Pushkin - Top Ten World Writers

Author: Tong Yiqiu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-08-01
Features:
1. Family Background and Childhood
Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin was born on June 6, 1799, in a noble family in Moscow. His father was a retired petty officer, and his mother was a descendant of a black slave of Peter the Great. They lived a carefree noble life relying on the vast estates left by their ancestors. They loved literature and poetry, spending their days immersed in the social activities of the upper class. They did not manage the estates or seek career advancement, merely desiring a peaceful life, as their ancestors had endured too many hardships and sorrows. In the ancient Pushkin family, there were many strong-willed and tenacious individuals. They had once achieved great military honors for the Tsar in Russian history, but they were conservative and stagnant. In the 17th century, when Peter the Great carried out sweeping reforms in Russia, Pushkin’s great-grandfather was involved in a conspiracy against Peter the Great and was sentenced to death. From then on, the name of this family faded from Russian history for half a century. In the mid-18th century, the newly revitalized Pushkin family was again disgraced to commoner status for participating in a conspiracy against Empress Catherine, which is why his grandfather was Lev Pushkin. Fortunately, Lev Pushkin inherited vast estates from his distant relatives, so by the time of Pushkin’s father, the family could still maintain a respectable noble lifestyle. Perhaps due to too many setbacks and misfortunes in their careers, both Pushkin’s father, Sergey, and his uncle, Vasily, were uninterested in politics. The two brothers left the military early. Uncle Vasily was a moderately famous poet, while his father, Sergey, was a literary enthusiast who often wrote impromptu poems to pass the time. Pushkin’s mother’s family was nothing short of a novel. It is said that by the banks of the Malebe River in Abyssinia, there was a black prince. They lived in peace on that barren land. One day, the Ottoman Empire invaded their homeland. The young prince led his people in rebellion, but they ultimately failed due to inferior weapons. To save their homeland, the prince made a truce with the invaders and handed over his beloved youngest son, Abraham, as a hostage to the Turks. This poor child was taken away on a ship by the Turks, and his sister, in her bravery, jumped into the river to chase the ship carrying her brother and drowned. Thus, the black child Abraham was brought to the Sultan’s palace in Constantinople, the capital of the Ottoman Empire. At that time, it was fashionable in the harems of various European countries to adopt black children, and Peter the Great was no exception. One day, he bribed a minister in the Sultan’s palace to steal Abraham, who was only eight years old, out of the palace and quickly transported him to Russia. Peter the Great was very fond of this clever and lively black child. He personally took him as his godfather, and the Queen of Poland as his godmother. From then on, people called this black child “Abraham Petrovich,” who became the great-grandfather of Pushkin’s mother. Abraham was astute and capable, and Peter the Great promoted him to become a personal attendant to the Tsar. Later, he was further promoted to the private secretary of the Emperor. In 1717, Peter the Great visited abroad for the second time, accompanied by his godson, the black youth Abraham. In France, Peter the Great left Abraham to study military science in Paris. Abraham first attended a military school, then joined the war against Spain as a volunteer. He was captured on the battlefield due to injuries but was released later. He returned to France and studied at the newly established artillery school. Due to his excellent performance, he was promoted to a French captain. Longing for his homeland, Abraham wished to return to Peter the Great as soon as possible and requested to go back. In 1723, he returned to St. Petersburg with four hundred books, many of which were valuable scientific and technical works. Peter the Great highly valued him, and he was promised a brilliant future. However, just then, Peter the Great passed away, leaving him without a protector. He was later sent to Kazan and then transferred to the border, where he was put in charge of military engineering due to his extensive scientific knowledge. In 1752, he was appointed Chief of Russian Engineers with the rank of major general by Empress Elizabeth, who also granted him vast estates. In 1762, Abraham retired. He died at the age of eighty-four on his estates. Abraham’s eldest son was illustrious, serving as a naval inspector. His second son, Osip, was a naval lieutenant, but he led a foolish life and achieved nothing. The only thing that made his name remembered was that he was the maternal grandfather of the great poet Pushkin. Osip’s only daughter, Nadezhda Osipovna, grew up. The black blood in her made her possess a unique beauty—slender yet full, with deep, bright eyes that reflected intelligence and wisdom. Her friends called her “the beautiful mestiza.” In September 1796, the young guard officer Sergey Pushkin married Nadezhda Osipovna. These spoiled young people were truly a match made in heaven, and their luxurious noble life had fostered their laziness. They paid no attention to the estates left by their ancestors, entrusting everything to a German steward, who managed the affairs and eventually became a wealthy man, while their family declined. On June 6, 1799, Alexander Pushkin was born in a wooden house on German Street in Moscow. Little Pushkin was dull and slow-witted, with a round face, loose, dark skin, thick, red lips, and very bright eyes that seemed to be lost in thought. His chestnut hair curled like shavings from his forehead to the back of his head. His nostrils were wide, set against his chubby face. Little Alexander did not laugh or move much. He threw toys on the ground and wandered aimlessly from room to room. This child was so quiet and lazy that he often angered his mother. She had hoped for a bold, lively, and cheerful son, so she preferred her daughter Olga, who was two years older than Alexander, and her second son, Lev. Of the three children, only Alexander failed to live up to her expectations. Nadezhda Osipovna even grew to dislike Alexander. She was surprised to have given birth to such a fool. Moreover, Alexander resembled a black child who had never been bleached. P1-3