Alexander Alexandrovich Blok is a wonderful Russian writer who worked at the border of the 19th and 20th centuries. Born on November 16, 1880 in an intelligent family of a professor and writer in St. Petersburg. In 1898 he successfully graduated from the Vvedensky gymnasium, and then St. Petersburg University. Received two educations: legal and historical-philological.
Young Sasha had a chance to show off his writing talent at the age of five: then he wrote his first poems. In general, it is worth noting that the young man grew up versatile: he was interested not only in science, but also acting skills and attended performing arts courses.
In 1897, while on vacation with his family, Blok fell in love for the first time. These ardent youthful feelings remained deeply in the writer’s memory and left an indelible mark on all of his subsequent work. In 1903, Alexander’s wife became the daughter of Professor Mendeleev, whom he literally wrested from an equally famous admirer, the poet Andrei Bely. He dedicated the collection “Poems about a Beautiful Lady” to his beloved woman with the symbolic name Love. He was noted by the Academy society and accepted into the ranks of its members. In the same year, 1903, Blok made his debut in literary circles, declaring himself a symbolist writer. Gradually he makes new acquaintances in this area and becomes close to D. Merezhkovsky, Z. Gippius and V. Bryusov.
It is far from a secret that, in addition to his wife, Blok was in love more than once. He experienced great passion and an irresistible attraction to several women, who later also left their mark on him. poetic creativity. It was Lyubov Delmas, and later N. Volokhova
Even then, Blok showed himself as a pronounced symbolist writer. His early work is characterized by the versatility of symbols and signs in the description of events and images. The main themes and motifs of that period are love experiences and the beauty of nature. In more late period Blok's creativity became increasingly interested social problems and the experiences of people belonging to the lower strata of the population. This includes his poem “The Rose and the Cross” from 1912 and the cycle “Retribution”, published in 1913. Critics recognized the collection “Iambics” of 1914 as one of the most poetic and successful cycles, which included the well-known verse “Night, street, lantern, pharmacy.”
The decisive moment that divided creative path writer's "before" and "after" is the poem "Factory", which was published in 1903. And the years from 1906 to 1908 can be noted as the most successful in the writer’s work. Then he experienced an unprecedented rise and gained success and recognition from those around him. The collections “Unexpected Joy”, “Earth in the Snow”, “Snow Mask”, “Song of Fate” and “Lyrical Dramas” belong to this period. After 1908, there was a clear separation of the Bloc from the Symbolist camp. His further path became independent and not like his early work. His collection “Italian Poems,” written during a trip to the country of the same name, was received by the public and critics with great enthusiasm and recognized best work about Italy ever written by a domestic author.
In addition to journalism and acutely social literature, Blok was fond of writing works for children and youth audiences. In 1913, he published two collections of children’s poems, “Fairy Tales” and “ All year round" In 1916, Blok went to the front, where he learned that royal power no more. Later, while serving in the Extraordinary Commission, which investigated the crimes of the autocratic system against the people, Blok discovered the whole truth about the autocratic system and called it a “garbage dump.” Based on the conclusions he made and materials obtained as a result of interrogations, a documentary work was written “ Last days imperial power."
Especially difficult period the writer's life spanned the years great revolution. Unlike other compatriots, Blok did not emigrate, but remained in Petrograd and earned his living by working in a publishing house. Lots of articles and famous poem"Twelve" is dedicated to the themes difficult years in the life of a writer. Then he worked with special zeal, realizing in himself a fierce civic responsibility and patriotism. He praised the great feat of the people, who every day find the strength to live, despite the difficult life and poverty. He actively participated in rallies and demonstrations and took an active social position.
Before his death, Blok was weakened and constantly ill. His acquaintances, including Maxim Gorky, strenuously asked the government to provide a trip to the writer so that he could improve his health and go on vacation. However, all efforts were in vain and, in protest, Blok stopped being treated with medications and went on a hunger strike and consigned all his last manuscripts to ashes.
The writer spent the last days of his life in poverty and devastation and died of a heart attack that overtook him on August 7, 1921.
The boy was sent to the St. Petersburg Vvedenskaya Gymnasium, from which he graduated in 1898.
In 1898, Alexander Blok entered the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg University, but in 1901 he switched to history. Faculty of Philology, who graduated in 1906 in the Slavic-Russian department.
