Boris Pasternak - biography, life and work

Pasternak Boris Leonidovich, whose biography is presented in this article, is among the few masters of the word awarded with one of the most coveted awards - the Nobel Prize.

Biography of the poet

Boris Pasternak, whose photo is presented in the article, was born in Moscow in 1890. The poet's family was creative and intelligent. Mother - a pianist, father was a famous artist and academician. His work was highly appreciated, and some were even acquired by the famous patron Tretyakov for his museum. Leonid Osipovich Pasternak was friendly with Leo Nikolayevich Tolstoy and was one of his favorite illustrators.

In addition to the first-born Boris, the family subsequently had three more children - the youngest son and two daughters.

Childhood

Boris Leonidovich Pasternak, whose poems were not yet written, since his birth was in an amazing creative atmosphere. The house of his parents was always hospitably opened for famous guests. In addition to Leo Tolstoy, there were composers Skryabin and Rachmaninov, artists Levitan and Ivanov, and many other creative personalities. Of course, the meetings with them could not but affect Pasternak. The greatest impact on him had Scriabin, under the influence of which the 13-year-old Boris for a long time seriously engaged in music and planned to become a composer.

Boris Pasternak studied (the biography of the poet contains this fact) perfectly. He graduated from the fifth Moscow gymnasium, in which Vladimir Mayakovsky studied in two classes below. At the same time he studied at the composer's faculty of the Moscow Conservatory. He graduated from high school with a gold medal and highest marks in all subjects.

Difficult choice

Pasternak Boris Leonidovich, whose biography will later be replenished with more than one fact of a difficult choice, after graduation was forced to accept the first, very painful decision for him - to leave the career of the composer. He later explained in his biography that he did this because he did not have an absolute hearing. In the character of the poet's future, even then, purposefulness and enormous capacity for work were laid. If he started something, he brought it to perfection. Therefore, very fond of music, but realizing that he can not achieve the necessary perfection in this profession, Pasternak, according to him, "pulled" her out of herself.

In 1908 he entered the Moscow University, first to the Faculty of Law, but a year later he changed the decision and transferred to the Philosophical Department. As always, Pasternak brilliantly studies and in 1912 continues his studies at the University of the city of Margburg. He was expected to have a good career as a philosopher in Germany, but he suddenly decided to devote himself not to philosophy, but to poetry.

The beginning of the creative path

He began to try himself in poetry late, around 1910. The poems of Boris Pasternak of that period, according to Sergei Bobrov 's recollections , the poet's colleagues on joint work in poetic circles, completely childish in form, tried to contain a huge content.

Visiting with the family of Venice in 1912 and the refusal of a beloved girl have a strong impression on Boris. This finds expression in his first verses of that period.

Upon his return to Moscow, he begins to participate in literary circles "Musaget" and "Lyrics", speaking with his poems. During these years he was attracted to such trends in poetry as futurism and symbolism, but later he prefers not to enter any literary association, but to be independent.

1913-1914 were for Pasternak rich in events in the creative life. At first several of his poems were published, and in 1914 the first collection "Gemini in the Clouds" was published. But all this he believes so far only a breakdown of the pen, as dissatisfied with the quality of his works. In the same year, he met Vladimir Mayakovsky. Pasternak as a poet falls under his influence.

Birth of the poet

The process of creativity - a thing completely inexplicable. Someone creates easily, as if amusing himself, the other carefully sharpens every phrase, achieving perfection. The latter belonged to Boris Pasternak. Poetry for him is not only a great gift, but also hard work. Therefore, only the collection "My Sister - Life", published in 1922, he considers the beginning of his literary activity. The poems of Boris Pasternak, included in it, were written back in the summer of 1917.

Fruitful 1920s

The beginning of the 1920s was marked by several important events. In 1921, the poet's parents emigrate to Germany, and in 1922 Boris Pasternak, whose biography contains many interesting facts, marries Evgenia Vladimirovna Lurie. A year later they have a son, Zhenya.

Creativity of Boris Pasternak in these years is fruitful - in 1923 appears a collection of "Themes and variations" and two famous poems - "Lieutenant Schmidt" and "Nine hundred and fifth year." They became a literary event of those years and were highly appreciated by Maxim Gorky.

