Under Peter the Great, Russia began rapid Westernization, which heavily influenced literary styles.
Early Russian literature was deeply spiritual and focused on the growth of the Russian state. A History of Russian Literature
Mikhail Lomonosov (the polymath who refined the language) and Nikolai Karamzin (who pioneered emotional prose). 3. The Golden Age (19th Century) Under Peter the Great, Russia began rapid Westernization,
Neoclassicism and Sentimentalism became dominant as writers tried to create a "modern" Russian prose style. Under Peter the Great
The Tale of Igor's Campaign —an anonymous epic poem about a failed raid against nomadic tribes.