Ivan Savvich Nikitin is a talented poet and prose writer who worked in the direction of landscape lyrics. The author of the most popular works. His observations of the nature and soul of a commoner are astounding. Nikitin Ivan Savvich, whose portrait portraits are presented in the article, even with all his appearance shows greatness of spirit and great wisdom in life.
Period in history
The main topics in 19th-century Russian literature were the struggle against autocracy and serfdom. The time when Nikitin was born and died is a period of the struggle against feudalism, the raising of the spirit of patriotism and the birth of the Decembrist movement.
Fell under the influence of the then literature and Ivan Savich. He, a poet of the Nekrasov trend, most often painted socially low layers of society in his work. His poems are characterized by a plot in which the peasants and the urban poor are vividly depicted. Often in the creations of the author you can find an echo of his own life. Personal poverty also inspires the poet to work.
The poem writer wrote, taking as an example the works of Nekrasov and Koltsov, but this did not prevent him from developing his own style.
It was the experiences that were characteristic of many people of that time that laid the mark on the verses of Ivan Savich Nikitin. The author’s short works are pain and joy of that period in the history of Russia.
The childhood of the poet
Life of Ivan Savvich Nikitin was not easy from the very beginning. But, perhaps, everything would have turned out differently, fate would not have gifted him with talent.
Nikitin, the future poet, was born on October 3, 1824 in Voronezh, in a simple petty bourgeois family. His father was a merchant of candles and at that time made good money. From a young age, he was taught to read and write by his neighbor, a shoemaker. The greatest joy to the boy was nature. For hours he could walk around the neighborhood, observe the changes in the land. The closed and detached nature of the child did not frighten the parents.
“I am happy about the bad weather: the noise of the crowd is unbearable for me,” later wrote Ivan Savich Nikitin.
The father had big plans for his son, so he sent him to study at the seminary. It was there that the boy first tried to write poetry.
Premature growth
While the boy was studying, problems started at home. The family business did not develop, and the father began to drink. Moreover, having a very cool character, he was addicted to the glass and the poet's mother. Due to family troubles, the guy was not up to school, and soon he was kicked out of school. From the school desk, he stood at the counter of the candle shop.
After some time, the mother of Ivan Savvich died. After some time, the business completely outlived itself. And the only thing that made the guy happy was literature. However, one could forget about dreams of studying at the university.
Striving for the beautiful
So the years of Nikitin Ivan Savvich’s life passed sadly. Hard work, a despot, a drunkard, a father, and gray people, looking alike. But the spark that pulled the poet to the beautiful, could not extinguish the ordinary. He strives for high art and does not stop drop by drop to absorb the work of Pushkin, Gogol, Shakespeare and his favorite Belinsky. What remains of the candle shop, the young man exchanges for an inn. And among the always drunk and noisy clients, the future poet managed to set aside time for writing poetry.
The unsociable lonely Nikitin found more happiness in these short moments than in the senseless waste of time talking with people. Gradually, a poet began to grow in him. Poems by Ivan Savich Nikitin are short, but correctly composed and with meaning.
First step to success
In November 1853, the young man decided to send his works to the editor. They are published in the publication "Voronezh Provincial Gazette." Then the author signed with the initials “I. N. " Nikolai Vtorov worked at the newspaper, who not only became interested in the young poet, but later became his best friend.
The works quickly received positive reviews and brought fame to the young poet. Nikitin Ivan Savich became the "successor" of Koltsov. He beautifully extols nature, love of the earth sounds in his works, he praises the beauty of a simple working man. In addition, since then he was accepted into the circle of the intelligentsia. Finally, he revolves in the company of people with whom he is interested.
One of the three poems that he sent to the editor was “Russia”. In this work, he expressed his pain and patriotic sentiments associated with the Crimean War.
Source of inspiration
Despite the glory, the life of the hero of our story has changed little. The poet Nikitin Ivan Savvich did not cease to engage in the inn. My father still drank, but in the years 1854-1856, relations between them improved slightly. The atmosphere that prevailed in the courtyard often inspired the writer. There one could eavesdrop on the conversations of ordinary people, enrich the imagination with new images, watch the gray, but interesting life. And this was so necessary for Nikitin for creativity.
Also in these years, the poet was engaged in self-education, got acquainted with the works of other writers, studied French.
What is the spiritual strength of the poet
In the summer of 1855, the poet began to catch a cold due to bathing and undermined his already poor health. At that time he turns to faith and pours out his feelings in poetry. In sad moments, from his pen came such verses as “Prayer” (1851), “New Testament” (1853), “Sweetness of Prayer” (1854). These are the most religious years of the life of Nikitin Ivan Savvich. Short works touch to the depths of the soul with their simplicity and depth of content:
"Oh my God! give me strength
Mind the doubt of death. "
In 1857, Voronezh left one of the few comrades of the poet Nikolai Vtorov. The master of the pen is attacked by melancholy, while creative forces leave him for a while. But the mood did not dominate the poet for long, and he throws out his feelings, negative emotions and loss of strength on paper. So, next year the work “Fist” comes out from under his pen. The poem was criticized by readers and critics very well.
Autobiographical "Fist"
In the years when Nikitin was born and died, in Russia there was such a thing as a “fist."
By him was meant a merchant who profits from what measures, weighs and deceives people. The main character of the work is the merchant Lukic. He leads a wrong and dishonest lifestyle, not embarrassed to steal, lie and cunning. These little crafty deeds are the only thing he and his family live on. The poem is partially biographical. The merchant and his wife are the parents of the author. The everyday scenes described by him are moments that he saw with his own eyes.
The poem “Fist” turned out to be very rich in life episodes. Her speech is fresh, and the description of nature is fascinating. There are parts that could become independent verses if they were taken out of context. The poem deserves the title of national heritage. No other work describes life so vividly.
The poet’s childhood was difficult, and “Fist” is to some extent his biography. Ivan Savvich Nikitin lived at a time when drinking was very common. The poem fully reflected the then state of the Russian Empire. Therefore, describing the problems of his family, he characterized the whole society of that time.
Short life sunset
A year later, in 1858, a second collection of poems was published. Critics did not appreciate the work, but this did not prevent the poet from doing what he loved. He continues to study and is now engaged in translations, which helps him to better understand the rich world of literature.
In February 1859, Nikitin opened a bookstore to which the library was attached. In Voronezh, the shop becomes a center of culture for the common people and the intelligentsia.
At that time, when Nikitin was born and died, it was such bookstores that gathered the bright minds of society.
Since that time, the poet's health began to deteriorate. When he felt good, his work was replenished with new works. But during the illness of the poet, almost nothing of what surrounded him could interest him.
The seminar’s diary was written by the poet a year before his death. This was his first prose work.
Fees for creativity allowed him to become financially independent.
With good health, he travels, visits St. Petersburg and Moscow, actively participates in the cultural growth of his native Voronezh.
May 1861 became fatal for the hero of our story. The poet caught a cold, long and hard struggled with the disease.
Not a simple, thorny was his biography. Ivan Savvich Nikitin died of consumption on October 16, 1861 at the age of 37.
The time of his career was only 8 years.
The poet was buried in the Novo-Mitrofanievsky cemetery, near with another nature singer - Koltsov.
The poet was lonely when he was born, and Nikitin also died alone. Due to the closed nature, it was hard for a man to get along with people. Mother passed away young. And the father, even when his son was on his deathbed, did not give up the bottle.
During his life, Nikitin gained fame. Almost two hundred years have passed since the poet’s birthday, and his poems, glorifying nature, patriotism and accurately conveying folk images, still remain interesting and relevant.