The poet and the Soviet government

The beginning of the 1930s was the time when Pasternak recognized power. His works are reprinted annually, the poet himself in 1934, speaking at the first congress of the Writers' Union. He is actually called the best poet of the country. But the authorities do not forget that the poet had the courage to intercede for the arrested native poetess Anna Akhmatova, defended Mandelstam and Gumilev. This she does not forgive anyone. Boris Pasternak did not escape this fate. A brief biography of the poet says that by 1936 he was virtually eliminated from the official literary life of the country, accusing him of an incorrect worldview and detachment from life.

Translations of Pasternak

It so happened that Pasternak, as an interpreter, is as well known as a poet. He is called one of the best masters of poetic translation. Who, if not he, a fine poet, could have felt the work of another creator better than others?

Because of the negative attitude of the authorities in the late 1930s, the poet remains without earnings. His works are no longer reprinted, money is sorely lacking, and Pasternak turns to translations. With regard to them, the poet had his own concept. He believed that the translation - the same independent artwork, as the original. And here to work he approached with all his meticulousness, the desire to do everything perfectly.

Boris Leonidovich Pasternak, whose poems and translations were included in the gold fund of Russian and foreign literature, began to translate as early as 1918. Then he was mainly engaged in the work of German poets. His main work began in 1936. He goes to the country house in Peredelkino and works hard on translations of Shakespeare, Goethe, Byron, Rilke, Keats, Varlen. Now his work is valued on an equal footing with the originals of works.

For Pasternak, translations are not only an opportunity to feed a family, but also a peculiar way of realizing oneself as a poet in conditions of persecution and refusal to print his works. To Boris Pasternak we owe the excellent translations of Shakespeare, which have long been considered classic.

Military and post-war years

The trauma received by the writer in his childhood did not allow him to mobilize to the front during the Patriotic War. But he could not stay away either. After completing the military courses, he is sent to the front by a correspondent. Upon returning home, in Peredelkino, he creates a cycle of patriotic poems.

Years after the war are a time of hard work. Pasternak translates a lot, since this remains his only earnings. Verses in the postwar years, he wrote a little - all his time is occupied by translations and work on a new novel.

For these years, there is another titanic work of the poet - the translation of Goethe's Faust.

"Doctor Zhivago" - the top of creation and the poet's favorite work

This book was the most important and favorite work of the poet. For ten years Boris Pasternak was coming to see her. "Doctor Zhivago" - in many ways an autobiographical novel.

The beginning of work is 1945. At that time, the prototype of the main female image of the novel was the writer's wife Zinaida Neuhaus. After the appearance in the life of Pasternak Olga Ivinskaya, who became his new muse, the work on the manuscript went faster.

This novel - the main and favorite creation of the poet, was created long - 10 years. This is actually the autobiography of the writer himself, a true story about the events in the country, from the beginning of the century and ending with a terrible war. For this honesty, "Doctor Zhivago" and was categorically rejected by the authorities, and Boris Pasternak, whose biography stores the events of this difficult period, was subjected to real persecution.

It is difficult to imagine how hard it was to endure general condemnation, especially from colleagues.

In the Soviet Union, the publication of the book was denied because of the writer's ambiguous view of the October Revolution. The novel was evaluated only abroad. It was published in Italy. In 1957, "Doctor Zhivago" Pasternak saw the light and instantly became a sensation. This work in the West received the most enthusiastic reviews.

1958 - the date is amazing. The awarding of the Nobel Prize is for the poet and the greatest joy from the high recognition of his talent by the world community, and the real grief over the renewed baiting with renewed force. He was offered to be sent to punishment from the country, to which the poet replied that he can not think of himself without the Motherland. All the bitterness of that period, Pasternak, in a poem "The Nobel Prize," written in 1959, described it in a poignant manner. He had to refuse the award, and for this verse, published abroad, he was almost accused of "treason to the Motherland." Saved is that the publication occurred without the consent of Pasternak.

Boris Pasternak - short poems of the poet

If we talk about the early work of the poet, he strongly feels the influence of symbolism. Very complex rhymes, incomprehensible images and comparisons are characteristic for this period. Sharply changing the style of Pasternak in the war years. Poems seem to acquire lightness and simplicity of reading. They are easily and quickly remembered, and it's nice to just read them in a row. Especially it concerns short poems of the poet, such as "Hop", "Wind", "March", "Hamlet". Pasternak's genius lies in the fact that even in his smallest verses there is a huge philosophical meaning.

