The article is devoted to the study of one of the milestones in the development of the genre of writing – the epistolary heritage of Russian classicists, in particular, A. P. Sumarokov, who was, as is known, among the largest representatives of classicism. Being engaged not only in literary practice, but also in theory, he himself brought writing outside of literature, described it in the treatise «On the Russian Language», while literary genres – in the treatise «On Poetry». This freed the author-epistolographer from complying with the requirements of classicism, gave freedom unknown to others – literary genres proper. At the same time, it didn’t reduce writing to an everyday or business text, firstly, due to the fact that there was a continuous mutual influence of the genres of writing and a poetic message, epistle, and secondly, due to the fact that the letters of writers a priori had aesthetic value. Thus, taken outside the bounds of literature, writing was organically closely related to it, included in it. At first glance, the peripheral position of the epistolary genre in the era of classicism turned out to be privileged and very promising. One of the varieties of the epistolary genre, the friendly letter, had particular prospects during the 18th century influenced other species. Business letter was no exception, including the business letter of the classicists. Thus, the business letters of A. P. Sumarokov, addressed to both dignitaries and the empress, were strongly influenced by a friendly letter. It seems that he appealed to the traditions of the latter, consciously or not, wishing to overcome the split of his «I», which is very tangible in his business epistolography. The image of the author seems to be twofold in it, in many respects in accordance with the aesthetics of classicism. On the one hand, Sumarokov positions himself as a «public person»: a recognized, talented writer, theater director, citizen, selflessly serving the motherland. On the other hand, as a «natural person»: helpless, lonely, suffering from a lack of money, energy, time, from undeserved grievances, injustice, misunderstanding, etc. According to the logic of classicism, a «social person» must prevail over the «natural», unpatriotic position, selfishness, weaknesses and passions of which are shameful. Perhaps, only the epistolary genre gave the author the possibility of a different intention – gaining the wholeness of his «I» not by suppressing the «natural person» in himself and strengthening the «social», but by «balancing» both hypostases. Sumarokov tries to realize this intention through the actualization of the features of a friendly letter that is authentic for two facets of his «I»: if a «public person» by his activities in the literary and civil field deserves friendly communication «on equal terms» with any high-ranking addressee, then a «natural person» deserves it is communication with your personal qualities. In addition, the fate of the author depends on the addressee vested with power: the first can solve the problems of the second, – therefore, it is in a business letter that Sumarokov actualizes the features of a friendly letter. As a result, a kind of friendly-business hybrid is created under his pen, promising for the further development of the epistolary genre.
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