Nikolay Klyuev: creativity and biography

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

The beginning of the 20th century, also called the Silver Age, was the heyday of Russian literature. New directions and trends appeared, the authors were not afraid to experiment and discover new genres and themes. One of these poets was Klyuev Nikolai Alekseevich. He belonged to the new peasant poetic trend.

Biography

Born October 10, 1884 in the village of Koshtugi, Vytegorsky district (Vologda region) Nikolai Klyuev. The biography of the writer begins in the family of a simple constable Alexei Timofeevich. But most of all, Klyuev loved his mother, Praskovya Fedorovna, who was an excellent storyteller. She also taught her son, thanks to her Nikolai could read, write and learned the basics of the folk song structure.

In 1895 he graduated from the parochial school in Vytegra. Then he went to Petrozavodsk, where he studied at the medical assistant's school. After graduation, Klyuev Nikolay Alekseevich, together with fellow countrymen who were engaged in the sale of fur and fish to the capital, leaves for St. Petersburg to work.

He is in the capitalbegins to write poetry within the framework of the direction of the new peasant poetry. In his works, the poetic muse complains about the torment and suffering of the tillers and curses their enslavers. Klyuev's first poems were published in the 1904 collection New Poets. However, soon Klyuev returned to his small homeland.

Being impressed by the beginning of the revolutionary events, the poet is included in 1905 in active political activity. Starts distributing proclamations. For this, Klyuev was arrested in 1906.

Klyuev and Blok

A significant event for the poet was his acquaintance with Alexander Blok. The correspondence of writers began in 1907. At first, Nikolai Klyuev is rather timid in his messages to the recognized poet, but gradually he becomes convinced that Blok himself is interested in their conversations. Gradually, Klyuev begins to talk about the spirit of protest that is brewing among the people, about social injustice. But writers are not only talking about politics. Nikolai Alekseevich notes the power of the poetic spirit, which is contained in the common people, but due to domestic reasons, it cannot be fully revealed.

Blok was greatly impressed by Klyuev's letters. He repeatedly quotes them in letters to friends and in his articles. Thanks to Blok's assistance, Beak's poems are published in Novaya Zemlya, The Golden Fleece, and many other literary magazines. Metropolitan writers pay attention to the works of the poet from the hinterland. Klyuev manages to get acquainted with many of them. Among them is Valery Bryusov.

Creative success

In 1911 NikolayKlyuev publishes his first collection "Pine Chime". The preface to the publication is written by Bryusov. The book was received with approval and interest in poetic and literary circles. Such poets as Nikolai Gumilyov, Sergey Gorodetsky and others spoke positively about her.

Klyuev sings of nature, rural lifestyle, people. At the same time, he believes that the godless culture that dominated the 19th century is dying, and it is being replaced by something new, alive and popular.

Gumilyov in his review of the collection predicts the future of Klyuev's poetry - he says that this is only the beginning of a new movement in literature. And he turns out to be right. Klyuev becomes one of the first representatives of the new peasant poetry.

Klyuev and Yesenin

Nikolai Klyuev for a long time alone defended the right of peasant poetry to life. But in 1915 he received a letter from a young poet from the Ryazan province. Yesenin's letter inspires Klyuev. Despite the fact that they are familiar in absentia, other writers who write within the framework of the peasant theme unite around these two poets.

In the poetry of Klyuev and Yesenin there really were a lot of similarities, which is why they quickly found a common language and united. The year 1915 was the peak of their conscientious creative successes. They attended literary evenings together, read their poems.

However, the union did not last long. Yesenin's gift was much wider than the new peasantpoetry, and in 1917 the friendship of the two poets came to an end.

Attitude towards proletarian poetry

Nikolai Klyuev, whose poems were sung by the common Russian people, however, did not consider himself a proletarian poet. The revolution found the writer in his native places. Klyuev received her arrival with unprecedented enthusiasm. But he imagined it as the onset of "heaven for a man."

In 1918, Nikolai Klyuev joined the Bolshevik Party. Engaged in propaganda work, reads poetry about the revolution. However, at the same time, he remains a religious person, which is contrary to the new order. It becomes clear that he is promoting a completely different revolution. And in 1920 Klyuev was expelled from the party. Stop publishing his poems. He began to irritate the new government with his religiosity and disagreement with proletarian poets, calling their works propaganda fakes.

The hard time for the poet began. He was in poverty, was persecuted, could not find a job. Despite this, he continued to openly oppose the Soviet regime.

The poet's struggle ended on February 2, 1934, when he was arrested for "compiling and distributing counter-revolutionary works." He was sentenced to exile in the Narym Territory. And in October 1937, Klyuev was shot on a fabricated case.