The German Writer and the Russian Storyteller on Upbringing Based on “GOOD Example”

Abstract

The essay focuses on the translated and original works of N. M. Karamzin, published in the magazines «Children’s Reading for the Heart and Mind» (1785–1789) and in the «Moscow Journal» (1791–1792). This is the play «The Arcadian Monument», written by the famous German writer and teacher H-F. Weisse and published in the journal «Der Kinderfreund» («Friend of the Children») in 1782, and two fairy tales by N. M. Karamzin — «The Beautiful Princess and Happy Karl» and «The Dense Forest», published in «Moscow Journal» in 1792. The essay illustrated how the basic pedagogical idea of the German enlightener Weisse, who called for raising children with «good examples», influenced on the pedagogical views of N. M. Karamzin, writing for children, and was embodied in his early work. The heroes of « The Arcadian Monument» and fairy tales were supposed to become, according to N. M. Karamzin, the example to be followed. The essay discusses some of the artistic techniques used by N. M. Karamzin when he creating works for children and young people, reveals their connection with ideas and aesthetics of sentimentalism, and indicates the place
of these works in N. Karamzin’s early works.

Keywords: N. M. Karamzin, H-F. Weisse, «The Arcadian Monument», «The Beautiful Princess and Happy Karl», «The Dense Forest», literary fairy tale, magazines for children and youth in XVIII century, sentimentalism in children’s literature.