Athanasius Afanasyevich Fet. Biography of the poet

A. A. Fet is a poet whose work is characterized by the departure from everyday vanity into the "realm of dreams". Nature and love are the main content of his poems. They subtly convey the mood of the poet, prove his artistic skill.

History of birth

To this day, no one knows for sure which Fet Afanasy Afanasyevich belongs to. A short biography can be stated with the help of the following reliably known facts. His mother, German Charlotte Becker, in 1818 became the wife of Johann Föth. A year or so later they had a daughter. And six months later, Athanasius Neophytovich Shenshin, an impoverished Russian landowner, arrived in Darmstadt for treatment. He fell in love with Charlotte and secretly took her to his country. During the escape she was pregnant. Some biographers claim that from her husband, as she gave birth soon after arriving in Russia. Others think that after all, from Shenshin. I.Fet himself did not recognize this child in his will. The boy was born in 1820. He was baptized as an Orthodox and in the metric was recorded as the son of Shenshin. Only a year later, Fet gave his wife a divorce, and she was able, after accepting a new faith, to marry a new husband. Athanasius, the youngest till the age of 14, grew up and was brought up as an ordinary barchuk.

Years of study and sample of pen

Since 14 years, the life of the future poet has changed dramatically. His father took him first to Moscow, then to St. Petersburg, and then, on the advice of his friends, he determined for a training in a pedagogical institution of some Krummer in the remote Livonian town of Verro. The fact is that as early as 1835 the spiritual consistory decided that the boy's father should consider I. Foet. Shenshin had enemies who tried to use the presence of an illegitimate child to harm him. He tried to ensure the further well-being of the family. Henceforth, the boy was obliged to sign as Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet. His biography did not change at the same time, but the bewilderment and dumb questions surrounding him were not very pleasant and embarrassing. In 1837, the young man became a student of the Faculty of Philosophy at Moscow University. He studied for 6 years, as a foreigner. At this time, he developed a poetic gift. The collection of his poems was first published in 1840. In 1842-1843 he continued to be published in the Moskvityanin and Otechestvennye zapiski. In 1844, the poet's mother disappeared. His uncle, Peter Shenshin, promised to write off his estate to his nephew, but since he died in Pyatigorsk, and not at home, his legacy was ruined and money was stolen from the bank. To get at least some money and return the noble title, Athanasius was forced to join the army. A year later he received only the first officer's rank.

Usefull acquaintances

In 1848, the regiment, with whom the poet arrived, stopped in the village of Krasnosel'e. There Athanasios met Brzhesky, the leader of the local nobility, and through him - with the sisters Lazich, one of whom fell in love. But Fet decided that it was not good to marry a beggar to a poor man. Soon Elena Lazich died in a fire. The regiment was moved closer to the capital. In many respects, the acquaintances that Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet started in St. Petersburg turned out to be decisive. His creative biography only benefited from friendship with Turgenev, and through him - and with many other writers.

Family life

The light saw a new collection of poetry poetry. He had a tremendous success. In 1858, issued a decree of Alexander II, according to which the title of nobleman could be obtained only in the rank of colonel. Fet realized that he would attain to him only to a deep old age and immediately retired. He moved to Moscow and there in the same year made an offer to M. Botkin. A woman who had an illegitimate child agreed at once. They lived well. Father, the merchant-tea merchant, gave her a decent dowry. Having received the money, on the other hand Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet showed himself. His biography, with the appearance of finance, has changed for the better. In 1860, the writer bought an abandoned farmstead and transformed it into a rich manor. The poet did not support the reform of 1861. Fet turned out to be a fierce defender of the old order. Now he was thinking only of multiplying wealth and buying one estate after another. In 1863, a two-volume edition of A. Fet's poems was published. The new generation did not accept it. The poet has a creative crisis, many years he did not write a single line.

The long-awaited respect

The neighbors-landowners elected Fet as the world judge. The post was quite honorable. For the next 17 years, Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet stayed on her. Biography of the creative poet, but was in crisis. Fet has ceased to cooperate with the magazine "Contemporary", since the Chernyshevsky-Dobrolyubov line was established there. But the poet did not want to accept either the side of the democrats or the views of the liberals. In 1873, the Senate issued a decree on the apprenticeship of Athanasius Afanasievich to the genus of the Shenshins. The couple Fetov could even buy a rich house in Moscow on Plyushchikha.

The last years of life and creativity

Only in 1881 the poet returned to literature. At first he was engaged in translations, then again began to write poetry, and even later - memoirs. In 1889 the Grand Duke K. K. Romanov, a friend and admirer of the poet, granted him the title of chamberlain. The last poem known to the descendants was written in October 1892. The final edition of Fet's works was published only in 1894. The poet died in November 1892 from complications after bronchitis. So says the official biography of his last days. Athanasius Afanasyevich Fet, in fact, according to the testimony of his relatives, before his death asked to drink champagne, tried to kill himself with a stiletto, and only then he was hit.