Grigory Danilevsky
Encyclopedia
Grigory Petrovich Danilevsky was a Russia
n historical novelist.
, Grigory was educated in the Moscow Dvoryansky institut (Institute of the Nobility) from 1841 to 1846, then studied law at Saint Petersburg University
. In 1849 he was mistakenly arrested in connection with the Petrashevsky
case and spent several months in the prison of the Peter and Paul Fortress
, but he was released and received his certification as kandidat in 1850. From 1850 to 1857 he served in the Ministry of Education, where he was sent a number of times to examine the archives of monasteries in the south. In 1856 he was one of the writers sent by Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich
to study the borderlands of Russia.
In 1857 he retired to his estates in the Kharkov Governorate
, serving in various local offices, but in 1869 he became an assistant editor of the new Pravitelstvenny vestnik (Government Herald) and in 1881 was named the chief editor, thus becoming part of the council supervising the Russian press. He died in December 1890 in Saint Petersburg
and was buried in the village of Prishib in the Kharkov region.
dwellers). His first novel, Beglye v Novorossii (Fugitives in Novorossiya
, 1862), published under the pseudonym D. Skavronsky, brought him wide success; it was followed by Beglye vorotilis (The return of the fugitives, 1863) and Novye mesta (New places, 1867), the whole trilogy describing the settlement of the Ukrainian steppe by runaway serfs. His 1868 story "Zhizn cherez sto let" (Life a hundred years from now, 1868) was a work of science fiction
imagining the year 1968.
Better known are his novels of the following decades, published in Vestnik Evropy
and Russkaya Mysl (Russian Thought). In 1874 appeared Devyaty val (The ninth wave), about the struggle between conservatives and reformers in the 1860s. The following year he wrote Mirovich, which "deals with the tragic fate of the deposed child-emperor Ioann Antonovich
and the foiled attempt by Lieutenant Mirovich to free him from Shlisselburg
," but it was banned by the censor and did not appear until 1879; Isabel Florence Hapgood
called it his best novel, "though it takes unwarrantable liberties with the personages of the epoch depicted." It was followed by Na Indiyu pri Petre (To India in Peter
's day, 1880); Knyazhna Tarakanova (Princess Tarakanova, 1883), about the self-proclaimed daughter of Empress Elizabeth; Sozhzhennaya Moskva (Moscow destroyed by fire, 1886), about Napoleon's invasion
in 1812; Cherny god (The black year, 1888), about Pugachev's Rebellion
; and a series of short stories.
Though Danilevsky was popular in his day, Prince Mirsky says he was "looked down by the advanced and the literate," and calls his novels "derivative and second-rate." However, Dan Ungurianu writes, "Despite their lack of conceptual and artistic integrity, Danilevsky's novels remain among the best works of historical fiction of the period."
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n historical novelist.
Life
Born into the family of an impoverished landowner, Petr Ivanovich Danilevsky, in the Izyumsky district of Sloboda UkraineSloboda Ukraine
Sloboda Ukraine was a historical region which developed and flourished in the 17th and 18th centuries on the southwestern frontier of the Tsardom of Russia....
, Grigory was educated in the Moscow Dvoryansky institut (Institute of the Nobility) from 1841 to 1846, then studied law at Saint Petersburg University
Saint Petersburg State University
Saint Petersburg State University is a Russian federal state-owned higher education institution based in Saint Petersburg and one of the oldest and largest universities in Russia....
. In 1849 he was mistakenly arrested in connection with the Petrashevsky
Mikhail Petrashevsky
Mikhail Vasilyevich Butashevich-Petrashevsky, commonly known as Mikhail Petrashevsky was a Russian thinker and public figure.Mikhail Petrashevsky graduated from the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum and Saint Petersburg State University with a degree in law . He was then employed as a translator and...
case and spent several months in the prison of the Peter and Paul Fortress
Peter and Paul Fortress
The Peter and Paul Fortress is the original citadel of St. Petersburg, Russia, founded by Peter the Great in 1703 and built to Domenico Trezzini's designs from 1706-1740.-History:...
, but he was released and received his certification as kandidat in 1850. From 1850 to 1857 he served in the Ministry of Education, where he was sent a number of times to examine the archives of monasteries in the south. In 1856 he was one of the writers sent by Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolaevich
Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia
Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia was the second son of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia.During the reign of his brother Alexander II, Konstantin was an admiral of the Russian fleet and reformed the Russian Navy. He was also an instrumental figure in the emancipation of the serfs...
to study the borderlands of Russia.