From the beginning of the 1900s, Alexander Blok became close to the symbolists Dmitry Merezhkovsky and Zinaida Gippius in St. Petersburg, and with Valery Bryusov and Andrei Bely in Moscow.
In 1903, in the magazine headed by the Merezhkovskys " New way"The first selection of Blok's poems, "From Dedications", appeared. In the same year in the almanac " Northern flowers" a cycle of poems was published under the title "Poems about a Beautiful Lady" (the title was suggested by Bryusov).
The events of the revolution of 1905-1907 played a special role in shaping Blok’s worldview, revealing the spontaneous, catastrophic nature of existence. In the lyrics of this time, the theme of the “elements” became the leading one - images of a blizzard, blizzard, motifs of free people, vagrancy. The Beautiful Lady is replaced by the demonic Stranger, Snow Mask, and the schismatic gypsy Faina. Blok published in the symbolist magazines “Questions of Life”, “Scales”, “Pereval”, “Golden Fleece”, in the latter he led the critical department from 1907.
In 1907, Blok's collection "Unexpected Joy" was published in Moscow, in St. Petersburg - the cycle of poems "Snow Mask", in 1908 in Moscow - the third collection of poems "Earth in the Snow" and a translation of Grillparzer's tragedy "Foremother" with an introductory article and notes. In 1908 he turned to the theater and wrote " lyrical dramas" - "Balaganchik", "King in the Square", "Stranger".
A trip to Italy in the spring and summer of 1909 became a period of “revaluation of values” for Blok. The impressions he gained from this journey were embodied in the cycle “Italian Poems”.
In 1909, having received an inheritance after the death of his father, he was freed from worries about literary earnings for a long time and focused on large artistic ideas. In 1910, he began working on the great epic poem "Retribution" (which was not completed). In 1912-1913 he wrote the play "Rose and Cross". After the release of the collection “Night Hours” in 1911, Blok revised his five poetry books into a three-volume collection of poems (1911-1912). During the poet's lifetime, the three-volume set was republished in 1916 and in 1918-1921.
Since the autumn of 1914, Blok worked on the publication of “Poems by Apollo Grigoriev” (1916) as a compiler, author of the introductory article and commentator.
In July 1916, during the First World War, he was drafted into the army and served as a timekeeper of the 13th engineering and construction squad of the Zemsky and City Unions near Pinsk (now a city in Belarus).
After the February Revolution of 1917, Blok returned to Petrograd, where, as an editor of verbatim reports, he became a member of the Extraordinary Investigative Commission to investigate the crimes of the tsarist government. The materials of the investigation were summarized by him in the book “The Last Days of Imperial Power” (1921).
The October Revolution causes a new spiritual rise of the poet and civic activity. In January 1918, the poems “The Twelve” and “Scythians” were created.
After “The Twelve” and “Scythians”, Alexander Blok wrote comic poems “in case”, prepared latest edition"lyrical trilogy", but did not create new original poems until 1921. During this period, the poet made cultural and philosophical reports at meetings of the Volfila - Free Philosophical Association, at the School of Journalism, wrote lyrical fragments “Neither Dreams nor Reality” and “Confession of a Pagan”, feuilletons “Russian Dandies”, “Fellow Citizens”, “Answer to the Question of red seal."
A huge amount of what was written was related to official activities Block: after October revolution In 1917, for the first time in his life, he was forced to look not only for literary income, but also public service. In September 1917, he became a member of the Theater and Literary Commission, from the beginning of 1918 he collaborated with the Theater Department of the People's Commissariat of Education, and in April 1919 he moved to the Bolshoi Theatre of Drama. At the same time he worked as a member of the editorial board of the publishing house " World literature"under the leadership of Maxim Gorky, from 1920 he was chairman Petrograd branch Union of Poets.
Initially, Blok's participation in cultural and educational institutions was motivated by beliefs about the duty of the intelligentsia to the people. But the discrepancy between the poet’s ideas about the “cleansing revolutionary element” and the bloody everyday life of the advancing regime led him to disappointment in what was happening. In his articles and diary entries, the motif of the catacomb existence of culture appeared. Blok’s thoughts about the indestructibility of true culture and the “secret freedom” of the artist were expressed in his speech “On the Appointment of a Poet” at an evening in memory of Alexander Pushkin and in the poem “To the Pushkin House” (February 1921), which became his artistic and human testament.
