Derzhavin Gabriel (Gavrila) Romanovich (July 14, 1743 - July 20, 1816) - one of the most important Russian poets of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. His poetic achievement was perceived by his contemporaries as the crowning treasure of an entire era. Translations of his works into many languages ​​provided him with international recognition, which had not yet been achieved by a Russian poet before him. Shortly before his death, Derzhavin attended the final exam of a rising young star, Alexander Pushkin, who was still a teenager at the time. Hearing Pushkin’s poems dedicated to the lyceum in Tsarskoe Selo, of which he was a graduate, Derzhavin, overcome with emotion, even shed tears. This incident is generally seen in the history of Russian literature as a sign of the transition between two literary eras in Russia - between the eighteenth century and the so-called "golden age" of Russian literature.

Derzhavin’s most famous works are: “On the Death of Prince Meshchersky” (1779 - 1783), “Felitsa” (1782), Ode “God” (1784), “To Rulers and Judges” (1780) and “Waterfall” (1791 - 1794) .

Derzhavin's poetry and memoirs present a rich and complex portrait of his time, using themes ranging from war and peace to love and eating. In his poetry he was a defender of justice and an independent spirit. Politically, however, Derzhavin remained a staunch monarchist and an ardent opponent of liberal ideas. Together with Admiral Alexander Shishkov, Derzhavin created a literary society called “Conversation of Lovers of the Russian Word,” which was attended by five hundred members, whose meetings were held in Derzhavin’s house in St. Petersburg.

The presence of the imagery of Derzhavin’s time can be seen in the works of later Russian poets such as Pushkin, Tyutchev, Fet, Mandelstam. With its emphasis on odes and on the competition between literary images, Derzhavin's poetry represents the culmination and expansion of Russian classicism, rather than the first step towards Russian romanticism.

Derzhavin was also a Russian statesman. He first worked as governor of the Tambov province in 1786-1788. A man of the Enlightenment, he became the most famous poet and served as Catherine II's Minister of Justice from 1802 to 1805. Derzhavin served for some time as Catherine II's personal secretary.

Derzhavin was the first governor of the Olonets province. He became governor 13 years after the suppression of the Olonets uprising of peasants in Kizhi (1769-1771) and demanded strict fulfillment from the peasants of all duties assigned to them, remembering that “ruin and poverty are often the cause of great impudence and crimes.” Derzhavin was also interested in the activities of the Aleksandrovsky plant in Petrozavodsk, the largest state-owned enterprise in the region. He was one of the first people who looked for ways to preserve wildlife and protect the forests of Karelia. Derzhavin carried out many of the provincial reforms of Catherine II. As a result of his work, the borders between Russia and Sweden, and also drew up plans for regional cities and a map of the Olonets province.

In the summer of 1785, Derzhavin reviewed the Olonets province. He traveled about two thousand kilometers by boat and on horses. During this difficult and dangerous journey, he kept a diary containing valuable information about life in the region in the 18th century, including the first descriptions of the Kivach waterfall, provincial cities, the originality of Karelian culture and language, and much more. The first governor of the Olonets province also carried out a lot of work on organizing healthcare, public education and charity in the region.

Derzhavin personally opened the Olonets Public Charitable Department, the main purpose of which was to manage schools, hospitals, shelters, etc. He took an active part in replenishing the funds of this department and before leaving he donated 100 rubles for charitable purposes (a significant amount of money at that time ). Derzhavin also had a hand in the opening of the first state hospital in Petrozavodsk (where treatment was free), the development of the hospital charter and pharmacy.

During the poet's residence in Petrozavodsk, he described Karelia in the famous ode “Waterfall,” which marks the beginning of the Karelian theme in Russian poetry. The poem "The Tempest" and the libretto of the opera "The Miners" are also closely associated with the region.

Derzhavin was born in Kazan into the family of an impoverished landowner. His distant ancestor Murza Bagrim moved from the Horde to Moscow in the 15th century. However, in the 18th century, Gabriel Derzhavin's father was just a poor landowner who died when Gabriel was still young. Derzhavin graduated from Kazan secondary school in 1759. The level of education was very weak and he did not even receive a higher education. In 1762, Derzhavin was called up to serve in the Preobrazhensky Life Guards Regiment, where he stayed until 1772 and received the rank of officer.

