Nikolai Gumilev - a famous poet of the Silver Age. His work is distinguished by sublime romanticism, airiness and isolation from harsh reality. Gumilev believed in the power of the artistic word and in the fact that it was able to influence the fate of people.
The biography of the poet
Nikolai Gumilev was born on April 15, 1886 in Kronstadt. His father, Stepan Yakovlevich Gumilyov, served as a ship's doctor, and after his resignation, the whole family moved to St. Petersburg.
Nikolai was a very weak and sickly boy. He was tormented by regular headaches and high sensitivity to loud noises and pungent odors. Due to an unhealthy appearance, the future poet was often attacked and ridiculed by peers. In order not to endanger the health and vulnerable psyche of the child, the parents decided to transfer him to home schooling.
Gumilyov woke up a literary gift in early childhood, he wrote his first poem at the age of six. To improve health, the family lived in Tiflis for three years, and after returning to Tsarskoye Selo, Nikolai resumed his studies at the gymnasium. At that time he was fascinated by Nietzsche and spent all his free time reading his works.
A year before the end of the gymnasium, the first collection of Gumilyov’s poems, The Way of the Conquistadors, was published with the money of his parents.
Traveling poet
In 1906, the young poet left for Paris, where he attended lectures on literary criticism at the Sorbonne and became a frequent visitor to museums and art exhibitions. He meets Gillius, Bely, Merezhkovsky and shows them his work.
Passion for travel leads the poet to Egypt. Having examined the sights and spent all the cash, Gumilev went hungry for some time and even spent the night on the street. However, these difficulties did not greatly upset him, and after traveling he wrote a number of poems and stories.
The thirst for new emotions and adventures prompted Gumilyov to explore the Russian North. An interesting fact: with the assistance of the emperor, Gumilyov arranged an expedition to the Kuzovskaya archipelago. An ancient tomb was found there, inside which an unusual "Hyperborean" ridge was discovered.
Acquainted with academician Vasily Radlov, Gumilyov became interested in exploring the black continent and spent several years in Africa. After a trip to Somalia, he wrote the poem "Mick."
In the First World War, Gumilyov goes to the front. For the courage shown during the hostilities, he was awarded the rank of officer, in addition, the poet was awarded two St. George crosses.
After the October Revolution, Gumilev devoted himself entirely to literary work. In early 1921, he became chairman of the Petrograd department of the All-Russian Union of Poets, and in August he was arrested and detained. Then, on a false charge, the poet was shot.
Personal life
As for his personal life, the poet was twice married. The most stormy relationship was with the poetess Anna Akhmatova. He very long and at first unsuccessfully sought her location, even made several suicide attempts. As a result, they got married, the son Leo was born, but the marriage ended in failure and divorce.
Gumilev's second wife was the hereditary noblewoman Anna Nikolaevna Engelhardt.
He also had a short-term affair with actress Olga Vysotskaya as a result of which a son Orest appeared, whose birth Gumilev never knew.