In the spring of 1921, Alexander Blok asked to be given an exit visa to Finland for treatment in a sanatorium. The Politburo of the Central Committee of the RCP(b), at whose meeting this issue was discussed, refused to allow Blok to leave.
In April 1921, the poet's growing depression turned into a mental disorder accompanied by heart disease. On August 7, 1921, Alexander Blok died in Petrograd. He was buried at the Smolensk cemetery; in 1944, the poet’s ashes were transferred to the Literary Bridge at the Volkovsky cemetery.
Since 1903, Alexander Blok was married to Lyubov Mendeleeva (1882-1939), the daughter of the famous chemist Dmitry Mendeleev, to whom the cycle “Poems about a Beautiful Lady” was dedicated. After the poet’s death, she became interested in classical ballet and taught the history of ballet at the Choreographic School at the Kirov Opera and Ballet Theater (now the Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet). She described her life with the poet in the book “Both true stories and fables about Blok and about herself.”
In 1980, in the house on Dekabristov Street, where the poet lived and died for the last nine years, the museum-apartment of Alexander Blok was opened.
In 1984, in the Shakhmatovo estate, where Blok spent his childhood and youth, as well as in the neighboring estates of Boblovo and Tarakanovo, Solnechnogorsk district, Moscow region, the State Museum-Reserve DI. Mendeleev and A.A. Blok.
The material was prepared based on information from open sources
He amazed everyone with his irrepressible faith in the future of Russia and its people. Loving and suffering to embrace the immensity, a man with a wide soul and tragic life. Blok's life and work deserve attention for their completeness and touchingness.
Biography of the poet
Blok Alexander Alexandrovich, born 1880, November 28. Place of birth - St. Petersburg. His parents: father - A.L. Blok, worked as a lawyer at the university in Warsaw, mother - A.A. Beketova, daughter of the famous botanist.
The boy's parents divorced before he was born, so growing up in full family he didn't succeed. However, maternal grandfather A.N. Beketov, in whose family Alexander grew up, surrounded the child with due care and attention. Gave him a good education and a start in life. A.N. himself Beketov was the rector of the university in St. Petersburg. The highly moral and cultural atmosphere of the environment left its mark on the formation of Blok’s worldviews and upbringing.
Since childhood, he has had a love for the classics of Russian literature. Pushkin, Apukhtin, Zhukovsky, Fet, Grigoriev - these are the names on whose works little Blok grew up and became familiar with the world of literature and poetry.
Poet's training
The first stage of education for Blok was a gymnasium in St. Petersburg. After graduating in 1898, he entered St. Petersburg University to study law. Finishes legal training in 1901 and changed direction to historical and philological.
It was at the university that he finally decided to delve into the world of literature. This desire is also reinforced by the beautiful and picturesque nature, among which his grandfather’s estate is located. Having grown up in such an environment, Alexander forever absorbed the sensitivity and subtlety of his worldview, and reflected this in his poems. From then on, Blok’s creativity began.
Blok is very supportive of his mother warm relations, his love and respect for her is limitless. Until his mother’s death, he constantly sent her his works.
Appearance
Their marriage took place in 1903. Family life was ambiguous and complex. Mendeleev was waiting great love, as in novels. The block offered moderation and tranquility of life. The result was his wife’s passion for his friend and like-minded person, Andrei Bely, a symbolist poet who played last role in the works of Blok himself.
Lifetime work
Blok’s life and work developed in such a way that, in addition to literature, he took part in completely everyday affairs. For example:
"Poems about a Beautiful Lady";
"Unexpected joy";
"Snowy Night"
"On the Kulikovo field."
“Retribution”, which he wrote like that.
was an active participant in dramatic productions in the theater and even saw himself as an actor, but the literary field attracted him more;
for two years in a row (1905-1906) the poet was a direct witness and participant in revolutionary rallies and demonstrations;
writes his own literature review column in the newspaper "Golden Fleece";
from 1916-1917 repays his debt to the Motherland, serving near Pinsk (engineering and construction squad);
is part of the leadership of the Bolshoi;
upon returning from the army, he gets a job in the Extraordinary Investigative Commission for the Affairs of Tsarist Ministers. He worked there as a shorthand report editor until 1921.
Blok's early work
Little Sasha wrote his first poem at the age of five. Even then, he had the makings of a talent that needed to be developed. This is what Blok did.