Derzhavin rose from the ranks of a simple soldier to the highest positions of the government of Catherine the Great. He first made an impression on the commanders during the Pugachev uprising. He was well versed in politics, so Derzhavin left military service and entered government service. He rose to the position of governor of the Olonets (1784) and Tambov (1785) provinces, became the empress's personal secretary (1791), president of the Commerce Collegium (1794) and, finally, minister of justice (1802). He retired in 1803 and spent the rest of his life on his estate "Zvanka" near Novgorod.

Gabriel Derzhavin died in 1816 and was buried in the crypts of the Khutyn Monastery. Under Soviet rule, his remains were transferred to Novgorod Detinets, and later returned to Khutyn.

The great Russian poet Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin was born in the Kazan province in 1743. After initial home education in literacy, numbers and the German language, under the guidance of clergymen, the exiled German Rose, Lebedev and Poletaev, Derzhavin was sent to the Kazan gymnasium, which opened in 1759. Here Derzhavin became especially fond of drawing and fell in love with the art of engineering. When the director of the gymnasium, M.I. Verevkin, presented the works of the best students, including Gavriil Derzhavin, to the curator Shuvalov, Derzhavin was announced as the conductor of the engineering corps. At the beginning of 1762, a demand came that Derzhavin report for service in the Preobrazhensky Regiment. Shuvalov apparently forgot that he himself appointed Derzhavin to the engineering corps. Subsequently, Gabriel Romanovich did not have to supplement his education, and its absence is reflected in all his poetry. He himself understood this; later he wrote: “I confess my shortcoming is that I was brought up at a time and within the boundaries of the empire, when and where the enlightenment of science had not yet fully penetrated not only the minds of the people, but also the state to which I belong.” "

Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin

12 years of military service are the darkest and most bleak period in the biography of Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin. At first, he had to live in the barracks with the soldiers. There was nothing to think about literary creativity and science: only at night it was possible to read something and write poetry. Since Derzhavin did not have “protectors,” he advanced extremely slowly in his career. After the accession to the throne of Catherine II, Derzhavin asked Alexei Orlov himself in a letter for a promotion and only thanks to this he received the rank of corporal. After a year's leave, Gabriel Romanovich returned to St. Petersburg and from that time began to live in the barracks with the nobles. If material conditions improved somewhat, new inconveniences appeared. Derzhavin began to indulge in carousing and cards. After a second vacation to Kazan (1767), Derzhavin stopped in Moscow and spent about 2 years here. Here, a wild life almost led Derzhavin to death: he became a sharper and indulged in all sorts of tricks for money. Finally, in 1770 he decided to leave Moscow and change his lifestyle.

In 1772, Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin received his first officer rank. From that time on, he begins to withdraw from bad society, and if he plays cards, then “out of necessity for a living.” In 1773 A. I. Bibikova was tasked with pacifying the Pugachev rebellion. To conduct investigative cases, Bibikov took Derzhavin with him, by the way, at his personal request. Gabriel Romanovich developed the most energetic activities during the Pugachev era. At first, he attracted Bibikov’s attention with his investigation into the case of the surrender of Samara. While in Kazan, Derzhavin, on behalf of the nobles, composed a speech in response to the rescript of Catherine II, which was then published in St. Petersburg Vedomosti. In his actions, Derzhavin was always distinguished by a certain independence, which placed him high in the eyes of some of his superiors, but at the same time made him enemies among the local authorities. Derzhavin had little regard for the position and connections of the people with whom he dealt. In the end, the war with Pugachev did not bring any external differences to Gavriil Romanovich and he was almost subjected to a military court.

Portrait of Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin. Artist V. Borovikovsky, 1811

In 1776 through A. A. Bezborodko he submitted a letter to the empress calculating his merits and asking for a reward. By decree of February 15, 1777, Gabriel Romanovich was granted the status of collegiate adviser and at the same time received 300 souls in Belarus. On this occasion, Derzhavin wrote “Outpouring of a Grateful Heart to Empress Catherine II.” Six months after his resignation, Derzhavin, thanks to his acquaintance with Prosecutor General A. A. Vyazemsky, received the position of executor in the Senate. In 1778 Derzhavin married Katerina Yakovlevna Bastidon. The marriage was successful; His wife’s aesthetic sense did not remain without influence on the work of Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin. In 1780 Derzhavin was transferred to the position of adviser to the newly established expedition of state revenues and expenses. By order of Vyazemsky, Derzhavin wrote a code for this institution, published in the complete Collection of Zap. (XXI, 15 – 120). Disagreements with Vyazemsky forced Derzhavin to leave his service in the Senate and retire (1784) with the rank of full state councilor.

