Interesting facts about Zhukovsky - this is a great opportunity to learn more about the work of the Russian poet. For a long time Zhukovsky taught Russian to members of the royal family. He is one of the founders of romanticism in Russian poetry.
We bring to your attention the most interesting facts about Zhukovsky.
- Vasily Zhukovsky (1783-1852) - poet, translator and literary critic.
- As an illegitimate child, Vasily could not hope to receive the surname of his biological father. Soon he was adopted by a friend of his father, as a result of which he became Zhukovsky.
- It is curious that Zhukovsky was expelled from the school due to poor academic performance.
- Did you know that Vasily Zhukovsky was the mentor of Alexander Pushkin (see interesting facts about Pushkin)?
- When Vasily's father died, it turned out that he did not leave any legacy to his son. Nevertheless, his widow gave Zhukovsky's mother a substantial amount of money to raise her son.
- An interesting fact is that when Vasily was still a teenager, he wrote a tragedy and melodrama.
- Before entering the boarding school, Zhukovsky's guardians prepared for him a fake noble letter, which opened up great opportunities for him.
- Although at the boarding house he did not shine with special knowledge, he managed to finish it with a silver medal.
- The poet's fake nobility became known even when he held the post of state councilor. As soon as the tsar was informed of this, he ordered to issue Zhukovsky with a genuine noble charter.
- Vasily Zhukovskikh spoke French, German and Ancient Greek well.
- In his youth, the poet admired the work of Gabriel Derzhavin (see interesting facts about Derzhavin), striving to achieve the same results as he did.
- Did you know that in literary terms, Vasily Zhukovsky considered himself a student of Nikolai Karamzin?
- The translation into Russian of the famous poem "The Odyssey" by Zhukovsky is considered the most popular.
- Vasily Andreevich introduced into everyday life such poetic dimensions as amphibrachium and white 5-foot iambic.
- When Gogol could not find money to travel to Italy, Zhukovsky borrowed 4,000 rubles and sent it to him.
- Zhukovsky took part in the Patriotic War of 1812, when the French attacked Russia (see interesting facts about Russia). In particular, he witnessed the Battle of Borodino.
- Throughout his life, the writer dreamed of quitting the service, preferring writing to her.
- Zhukovsky had at his disposal many serfs, whom he soon released.
- The Russian classic communicated with Lermontov, following the work of the young writer.
- It is curious that it was thanks to the intercession of Vasily Zhukovsky that the famous Ukrainian classic Taras Shevchenko was released.
- An interesting fact is that the influence of Vasily Zhukovsky on Alexander 2 (see interesting facts about Alexander 2) was so strong that he agreed to sign a document on the abolition of serfdom.
- Zhukovsky got married when he was already 57 years old.
- During the war of 1812, Zhukovsky's duties included raising the morale of the soldiers. Directly in the battles themselves, he did not participate.
- Nikolai Gogol read The Inspector General for the first time during one of the literary evenings in Zhukovsky's house.
- According to Vladimir Nabokov, Zhukovsky was one of the poets who border on greatness, but never reach it.