Love and Russia are two favorite themes of creativity. Blok wrote a lot about both. However, on initial stage What attracted him most to the development and realization of his talent was love. The image of the beautiful lady, which he had been looking for everywhere, captured his entire being. And he found the earthly embodiment of his ideas in Lyubov Mendeleeva.
The theme of love in Blok’s work is revealed so fully, clearly and beautifully that it is difficult to dispute it. Therefore, it is not surprising that his first brainchild - a collection of poems - is called "Poems about a Beautiful Lady", and it is dedicated to his wife. When writing this collection of poems, Blok was greatly influenced by the poetry of Solovyov, whose student and follower he is considered to be.
All the poems convey a feeling Eternal femininity, beauty, naturalness. However, all expressions and phrases used in writing are allegorical and unrealistic. Blok is carried away in a creative impulse to “other worlds.”
Gradually, the theme of love in Blok’s work gives way to more real and pressing problems surrounding the poet.
The beginning of disappointment
Revolutionary events, discord in family relationships, and miserably failing dreams of a clean and bright future for Russia force Blok’s work to undergo obvious changes. His next collection is called “Unexpected Joy” (1906).
More and more he ridicules the symbolists, to whom he no longer considers himself, and he is more and more cynical about hopes for the best ahead. He's a member revolutionary events, who is completely on the side of the Bolsheviks, considering their cause to be right.
During this period (1906) his trilogy of dramas was published. First, “Balaganchik”, after some time “King in the Square”, and this trio ends with bitter disappointment from the imperfection of the world, from their disappointed hopes. During the same period, he became interested in actress N.N. Volokhova. However, he does not receive reciprocity, which adds bitterness, irony and skepticism to his poems.
Andrei Bely and other previously like-minded people in poetry do not accept the changes in Blok and criticize his current work. Alexander Blok remains adamant. He is disappointed and deeply saddened.
"The Incarnation Trilogy"
In 1909, Blok’s father dies, to whom he does not have time to say goodbye. This leaves an even greater imprint on his state of mind, and he decides to combine his most striking works, in his opinion, into one poetic trilogy, which he gives the name “Trilogy of Incarnation.”
Thus, Blok’s work in 1911-1912 was marked by the appearance of three collections of poems, which bear poetic titles:
A year later, he released a cycle of love poems "Carmen", wrote the poem " Nightingale Garden", dedicated to his new hobby - singer L.A. Delmas.
Homeland in Blok's works
Since 1908, the poet has positioned himself no longer as a lyricist, but as a glorifier of his Motherland. During this period he writes poems such as:
"Autumn Wave";
"Autumn Love";
All these works are imbued with love for the Motherland, for one’s country. The poet simultaneously shows two sides of life in Russia: poverty and hunger, piety, but at the same time wildness, unbridledness and freedom.
The theme of Russia in Blok’s work, the theme of the homeland is one of the most fundamental in all of his poetic life. For him, the Motherland is something living, breathing and feeling. Therefore, the ongoing events of the October Revolution are too difficult, disproportionately difficult for him.
The theme of Russia in Blok’s works
After revolutionary trends capture his entire spirit, the poet almost completely loses lyricism and love in his works. Now the whole meaning of his works is directed towards Russia, his homeland.
Blok personifies his country in poetry with a woman; he makes it almost tangible, real, as if he humanizes it. The homeland in Blok’s work takes on such a large-scale significance that he never writes about love again.
Believing in the Bolsheviks and their truth, he experiences severe, almost fatal disappointment for him when he sees the results of the revolution. Hunger, poverty, defeat, mass extermination of the intelligentsia - all this forms in Blok’s mind an acute hostility towards the symbolists, towards lyricism and forces him from now on to create works only with a satiristic, poisonous mockery of faith in the future.
However, his love for Russia is so great that he continues to believe in the strength of his country. That she will rise up, dust herself off and be able to show her power and glory. The works of Blok, Mayakovsky, Yesenin are similar in this regard.
In 1918, Blok wrote the poem “The Twelve,” the most scandalous and loud of all his works, which caused a lot of rumors and conversations about it. But criticism leaves the poet indifferent; the emerging depression begins to consume his entire being.
Poem "Twelve"
The author began writing his work "The Twelve" in early January. On the first day of work, he didn't even take a break. His notes say: “Trembling inside.” Then the writing of the poem stopped, and the poet managed to finish it only on January 28.
