Biography of Nikolai Gumilyov is complete. Flirting with life

Russian poet Silver Age, creator of the school of Acmeism, translator, literary critic, traveler, officer.
Born into the family of naval doctor Stepan Yakovlevich Gumilyov (1836-1910). Mother - Gumileva (Lvova) Anna Ivanovna (1854-1942). Gumilyov spent his childhood in Tsarskoe Selo, where he entered the gymnasium in 1903, where he was the director. famous poet I. Annensky. After graduating from high school, he went to Paris, to the Sorbonne.

First publication - September 8, 1902 - the poem “I fled to the forest from the cities...” in the newspaper “Tiflis Leaflet” signed by K. Gumilyov. In 1905 he published his first collection of poems entitled “The Way of the Conquistadors.” Subsequently, however, he called this book a “learning experience.”

Since 1907, Nikolai Gumilyov traveled a lot. Visited Italy and France. In 1908 he published the collection “Romantic Flowers”. While in Paris, he published literary magazine“Sirius” (in which A. Akhmatova made her debut), but only 3 issues of the magazine were published. He visited exhibitions, met French and Russian writers, and was in intensive correspondence with Bryusov, to whom he sent his poems, articles, and stories.

Nikolai Gumilyov is not only a poet, but also one of the largest researchers in Africa. He made several expeditions to East and North-East Africa and brought them to the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. Peter the Great (St. Petersburg) has a rich collection.

In 1910, the book “Pearls” was published, in which “Romantic Flowers” ​​was included as one of the parts. "Pearls" includes the poem "Captains", one of famous works Nikolai Gumilyov. On April 25 of the same year, in the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Nikolskaya Slobodka he married Anna Andreevna Gorenko (Anna Akhmatova).

In 1911, with the active participation of N. Gumilyov, the “Workshop of Poets” was founded, which, in addition to N. Gumilyov himself, included, in particular, Sergei Gorodetsky, Anna Akhmatova, Osip Mandelstam, Vladimir Narbut and others. Statement on the emergence of a new artistic movement- Acmeism.

In 1912, the poetry collection “Alien Sky” was published, in which, in particular, the first, second and third cantos of the poem “The Discovery of America” were published. On September 18 (October 1) of the same year, Anna and Nikolai Gumilev had a son, Lev.

In 1914-1918 he was in the active army, then at the headquarters of the Russian Expeditionary Force in Paris.

By order of the Guards Cavalry Corps of January 5, 1915 No. 148b he was awarded the St. George Cross, 4th degree. On March 28, 1916, he was promoted to warrant officer and transferred to the 5th Alexandria Hussar Regiment.

In 1916, the collection “Quiver” was published, which included some poems on a military theme.

In 1917 he served in Paris as an adjutant to the commissar of the Provisional Government. In Paris, the poet fell in love with the half-Russian, half-French Elena Karolovna du Boucher, the daughter of a famous surgeon. Dedicated the collection of poems “To the Blue Star” to her, the top love lyrics poet.

In 1918, the African poem “Mick” was published, as well as the collection “Bonfire”. On August 5, the divorce from Anna Akhmatova took place.

In 1919 he married Anna Nikolaevna Engelhardt, the daughter of the historian and literary critic N.A. Engelhardt.

In 1920 he participated in the organization of the Petrograd department of the All-Russian Writers' Union.

In 1921, Nikolai Gumilyov published two collections of poems: “The Tent,” written based on impressions from his travels in Africa, and “Pillar of Fire,” which included such significant works as “The Word,” “The Sixth Sense,” and “My Readers.”

In the same year, on August 3, Nikolai was arrested on suspicion of participation in the conspiracy of the “Petrograd Combat Organization of V.N. Tagantsev” and shot. There is a point of view according to which the poet had nothing to do with this conspiracy, and the conspiracy itself was fabricated.

On August 24, a decree was issued by the Petrograd Gubchek on the execution of participants in the “Tagantsevsky conspiracy” (61 people in total), published on September 1, indicating that the sentence had already been carried out. The date, place of execution and burial are unknown. A common version is that this is Berngardovka (the valley of the Lubya River) near Vsevolozhsk, although Lisiy Nos is also possible.

In 1992, Gumilyov was rehabilitated.

Date of Birth:
Place of Birth:	Kronstadt, Russian Empire
Date of death:
A place of death:	Near Petrograd
Citizenship:	Russian empire
Occupation:	Russian poet explorer of Africa
Direction:
Awards and prizes	Badge of the Order of St. George, 3rd class

Childhood and youth

Abroad

First expedition to Abyssinia

Between trips

Second expedition to Abyssinia

First World War

Live in Soviet Russia

Arrest and death

Versions of events of 1921

Main features of poetry

Main works

Collections of poems

Translations

Influence on literature

Interesting Facts

Songs based on his poems

Reviews from contemporaries

The image of N. Gumilyov in fiction

Literature

(April 3 (15), 1886, Kronstadt - August 1921, near Petrograd, exact place unknown) - Russian poet of the Silver Age, creator of the school of Acmeism, translator, literary critic, traveler, officer.

Biography

Childhood and youth

Born into the noble family of the Kronstadt ship doctor Stepan Yakovlevich Gumilyov (July 28, 1836 - February 6, 1910). Mother - Gumileva (Lvova) Anna Ivanovna (June 4, 1854 - December 24, 1922).

His grandfather - Panov Yakov Fedotovich (1790-1858) - was a sexton of the church in the village of Zheludevo, Spassky district, Ryazan province.

