Biography of Zhukovsky


Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky is a Russian poet, an academician, an interpreter.

Early years

Vasily Zhukovsky was born on January 29, 1783 in the village of Mishensky, Tula Province. He was the illegitimate son of the landowner AI Bunin. Has received a new surname after adoption by the godfather – poor Belarusian nobleman Andrey Grigorevich Zhukovsky.

Education and Creativity

The first education in Zhukovsky’s biography was received in the Bunin family. Then he studied at a private boarding school, Tula folk school, at his sister V. Yushkova. He was fond of sentimentalism, on this basis he met Nikolai Karamzin.

The first poems Zhukovsky were written while studying at a boarding school at the University of Moscow. Zhukovsky’s works of those times are filled with sentimentalism, romanticism, “Cassandra”, “Svetlana”).

From 1805-1806, the writer worked in the “Bulletin of Europe”, and in 1808-1809

was his editor. At that time Zhukovsky’s poetry blossoms and reaches its peak.

After the outbreak of the war in 1812, Zhukovsky took the side of the opposition. Military events are reflected in his works “Emperor Alexander”, “Singer in the camp of Russian soldiers.” The latter brought the writer fame.

In 1815, Zhukovsky was a member of the literary society Arzamas. At the same time begins the court service, which lasted 25 years. The decade from 1810 to 1820 is considered the flourishing of Vasily Andreevich Zhukovsky’s creativity. His most famous works were written in those days: ballads “Aeolov harp”, “Twelve sleeping virgins”, many poems, translations.

Analysis of Zhukovsky’s poems reveals a great thematic diversity, features of the poet’s style. Significant treasure are translations of Zhukovsky’s “Rustem and Zorab”, “Odyssey.”

Zhukovsky was well acquainted with many famous personalities, among them Emperor Nicholas I, Alexander II, Alexander Pushkin, Nikolai Gogol.

Personal life

At age 58, Zhukovsky married the 20-year-old daughter of his friend the painter Reitern – Elizabeth. After 12 years he lived with his new relatives in Germany, until his death. He had two children – Pavel and Alexandra.

Death of the writer

Zhukovsky died in 1852 in Baden-Baden. The writer’s body was transported to Russia and buried in St. Petersburg.


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Biography of Zhukovsky