After the publication of this work, Blok’s work changed dramatically. This can be briefly described in the following way: the poet lost himself, stagnation set in.
The main idea of the poem was recognized differently by everyone. Some saw in it support for the revolution, a mockery of symbolist views. Some, on the contrary, have a satirical slant and mockery of the revolutionary order. However, Blok himself had both in mind when creating the poem. She is contradictory, just like his mood at that moment.
After the publication of "Twelve" everything was fine weak ties with the Symbolists were broken. Almost all of Blok’s close friends turned away from him: Merezhkovsky, Vyach, Prishvin, Sologub, Piast, Akhmatova and others.
By that time, he himself was becoming disillusioned with Balmont. Thus, Blok is left practically alone.
Post-revolutionary creativity
The revolution passed, and the bitterness from the disappointment of the Bolshevik policies grew and intensified. Such a gap between what was promised and what was done as a result of the revolution became unbearable for Blok. We can briefly characterize Blok’s work during this period: nothing was written.
As they would later write about the poet’s death, “the Bolsheviks killed him.” And indeed it is. Blok was unable to overcome and accept such a discrepancy between word and deed new government. He failed to forgive himself for supporting the Bolsheviks, for his blindness and short-sightedness.
Blok is experiencing severe discord within himself and is completely lost in his inner experiences and torment. The consequence of this is illness. From April 1921 to the beginning of August, the illness did not let go of the poet, tormenting him more and more. Only occasionally emerging from semi-oblivion, he tries to console his wife, Lyubov Mendeleeva (Blok). On August 7, Blok died.
Where did the poet live and work?
Today, Blok’s biography and work captivate and inspire many. And the place where he lived and wrote his poems and poems turned into a museum. From the photographs we can judge the environment in which the poet worked.
You can see the appearance of the estate where the poet spent time in the photo on the left.
The room in which the poet spent the last bitter and difficult minutes of his life (photo below).
Today, the poet’s work is loved and studied, admired, his depth and integrity, unusualness and brightness are recognized. Russia in Blok’s work is studied in school activities, essays are written on this topic. This gives every right to call the author a great poet. In the past, he was a symbolist, then a revolutionary, and at the end of the day he was simply a deeply disillusioned person with life and power, an unhappy person with a bitter, difficult fate.
A monument has been erected in St. Petersburg to perpetuate the author’s name in history and pay due respect to his undeniable talent.
Blok Alexander Alexandrovich was born in St. Petersburg on November 28, 1880. His father was Alexander Lvovich Blok, who worked as a professor at the University of Warsaw, and his mother was the translator Alexandra Andreevna Beketova, whose father was the rector of St. Petersburg University.
The mother of the future poet married her first husband at the age of eighteen, and soon after the birth of the boy, she decided to sever all ties with her unloved husband. Subsequently, the poet’s parents practically did not communicate with each other.
In those days, divorces were rare and condemned by society, but in 1889, the self-sufficient and purposeful Alexandra Blok ensured that the Holy Governing Synod officially dissolved her marriage to Alexander Lvovich. Soon after this, the daughter of the famous Russian botanist remarried true love: for the guard officer Kublitsky-Piottukh. Alexandra Andreevna did not change her son’s surname to her own or to her stepfather’s intricate surname, and the future poet remained Blok.
Sasha spent his childhood years in his grandfather's house. In the summer he went to Shakhmatovo for a long time and throughout his life he carried warm memories of the time spent there. Moreover, Alexander Blok lived with his mother and her new husband on the outskirts of St. Petersburg.
There has always been an incomprehensible spiritual connection between the future poet and his mother. It was she who revealed to Sasha the works of Baudelaire, Polonsky, Verlaine, Fet and other famous poets. Alexandra Andreevna and her young son studied new trends in philosophy and poetry together, had passionate conversations about latest news politics and culture. Subsequently, it was Alexander Blok who primarily read his works to his mother and it was from her that he sought consolation, understanding and support.
In 1889, the boy began studying at the Vvedenskaya gymnasium. Some time later, when Sasha was already 16 years old, he went with his mother on a trip abroad and spent some time in the city of Bad Nauheim, a popular German resort of those times. Despite his young age, on vacation he selflessly fell in love with Ksenia Sadovskaya, who was 37 years old at that time. Naturally, not about any relationship between a teenager and adult woman there was no talk. However, the charming Ksenia Sadovskaya, her image, imprinted in Blok’s memory, later became an inspiration for him when writing many works.
