugs and kisses the peasant girl Anyuta, which led her to considerable embarrassment. In contrast to the peasants, the landowners are depicted in “The Journey” as people who have lost not only sensitivity, but also elementary human qualities. Idleness and the habit of commanding deeply corrupted them and developed arrogance and callousness. The noblewoman from the chapter “Gorodnya” “united the stingiest soul and the cruel and stern heart with physical beauty.” The “travel” genre chosen by Radishchev is extremely characteristic of sentimentalism. It originates from Sterne's "Sentimental Journey". The form created by Stern could be filled with a wide variety of content. But the mechanism used by Radishchev was not at all like Postern’s and for other purposes. "P." presented in the form of notes from a traveler, where works of other genres are skillfully introduced: the satirical “dream”, the ode “Liberty”, journalistic articles (for example, “on the origin of censorship”, the chapter “Torzhok”). This form is thin. The work was innovative for Russians. 18th century literature And it gave R. the opportunity to talk deeply and multifacetedly about the social and spiritual life of the nation. The style of Radishchev's book is complex, but this complexity has its own logic and unity. R. bringing into the system diverse impressions of the external world - fact, feeling, thought. The first of them - real-life - is associated with the description of numerous phenomena observed by the traveler. The vocabulary of this stylistic layer is distinguished by specificity and objectivity. The second stylistic layer is emotional. It is associated with the psychological reaction of the traveler or other storytellers to certain facts and events. A wide variety of feelings are presented here: tenderness, joy, admiration, compassion, sorrow. The third layer - ideological - contains the author’s thoughts, in some cases expressed in lengthy “projects”. These arguments are based on educational ideas: the right to self-defense, education of man and citizen, the laws of nature and the laws of society. This layer is characterized by the use of Church Slavonic vocabulary and high civil speech. Radishchev focused not on the moral, but on the social and political problems of the serf state. As a conscientious investigator, Radishchev collects evidence against the autocratic state. The more incriminating facts, the more convincing the verdict. Here the typical is represented by a multitude of characters, most of whom give an idea of ​​the essence, the social nature of the two main classes of Russian society of that time - landowners and peasants. The basis of the “Journey” is a call for revolution, but R. understands that real liberation is possible only after decades, so for now it is necessary to somehow alleviate the fate of the people in other ways.

35. The system of images and the image of the traveler in “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow” The problem of artistic method in the work.

Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev is the first revolutionary writer in Russia who proclaimed the right of the people to violently overthrow the despotic power of the landowners and the tsar. Radishchev is the predecessor of Decembrist and revolutionary democratic thought of the 19th century. Radishchev’s best work is his “Journey.” This book turned out to be the pinnacle of social thought in Russia in the 18th century.

“Journey” is one of the brightest works of Russian sentimentalism. This is a highly emotional book. “Sensitivity,” according to Radishchev’s deep conviction, is the most valuable quality of a person.

