The life and work of Fet. Interesting facts from the life of Fet

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

The great Russian lyric poet A. Fet was born on December 5, 1820. But biographers doubt not only the exact date of his birth. The mysterious facts of their true origin tormented Fet until the end of his life. In addition to the absence of a father as such, the situation with a real surname was also incomprehensible. All this envelops the life and work of Fet with a certain mystery.

Fet's parents

According to the official version, the Russian nobleman Afanasy Neofitovich Shenshin, while undergoing treatment in the German city of Darmstadt, settled in the house of Oberkriegskommissar Karl Becker. Some time later, a retired army officer becomes interested in the daughter of the owner of the house, 22-year-old Charlotte. However, Charlotte at that time was no longer free and was married to a petty German official, Karl Fet, who also lived in Becker's house.

Despite these circumstances and even the fact that Charlotte has a daughter from Fet, a stormy romance begins. The feelings of the lovers were so strong that Charlotte decides to escapetogether with Shenshin to Russia. In the autumn of 1820, Charlotte, leaving her husband and daughter, leaves Germany.

Mother's protracted divorce

Essay on the life and work of Fet is impossible without a story about the relationship of his parents. Being already in Russia, Charlotte dreams of an official divorce from Karl Fet. But divorce in those days was a rather lengthy process. Some biographers claim that because of this, the wedding ceremony between Shenshin and Charlotte took place two years after the birth of little Athanasius, their common son. According to one version, Shenshin allegedly bribed the priest in order to give the boy his last name.

Probably, it was this fact that influenced the whole life of the poet. Violations of this kind in the Russian Empire were treated quite strictly. However, all sources confirm the fact of the wedding of Shenshin and Charlotte, who later took the name of Elizabeth Petrovna Shenshina.

From nobles to beggars

Getting acquainted with the biography of the lyricist, one involuntarily wonders what influenced Fet's life and work. It's hard to know every little detail. But the main milestones are quite accessible to us. Little Athanasius until the age of 14 considered himself a hereditary Russian nobleman. But then, thanks to the hard work of judicial officials, the secret of the origin of the child was revealed. In 1834, an investigation was initiated in this case, as a result of which, by a decree of the Oryol provincial government, the future poet was deprived of the right to be called Shenshin.

It is clear that ridicule of recent comrades immediately began,which the boy experienced quite painfully. In part, this was precisely what served as the development of Fet's mental illness, which haunted him to death. However, it was much more important that in this situation he not only did not have the right to inherit, but in general, judging by the documents presented from the archives of that time, he was a person without a confirmed nationality. At one point, a hereditary Russian nobleman with a rich inheritance turned into a beggar, no one except his mother, an unnecessary person, without a surname and Russian citizenship. The loss was so great that Fet himself considered this event disfigured his life to his deathbed.

Foreign Fet

One can imagine what the poet's mother went through, begging the judge's chicane for at least some information about the origin of her son. But it was all in vain. The woman went the other way.

Remembering her German roots, she appealed to the pity of her ex-German husband. History is silent about how Elena Petrovna achieved the desired result. But he was. Relatives sent official confirmation that Athanasius is the son of Fet.

So the poet got at least a surname, Fet's life and work received a new impetus in development. However, in all circulars, he still continued to be called "foreigner Fet." The natural conclusion from this was the complete disinheritance. After all, now the foreigner had nothing in common with the nobleman Shenshin. It was at this moment that the idea seized him by any means to regain the lost Russian name and title.

First steps in poetry

Athanasius enters the Moscowuniversity to the faculty of literature and is referred to in the university forms all the same - "foreigner Fet". There he met the future poet and critic Apollon Grigoriev. Historians believe that Fet's life and work changed precisely at this moment: it is believed that Grigoriev discovered the poetic gift of Athanasius.

Fet's first book, "Lyrical Pantheon", is coming out soon. The poet wrote it while still a university student. Readers highly appreciated the gift of the young man - they did not care what class the author belongs to. And even the harsh critic Belinsky repeatedly emphasized in his articles the poetic gift of the young lyricist. Belinsky's reviews, in fact, served Fet as a kind of pass to the world of Russian poetry.

Athanasius began to publish in various publications and a few years later he prepared a new lyric collection.

Military service

However, the joy of creativity could not cure Fet's sick soul. The thought of his true origin haunted the young man. He was ready to do anything to prove it. In the name of a great goal, Fet immediately after graduating from the university enters military service, hoping to earn the nobility in the army. He ends up serving in one of the provincial regiments located in the Kherson province. And immediately the first success - Fet officially receives Russian citizenship.

But the poetic activity does not end, he still continues to write and publish a lot. After some time, the army life of the provincial part makes itself felt:Fet's life and work (he writes poetry less and less) are becoming gloomier and uninteresting. The craving for poetry is waning.

Fet in personal correspondence begins to complain to friends about the hardships of his current existence. In addition, judging by some letters, he is experiencing financial difficulties. The poet is even ready for a marriage of convenience, just to get rid of the current oppressive physically and morally deplorable situation.

Transfer to Petersburg

Fet's life and work were rather gloomy. Briefly recounting the main events, we note that the poet pulled the soldier's strap for eight long years. And just before receiving the first officer rank in his life, Fet learns about a special decree that raised the length of service and the level of army rank to obtain a noble rank. In other words, the nobility was now granted only to a person who received a higher officer rank than Fet had. This news completely demoralized the poet. He knew that he was unlikely to rise to this rank. Fet's life and work were again redrawn at the mercy of others.