Boris Pasternak. Analysis of the poem "July"

The poem refers to the late period of the poet's work. It was written in 1956, when Pasternak was resting in the summer at his dacha in Peredelkino. If in the early years he wrote elegant poems, then later in them appears the social orientation and favorite theme of the poet - understanding the continuity of the world of nature and man.

"July" is a vivid example of landscape lyrics. The title of the work and its theme completely coincide. What was the main idea Boris Pasternak wanted to convey to the reader? July is one of the most beautiful summer months, causing the author's sincere admiration. And he wants to describe his lightness, freshness and charm.

The poem consists of two parts. The first part creates an atmosphere of mystery - who is the guest who entered the house? A house, a ghost, a ghost that runs in, frolics and sneaks?

In the second part, the secret of the mysterious guest is revealed - this is a mischief-July, the middle of the summer. The poet humanizes July, using for this impersonation: a brown-haired, unkempt disheveled, a resident of a stranger.

A feature of the poem is the author's use of bright visual images: July "tears the tablecloth off the table", "runs in a whirlwind of a draft".

The personal life of the poet

Boris Pasternak, whose biography can not be complete without a story about his family, was married twice. As a creative person, living with emotions, he was an addict. Not enough to go down to banal changes, but he could not remain faithful to one of his beloved women.

The first wife of the poet was the charming Evgenia Lurie, a young artist. They met in 1921, and the poet considered this meeting symbolic. At this time, Pasternak finished work on the story "Childhood Lewers," whose heroine was called Eugene, and as if he saw in the girl her image.

Eugene became a real museum of the poet. Refined, gentle, delicate and at the same time purposeful and independent, it caused him an extraordinary spiritual recovery. In the first years of marriage, Boris Pasternak was probably for the first time happy. At first a strong love smoothed out all difficulties, but gradually the hard life of the poor of the 1920s began to interfere more and more with family happiness. Evgenia was not an ideal wife, she also wanted to realize herself as an artist, and many of Pasternak's family worries had to be taken over.

In 1926 between him and Marina Tsvetaeva begins a long correspondence, which literally drives the poet's jealous wife mad. She does not stand up and leaves for Pasternak's parents in Germany. In the end, she decides to give up the desire to realize herself as an artist and devotes her life to caring for her husband. But by this time the poet is already acquainted with his second future wife - Zinaida Neuhaus. He is already forty, she is 32 years old, she is married and has two boys.

Neuhaus turns out to be the complete opposite of Eugenia Lurie. She devoted herself entirely to the family, was very economic. It did not have that refinement that was inherent in the first wife of the poet. But Pasternak at first sight fell in love with this woman. The fact that she is married and has children, he did not stop. Now he only saw his life with her.

In 1932 he divorced with Eugenia and married Zinaida. After parting with his first wife, he helped her and his son all the years before his death and maintained relations.

With his second wife Pasternak was also happy. Careful, economic, she tried to provide him comfort and peace and was also a poet for the poet. In the second marriage the son Leonid was born.

Family happiness lasted, like in the first marriage, just over 10 years. Pasternak began to linger more and more at the dacha in Peredelkino and more and more distance from his wife. Once, in the editorial office of the magazine "New World" he met the editor Olga Ivinskaya who worked there. She became the last muse of the poet.

Several times they tried to leave, because Pasternak did not want to leave his wife, she meant a lot to him, and the poet could not afford so cruelly to act with her.

In 1949, Ivinskaya was arrested and sent to camps for 5 years for a connection with Boris Pasternak. And all these years he cared for her elderly mother and children, providing money. This difficult time did not pass for him - in 1952 the poet gets to the hospital with a heart attack.

After returning Olga became an unofficial secretary of Pasternak - she leads all his affairs, communicates on his behalf with the editorial staff, and is engaged in reprinting his works. Until the end of the poet's life, they no longer parted.

Last years

There is no doubt that it was the poet's hatred that had developed around the poet that severely compromised his health. The infarction transferred in 1952 also manifested itself.

In the spring, in early April 1960, Pasternak fell from a serious illness. No one suspected that he had cancer, which already had metastases in his stomach. In early May, the poet understands that the disease is fatal, and he will not recover. May 30 Boris Pasternak dies. All this time his bed had his wife Zinaida, who will survive her husband for 6 years and die from the same illness. The poet and his whole family are buried in the cemetery in Peredelkino.

The work of the remarkable Russian poet, writer and translator Boris Pasternak has always been included in the world literature. Its peculiarity as a poet is a picturesque expressive style and an amazing imagery of poems.