On the first page, the author indicates the reason that prompted him to write the book: I looked around and my soul suffered from human suffering. Pity gives rise to the desire to help the oppressed. The traveler also belongs to the circle of “sensitive” heroes. He is emotional, impressionable, responsive to other people's joy and to other people's grief. One of the expressions of sensitivity in “The Journey” is tears, which the heroes of sentimental works are never ashamed of, seeing in them a manifestation of the subtle spiritual organization of man. The traveler says goodbye to his friends in tears. The traveler's heightened sensitivity is expressed not only in tears, but also in gestures and actions. So, at Gorodnya station he “holds to his heart” a young recruit, although he sees him for the first time. In Edrovo, he hugs and kisses the peasant girl Anyuta, which led her to considerable embarrassment. In contrast to the peasants, the landowners are depicted in “The Journey” as people who have lost not only sensitivity, but also elementary human qualities. Idleness and the habit of commanding deeply corrupted them and developed arrogance and callousness. The noblewoman from the chapter “Gorodnya” “united the stingiest soul and the cruel and stern heart with physical beauty.” The “travel” genre chosen by Radishchev is extremely characteristic of sentimentalism. It originates from Sterne's "Sentimental Journey". The form created by Stern could be filled with a wide variety of content. But the mechanism used by Radishchev was not at all like Postern’s and for other purposes. The style of Radishchev's book is complex, but this complexity has its own logic and unity. R. bringing into the system diverse impressions of the external world - fact, feeling, thought. The first of them - real-life - is associated with the description of numerous phenomena observed by the traveler. The vocabulary of this stylistic layer is distinguished by specificity and objectivity. The second stylistic layer is emotional. It is associated with the psychological reaction of the traveler or other storytellers to certain facts and events. A wide variety of feelings are presented here: tenderness, joy, admiration, compassion, sorrow. The third layer - ideological - contains the author’s thoughts, in some cases expressed in lengthy “projects”. These arguments are based on educational ideas: the right to self-defense, education of man and citizen, the laws of nature and the laws of society. This layer is characterized by the use of Church Slavonic vocabulary and high civil speech. Radishchev focused not on the moral, but on the social and political problems of the serf state. As a conscientious investigator, Radishchev collects evidence against the autocratic state. The more incriminating facts, the more convincing the verdict. Here the typical is represented by a multitude of characters, most of whom give an idea of ​​the essence, the social nature of the two main classes of Russian society of that time - landowners and peasants.

Myasnikov Andrey Gennadievich

Penza State University

Doctor of Philosophy, Professor of the Department

methodology of science, social theories and technologies

Myasnikov Andrej Gennadjevich

Penza State University

PhD, of the professor of chair

methodologies of science, social theories and technologies

Email: [email protected]

to the ode "Liberty"

Annotation: The article provides a modern socio-philosophical commentary on the famous ode of Alexander Radishchev “Liberty”. The internal logic of the ode is revealed as a consistent implementation of public freedom. A structural analysis of the philosophy of freedom of the great Russian enlightener is presented.

Keywords: Radishchev, freedom, Russia, autocracy, retribution, justice, God's court, democracy

Philosophy of freedom of A. Radishchev: modern commentto the ode "Liberty"

Summary: In article the modern social and philosophical commentary to the famous ode of Alexander Radishchev “Liberty” is given. The internal logic of the ode as consecutive realization of public freedom reveals. The structural analysis of philosophy of freedom of the great Russian educator is submitted.

Keywords: Radishchev, freedom, Russia, autocracy, punishment, justice, God’s court, democracy

Philosophy of freedom by A. Radishchev: modern commentaryto the ode "Liberty"

Each new era of government in Russia forces us to look at the past in a new way and reassess many significant events and their heroes. A striking example is the personality and work of the great Russian educator, Alexander Radishchev.

Thus, for Catherine II, after the publication of his famous “Travel,” Radishchev became the worst state criminal, and for her son, Paul I, a democratic, progressive figure, whom he released from exile early. Throughout the 19th century, Radishchev was considered by the Russian authorities to be a dangerous revolutionary democrat, whose writings were banned. Under Soviet rule, he became a cult figure of the revolutionary liberation movement, a symbol of free thought and the Russian Enlightenment.

At the beginning of the 21st century, in post-Soviet Russia, the name of Alexander Radishchev is in some half-oblivion, as well as the names of Belinsky, Herzen, Bakunin, and the late Tolstoy. Even the 250th anniversary of the birth of A.N. Radishchev, which was celebrated in 1999, did not arouse much interest in his work. In my opinion, Radishchev is “waiting” for new estimates that can be placed in the following conditional range: from extremism to true democracy. To conduct such an assessment, I would like to use Radishchev’s programmatic work, known to many by its name - the ode “Liberty”.

