Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov
Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov was a notable Russian poet and intellectual born in 1733, who played a significant role in the cultural landscape of 18th-century Russia. He was educated at the Petersburg Cadet Corps, a school aimed at promoting Western ideals among the Russian aristocracy. Kheraskov was pivotal in the establishment of Moscow University in 1755, eventually becoming one of its curators in 1778. His interests extended to Freemasonry and Rosicrucian philosophy, leading him to found a Masonic lodge in Moscow, which influenced his poetry through the use of symbolism and allegory. Throughout his career, he edited important literary journals and collaborated with his poet wife on a third journal that served as a hub for literary discourse. Kheraskov authored ten historical epics and several novels, although his prose was often criticized for being convoluted and archaic. Despite his initial acclaim, by the mid-19th century, his reputation waned significantly, reflecting the shifting literary tastes of the time. Kheraskov passed away in 1807, leaving behind a complex legacy that continues to prompt discussion among literary scholars.
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Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov
- Born: October 25, 1733
- Died: September 27, 1807
- Place of death: Moscow, Russia
Biography
Mikhail Matveevich Kheraskov was born in 1733, and received his education at the Petersburg Cadet Corps, one of the many institutions established by Russian Czar Peter the Great in an effort to Westernize his aristocracy. However, Kharaskov spent most of his working years at various jobs at Moscow University, in Russia’s old capital. He was present at the university’s founding in 1755, and in 1778 became one of its four curators, or rectors. He was also interested in Freemasonry and Rosicrucian philosophy and founded a Masonic lodge in Moscow. His poetry frequently incorporated Masonic symbolism and allegory, especially his novels in verse.
Kheraskov edited two major literary journals, Poleznoe uveselenie, and Svobodnye chasy. The former was the first to devote a major portion of its pages to verse. Kheraskov’s wife was herself a poet and they later collaborated to produce a third literary journal, Vechera, which was often read at their literary salon.
Kheraskov wrote ten long historic epics, as well as three rather unremarkable attempts at the novel. The latter are all written in stilted and awkward prose with deliberately archaic forms and often contorted syntax. Sentences in his novels often exceeded two hundred words, which did not lend itself to light reading. He also wrote some allegorical poetry about the search for faith.
Kheraskov died in 1807. Although his contemporaries praised him and committed his verse to memory, by the middle of the nineteenth century his fame was almost completely eclipsed, even to the point of later poets actively attacking his works.