By this time, Derzhavin had already acquired a glorious literary name in society. Gavriil Romanovich peed while still in the gymnasium; in the barracks he read Kleist, Gagedorn, Klopstock, Haller, Gellert and translated “Messiad” in verse. The first original work, which appeared in print in 1773, was an ode to the first marriage of Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich. Upon returning from the Volga region, Derzhavin published “Odes translated and composed at Mount Chitalagai.” In addition to translations, there were odes to the death of Bibikov, to the nobles, to the birthday of Her Majesty, etc. Derzhavin’s first works were an imitation of Lomonosov. But Derzhavin in his work completely failed to achieve the soaring and unnatural manner that distinguishes Lomonosov’s poetry. Thanks for the advice P. A. Lvova, V.V. Kapnist and I.I. Khemnitser, Gavriil Romanovich abandoned imitation of Lomonosov and took Horace’s ode as a model. “Since 1779,” writes Derzhavin, “I have chosen a completely special path, guided by the instructions and advice of my friends.” Derzhavin placed his odes mainly in the “St. Petersburg Bulletin” without a signature: “Songs to Peter the Great” (1778), epistole to Shuvalov, “On the death of Prince Meshchersky”, “The Key”, “On the birth of a porphyry-born youth” (1779), “On absence of the empress to Belarus”, “To the first neighbor”, “To rulers and judges” (1780).

All these works, with their sublime tone and brilliant, lively pictures, attracted the attention of literature lovers, but not society, to Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin. In the latter, Derzhavin’s fame was created by the famous “Ode to Felice” (see full text, summary and analysis), published in the first book of the “Interlocutor of Lovers of the Russian Word” (1783). Derzhavin received for it a snuff-box, studded with diamonds, containing 50 chervonets. “Felitsa” placed Derzhavin high in the opinion of Catherine II, the court and the public. In “Interlocutor” Derzhavin published “Gratitude to Felitsa”, “Vision of Murza”, “Reshemysl” and, finally, “God” (see summary and full text). With his last poem, Derzhavin reached the apogee of his fame. At the very establishment of the Russian Academy, Derzhavin was elected its member and took part in the dictionary of the Russian language.

In 1784, Derzhavin was appointed ruler of the Olonets governorship, but Derzhavin immediately began to have troubles with the governor Tutolmin, and after a year and a half the poet was transferred to the same position in the Tambov governorship. Gavriil Romanovich occupied the place of Tambov governor for about 3 years. With his energetic activities, Derzhavin brought benefits to the province, introduced more regularity in the administration of conscription, improved the structure of prisons, and fixed roads and bridges. But even here, Derzhavin’s independent course of action, his temper, caused arguments with the governor. In 1788, Derzhavin was put on trial and was obliged to sign a written undertaking not to leave Moscow, where the case was to be carried out. In 1789, the Moscow Senate, having examined Derzhavin’s case, found that he was not guilty of any abuse of office. Seeing the merciful attitude of the Empress, who approved the decision of the Senate, Derzhavin wrote the ode “Image of Felitsa”, and, turning to the patronage of the new favorite Platon Zubov, dedicated the odes “On Moderation” and “To the Lyre” to him. The ode “To the Capture of Ishmael,” written at the same time, was a great success. Gabriel Romanovich received a snuff box worth 200 rubles. When Potemkin arrived in St. Petersburg, Derzhavin had to maneuver between two favorites. The death of Potemkin on the banks of the Prut gave rise to one of the most original and majestic poems in Derzhavin’s work - “Waterfall”. Derzhavin's rapprochement with Dmitriev and Karamzin dates back to this time; the latter invited him to participate in his Moscow Journal. Here Derzhavin placed “Song to a House That Loves Science” (Count Stroganov), “On the Death of Countess Rumyantseva”, “The Majesty of God”, “Monument to a Hero”.

