Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin

A Russian poet. Born into a poor provincial noble family. He first served in the army as a private soldier, then became a senator. At the age of 39, he dedicated a poem praising the wise empress, "To Felice", to Catherine the Great, which led to his promotion. He served as governor of various provinces, secretary to the empress, and senator, and in 1802 he became Minister of Justice under the new emperor, Alexander I, but retired from all public duties the following year and spent his later years in seclusion in the village of Zvanka in his estate. His early works were strongly classical in the style of Lomonosov and Sumarokov, but in works such as "On the Death of Prince Meshchersky" (1779) and "On Felitsa" (1782), Derzhavin established his own elegant style, combining classical solemnity with light and sharp satire. He also produced a series of works that sang of the prosperity of the nation, such as "God" (1784) and "The Waterfall" (1780), which were hymns that unfolded philosophical thoughts in elegant forms, and "Autumn under the Siege of Ochakov" (1788) and "In Praise of the Conquest of Izmail" (1790), which earned him the title of poet laureate during the reign of Catherine the Great. In his later works, such as "Invitation to Dinner" (1795) and "Life in the Village of Zvanka" (1807), he broke away from the shackles of classicism and sensitively sang about his real life experiences, contributing to the development of Russian poetry.

[Nakamura Yoshikazu]

"Felizia" translated by Yae Yomura (included in "World Famous Poetry Collection 12", 1959, Heibonsha)

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

ロシアの詩人。地方の貧しい貴族の出身。初め一兵卒として軍隊に勤務したのち、元老院の属吏となる。39歳のとき賢明な女帝をたたえる頌詩(しょうし)『フェリーツァに寄せて』をエカチェリーナ2世に捧(ささ)げ、それが機縁となって抜擢(ばってき)され、各地の県知事や女帝の秘書官、元老院議員などを歴任し、1802年には新帝アレクサンドル1世のもとで司法大臣の職についたが、翌年にはいっさいの公務を退き、晩年は領地のズワンカ村に隠棲(いんせい)した。初期の作品にはロモノーソフやスマローコフらの流れをくむ古典主義的色彩が濃かったが、『メシチェルスキー公の死をいたみて』（1779）、『フェリーツァに寄せて』（1782）などにおいては古典主義の荘重さと軽快で辛辣(しんらつ)な風刺の要素を結合させたデルジャービン独特の華麗なスタイルを確立した。さらに『神』（1784）、『瀑布(ばくふ)』（1780）のように哲学的な思索を優美な形式で展開した頌詩、『オチャコフ包囲の秋』（1788）、『イズマイル攻略をたたえる』（1790）などのように国家の隆運を歌った作品を次々と発表し、エカチェリーナ2世時代の桂冠(けいかん)詩人と称せられた。『正餐(せいさん)への招待』（1795）、『ズワンカ村の生活』（1807）など後期の作品では古典主義の羈絆(きはん)を脱し、リアルな生活体験を感性豊かに歌い上げてロシア詩の発展に寄与した。

［中村喜和］

『除村ヤエ訳『フェリーツァ』（『世界名詩集大成12』所収・1959・平凡社）』

出典　小学館　日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)日本大百科全書(ニッポニカ)について　情報 | 凡例