Nikolai Nekrasov
Nikolai Nekrasov (1821-1878) was a significant Russian poet and publisher, known for his deep sympathy toward the plight of peasants and his realistic depictions of their struggles. Born into a wealthy but harshly governed family, he initially pursued a military career at his father's behest but instead chose to study at university in St. Petersburg, an act that led to a strained relationship with his father and financial hardship. Despite a challenging start with his first poetry collection in 1840, Nekrasov persevered and eventually established himself as a leading literary figure by acquiring and editing The Contemporary, a prominent journal that published notable authors such as Turgenev and Tolstoy.
Nekrasov's poetry often highlighted the resilience and dignity of the Russian peasantry, with works like "Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia?" providing a satirical yet optimistic exploration of their lives. He skillfully used folk themes and styles, showcasing a blend of civic responsibility and artistic expression. However, his personal life contrasted with his literary themes, as he indulged in gambling and extravagant living. Despite political challenges, including censorship, Nekrasov remained a vital voice in Russian literature until his death from cancer in 1878, leaving a legacy that continues to resonate in discussions of social justice and realism in poetry.
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Nikolai Nekrasov
Russian poet
- Born: December 10, 1821
- Birthplace: Nemirov, Ukraine, Russian Empire
- Died: January 8, 1878
- Place of death: St. Petersburg, Russia
Biography
Nikolai Nekrasov (nyih-KRA-suhf) was born in 1821 and grew up on the country estate of his father, a notoriously tyrannical landowner in the government of Yaroslav. When Nikolai was seventeen his father sent him to a St. Petersburg military academy, but once in the city the youth enrolled in the university instead. When his father learned of this move, he refused to support him in any way; consequently, Nekrasov was for a time on the verge of starvation. Before long he was forced to give up university work and sustain himself through odd jobs and hack writing. His first collection of poems was published in 1840; a complete failure, it was severely criticized by well-established critics. Apparently Nekrasov was not discouraged, for he entered the publishing field and by hard work and determination acquired his own publishing house in 1845. In 1846 he bought The Contemporary, which, under his editorship, became the leading literary journal in Russia. Nekrasov began again to publish his own poetry, now enthusiastically praised.
In 1854 Nekrasov wrote “Vlas,” a poem narrating the life of a repentant sinner who begins collecting money for churches. In 1863 he published Red-Nosed Frost, a long poem on the beauty of winter that presented an idealized picture of Russian peasant women and the harsh life they were forced to lead. In his work Nekrasov repeatedly showed a passionate sympathy for peasants and their suffering, which he communicated through the use of folk themes and styles. He became known as a “realistic” and “civic” poet. In another poem, “Russkie zhenshchiny” (Russian women), he again praised the strength of the wife who would follow her husband into exile, not yielding to pain or exhaustion.
Nekrasov’s masterpiece, Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia?, is a long satirical poem depicting the miserable life of the peasants. The work often dwells on details of peasant fortitude and virtue, and because of this quality it is optimistic in its total effect. It is somewhat disconcerting to note that the sympathy and praise Nekrasov showed for the poor and outcast in his work was in contrast to his personal life: He spent his large income on gambling, lavish parties, and expensive mistresses.
In The Contemporary, Nekrasov also published works by Ivan Turgenev, Leo Tolstoy, and Fyodor Dostoevski. Later the famous critics Dobrolyubov and Chernishevsky worked on his staff. Nekrasov, who was politically a radical, had endless problems with the censors, and in 1866, after an attempt on the life of Czar Alexander II, The Contemporary was suppressed. In 1868 Nekrasov, together with the writer Saltykov, took over the radical review The Fatherland Notes; he remained the publisher and editor until his death from cancer in 1878.
Bibliography
Birkenmayer, Sigmund S. Nikolai Nekrasov: His Life and Poetic Art. The Hague, the Netherlands: Mouton, 1968. The most extensive treatment of Nekrasov in English, offering a detailed study suitable for both the general public and specialists.
Briggs, A. D. P. A Comparative Study of Pushkin’s “The Bronze Horseman,” Nekrasov’s “The Red-Nosed Frost,” and Block’s “The Twelve”: The Wild World. Lewiston, N.Y.: Edward Mellen Press, 1990. A study of representations of nature in nineteenth century Russian literature.
Chukovskii, Kornei. The Poet and the Hangman (Nekrasov and Muravyov). Translated by R. W. Rostel. Ann Arbor, Mich.: Ardis, 1990. A psychological study.
Mirsky, D. S. A History of Russian Literature: From Its Beginnings to 1900. Edited by Francis J. Whitfield. 1949. Reprint. Evanston, Ill.: Northwestern University Press, 1999. A general survey.
Peppard, Murray B. Nikolai Nekrasov. New York: Twayne, 1967. A useful introduction.
Poggioli, Renato. The Poets of Russia. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1960. A survey that combines biography and criticism.