Konstantin Batyushkov was born at a time when Russia was experiencing an unprecedented rise: political thought was revived, the position of the empire in the international arena was strengthened, voices were louder and louder, demanding enlightenment and reforms in all spheres of life, which the government did not suppress with the powerful weight of censorship.
Years of life
Batyushkov lived long life– from 1787 to 1855 But only the first part of it turned out to be happy: the childhood and youth of the young nobleman were marked by the love and care of loved ones, who recognized his poetic talent early on. Born in Vologda, the scion of an enlightened noble family received excellent education in several private boarding houses in St. Petersburg. He easily mastered several foreign languages.
Next came the diplomatic service. Batyushkov dedicated his fifth year to work in the Ministry public education. In 1807, he felt a craving for a uniform - and joined the people's militia. Participated in the Prussian campaign.
Afterwards he returned to peaceful life, in St. Petersburg he made close acquaintance with the flower of the then enlightened society - with Vyazemsky, Karamzin, joined the ranks of the members of Arzamas, where a little later the young lyceum student came. From now on, Batyushkov devotes most of his time to literary creativity. His poems are light and airy - contemporaries even considered them the forerunner of Pushkin's poetry and they were right: Pushkin initially studied with Batyushkov, adopting the simplicity of the syllables and the clarity of the rhythms.
Batyushkov became one of the first to discern in the boy Pushkin the future “sun of Russian poetry.” In 1815, he, a brilliant officer who had been in battles, visited Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum- specifically with the goal of inspiring Alexander to active occupation literature. One can imagine the delight and admiration of 15-16 year old boys when they received a warrior who took part in foreign campaigns against Napoleon himself!
Afterwards, Batyushkov goes on duty to Italy. Life promised magnificent prospects. But illness struck. The poet's mental health began to deteriorate. He went crazy and spent all his remaining years with his relatives. During periods of enlightenment, he himself said bitterly: “I am like a man carrying a beautiful jug, but it broke. Now go and guess what was in it..."
In 1830, the terminally ill Batyushkov was visited by Pushkin. The sight shocked him so much that soon a poem full of pain was born, “God forbid I go crazy...”.
Poetry
Batyushkov’s work can be roughly divided into 2 stages. The first is the “pre-war” period: then the young man was interested exclusively in the mythical beauties Liley and Dorida, to whom he dedicated light, airy lines full of patterned beauty.
At the same time, the poet himself never loved with a real, “earthly” feeling: it was as if he was afraid of the love fire that could scorch his beloved woman. But his poems are impeccable: Pushkin spoke of them with sincere admiration and reverence, not only in his youth, but also in his mature years. We can say that Batyushkov marked the beginning of language reforms, continued by Pushkin: he removed everything heavy, complex, filled with “evil wisdom.”
The second stage is after 1813-1814. Here other motives are woven into creativity: Batyushkov visited several wars, he saw pain, blood and death up close. He himself said to one of his friends who wanted to know whether the poet had come from the pen of some new dedication to Chloe or Lilete: “How can I, after what I saw, write about love?”
Batyushkov cherished many creative ideas. Probably, volumes of his poems today would stand on the shelves of bookcases in every home if his illness had not struck him down. His talent did not have time to fully mature. But we are grateful to the poet for the images of his charming Dorids and, of course, to Pushkin, for whom Batyushkov became one of the guides who showed the Arzamas “Cricket” the way to the top of literary Olympus.
Batyushkov Konstantin Nikolaevich (1787-1855), poet.
The poet's childhood was marred by mental illness and early death mother. He was educated in an Italian boarding school in St. Petersburg.
First famous poems Batyushkov (“God”, “Dream”) date back to approximately 1803-1804, and he began publishing in 1805.
In 1807, Batyushkov began a grandiose work - the translation of a poem by an Italian poet of the 16th century. Torquato Tasso "Jerusalem Liberated". In 1812 he went to war with Napoleon I, where he was seriously wounded. Subsequently, Batyushkov then re-entered military service(participated in the Finnish campaign of 1809, foreign campaigns of the Russian army of 1813-1814), he either served in the St. Petersburg Public Library, or lived in retirement in the village.
In 1809, he became friends with V. A. Zhukovsky and P. A. Vyazemsky. In 1810-1812 the poems “Ghost”, “False Fear”, “Bacchante” and “My Penates” were written. Message to Zhukovsky and Vyazemsky." To their contemporaries they seemed full of joy, glorifying the serene enjoyment of life.
Facing tragic reality Patriotic War 1812 produced a complete revolution in the poet’s consciousness. “The terrible actions... of the French in Moscow and its environs... completely upset my little philosophy and quarreled me with humanity,” he admitted in one of his letters.
