December 5, 1820 – December 3, 1892 (71 years old)
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Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet (1820–1892) - famous Russian poet with German roots, translator, lyricist, author of memoirs. Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg. The second half of his life he was an agronomist and devoted himself to household chores and wrote essays about agriculture in magazines.
The material was prepared jointly with a teacher of the highest category, Kuchmina Nadezhda Vladimirovna.
Experience as a teacher of Russian language and literature - 27 years.
The poet's work
In Fet’s short biography, it is worth noting that his first poems were written by him in his youth. Fet's poetry was first published in the collection "Lyrical Pantheon" in 1840. Since then, Fet's poems have been constantly published in magazines.
Trying in every possible way to regain his title of nobility, Afanasy Fet went to serve as a non-commissioned officer. Then, in 1853, Fet’s life involved a transition to the Guards Regiment. Fet's creativity, even in those times, does not stand still. His second collection was published in 1850, and his third in 1856.
In 1857, the poet married Maria Botkina. Having retired in 1858, without having achieved the return of the title, he acquired land and devoted himself to farming.
Fet's new works, published from 1862 to 1871, comprise the cycles “From the Village” and “Notes on Free Labor.” They include short stories, short stories, and essays. Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet strictly distinguishes between his prose and poetry. For him, poetry is romantic, and prose is realistic.
Nikolai Nekrasov wrote about Fet: “A person who understands poetry and willingly opens his soul to its sensations will not find in any Russian author, after Pushkin, as much poetic pleasure as Mr. Fet will give him.”
A. A. Fet is the author of wonderful poems for children. Their popularity among young readers is due to the fact that the poet’s poems are kind and surprisingly understandable even to the smallest.
Retirement and nobility
The work of Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet has always had many fans, but times have changed. For a long time he withdrew from literary activity and turned to philosophy, supporting the ideas of Schopenhauer. The answer to the question: “Did the poet manage to regain his title of nobleman?” As the chronological table shows, Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet did achieve what he wanted:
| date | Event |
| 1858 | Having risen to the rank of staff captain, he retired from military affairs and settled in Moscow. |
| 1859 | Severes all relations with the Sovremennik publishing house, where he published for many years. The reason for this was the article “Shakespeare in Fet’s translation,” where the poet was deliberately insulted. |
| 1860 | In Mtsensk district he acquires land and becomes a real landowner. Almost stops writing. |
| 1862 | In the magazines “Russian Messenger” and “Notes on Free Labor” he publishes work on protecting the rights of landowners, which causes indignation among many segments of the population. |
| 1863 | Two volumes of Fet's poems are published. |
| 1867 | Fet is elected to the post of justice of the peace, which he held for 10 long years. During this time, he completely moves away from poetry and immerses himself in philosophy. |
| 1873 | A royal decree is issued, according to which Fet can regain the name of Shenshin, and with it all the legal rights of a nobleman. |
| 1877 | Sells the estate and buys another in the Kursk province. With new zeal he begins to write poetry and publishes translations of Goethe and Schopenhauer. |
last years of life
In 1873, Afanasy Fet was returned to the title, as well as the surname Shenshin. After this, the poet engages in charity work. At this stage, Afanasy Fet’s poems were published in the collections “Evening Lights”, of which four issues were published from 1883 to 1891. Fet's poetry contains mainly two themes: nature, love.
Death overtook the poet on November 21, 1892 in Moscow in his house on Plyushchikha. Fet died of a heart attack. Afanasy Afanasyevich was buried in the Shenshin family estate in the village. Kleymenovo, Oryol province.
Interesting Facts
- In addition to writing poems, Fet was engaged in translations until his old age. He owns translations of both parts of Goethe's Faust. He even planned to translate Immanuel Kant's book "Critique of Pure Reason", but abandoned this idea and took up the translation of the works of Arthur Schopenhauer.
- The poet experienced a tragic love for Maria Lazic, a fan of his work. This girl was educated and very talented. Their feelings were mutual, but the couple failed to link their destinies. Maria died, and the poet remembered his unhappy love all his life, which influenced his work. It was to her that he dedicated the poem “Talisman”, the poems “Old Letters”, “You suffered, I still suffer...”, “No, I haven’t changed. Until deep old age..." and other poems.
- Some researchers of Fet's life believe that the poet's death from a heart attack was preceded by a suicide attempt.
- It was Fet who authored the famous phrase that was included in “The Adventures of Buratino” by A. N. Tolstoy - “And the rose fell on Azor’s paw.”
All interesting facts from Fet's life
Message “The Life and Work of A.A. Fet”
Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet (1820 - 1892) - famous Russian poet with German roots, translator, lyricist, author of memoirs. Corresponding Member of the Academy of Sciences of St. Petersburg.
early years
The future poet was born on November 23 (December 5, new style) 1820 in the village. Novoselki, Mtsensk district, Oryol province (Russian Empire).
As the son of Charlotte-Elizabeth Becker, who left Germany in 1820, Afanasy was adopted by the nobleman Shenshin. After 14 years, an unpleasant event occurred in the biography of Afanasy Fet: an error was discovered in the birth record, which deprived him of his title.
