Pushkin and Derzhavin

JANUARY 8 marks the bicentennial of an event known to all lovers of Russian poetry. This was the day, in 1815, that the renowned poet Gavrila Romanovich Derzhavin attended a public examination at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum, a select institution established on the grounds of the imperial family’s residence outside St. Petersburg.

What makes the event so iconic is that Alexander Pushkin, the greatest poet of the next generation (and arguably all succeeding generations), still a schoolboy, recited his own verse for Derzhavin, then considered the greatest living Russian poet. By all accounts, the recitation sent Gavrila Romanovich into raptures. Much later, in a line of poetry addressed to his fellow alumnae, Pushkin wrote “The old Derzhavin took note of us/And, one foot in the grave, gave us his blessing.”

Pushkin’s classmate and close friend, Ivan Pushchin, wrote in his memoirs: “At our public examination, Derzhavin crowned our young poet with his sovereign blessing.† All of us, his comrades, were proud of this triumph. At the time, Pushkin recited his ‘Recollections at Tsarskoye Selo.’ This magnificent poem touches on everything vital to the Russian heart. Pushkin read with extraordinary verve.”

In 1911, Ilya Repin was commissioned to produce a painting commemorating the lyceum’s centennial. The painting shows young Pushkin reciting his verse before the deeply moved Derzhavin. This rather saccharine image of the two poets has been firmly fixed in Russia’s historical memory. Pushkin himself inserts an element of playfulness and irony in his description of the meeting, although his encounter with Derzhavin is clearly a cherished memory:

I saw Derzhavin only once in my life, but I will never forget it. It was in 1815, at the lyceum’s public examination. We all grew nervous when we found out that Derzhavin was coming. Delvig went out to wait for him on the stairs to kiss his hand, the hand that wrote “Waterfall.” Derzhavin arrived. He entered the building and Delvig heard him ask the doorman, “Brother, where is the toilet around here?” This prosaic question disappointed Delvig, who abandoned his intention and came back to the hall. Delvig told me this with amazing ingenuousness and good humor. Derzhavin was very old. He was wearing his uniform and velveteen boots. Our examination was very tiring for him. He had his elbow on the table and his head propped in his hand. His face was blank, with lackluster eyes and droopy lips; he looked a lot like his portrait (the one where he’s in a cap and housecoat). He was half asleep until the examination in Russian literature and language began. That’s when he perked up, his eyes began to shine, and he was entirely transformed. Naturally his poetry was read, his poetry was analyzed, and his poetry was constantly praised. He listened with extraordinary animation. Finally, they called me. I read my “Recollections at Tsarskoye Selo” standing two feet away from Derzhavin. I cannot describe the state of my soul: when I came to the line where I mention the name Derzhavin, my voice took on an adolescent resonance and my heart beat with rapturous delight… I don’t remember how I finished my reading; I don’t remember how I ran away. Derzhavin was ecstatic; he demanded to see me; he wanted to hug me… They went to look for me but couldn’t find me…