Aleksey Fyodorovich Merzlyakov (russian: Алексе́й Фёдорович Мерзляко́в; 22 March 1778 – 7 August 1830) was a Russian poet, critic, translator, and professor.

Biography

Aleksey was born in

Dalmatovo Dalmatovo (russian: Далма́тово) is a town and the administrative center of Dalmatovsky District in Kurgan Oblast, Russia, located east of the Ural Mountains on the north bank of the Iset River (Tobol's tributary; Ob's basin), opposit ...

Perm Governorate Perm Governorate (russian: link=no, Пермская губерния) was an administrative unit of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union from 1781 to 1923. It was also known as the ''government of Perm''. It was located on both slopes of t ...

. He went to Moscow in 1793 to study at

Moscow State University M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU; russian: Московский государственный университет имени М. В. Ломоносова) is a public research university in Moscow, Russia and the most prestigious ...

, where he would later teach as a professor of poetry. He published his first works in 1794 and contributed to various journals and papers for the rest of his life. He was considered to be a follower of the neo-classical school, but the simplicity and feeling exhibited in his shorter poems gave them lasting popularity. He translated many Greek and Latin works, and the works of Italian poets such as

Torquato Tasso Torquato Tasso ( , also , ; 11 March 154425 April 1595) was an Italian poet of the 16th century, known for his 1591 poem ''Gerusalemme liberata'' ( Jerusalem Delivered), in which he depicts a highly imaginative version of the combats between ...

and

Vittorio Alfieri Count Vittorio Alfieri (, also , ; 16 January 17498 October 1803) was an Italian dramatist and poet, considered the "founder of Italian tragedy." He wrote nineteen tragedies, sonnets, satires, and a notable autobiography. Early life Alfieri was ...

. In 1815 Merzlyakov launched and became the editor-in-chief of the short-lived but influential ''

Amphion There are several characters named Amphion in Greek mythology: * Amphion, son of Zeus and Antiope, and twin brother of Zethus (see Amphion and Zethus). Together, they are famous for building Thebes. Pausanias recounts an Egyptian legend accor ...

'' magazine. His in-depth analysis of Kheraskov's ''Rossiyada'' (serialized in Nos. 1—3, 5—6 and 8—9), is considered to be the first piece of serious literary criticism in Russia.''Amphion''
at the History of Russian Civilization site He died in Moscow in 1830 and is interred in the

Vagankovo Cemetery Vagankovo Cemetery (russian: Ваганьковское кладбище, Vagan'kovskoye kladbishche), established in 1771, is located in the Presnya district of Moscow. It started in the aftermath of the Moscow plague riot of 1771 outside the ci ...

. The study of Russian literature was introduced into Russian universities largely through the efforts of Merzlyakov. He stated that "literature was the highest achievement of a people, a sign of political and moral successes".

References

1778 births 1830 deaths People from Kurgan Oblast People from Shadrinsky Uyezd Russian male poets Russian critics Russian educators Russian translators Imperial Moscow University alumni Recipients of the Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class Burials at Vagankovo Cemetery {{Russia-poet-stub