The cycle of Batyushkov’s elegies of 1815 opens with a bitter complaint: “I feel that my gift in poetry has gone out...”; "No no! life is a burden to me! What is there without hope?..” (“Memoirs”). The poet either hopelessly mourns the loss of his beloved (“Awakening”), then evokes her appearance (“My Genius”), or dreams of how he could hide with her in idyllic solitude (“Tavrida”).
At the same time, he seeks consolation in faith, believing that beyond the grave a “better world” will certainly await him (“Hope”, “To a Friend”). This confidence, however, did not relieve anxiety. Batyushkov now perceives the fate of every poet as tragic.
Batyushkov was tormented by illness (consequences of old wounds), and economic affairs were going badly. In 1819, after much trouble, the poet received an appointment to diplomatic service to Naples. He hoped that the climate of Italy would benefit him, and that impressions of his childhood favorite country would inspire him. None of this came true. The climate turned out to be harmful for Batyushkov; the poet wrote little in Italy and destroyed almost everything he wrote.
From the end of 1820, a severe nervous disorder began to appear. Batyushkov was treated in Germany, then returned to Russia, but this did not help: nervous disease turned into mental. Attempts at treatment yielded nothing. In 1824, the poet fell into complete unconsciousness and spent about 30 years there. Towards the end of his life his condition improved somewhat, but his sanity never returned.
(1787 - 1855)Poet.
Born on May 18 (29 NS) in Vologda into a noble noble family. His childhood years were spent on the family estate - the village of Danilovskoye, Tver province. Home education was supervised by his grandfather, the leader of the nobility of the Ustyuzhensky district.
From the age of ten, Batyushkov studied in St. Petersburg in private foreign boarding schools and spoke many foreign languages.
From 1802 he lived in St. Petersburg in the house of his relative M. Muravyov, a writer and educator, who played decisive role in the formation of the poet’s personality and talent. He studies philosophy and literature French Enlightenment, ancient poetry, literature Italian Renaissance. For five years he served as an official in the Ministry of Public Education.
In 1805 he made his debut in print with the satirical poems “Message to My Poems.” During this period, he wrote poems mainly of the satirical genre ("Message to Chloe", "To Phyllis", epigrams).
In 1807 he enlisted in the people's militia and, as the hundredth commander of a police battalion, went on the Prussian campaign. In the battle of Heilsberg he was seriously wounded, but remained in the army and in 1808 - 09 participated in the war with Sweden. After retiring, he devoted himself entirely to literary creativity.
The satire "Vision on the Shores of Lethe", written in the summer of 1809, marks the beginning mature stage Batyushkov's creativity, although it was published only in 1841.
In 1810 - 12 he actively collaborated in the journal "Bulletin of Europe", became close to Karamzin, Zhukovsky, Vyazemsky and other writers. His poems “The Merry Hour”, “The Happy One”, “The Source”, “My Penates”, etc. appear.
During the War of 1812, Batyushkov, who did not join the active army due to illness, experienced “all the horrors of war,” “poverty, fires, hunger,” which was later reflected in the “Message to Dashkov” (1813). In 1813 - 14 participated in foreign trip Russian army against Napoleon. The impressions of the war formed the content of many poems: “The Prisoner”, “The Fate of Odysseus”, “Crossing the Rhine”, etc.
In 1814 - 17 Batyushkov traveled a lot, rarely staying in one place for more than six months. Going through a tough one spiritual crisis: disappointment in the ideas of educational philosophy. Religious sentiments are growing. His poetry is painted in sad and tragic tones: the elegy “Separation”, “Shadow of a Friend”, “Awakening”, “My Genius”, “Tavrida”, etc. In 1817 the collection “Experiments in Poems and Prose” was published, which included translations , articles, essays and poems.
In 1819 he left for Italy for a new service - he was appointed an official at the Neopolitan mission. In 1821 he was overcome by an incurable mental illness (persecution mania). Treatment in the best European clinics was not successful - Batyushkov never returned to normal life. His last years passed with relatives in Vologda. Died of typhus
July 7 (19 NS) 1855. Buried in the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery.
Konstantin Batyushkov short biography Russian poet is outlined below.
Konstantin Batyushkov biography briefly
Batyushkov Konstantin Nikolaevich was born in Vologda May 18 (29), 1787. He was the fifth child in the family. The boy lost his mother early and was soon sent to study at a St. Petersburg boarding school. He devoted a lot of time to self-education. Thanks to his uncle M.N. Muravyov he became acquainted with the works of Tibullus and Horace.
Under the patronage of Muravyov, Konstantin Nikolaevich was assigned to serve in the Ministry of Public Education in 1802. In the period 1804-1805 he served as a clerk in his uncle's office.
Having received a good education In private boarding houses in St. Petersburg, Batyushkov was especially successful in learning foreign languages. Knowledge of French and Italian languages It was very useful for the poet, he became a talented translator and passionately fell in love with poetry.