Why do I offer this particular grading range? There are certain reasons for this. According to the latest Russian legislation (Federal Law “On Combating Extremist Activities” of 2002, with significant amendments in 2006 and 2014), the great Russian thinker, if desired, can be declared an “extremist” posthumously. With a tendentious approach, one can find in his ode such signs of extremism as public justifications for the violent overthrow of the state system and terrorism, as well as discussions about the advisability of dividing the country.

These signs alone are enough to condemn the ode and prohibit it. Let's not forget that it was first published in full only in 1905, and written in 1783.

Should we still be afraid of Radishchev’s thoughts expressed more than 200 years ago? Isn’t it worth calmly, thoughtfully and honestly approaching the thoughts of our domestic educator, and seeing in them a genuine concern for people, for one’s fellow citizens, and appreciating the real humanism of the thinker?

I think this is what needs to be done. Rereading the ode “Liberty,” I was struck by its titanic pathos, reminiscent of the Titanism of the Renaissance. No less striking is the deep insight of the Russian thinker. I got the impression that Radishchev is addressing not his contemporaries, and not even us - people of the post-Soviet era, but the Russians of the 22nd century. In his thoughts there is so much hope for the best, so much energy of freedom that they easily pierce the thickness of centuries and glow with that inner light of reason that has no boundaries in space and time. And in the 21st century, these thoughts retain the powerful “light of reason”, and therefore never cease to amaze us.

The first thought is accusation. The essence of the accusation: God's judgment on earth awaits the tyrant kings, and it will be a terrible, bloody judgment of the people who have been waiting for centuries for revenge for their slavery..

This thought greatly frightened Catherine the Great, and throughout the entire nineteenth century it frightened the Russian autocracy. This trial of tyrants is described in detail in stanzas 15-22. The final verdict:

“One death is not enough,

Die! Die a hundred times over!” (22 stanza).

Such a verdict probably makes not only the living, but also the souls of dead tyrants shudder.

Thought two - explanation. Every man is destined to live according to his own will, in harmony with other men, according to the law of truth and justice impressed upon his mind.(stanza 2, 3). Radishchev’s commitment to the theory of natural law and social contract, which he learned while studying in Germany and thought through throughout his life, is clearly visible here.

“I can love and be loved;

I do good, I can be honored;

My law is my will” (stanza 2).

“I see my share in the power of all,

I create my own, doing everyone’s will;

The law was born in society” (stanza 3).

The republican ideal of social order presupposes the voluntary coordination of personal and public interests. This ideal inspired Radishchev, gave him courage, weakened self-interest and prudence, and demanded that he “get into trouble” against the entire despotic “vertical of power.”

Third thought - exposure. Russia remains a country of slaves and masters, because the state power and the church “jointly oppress society”: the government despotically suppresses the will of its subjects, and the church fetters and clouds the mind(stanza 10):

“We will look into the vast region,

Where a dim throne is worth slavery.

The city authorities there are all peaceful,

The king has in vain the image of a deity.

The royal power protects the faith,

Faith asserts the power of the Tsar;

Union society is oppressed;

One strives to fetter the mind,

Another seeks to erase the will;

For the common good, they say.”

Radishchev clearly sees all the terrible consequences of social slavery in the form of laziness, apathy, envy, deceit and general fear (stanza 11).

Thought four - cleansing. Popular indignation against slavery (revolution) is God's providence, which must cleanse the defiled truth and justice from deception and violence, for the enslaved peoples have the highest right to take revenge on the kings(stanza 13-15). In this statement he clearly relies on the theory of J.-J. Rousseau about the natural right of the people to resist despotic power. The Russian thinker writes:

“Rejoice, ye nations riveted,

This is nature's avenged right

The king was raised to the scaffold” (stanza 14).

At the same time, Radishchev means not only a political revolution; he considers no less important a revolution in mentality, in faith, a change in spiritual power, i.e. A reformation similar to that carried out by M. Luther in Europe:

“Luther raised the ray of enlightenment,

He made peace with the earth” (stanza 26).