In 1796 Derzhavin was ordered to be with the empress when accepting petitions. Gabriel Romanovich failed to please her: in life he could not flatter as subtly as in his poetic work, he was irritable and did not know how to stop reports that were unpleasant to Catherine II in time. In 1793, Derzhavin was appointed senator for the land survey department, and a few months later he was also given the post of president of the commercial board. In his senatorial activities, Derzhavin was distinguished by his extreme intransigence to those opinions that he considered incorrect. And since his love of truth was always expressed in a sharp and rude form, here too Derzhavin had many official disappointments. In 1794, Gabriel Romanovich's wife died; He dedicated the elegiac poem “Swallows” to her memory. Six months later, Derzhavin entered into a new marriage with D. A. Dyakova. In 1794, Derzhavin wrote the ode “On Nobility,” dedicated to the praise of Rumyantsev, and “On the Capture of Izmail.” His last odes during the life of Catherine II were: “On the birth of Queen Gremislava” (message to Naryshkin), “To the Knight of Athens” (Alexey Orlov), “Ode on the conquest of Derbent” (in honor of Valerian Zubov), “On the death of a benefactor” ( I. I. Betsky). Finally, Derzhavin presented Catherine II with a handwritten collection of his works, prefacing it with “An Offering to the Monarch.” Even before the death of the Empress, Derzhavin wrote “Monument” (see summary and full text), in which he summarized the meaning of his poetic work. The era of Catherine II marks the heyday of Derzhavin’s talent and its main significance in the poems of this era. Derzhavin's poetry is a monument to the reign of Catherine II. “In this heroic age of Russian history, events and people, with their gigantic dimensions, precisely corresponded to the courage of this original fantasy, the scope of this broad and capricious brush.” A whole epic of the era lives in the works of Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin.

Derzhavin's creative activity diminished. In addition to epigrams and fables, Gabriel Romanovich began to write tragedies. He himself was confident in their merit, but in fact, Derzhavin’s dramatic works are below criticism. (Dobrynya, Pozharsky, Herod and Mariamne, Atabalibo, etc.). The Discourse on Lyric Poetry read in “Conversation” dates back to 1815. Derzhavin already considered it necessary to comment on his works and himself made “explanations” for them. Feeling the need to find out the real nature of his biography and career, so rich in vicissitudes, Derzhavin wrote Notes in 1812, published in Russian Conversation; they caused an unfavorable impression with their subjective assessment of persons and events. In this last period of his life, following the spirit of his time, Derzhavin tried to give a place to the folk language in his work. The awakening of the study of Russian nationality gave rise to Derzhavin's imaginary folk ballads and romances (Tsar Maiden, Novgorod Wolf Zlogor). The most successful of these poems was “To the Ataman and the Don Army.” Even in retirement, Derzhavin did not cease to respond to the events taking place around him (On the World of 1807, Lamentation, Lyroepic Hymn to Drive Out the French, etc.). Being retired, Derzhavin lived in St. Petersburg in the winters and in the summers on his estate in Novgorod province. "Zvanke". Gabriel Romanovich described his village life in a poetic message to Evgeny Bolkhovitinov. Derzhavin died in Zvanka on July 8, 1816.

In the 19th century, Derzhavin’s creative style seemed already outdated. Aesthetically, Gabriel Romanovich’s poems amaze with their amazing chaotic nature: amid the rhetorical pathos, we also discover the brilliance of real poetic talent. In the same way, Derzhavin’s language, rich in folk speech, achieves extraordinary smoothness and lightness in some poems, but in others it becomes unrecognizable in its heaviness. From a historical and literary point of view, the ode of Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin is important because it introduced elements of simplicity, humor and vitality into the strained and far-from-life Lomonosov ode. His work reflected his clear satirical mind, his ardent disposition, common sense, alien to any morbid sentimentality and cold abstraction.

Critics' views on Derzhavin changed. After the reverence with which his name was surrounded, came a period of denial of any meaning behind it. Only the works of D. Grot, written before the revolution, on the publication of the works and biography of the poet, made it possible to impartially evaluate his work.

In this article we will tell you briefly about the life and work of Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin, an educator and representative of Russian classicism.

G.R. Derzhavin (1743-1816) - Russian poet and playwright, as well as a statesman of the 18th century under Catherine II.

Life

Gabriel was born on July 3 (14), 1743 in a family of nobles who suffered poverty in the Kazan province. Derzhavin began his studies at home, on an estate in the village of Sokuru, and at the age of 16 he entered the local gymnasium. In 1762, Gabriel became an ordinary guardsman in the Preobrazhensky Regiment, and 10 years later received his first officer rank. A year later, as part of the Preobrazhensky Regiment, he began suppressing the Pugachev uprising, which lasted until 1775.

At the age of 34, Gabriel Romanovich became a state councilor, and in 1784-1788 he served as governor: first of Olonetsok, then of Tambov. Derzhavin was an active official - he was involved in improving the economy of the region and contributed to the formation of the necessary government institutions.

In 1791, at the age of 48, Derzhavin became the cabinet secretary of Catherine the Second, and 2 years later he was appointed her privy councilor, and two years later - president of the Commerce Collegium. For about a year, already at the beginning of the 19th century, he served as Minister of Justice.

