Certainly! Here are brief biographical sketches for these poets, arranged chronologically by birth:
Gavrila Derzhavin (1743-1816)
Born on July 14, 1743, and died on July 20, 1816, Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin was a Russian poet and statesman who played an important role during the reign of Catherine the Great. Known for his lyric and elegiac poems, he was able to capture both the grandeur of the Russian Empire and more personal themes. His work, written in a refined yet emotional style, laid the groundwork for the golden age of Russian poetry.
Alexander Pushkin (1799-1837)
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin, born on June 6, 1799, and died on February 10, 1837, is widely regarded as the founder of modern Russian literature. His works include poetry, plays, and prose that are considered classics in Russian literature. Pushkin’s unique blend of colloquialism and classical themes paved the way for future generations of Russian writers. He died tragically in a duel at the age of 37.
Mikhail Lermontov (1814-1841)
Born on October 15, 1814, and died on July 27, 1841, Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov was a Russian poet, novelist, and painter. Often regarded as the “second poet” after Pushkin, his works include the famous novel “A Hero of Our Time” and numerous poems that remain influential. Like Pushkin, his life was cut short in a duel.
Zinaida Gippius (1869-1945)
Born on November 20, 1869, and died on September 9, 1945, Zinaida Gippius was a Russian poet, playwright, novelist, and critic. A prominent figure in Russian Symbolism, her poems are known for their complex spirituality and moral questions. She emigrated after the Russian Revolution and continued her literary work in France.
Aleksandr Blok (1880-1921)
Aleksandr Alexandrovich Blok, born on November 28, 1880, and died on August 7, 1921, was one of the most prominent poets of the Russian Silver Age. A leading figure of the Symbolist movement, his poetry is often characterized by mysticism and an intense passion for both spiritual and earthly love.
Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966)
Born on June 23, 1889, and died on March 5, 1966, Anna Andreevna Akhmatova was one of the most significant Russian poets of the 20th century. Known for her lyrical intensity and personal themes, she chronicled Russia’s turbulent history through her poems, becoming a symbol of endurance under the Soviet regime.
Osip Mandelstam (1891-1938)
Born on January 15, 1891, and died on December 27, 1938, Osip Emilyevich Mandelstam was a Russian poet and essayist. Part of the Acmeist movement, his poems are celebrated for their depth and musicality. Mandelstam’s outspokenness led to his arrest, and he died in a transit camp during the Great Purge.
Georgy Ivanov (1894-1958)
Born on March 29, 1894, and died on August 26, 1958, Georgy Ivanov was a Russian poet and essayist associated with the Symbolist movement. After leaving Russia following the Revolution, he became an important literary figure among émigrés in Paris.
Boris Pasternak (1890-1960)
Born on February 10, 1890, and died on May 30, 1960, Boris Leonidovich Pasternak was a Russian poet and novelist. Although he started as a poet, he’s most renowned for his novel “Doctor Zhivago,” which led to his controversial win of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1958.
Joseph Brodsky (1940-1996)
Born on May 24, 1940, and died on January 28, 1996, Joseph Brodsky was a Russian-American poet and essayist. A dissident in the Soviet Union, he was forced into exile and later became the United States Poet Laureate. Brodsky’s poetry, marked by intellectual depth and moral clarity, earned him the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1987.
Viktor Sosnora (1936-2021)
Viktor Sosnora, born on May 14, 1936, and died on June 30, 2021, was a Russian poet and writer known for his avant-garde style and intricate use of language. He was a prominent figure in Russian literature from the 1960s until his death.
Irina Ratushinskaya (1954-2017)
Born on March 4, 1954, and died on July 5, 2017, Irina Ratushinskaya was a Soviet dissident poet, known for her courageous stance against the Soviet regime. Imprisoned for her beliefs, she continued to write poems on soap and memorize them. Later released and exiled, her works gained international acclaim.