Biography of Bryusov
Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov – Russian poet and prose writer, playwright, translator, critic-literary critic, one of the founders of Russian symbolism.
Childhood and youth
Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov was born on December 1 in Moscow in a merchant family. The future poet received his primary education at home. Since 1885, Bryusov studied at the classical gymnasium of FI Kreiman in Moscow. In 1890, LI Polivanov was transferred to the Moscow gymnasium.
University years
In 1893, Brusov entered the Moscow University at the Faculty of History and Philology. During this period Valery Yakovlevich discovered for himself the French symbolists – Verlaine, Baudelaire, Mallarme. Admiring the creativity of Verlaine, creates a drama “Decadents.”. Positioning himself as the founder of Russian symbolism, in 1894 – 1895 Valery Yakovlevich published three collections of “Russian Symbolists.”
In 1895, published the first collection
Mature creativity
Having graduated in 1899 with a first-degree diploma, Bryusov arranged for P. Bartenev’s magazine “The Russian Archive.” The poet is actively engaged in literary activity. In 1900 Bryusov’s third collection “Tertia Vigilia” was published, which brought him literary fame.
Bryusov became one of the founders of the publishing house “Scorpion”. Since 1903 he has been cooperating in the magazine “New way”. In the same year the collection of the poet “Urbi et Orbi” is published.
In 1901 – 1905, Bryusov took part in the creation of the Northern Flowers almanac. In 1904 – 1909 he held the post of the actual editor of the Russian symbolist magazine “Libra”. Since 1908, Valery Bryusov, whose biography was full of new acquaintances with young writers, became director of the Moscow Literary and Art Circle.
Creativity of the poet between the two revolutions
Bryusov’s reaction to the moods and events of the revolution of 1905 – 1907 was the drama “The Earth” and the collection “The Wreath.” In 1907 his prose collection of short stories “The Earth’s Axis” was published, in 1909 a poetic collection “All Chants” was published. In the post-revolutionary years Valery Yakovlevich creates the novel “Altar of Victory”, a collection of short stories “Nights and Days”.
In 1914, during the First World War, Bryusov went to the front as a military correspondent for the “Russian Gazette.” In 1916 he published a collection of seven colors of the rainbow.
Last years of life
With the coming to power of the Bolsheviks, in 1917-1919 Valery Yakovlevich held the post of head of the Committee for the Registration of the Press. In 1919 – 1921 he was appointed chairman of the Presidium of the All-Russian Union of Poets. With the organization in 1921 of the Higher Literary and Art Institute, Briusov became his rector and professor.
Valery Yakovlevich Bryusov died October 9, 1924 from pneumonia. The poet was buried at the Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. In memory of the life and work of Bryusov Valery Yakovlevich on his grave is a monument with a portrait.
Interesting Facts
- In adolescence, Bryusov was fond of Nekrasov’s creativity, considering him his idol. The third collection of “Tertia Vigilia” Bryusov dedicated his friend Konstantin Balmont, whom he met in university years. In 24 years Bryusov married John Runt, with whom he lived until the end of his life. A brief biography of Bryusov would be incomplete without mentioning his merit as an interpreter. Valery Yakovlevich opened domestic readers E. Verharn, translated translations P. Verlaine, E. Poe, M. Maeterlinck, Byron, V. Hugo, O. Ould and many others. For the collection of translations of Armenian poets “Poetry of Armenia from ancient times to our days” Bryusov was awarded the title of People’s Poet of Armenia.
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