The career of the official Derzhavin can be called outstanding, and if we take into account the fact that at that time he was also engaged in literature, then it can even be called mind-blowing.

In 1803, Gavriil Romanovich ended his service, resigning in order to concentrate entirely on literary activity. At the same time, Derzhavin traveled a lot in the last years of his life. Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin died on his estate on July 8 (20), 1816.

Creation

Derzhavin devoted a lot of time to work and made an impressive career. At the same time, he is considered the largest representative of Russian classicism.

Gabriel Romanovich began writing during his military service. The debut took place in 1773 - then a translation of an excerpt from the works of Ovid appeared. And a year later, “Ode on Greatness” and “Ode on Nobility” by Derzhavin himself were published. The first collection of poems did not take long to appear - it appeared in 1776.

The poet’s ode “Felitsa,” which he dedicated to the empress, brought him wide literary fame. It is worth noting that this happened 9 years before Derzhavin’s appointment as Cabinet Secretary of Catherine II.

After this, other now famous works by Derzhavin appeared: “The Nobleman,” “On the Death of Prince Meshchersky,” “God,” “Dobrynya,” “Waterfall” and others.

Derzhavin Gabriel Romanovich, whose biography formed the basis of this article, forever entered Russian history not only as an outstanding poet and playwright, but also as a statesman who went from a private in the guard to the head of the Ministry of Justice. Having had a huge influence on the further development of Russian literature, he at the same time became a model of a true citizen and patriot.

The childhood of a young poet

Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin was born on July 14, 1743 in the family village of Sokury near Kazan. The family had many children, and due to the early death of its head, Roman Nikolaevich, the mother of the future poet, Fyokla Andreevna, could not give the children a proper education. This was also hampered by frequent moves caused by various everyday circumstances.

Nevertheless, while studying at an Orenburg school and then at a Kazan gymnasium, young Gabriel Derzhavin early became addicted to classical Russian poetry, the highest examples of which at that time were the poems of M. Lomonosov, V. Trediakovsky and A. Sumarokov. His first own poetic experiments date back to this time. However, the early poems of the novice poet came out somewhat clumsily and clumsily - this was due to the lack of knowledge of the basics of versification and the opportunity to consult with someone more experienced in this area.

Army service

In 1762, Gabriel Derzhavin was assigned as a private in the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment, which took part in the coup d'etat, which resulted in the accession to the throne of Empress Catherine II. The years spent in the army, by the poet’s own admission, were the most joyless period of his life. Heavy military service took up almost all of his time and energy, allowing him to write poetry only in rare free moments.

Subsequently, Gabriel Derzhavin, briefly describing in his memoirs the features of army life, said that in those years he often indulged in a common vice of the guards regiments - playing cards. Moreover, having found himself in an environment where cheating flourished, he himself quickly learned their trickster tricks, and only thanks to “God and his mother’s prayers” - that’s exactly what he wrote in his memoirs - did he not slide to the bottom of society.

Looking ahead to your future career

Beginning in 1772, the further biography of Gabriel Derzhavin took a different direction: he was promoted to officer, and from 1773 to 1775 he took part in the work of the state commission investigating the circumstances of the Pugachev rebellion.

Experiencing severe financial difficulties, Gabriel Romanovich turned to the empress herself for help, since in those days the autocrats did not yet disdain to read the letters of their subjects. His direct superior, Commander-in-Chief of the troops, Chief General A. Bibikov, attached his own report to the message, in which he highly appreciated Derzhavin’s merits in “establishing law-abidingness among the Kalmyks.” As a result, very soon the young man was granted the rank of collegiate adviser and became the owner of 300 serf souls, bestowed upon him personally by the empress.

First marriage and attainment of creative maturity

In the same year, 1775, another important and joyful event occurred in the life of Gabriel Derzhavin - he got married. His wife was the sixteen-year-old girl Ekaterina Bastidon, whose father was once the valet of the murdered Emperor Peter III, and whose mother was the nurse of the future Emperor Paul I. As befits a true poet, Derzhavin sang his chosen one in poetry, calling her Plenira - from the verb “to captivate” "

Most researchers of the poet’s work consider these years to be the period when he acquired his own literary style, which made it possible to create a cycle of outstanding works in the genre of philosophical lyrics. At the same time, his works began to be published for the first time, but did not bring the author widespread fame in literary circles.