Education
In 1837, Fet graduated from Krümmer's private boarding school in the city of Verro (now Estonia). In 1838 he entered the Faculty of Philosophy at Moscow University, continuing to be interested in literature. He graduated from the university in 1844.
The poet's work
In Fet’s brief biography, it is worth noting that his first poems were written by him in his youth. Fet's poetry was first published in the collection "Lyrical Pantheon" in 1840. Since then, Fet's poems have been constantly published in magazines.
Trying in every possible way to regain his title of nobility, Afanasy Fet went to serve as a non-commissioned officer. Then, in 1853, Fet’s life involved a transition to the Guards Regiment. Fet's creativity, even in those times, does not stand still. His second collection was published in 1850, and his third in 1856.
In 1857, the poet married Maria Botkina. Having retired in 1858, without having achieved the return of the title, he acquired land and devoted himself to farming.
Fet's new works, published from 1862 to 1871, comprise the cycles “From the Village” and “Notes on Free Labor.” They include short stories, short stories, and essays. Afanasy Afanasievich Fet strictly distinguishes between his prose and poetry. For him, poetry is romantic, and prose is realistic.
Nikolai Nekrasov wrote about Fet: “A person who understands poetry and willingly opens his soul to its sensations will not find in any Russian author, after Pushkin, as much poetic pleasure as Mr. Fet will give him.”
A. A. Fet is the author of wonderful poems for children. Their popularity among young readers is due to the fact that the poet’s poems are kind and surprisingly understandable even to the smallest.
last years of life
In 1873, Afanasy Fet was returned to the title, as well as the surname Shenshin. After this, the poet engages in charity work. At this stage, Afanasy Fet’s poems were published in the collections “Evening Lights”, of which four issues were published from 1883 to 1891. Fet's poetry contains mainly two themes: nature, love.
Death overtook the poet on November 21, 1892 in Moscow in his house on Plyushchikha. Fet died of a heart attack. Afanasy Afanasyevich was buried in the Shenshin family estate in the village. Kleymenovo, Oryol province.
Interesting Facts
- In addition to writing poems, Fet was engaged in translations until his old age. He owns translations of both parts of Goethe's Faust. He even planned to translate Immanuel Kant's book "Critique of Pure Reason", but abandoned this idea and took up the translation of the works of Arthur Schopenhauer.
- The poet experienced a tragic love for Maria Lazic, a fan of his work. This girl was educated and very talented. Their feelings were mutual, but the couple failed to link their destinies. Maria died, and the poet remembered his unhappy love all his life, which influenced his work. It was to her that he dedicated the poem “Talisman”, the poems “Old Letters”, “You suffered, I still suffer...”, “No, I haven’t changed. Until deep old age..." and other poems.
- Some researchers of Fet's life believe that the poet's death from a heart attack was preceded by a suicide attempt.
- It was Fet who authored the famous phrase that was included in “The Adventures of Buratino” by A. N. Tolstoy - “And the rose fell on Azor’s paw.”
Popular questions
Why was Fet deprived of his noble title?
Afanasy Afanasyevich was born on the family estate of his father, Afanasy Neofitovich Shenshin, who belonged to the ancient Shenshin family. The writer’s mother was the German Charlotte Foeth, whom the Russian nobleman met in Germany. Until the age of 14, Afanasy Afanasyevich bore his father's surname - Shenshin, but then it turned out that his parents got married according to Christian custom after his birth. As a result, Afanasy Afanasyevich was deprived of his legal surname, Russian citizenship and noble title.
Who did Fet consider his mentor in literature?
In 1837, young Afanasy Fet came to conquer the capital, where for six months he studied under the guidance of the famous journalist, writer and publisher Mikhail Petrovich Pogodin. Thanks to this preparation, he became a student at the Faculty of Russian Literature at Moscow University. Pogodin was the first person to whom Fet brought his poetic works to court. Mikhail Petrovich managed to transfer the manuscripts of the aspiring poet N.V. Gogol, and he highly appreciated his talent.
Where did Fet study?
In 1835-1837, Afanasy Fet studied at the German private boarding school Krummer. In 1837-1838 he lived in the boarding house of Mikhail Petrovich Pogodin, where he prepared to enter the university. In 1838 he entered Moscow University, first at the Faculty of Law, then at the historical and philological (verbal) department of the Faculty of Philosophy, from which he graduated in 1844.
Where did Fet serve?
In 1845, after graduating from university, Afanasy Fet became a non-commissioned officer in the cuirassier regiment of the Military Order, whose headquarters were located in Novogeorgievsk, Kherson province. After 8 years, he was seconded to His Majesty’s Uhlan Life Guards Regiment. During the Crimean War, he was in the Baltic Port as part of the troops guarding the Estonian coast. In 1858, Afanasy Afanasyevich retired with the rank of guards captain and settled in Moscow.
How does Fet perceive life?