Since childhood, Gumilev was a weak and sickly child: he was constantly tormented by headaches, he reacted poorly to noise. Despite this, he often participated in games with peers, where he constantly tried to lead.

But he preferred solitude or the company of animals - a “red dog”, a parrot, guinea pigs - to communicating with children. He avoided people.

In 1900-1903. lived in Georgia, where he was sent by his father. Here, in the Tiflis Leaflet of 1902, he published his first poem. He entered the Gurevich gymnasium, but after studying for a year he fell ill and his parents invited him to a tutor. He noticed Gumilyov's penchant for zoology and geography.

Gumilyov spent his childhood years in Tsarskoe Selo, where in 1896 he entered the gymnasium, of which he was the director. major poet Russian symbolism Innokenty Annensky.

He did not study well and graduated from high school at the age of twenty in 1906. A year earlier, his first book of poems, “The Path of the Conquistadors,” was published.

After graduating from high school, the poet went to study at the Sorbonne.

Abroad

Since 1906, Nikolai Gumilyov lived in Paris: he listened to lectures on French literature, studied painting, and traveled a lot. Visited Italy and France. While in Paris, he published the literary magazine “Sirius” (in which A. Akhmatova made her debut), but only 3 issues of the magazine were published. He visited exhibitions, met French and Russian writers, and was in intensive correspondence with Bryusov, to whom he sent his poems, articles, and stories.

On next year, in April, Gumilyov returned to Russia to pass the draft board. In Russia, the young poet met with his teacher, Bryusov, and his lover, Anna Gorenko. In July, he set off from Sevastopol on his first trip to the Levant and returned to Paris at the end of July. There is no information about how the trip went, except for letters to Bryusov.

There is a version that it was then that Gumilyov first visited Africa, this is also evidenced by the poem “Ezbekiye,” written in 1917:

However, chronologically this is unlikely.

In 1908, Gumilyov published the collection “Romantic Flowers”. With the money received for the collection, as well as with the funds accumulated by his parents, he goes on a second journey.

Arrived in Sinop, where I had to quarantine for 4 days, and from there to Istanbul. After Turkey, Gumilyov visited Greece, then went to Egypt, where he visited Ezbikiye. In Cairo, the traveler suddenly ran out of money and was forced to go back. On November 29 he was again in St. Petersburg.

Nikolai Gumilyov is not only a poet, but also one of the largest researchers in Africa. He made several expeditions to East and North-East Africa and brought a rich collection to the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) in St. Petersburg.

First expedition to Abyssinia

Although Africa had attracted Gumilyov since childhood, the decision to go there came suddenly and on September 25 he went to Odessa, from there to Djibouti, then to Abyssinia. The details of this journey are unknown. It is only known that he visited Addis Ababa at a ceremonial reception at the Negus. The friendly relations of mutual sympathy that arose between the young Gumilyov and the experienced Menelik II can be considered proven. In the article “Is Menelik Dead?” the poet described the unrest that took place under the throne, as well as reveals his personal attitude to what was happening.

Between trips

The three years between expeditions were very eventful in the poet’s life.

• In 1910, the collection “Pearls” was published; on April 25 of the same year, in the St. Nicholas Church in the village of Nikolskaya Slobodka, Gumilev married Anna Andreevna Gorenko (Akhmatova).

• In 1911, with the active participation of N. Gumilyov, the “Workshop of Poets” was founded, which, in addition to Gumilyov, included Anna Akhmatova, Osip Mandelstam, Vladimir Narbut, Sergei Gorodetsky, Kuzmina-Karavaeva, Zenkevich and others.

• In 1912 he announced the emergence of a new artistic movement - Acmeism. Entered the Faculty of History and Philology of St. Petersburg University (studied Old French poetry)

• In the same year, the poetry collection “Alien Sky” was published, in which, in particular, the first, second and third cantos of the poem “The Discovery of America” were published.

• On October 1 of the same year, Anna and Nikolai Gumilyov had a son, Lev.

Second expedition to Abyssinia

The second expedition took place in 1913. It was better organized and coordinated with the Academy of Sciences. At first, Gumilyov wanted to cross the Danakil desert, study little-known tribes and try to civilize them, but the Academy rejected this route as expensive, and the poet was forced to propose a new route:

His nephew Nikolai Sverchkov went to Africa with Gumilyov as a photographer.

First, Gumilyov went to Odessa, then to Istanbul. In Turkey, the poet showed sympathy and sympathy for the Turks, unlike most Russians. There, Gumilyov met the Turkish consul Mozar Bey, who was traveling to Harar; they continued their journey together. From Istanbul they headed to Egypt, and from there to Djibouti. The travelers had to go inland along railway, but after 260 kilometers the train stopped because the rains washed out the track. Most of the passengers returned, but Gumilyov, Sverchkov and Mozar Bey begged the workers for a handcar and drove 80 kilometers of damaged track on it. Arriving in Dire Dawa, the poet hired a translator and set off in a caravan to Harar.

In Harrar, Gumilev bought mules, not without complications, and there he met Ras Tafari (then governor of Harar, later Emperor Haile Selassie I; adherents of Rastafarianism consider him the incarnation of God - Jah). The poet gave the future emperor a box of vermouth and photographed him, his wife and sister. In Harare, Gumilyov began collecting his collection.

