Vasilii Ivanovich Maikov
Vasilii Ivanovich Maikov was an 18th-century Russian poet born in 1728 near Yaroslavl. Despite his talent, he primarily worked as a civil servant and served in the Russian Guards, which limited his literary output. While he was one of the notable poets during the court of Catherine the Great, his legacy has been overshadowed by later figures like Alexander Pushkin. Maikov's poetry spans various subgenres, from light epigrams to serious tragedies, including themes related to Christian eschatology. He is particularly renowned for his mock-heroic epics, where he cleverly parodies Greek myths while also reflecting on the dynamics of the Russian court. His works demonstrate a deep understanding of both Greek mythology and its parodic interpretations by French authors, highlighting his literary breadth. Notably, Maikov used satire to critique the shortcomings of the Russian court, navigating the complexities of expressing dissent in a politically sensitive environment.
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Subject Terms
Vasilii Ivanovich Maikov
Writer
- Born: 1728
- Birthplace: Near Yaroslavl, Russia
- Died: June 17, 1778
- Place of death: Russia
Biography
Vasilii Ivanovich Maikov was born in 1728 near Yaroslavl, Russia. He remained throughout his life an amateur poet, supporting himself as a civil servant after a stint in the Russian Guards. As a result, his body of work is much smaller than it might have been had he been able to devote the primary share of his energy to it. He was one of the more capable poets of the court of Catherine the Great, although his fame has been completely eclipsed by that of Alexander Pushkin and other poets of Russia’s Golden Age of Poetry.
Maikov worked in almost every subgenre of poetry, from light epigrams to lengthy tragedies, including one dealing with the Last Judgement of Christian eschatology. However, he is best remembered for his mock-heroic epics in which he parodied the various Greek myths. His writings assume an extensive familiarity not only with Greek mythology but also with its parody by various French writers, as well as an understanding of the Russian court scene of his time. In an age when open criticism of the government and particularly of the ruling monarch was dangerous, Maikov was able to use these works to satirize the failings of the Russian court.