Mey Lev

Born February 13, 1822, Mr.. Moscow; Russianized son of a German officer, wounded at Borodino and the sooner the deceased and his mother was a Russian poet. The family lived in great misery. He studied at the Moscow nobility Mey Institute, where he was transferred to Tsarskoe Selo Lyceum. After graduating in 1841, Mr.. Course, Mei went to the office of the Moscow governor-general and served in her 10 years without making a career. Siding in the late 40-ies to the "young version" Pogodinskaya "Moskovityanina, he became an active member of the magazine and was in charge of it to Russian and foreign literature department. In the early 50-ies Mei received the inspectors 2-nd Moscow gymnasium, but the intrigues of his colleagues, disliking the gentle poet of affection for him disciples, soon forced him to quit teaching career and moved to St. Petersburg. Here he was listed only in the Archaeological Commission and devoted himself exclusively literary activity, . Taking part in the "Library for Reading", . Fatherland Notes, . "Son of the Fatherland", . "Russian Word" early years, . "Russian World", . "Torch" and others,
. It is sloppy and childish improvident, Mei lived a disorderly life of literary "bohemian". Another of the Lyceum, and most of the friendly gatherings, the young editors "Moskovityanina" he brought addicted to wine. In St. Petersburg he was in the late 50-ies joined in a circle, grouped around a graph GA. Kushelev-Bezborodko. At a meeting of the Earl Kushelev, which there were many aristocratic friends host Mey asked to say some impromptu. Straightforward poet laughed bitterly over a quatrain: "The count and countess, happiness to you all, I also only in the decanter, and, moreover, in the large". Large decanters impairing the health of Mey, and sometimes drove him to the perfect poverty. He was in severe frosts in the apartment is not melted, and to keep warm, just chopped up for firewood dear wife's wardrobe. Disorderly life, had strained his strong body and he died on May 16, 1862, Mr.. Mei belongs, by definition, Apollon Grigoriev, to "literary phenomena, missed critical". And in life, after death, their little interest and criticism, and the audience, despite the efforts of some friends (A.P. Miliukov in "Torch" in 1860,? 5, Apollon Grigoriev, Vladimir. R. Zotov, the first volume Martynovsky editions of works Mey) to elevate him into first-class poets. This indifference is understandable and legitimate. Mei - an outstanding virtuoso of verse, and only. He has no inner content, he does not care and because others can not disturb. He has no depth of feeling and the ability to respond to the immediate impressions of life. All his purely external talent focused on the ability to imitate and penetrate others' feelings. That's why he and his excellent translation work had favorites and with the same virtuosity translated Schiller and Heine, "The Lay of Igor" and Anacreon, Mickiewicz and Beranger. Even in purely quantitative terms poetry Mey very poor. Except for the few schools and Landscape poems learned after the death of his papers, and taking only what he gave to the press, then get at more than two dozen original poems. Everything Else - transcriptions and translations. Meanwhile, Mason has written early and at 18 is already placed in the "Mayak" an excerpt from the poem "Gvanagani". Almost all the original poem written in Mey's "national" style. This - is the archaeologically-colorful imitation, which in the old and the young "Moskovityanine" was considered the quintessential ethnic. Mei took from people's life only elegant and spectacular, showing off a very pretentious neologisms ( "From the white hands vypadchivy, with a white breast evasive" and t. etc) - but in this genre reached a conditional, in detail, much perfection. Mimic only on details, he could not hold his poems as a whole. So, well begun "the Boss", depicting the anguish of his young wife with her old husband, spoiled the end, where the house becomes a preacher of adultery. In the genuine folk song old husband, who took his young wife, sympathy does not enjoy. The best of the original poems Mey in folk style: "Mermaid", "mushrooming", "Like all some people light prazdnichek". By the poems of this kind are adjacent paraphrasing: "Why are extinct Knights of Holy Russia," "Song of the boyar Evpati Kolovrat," "Song of the Princess Ulyana Andreevna Vyazemskaya", "Alexander Nevsky," "The Magus" and the translation of "Lay". The total lack of them - prolixity and lack of simplicity. Of the poems Mey with non-Russian subjects deserve attention: "Get away from me, . Satan "- a series of paintings, . which unfolds before the devil tempting Jesus Christ: sultry Palestine, . Egypt, . Persia, . India, . grimly powerful North, . complete bliss Ellada, . Imperial Rome in the era of Tiberius, . Capri,
. This - the best part of the poetic heritage of Mey. Here he was completely in their area, drawing some details, not the sacred unity of sentiment, not in need of a unifying idea. Among the poet-translators Mey unquestionably at the forefront. Especially well-communicated "Song of Songs". Mei - playwright, has the same advantages and disadvantages, as Mei - poet excellent, with all its archaic and artificial smartly, language, fine details and no band. All three historical drama Mey: "The Tsar's Bride" (1849), Servilia (1854) and "The Maid of Pskov (1860) end in a very unnatural and do not give any solid type. Movement of them small, and it has been delayed long and totally unnecessary monologues in which actors exchange their views and stories about events not directly related to the plot of the play, and t. d. Most damaging dramas Mey bias, with which he set to work. Thus, in the weakest of his dramas - "Servilia", depicting the Rome under Nero, he set out to show the victory of Christianity over the Roman society and to do so in violation of any likelihood. The transformation of the protagonist in a few days of girl, . grown in the strictly-Roman tradition, . and, moreover, in lofty family, . in fervent a Christian, . moreover in a nun (and historically incorrect: monasticism appears in the II - III cent.), . strongly motivated by nothing and is a complete surprise for her boyfriend, . and for the reader,
. Those white thread preconceived ideas deaden "Tsar's Bride" and "Maid of Pskov". Faithful edentia Pogodinskaya views on Russian history, Mei imagined all alone in the old Russian majestic outlines. If you come across in his villains, existing solely under the influence of jealousy. Idealisation extends even to Malyuta Skuratov. In particular, corrupt tendentious worship of all ancient Russian Ivan the Terrible. But Mason, it is - a sentimental lover, and the emperor, all devoted himself to the welfare of the people. In general, however, both dramas Mey figure prominently in the Russian historical drama. Among the best of the best places AMD Mey, "The Maid of Pskov, belongs to the scene of the Pskov veche. Not devoid of conventional beauty and the mother's story "The Maid of Pskov about how she met and lived with John This story became a favorite of our debut monologue tragedienne. "Complete Works" Mey published in 1887, Mr.. Martynov, with great introductory article Vl. Zotov and bibliography of works Mey compiled NV. Bykov. These included experiments Mey and fiction, literary no interest. Of these, you can select only "Batyu" - a characteristic story about, . as their fortress widowed and impoverished lady not only fed, . but also on the sled moved from St. Petersburg in Kostroma Province, . and then how this lady, . on their own, . however, . proposal "Bata", . sold it for 100 rubles,
. In 1911, Mr.. Mey compositions are given in an annex to the "Cornfield". - Wed. Protopopov, "The Forgotten Poet" (in "Northern Messenger, 1888, # 1), C. Maksimov, in "Russian Thought" (1887,? 7); Yak. Polonsky, a Russian Messenger "(1896,? 9); B. Sadowski, in Russian Thought (1908,? 7); Polyanskaya, in the "Russian Antiquities" (1911); Vengerov "Sources". S. Vengerov.