From Harar the path lay through the little-explored Galla lands to the village of Sheikh Hussein. On the way, we had to cross the fast-water Uabi River, where Nikolai Sverchkov was almost dragged away by a crocodile. Soon problems with provisions began. Gumilyov was forced to hunt for food. When the goal was achieved, the leader and spiritual guide Sheikh Hussein Aba Muda sent provisions to the expedition and warmly received it. This is how Gumilyov described the prophet:

There Gumilyov was shown the tomb of Saint Sheikh Hussein, after whom the city was named. There was a cave there, from which, according to legend, a sinner could not get out:

Gumilyov climbed there and returned safely.

Having written down the life of Sheikh Hussein, the expedition moved to the city of Ginir. Having replenished the collection and collected water in Ginir, the travelers went west, on a difficult journey to the village of Matakua.

The further fate of the expedition is unknown; Gumilyov’s African diary is interrupted at the word “Road...” on July 26. According to some reports, on August 11, the exhausted expedition reached the Dera Valley, where Gumilev stayed in the house of the parents of a certain Kh. Mariam. He treated his mistress for malaria, freed a punished slave, and his parents named their son after him. However, there are chronological inaccuracies in the Abyssinian's story. Be that as it may, Gumilyov safely reached Harar and in mid-August was already in Djibouti, but due to financial difficulties he was stuck there for three weeks. He returned to Russia on September 1.

World War I

The beginning of 1914 was difficult for the poet: the workshop ceased to exist, difficulties arose in his relationship with Akhmatova, and he became bored with the bohemian life he led after returning from Africa.

After the outbreak of the First World War in early August 1914, N. S. Gumilev volunteered for the army. Together with Nikolai, his brother Dmitry Gumilyov, who was shell-shocked in battle and died in 1922, went to war (by conscription).

It is noteworthy that although almost all the poets of that time composed either patriotic or military poems, only two took part in hostilities as volunteers: Gumilyov and Benedikt Livshits.

Gumilyov was enlisted as a volunteer in the Life Guards Ulan Regiment of Her Majesty. In September and October 1914, exercises and training took place. Already in November the regiment was transferred to Southern Poland. On November 19, the first battle took place. For night reconnaissance before the battle, by Order of the Guards Cavalry Corps of December 5, 1915 No. 148b he was awarded the Cross of St. George, 3rd degree No. 108868.

At the end of February, as a result of continuous hostilities and travel, Gumilyov fell ill with a cold:

The poet was treated for a month in Petrograd, then was returned to the front again.

In 1915, from April to June, although there were no active hostilities, Gumilyov participated in reconnaissance trips almost every day.

In 1915, Nikolai Gumilyov fought in Western Ukraine (Volyn). Here he went through the most difficult military trials and received the St. George Cross, of which he was very proud. Anna Akhmatova responded to this somewhat skeptically:

They rarely fly to our porch. We gave a white cross to your father.

That's what she wrote little son Leo.

On July 6, a large-scale enemy attack began. The task was set to hold positions until the infantry approached, the operation was carried out successfully, and several machine guns were saved, one of which was carried by Gumilyov. For this, on January 13, 1915, by order of the Guards Cavalry Corps dated December 24, 1914 No. 30, he was awarded the St. George Cross of the 4th degree No. 134060; renamed corporal, and on January 15 promoted to non-commissioned officer.

In September, the poet returned to Russia as a hero, and on March 28, 1916, by order of the Commander-in-Chief Western Front No. 3332 was promoted to warrant officer and transferred to the 5th Hussar Alexandria Regiment. Using this respite, Gumilyov was active in literary activity.

In April 1916, the poet arrived in the hussar regiment stationed near Dvinsk. In May, Gumilev was again evacuated to Petrograd. The night jump in the heat described in “Notes of a Cavalryman” cost him pneumonia. When the treatment was almost over, Gumilyov went out into the cold without permission, as a result of which the disease worsened again. Doctors recommended that he undergo treatment in the south. Gumilev left for Yalta. However, on this military life the poet is not finished. On July 8, 1916, he again went to the front, again not for long. On August 17, by order of regiment No. 240, Gumilev was sent to the Nikolaev Cavalry School, then again transferred to the front and remained in the trenches until January 1917.

In 1917, Gumilev decided to transfer to the Thessaloniki Front and went to the Russian expeditionary force in Paris. He went to France along the northern route - through Sweden, Norway and England. Gumilyov stayed in London for a month, where he met with local poets: Gilbert Chesterton, Boris Anrep and others. Gumilyov left England in in a great mood: paper and printing costs turned out to be much cheaper there, and he could print “Hyperboreas” there.

Arriving in Paris, he served as an adjutant to the commissar of the Provisional Government, where he became friends with the artists M. F. Larionov and N. S. Goncharova.

In Paris, the poet fell in love with the half-Russian, half-French Elena Karolovna du Boucher, the daughter of a famous surgeon. He dedicated the collection of poems “To the Blue Star” to her, the pinnacle of the poet’s love lyrics. Soon Gumilyov moved to the 3rd brigade. However, the decay of the army was felt there too. Soon the 1st and 2nd brigades mutinied. He was suppressed, many soldiers were deported to Petrograd, the rest were united into one special brigade.

On January 22, 1918, Anrep got him a job in the encryption department of the Russian Government Committee. Gumilev worked there for two months. However, bureaucratic work did not suit him, and soon the poet returned to Russia.

On August 5, 1918, a divorce from Anna Akhmatova took place. Relations between the poets went wrong a long time ago, but it was impossible to divorce with the right to remarry before the revolution.

In 1919, he married Anna Nikolaevna Engelhardt, the daughter of the historian and literary critic N.A. Engelhardt, this marriage also turned out to be unsuccessful.