Golden snuffbox from the hands of the Empress

Fame came to Derzhavin only after writing the ode “Felitsa”, dedicated to Empress Catherine II. In this work, filled with the most loyal feelings, the author presented the Russian autocrat as the ideal of an enlightened ruler and mother of nations.

Such obvious flattery, dressed in a highly artistic form, did not go without due reward. The “Mother of Nations” granted the poet a golden snuffbox studded with diamonds and filled with chervonets, after which Gabriel Romanovich’s career took off sharply. Appointments to various high positions followed one after another, but Derzhavin’s character traits prevented him from getting along with other officials and caused frequent transfers from place to place.

At the head of the Olonets region

In 1776, the previously created Olonets province was transformed into a governorate, and by decree of the Empress, Gabriel Derzhavin was appointed its first governor. His responsibilities, among other things, included monitoring compliance with the law by all officials subordinate to him. This turned out to be the cause of many troubles that soon followed.

In those early years, embezzlers were not yet called corrupt officials, but this did not make them less numerous. Theft was widespread, and the expression “take according to rank” even came into use. This meant that petty bureaucrats could “grasp” with impunity only a small fraction of what they had access to. Middle-level officials were secretly allowed to profit in a much larger volume, but everyone, “a greedy crowd standing at the throne,” as M.Yu. Lermontov, - they plunged their hand into the treasury up to the elbow with impunity.

It was these lawlessnesses that once happened in Russia that Gabriel Romanovich encountered in his new post. Being a decent and law-abiding person, he tried his best to fight the evil that surrounded him, but as a result he only made numerous ill-wishers both in the structures under his control and in court circles, which was the reason for his subsequent resignation.

Nevertheless, during the years spent as governor, and having a residence first in Petrozavodsk and then in Tambov, Gavriil Romanovich Derzhavin managed to do many good deeds before his resignation. Thus, through his efforts, the first Tambov theater was opened, a city school was built, a hospital for the poor opened its doors, and a printing house began operating.

Cabinet Secretary of the Empress

The next step on the career ladder of Gabriel Derzhavin was service as the personal office secretary of Catherine II. Ignoring the slander that rained down on the poet from all sides, the Empress brought him closer to her as a sign of gratitude for the ode he had once written in her honor.

But Gabriel Romanovich did not stay in this position for long, since he had the habit of reporting on all matters, presenting them in a true, and sometimes unsightly, light, which greatly upset his benefactress. He also bothered her with constant petitions for those in need and suffering from injustice. It ended with the Empress being tired of him, and she sent him out of sight - she transferred him to the Senate.

Creator of the first Russian anthem

While in this honorable exile, Derzhavin created his most famous work. In 1791, inspired by the news of the capture of the Turkish fortress of Izmail by Russian troops under the command of A.V. Suvorov, he wrote the poem “The Thunder of Victory, Ring Out.” Set to music by composer Osip Kozlovsky, over the following years it was the official anthem of Russia, which was replaced only in 1833 by the famous “God Save the Tsar,” written by another outstanding Russian poet, V. Zhukovsky, in collaboration with composer A. Lvov.

Remarriage

In 1794, Gabriel Romanovich’s wife, the muse he once sang in poetry, died, giving her the romantic name Plenira. After a year, the not-so-old widower married again. He united his fate with Daria Alekseevna Dyakova, who also became the heroine of his poems, this time under the name Milena.

Both marriages of the famous poet, although filled with love, turned out to be childless. Having no offspring of their own, the couple raised the children of the deceased family friend P. Lazarev. One of them, Mikhail, later became a famous admiral, discoverer and explorer of the Arctic.

Career peak

During the reign of Paul I, Derzhavin served as president of the Commerce Collegium and state treasurer, and Alexander I, who subsequently ascended the throne, appointed him minister of justice. But wherever he served, Gabriel Romanovich tried with all his might to eradicate bribery and embezzlement, which invariably made enemies for himself. In 1803, he submitted a petition to the highest name and ended his government activities, devoting himself entirely to literature.

Subsequent life and work of the poet

Even before his resignation, Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin loved Zvanka, an estate that belonged to his second wife Daria Alekseevna. He spent the last years of his life there, writing about 60 poems and preparing the first volume of his works for publication. In addition to poetic works, his name is associated with works in the field of drama. These include librettos created for several operas, as well as tragedies: “Herod and Marianne”, “Eupraxia” and “The Dark One”.