The New Reformation must cleanse religious faith from deception and error and lead to true humanism on earth, to recognition of the dignity and greatness of every person, and not just a select few. Demanding a Reformation in Russian Orthodoxy, Radishchev touched on a very sore subject that still frightens Russian society. The life and teachings of Leo Tolstoy are a vivid example of this.

Thought five - prediction. Perhaps this is the most “terrible” thought of the Russian soothsayer: The vast despotic empire will fall apart into separate parts, and “small luminaries” will arise, independent republics in which there will be no spiritual deception and state violence:

“From the depths of a huge ruin,

Among the fires, bloody rivers,

In the midst of famine, atrocities, dark plagues,

What kindled the fierce spirit of the authorities -

Small luminaries will appear” (stanza 51).

He explains the inevitability of this collapse by the fact that the further the subject territory is from its center, the weaker the internal connection of the parts, and the more disorder there is on the ground:

“But far from being the source of power,

The weaker members of the union,

All parts are alien to each other,

Every heaviness feels a bond” (stanza 49).

This path is difficult and thorny, according to the thinker, but this is the law of nature: all living things are drawn to “freedom,” and people are especially drawn to the right to live according to their own will.

The sixth thought is about an ideal society.This is a society of free and honest workers who independently ensure their well-being, living in love and in the joy of mutual understanding.(stanza 32-36).

“He loves, and he is loved by her;

Labor is joy, sweat is dew,

That with its vitality

Produces meadows, fields, forests;

The heights of bliss are reached;

Their fervor is tempered by fruit

The all-generosity of God, in simplicity,

The poor will reach their death,

Not knowing the greedy tithe,

Who feeds the chicks in nakedness” (stanza 33).

Every free worker, according to Radishchev, should be ready to defend such personal, family happiness with arms in hand and even at the cost of his own life so that new generations do not find themselves in a slave position. After all, the state of “freedom” requires great effort, and above all, reasonable independence.

So, I paid attention to these 6 thoughts, because, in my opinion, they not only constitute the internal structure of the ode, but they contain the semantic core of the worldview of the great Russian educator, a true revolutionary of spirit.

Of course, in addition to these thoughts, Radishchev talks about a lot more. He does not speak simply, in places he speaks intricately, so that sometimes you have to figure out his thoughts behind the discordant words. But these efforts, in my opinion, can pay off with great pleasure from understanding the enduring timeliness and “brightness” of poetic reflections.

More than 200 years ago, Alexander Radishchev allowed himself to think this way about life, about the purpose of a person, about Russia and its future. Is it allowed to think like that now? I think it’s possible, because we live in a free country, in which there are many reasonable and honest people. If anyone is afraid of Radishchev’s “thoughts,” I can reassure him that the law of “freedom” cannot be overcome.

The attitude towards Radishchev is very indicative, a kind of litmus test that allows you to see the degree of social and personal freedom. As soon as the political authorities begin to fear Radishchev’s “freedom” and classify him as a state criminal or extremist, it means that despotism is intensifying in the country, and the military-police state begins to frantically search for internal enemies. Since Radishchev is not banned today, we can conclude that freedom in Russia is not as bad as some might think.

LITERATURE:

1. Veniro L.M. Alexander Nikolaevich Radishchev, herald of freedom (1949-1802) // Bulletin of Europe, 2009, No. 26-27.
2. Grigoryan T.V. Humanistic ideas of civil courage A.N. Radishcheva // Global transformations in the scientific field: materials of the I (XLI) International scientific and practical conference on philosophical, philological, legal, pedagogical, economic, psychological, sociological and political sciences (Ukraine, Gorlovka, January 23-24, 2014) . Gorlovka. 2014. - pp. 24 - 29.
3. Gukovsky G. A. Radishchev // History of Russian literature: In 10 volumes / USSR Academy of Sciences. - M.; L.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1941-1956. T. IV: Literature of the 18th century. Part 2. - 1947.
4. Danovsky A.V. Liberty in Radishchev and Pushkin // Russian speech. 2009.
5. Makogonenko G. P . Radishchev and his time - M.: Goslitizdat, 1956.
6. Myasnikov A.G. “Russian Tsar” in the structure of the matrix of Russian traditional consciousness (experience of philosophical reconstruction) // CREDO new. Theoretical journal. St. Petersburg: St. Petersburg, 2012. No. 3.
7. Radishchev A.N. Liberty. Oda // Complete works in 3 volumes; M.; L.: Publishing House of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1938. T. 1. / Access mode / http://www.rvb.ru/18vek/radishchev/01text/vol_1/01poems/001.htm (access date 11/11/2015)
8. Federal Law of July 25, 2002 N 114-FZ (as amended on December 31, 2014) “On Combating Extremist Activities” // Access mode/ http://moucoh13.ucoz.ru/114-fz_ot_07.25.2002g.o_protivodejstvii_ehkstremis.pdf (date of access 11/11/2015)

Problems of the ode “Liberty”

But A.N. Radishchev was not only a prose writer, but also a poet. A generalization of Radishchev’s historical and political concepts was the ode “Liberty,” which was the first classical monument of Russian revolutionary poetry. “Liberty” is included in “Journey from St. Petersburg to Moscow”, in the chapter “Tver”.

The ode is based on general educational theories of the natural equality of people, natural law and social contract, rethought by Radishchev in a revolutionary spirit. In the ode “Liberty,” Radishchev further deepened his criticism of the autocracy and expressed the idea that the church is a reliable support for the autocracy.

In its style, “Liberty” is a direct heir to Lomonosov’s laudable odes. It is written in iambic tetrameter, in ten-line stanzas with the same rhyme scheme. But its content is strikingly different from Lomonosov’s odes. Radishchev does not believe in enlightened monarchs and therefore freedom and the indignation of the people against the tsar become the objects of his praise.

A.N. begins his ode. Radishchev with the glorification of freedom, which he considers an invaluable gift of nature, the “source” of “all great things.” In a country where the overwhelming majority of the population was in serfdom, this very thought was a challenge to the existing order.

Freedom is given to every person by nature itself, the author believes, and therefore in the “natural state” people did not know any constraint and were absolutely free: “I came into the light, and you are with me; There are no rivets on my muscles...” But in the name of the common good, people united into a society, limited their “will” to laws beneficial to everyone, and elected an authority that must ensure their strict implementation. A.N. Radishchev draws the good consequences of such a device: equality, abundance, justice. Religion surrounded the power of the ruler with a divine aura and thereby freed him from responsibility to the people: “The power of the tsar protects the faith, the power of the tsar affirms the faith, the Union oppresses society.” The monarch turns into a despot:

“Highly lifting up your arrogant brow, O king, seizing the iron scepter,

Having sat imperiously on the formidable throne, the people see only a vile creature.”

The loss of freedom has a detrimental effect in all areas of society: fields become empty, military valor fades, justice is violated. But history does not stand still, and despotism is not eternal. Discontent among the people is growing. The herald of freedom appears. Outrage breaks out. Here Radishchev differs sharply from European enlighteners. Thus, if Rousseau in the book “The Social Contract” limits himself to only a brief remark that if the monarch elected by society breaks the laws, the people have the right to terminate the social contract previously concluded with them (in what form this will happen, Rousseau does not disclose), then Radishchev talks to the end. In his ode, the people overthrow the monarch, try him and execute him:

“An army will arise everywhere, hope will arm everyone;

Everyone is in a hurry to wash their shame in the blood of the tormentor.

Rejoice, ye nations riveted;

It is nature’s avenged right that brought the king to the chopping block.”

