FORMATION OF THE TERM “POETRY” IN RUSSIAN LITERARY STUDIES OF THE XVIII AND THE FIRST HALF OF THE XIX CENTURY

The article is the fi rst attempt to systematically describe the formation of the term “poetry” in Russianliterary studies of the XVIII and the fi rst half of the XIX century. Its meaning seems obvious, this is why it has not beenclearly defi ned so far. In Russian literary studies, the term “poetry” fi rst appeared in the Latin-language poetics of FeofanProkopovich, who focuses on Aristotle’s Poetics and quotes it close to the original. Without giving a clear defi nitionof this term, Prokopovich understands poetry as imitation through speech. In the critical and theoretical words of theclassicist this term changes its meaning, being identifi ed with the poetic form of literary works. Despite the impact thatthe theory of European classicism had on his dictionary, Nikolay Ostolopov returns to Aristotle’s conceptual idea and says that the terms “poetry” and “verses” are not equivalent to each other. Vissarion Belinsky’s article “The Division of Poetry into Genres and Forms” is the only work that unequivocally defi nes poetry as an imitative art regardless of its form.

Aristotle, Poetics, poetry, versifi cation, Feofan Prokopovich, Trediakovsky, Kantemir, Glagolev, Ostolo pov, Shevyrev, Belinsky