Mikhail Petrovich Pogodin
Mikhail Petrovich Pogodin was a notable Russian writer and historian born on November 11, 1800, in Moscow. Coming from humble beginnings as the son of a serf, he developed a profound interest in history and literature during his education at Moscow University, where he graduated after serving as a tutor for the Trubetskoi family. Pogodin made significant contributions to Russian literature in the 1820s and 1830s, focusing on themes of love, society, and social criticism in his works, including the poignant tale "Chernaiia nemoch." He was an influential figure in the literary scene, advocating for the adaptation of Russian history into literature, which inspired a wave of historical narratives.
In addition to his fiction, Pogodin edited the journal Moskvitianin, where he published essays on history and literature, and later shifted his focus to historical research. His scholarly work, particularly on key events in Russian history, was marked by a conservative viewpoint regarding Russia's role in the global context. His best-known historical text is "Istoricheskie aforizmy," published in 1836. Despite experiencing a peak in his academic career during the 1830s and 1840s, Pogodin faced challenges that led to his resignation from Moscow University. He continued his research and writing until his death on December 8, 1875, at his estate in Moscow. Pogodin's legacy includes foreshadowing the realism that would later be further developed by prominent authors like Fyodor Dostoevski.
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Mikhail Petrovich Pogodin
Writer
- Born: November 11, 1800
- Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
- Died: December 8, 1875
- Place of death: Moscow, Russia
Biography
Mikhail Petrovich Pogodin was born in Moscow, Russia, on November 11, 1800. His father was a serf who lost everything in the burning of Moscow in 1812. Pogodin attended high school in Moscow, developing great interest in history and drama. In 1818 he enrolled in Moscow University. He was a tutor in the famous Trubetskoi family for nine summers, where he met many people from the gentry and cultural figures, as well as European writers. Upon graduation, he taught geography at a school for nobles. He pursued academic and literary projects and started publishing his translations, especially from German. He became the editor of Moskvitianin, which made it possible to publish his essays on history and literature. He claimed that Russian history is rich enough for literary adaptation, causing a flood of historical novels and short stories, including his own.
Pogodin was most active in the 1820’s and 1830’s, writing many tales about love, society, crime, and everyday life. He preferred Russian settings for his fiction, reflecting his closeness to the Slavophiles. The best of his stories are everyday tales. They treat social problems and are full of social criticism, as in the tale “Chernaiia nemoch” (1829), where an ambitious and capable young man wants to escape the stifling atmosphere of a merchant family. He is misunderstood and unsupported. However, when his family marries him to an ugly thirteen-year-old girl, he commits suicide. Pogodin stories met with mixed reaction by the critics, but they saw that his works foreshadowed the realism and themes that would be employed later by important writers like Fyodor Dostoevski. In 1830’s Pogodin also wrote four historical dramas, without great success on the stage.
After the 1830’s, Pogodin abandoned fiction and turned to historical research, covering the entire history of Russia and emphasizing the most significant events, such as the 1812 invasion and the Crimean War. He carried on his research with scholarly acumen except for the conservatism with which he regarded the position and role of Russia in world history. One of he best works in this field is Istoricheskie aforizmy (1836).
The decade of 1835 through 1845 was the best in Pogodin’s academic career, but as a result of faculty intrigues he resigned suddenly from the department of history at Moscow University. He continued to conduct historical research and journalistic writing in his last four decades. He died on December 8, 1875, at his Moscow estate