Issues of children's rights in Russian classical literature

Abstract

The article provides an overview of Russian literature of the 19th century that focuses on children. In the early 19th century, the first children's writers emerged, and a circle of children's reading emerged, which included literature for adults and works specifically written for children. These works were united by their focus on children's psychology and their educational objectives. Russian writers not only took the side of the downtrodden and abused children, but also emphasized that children were responsible for their actions from the age of eight. The article analyzes the works of Antony Pogorelsky, A. O. Ishimova, N. A. Nekrasov, L. N. Tolstoy, F. M. Dostoevsky, D. V. Grigorovich, A. P. Chekhov, V. G. Korolenko, and K. N. Stanyukovich. Through the works of these authors, the article raises the issues of a child's right to life, protection from exploitation and violence, the standard of living and conditions necessary for their physical, mental, and spiritual development, and the right to refuse work that may pose a danger to their well-being.