The humiliation that Afanasy Fet experienced in his adolescence, unexpectedly losing his father's surname and noble title, left a big imprint on his entire future fate. He perceived the status of a “man with no name” as a terrible shame, and throughout his life he sought to regain his lost position in society. The injustice that Fet encountered in his youth developed in him a gloomy outlook on life and society. Afanasy Afanasyevich was a very difficult person to communicate with.
What does Fet consider to be the eternal source of beauty?
Despite his outward gloominess and isolation, Afanasy Afanasyevich had a subtle soul capable of responding to everything beautiful. The poet saw true, impeccable beauty in nature, in its slightest manifestation. They sang this harmony, this ideal beauty in their works.
What did Fet translate?
In Fet’s creative biography there was a place not only for poetry, but also for translations. Being a well-educated person who was fluent in several foreign languages, Fet was engaged in translations throughout his life. He translated lyric poems by German poets (Goethe, Schiller, Uhland, Heine, Rückert, Mörike), French (Chenier, Lamartine, Beranger), English (Byron, Moore), the Polish poet Mickiewicz, and the Persian poets Hafiz and Saadi. In the last years of his life, Fet devoted himself to translating the works of ancient poets: Horace, Virgil, Martial and others.
What did Fet write about?
Afanasy Afanasyevich Fet entered the history of Russian literature as a representative of “pure art.” He believed that the only goal of a real artist should be beauty. The main directions of his work were love, landscape and philosophical lyrics. Only in the last years of his life did his works become even more philosophical: the poet began to write about the unity of man and the Universe, about the highest reality, about eternity.
Which magazine did Fet collaborate with?
Afanasy Fet published his works in the most popular literary magazines of his time: Sovremennik, Moskvityanin and Otechestvennye zapiski.
What other last name did Fet have?
The real, “legitimate” surname of the Russian poet is Shenshin. He received it at birth from his father, a hereditary nobleman Afanasy Neofitovich Shenshin. However, when the poet turned 14 years old, it turned out that his parents got married according to Orthodox custom after his birth. As a result, the boy lost all his legal rights, including the right to bear the surname Shenshin, and began to bear his mother’s surname Fet.
Where is Fet's mother from?
Afanasy Fet's mother was the German Charlotte-Elizabeth Feth (nee Becker), the daughter of a German burgher. For some time she was the wife of Johann Fet, an assessor of the local court in Darmstadt, but her love for the Russian nobleman Shenshin forced her to leave her husband and move to Russia forever.
Chronological table of Feta
Are you interested in knowing the most important and significant moments in the life of a writer? Then you did the right thing by opening the page where Fet’s chronological table is presented. It will help not only schoolchildren, but also teachers. The table briefly describes Fet's life and work; You can give the presented data to your students during a lesson, or you can remember forgotten dates and events yourself. The writer of the golden age left behind many lyrical works, each of which conveys his inner mood. A biography of Afanasy Fet by dates will help you independently understand the stages of development of his creative path and the main moments of the life of the great poet.
1820, December 5 (18) - Born on the Novoselki estate in the Mtsensk district of the Oryol Province, which belonged to the retired officer Afanasy Neofitovich Shenshin.
1835—1837 — Studying at the German private boarding school Krümmer in Verro (now Võru, Estonia). At this time he began to write poetry and show interest in classical philology.
1838 - entered Moscow University, first to the Faculty of Law, then to the historical and philological (verbal) department of the Faculty of Philosophy. Studied for 6 years: 1838-1844.
1840 — a collection of Fet’s poems “Lyrical Pantheon” was published with the participation of Apollo Grigoriev, Fet’s friend from the university.
1845 - entered military service in the cuirassier regiment of the Military Order, became a cavalryman.
1846 - He was awarded the first officer rank.
1850 - Fet’s second collection was published, which received positive reviews from critics in the magazines Sovremennik, Moskvityanin and Otechestvennye zapiski.
1853 — Fet was transferred to a guards regiment stationed near St. Petersburg; in St. Petersburg he met with Turgenev, Nekrasov, Goncharov and others, as well as his rapprochement with the editors of the Sovremennik magazine.
1854 - served in the Baltic Port, which he described in his memoirs “My Memoirs”.
1856 — Fet’s third collection, edited by I. S. Turgenev, was published.
1857 — Fet married Maria Petrovna Botkina
1858 - retired with the rank of guards captain and settled in Moscow.
1859 — the poet broke up with journalist A.V. Dolgoruky. from Sovremennik.
1863 — a two-volume collection of Fet’s poems was published.
1867 — Afanasy Fet was elected justice of the peace for 11 years.
1873 - Afanasy Fet was returned to the nobility and the surname Shenshin. The poet continued to sign his literary works and translations with the surname Fet.
1883—1891 — publication of four issues of the collection “Evening Lights”.
1892, November 21 (December 4) - died in Moscow. According to some reports, his death from a heart attack was preceded by a suicide attempt. He was buried in the village of Kleymenovo, the family estate of the Shenshins.
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