Rule and have all power over happiness": the semantics of state power in Lomonosov's solemn odes

The genre "solemn ode" demanded correlating events of modernity with great dates of the past and deeds of the ancestors. The solemn ode were written for a certain date, associated either with military victories or major public holidays. "Praisful" odes were created for the "glorification" of the monarch, and acquired the status of a document fixing the power intention in society. Solemn odes have a dual semantics. On the one hand, they teach the power to be legitimate. On the other, they teach people to understand the power and serve it. The first experience of Lomonosov's "solemn" ode dates back to 1739. The word "power" in his first odes refers to the Russian state and its military victories. A new motif appears in Lomonosov's historical odes of the 1740s, that of the historical succession of power: from the ancient princes to Peter I, and from him to the contemporary monarchs. With the accession to the throne of Empress Elizabeth, Lomonosov received a preferential right to write and present "solemn" odes. In these odes the legitimation of power is realised through an appeal to "tradition", "right" and "universal (divine) justice". In addition, an important part of "justification of power" is a statement that the power of Elizabeth is "beneficial" for the country. Odes by Sumarokov and Trediakovsky express similar views. But their odes are secondary to Lomonosov's. At the end of the 1940s Lomonosov odes introduce an important legitimating motive: "happiness" of the country ruled by the Empress. "Happiness" refers not only to well-being, but also to development. An important part of this "happiness" is the monarch's patronage over science and education. The semantic field of power in Lomonosov's odes constantly changes under the influence of external and internal factors. Becoming older and more experienced he felt the strength (and inner right) to go from praise to instruction. Lomonosov finds examples in history to prove the concept of power he has developed in the middle - the second half of the 1740s viable. This concept has three key elements: the continuation of the policy of Peter I; a good understanding of Russia as its strength resulting from its military victories and the development of science; the heroic behaviour of the monarch, his/her personal exploits. In wartime such heroism leads to victory, in times of peace to a feat in sciences and management. The concept is crowned with God's blessing of a worthy ruler. This blessing is obvious to all, but in the first place to the author of the praiseful and solemn odes.

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