Portrait from 1811
V.L.Borovikovsky
Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin was born on July 14 (July 3, according to the old style), 1743, in a family estate in the village of Sokura in the Kazan province (now the village of Sokura, Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Federation) in a poor noble family. Father - Roman Nikolaevich, was an officer and often moved his family from one duty station to another. In 1750, Gavriil Romanovich began to study at a German boarding school in Orenburg. In 1754, after his retirement, his father dies, and the family finds itself in a difficult financial situation. Mother - Fekla Andreevna, decides to move to Kazan. And in 1759 Derzhavin entered the Kazan Gymnasium, which he successfully graduated from in 1762. During his studies, Gavriil Romanovich was one of the best students.
After studying, Derzhavin's military service begins with the rank of private in the Preobrazhensky Regiment. In the same 1762, he took part in the palace coup and in the ascension to the throne of Catherine II. During the service, he participated in the suppression of the Pugachev uprising. During the service, he began to write poetry, which was first published in 1773.
In the rank of officer, he retired in 1777 and, with the help of Prince Vyazemsky, got a job in the Senate. In 1778 he married Ekaterina Yakovlevna Bastidon (1761-1794). In 1782, after the publication of the ode "Felicia" in praise of Catherine, Derzhavin became known as a poet. In 1783 he became a member of the newly created Imperial Russian Academy. In 1784, after a conflict with Prince Vyazemsky, he retired. In the same year, Catherine II appointed Derzhavin as the ruler of the Olonets vicegerency (since 1801, the Olonets province). Here he participated in the creation of administrative institutions. And since 1786, he has served as the ruler of the Tambov vicegerency, where he also proves to be a good leader, leaving a noticeable mark on the history of the region. In 1791 he became Secretary of State of Catherine II. And two years later, in 1793, he was appointed senator. In 1794, Derzhavin's wife dies, and six months later he marries Daria Alekseevna Dyakova for the second time. From 1802 to 1803 he was Minister of Justice. In 1803 he was dismissed. For all the time of military and public service, he often came into conflict because of his love for truth and his ardor, for which he was not loved.
The time of public service was the dawn of his talent, and his fame is growing. After leaving the service, he constantly lives in his estate Zvanka in the Novgorod province and continues to engage in literature. In 1811, together with Alexander Semenovich Shishkov, he created the literary community "Conversation of Lovers of the Russian Word".
Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin died on July 20, 1816 at his estate. He was buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Varlaamo-Khutynsky Monastery near Veliky Novgorod.
- Private, gambler, collegiate adviser
- "Felitsa" and the first anthem of Russia
Gavriil Derzhavin went down in history not only as a writer, he went from a private guard to the Minister of Justice of the Russian Empire. He was the governor of two regions and personal assistant to Catherine II. He wrote the first unofficial anthem of Russia, participated in one of the first literary circles of the 18th century, and then created his own - "Conversation of lovers of the Russian word."
Gavriil Derzhavin was born in 1743 near Kazan. His father died early, and it was difficult for his mother to give her sons a good education. The family moved frequently. First, Derzhavin studied at the Orenburg school, then at the Kazan gymnasium. Here he became acquainted with the poetry of Mikhail Lomonosov, Alexander Sumarokov, Vasily Trediakovsky and tried to compose poetry himself. Vladislav Khodasevich wrote about his first works: “It came out clumsily and clumsily; neither verse nor syllable was given, but there was no one to show, there was no one to ask for advice and guidance..
Since 1762, Gavriil Derzhavin served as an ordinary guard in the Preobrazhensky Regiment. The poet recalled this time as the most joyless period of his life. He carried out a difficult soldier's service, and in his rare free moments he wrote poetry. In part, Derzhavin became addicted to cards, he wrote in his autobiography: “I learned conspiracies and all sorts of game scams. But, thanks be to God, that the conscience, or, rather, the prayers of the mother, never before allowed him to indulge in impudent theft or insidious betrayal.. Because of his addiction, Derzhavin was once almost demoted to the soldier: he was so carried away by the game that he did not return from his dismissal in time.
Ivan Smirnovsky. Portrait of Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin. 1790
Deciding to end his wild life, Derzhavin moved to St. Petersburg. At that time, a plague was raging in Russia, and at the quarantine outpost - at the entrance to the capital - the poet was forced to burn all his papers: “Everything that in all his youth, almost 20 years later, he smeared, such as: translations from the German language and his own compositions in prose and verse. Whether they were good or bad, that cannot now be said; but from his close friends who read ... highly praised ". Gavriil Derzhavin later reproduced many of the lost poems from memory.
