Mikhail Dmitrievich Chulkov
Mikhail Dmitrievich Chulkov was a notable figure in 18th-century Russia, born around 1743 in Moscow to a poor merchant family. His early life was marked by challenges, but he managed to pursue an education at Moscow University before joining the Yaroslavl Troupe in St. Petersburg. This artistic involvement helped him forge connections that led to a civil service role in the Department of Commerce, allowing him to balance his government duties with his passion for writing. Chulkov is recognized for his satirical works, which often critiqued his literary peers, and he founded two satirical journals that, although short-lived, reflected his sharp wit. He also made significant contributions to Russian literature by collecting and publishing traditional folk songs, thus elevating them to a status previously reserved for more formal music. Over time, his financial situation improved, enabling him to acquire an estate and gain a hereditary title in 1789. Chulkov's life came to an end on November 4, 1792, leaving behind a legacy of literary innovation and cultural preservation.
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Mikhail Dmitrievich Chulkov
Armed Forces Personnel
- Born: c. 1743
- Died: October 14, 1792
Biography
Mikhail Dmitrievich Chulkov was born in Moscow to an impoverished merchant family. Due to the straitened circumstances of his birth, no definite documentation of the date survives; however, it is generally believed to have been in 1743. After spending his childhood in Moscow, he became a member of the Yaroslavl Troupe, a group of actors working in St. Petersburg, although he also returned to Moscow for a time to receive an education at Moscow University.
Chulkov subsequently developed connections at the university which permitted him entry into the household staff at the tsar’s court. This ultimately became the springboard to a civil service career with the Department of Commerce. During this time he had the leisure to become an active writer and founded two short-lived satirical journals. He regularly skewered his pretentious colleagues who treated their literary ambitions too seriously. In addition to his satiric verse, he also wrote a fair amount of prose, including a novel and encyclopedic works on Slavic mythology and folklore.
Chulkov was also the first person to collect traditional Russian folk songs and print them in a songbook. Previously, such works had been considered beneath serious consideration, and the only music that was written down was liturgical in nature. In the 1770’s, his financial situation improved steadily and he was able to acquire an estate with serfs. In 1789, he was elevated to the service nobility, acquiring a hereditary title which he could pass to his descendants. Chulkov died on November 4, 1792.