AleksandrPetrovichSumarokov (Russian: ÐлекÑÐ°Ð½Ð´Ñ ÐеÑÑÐ¾Ð²Ð¸Ñ Ð¡ÑмаÑоков) (1717 - 1774) was a Russian poet and playwright who single-handedly created classical theatre in Russia, thus assisting Mikhail Lomonosov to inaugurate the reign of classicism in Russian literature.
His pursuits did not undermine his position in the family; indeed, his grandson was made a count and, when the Sumarokov family became extinct a century later, the title eventually passed to Prince Felix Yusupov, who also styled himself Count Sumarokov-Elston in memory of his illustrious ancestor.
Sumarokov's literary criticism is usually carping and superficial, but it did much to inculcate on the Russian public the canons of classical taste.
The Russian Boileau, the Russian Racine, the Russian Molière, the Russian Lafontaine, the Russian Voltaire--these are some of the titles contemporaries accorded AleksandrPetrovichSumarokov.
The foremost representative of Russian classicism, Sumarokov aspired to be the founder of a new, modern European literature in Russia.
AleksandrPetrovichSumarokov from Dictionary of Literary Biography.
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