During the years of the Peasants' War (1773-1775), Gavriil Derzhavin served on the Volga, worked on the commission to investigate the cases of Emelyan Pugachev's accomplices. He wrote an "exhortation to the Kalmyks", in which he urged them to repent and not support the peasant unrest. Commander-in-Chief Alexander Bibikov sent this message along with a report to Catherine II. Derzhavin's financial situation was difficult, and soon he wrote a letter to the empress listing his merits. The poet was appointed a collegiate adviser and granted him 300 souls. And four years later, a book with odes by Derzhavin was published.
Soon, Gabriel Derzhavin married Catherine Bastidon, the daughter of the former valet of Peter III and the nurse of Paul I. Derzhavin called his wife Plenira - from the word "captivate" - and dedicated many poems to her. It was during these years that he acquired his own literary style. He wrote philosophical lyrics - odes "On the death of Prince Meshchersky" (1799), "God" (1784), the poem "Autumn during the siege of Ochakov" (1788).
"Felitsa" and the first anthem of Russia
Derzhavin published, but he was not very well known in literary circles. Everything changed in 1783, when the poet wrote the ode "Felitsa" with a dedication to Catherine II. The poet took the name from the pedagogical work of the Empress - "Tales of Tsarevich Chlorus." In his poem, the “princess of the Kirghiz-Kaisak horde” turned into the ideal of an enlightened ruler, the mother of the people. For the ode, Derzhavin was awarded a gold snuff-box studded with diamonds, which contained 500 chervonets. And after a loud poetic performance, the poet began to favor high positions. However, his principled nature prevented Derzhavin from getting along with officials, and he was often transferred from place to place.
“As soon as some injustice and oppression rendered to someone or, on the contrary, some kind of feat of philanthropy and a good deed touches his ears, the cap will immediately come to life, his eyes will sparkle, and the poet turns into an orator, a champion of truth.”
Stepan Zhikharev
Salvator Tonchi. Portrait of Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin. 1801
In 1784 he was appointed governor of Olonets in Petrozavodsk, and in 1785 he was transferred to Tambov. This area was then one of the most backward in the country. Derzhavin built a school, a hospital, an orphanage in Tambov, opened a city theater and the city's first printing house.
Six years later, the poet went to the service of the empress personally: he became her office secretary. But since honest Derzhavin reported more “everything unpleasant, that is, petitions for injustice, rewards for merit and favors for poverty”, Catherine II tried to contact her assistant as rarely as possible, and soon he was completely transferred to serve in the Senate.
In 1791, Derzhavin created the first Russian anthem, albeit an unofficial one. There was a war with Turkey, Russian troops led by Alexander Suvorov took the fortress of Izmail. Inspired by this victory, Derzhavin wrote the poem "Thunder of victory, resound!". The poem was set to music by the composer Osip Kozlovsky. Only 15 years later, the “Thunder of Victory” was replaced by the official anthem “God Save the Tsar!”.
After the death of his first wife, the poet married a second time - to Daria Dyakova. Derzhavin had no children in any of his marriages. The couple took care of the children of a deceased family friend, Pyotr Lazarev. One of his sons, Mikhail Lazarev, became an admiral, discoverer of Antarctica, governor of Sevastopol. Also, the nieces of Daria Dyakova were brought up in the family.
Under Paul I, Derzhavin served in the Supreme Council, was president of the College of Commerce and state treasurer. Under Emperor Alexander I - Minister of Justice of the Russian Empire. All this time the poet continued to write. He created the odes "God", "Nobleman", "Waterfall". In 1803, Gavriil Derzhavin finally left the civil service.
I couldn't pretend
to be like a saint
Inflate with an important dignity,
And take the form of a philosopher ...... I fell, got up in my age.
Come on, sage! on my coffin stone,
If you are not human.Gabriel Derzhavin
"Conversation of lovers of the Russian word"
After his resignation, Gavriil Derzhavin devoted himself entirely to literature. He wrote tragedies, comedies and operas for the theatre, and created poetic translations of Racine. The poet also composed fables ("Blind Man's Bluff", "Minister's Choice"), worked on the treatise "Discourse on Lyric Poetry or Ode". "Notes", as the author called them, contained the theory of versification and examples - poetry of different periods, starting with ancient Greek. In 1812, the poet wrote the fairy tale "The Tsar Maiden".
Gavriil Derzhavin organized the literary circle "Conversation of lovers of the Russian word." It included writers Dmitry Khvostov, Alexander Shishkov, Alexander Shakhovskoy, Ivan Dmitriev.
“His head was a repository of comparisons, similes, maxims and pictures for his future poetic works. He spoke abruptly and not redly. But the same person spoke for a long time, sharply and with heat, when he retold about some dispute on an important matter in the Senate or about court intrigues, and sat up until midnight at the paper when he wrote a voice, conclusion or draft of some state decree. .
