Nikolay Klyuyev: creativity and biography

The beginning of the 20th century, also called the Silver Age, became the heyday of Russian literature. New directions and trends appeared, the authors were not afraid to experiment and discover new genres and themes. One of these poets was Nikolay Alekseevich Klyuev. He belonged to a new peasant trend.

Biography

Born October 10, 1884 in the village of Koshtugi Vytegorsky Uyezd (Vologda region), Nikolai Klyuyev. The biography of the writer begins in the family of a simple sergeant Alexei Timofeevich. But most of all Klyuev loved his mother, Praskovya Fedorovna, who was a beautiful storyteller. She was engaged in the training of her son, thanks to her, Nikolai was able to read, write and learned the foundations of the folk song store.

In 1895 he graduated from the parish school in Vytegra. Then he went to Petrozavodsk, where he studied at a paramedic school. After graduation, Klyuyev Nikolay Alekseevich, along with fellow countrymen who were selling to the capital of fur and fish, went to Petersburg to work.

In the capital, he begins to write poetry in the direction of new peasant poetry. In his works the poetic muse complains about the torments and sufferings of the tillers and curses their enslavers. The first poems of Klyuev were published in the collection of 1904 "New Poets". However, soon Klyuyev returned to his native land.

After being impressed by the revolutionary events that had begun, the poet was included in 1905 in active political activity. Begins to distribute proclamations. For this in 1906, Klyuev was arrested.

Klyuev and Blok

A significant event for the poet was the acquaintance with Alexander Blok. Correspondence of writers began in 1907. At first, Nikolai Klyuyev is rather shy in his messages to the recognized poet, but gradually he is convinced that Blok himself is interested in their conversations. Gradually, Klyuyev begins to talk about the spirit of protest that is ripening among the people, about social injustice. But not only about politics, the writers say. Nikolai Alekseevich marks the strength of the poetic spirit that is concluded in the ordinary people, but because of everyday reasons, it can not be fully revealed.

The block was impressed with Klyuev's letters. He repeatedly quotes them in messages to friends and his articles. Thanks to Blok's assistance, Beak poems are published in Novaya Zemlya, Golden Fleece and many other literary magazines. The works of the poet from the remote places draw attention of metropolitan writers. Klyuev manages to get acquainted with many of them. Among them, Valery Bryusov.

Creative success

In 1911 Nikolai Klyuyev published his first collection "Pines of Pepper". Preface to the publication writes Bryusov. The book with approval and interest was adopted in poetic and literary circles. Such poets as Nikolai Gumilev, Sergei Gorodetsky , etc., positively responded to it. The audience was impressed by Klyuev's works in their unusual, lack of pronounced individuality, the orderliness of tropes, images, rhythms.

Kliuyev sings the nature, the rural way of life, the people. At the same time, he believes that the godless culture that prevailed in the 19th century dies, and something new, living and popular comes to replace it.

Gumilev in his review of the collection predicts the future of the Klyuev poetry - he says that this is only the beginning of a new movement in literature. And he is right. Klyuyev becomes one of the first representatives of the new peasant poetry.

Klyuev and Yesenin

Nikolai Klyuyev for a long time alone defended the right of peasant poetry to life. But in 1915 he received a letter from a young poet from the Ryazan province. Letter Esenina encourages Klyuev. Despite the fact that they are acquainted in absentia, other writers, writing within the framework of peasant subjects, join around these two poets.

In the poetry of Klyuev and Yesenin, there really was a lot of similarities, that's why they quickly found a common language and united. In 1915, the peak of their conscientious creative success came. Together they visited literary evenings, read their poems.

However, the union did not last long. The gift of Esenin was much wider than the new peasant poetry, and in 1917 the friendship of the two poets came to an end.

Attitude to proletarian poetry

Nikolay Klyuev, whose verses were sung by the simple Russian people, however, did not consider himself a proletarian poet. The revolution found the writer in his native places. Her arrival Klyuev took with an unprecedented enthusiasm. But he pictured it to himself as an offensive of "paradise for the peasant".

In 1918, Nikolai Klyuyev entered the Bolshevik party. He is engaged in propaganda work, reads verses about the revolution. However, he remains a religious person, which is contrary to the new order. It becomes clear that he is propagating a completely different revolution. And in 1920, Klyuev was expelled from the party. His poems cease to be printed. He began to irritate the new government with his religiousness and disagreement with proletarian poets, calling their works agitational fakes.

It was a difficult time for the poet. He was poor, was subject to persecution, could not find a job. Despite this, he continued to openly oppose Soviet power.

The poet's struggle ended on February 2, 1934, when he was arrested for "compiling and disseminating counter-revolutionary works". He was sentenced to exile in the Narym region. And in October 1937 Klyuev was shot on a fabricated case.