In 1920, the Petrograd department of the All-Russian Writers' Union was established, and Gumilyov also joined it. Formally, Blok was elected head of the Union, but in fact the Union was ruled by a “more than pro-Bolshevik” group of poets led by Pavlovich. Under the pretext that a quorum was not reached in the election of the chairman, re-elections were called. The Pavlovich camp, believing that this was a simple formality, agreed, but at the re-election Gumilyov was unexpectedly nominated, and he won.

Gorky took a close part in the affairs of the department. When Gorky’s plan “History of Culture in Pictures” arose, Gumilyov supported these endeavors. His “Poisoned Tunic” could not have come at a better time. In addition, Gumilyov gave sections of the play “Gondla”, “Hunting the Rhinoceros” and “The Beauty of Morni”. The fate of the latter is sad: its full text has not survived.

Living in Soviet Russia, Nikolai Gumilyov did not hide his religious and political views— he openly baptized himself in churches and declared his views. So, at one of the poetry evenings, he answered a question from the audience - “what are your political beliefs?” replied, “I am a convinced monarchist.”

Arrest and death

On August 3, 1921, Nikolai was arrested on suspicion of participation in the conspiracy of the “Petrograd Combat Organization of V.N. Tagantsev.” For several days, Mikhail Lozinsky and Nikolai Otsup tried to help their friend, but despite this, the poet was soon shot.

On August 24, the Petrograd GubChK issued a decree on the execution of participants in the “Tagantsevsky conspiracy” (61 people in total), published on September 1, indicating that the sentence had already been carried out. The date, place of execution and burial are unknown. The following versions are common:

• Berngardovka (Lubya River valley) near Vsevolozhsk. Bridge over the Lubya River, a memorial cross is installed on the bank.
• The Fox Nose pier area, behind the gunpowder warehouses. A remote area near the Razdelnaya railway station (now Lisiy Nos) was previously used as a place for executions following sentences of military courts.
• Anna Akhmatova believed that the place of execution was on the outskirts of the city towards the Porokhovs.
• Kovalevsky forest, in the area of ​​the arsenal of the Rzhevsky training ground, at the bend of the Lubya River.

In 1992, Gumilyov was rehabilitated.

Versions of events of 1921

There are three versions about Gumilyov’s involvement in Tagantsev’s conspiracy:

• Gumilyov participated in the conspiracy - the official Soviet version of 1921-1986, supported by some emigrants.
• Gumilyov did not participate in the conspiracy - a version of the 1960s, common in the USSR during perestroika (1986-1991).
• The conspiracy did not exist at all, it was completely fabricated by the Cheka in connection with the Kronstadt uprising - the modern version.

Addresses in St. Petersburg - Petrograd

• 1886, April - Kronstadt, Grigorieva’s house on Ekaterininskaya Street (now Sovetskaya), 7
• 1886, June - Tsarskoye Selo, Moskovskaya street, 42, opposite Torgovy lane;
• 1890 - the Gumilevs bought an estate along the Nikolaev railway - Popovka;
• 1893, autumn - St. Petersburg, rented apartment 8 on 3rd Rozhdestvenskaya Street, 32 (in Shamin’s house on the corner of Degtyarnaya and 3rd Rozhdestvenskaya streets, now 3rd Sovetskaya);
• 1903, summer - Tsarskoe Selo, rented apartment on the corner of Oranzhereynaya (Karl Marx) and Srednaya (Kommunarov) streets, in Poluboyarinov’s house;
• 1914 - Tuchkova embankment, 20, apt. 29;
• 1918-1919 - Ivanovskaya street, 25, apt. 15;
• 1919-1920 - apartment building— Preobrazhenskaya street, 5;
• 1920 - August 3, 1921 - DISK - 25th October Avenue, 15.

Creativity and literary path

The poet wrote his first quatrain about the beautiful Niagara at the age of six. He also wrote poetry in the gymnasium, but they were of poor quality (Nikolai Stepanovich himself did not include them in any of his collections). Nevertheless, when Gumilyov was on the verge of expulsion from the gymnasium, the director I.F. Annensky insisted on leaving the student (“All this is true, but he writes poetry”).

The first publication was on September 8, 1902 - the poem “I fled to the forest from the cities...” in the newspaper “Tiflis Leaflet” signed “K. Gumilyov."

In 1905, he published the first collection of poems entitled “The Way of the Conquistadors” (conquistador - obsolete from conquistador). This collection was given a special review by Bryusov, who at that time was one of the most authoritative poets. Although the review was not laudatory, the master concluded it with the words “Let us assume that it [the book] is only the “path” of the new conquistador and that his victories and conquests are ahead,” it was after this that correspondence began between Bryusov and Gumilyov. For a long time, Gumilyov considered Bryusov his teacher; Bryusov’s motifs can be traced in many of his poems (the most famous of them is “The Violin,” however, dedicated to Bryusov). Master for a long time patronized the young poet and treated him, unlike most of his students, kindly, almost in a fatherly way.

In Paris, Bryusov recommended Gumilev to such famous poets as Merezhkovsky, Gippius, Bely and others, but the masters insulted the young poet so much that for a long time he was afraid to visit celebrities. True, in 1908 the poet “took revenge” on them by anonymously sending them the poem “Androgyne”. It received extremely favorable reviews. Merezhkovsky and Gippius expressed a desire to meet the author.

