Nikolai Filippovich Pavlov
Nikolai Filippovich Pavlov was a Russian writer and literary figure born around September 1803, likely in the Tambov region. He emerged from humble beginnings, having been born to a serf mother and the landowner Vladimir Grushetsky, who was likely his father. Freed from serfdom in 1811, Pavlov pursued a path in literature, studying at a theatrical institute in Moscow and later at Moscow University, where he focused on philological sciences. His literary career took off in the 1820s, marked by significant translations, including works by Friedrich von Schiller and Honoré de Balzac, which contributed to his growing reputation.
Pavlov's writings often tackled contemporary social issues, notably in his collection "Tri povesti," which faced censorship due to its critical themes. In addition to his literary contributions, he hosted a prominent salon in Moscow with his wife, fostering debates between Slavophiles and Westernizers during the 1840s. Despite personal challenges, including a scandal that led to his exile in 1853, Pavlov remained an advocate for social reform and justice through his journalism. He played a crucial role in introducing Balzac's works to Russian audiences and is remembered for his commitment to addressing social injustices in Russia.
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Nikolai Filippovich Pavlov
Writer and translator
- Born: September 1, 1803
- Birthplace: Probably Tambov, Russia
- Died: 1864
Biography
Although the precise details of Nikolai Filippovich Pavlov’s early life are unknown, he was likely born in the Tambov region of Russia in September of 1803. His mother, of Georgian descent, was a house serf and the concubine of Vladimir Mikhailovich Grushetsky, the landowner of the estate on which they lived. Thus, it is probable that Grushetsky was Pavlov’s father.
Pavlov and his sister were freed from serfdom in 1811 by Grushetsky’s son. Subsequently, they attended the theatrical institute associated with the Imperial Theaters of Moscow. There Pavlov compensated for his low birth with his talent, energy, and geniality. He was a frequent guest at the literary salons of the institute’s director, Fedor Fedorovich Kokoshkin, who secured Pavlov’s release from his theatrical troupe assignment when the youth decided he would prefer a literary career.
From 1822 to 1825, Pavlov studied in Moscow University’s philological sciences department. Upon graduation he worked as an assessor within the Moscow court system; he was fired in 1831, however, for criticizing a noble who tried to bribe him. It was felicitous, then, that Pavlov had been establishing himself on the Moscow literary scene—during the 1820’s he contributed poems and amicable critical articles to contemporary journals. It was Pavlov’s translations, though, that bolstered his reputation: In 1825 his translation of Friedrich von Schiller’s tragedy Maria Stuart (1800) was staged and published, while in 1831 his translations of Honoré de Balzac’s “Vendetta” (“Mshchenie”) and “The Ball at Sceaux” (“Nevestka- aristokratka”) appeared in Teleskop (telescope).
The 1835 publication of Tri povesti (three tales), which sold out immediately, marked a break from narrative convention: the protagonist of “Imeniny” (the name day) is a gifted and erudite serf. Because Pavlov treated contemporary issues—including social conflicts and the military’s arbitrary control over subordinates, any reprinting of Tri povesti was prohibited by official censors. In 1837, Pavlov married Karolina Karlovna Jaenisch, a poet and heiress; together they hosted a large and nonpartisan literary salon in Moscow throughout the 1840’s, a decade of intense debate between the Slavophiles and Westernizers.
Pavlov wrote little during this time, although his letters in response to Nikolai Gogol’s Selected Correspondence with Friends (1847) were printed in both Moskovskie vedomosti (Moscow Gazette) and Sovremennik (the contemporary). In 1853, Pavlov was publicly disgraced; his wife became upset when he started a second family with her friend and reported his gambling habits. His house was searched and several banned books were found. Pavlov was exiled to Perm for nearly a year.
When he returned to Moscow, he concentrated his attentions on journalism and social reform. Pavlov worked as a critic and publicist for Russkii vestnik (the Russian herald), to which he contributed many articles, and from 1860 to 1863, headed the weekly Nashe vremia (our time). While his journalistic endeavors were not successful, Pavlov should be remembered as the man who introduced Balzac to Russia and who confronted social injustice in his writing and in his work as a civil servant, often to his own detriment.