A.P. Sumarokov – the publisher of the journal «The industrious bee»: facts and myths (to the 300th anniversary of the birth of the writer)

Author(s):  T.Ye. Abramzon, Dr., Prof., Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russia

A.V. Petrov, Dr., Nosov Magnitogorsk State Technical University, Magnitogorsk, Russia, alexpetrov72@mail.ru

Issue:  Volume 37, №1

Rubric:  Russian Philology

Annotation:  The article deals with the deconstruction of the scientific myths that centered around A.P. Sumarokov’s journal "The Industrious Bee". It is considered that the formation of the myth about the "first Russian private journal" was influenced by the national literary canon and the vulgar sociological understanding of the literary process. The article proves that the literary and satirical-moralizing "direction" of the journal is its publisher’s "projection" of the interests and character, and not the result of some "strategy". The opinion about the popularity of the journals of the second half of the 1750s among readers is criticized, as not having an actual support. The thesis is advanced that the publication of the journal was motivated by Sumarokov’s desire to be a financially and creatively independent author, and not by concern for the benefit of the people. These plans were not implemented due to Sumarokov's inability to communicate and his lack of thoughtful editorial strategy. "The Industrious Bee" is not analyzed as a forerunner of satirical magazines of the 1760s and 1790s, but together with its competitors – academic and "cadet" journals, as the predecessor of the almanacs of 1780-1790s. – publications, the authors of which made a choice in favor of easy reading

Keywords:  A.P. Sumarokov; «The Industrious Bee» journal; scientific myth; Russian journalism and literature of the XVIII century; deconstruction

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