Daniil Kharms: biography, creative path

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

1928. The Leningrad House of Press is excited by the performance of young outrageous writers who call themselves Oberiuts. They recited verses written in absurdity, staged the absurdist "Elizaveta Bam", and, to top it all off, they showed the world a montage film with the promising title "Meat Grinder". Chief among the Oberiuts was Daniil Kharms, whose biography became the subject of this article.

Early years

The future poet was born on December 30, 1905. The propensity for writing was passed on to Daniil genetically: his father, who corresponded with Chekhov and Tolstoy, was known not only for his revolutionary activities, but also for his pen, and his mother was a noblewoman by birth and was in charge of an orphanage. A brief biography of Daniil Kharms includes a mention of his brilliant education in a privileged German school. After the revolution, he was enrolled in the Leningrad Electrotechnical School, from where he was expelled with the wording "weak attendance", inactivity incommunity service.”

The origins of literary activity

When did Kharms Daniil Ivanovich, whose biography became the subject of many studies, change his surname Yuvachev and finally believe in his writing talent? The first use of the pseudonym is in the early 1920s. They tried to find the clue to the surname "Kharms" (as well as its many variants, among which are Khharms, Khaarms and Karl Ivanovich, who came from nowhere) in numerous dialects. The analogies with English and French should be recognized as the most plausible. If in the first harm is “harm”, then in the second a similar word means charm, attractiveness.

Around that time Kharms wrote his first poetry. As a guide, he chooses Khlebnikov, or rather, his close admirer A. Tufanov. Subsequently, the "Order of the wise men" will be replenished with such a talented poet as Daniil Kharms. His biography also testifies that in 1926 he joined the All-Russian Union of Poets, from where he was expelled due to non-payment of fees.

OBERIU

In the first half of the 1920s, Kharms met Vvedensky and Druskin, who were the founders of the "plane trees" circle. Subsequently, Daniil will also enter there, deciding to rally all the "left" writers under one name, one group - OBERIU. This complex abbreviation stands for "Unification of Real Art". Interestingly, in the group's manifesto, published in 1928, the Oberiuts declared the Zaumi school to be the most hostile toyourself. Kharms renounced the destruction of the word, the usual game of nonsense. The goal of their group was global in nature and projected onto the outside world. The Oberiuts sought to clear the subject from the "literary husk", to make its perception more real. This applies both to his obviously avant-garde experiments (poems "Evil collection of infidels", "I sang …"), and works of a humorous nature.

Explains Kharms and the phenomenon of absurdity in prose miniatures like Blue Notebook No. 10, Sonnet, Falling Out Old Women. In his opinion, the logic of art should be different from that of everyday life. As an example, Kharms cites the case when the artist, contrary to anatomical laws, somewhat twisted the shoulder blade of the main character, which, however, does not prevent us, the audience, from admiring the beauty of the depicted nature. Daniil also created dramatic works (for example, the above-mentioned "Elizaveta Bam"), which easily fit into the context of the experiences of other Oberiuts.

Artwork for children

How did the biography of Daniil Kharms develop further? He began writing for children in the late 1920s, collaborating with a number of magazines. Other members of OBERIU also worked there, however, unlike them, Kharms took his current job responsibly, which, by the will of fate, became his only source of income. Poems, puzzles of the poet were published in magazines, he published a number of books (“First and Second”, “Game”, etc.). Some of them were banned or notwere recommended for mass libraries, others were especially loved by young readers.

Kharms in the 1930s

This period became especially difficult for writers who did not want to put their talent on the conveyor. Daniil Kharms also belonged to them. The biography (autobiography, more precisely) of those times is captured in the sad lines of the poem "To visit the writer's house …". The poet, with surprise and indignation, discovers that his acquaintances have turned away from him, who fell into disgrace as a writer. Kharms' first arrest took place in December 1931. Formally, the verdict concerned the poet's activities in the field of children's literature, although the real reason for the arrest was connected with OBERIU. Apparently, the Soviet government could not forgive him for shocking, several scandalous antics that characterize avant-garde art - as Daniil Kharms understood it. The biography of the poet in the 30s is distinguished by an ideological crisis and constant material deprivation. However, his second wife helped him to cope with them - Marina Malich, who remained with the poet until the end of his life.

Death

The war has begun. Kharms met her with defeatist moods and unwillingness to participate in it, for which he was arrested a second time. In order to avoid being shot, Kharms feigned insanity. He was placed in a psychiatric hospital, where he died during the terrible events of the siege of Leningrad. This is how Daniil Kharms ended his life, whose biography and creative heritage are now of considerable interest.