In Paris, Gumilyov began publishing his magazine “Sirius”. In addition to Gumilyov himself, who published in the magazine under various pseudonyms, as well as Anna Akhmatova, who treated this endeavor with irony, Alexander Bisk and several little-known poets were published in Sirius.

In 1908, Gumilyov published the collection “Romantic Flowers”, dedicated to Akhmatova (the dedication was removed during re-release). It was this collection that gave him a certain literary name.

In 1910, the collection “Pearls” was published, in which “Romantic Flowers” ​​was included as one of the parts. “Pearls” includes the poem “Captains,” one of the most famous works of Nikolai Gumilyov. The collection received laudatory reviews from V. Bryusov, V. Ivanov, I. Annensky and other critics, although it was called “still a student’s book.”

At this time, symbolism was experiencing a crisis. Seeing this, in 1911 Gumilyov, together with his friend S. Gorodetsky, founded his own circle, “The Workshop of Poets.” Initially, he did not have a clear literary orientation. At the first meeting, which took place at Gorodetsky’s apartment, there were Piast, A. A. Blok with his wife, Akhmatova and others. Blok wrote about this meeting:

In 1912, it was announced that a new literary movement- Acmeism. Acmeism proclaimed materiality, objectivity of themes and images, precision of words. The emergence of a new trend caused a stormy reaction, mostly negative.

In 1916, the collection “Quiver” was published, which included some poems on a military theme.

In 1918, the collection “Bonfire” was published, as well as the African poem “Mick”. The prototype of Louis, the monkey king, was Lev Gumilyov. The time for the release of the fairy-tale poem was unfortunate, and it was received coolly.

In 1921, Nikolai Gumilyov published two collections of poems. The first is “The Tent,” written based on impressions from traveling in Africa. “The Tent” was supposed to be the first part of the grandiose project “a geography textbook in verse.” In it, Gumilyov planned to describe the entire inhabited land in rhyme. The second is “The Pillar of Fire,” which includes such significant works as “The Word,” “The Sixth Sense,” and “My Readers.” Many believe that “Pillar of Fire” is the poet’s pinnacle collection.

Main features of poetry

The main themes of Gumilyov’s lyrics are love, art, death, and there are also military and “geographical” poems. Unlike most poets, there is practically no political and patriotic lyrics.

Although the sizes of Gumilyov’s poems are extremely varied, he himself believed that his best works were anapests. Gumilyov rarely used free verse and believed that although he had won “the right to citizenship in the poetry of all countries. Nevertheless, it is quite obvious that free verse should be used extremely rarely.” Gumilyov’s most famous free verse is “My Readers.”

Main works

Collections of poems

• The Path of the Conquistadors (1905)
• Romantic flowers (dedicated to Anna Andreevna Gorenko), Paris (1908)
• Pearls (1910)
• Alien Sky (1912)
• Quiver (1916)
• Bonfire (1918)
• Porcelain Pavilion (1918)
• Tent (1921)
• Pillar of Fire (1921)
• To the Blue Star (1923)

Plays

• Don Juan in Egypt (1912)
• The Game (1913, published 1916)
• Actaeon (1913)
• Gondla (1917)
• Child of Allah (1918)
• The Poisoned Tunic (1918, published 1952)
• The Tree of Transformations (1918, published 1989)
• The Rhino Hunt (1920, published 1987)

Dramatic scenes and fragments

• Achilles and Odysseus (1908)
• Green tulip
• The Beauty of Morni (1919, published 1984)

Prose

• [Notes of a cavalryman (1914-1915)]
• The Black General (1917)
• Merry brothers
• African diary
• Up the Nile
• Cards
• Deucalion
• Palm Tree Shadow (1909-1916)

Poems

• Mick (1918)

Translations

• Théophile Gautier "Enamels and Cameos" (1914)
• Robert Browning "Pippa Passes By" (1914)
• Albert Samen "Polyphemus"
• William Shakespeare "Falstaff" (1921)

Editions

• Gumilev N.S. Poems and poems. - L.: Sov. writer, 1988. - 632 p. (The Poet's Library. Large series. Third edition.)
• Gumilev N.S. Favorites. - M.: Sov. Russia, 1989. - 469 p.
• Gumilev N.S. Letters about Russian poetry / Comp. G.M. Friedlander (with the participation of R.D. Timenchik); Prepare text and comment. R.D. Timenchik. - M.: Sovremennik, 1990. - 383 p.

Influence on literature

Gumilyov’s persistent and inspired work in creating formalized “schools of poetic mastery” (three “Workshops of Poets”, “Studio of the Living Word”, etc.), which many contemporaries were skeptical about, turned out to be very fruitful. His students - Georgy Adamovich, Georgy Ivanov, Irina Odoevtseva, Nikolai Otsup, Vsevolod Rozhdestvensky, Nikolai Tikhonov and others - became noticeable creative individuals. The acmeism he created, which attracted such biggest talents eras like Anna Akhmatova and Osip Mandelstam, became quite viable creative method. Gumilev’s influence was significant both on emigrant and (both through Tikhonov and directly) on Soviet poetry (in the latter case- despite the semi-forbidden nature of his name, and largely due to this circumstance).

• Throughout his life, Gumilyov determined his inner age as 13 years old, A. Akhmatova’s age is 15, and the age of his second wife is 9 years old.
• In 1907, when the poet was drafted into the army, he did not pass the medical examination due to strabismus, which interfered with shooting, but in 1914 he was declared fit: the first time he shot from his right shoulder, and the second time he changed it to his left.
• “Wooden with a long nose” - this is how A. N. Tolstoy described Gumilyov.

