It so happened that the feuilletonist is a profession, which only a few are able to master. Indeed, this work requires the writer not only the competent use of words, but also the ability to subtly manipulate the image. Alas, such criteria lead to the fact that only the most gifted authors write in the feuilleton genre.
But let's talk a little more about who such a feuilletonist is: is he a satirical writer or, perhaps, a malicious upstart critic? Or maybe this is a poet at all? Well, okay, we will not languish with expectation and get down to business.
Meaning of the word “feuilletonist”
The name of this profession is inextricably linked with such a literary genre as feuilleton. That is, the feuilletonist is just the same writer working in this direction. It should be noted that stories written in this genre are most often published on the pages of news newspapers or magazines.
The word feuilleton itself came from the French feuille, which translates into Russian as a “leaf” or “leaf”. However, in the literary sense this term refers to a short satirical story, essay or article.
The origin of the genre
The advent of the 19th century brought great changes to France. They affected both the political and cultural life of the country. Therefore, it is not surprising that it was during this period that the French newspaper Journal des Débats decided on a bold experiment. So, together with the main publication, they began to give additional leaflets, which highlighted the cultural life of the country.
The innovation appealed to readers of the newspaper. Therefore, soon leaflets (feuilletons) began to be printed together with the main news block. But, true, they were separated from the main content by a break line so as not to embarrass old-fashioned critics. As for the content of feuilleton, it was very diverse. So, the most popular were the sections devoted to reviews of theatrical performances, puzzles, crosswords, poems and even announcements.
Feuilleton popularity growth in Russia
In 1820, the Russian newspaper Vestnik Evropy published its first feuilleton for the first time. It was devoted to a review of books that had just begun to gain popularity among the intelligentsia of Tsarist Russia. And soon this genre firmly settled on the pages of all the newspapers published in the vastness of our great country.
