Alexander Pushkin

Alexander Pushkin was a Russian poet, writer, and playwright. He was born on June 6, 1799, in Moscow, Russia. Pushkin is often described as the founder of modern Russian literature. This means his writing helped shape the Russian language used in later books and poems. He wrote poetry, short stories, novels, and plays.

Pushkin came from a noble family. A noble family belonged to the upper social class of the Russian Empire. One of his great-grandfathers was Abram Petrovich Gannibal, who was brought to Russia from Africa and later became a general. Pushkin was educated at the Imperial Lyceum in Tsarskoye Selo, a school that trained young men for government service.

Pushkin began writing poetry at a young age. His early poems became popular in literary circles. Some of his writing discussed freedom and social ideas. Because of this, the government watched him closely. At times, he was sent away from the capital to live in other parts of Russia. This is called exile, which means being forced to live away from a chosen place.

Many of Pushkin’s works are written in clear and natural language. Before him, Russian writing often used complex styles. Pushkin helped make written Russian closer to everyday speech. One of his most famous works is Eugene Onegin. It is a novel written in verse, which means it tells a story using poetry. He also wrote plays such as Boris Godunov.

Pushkin’s life included travel, writing, and social events. He married Natalia Goncharova in 1831. His marriage was important in his personal life. In the final years of his life, Pushkin continued to write and publish. He worked on historical writing and fiction. He also collected Russian folk tales and legends.

Alexander Pushkin died on February 10, 1837. He was 37 years old. He died from wounds after a duel, which is a formal fight between two people using weapons. After his death, his influence on Russian culture continued. Later writers such as Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky read and respected his work. Pushkin remains a major figure in Russian history and literature.