Not content with speculative evidence of the inevitability of revolution, Radishchev seeks to rely on the experience of history. It recalls the English Revolution of 1649, the execution of the English king. Radishchev glorifies him for the fact that he “executed Karl at trial” and at the same time severely condemns him for the usurpation of power.

Humanity, according to A.N. Radishchev, goes through a cyclical path in its development. Freedom turns into tyranny, tyranny into freedom. Radishchev himself, retelling the contents of the 38th and 39th stanzas in the chapter “Tver”, explains his thought as follows: “This is the law of nature; From torment is born freedom, from freedom slavery...” Addressing the peoples who have thrown off the yoke of a despot, Radishchev calls on them to cherish their won freedom like the apple of their eye:

“Oh, you! happy nations, where chance has granted freedom!

Observe the gift of good nature, which the Eternal has written in your hearts.”

Despotism still triumphs in Russia. The poet and his contemporaries “weigh” the “unbearable burden of shackles.” A.N. himself Radishchev does not hope to live to see the day of freedom: “The hour has not yet arrived, Fate has not been fulfilled,” but he firmly believes in its impending victory, and he would like his compatriot, coming to his grave, to say:

“Under the yoke of power, this one born,

Mowing the shackles are gilded,

He was the first to prophesy freedom for us.”

Composition

I am the same as I was and will be all my life:
Not a cattle, not a tree, not a slave, but a man!
A. Radishchev

Radishchev, nurturing revolutionary ideas of overthrowing the autocracy, created the ode “Liberty.” As consistent as he was in his denial of tyranny, he was also as bold in his poetic experimentation. To glorify political and civil freedom, the poet chooses the traditional genre of ode. But what remains in it from the tradition of classicism? After all, Radishchev does not glorify an outstanding commander or a statesman, and, especially, not a monarch. The very beginning of the work is polemical:

ABOUT! blessed gift from heaven,
The source of all great things,
O liberty, liberty, priceless gift/
Let the slave sing your praises.

Pushkin, condemning both the execution by the people of the French king Louis XVI and the murder of Paul I by the conspiratorial nobles, advocates limiting autocracy by “law” - the constitution:

Come, tear off the wreath from me,
Break the pampered lyre...
I want to sing Freedom to the world,
Slay vice on the thrones...
Tyrants of the world! tremble."
And you, take courage and listen,
Arise, fallen slaves!..
Only there above the royal head
The suffering of the peoples did not end,
Where is the holy liberty strong?
Powerful combination of laws.

Radishchev, in his ode, proves the right of the people to execute the tyrant king. The people are the creator of all earthly blessings, and the king, who imagines that he is the true Lord, and not the people, is “the greatest criminal of all.”

Rejoice, the nations are riveted.
This is nature's avenged right
The king was put on the block.

Radishchev's ode "Liberty" - the first word of Russian revolutionary poetry - contains a call for revolution and expresses it in accordance with the principles of the poet's aesthetics. A true creator, Radishchev argued, opens “various paths of knowledge” to his fellow citizens; poetry without thought is worthless - “a meager source of literature without thoughts.”
Pushkin appreciated the significance of Radishchev's poetry and his contribution to Russian literature. It is not for nothing that in the original version of Pushkin’s poem “Monument” there was a line: “following Radishchev, I glorified freedom.” In the ode “Liberty,” Alexander Sergeevich exclaims with youthful recklessness and courage:

Autocratic villain!
I hate you, your throne,
Your death, the death of children
I see it with cruel joy.
They read on your forehead
Seal of the curse of the nations.
You are the horror of the world, the shame of nature.
You are a reproach to God on earth.

Pushkin argues that only the law should prevail in life; it alone can serve as the guarantee of justice and happiness of peoples.

And learn today, O kings:
No punishment, no reward.
Neither the shelter of dungeons, nor altars
The fences are not right for you.
Bow your heads first
Under the safe canopy of the Law,
And they will become eternal guardians of the throne
Freedom and peace for the people.