Dmitry Gorchakov
Encyclopedia
Prince Dmitry Petrovich Gorchakov ' onMouseout='HidePop("9052")' href="/topics/Kostroma">Kostroma
, Russian Empire
– , Moscow
, Russian Empire
) was a Russia
n writer, dramatist and poet
, best known for his satyrical verses and three comical operas, staged in the end of XVIII century.
gubernia, the only son of Prince Pyotr I. Gorchakov, member of an empoverished Russian aristocratic family, the Chernigov's line of Ryurikovichs. He’s got a high quality home education, in 1768 joined the army, took part in Wallachia
n and Crimea
n campaigns but in 1782 (for reasons that remained unclear), retired to engage himself in agricultural activities in his Tula
estate. It was in the early 1780s that he first started to write poetry.
In 1790 Prince Gorchakov rejoined the Russian army as a volunteer, took part in the battle at Izmail
, was seriously wounded and has been highly praized for courage by Aleksandr Suvorov himself. In 1807 Gorchakov was made an honorary Russian Academy
member. In 1807-1910 he served as a Governorate procurator in Pskov
and Tavria, then as a high-ranked administrative official in the Moldovan
army. In 1811 he became the member of an influential group known as Beseda (the Lovers of the Russian Word Meetings). The In 1813 Gorchakov was appointed a vice-Governor of Kostroma, in 1816 he retired and moved to Moscow where he lived up until his death in 1824. Prince Dmitry Gorchakov was buried in the Danilov monastery
in Moscow.
, 1788). Based on Arab
and Russian folklore, but featuring 'modern' characters (with 'character' names like podyachy
Bribetakin), these works parodied ways of Russian petty officials, denouncing corruption, bribery and theft. Among his major influences were Derzhavin and also Nikolai Nikolev
, a close friend. It was the latter's anti-tyranny tragedy Sorena and Zamir that inspired Gorchakove to write in the late 1880s his pro-democracy, American-based tragedy which remained both untitled and unpublished. Another unpublished "comedy in verse", The Carefree One (Беспечный) was staged in 1799 in Saint Petersburgh. His "Russian life novelet" Plamir and Raida came out in 1796.
A keen analyst of the European political affairs, Gorchakov was regarded in the early 1800s as the leading Russian satirist. Some of his poems were published in the Drug Prosveschenya magazine (in 1804-1806), more of the others circulated privately as hand-written manuscripts, best-known of which was The Epistle to Prince S.N.Dolgorukov which in many ways (notably by bringing to mind the famous Tchatsky's monologue) pre-empted Woe from Wit
, Griboyedov's 1823 classic. Young Aleksander Pushkin was much impressed by Prince Gorchakov’s works. In his 1815 poem Gorodok (Small Town) he mentioned him and his satires ("I love your needle-sharp verse..."). Tellingly, in 1828 amidst the The Gabrieliad scandal, Pushkin tried to ascribe his "dirty" poem to Prince Gorchakov, then four years dead, trying to exploit the latter's reputation as the early 1800s Russia's major volnodumetz ("a free-thinking man").
The first ever attempt to collect Gorchakov's legacy was made in 1890 by his grand-daughter Princess Yelena Gorchakova who published The Works of D.P.Gorchakov (Сочинения Д.П. Горчакова). This volume was far from comprehensive, though: none of the earlier publications were included. Large part of Gorchakov's legacy has been lost: a bulk of his unpublished material along with numerous rough copies has perished in the fire that destroyed his country house, while some of poems he did publish remained anonymous.
Kostroma
Kostroma is a historic city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast, Russia. A part of the Golden Ring of Russian towns, it is located at the confluence of the Volga and Kostroma Rivers...
, 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...
– , Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, 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...
) was a Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n writer, dramatist and poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, best known for his satyrical verses and three comical operas, staged in the end of XVIII century.
Biography
Prince Dmitry Gorchakov was born in KostromskayaKostroma
Kostroma is a historic city and the administrative center of Kostroma Oblast, Russia. A part of the Golden Ring of Russian towns, it is located at the confluence of the Volga and Kostroma Rivers...
gubernia, the only son of Prince Pyotr I. Gorchakov, member of an empoverished Russian aristocratic family, the Chernigov's line of Ryurikovichs. He’s got a high quality home education, in 1768 joined the army, took part in Wallachia
Wallachia
Wallachia or Walachia is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Danube and south of the Southern Carpathians...
n and Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
n campaigns but in 1782 (for reasons that remained unclear), retired to engage himself in agricultural activities in his Tula
Tula
Tula may refer to:In geography:*Tula, Hidalgo, a town in Mexico, once the capital and sacred city of the Toltec people.*Tula, Tamaulipas, a place in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico*Tula River in central Mexico...
estate. It was in the early 1780s that he first started to write poetry.