While serving, a craving for literature arose. This is how he becomes close to I.P. Pnin and N.I. Gnedich, who founded “ Free Society lovers of literature." In 1805 the first attempt at writing took place. The poem “Message to My Poems” was published in the magazine “News of Russian Literature.”
Konstantin Nikolaevich in 1807, despite the protests of his father, became a member people's militia and participates in military skirmishes. Batyushkov was in battle for his courage awarded the order Anna III degree. In the same year, he began translating Tassa’s “Liberated Jerusalem.”
In 1809 he decides to move to Moscow, where he meets V.A. Zhukovsky, P. A. Vyazemsky and N. M. Karamzin. At the beginning of 1812 he moved to St. Petersburg and got a job in public library. Batyushkov regularly communicates and meets with Krylov. In July 1813, the poet became the adjutant of General Raevsky, the hero of the Patriotic War, and with him Konstantin Nikolaevich reached Paris.
Batyushkov’s main merit the fact that he worked deeply on poetic Russian speech. Thanks to Konstantin Nikolaevich, the poem began to sound passionate and harmonious at the same time. He also wrote prose articles “On the character of Lomonosov”, “On the works of Muravyov” and “Evening at Kantemir’s”. In October 1817, a collection of his works, “Experiments in Poetry and Prose,” was published.
Konstantin Nikolaevich Batyushkov was born on May 18 (29), 1787, in Vologda. He came from ancient noble family, was the fifth child in a large family.
Having lost his mother early, he soon entered one of the St. Petersburg boarding schools to study.
Konstantin did a lot of self-education. Under the influence of his uncle, M.N. Muravyov, he learned Latin and became interested in the works of Horace and Tibullus.
On duty
In 1802, the young man, under the patronage of his uncle, was assigned to serve in the Ministry of Public Education. In 1804-1805 held the position of clerk in the office of M. N. Muravyov. During his service, he continued to be drawn to literature. He became close to the founders of the “Free Society of Literature Lovers” I. P. Pnin and N. I. Gnedich.
In 1807, Konstantin Nikolaevich, contrary to the opinion of his father, became a member of the people's militia. In the spring of this year he took part in hostilities, for his courage he was awarded by Anna III degree.
In 1809 he moved to Moscow, where he met with P.A. Vyazemsky, V.A. Zhukovsky and N.M. Karamzin.
At the very beginning of 1812, Batyushkov moved to St. Petersburg and entered the service of the public library. He regularly met and communicated with I. A. Krylov.
Studying the short biography of Batyushkov, you should know that in July 1813 he became the adjutant of General N.N. Raevsky, the hero of the Patriotic War, and reached Paris.
Literary activity
The first attempt at writing took place in 1805. Konstantin Nikolaevich’s poem “Message to My Poems” was published in the magazine “News of Russian Literature”.
During the military campaign of 1807, Batyushkov undertook the translation of “Liberated Jerusalem” by Tass.
Batyushkov’s main merit is his deep work on Russian poetic speech. Thanks to him Russian poem filled with strength, began to sound harmonious and at the same time passionate. V. G. Belinsky believed that it was the works of Batyushkov and Zhukovsky that prepared the ground for the discovery of the powerful talent of A. S. Pushkin.
The work of Batyushkov himself was quite unique. From his youth, fascinated by the works of ancient Greek thinkers, he unwittingly created images that were not entirely understandable to the domestic reader. The poet's first poems are permeated with epicureanism. They amazingly combine mythology and the life of an ordinary Russian village.
Batyushkov wrote such prose articles as “An Evening at Kantemir’s”, “On the Works of Muravyov” and “On the Character of Lomonosov”.
In October 1817, his collected works “Experiments in Poems and Prose” were published.
last years of life
Batyushkov Konstantin Nikolaevich suffered severe nervous disorder. This disease was passed on to him by inheritance. The first seizure occurred in 1815. After that, his condition only worsened.
In 1833 he was dismissed and placed in his hometown, in the house of his own nephew. He lived there for another 22 years.
Batyushkov passed away on July 7 (19), 1855. The cause of death was typhus. The poet was buried in the Spaso-Prilutsky Monastery, which is located 5 versts from Vologda.
Other biography options
- His elder sister Alexandra also suffered from mental illness, inherited by Batyushkov.
- In his youth, Batyushkov was deeply in love. He asked A. Furman for her hand in marriage, but she gave her consent to the marriage only under the influence of her relatives. Realizing that he was not nice to her, Konstantin Nikolaevich himself refused the marriage.
- In 1830, Pushkin visited Batyushkov. Finding himself deeply impressed by the poet’s depressing state, he wrote the poem “God forbid I go crazy.”