In 1898, Alexander completed his studies at the gymnasium and successfully passed entrance exams to St. Petersburg University, choosing jurisprudence for his career. Three years after this, he nevertheless transferred to the historical and philological department, choosing the Slavic-Russian direction for himself. The poet completed his studies at the university in 1906. At the time of receipt higher education he met Alexei Remizov, Sergei Gorodetsky, and also became friends with Sergei Solovyov, who was his second cousin.
The beginning of creativity
The Blok family, especially on the maternal side, continued a highly cultured family, which could not but affect Alexandra. WITH youth he read avidly numerous books, was fond of theater and even attended the corresponding circle in St. Petersburg, and also tried his hand at poetry. The boy wrote his first simple works at the age of five, and at adolescence He, in the company of his brothers, was enthusiastically writing a handwritten journal.
An important event in the early 1900s for Alexander Alexandrovich was his marriage to Lyubov Mendeleeva, who was the daughter of a famous Russian scientist. The relationship between the young spouses was complex and unique, but filled with love and passion. Lyubov Dmitrievna also became a source of inspiration and a prototype for a number of characters in the poet’s works.
Talk about complete creative career The block can be dated from 1900-1901. At that time, Alexander Alexandrovich became an even more devoted admirer of the work of Afanasy Fet, as well as the lyrics and even the teachings of Plato. In addition, fate brought him together with Dmitry Merezhkovsky and Zinaida Gippius, in whose magazine called “New Path” Blok took his first steps as a poet and critic.
On early stage his creative development Alexander Alexandrovich realized that a direction in literature close to his liking was symbolism. This movement, which pierced all varieties of culture, was distinguished by innovation, a desire for experimentation, and a love of mystery and understatement. In St. Petersburg, symbolists close to him in spirit were the above-mentioned Gippius and Merezhkovsky, and in Moscow - Valery Bryusov. It is noteworthy that around the time Blok began publishing in the St. Petersburg “New Way,” a Moscow almanac called “Northern Flowers” began publishing his works.
A special place in the heart of Alexander Blok was occupied by a circle of young admirers and followers of Vladimir Solovyov, organized in Moscow. The role of a kind of leader of this circle was taken on by Andrei Bely, at that time an aspiring prose writer and poet. Andrey became a close friend of Alexander Alexandrovich, and members literary circle- one of the most devoted and enthusiastic fans of his work.
In 1903, the almanac “Northern Flowers” published a series of works by Blok entitled “Poems about a Beautiful Lady.” At the same time, three poems by the young rhymer were included in a collection of works by students of the Imperial St. Petersburg University. In my first famous cycle Blok presents a woman as natural spring light and purity, and raises the question of how real love feeling brings closer together separate personality with the world as a whole.
Revolution of 1905-1907
Revolutionary events became for Alexander Alexandrovich the personification of the spontaneous, disordered nature of existence and quite significantly influenced his creative views. The Beautiful Lady in his thoughts and poems was replaced by images of blizzards, blizzards and vagrancy, bold and ambiguous Faina, Snow Mask and Stranger. Poems about love faded into the background.
Drama and interaction with the theater at this time also fascinated the poet. The first play written by Alexander Alexandrovich was called “Balaganchik” and was composed by Vsevolod Meyerhold at the Vera Komissarzhevskaya Theater in 1906.
At the same time, Blok, who, idolizing his wife, did not refuse the opportunity to nourish tender feelings to other women, was inflamed with passion for N.N. Volokhova, theater actress Vera Komissarzhevskaya. The image of the beautiful Volokhova soon filled Blok’s philosophical poems: the poet dedicated the “Faina” cycle and the book “Snow Mask” to her; he copied the heroines of the plays “Song of Fate” and “The King in the Square” from her.
Late 1900s main theme Blok's work became the problem of the relationship common people and intelligentsia in domestic society. In the poems of this period one can trace a vivid crisis of individualism and attempts to determine the place of the creator in the conditions real world. At the same time, Alexander Alexandrovich associated the Motherland with the image of his beloved wife, which is why his patriotic poems acquired a special, deeply personal individuality.
