Ivan Ivanovich Lazhechnikov (russian: Ива́н Ива́нович Лаже́чников; September 25, 1792 – July 8, 1869) was a Russian writer.
Biography
Lazhechnikov was born into the family of a rich merchant in
Kolomna
Kolomna ( rus, Колóмна, p=kɐˈlomnə) is a historical city in Moscow Oblast, Russia, situated at the confluence of the Moskva and Oka Rivers, (by rail) southeast of Moscow. Population:
History
Mentioned for the first time in 1177, Ko ...
in 1792. He received a well-rounded education from private tutors at home. He served in the active army in 1813–15, which inspired his ''Campaign Notes of a Russian Officer''.
[''The Great Soviet Encyclopedia'', 3rd Edition (1970-1979). 2010, The Gale Group, Inc.]
Lazhechnikov was one of the originators of the Russian historical novel, along with
Faddey Bulgarin
Thaddeus Venediktovich Bulgarin (russian: Фаддей Венедиктович Булгарин; Polish Jan Tadeusz Krzysztof Bułharyn, – ), was a Russian writer, journalist and publisher of Polish ancestry. In addition to his newspaper ...
,
Mikhail Zagoskin
Mikhail Nikolayevich Zagoskin (russian: Михаил Николаевич Загоскин; July 25, 1789 – July 5, 1852) was a Russian writer of social comedies and historical novels.
Zagoskin was born in the village of Ramzay in Penza Oblast. ...
and others. His first novel, ''The Last Novik'' (1831–33), set in the early 18th century, was very successful.
[The Cambridge History of Russian Literature, Cambridge University Press, 1996.] His novel ''
The House of Ice'' (1835) dealt with the intrigues and horrors of the court of
Empress Anna
Anna Ioannovna (russian: Анна Иоанновна; ), also russified as Anna Ivanovna and sometimes anglicized as Anne, served as regent of the duchy of Courland from 1711 until 1730 and then ruled as Empress of Russia from 1730 to 1740. Much ...
. The novel was praised by the influential critic
Vissarion Belinsky
Vissarion Grigoryevich Belinsky ( rus, Виссарион Григорьевич БелинскийIn Belinsky's day, his name was written ., Vissarión Grigórʹjevič Belínskij, vʲɪsərʲɪˈon ɡrʲɪˈɡorʲjɪvʲɪdʑ bʲɪˈlʲinskʲ ...
for its authentic portrayal of the details of the period’s social climate.
''The Infidel'', a novel set in the time of
Ivan III
Ivan III Vasilyevich (russian: Иван III Васильевич; 22 January 1440 – 27 October 1505), also known as Ivan the Great, was a Grand Prince of Moscow and Grand Prince of all Rus'. Ivan served as the co-ruler and regent for his bl ...
, was translated into English as ''The Heretic''. He also published several historical dramas including ''Oprichnik'' (1843, published in 1859), on which the libretto of
Tchaikovsky’s opera
Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...
is based.
Lazhechnikov died in Moscow in 1869.
English translations
*''The Heretic'', (3 vols), William Blackwood and Sons, 1845
from Archive.org
References
See also
*
List of Russian-language writers
This is a list of authors who have written works of prose and poetry in the Russian language.
For separate lists by literary field:
* List of Russian-language novelists
* List of Russian-language playwrights
*List of Russian-language poets
...
*
Russian literature
1792 births
1869 deaths
People from Kolomna
People from Kolomensky Uyezd
Russian dramatists and playwrights
Russian male dramatists and playwrights
Russian historical novelists
Russian male novelists
19th-century novelists from the Russian Empire
19th-century dramatists and playwrights from the Russian Empire
19th-century male writers from the Russian Empire
{{Russia-writer-stub