Ivan Dmitriev
"Besedchiki" adhered to conservative views on literary creativity, opposed the reforms of the Russian language - they were defended by supporters of Nikolai Karamzin. The "Karamzinists" were the main opponents of "Conversations", later they formed the "Arzamas" society.
The last work of Gabriel Derzhavin was the unfinished poem "The River of Times in its striving ...". In 1816, the poet died in his Novgorod estate Zvanka.
Gavriil Derzhavin is an outstanding Russian poet, playwright, prose writer and statesman. He was a true patriot of his Motherland, which he often extolled in his works.
His work had a great influence on the further development of Russian literature, which was recognized by all subsequent writers.
Biography of Derzhavin somewhat different from classical writers, and somewhat reminiscent of another great poet and diplomat -.
So, before you is a biography of Gabriel Derzhavin ().
Childhood and youth
Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin was born on July 3, 1743 in the village of Sokura, Kazan province. He grew up in a large family with a very modest income.
His father, Roman Nikolaevich, served as a second major. He died at an early age, so Gabriel hardly remembered him.
In this regard, the mother, Fekla Andreevna, had to work hard to feed her children.
Education
The first educational institution in Derzhavin's biography was the Orenburg school, after which he continued to study at the Kazan gymnasium.
Gabriel began to be interested in poetry from a young age. Most of all he liked the work of Trediakovsky and Sumarokov.
Remembering by heart many of the poems of these poets, he begins to compose poems himself. And it comes easily to him.
Army service
In 1762, Gavriil Derzhavin served as an ordinary guard in the Preobrazhensky Regiment.
Derzhavin in his youth It is interesting that in the future the regiment will take an active part in the coup d'etat, as a result of which it will come to power.
The army service did not bring any pleasure to the future poet, since he did not have free time to write works.
In addition, Derzhavin became addicted to playing cards.
To beat his rivals, he had to engage in cheating. It is worth noting that because of this, he experienced serious remorse.
When, over time, he manages to leave this heavy addiction, Derzhavin will thank God for this.
Second marriage
In 1794, a tragedy occurred in Derzhavin's biography. His wife Catherine died, with whom he lived for 19 years.
A year later, the poet married Daria Dyakova. He also had no children in this marriage. As a result, the couple raised the children of their family friend, Pyotr Lazarev.
An interesting fact is that one of these children, Mikhail, became a famous admiral, scientist, governor and discoverer of the Arctic in the future.
Career Peak
During the tenure of Paul 1, Derzhavin served as president of the College of Commerce and state treasurer.
When he became the next emperor, the poet ended up in the position of Minister of Justice. It is worth noting that both in the first and in the second case, he managed to perfectly cope with his duties.
In 1803 another important event took place in Derzhavin's biography. He decided to complete his state activities and devote himself entirely to literature.
Creativity Derzhavin
Shortly before his resignation, Gabriel Derzhavin lived for a long time on the estate that belonged to his second wife. There he wrote over 60 poems and published the first volume of his works.
Interestingly, in addition to unusually deep and philosophical poems, Derzhavin wrote several plays.
It is important to note that Derzhavin admired his work, who first met him at the lyceum exam. Then Gavriil Romanovich was among the members of the commission.
The still young Pushkin made a wonderful impression on him. Derzhavin even wanted to hug the unusually gifted entrant, but he hurriedly left the room where the exam was being held, as he was unable to hold back his tears.
Death
Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin died on July 20, 1816 at the age of 73. He was buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral.
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Derzhavin Gavrila Romanovich (1743-1816), Russian poet and statesman. Representative of Russian classicism.
"A rumor will spread about me"
from the White Waters to the Black...
Like out of obscurity
I became famous for
What was the first thing I dared
in a funny Russian style
... tell the truth to kings with a smile.
G.R. Derzhavin. "Monument", 1795
“From birth he was very weak, small and dry. The treatment was severe: according to the then custom of those places, a child was baked into bread. He didn't die." (V.F. Khodasevich, 1988, p. 40.)
“He was 11 years old when his father died. The widow and children were left in great poverty... In March 1762, Derzhavin was already in St. Petersburg, in the soldiers' barracks. The twelve years that followed (1762-73) constitute the most bleak period in his life. Heavy menial work consumes almost all of his time; he is surrounded by ignorant comrades; this quickly and in the most disastrous way acts on a young man who is carried away. He became addicted to cards, playing first "low" and then "high". Living on vacation in Moscow, Derzhavin lost money at cards, sent by his mother to buy an estate, and this almost ruined him: he "traveled, so to speak, out of desperation, day and night to taverns, looking for games; met the players, or, better, with decent deeds and clothes covered with robbers ... When it happened that there was nothing to play with, but also to live, then, locking himself at home, he ate bread and water and scribbled poems. (Arkhangelsky, 1993, pp. 629-630.)