Refusal of symbolism
1909 was a very difficult year for Alexander Blok: that year his father, with whom he still maintained fairly warm relations, died, as well as the newborn child of the poet and his wife Lyudmila. However, the impressive inheritance that Alexander Blok Sr. left to his son allowed him to forget about financial difficulties and focus on major creative projects.
In the same year, the poet visited Italy, and the foreign atmosphere further pushed him to reassess previously established values. About this internal struggle tells the cycle “Italian Poems”, as well as prose essays from the book “Lightning of Art”. In the end, Blok came to the conclusion that symbolism, as a school with strictly defined rules, had exhausted itself for him, and from now on he felt the need for self-deepening and a “spiritual diet.”
Focusing on the big ones literary works, Alexander Alexandrovich gradually began to devote less and less time to journalistic work and appearance at various events that were popular among the poetic bohemia of those times.
In 1910, the author began composing an epic poem called “Retribution,” which he was never destined to finish. Between 1912 and 1913 he wrote the famous play The Rose and the Cross. And in 1911, Blok, taking five of his books of poetry as a basis, compiled a collection of works in three volumes, which was reprinted several times.
October Revolution
The Soviet government did not cause this to Alexander Blok negative attitude, like many other poets " silver age" At a time when Julius Aikhenvald, Dmitry Merezhkovsky and many others were strongly criticizing the Bolsheviks who had come to power, Blok agreed to cooperate with the new government leadership.
The name of the poet, who by that time was quite well known to the public, was actively used by the authorities for their own purposes. Among other things, Alexander Alexandrovich was constantly appointed to positions of no interest to him in various commissions and institutions.
It was during that period that the poem “Scythians” and the famous poem “The Twelve” were written. The last image of the “Twelve”: Jesus Christ, who found himself at the head of a procession of twelve Red Army soldiers, caused a real resonance in literary world. Although this work is now considered one of the best creations of the “Silver Age” of Russian poetry, most of Blok’s contemporaries spoke about the poem, especially about the image of Jesus, in an extremely negative way.
Personal life
Blok's first and only wife was Lyubov Mendeleeva, with whom he was madly in love and whom he considered his real destiny. The wife was a support and support for the writer, as well as a constant muse.
However, the poet’s ideas about marriage were quite unique: firstly, he was categorically against physical intimacy, praising spiritual love. Secondly, until the last years of his life, Blok did not consider it shameful to fall in love with other representatives of the fair sex, although his women never mattered to him as much as his wife. However, Lyubov Mendeleeva also allowed herself to be carried away by other men.
The Bloks couple, alas, did not have children: the child, born after one of the few nights together between Alexander and Lyubov, turned out to be too weak and did not survive. Nevertheless, Blok still has quite a lot of relatives both in Russia and in Europe.
Death of poet
After the October Revolution, not only Interesting Facts from the life of Alexander Alexandrovich. Loaded with an incredible amount of responsibilities, not his own, he began to get very sick. Blok developed asthma, cardiovascular disease, and began to develop mental disorders. In 1920, the author fell ill with scurvy.
At the same time, the poet was also going through a period of financial difficulties.
Exhausted by poverty and numerous illnesses, he passed away on August 7, 1921, while in his apartment in St. Petersburg. The cause of death was inflammation of the heart valves. The poet's funeral and funeral service was performed by Archpriest Alexei Zapadlov; Blok's grave is located at the Smolensk Orthodox Cemetery.
Shortly before his death, the writer tried to get permission to travel abroad for treatment, but he was refused. They say that after this Blok, being in sober mind and sanity, destroyed his notes and, on principle, did not take any medicine or even food. For a long time There were also rumors that before his death, Alexander Alexandrovich went crazy and was delirious with the thought of whether all copies of his poem “The Twelve” had been destroyed. However, these rumors were not confirmed.
Alexander Blok is considered one of the most brilliant representatives of Russian poetry. His major works, as well as small poems (“Factory”, “Night Street Lantern Pharmacy”, “In a Restaurant”, “ Dilapidated hut"and others), became part cultural heritage our people.
