Vladimir Fedorovich Odoevsky
Vladimir Fedorovich Odoevsky was a notable Russian writer and intellectual, born in either 1803 or 1804 into a prominent gentry family. Following his father's death, he was raised in Moscow and graduated with distinction from Moscow University in 1822. Odoevsky was a multifaceted individual, engaging in writing, translation, and music composition during the 1820s, and he founded a society of young philosophers influenced by German idealism. Although he had minimal connections to the Decembrist revolt of 1825, the event influenced his later philosophical studies, leading him to explore mysticism and Romanticism.
Odoevsky’s literary contributions include children's stories and significant works like "Russian Nights," published in 1844, which is celebrated for its philosophical depth and exploration of cultural themes. His writings reflect a blend of romanticism, fantasy, and realism, often addressing humanity’s future and the interplay between different cultures. Despite his prolific early career, Odoevsky's later years were marked by a lack of new publications, as he focused on unfinished manuscripts until his death in 1869. His influence on later Russian writers, such as Tolstoy and Dostoevsky, underscores his importance in the literary landscape of the time.
On this Page
Vladimir Fedorovich Odoevsky
Writer
- Born: July 30, 1804 (or 1803)
- Birthplace: Russia
- Died: February 27, 1869
- Place of death: Moscow, Russia
Biography
Vladimir Fedorovich Odoevsky was born in either 1803 or 1804 into an old gentry family in Russia. His father was a state councillor and bank director, and his mother came from the landowning class. Information about Odoevsky’s early life is sketchy and diffused. After the death of his father, he was raised by relatives in Moscow. He graduated with distinction from Moscow University in 1822, and by then he had already begun to write, translate, and publish. Possessing many talents and enormous energy, he was involved in many intellectual activities between 1820 and 1825, including composing music. He organized a society of young philosophers influenced by the German philosopher Friedrich Willhelm Joseph von Schelling. However, these activities were interrupted by the Decembrist revolt in 1825, with which Odoevsky had tenuous connections but was not directly involved.
Following the uprising, Odoevsky studied idealist philosophy, mysticism, and Romanticism. He married, entered government service, and lived in St. Petersburg until 1862, pursuing various government, social, and philanthropic endeavors. He was a host of a salon, entertaining almost all of Russia’s leading writers and composers, as well as some foreign celebrities. He was also a member of the Moscow Senate.
In the 1820’s, Odoevsky primarily wrote stories for children, and he continued to write these stories throughout his life. In the 1830’s, he focused on writing short stories for adults, and his short-story collection, Pestrye skazki s krasnym slovtsom, sobrannye Irineem Modestovichem Gomozeikoiu, magistrom filosofii i chlenom raznykh uchenykh obshchest, izdannye V. Bezglasnym, was published in 1833. These stories reflect the influence of writer E. T. A. Hoffmann and their main theme is the difference between everyday reality and a higher, ideal reality.
Russkie nochi (1844; Russian Nights, 1965), is Odoevsky’s most significant work, a three-volume collection of unconventional short stories in the form of philosophical conversations comparing Russian and Western cultures. It is considered the masterpiece of Russian philosophical Romanticism. Mixing romanticism, fantasy, realism, and even science fiction, Odoevsky tackles the topics of humanity’s future and of human unity and discord. Some of his stories anticipated works by other Russian writers, including Leo Tolstoy, Feodor Dostoevsky, and Ivan Turgenev, raising the question of his influence upon them. The year 1844 also saw the publication of his collected works, Sochinenii kniaia V. F. Odoevskogo.
After 1844, Odoevsky became preoccupied with other projects and did not publish any new works during the remainder of his life. He continued to write, with the intention of publishing new books, but his manuscripts remained unfinished and unpublished. He died in Moscow in 1869.