Songs based on his poems

• In the repertoire of A. N. Vertinsky there is a song “Chinese Watercolor”, the verses of which belong to N. S. Gumilyov.
• The repertoire of the Melnitsa group includes the songs “Snake” and “Olga”, the poems of which belong to N. S. Gumilyov.
• Elena Kamburova’s repertoire includes songs based on some poems by N. S. Gumilyov (for example, “The Magic Violin”).
• In Chancellor Guy's repertoire there is a song “Love” based on a poem by N. S. Gumilyov.
• In the repertoire of the Kvartal group there is a song “Sada-Yakko”, the lyrics of which belong to Gumilyov.
• In the repertoire of the group Little Tragedies there is a song “The Road” based on Gumilyov’s poem of the same name.
• The repertoire of the group Who Dies In Siberian Slush includes the song “Testament of Gumilyov”

Family

• Anna Akhmatova (June 11 (23), 1889 - March 5, 1966) - first wife;
• Anna Nikolaevna Engelhardt (1895 - April 1942) - second wife;

• Lev Gumilyov (October 1, 1912 - June 15, 1992) - son of Nikolai Gumilyov and Anna Akhmatova;
• Orest Nikolaevich Vysotsky (October 26, 1913, Moscow - September 1, 1992) - son of Nikolai Gumilev and Olga Nikolaevna Vysotskaya (December 18, 1885, Moscow - January 18, 1966, Tiraspol);
• Elena Gumilyova (April 14, 1919, St. Petersburg - July 25, 1942, Leningrad) - daughter of Nikolai Gumilyov and Anna Engelhardt.

• Anna Ivanova Gumilyova - mother of Gumilyov (June 4, 1854 - December 24, 1922)
• Stepan Yakovlevich Gumilyov - father of Gumilyov (July 28, 1836 - February 6, 1910)

The fate of Gumilyov’s loved ones turned out differently: Akhmatova and Lev Gumilyov were waiting for long life, all-Russian and world fame. Anna Engelhardt and Elena Gumilyova died of starvation in besieged Leningrad. Anna Ivanovna died a year later than Gumilyov, never believing in her son’s death.

Elena and Lev Gumilyov did not leave any children and the only descendants of the poet are two daughters and one son of Orest Vysotsky. Now alive eldest daughter Vysotsky Iya, she has a daughter and granddaughter, as well as three daughters of Larisa Vysotskaya, her younger sister, who died in 1999.

Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilyov - Russian poet, translator, prose writer, critic - was born April 3 (15), 1886 in Kronstadt. Son of a naval doctor.

He spent his childhood in Tsarskoe Selo, St. Petersburg, and Tiflis. In 1906 He graduated from the Tsarskoye Selo gymnasium, the director of which was I.F. Annensky.

The first publication was the poem “I fled into the forest from the cities...” (newspaper “Tiflis Leaflet”, 1902 ). In 1905 at his own expense he published a book of poems “The Path of the Conquistadors”, noticed by V.Ya. Bryusov, who became Gumilyov’s poetic teacher for a long time. In 1906-1908 lived in Paris, studied at the Sorbonne, published the Sirius magazine ( 1907 , 3 issues), published a collection of poems “Romantic Flowers” ​​( 1908 ).

Early creativity Gumilyov developed in line with symbolism under the strong influence of occult theories as presented by French popularizers (Papus, E. Levy). After returning to Russia ( 1908 ) studied at St. Petersburg University (did not graduate), collaborated in the newspaper “Rech”, magazines “Scales”, “Russian Thought”, etc., published the magazine “Island” ( 1909 , 2 rooms), since autumn 1909 became an active contributor to the Apollo magazine (he led the column “Letters on Russian Poetry”).

Released spring 1910 book of poems "Pearls", which includes best poems from the almost unknown in Russia “Romantic Flowers”, on long years determined the literary reputation of N. Gumilyov: exoticism, romantic love, somewhat rhetorical heroics became integral part reader's ideas about the poet himself; The cycles “Lake Chad” and “Captains” were especially popular. Gumilyov’s romance with E.I. dates back to the same time. Dmitrieva, duel with M.A. Voloshin because of her ( November 1909), travel to Abyssinia. April 25, 1910 N. Gumilyov on A.A. Gorenko (A.A. Akhmatova), in 1912 their son L.N. was born. Gumilyov (divorced in 1918 ).

Since 1909 Gumilyov communicates closely with V.I. Ivanov, who approved the book “Pearls”; however, in controversy 1910 about symbolism, Gumilev took the side of Bryusov (who opposed Ivanov and Blok), denying the theurgic principle in poetry. Autumn 1911 organized and headed the “Workshop of Poets”, within which in 1912 a new program has been formed literary direction – Acmeism. N. Gumilyov is the author of one of his manifestos and a number of exemplary poems for Acmeism. In the collection “Alien Sky” ( 1912 ) Gumilyov still tried different types poetics, presented epic and dramatic experiences in verse; The first and last undoubtedly acmeistic collection was “Quiver” ( 1916 ). Several formally unorganized cycles clearly stand out in it: war poems, poems about Italy, about Africa and about Russia.