Derzhavin's poetry had a huge influence on the early work of A. S. Pushkin, who read his poems from childhood and studied them in Russian literature classes at the Lyceum. They only got to see each other once. In 1815, Derzhavin was invited to the Lyceum exam, where the still very young Alexander Pushkin read his famous poem “Memories of Tsarskoye Selo” in his presence. A reproduction from a painting by I. E. Repin reproducing this episode is presented in the article. The venerable master, seeing his brilliant successor in the dark young man and deeply touched by his poems, wanted to hug Pushkin, but he ran away, unable to hold back his sobs.

The death of the poet and the subsequent fate of his remains

Death overtook him in 1816 on the Zvanka estate, which, as mentioned above, Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin loved before his retirement, often visited, and in which he spent the rest of his life. His ashes, transported along the Volkhov to Veliky Novgorod, were buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral, located on the territory of the Varlaamo-Khutyn Monastery. Later, his second wife, Daria Alekseevna, was buried there.

During the Great Patriotic War, the monastery found itself in a combat zone and was completely destroyed. The Derzhavins' grave was also badly damaged. In 1959, their remains were reburied, placed in the Novgorod Detinets, and in 1993, when the poet’s 250th anniversary was celebrated, they were returned to the Varlaamo-Khutyn Monastery, which had been revived by that time.

Among the names of outstanding Russian poets who brought glory to Russian literature, Gabriel Derzhavin is invariably mentioned, whose brief biography was outlined in this article. The study of his life and work is of great importance not only from the aesthetic side, but also from the educational side, since the truths that he preached are eternal.

  • Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin was born on July 3 (14), 1743 in the village of Karmachi, Kazan province.
  • Father, Roman Nikolaevich, was an army officer, and therefore the family constantly moved from city to city.
  • Mother, Fekla Andreevna, came from a family of poor nobles.
  • Gavrila Romanovich's parents did not have any education, but they tried to give their children the best education. In 1750, when the Derzhavins lived in Orenburg, Gavrila was sent to a German boarding school. Science was not taught there in the best way, but in four years Derzhavin learned German.
  • 1754 – Derzhavin’s father dies. The family finds itself on the brink of poverty, all worries about the children fall entirely on the shoulders of Fekla Andreevna. She decides to move to Kazan.
  • 1759 - Gavrila Derzhavin and his brother were sent to the newly opened Kazan gymnasium. The future poet is among the first students, but he is especially good at subjects that involve creative work.
  • 1762 - Derzhavin graduates from high school and enlists as a soldier. Serves in St. Petersburg, attached to the Preobrazhensky Guards Regiment. The regiment takes part in the palace coup, as a result of which Empress Catherine II was placed on the throne.
  • The period of service was not the best in Derzhavin’s life. Because of his origin, it was difficult for Gavrila Romanovich to hope for a rapid career. He became addicted to cards and began losing money sent by his mother. When there was nothing to play for, the poet, in his own words, “marred poetry.” However, in spite of everything, Derzhavin did not give up science and read German and Russian books at night. During the same period, he began to translate “Telemachus” and “Messiad” into verse.
  • 1772 - Derzhavin was promoted to ensign.
  • 1773 - the Empress sends General A.I. to suppress the Pugachev rebellion. Bibikova. Realizing that there may not be another chance to advance in the service, Derzhavin asks to go with the general to Kazan. His request is granted. In Kazan, Gavrila Romanovich writes a speech - the response of the Kazan nobility to the empress’s rescript. Derzhavin visits Samara, Simbirsk, Saratov with secret assignments... The poet’s merits are wasted due to his temper; he is put on trial. In addition, they are demanding someone else's gambling debt from him - Derzhavin had the imprudence to act as a guarantor for a friend. The trial was eventually dropped, but he had to resign.
  • Resignation. There are no rewards for the quarrelsome officer, and Derzhavin is forced to fight. In addition to resentment, he is driven by an innate sense of justice: during the Pugachev riot, the Orenburg estate of the Derzhavins was ruined. The financial situation was improved only thanks to blind luck - in 1775, Gavrila Romanovich managed to win 40,000 rubles at cards. As for awards, only at the beginning of 1777 Derzhavin was granted 300 souls in Belarus and an award “due to inability to perform military service.” The poet is offended.
  • The same year 1773 - Derzhavin’s first work (published without a signature) “Iroid, or Letters of Vivlida to Kavno” appears in the magazine “Antiquity and Novelty”. It was an excerpt from Ovid's Metamorphoses translated from German.
  • After his resignation, Derzhavin received a position in the Senate. But the service did not last long: Gavrila Romanovich again fights with officials for the truth and loses. (“He can’t get along there, where they don’t like the truth.”)
  • 1776 - Derzhavin publishes “Odes translated and composed at Mount Chitalagoy.”
  • 1778 - Derzhavin marries the daughter of Peter III’s valet Ekaterina Yakovlevna Bastidon, who was only 16 years old at that time. Marriage to Ekaterina was the happiest time in Derzhavin’s life; the young beauty became the poet’s muse.
  • 1779 - Derzhavin departs in his work from the traditions of Lomonosov and creates his own style, which was later recognized as the standard of philosophical lyricism. The best example of such lyrics is considered to be the ode “God” (1784).
  • 1782 - Derzhavin writes “Ode to Felitsa,” addressed to the Empress. Catherine II was moved to tears and rewarded the author with a golden snuff-box studded with diamonds and with five hundred chervonets inside.
  • 1784 - After the Senate, Derzhavin was appointed governor of Olonets, but, as soon as he arrived at the place of his new service, he quarreled with the governor of the region, Tutolmin.
  • 1785 - 1788 - Derzhavin is transferred to Tambov, again to the governor’s post. Here the Olonets story was repeated exactly. Complaints about the new governor flew to the capital, and under the influence of the Senate, which sided with the governor, the Empress ordered Derzhavin to be removed from Tambov. In less than three years of his governorship, Derzhavin, despite everything, managed to work to improve the situation in the Tambov region, in particular, to fight the bureaucracy. During the period of his governorship (1784 - 1788), Derzhavin wrote almost nothing.
  • 1790 - the ode “To the Capture of Ishmael” was written.
  • 1790s - Derzhavin, among others, writes lyrical works “To the Lyre” and “Praise of Rural Life.”
  • 1791 - 1793 - Derzhavin serves as cabinet secretary to Catherine II. His task is to identify violations of the law in Senate documents, but Derzhavin again defends justice and fights the “clerical crooked squad.” The Empress complained that the restless cabinet secretary “meddles in with all sorts of nonsense.” As a result, Catherine removes Derzhavin from service, awarding him the Order of Vladimir II degree and conferring the rank of Privy Councilor. Gavrila Romanovich was again appointed senator, but the Senate played a small role under the empress and being sent there was tantamount to imperial disfavor. In 1792, Derzhavin wrote an ode “On Moderation,” in which he describes his service in hints.
  • 1793 - Ekaterina Yakovlevna, Derzhavin’s wife, dies.
  • 1794 - the ode “Waterfall”, begun in the year of Potemkin’s death, was completed. In this work, Derzhavin describes the deeds of the prince, worthy of living in the memory of posterity. This happens at a time when Potemkin’s name is being trampled into the dirt by the world.
  • 1795 - Derzhavin marries Daria Alekseevna Dyakova. By his own admission, the second marriage was not concluded for love, but “so that, having remained a widower, he would not become dissolute.”
  • 1796 - 1801 - the era of the reign of Paul I. First, Gabriel Romanovich earned disfavor by giving the new emperor an “obscene answer” to some question. But the poet managed to quickly rehabilitate himself by writing a magnificent ode to Paul’s accession to the throne. Under Pavel, Derzhavin became a Knight of the Order of Malta and served as ruler of the Senate Chancellery and state treasurer.
  • 1802 – 1803 - Emperor Alexander I appoints the poet Minister of Justice. Derzhavin, as always, serves honestly. A case in point is in Kaluga: Derzhavin was sent there to check the activities of Governor Lopukhin, who was suspected of numerous violations and abuses. The “case” compiled by Gavriil Romanovich took 200 pages...
  • 1803 - sixty-year-old Derzhavin resigns. From this year until his death, he lives mainly in the village of Zvanka, Novgorod province. In his creativity he turns to drama. He is also working on a collection of his own works, putting them in order and preparing them for publication.
  • 1808 - four volumes of works by G.R. were published. Derzhavina.
  • 1809 - 1810 - Derzhavin writes “Explanations for Poems.”
  • 1811 - 1813 - Derzhavin composes “Notes” dedicated to his many years of service to the state. At the same time, he wrote the treatise “Discourse on Lyric Poetry or Ode.”
  • 1811 - Derzhavin creates the literary society “Conversation of Lovers of the Russian Word,” which united St. Petersburg writers.
  • 1815 - during an exam at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, Derzhavin “notices” young Alexander Pushkin (“Old Derzhavin noticed us and, going to his grave, blessed us”).
  • July 8 (20), 1816 – Gabriel Romanovich Derzhavin dies in Zvanki. Buried in St. Petersburg.