Conversations for Lovers of the Russian Word , Literary Society

Categories / Literature. Book Publishing/Salons, Circles, Creative Associations and Unions
CONVERSATIONS FOR LOVERS OF THE RUSSIAN WORD, a literary society, formed in 1811 as a continuation of literary soirees organized by G. R. Derzhavin, A. S. Shishkov, M. N. Muravyev, I. S. Zakharov in their own houses from 1807. Sittings of the society were held in the form of monthly public readings in the house of Derzhavin (118 Fontanka River Embankment) in a gala atmosphere in the presence members of high Russian society. I. A. Krylov, Prince A. A. Shakhovskoy, A. N. Olenin, V. V. Kapnist, Count D. I. Khvostov and Prince S. A. Shirinsky-Shikhmatov were among members of the society. N. I. Gnedich participated in the work of the society nominally, not being a member. Representatives of various literary trends were united in the membership of Conversations for Lovers of the Russian Word by the desire to distinguish literary and language forms of the national originality, by the fight for the civil pathos of literature, for the exalted and at the same time demotic styles. The Conversations for Lovers of the Russian Word became a symbol of the archaic literary aspirations in the literary polemics of the beginning of the 19th century and ran the gauntlet from the side of Arzamas. It broke up in 1816 after the death of Derzhavin; its poetic principles were to a certain extent interpreted in the works by A. S. Griboedov, P. A. Katenin, V. K. Kuchelbecker. It published the Readings (1811-16, 19 parts).

References: Тынянов Ю. Н. Архаисты и новаторы. Л., 1929. С. 89-106; Альтшуллер М. Г. Предтечи славянофильства в русской литературе: (О-во "Беседа любителей рус. слова"). Ann Arbor, 1984.

D. N. Cherdakov. Derzhavin Gavriil Romanovich
Gnedich Nikolay Ivanovich
Griboedov Alexander Sergeevich
Kapnist Vasily Vasilievich
Katenin Pavel Alexandrovich
Khvostov Dmitry Ivanovich
Krylov Ivan Andreevich
Kuchelbecker Wilhelm Karlovich
Muravyev Mikhail Nikitich
Olenin Alexey Nikolaevich
Shakhovskoy Alexander Alexandrovich
Shirinsky-Shikhmatov Sergey Alexandrovich, Duke
Shishkov V.M.
Zakharov I.S.
Fontanka River Embankment/Saint Petersburg, city, house 118
Тынянов Ю. Н. Архаисты и новаторы. Л., 1929
Альтшуллер М. Г. Предтечи славянофильства в русской литературе: (О-во "Беседа любителей рус.слова"). Ann Arbor, 1984 Arzamas, Literary Circle
1811