Nikolay Aleksandrovich Dobrolyubov
Encyclopedia
Nikolay Alexandrovich Dobrolyubov (February 5, 1836 – November 29, 1861) was a Russian literary critic
, journalist, poet and revolutionary
democrat
.
, where his father was a priest. He attended school at a seminary from 1848 to 1853. He was considered a prodigy by his teachers in the seminary, and at home he spent most of his time in his father's library, reading books on science and art. By the age of thirteen he was writing poetry and translating verses from Roman poets such as Horace
. In 1853 he went to St. Petersburg and entered the University. Following the deaths of both of his parents, in 1854, he assumed responsibility for his brothers and sisters. He worked as a tutor and translator in order to support his family and continue his studies. His heavy workload and the stress of his position had a negative effect on his health.
During his years at the University he organized an underground democratic circle, issued a manuscript newspaper, and led the student's struggle against the reactionary
University administration. His poems On the 50th Birthday of N. I. Grech
(1854), and Ode on the Death of Nicholas I
(1855), copies of which were distributed outside the University, showed his hostile attitude toward the autocracy
.
In 1856 he met the influential critic Nikolay Chernyshevsky, and the publisher Nikolay Nekrasov. He soon began publishing his works in Nekrasov's popular journal The Contemporary
. In 1857, after his graduation from the University, he joined the staff of The Contemporary as head of the critical department. Over the next four years he produced several volumes of important critical essays. One of his best known works was his essay What is Oblomovism?, based on his analysis of the novel Oblomov
by Ivan Goncharov
.
In May 1860, at the insistence of friends, he went abroad in an effort to treat incipient tuberculosis, which had been exacerbated by overwork. He lived in Germany, Switzerland, France, and for more than six months in Italy, where the national liberation movement, led by Giuseppe Garibaldi
, was taking place. The situation in Italy provided him with material for a series of articles.
He returned to Russia in July 1861. He died in November 1861, at the age of twenty five, from acute tuberculosis. He was buried next to Vissarion Belinsky
at Volkovo Cemetery
in St. Petersburg.
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
, journalist, poet and revolutionary
Revolutionary
A revolutionary is a person who either actively participates in, or advocates revolution. Also, when used as an adjective, the term revolutionary refers to something that has a major, sudden impact on society or on some aspect of human endeavor.-Definition:...
democrat
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
.
Biography
Dobrolyubov was born in Nizhny NovgorodNizhny Novgorod
Nizhny Novgorod , colloquially shortened to Nizhny, is, with the population of 1,250,615, the fifth largest city in Russia, ranking after Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, and Yekaterinburg...
, where his father was a priest. He attended school at a seminary from 1848 to 1853. He was considered a prodigy by his teachers in the seminary, and at home he spent most of his time in his father's library, reading books on science and art. By the age of thirteen he was writing poetry and translating verses from Roman poets such as Horace
Horace
Quintus Horatius Flaccus , known in the English-speaking world as Horace, was the leading Roman lyric poet during the time of Augustus.-Life:...
. In 1853 he went to St. Petersburg and entered the University. Following the deaths of both of his parents, in 1854, he assumed responsibility for his brothers and sisters. He worked as a tutor and translator in order to support his family and continue his studies. His heavy workload and the stress of his position had a negative effect on his health.
During his years at the University he organized an underground democratic circle, issued a manuscript newspaper, and led the student's struggle against the reactionary
Reactionary
The term reactionary refers to viewpoints that seek to return to a previous state in a society. The term is meant to describe one end of a political spectrum whose opposite pole is "radical". While it has not been generally considered a term of praise it has been adopted as a self-description by...
University administration. His poems On the 50th Birthday of N. I. Grech
Nikolay Gretsch
Nikolay Ivanovich Gretsch was a leading Russian grammarian of the 19th century. Although he was primarily interested in philology, it is as a journalist that he is primarily remembered....
(1854), and Ode on the Death of Nicholas I
Nicholas I of Russia
Nicholas I , was the Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855, known as one of the most reactionary of the Russian monarchs. On the eve of his death, the Russian Empire reached its historical zenith spanning over 20 million square kilometers...
(1855), copies of which were distributed outside the University, showed his hostile attitude toward the autocracy
Autocracy
An autocracy is a form of government in which one person is the supreme power within the state. It is derived from the Greek : and , and may be translated as "one who rules by himself". It is distinct from oligarchy and democracy...
.
In 1856 he met the influential critic Nikolay Chernyshevsky, and the publisher Nikolay Nekrasov. He soon began publishing his works in Nekrasov's popular journal The Contemporary
Sovremennik
Sovremennik was a Russian literary, social and political magazine, published in St. Petersburg in 1836-1866. It came out four times a year in 1836-1843 and once a month after that...
. In 1857, after his graduation from the University, he joined the staff of The Contemporary as head of the critical department. Over the next four years he produced several volumes of important critical essays. One of his best known works was his essay What is Oblomovism?, based on his analysis of the novel Oblomov
Oblomov
Oblomov is the best known novel by Russian writer Ivan Goncharov, first published in 1859. Oblomov is also the central character of the novel, often seen as the ultimate incarnation of the superfluous man, a symbolic character in 19th-century Russian literature...
by Ivan Goncharov
Ivan Goncharov
Ivan Alexandrovich Goncharov was a Russian novelist best known as the author of Oblomov .- Biography :Ivan Goncharov was born in Simbirsk ; his father was a wealthy grain merchant and respected official who was elected mayor of Simbirsk several times...
.
In May 1860, at the insistence of friends, he went abroad in an effort to treat incipient tuberculosis, which had been exacerbated by overwork. He lived in Germany, Switzerland, France, and for more than six months in Italy, where the national liberation movement, led by Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Giuseppe Garibaldi was an Italian military and political figure. In his twenties, he joined the Carbonari Italian patriot revolutionaries, and fled Italy after a failed insurrection. Garibaldi took part in the War of the Farrapos and the Uruguayan Civil War leading the Italian Legion, and...
, was taking place. The situation in Italy provided him with material for a series of articles.
He returned to Russia in July 1861. He died in November 1861, at the age of twenty five, from acute tuberculosis. He was buried next to Vissarion Belinsky
Vissarion Belinsky
Vissarion Grigoryevich Belinsky was a Russian literary critic of Westernizing tendency. He was an associate of Alexander Herzen, Mikhail Bakunin , and other critical intellectuals...
at Volkovo Cemetery
Volkovo Cemetery
The Volkovo Cemetery , is one of the largest and oldest non- Orthodox cemeteries in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Until the early 20th century it was one of the main burial grounds for Lutheran Germans in Russia...
in St. Petersburg.
English Translations
- What is Oblomovism?, from Anthology of Russian Literature, Part 2, Page 272, Leo Weiner, G.P. Putnam's Sons, NY, 1903. from Archive.org
- Selected Philosophical Essays, Foreign Languages Publishing House, Moscow, 1956.
- Belinsky, Chernyshevsky & Dobrolyubov: Selected Criticism, Indiana University Press, Bloomington, 1976.
External links
- A poem by Dobrolyubov- Death's Jest
- Dobrolyubov Memorial Museum