In 1790 Prince Gorchakov rejoined the Russian army as a volunteer, took part in the battle at Izmail
Izmail
Izmail is a historic town near the Danube river in the Odessa Oblast of south-western Ukraine. Serving as the administrative center of the Izmail Raion , the city itself is also designated as a separate raion within the oblast....
, was seriously wounded and has been highly praized for courage by Aleksandr Suvorov himself. In 1807 Gorchakov was made an honorary Russian Academy
Russian Academy
The Russian Academy or Imperial Russian Academy was established in St. Petersburg, Russia, in 1783 by Empress Catherine II of Russia and princess Dashkova as a research center for Russian language and Russian literature, following the example of the Académie française...
member. In 1807-1910 he served as a Governorate procurator in Pskov
Pskov
Pskov is an ancient city and the administrative center of Pskov Oblast, Russia, located in the northwest of Russia about east from the Estonian border, on the Velikaya River. Population: -Early history:...
and Tavria, then as a high-ranked administrative official in the Moldovan
Moldovan
Moldovan and Moldavian refer to something of, from, or related to Moldova, a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, or the region of Moldavia, which currently spans 8 north-eastern counties of Romania, the Republic of Moldova, and small parts of Ukraine...
army. In 1811 he became the member of an influential group known as Beseda (the Lovers of the Russian Word Meetings). The In 1813 Gorchakov was appointed a vice-Governor of Kostroma, in 1816 he retired and moved to Moscow where he lived up until his death in 1824. Prince Dmitry Gorchakov was buried in the Danilov monastery
Danilov Monastery
Danilov Monastery, in full Svyato-Danilov Monastery or Holy Danilov Monastery , is a monastery on the right bank of the Moskva River in Moscow, Russia...
in Moscow.
Works
Dmitry Gorchakov was best known for his comedy plays King for a Day (Калиф на час, Moscow, 1786), The Happy Tonya (Счастливая тоня, Moscow, 1786) and Baba Yaga (Баба-Яга, KalugaKaluga
Kaluga is a city and the administrative center of Kaluga Oblast, Russia, located on the Oka River southwest of Moscow. Population: It is served by Grabtsevo Airport.-History:...
, 1788). Based on Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and Russian folklore, but featuring 'modern' characters (with 'character' names like podyachy
Podyachy
A Podyachy or podyachiy was an office occupation in prikazes and lesser local offices of Russia in 15th-18th centuries....
Bribetakin), these works parodied ways of Russian petty officials, denouncing corruption, bribery and theft. Among his major influences were Derzhavin and also Nikolai Nikolev
Nikolai Nikolev
Nikolay Petrovich Nikolev , , was a Russian poet and playwright.He was brought up and educated in the family of Princess Ekaterina Dashkova, his distant relation. As President of the Russian Academy, Dashkova secured his admission into the academy and helped popularize his tragedies and folk songs...
, a close friend. It was the latter's anti-tyranny tragedy Sorena and Zamir that inspired Gorchakove to write in the late 1880s his pro-democracy, American-based tragedy which remained both untitled and unpublished. Another unpublished "comedy in verse", The Carefree One (Беспечный) was staged in 1799 in Saint Petersburgh. His "Russian life novelet" Plamir and Raida came out in 1796.
A keen analyst of the European political affairs, Gorchakov was regarded in the early 1800s as the leading Russian satirist. Some of his poems were published in the Drug Prosveschenya magazine (in 1804-1806), more of the others circulated privately as hand-written manuscripts, best-known of which was The Epistle to Prince S.N.Dolgorukov which in many ways (notably by bringing to mind the famous Tchatsky's monologue) pre-empted Woe from Wit
Woe from Wit
Woe from Wit is Alexander Griboyedov's comedy in verse, satirizing the society of post-Napoleonic Moscow, or, as a high official in the play styled it, "a pasquinade on Moscow."The play, written in 1823 in the countryside and in Tiflis, was not passed by the censorship for the stage, and...
, Griboyedov's 1823 classic. Young Aleksander Pushkin was much impressed by Prince Gorchakov’s works. In his 1815 poem Gorodok (Small Town) he mentioned him and his satires ("I love your needle-sharp verse..."). Tellingly, in 1828 amidst the The Gabrieliad scandal, Pushkin tried to ascribe his "dirty" poem to Prince Gorchakov, then four years dead, trying to exploit the latter's reputation as the early 1800s Russia's major volnodumetz ("a free-thinking man").
The first ever attempt to collect Gorchakov's legacy was made in 1890 by his grand-daughter Princess Yelena Gorchakova who published The Works of D.P.Gorchakov (Сочинения Д.П. Горчакова). This volume was far from comprehensive, though: none of the earlier publications were included. Large part of Gorchakov's legacy has been lost: a bulk of his unpublished material along with numerous rough copies has perished in the fire that destroyed his country house, while some of poems he did publish remained anonymous.