The final literary salon of this season was dedicated to the Golden Age of Russian poetry: Pushkin and Baratynsky.
Did you know that both spellings — Boratynsky and Baratynsky — are correct? Evgeny Baratynsky used to sign his works using both versions. The spelling with an “o” is considered more historically accurate, as it derives from the ancestral family estate (Boratyn Castle), but the version with an “a” is much more common.
The summer heat didn’t deter lovers of Russian poetry, and several people joined us via Zoom. This is by no means the first time that those wishing to participate have connected online.
Our regular attendee and active salon member, Natalia Zakshevskaya, came as thoroughly prepared as if she were facing a university literature exam. We yield the floor to her:
“Ah, this Golden Age of Russian poetry! What a tapestry of destinies, feelings, and events! This isn’t just literature; it is our history! An authentic one, not fabricated by someone else. It is the life lived by our ancestors 200 years ago.
‘In the autumn of 1826, we were in the gallery at the Assembly of Nobility. Below us was a vast crowd. Suddenly, a distinct stir swept through the hall. Two young men entered: one was a tall blonde, the other of medium height, a brunette with black curly hair and a strikingly expressive face. “Look,” they whispered to us, “the blonde is Baratynsky, the brunette is Pushkin.” They walked side by side, and the crowd made way for them’ (from Tatyana Passek’s book of memoirs, “From Distant Years”).
They observed each other with immense interest! Both began by imitating the poetry of Batyushkov and the elegies of Zhukovsky, both passed through the stage of the Romantic poem, and the later period of their work was shaped by a realistic writing style. Yet, despite the similarity of their trajectories, Baratynsky’s poetic style possesses unique characteristics. It was deeply influenced by the existential, personal impasse the future poet found himself in during his youth. Years later, this lived experience transformed within his work, leading him to confront the fundamental questions of his time and humanity.
In his poetry, he is constantly introspective; he is deeply spiritual. After Gavriil Derzhavin, Evgeny Baratynsky is considered the greatest philosophical poet in Russian literature, closely followed by Fyodor Tyutchev. It was this trio that defined Russian metaphysical poetry — the poetry of thought. A poet so intensely focused on thought was like an alien from another world at that time…
During our meeting, we also discovered the only completed prose work by Evgeny Baratynsky. This is the stunning, multifaceted novella “The Ring” (1831), written in a mystical style.
Magic is the true miracle in human relationships — in love, affection, and the soul’s inclination toward another. The magical ring begins to operate within the realm of this benevolent energy. Conversely, in the realm of greed and self-interest, it doesn’t simply lose its power; it reverses its effect, destroying all meaning and turning a person’s aspirations into a cruel joke. Such is the hidden lesson and the concept of magic that emerges from this beautiful novella.”
The relationship between Alexander Pushkin and Evgeny Baratynsky is a unique example in Russian literature of a harmonious blend of deep friendship, mutual respect, and subtle creative rivalry. Having met in 1819 in St. Petersburg, they became the foremost innovators of the Russian elegy, developing similar themes (solitude, disillusionment) from different perspectives: Pushkin through the prism of vivid passion, Baratynsky through the prism of profound rational reflection.
The pinnacle of their creative partnership came in 1828, when they co-published a joint book, “Two Tales in Verse”, which brought together Pushkin’s poem “Count Nulin” and Baratynsky’s poem “The Ball”.
And what did they say about each other?
Pushkin unconditionally recognized his contemporary as the leader of intellectual, “thinking” poetry and actively defended him against critical attacks.
On talent: “He is original among us — because he thinks. He feels deeply and truly.”
On the genre: Pushkin openly called him “our premier elegiac poet,” noting that after Baratynsky, writing elegies had become far more difficult.
On the poem “The Ball”: In his review, Pushkin admired its style and psychological depth: “…the verse is lively, true, expressive… In a word, this tale is the work of a true poet.”
Baratynsky, though following his own distinct path, viewed Pushkin as an absolute genius and an unattainable standard of form.
On genius: “Pushkin is the Chrysostom (Golden-Mouthed) of our time… He unites within himself all the virtues of our best poets.”
On poetic superiority: Baratynsky admitted: “When I write, it feels as though Pushkin is watching me,” and after the release of “Boris Godunov”, he enthusiastically praised the sheer scale of Pushkin’s dramatic genius.
After the poet’s tragic death: Baratynsky poignantly expressed the magnitude of the loss to the entire culture: “With Pushkin, an entire epoch has died, a whole period of our literature has reached its completion…”
In the history of Russian literature, their bond remains a rare example of how two contemporary geniuses managed to avoid envy, enriching each other’s art through constructive criticism and sincere admiration.
On this poetic and profound note, we concluded our rich “literary” year. We even received a summer assignment: to read Nikolay Karamzin’s novella “Poor Liza” (1792), which is considered the classic touchstone of Russian Sentimentalism.
To anyone who rolls their eyes at the phrase “romance novel” and boasts that they read exclusively the classics: let it be known that it was precisely the classics that laid the foundations for this very genre!
The next meeting will take place on September 24, 2026, at 11:30 AM. See you all in the new season!
