Alexander Sergeyevich
Pushkin
1799-1837
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin was a poet, prose writer, playwright and member of the Russian Academy. He was born on May 26 (June 6), 1799, into a modest noble family. He received his primary education at home, with teachers and governesses hired by his parents from various European countries. Pushkin’s creative talent began to develop at the age of seven, when he composed small comedies and fables in French, even attempting to write an epic poem. In 1811, after the establishment of the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, the 12-year-old Pushkin became one of its students. In his free time, Pushkin dedicated himself to literature and, in 1814, published his first poem, “To a Friend-Poet,” in the journal “The European Messenger”. A year later, the renowned poet and statesman Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin recognized the literary genius of young Pushkin, who read his poem “Memories in Tsarskoye Selo»,” published in the journal “The Russian Museum”. In 1829, the poet met Natalia Goncharova and fell in love with the 16-year-old girl. After a few months, he made a marriage proposal, but Natalia’s parents initially refused to give their consent. However, Alexander Sergeyevich made a proposal again and obtained approval. A.S. Pushkin married his beloved. In 1831, the poet was appointed to write the “History of Peter the Great,” but he became captivated by the image of the leader of the peasant uprising, Emelyan Pugachev. He even embarked on a small expedition to the areas of the uprising to gather material for his novel. Afterward, in the autumn of 1833, Pushkin went to Boldino, where he completed the scientific work “History of Pugachev,” wrote “The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish,” “The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights,” the poem “The Bronze Horseman” and began working on “The Queen of Spades.” In November of the same year, anonymous lampoons began circulating, targeting Georges Charles Dantes’s courtship of Natalia Goncharova. A.S. Pushkin challenged Dantes to a duel, which was initially postponed and later canceled due to Dantes marrying Natalia’s sister Ekaterina. However, the marriage did not change Dantes’s behavior. On January 26 (February 7), 1837, A.S. Pushkin sent a letter to Louis-Charles Deekern, the adoptive father of the offender and the Dutch ambassador to Russia. This led to a duel being arranged, and Dantes acted as Deekern’s representative. The duel took place the next day on the Black River. A.S. Pushkin was wounded in the abdomen, which was considered fatal at that time. On January 29 (February 10), A.S. Pushkin passed away. There are numerous monuments commemorate the great poet, one of which is located on Spasopeskovsky Lane in Moscow.
Address: Moscow, Spasopeskovsky lane