In 1910-1911 Gumilev made two trips to Africa (the last one was on behalf of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences; the collected collections entered the museum). Since the beginning of the First World War, he volunteered to go to the front, served in the Uhlan and Hussar regiments, was twice awarded the St. George Cross, but could not pass the exams for the rank of cornet, remaining an ensign. During these years, in addition to military poems, which compare favorably with mass production on the same topic, and the prose “Notes of a Cavalryman” ( 1915-1916 ), Gumilyov wrote the plays “Child of Allah” and “Gondola” (both 1916 ), continued his activities as a columnist of modern poetry in Apollo and other publications. In the spring of 1917 achieved a transfer to the Thessaloniki Front. Through Scandinavia she came to London, from there to Paris, where she remained at the commissariat responsible for the Russian expeditionary force.

After October revolution 1917 tried to get to the Persian or Mesopotamian front, and therefore went to London, and from there to April 1918- to Petrograd. During these years, the tragedy “The Poisoned Tunic”, the unfinished story “The Merry Brothers”, and a cycle of poems published posthumously under the title “To the Blue Star” ( 1923 ). Poetry 1916-1918. compose the collection “Bonfire” ( 1918 ). In Petrograd, Nikolai Gumilyov translated from different languages, worked at the publishing house “World Literature”, gave lectures; organized a new “Workshop of Poets” and taught classes in literary studios. Collaborated in the Union of Poets ( early 1921 became chairman of the Petrograd branch) and other literary organizations.

Summer 1921 published a book of poems "Tent". In August 1921 arrested on charges of involvement in a counter-revolutionary conspiracy (the so-called Tagantsev case), August 25, 1921 Nikolai Gumilyov was shot without trial. The question of Gumilyov's participation in the conspiracy remains unresolved, but it is clear that he did not participate in any specific actions.

The last collection of poems by N. Gumilyov, “The Pillar of Fire,” which became his highest poetic achievement, was published when N. Gumilyov was already in prison. Contemporary readers found in him, first of all, the appearance of a poet - a knight and warrior who knew how to “not be afraid and do what needs to be done”; it took considerable time to understand the book as the testament of a “poet-visionary, poet-prophet” (words of A. Akhmatova). In the first two years after Gumilyov’s death, his books continued to be published in Soviet Russia, then only in publishing houses abroad; Since 1986, they have been published again in Russia.

Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilev (1886-1921) was born in Kronstadt. Father is a naval doctor. He spent his childhood in Tsarskoe Selo and studied at the gymnasium in St. Petersburg and Tiflis. He wrote poetry from the age of 12, his first published appearance was at the age of 16 - a poem in the newspaper “Tiflis Leaflet”.

In the fall of 1903, the family returned to Tsarskoe Selo, and Gumilyov graduated from the gymnasium there, the director of which was In. Annensky (was a poor student, passed his final exams at the age of 20). Crucial moment- acquaintance with the philosophy of F. Nietzsche and the poems of the Symbolists.

In 1903 he met high school student A. Gorenko (the future Anna Akhmatova). In 1905, the author published the first collection of poems - “The Way of the Conquistadors”, a naive book of early experiences, which, however, had already found its own energetic intonation and appeared the image lyrical hero, a courageous, lonely conqueror.

In 1906, after graduating from high school, Gumilev leaves for Paris, where he listens to lectures at the Sorbonne and makes acquaintances in the literary and artistic community. He is attempting to publish the Sirius magazine, in the three published issues of which he is published under his own name and under the pseudonym Anatoly Grant. Sends correspondence to the magazine “Libra”, newspapers “Rus” and “ Early morning" In Paris, and also published by the author, Gumilev’s second collection of poems was published - “Romantic Poems” (1908), dedicated to A. A. Gorenko.

With this book, the period of mature creativity of N. Gumilyov begins. V. Bryusov, who praised his first book in advance, states with satisfaction that he was not mistaken in his predictions: now the poems are “beautiful, elegant and, for the most part, interesting in form." In the spring of 1908, Gumilyov returned to Russia, made acquaintance with the St. Petersburg literary world (Vyacheslav Ivanov), and acted as a regular critic in the Rech newspaper (later he also began publishing poems and stories in this publication).

In the fall he makes his first trip to the East - to Egypt. He enters the Faculty of Law of the capital's university, and is soon transferred to the Faculty of History and Philology. In 1909, he took an active part in organizing a new publication - the Apollo magazine, in which later, until 1917, he published poems and translations and maintained a permanent column “Letters on Russian Poetry.”

Collected in separate book(Pg., 1923) Gumilyov’s reviews give a vivid idea of literary process 1910s. At the end of 1909, Gumilyov went to Abyssinia for several months, and upon returning, published new book - .

On April 25, 1910, Nikolai Gumilyov married Anna Gorenko (their relationship broke down in 1914). In the fall of 1911, the “Workshop of Poets” was created, which demonstrated its autonomy from symbolism and the creation of its own aesthetic program(Gumilev’s article “The Legacy of Symbolism and Acmeism”, published in 1913 in Apollo). The first acmeistic work in the Workshop of Poets was considered to be Gumilyov’s poem (1911), which was included in his collection (1912). At this time, Gumilyov’s reputation as a “master”, “syndic” (leader) of the Workshop of Poets, and one of the most significant modern poets, was firmly established.

In the spring of 1913, as head of an expedition from the Academy of Sciences, Gumilev left for Africa for six months (to replenish the collection ethnographic museum), keeps a travel diary (excerpts from the “African Diary” were published in 1916, a more complete text was published recently).

At the beginning of the First World War, N. Gumilyov, a man of action, volunteered for the Uhlan regiment and earned two St. George Crosses for his bravery. His “Notes of a Cavalryman” were published in the “Birzhevye Vedomosti” in 1915.

