Alexander Pushkin

Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799–1837) is revered as Russia’s greatest poet and the founder of modern Russian literature. Born into an aristocratic family in Moscow, he was educated at the Imperial Lyceum in Tsarskoye Selo, where his literary talent emerged. His early works, such as the romantic poem Ruslan and Ludmila, brought him fame, but his political verses led to exile in southern Russia. During this period, he wrote the verse novel Eugene Onegin (1825–1832), a masterful blend of narrative and lyricism that captures the ennui of Russian society. Pushkin also produced groundbreaking works in drama (Boris Godunov), prose (The Queen of Spades), and historical fiction (The Captain’s Daughter). His use of the vernacular and innovative forms liberated Russian literature from classical constraints. Pushkin’s legacy endures as the touchstone for all subsequent Russian writers, including Dostoevsky and Tolstoy. He died in 1837 from wounds sustained in a duel.