“HIS Serene Highness between Russians”: artistic originality of A series OF eulogies IN TRIBUTE TO Grigory Potemkin

Abstract

Aim. The purpose is to analyze three eulogies in tribute to Grigory Potemkin (one sermon by Amvrosii Serebrennikov and two sermons by Moisei Gumilevskii), which form a series of threnodic works. Methodology. An artistic analysis is performed, the composition of sermons and leading motifs are described, and links with the culture, literature and oratory of the XVIII century are shown. Results. The series of eulogies in tribute to Grigory Potemkin are connected with the peculiarities of the prince’s funeral rite, which had three main geographical points - Jassy, Nikolaev and Kherson. Sermons are the examples of moral and practical eloquence: They have clear language, small volume and simple structure. Emotions are the basis of the works: Crying prevails in Amvrosii’s speech, while condolences to orphaned cities and bright sorrow dominate in Moisei’s works. The eulogies fix the ideal posthumous image of Potemkin - the son of the Fatherland, the servant of the monarch and the founder of cities. Research implications. The reviewed eulogies have never been an object of a separate analysis. The results of the study can complement the knowledge of the late 18th century oratory prose and illustrate the development of funeral speech.