At the end of 1915, a collection was published; it was published in magazines dramatic works- “Child of Allah” (in “Apollo”) and “Gondla” (in “Russian Thought”). The patriotic impulse and intoxication with danger soon pass, and he writes in a private letter: “Art is dearer to me than both war and Africa.”

Gumilyov transferred to the hussar regiment and sought to be sent to the Russian Expeditionary Force on the Thessaloniki Front, but along the way he stayed in Paris and London until the spring of 1918. A cycle of his love poems dates back to this period, which was compiled in the posthumous book “Kenya Star” (Berlin, 1923) .

In 1918, upon returning to Russia, Gumilyov worked intensively as a translator, preparing for the publishing house "World Literature" the epic of Gilgamesh, poems of French and English poets. Writes several plays, publishes books of poetry

Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilev, a significant figure of the Silver Age, Russian Acmeist poet, was born on April 15, 1886 in Kronstadt. Gumilyov grew up in Tsarskoe Selo, then his father, a naval doctor, moved the family to Tiflis, where the young poet’s first poem was published in 1902. In 1903, the Gumilevs returned to Tsarskoye Selo. Here Nikolai studied at the gymnasium, and in 1906, after graduating from educational institution went to Paris. Before this time, he had already published his debut collection of poems, “The Path of the Conquistadors.”

In France, the poet was involved in the publishing of the Sirius magazine, listened to lectures at the Sorbonne, and corresponded with Bryusov, who published his poems in the Russian symbolist magazine Libra. From Paris, Nikolai traveled to Africa twice, which was reflected in his new collections “Romantic Flowers” ​​and “Pearls”, published in 1908 and 1910.

After returning to St. Petersburg in 1908, Gumilyov joined the Russian literary community and became one of the founders of Apollo magazine, the most popular publication on art and literature.

In 1910, Nikolai Gumilyov married the poetess Anna Akhmatova. Their marriage was difficult, and despite the birth of their son Lev in 1912, the couple soon separated, and in 1918 Gumilyov and Akhmatova divorced.

A highlight in creative life The poet became his participation in the creation of the “Workshop of Poets”, which united such masters as Mandelstam, Gorodetsky, Akhmatova. In 1911, Gumilev announced the emergence of a new movement in poetry - Acmeism, and together with like-minded people he began publishing the magazine "Hyperborea".

As soon as Russia entered the First World War, Gumilyov voluntarily went to the front and took an active part in the hostilities, which twice earned him the St. George Cross of the 2nd and 3rd degree. Behind war time Two collections of his poems were published - “Quiver” in 1916 and “To the Blue Star” in 1917.

After returning from the front, the poet worked at the World Literature publishing house, translating, publishing and teaching.

In August 1921, Gumilev was arrested on charges of conspiracy against the government. Three weeks later he was sentenced to death. According to archival documents, on the night of August 26, the sentence was carried out. The exact place of execution and burial of Nikolai Gumilyov is still not known.

Biography 2

The future poet was born on April 3 (April 15), 1886 in the city of Kronstadt in the family of naval doctor Stepan Yakovlevich Gumilyov and Anna Ivanovna, maiden name Lvovna. As a child, the poor classic was not distinguished by excellent health, but on the contrary, he was constantly ill: he suffered from headaches and other things. He began writing poetry as a child; his first poem dates back to when he was 6 years old.

In 1894 he entered the famous Tsarskoye Selo gymnasium, but due to poor health he switched to home schooling.

In 1903, after long travels with his family, Gumilyov returned to the gymnasium and entered the 7th grade, where he met future love Anna Akhmatova. Studying was difficult, and the poet was on the verge of expulsion, but he was always helped by another poet and part-time director of the gymnasium, Innokenty Annensky. He saw talent in the boy.

In 1905, the first collection of poems, “The Way of the Conquistador,” was published.

In 1906, having received his matriculation certificate, Nikolai went to Paris. In 1907, the second collection of poetry, “Romantic Flowers,” was published, dictated by the feeling of love inspiration and the beauty of Anna Akhmatova. From this moment on, Gumilyov enters the phase of his mature creativity.

After long wanderings in the East and Africa, in 1909 Gumilyov entered St. Petersburg University. In 1910, the collection "Pearls" was published.

In the same year, the poet married the poetess Anna Akhmatova.

In 1911, Gumilyov, together with Osip Mandelstam and Sergei Gorodetsky, founded the poetic society "Workshop of Poets".

In 1912, Gumilyov proclaimed the emergence of a new poetic movement, “Acmeism.”

The poet himself conceived this movement as a counterbalance to the dominant symbolism at that time. Acmeism declares the primacy of materiality, elegant precision of words and materialism.

Before the First World War began to rumble in Europe, Gumilyov spent time traveling around the east, but at the beginning of the global catastrophe he returned to Russia and volunteered for the front. On the front line, Gumilyov was awarded two St. George crosses for his heroic service. The war has a positive effect on his inspiration; at the front, Gumilyov will write many of his beautiful poems. In 1917, the poet went to the Russian Expeditionary Force in France, there he fell in love with the daughter of a famous surgeon, Helena du Boucher, and dedicated a collection of poems to her.

Nikolai Stepanovich returned to his homeland in 1918. Divorces Anna Akhmatova. A year later, in 1919, he married for the second time, to Anna Engelhardt.

At the end of the summer of 1921, Gumilyov was taken into custody due to suspicion of participation in the Tagantsev conspiracy. Almost a month later, he was sentenced to death. It was carried out the next day. Gumilyov Nikolai Stepanovich was 35 years old. The poet's burial place is still unknown.