In 1857 he retired to his estates in the Kharkov Governorate
Kharkov Governorate
Kharkiv Governorate or Kharkov Governorate was a governorate of the Russian Empire originally founded in 1780. It was renamed to Sloboda Ukraine Governorate in 1797 and back to Kharkiv Governorate in 1835....
, serving in various local offices, but in 1869 he became an assistant editor of the new Pravitelstvenny vestnik (Government Herald) and in 1881 was named the chief editor, thus becoming part of the council supervising the Russian press. He died in December 1890 in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
and was buried in the village of Prishib in the Kharkov region.
Literary career
Aside from some minor verses and translations, Danilevsky's first literary work was a series of stories of Ukrainian life and traditions, collected in 1854 in the book Slobozhane (SlobodaSloboda
Sloboda was a kind of settlement in the history of Russia, Belarus and Ukraine. The name is derived from the early Slavic word for "freedom" and may be vaguely translated as "free settlement"....
dwellers). His first novel, Beglye v Novorossii (Fugitives in Novorossiya
Novorossiya
Novorossiya is a historic area of lands which established itself solidly after the annexation of the Crimean Khanate by the Russian Empire, but was introduced with the establishment of Novorossiysk Governorate with the capital in Kremenchuk in the mid 18th century. Until that time in both Polish...
, 1862), published under the pseudonym D. Skavronsky, brought him wide success; it was followed by Beglye vorotilis (The return of the fugitives, 1863) and Novye mesta (New places, 1867), the whole trilogy describing the settlement of the Ukrainian steppe by runaway serfs. His 1868 story "Zhizn cherez sto let" (Life a hundred years from now, 1868) was a work of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
imagining the year 1968.
Better known are his novels of the following decades, published in Vestnik Evropy
Vestnik Evropy
Vestnik Evropy was the major liberal magazine of late-nineteenth-century Russia; it lasted from 1866 to 1918....
and Russkaya Mysl (Russian Thought). In 1874 appeared Devyaty val (The ninth wave), about the struggle between conservatives and reformers in the 1860s. The following year he wrote Mirovich, which "deals with the tragic fate of the deposed child-emperor Ioann Antonovich
Ivan VI of Russia
Ivan VI Antonovich of Russia , was proclaimed Emperor of Russia in 1740, as an infant, although he never actually reigned. Within less than a year, he was overthrown by the Empress Elizabeth of Russia, Peter the Great's daughter...
and the foiled attempt by Lieutenant Mirovich to free him from Shlisselburg
Shlisselburg
Shlisselburg is a town in Leningrad Oblast, Russia, situated at the head of the Neva River on Lake Ladoga, east of St. Petersburg. From 1944 to 1992, it was known as Petrokrepost...
," but it was banned by the censor and did not appear until 1879; Isabel Florence Hapgood
Isabel Florence Hapgood
Isabel Florence Hapgood was an U.S. writer and translator of Russian texts.Hapgood was born in Boston, the descendant of a long-established New England family. She studied Germanic and Slavic languages, specializing in Orthodox liturgical texts. She was one of the major figures in the dialogue...
called it his best novel, "though it takes unwarrantable liberties with the personages of the epoch depicted." It was followed by Na Indiyu pri Petre (To India in Peter
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
's day, 1880); Knyazhna Tarakanova (Princess Tarakanova, 1883), about the self-proclaimed daughter of Empress Elizabeth; Sozhzhennaya Moskva (Moscow destroyed by fire, 1886), about Napoleon's invasion
French invasion of Russia
The French invasion of Russia of 1812 was a turning point in the Napoleonic Wars. It reduced the French and allied invasion forces to a tiny fraction of their initial strength and triggered a major shift in European politics as it dramatically weakened French hegemony in Europe...
in 1812; Cherny god (The black year, 1888), about Pugachev's Rebellion
Pugachev's Rebellion
Pugachev's Rebellion of 1774-75 was the principal revolt in a series of popular rebellions that took place in Russia after Catherine II seized power in 1762...
; and a series of short stories.
Though Danilevsky was popular in his day, Prince Mirsky says he was "looked down by the advanced and the literate," and calls his novels "derivative and second-rate." However, Dan Ungurianu writes, "Despite their lack of conceptual and artistic integrity, Danilevsky's novels remain among the best works of historical fiction of the period."
English Translations
- The Princess Tarakanova, (Novel), Macmillan, NY, 1891. from Archive.org
- Moscow in Flames, (Novel), Stanley Paul, London, 1917. from Archive.org