“Being in an extremely constrained financial position after the death of his father, Derzhavin became addicted to the card game, became a notorious cheater, led a dissolute life ... committed a number of criminal offenses ... Contemporaries attributed Derzhavin’s misfortunes to his harsh, quarrelsome character.” (Blagoy, 1930, pp. 205-207.)
“I didn’t know how to pretend, / Be like a saint, / Inflate with an important dignity / And look like a philosopher ...” (Derzhavin G.R. “Vocation”, 1807.)
“The labors of Derzhavin during the Pugachev region ended for him, however, in great trouble, even bringing him to trial. The reason for this was partly Derzhavin's irascibility, partly a lack of "politics"... Derzhavin was much happier at that time in the cards: in the fall of 1775, "having only 50 rubles in his pocket," he won up to 40,000 rubles. Derzhavin soon received a fairly prominent post in the Senate, and at the beginning of 1778 he married...
Derzhavin had no children from either his first or second marriage. (Arkhangelsky, 1993, pp. 630-631, 633.)
“Derzhavin’s direct and decisive character, his intolerance for abuses, which officials sinned, brought him many enemies, and his tendency to exceed power brought Derzhavin to trial in 1788. After a long trial, the Senate acquitted him. In 1791, Derzhavin became the Cabinet Secretary of Catherine II and bothered the Empress with his zeal, seeking a fair solution to cases ”/, Zapadov, 1971, p. 58-59.)
The poet Derzhavin Gavriil Romanovich was born on July 3 (July 14), 1743 in the Kazan province into a family of impoverished nobles. He spent his childhood in the family estate in the village of Sokury. Since 1759, Derzhavin studied at the Kazan Gymnasium.
In 1762, the future poet entered the service of the Preobrazhensky Regiment as an ordinary guard. In 1772 he was promoted to ensign, having received the first officer rank. In 1773 - 1775, Derzhavin, as part of a regiment, participated in the suppression of the uprising of Yemelyan Pugachev.
public service
Since 1777, Derzhavin entered the public service in the Governing Senate with the rank of State Councilor. In 1784 - 1788 he served as the ruler of the Olonets, and then the Tambov governorship. Even in a brief biography of Derzhavin, it is worth mentioning that he was actively involved in improving the economy of the region, contributed to the formation of provincial administrative, judicial and financial institutions.
In 1791, Derzhavin was appointed cabinet secretary of Catherine II. Since 1793, the poet has served as a secret adviser to the Empress. In 1795, Derzhavin received the post of president of the College of Commerce. From 1802 to 1803 he served as Minister of Justice.
last years of life
In 1803, Derzhavin retired and settled in his estate Zvanka in the Novgorod province. The poet devotes the last years of his life to literary activity. In 1813, Derzhavin, whose biography was full of trips even during this period, went to Ukraine with a visit to V.V. Kapnist. In 1815, he was present at the exam at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, listening to the works of the young Alexander Pushkin.
On July 8 (July 20), 1816, Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin died on his estate. The poet was buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral of the Varlaamo-Khutynsky Monastery near Veliky Novgorod.
Creation
The work of Gavriil Derzhavin is considered the pinnacle of Russian classicism. The first works of the poet appeared during his military service. In 1773, Derzhavin made his debut in the journal Antiquity and Novelty with a translation of an excerpt from Iroizh, or Vivlida's Letter to Cavnus from the works of Ovid. In 1774, the works "Ode to Greatness" and "Ode to Nobility" saw the light of day.
In 1776, the first collection of poems by the poet "Odes translated and composed at Mount Chitalagoy" was published.
Since 1779, Derzhavin has departed from the traditions laid down by Sumarokov and Lomonosov, working on philosophical lyrics. In 1782, the Felitsa ode dedicated to Empress Catherine II was published, which brought the poet wide literary fame. Soon other famous works by Derzhavin appeared - "The Nobleman", "Eugene. Zvanskaya Life”, “On the Death of Prince Meshchersky”, “God”, “Dobrynya”, “Waterfall”, “Herod and Mariamne”, etc.
In 1808, a collection of Derzhavin's works was published in four volumes.
Chronological table
Other biography options
- The Derzhavin clan originates from the son of the Tatar Murza Bagrim, who bore the name Derzhava.
- The first wife of G. R. Derzhavin was Ekaterina Bastidon, the daughter of the Portuguese Bastidon, the former valet of Peter III.
- Derzhavin studied German from the age of seven, read Klopstock, Gellert, Kleist, Haller, Gagedorn in the original, which significantly affected his literary work.
- Derzhavin's poem "Thunder of victory, resound!", created in 1791, became the first unofficial anthem of Russia.
- For distinction in public service, Derzhavin Gavriil Romanovich was awarded the Order