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Two centuries of Russian classics

Philological journal
A.M. Gorky Institute of World Literature of the
 Russian Academy of Sciences

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    Trofimov, A. E. “The First Ode by M. M. Kheraskov (The History of Creating and the Artistic Structure).” Dva veka russkoi klassiki, vol. 7, no. 4, 2025, pp. 24–49. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22455/2686-7494-2025-7-4-24-49

  • Abstract:

    The article presents a historical and literary analysis of the first ode by M. M. Kheraskov, “On the Solemn Remembrance of Peter the Great’s Victory over the Swedes at Poltava” (1751), dedicated to Empress Elizabeth Petrovna. Although of considerable interest as Kheraskov’s literary debut, this ode has not been included in any collection of the poet’s works. It appears that the thematic link of the ode to the Poltava victory of 1709 is due to the exceptional significance of this historical event for the cultural ideology of the era of Elizabeth, who was born in the year of the “glorious victory” and emphasized her political continuity with her father. We show that in Kheraskov’s ode, the battle is depicted in a monumental-epic style as a battle of the Christian army with absolute evil. On the one hand, the ode-writer develops the theme of Charles XII’s pride, referring to both images of ancient mythology and the ancient Russian cultural heritage. On the other hand, Kheraskov endows Peter I with attributes of holiness and assigns the Christian virtues of humility and love to the monarch, effectively turning the work into an ode to the first Russian emperor.

  • Keywords: M. M. Kheraskov, Poltava victory, solemn ode, Elizabeth Petrovna, Land Cadet Corps, Peter I, Charles XII.
  • Author: Artem E. Trofimov
  • Information about the author:

    Artem E. Trofimov, Department of Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Science Library, Birzhevaia liniia, 1, 199034 St. Petersburg, Russia.

    ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8684-3781

    E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

  • Received: April 12, 2025
  • Approved after reviewing: August 11, 2025
  • Published: December 25, 2025
  • Issue: 2025 Volume 7 No. 4
  • Department: Russian Literature of the 18th–19th Centuries
  • Pages: 24-49
  • DOI: Visit Website
  • EDN:

    https://elibrary.ru/QPZVKD

  • UDK: 821.161.1.09"18"
  • Publication Type: Research Article

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