A woman with whom one could connect her life by calculation was also not on the horizon. Fet continued to serve, becoming more and more depressed.

However, luck finally smiled on the poet: he managed to transfer to the Guards Life Lancers Regiment, which was quartered not far from St. Petersburg. This event happened in 1853 and surprisingly coincided with a change in society's attitude towards poetry. Some decline in interest in literature,appeared in the mid-1840s, passed.

Now, when Nekrasov became the editor-in-chief of the Sovremennik magazine and gathered under his wing the elite of Russian literature, times clearly contributed to the development of any creative thought. Finally, the long-written second collection of Fet's poems, which the poet himself forgot about, saw the light of day.

Poetic confession

The poems published in the collection made an impression on connoisseurs of poetry. And soon such well-known literary critics of that time as V. P. Botkin and A. V. Druzhinin left rather flattering reviews about the works. Moreover, under pressure from Turgenev, they helped Fet release a new book.

In essence, it was all the same previously written poems of 1850. In 1856, after the release of a new collection, Fet's life and work changed again. In short, Nekrasov himself drew attention to the poet. A lot of flattering words addressed to Afanasy Fet were written by the master of Russian literature. Inspired by such high praises, the poet develops a vigorous activity. It is published in almost all literary magazines, which undoubtedly contributed to some improvement in the financial situation.

Romantic crush

Fet's life and work were gradually filled with light. His most important desire - to receive a title of nobility - was soon to come true. But the next imperial decree again raised the bar for obtaining hereditary nobility. Now, in order to gain the coveted rank, it was necessary to rise to the rank ofcolonel. The poet realized that it was simply useless to continue to pull the hated strap of military service.

But as often happens, a person cannot but be lucky in absolutely everything. While still in Ukraine, Fet was invited to an appointment with his friends Brzhevsky and met a girl on a neighboring estate, who then did not get out of his head for a long time. It was a gifted musician Elena Lazich, whose talent amazed even the famous composer Franz Liszt, who was touring around Ukraine at that time.

As it turned out, Elena was a passionate admirer of Fet's poetry, and he, in turn, was amazed at the girl's musical abilities. Of course, without romance it is impossible to imagine the life and work of Fet. The summary of his romance with Lazich fits into one phrase: young people had tender feelings for each other. However, Fet is very burdened by his disastrous financial situation and does not dare to take a serious turn of events. The poet tries to explain his problems to Lazich, but she, like all girls in such a situation, does not understand his torment well. Fet directly tells Elena that there will be no wedding.

Tragic death of a loved one

After that, he tries not to see the girl. Leaving for St. Petersburg, Athanasius realizes that he is doomed to eternal spiritual loneliness. According to some historians who study his life and work, Afanasy Fet wrote too pragmatically to friends about marriage, about love, and about Elena Lazich. Most likely, the romantic Fet was simply carried away by Elena, not intending to burden himself with a more serious relationship.

In 1850, being invisiting the same Brzhevskys, he does not dare to go to a neighboring estate to dot the "i". Fet later regretted it very much. The fact is that Elena soon died tragically. History is silent about whether her terrible death was suicide or not. But the fact remains: the girl burned to death on the estate.

Fet himself found out about this when he once again visited his friends. This shocked him so much that until the end of his life the poet blamed himself for Elena's death. He was tormented by the fact that he could not find the right words to calm the girl and explain his behavior to her. After the death of Lazic, there were many rumors, but no one has ever proved Fet's involvement in this sad event.

Marriage of convenience

Fairly judging that in the army he is unlikely to achieve his goal - the title of nobility, Fet takes a long vacation. Taking with him all the accumulated fees, the poet rushes on a trip to Europe. In 1857, in Paris, he unexpectedly marries Maria Petrovna Botkina, the daughter of a we althy tea merchant, who, among other things, was the sister of the literary critic V. P. Botkin. Apparently, this was the same marriage of convenience that the poet had dreamed of for so long. Contemporaries very often asked Fet about the reasons for his marriage, to which he answered with eloquent silence.

In 1858, Fet arrives in Moscow. He is again overcome by thoughts of the scarcity of finances. Apparently, the dowry of his wife does not fully meet his requirements. The poet writes a lot, publishes a lot. Often the quantity of works does not correspond to their quality. This is noticed by close friends and literary critics. Seriously lost interest in the work of Fet and the public.

Landlord

About the same time, Leo Tolstoy leaves the bustle of the capital. Settling in Yasnaya Polyana, he tries to regain inspiration. Probably, Fet decided to follow his example and settle in his estate in Stepanovka. It is sometimes said that Fet's life and work ended here. Interesting facts, however, were found in this period. Unlike Tolstoy, who really found a second wind in the provinces, Fet is increasingly abandoning literature. He is now passionate about the estate and farming.

It should be noted that as a landowner he really found himself. After some time, Fet increases his possessions by buying several more neighboring estates.

Afanasy Shenshin

In 1863 the poet publishes a small lyrical collection. Even despite the small circulation, it remained unsold. But the neighbors-landowners appreciated Fet in a completely different capacity. For about 11 years, he served as an elected justice of the peace.

The life and work of Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet were subordinated to the only goal to which he went with amazing persistence - the restoration of his noble rights. In 1873, a royal decree was issued, which puts an end to the poet's forty-year ordeals. He was fully restored in his rights and legalized as a nobleman with the surname Shenshin. Afanasy Afanasyevich confesses to his wife that he does not even want to pronounce the name he hates aloudFet.