Boleslav Markevich
Encyclopedia
Boleslav Mikhailovich Markevich ' onMouseout='HidePop("86182")' href="/topics/1822_in_literature">1822
, Saint Petersburg
, Russian Empire
– November 6 (18) 1884
, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian
writer
, essay
ist, journalist
, and literary critic of Polish
origin; author of a number of popular novels, including: Marina of the Aluy Rog (1873), A Quarter of a Century Ago (1878), The Turning Point (1881) and The Void (1884, unfinished).
descent. He spent his early years in Kiev
and Volynskaya gubernia
and received good home education. In 1836 the family moved to Odessa
where the boy studied first in the Richelieu Lyceum's gymnasium, then at the Lyceum's law faculty. It was there that he first started to write poetry, critical essays and translations from French, some of which were published by the Odessky vestnik newspaper.
Markevich started his state official career in Saint Petersburg, the in 1843 he moved to Moscow to join the local governor Arseny Zakrevsky's office. He became a stalwart at both Petersburg and Moscow's aristocracy saloons and, reportedly, had immense success, with women especially, due to good looks, sense of humour, penchant for showmanship and a considerable dramatic talent.
Markevich, who was close to government circles and was among the most ardent of Mikhail Katkov
's right-wing allies, caused much controversy by depicting real life political and popular figures in his prose, the latter serving as a source of rumours, consumed avidly by the public. Praised by conservatives (among them Konstantin Leontiev
who compared his trilogy to War and Peace
by Leo Tolstoy
) and hated by revolutionary democrats (whom he made a point to paint in the blackest possible tones, insisting that for the 'progressivist' desease "the whip is the best cure"). Markevich made his mark in the history of 19th century Russian literature as a tendentious novelist, a friend of Katkov and the center of at least two scandals, the first caused by his highly publicised row with Ivan Turgenev
, the second having to do with alleged bribery (which he denied). Markevich's literary gift, though, has never been doubted; his books, which were widely read in Russia (notably by members of the monarch's family) and translated into many languages, contain, according to the 1990 Russian Writers dictionary, priceless documentary material and are still in need of objective analysis.
1822 in literature
The year 1822 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Samuel Taylor Coleridge's "Thursday-evening class" begins*Percy Bysshe Shelley dies-New books:*Hans Christian Andersen - Ghost at Palnatoke's Grave...
, Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
, Russian Empire
Russian Empire
The Russian Empire was a state that existed from 1721 until the Russian Revolution of 1917. It was the successor to the Tsardom of Russia and the predecessor of the Soviet Union...
– November 6 (18) 1884
1884 in literature
The year 1884 in literature involved some significant new books.-New books:*Edwin Abbott Abbott - Flatland*Henry Brooks Adams - Esther*Aluísio de Azevedo - Casa de Pensão*Richard Doddridge Blackmore - Tommy Upmore...
, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
ist, journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, and literary critic of Polish
Poles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
origin; author of a number of popular novels, including: Marina of the Aluy Rog (1873), A Quarter of a Century Ago (1878), The Turning Point (1881) and The Void (1884, unfinished).
Biography
Boleslav Markevich was born in Saint Petersburg, to a noble Russian family of PolishPoles
thumb|right|180px|The state flag of [[Poland]] as used by Polish government and diplomatic authoritiesThe Polish people, or Poles , are a nation indigenous to Poland. They are united by the Polish language, which belongs to the historical Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages of Central Europe...
descent. He spent his early years in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
and Volynskaya gubernia
Volhynian Governorate
Volhynian Governorate was an administrative-territorial unit initially of the Russian Empire, created in 1792 after the Second Partition of Poland from the territory of the Kiev Voivodeship and Wołyń Voivodeship...
and received good home education. In 1836 the family moved to Odessa
Odessa
Odessa or Odesa is the administrative center of the Odessa Oblast located in southern Ukraine. The city is a major seaport located on the northwest shore of the Black Sea and the fourth largest city in Ukraine with a population of 1,029,000 .The predecessor of Odessa, a small Tatar settlement,...
where the boy studied first in the Richelieu Lyceum's gymnasium, then at the Lyceum's law faculty. It was there that he first started to write poetry, critical essays and translations from French, some of which were published by the Odessky vestnik newspaper.
Markevich started his state official career in Saint Petersburg, the in 1843 he moved to Moscow to join the local governor Arseny Zakrevsky's office. He became a stalwart at both Petersburg and Moscow's aristocracy saloons and, reportedly, had immense success, with women especially, due to good looks, sense of humour, penchant for showmanship and a considerable dramatic talent.
Markevich, who was close to government circles and was among the most ardent of Mikhail Katkov
Mikhail Katkov
Mikhail Nikiforovich Katkov was a conservative Russian journalist influential during the reign of Alexander III.Katkov was born of a Russian government official and a Georgian noblewoman...
's right-wing allies, caused much controversy by depicting real life political and popular figures in his prose, the latter serving as a source of rumours, consumed avidly by the public. Praised by conservatives (among them Konstantin Leontiev
Konstantin Leontiev
Konstantin Nikolayevich Leontyev was a conservative, monarchist reactionary Russian philosopher who advocated closer cultural ties between Russia and the East in order to oppose the catastrophic egalitarian, utilitarian and revolutionary influences from the West...
who compared his trilogy to War and Peace
War and Peace
War and Peace is a novel by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy, first published in 1869. The work is epic in scale and is regarded as one of the most important works of world literature...
by Leo Tolstoy
Leo Tolstoy
Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a Russian writer who primarily wrote novels and short stories. Later in life, he also wrote plays and essays. His two most famous works, the novels War and Peace and Anna Karenina, are acknowledged as two of the greatest novels of all time and a pinnacle of realist...
) and hated by revolutionary democrats (whom he made a point to paint in the blackest possible tones, insisting that for the 'progressivist' desease "the whip is the best cure"). Markevich made his mark in the history of 19th century Russian literature as a tendentious novelist, a friend of Katkov and the center of at least two scandals, the first caused by his highly publicised row with Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Turgenev
Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev was a Russian novelist, short story writer, and playwright. His first major publication, a short story collection entitled A Sportsman's Sketches, is a milestone of Russian Realism, and his novel Fathers and Sons is regarded as one of the major works of 19th-century...
, the second having to do with alleged bribery (which he denied). Markevich's literary gift, though, has never been doubted; his books, which were widely read in Russia (notably by members of the monarch's family) and translated into many languages, contain, according to the 1990 Russian Writers dictionary, priceless documentary material and are still in need of objective analysis.
Select works
- Marina of the Aluy Rog (Марина из Алого Рога, 1873)
- Two Masks (Две маски, 1874, novelet)
- A Quarter of a Century Ago (Четверть века назад, 1878, 1st part of the trilogy)
- Princess Tata (Принцесса Тата, 1879, novelet)
- The Forester (Лесник, 1880, novelet)
- The Turning Point (Перелом, 1881, 2nd part of the trilogy)
- The Void (Бездна, 1884, 3rd part of the trilogy, unfinished).
Compilations
- Short Stories and Novellas (1883, Saint Petersburg)
- The Complete Markevich in 11 volumes (1885, Saint Petersburg; 1912, second edition, Moscow).