Dmitrii Vasil'evich Grigorovich
Dmitrii Vasil'evich Grigorovich was a prominent Russian writer of the nineteenth century, known for his significant contributions to the literary landscape of his time. Born into a family with a diverse cultural background, he grew up in a milieu that influenced his artistic sensibilities. Grigorovich played a crucial role in supporting fellow writers, notably assisting Fyodor Dostoevski in publishing his debut novel and later encouraging young Anton Chekhov in his literary endeavors. He is best recognized for pioneering the "peasant novel," a genre that offered critical insights into peasant life and the socio-economic issues of the era.
His early works, such as the novella "Derevnia," introduced themes of absentee landlordism, while his second novella, "Anton Goremyka," explored the complexities of peasant life with a moralistic tone. Throughout his career, Grigorovich's writings contrasted idyllic pastoral settings with the harsh realities of industrialization, showcasing stylized characters and a repetitive narrative style. After a fruitful period of travel and artistic advocacy, he returned to writing, producing a well-received children's book in 1883. Grigorovich's legacy is marked by his role in developing the realistic Russian novel, placing him alongside literary figures like Leo Tolstoy, and his works continue to be recognized for their historical and cultural significance.
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Dmitrii Vasil'evich Grigorovich
Author
- Born: March 19, 1822
- Died: December 22, 1899
Biography
Dmitrii Vasil’evich Grigorovich’s career in literature spanned much of the nineteenth century. As a young man, he helped Fyodor Dostoevski publish his first novel; as an old man, he encouraged the young Anton Chekhov to pursue a literary career. He himself pioneered what came to be known as the “peasant novel,” which enabled his reputation to survive the communist era into the present.
His father, Vasilii Grigorovich, was a retired army major from the Ukraine who served as a steward on a large estate and finally saved enough money to buy his own. His mother, Sidonie Varmont, was of French parentage, and Grigorovich grew up with French as his first language (which was not uncommon among the Russian upper classes of the time). He was educated in Moscow and then at the School of Military Engineering in St. Petersburg until 1840, when he transferred to the Academy of Fine Arts. It was during this period he met Dostoevski. He gained a position in the Directorate for the Imperial Theatres, where he supplemented his income by translating stories from the French and writing some of his own. The first such story, much influenced by the work of Nikolai Gogol, was published in 1844 in the Literary Gazette.
Grigorovich then moved back to the country, where he closely observed peasant life. The outcome of such observation was a novella, Derevnia (1846), in which Grigorovich introduced the recurring theme of an absentee landlord who is to blame for the many ills in peasant society. His second novella, Anton Goremyka (1847), has often been compared to Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), but Grigorovich was not afraid of putting some of the blame on the peasants for the wretchedness of their lives.
His novellas led to novels, several of which contrast pastoral idealism with the evils of factory life. The novels’ characters tend to be stylized, and his tone is moralistic and somewhat repetitive. After a period spent traveling Europe, Grigorovich’s last novel, Dva generala, appeared in 1864. After that Grigorovich accepted a position as secretary to the Society for the Encouragement of the Arts, where he wrote on artistic matters and advocated realism. During this time he gained a thorough knowledge of the Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, and he wrote several pieces about the museum.
In 1882 he married an Austrian woman and returned to writing. In 1883 he published Guttaperchevyi mal’chik, a children’s book that continued to be popular well into the next century. Grigorovich received many honors in later life, including the Poyosky gold medal in 1890. He died in St. Petersburg and was buried next to Ivan Turgenev. Grigorovich’s biggest contribution to Russian literature was his development of the realistic Russian novel in a style similar to that of his contemporary Leo Tolstoy.