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Biography, life story of Alexander Alexandrovich Blok
The poet Blok was born in St. Petersburg in 1880 on November 16, he was the son of a law professor. Blok’s mother separated from her husband immediately after the birth of the boy. The child was raised in the family of his grandfather, who was the rector of St. Petersburg University, Beketov. Beketov Alexander Nikolaevich was a botanist by training. The mother married a second time, the family settled in the Grenadier barracks, since the stepfather was a guards officer. His last name was Kublitsky-Piottukh. Blok successfully graduated from high school and entered St. Petersburg University to study Faculty of Law. He soon realized that his interests were far from legal science and transferred to the Faculty of Philology, to the Slavic-Russian department. Alexander managed to study law for three years before becoming interested in philosophy and poetry.The acquaintance with his future wife took place within the walls of the university; she was the daughter of the famous Mendeleev, a chemist. The young couple got married in 1903. Blok was in love with his wife. It was a feeling of rare strength, which is not given to everyone. Blok's first love also left a deep mark on his soul and poetry. The poet experienced his first love during his high school years at a resort in Baden-Baden, where the family vacationed in 1897. By 1901, the poet had already written many poems, these were lyrics about love, poems about nature. Blok's poetry was built on the idealistic ideas of Plato's philosophy; it was full of vague forebodings, hints and allegories. In poetry there was an unreal world of higher ideas; it was something sublime.
The relationship with his wife was contradictory and very difficult, since there was almost no physical intimacy between them. At this time, Blok became close to the Symbolists. There were two circles of symbolists - St. Petersburg and Moscow. In the first, Zinaida Gippius and Merezhkovsky reigned, in the second, in Moscow, the main figure was Bryusov. Alexander became close to the Moscow circle of admirers of the philosophy of Vl. Solovyov, Andrei Bely stood out among them. Bely was then an aspiring prose writer and poet, a theorist and connoisseur of new literature and new art. Andrei Bely's group greeted Blok's poems with delight. The Symbolist publishing house published the book “Poems about beautiful lady". Blok's wife became the object of Andrei Bely's love, but he was rejected. However, family relationships became even more tense.
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The bloc began to gradually move away from the Symbolists back in 1905-1907, during the revolution. He turned to civil themes, at which time he wrote a drama for the Meyerhold Theater called "Balaganchik". During the period of war and revolution, Blok wrote many works in which he tried to comprehend historical path Russia from the point of view of the worldview of symbolism. Gradually, catastrophic motives began to grow in his work, he realized that artistic language Symbolists are alien to him. Blok accepted the revolution as an element of purification, but no one understood or accepted his images. Blok became a professional writer around the years 1906-1908, when books began to be published one after another, but from that same time a discord with symbolism began to emerge. He finally stood his ground own way in literature, drawing conclusions from their thoughts and doubts.
There was more than one woman in Blok’s life who influenced his poetry. Every period of biography became poetry. The history of the appearance of the “Carmen” cycle is connected with the feeling for Love Alexandrovna Delmas. Delmas was her stage name, after her mother's last name. Her real name was Tishinskaya. She was a famous singer who graduated from the St. Petersburg Conservatory. She sang romances to Blok's words at the Tenishevsky School, when everyone noticed that Blok and Delmas were strikingly suited to each other. Their feeling was “terribly serious.” She was a dazzling woman, but was she beautiful? Blok had a peculiar idea of female beauty, in fact, she was no longer a young, overweight woman. The cycles “Carmen”, “Harp and Violin”, “Grey Morning”, and the poem “The Nightingale Garden”, which Blok completed in 1915, were dedicated to her.
Having completed interesting travels abroad, Blok released a cycle of the best poems in Russian poetry about Italy and many other wonderful works.
In the summer of 1916, Blok was drafted into the army, where he found information about February revolution 1917. When the poet returned to Petrograd, he began to take part in the investigation of the crimes of the tsarist regime as part of the Extraordinary Commission. His book about these investigations was published posthumously. The last short creative upsurge occurred in 1918, when the poems “The Twelve” and “Scythians” were published. No one accepted or understood the image of Christ; the poem was perceived in very different ways. The revolutionaries were more lenient, but opponents of the revolution declared a real boycott of the poet.
In 1919, Blok was accused of an anti-Soviet conspiracy. He was interrogated for a long time, but Lunacharsky stood up. The poet was released, he began to try to cooperate with the authorities. Soon Blok felt the onset of a crisis of creativity; he realized that places in new literature he won't have it. His physical state deteriorated greatly, he was on the verge of exhaustion, on the verge of life and death. He refused to Lately from creativity and died of inflammation of the heart valves on August 7, 1921.