Sergei Aksakov
Sergei Timofeevich Aksakov was a prominent Russian novelist and a key figure among the Slavophile literary movement in the early 19th century. Born in 1791 in Ufa to a landowning family, he pursued studies at Kazan University but did not complete his degree. Aksakov spent much of his career in civil service before retiring to his estate, Abramtsevo, in 1843, which became a cultural hub for writers and artists. He started as a theater critic but gained recognition for his vivid imaginative sketches focusing on fishing and hunting in the Russian countryside. His writing is noted for its precise language and detail, effectively capturing the essence of rural life. In his later years, Aksakov authored three semi-autobiographical works that detail his family life, addressing themes of serfdom with a balanced perspective. His depictions are both nuanced and realistic, showcasing the complexities of Russian country life without extreme bias. Aksakov's contributions to Russian literature continued to be acknowledged for their insightful portrayal of a past society long after his death in 1859.
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Sergei Aksakov
Author
- Born: September 20, 1791
- Birthplace: Ufa, Russia
- Died: April 30, 1859
- Place of death: Moscow, Russia
Biography
Sergei Timofeevich Aksakov was one of the leading Slavophile novelists of the first half of the nineteenth century. He was born in 1791 in Ufa, Russia, to a landowning family of long lineage and attended Kazan University, although he did not graduate. He subsequently held various positions in the civil service until he retired to his estate, Abramtsevo, in 1843. The estate’s proximity to Moscow made it a gathering place for writers, artists, and actors.
Aksakov began his literary career as a theater critic but soon began writing imaginative sketches. He wrote a series of sketches dealing with fishing and hunting in his beloved countryside, which were quickly received as works of genius. Much of the charm of his work comes from the precision with which he selected the correct word to describe each detail, setting the scene with a sure-handed vividness.
Near the end of his life, Aksakov wrote three fictionalized accounts of his own family’s life: Semeinaia khronika (1856; Memoirs of the Aksakov Family, 1871), Vospominaniia prezhnei zhizni (1856; Recollections, 1917), and Detskie gody Bagrova-vnuka: Semeinaia khronika (1858 ; Years of Childhood, 1916). Aksakov handled Russian country life dispassionately, portraying the social effects of serfdom without the extremes of either idealization or vilification. Although the members of the Bagrov family are portrayed as benevolent landlords who wisely use their near- absolute power over their serfs, Aksakov also depicts a less admirable neighboring landlord, who abuses both his family and his serfs and generally turns his estate into a house of horrors. Even after Aksakov’s works had lost their immediate topical interest, they continued to be well-regarded as balanced and realistic portrayals of a bygone society. Aksakov died in 1859.