Konstantin Dmitrievich Balmont is a Russian poet, literary critic and translator. He was perhaps the most outspoken proponent of impressionism in the early stages of the symbolism of Russian poetry.
Content of article
The facts of the biography
Career in literature
The facts of the biography
Balmont was born on 4 Jun 1867 in Gunnedah Shuya district of the Vladimir province. He wrote his first poems at the age of 10, but the work of the future famous poet criticized his mother and for the next 6 years, Balmont did not write anything. In high school, he began composing again. Balmont's works during this period were strongly influenced by the poems of the Russian poet Nekrasov.
In 1884, Balmont was expelled from the gymnasium for being a member of a group that distributed "illegal literature". At the end of 1884 he was enrolled in a school in Vladimir. In the autumn of 1886 Konstantin Balmont entered Moscow state University (MSU) with a degree in Law.
A year later, he was accused of participating in a "student riot" and returned to Shuya. After another unsuccessful attempt at organized education, this time at the Demidov Lyceum in Yaroslavl, Balmont began his self-education.
Career in literature
In 1890, Balmont presented his book "Collection of poems", but it did not bring him fame or success. Later he destroyed almost the entire circulation. During this period he worked on translations of Scandinavian short stories, Italian literature and the works of his favourite English poet Shelley.
However, it is considered to be the first book is not "Collection of poems", and the publication" Under the Northern sky", which was published in 1894. The book received very opposite reviews from critics and readers.
At the beginning of the century Balmont traveled a lot. He went to France, Holland, England, Italy and Spain. These trips were not just excursions, but creative trips. For him, they served as a kind of poetic conquest of foreign lands.
In 1899 he was accepted as a member of the society of lovers of Russian literature. In the 90s, he released several collections of poetry:
• «Silence»;
• «Burning building»;
• "Let us be like the sun" and others.
Balmont's name became known, his books were a huge success. This period of his life was very productive.
In late January 1905, Balmont went to Mexico and the United States. In the summer of 1907 he returned to Russia. Here the revolutionary mood of the masses influenced Balmont, and he collaborated with the Bolshevik edition of "New life". He wrote satirical poems, took part in rallies.
After that he went to Paris and lived there for more than 7 years. In 1912, he toured the world. He went to great Britain, the Canary Islands, South America, Madagascar, South Australia, Polynesia, New Guinea, Ceylon and other places.
After a political pardon in 1914, which was issued in connection with the 300th anniversary of the Romanov dynasty, he returned to Moscow.
During the First world war in 1914, Balmont again lived in France. In may 1915 he managed to return to Russia. He traveled all over the country, from Saratov to Omsk, from Kharkov to Vladivostok, giving lectures.
In 1920, Balmont asked permission to leave the country. In 1921, he and his family left the country. Balmont never returned to Russia. In his works of this time expressed homesickness, sadness and confusion.
Balmont died on 24 December 1942 in Paris, a city occupied by Nazi troops at the time. The brilliant poet is buried in noisy-Le-Grand, near the capital of France.