The life of this poet lasted less than 37 years, but it contained a lot. He was one of the leaders of avant-garde art, while officially declared a loyal supporter of the party’s general line, a staunch fighter on the ideological front. His poetry is a brilliant combination of the search for a new form and eternal values ​​in the content, the powerful voice of the tribune and subtle lyrical nuances.
The stages of life that Mayakovsky’s chronological table contains can reflect the formation of the poet’s personality, but only a deeper acquaintance with his creative biography allows us to evaluate its scale.
1893-1906. Childhood
Born July 7, 1893 in the family of Vladimir Konstantinovich Mayakovsky, who led the forestry office in the small Georgian village of Baghdadi near Kutaisi, and Alexandra Alekseevna Pavlenko, originally from the Kuban. The grandfather of his father was a Cossack esaul who received the nobility.
Mayakovsky’s chronological table contains a lot of evidence about the early abilities of the future poet: he independently learned to read, shows great interest and penchant for literature and drawing, remembers many poems, speaks fluent Georgian.
1902 - enters the senior preparatory class of the Kutaisi gymnasium, showing good training especially in Russian and drawing.
1905 - actively interested in revolutionary events, participating in gatherings and demonstrations. Loses interest in learning.
February 19, 1906 suddenly died of blood poisoning V.K. Mayakovsky.
1906-1910. In Moscow
The chronological table of Mayakovsky in the early Moscow period - studies at the gymnasium, fascination with Marxism, entry into the RSDLP (b), arrest:
1906, August– The Mayakovsky family arrives in Moscow, where Vladimir’s elder sister, Lyudmila, is studying.
1906, September - begins to study at the Fifth Classical Gymnasium. Studying unevenly, getting acquainted with students participating in the revolutionary movement. He is fond of reading philosophical books, studying Marxism.
1908 - joins the Russian Social Democratic Party of the Bolsheviks, receives the party nickname "Comrade Konstantin", drops out of school. Suspected of distributing proclamations and subjected to first arrest. Released for lack of evidence.
1909 - Wanting to continue his education, he enters the Stroganov School, but in July he was again arrested on suspicion of organizing the escape of political prisoners. He reads a lot of fiction in the Butyrka prison , including symbolist poets. Tries to write himself.
1910 - The family seeks the release of Vladimir as a minor. He is engaged in painting in preparation for entering the School of Painting, Sculpture and Architecture.
1911-1914. Mayakovsky-futurist
The chronological table of the Mayakovsky period of the beginning of creative activity - acquaintance with D. Burliuk, first speeches and publications, participation in the movement of futurists:
1911, September - Enters the MUZHVIZ. He meets artist and poet David Burliuk and other futurists.
1912 - introduces Burliuk to his poems, he appreciates them very highly. Speaks with the first public reading of his poems in the futuristic cafe "Stray Dog".
1912, December - publishes poems in the almanac "Slap in the face of public taste."
1913, March - the almanac “Trebnik of Three” is published with verses and drawings by Mayakovsky.
1913, May - a lithographic edition of the collection “I” is published
1913, December - participates in collective performances by futurists, the first performance of the Vladimir Mayakovsky tragedy in St. Petersburg took place.
1914, January-March - participates in performances by futurists throughout the country - from Kazan to Tiflis. Expelled from school, one of the reasons is affiliation with futurism.
1914, November - after the start of the war, he is denied the certificate of trust required for volunteer to join the army.
1915-1919. Mayakovsky and the revolution
The chronological table of Mayakovsky’s pre-revolutionary and post-October time is the acquaintance with Gorky, with the Briks, an appeal for military service, participation in revolutionary events, “Windows of GROWTH”:
1915, February - acquaintance with A.M. Bitter.
1915, July - Acquaintance with Lilia Yurievna Brik and her husband.
1915, September - a call for military service. Thanks to the efforts of Gorky, he was identified as a draftsman in the reserve company of the Military Automobile Company in Petrograd - the service takes only part of the day.
1916 - during the year poems “Flute-spine”, “War and Peace”, “Man”, many poems are published.
1917, spring - actively participates in the events of the February Revolution: speaks at rallies, writes appeals, is elected to the Union of Artists of Petrograd.
1917, autumn - after the October Revolution, advocates for the cooperation of artists with the Soviet government.
1918, spring - writes film scripts, acts in films.
1918, November - premiere of the play "Mystery Buff".
1919, October– the beginning of work in Moscow on “ROSTA windows” - until February 1922, 400 posters and 600 texts were created.
1920-1923. Leader of Leftist Art Mayakovsky
The chronological table of life and work of the civil war period is the struggle for new poetry, a new theater, a new movie, the first trips to Europe, the LEF magazine:
1920 - the first public reading of the poem "150,000,000", throughout the year many speeches in debates, with lectures, at rallies.
1921 - production of Mystery Buff by Meyerhold.
1922, May - the first trip abroad - to Riga.
1922, October - output of the collected works.
1922, October - December - a trip to Germany and France, acquaintance with leading artists and writers: Picasso, Leger, Braque, Cocteau, N. Goncharova, M. Larionov and others.
1923, March - the first issue of the LEF magazine was edited by Mayakovsky with the poem "About This", numerous poems and articles on the theme of new art.
1923, October - writes advertising texts for Mosselprom.
1924-1925. Agitation poet
Mayakovsky managed a lot in his life. A chronological table of life and work of the time of active trips around the country and the world - performances around the country, trips to Europe, "discovery of America":
1924, spring - summer - trips with performances to Ukraine, to the Crimea.
1924, autumn-winter - a trip to Paris.
May 1925 - Mayakovsky’s trip to Europe begins, from where he goes by boat to Mexico and the United States.
1925, July-December - meets in New York with D. Burliuk, with whom he travels around America.
1926-1928. Creative maturity
Mayakovsky’s chronological table - briefly about this time we can say that this is a period of vital and creative maturity:
1926, January-February, June-August, October-November - numerous lecture tours around the country, as well as to Poland, Czechoslovakia, Germany, France. Main topics:
- New art.
- How to make poetry.
- My discovery of America.
1927 - the release of the magazine "New LEF".
1928 - a separate edition of the poem "Good."
December 1928 - the play "Bedbug" was completed, work began on the play: Meyerhold's direction, design by Kukryniksy, music by Shostakovich.
1929-1930. Tragedy of care
Chronological table of Mayakovsky’s life in recent years: harsh criticism from opponents, misunderstanding of loved ones, crisis in personal relations:
1929, January - many of the poet's performances are canceled due to a sore throat.
1929, February - the premiere of the performance "Bedbug" at the Meyerhold Theater is mixed: they praise the production and severely criticize the play itself.
1929, May - acquaintance with actress Veronika Polonskaya - the last love of the poet.
1930, February - March - the exhibition “20 Years of Work” is alternately opened in the Moscow Writers Club, in the Leningrad Press House, in the Central House of the Komsomol of Krasnaya Presnya. It is almost ignored by officials and writers.
1930, March - the premiere of "Baths" at the Meyerhold Theater is followed by failure.
1930, April - Mayakovsky’s portrait was cut out from the journal “Press and Revolution”, which was published in the early days of the month and ordered by the leadership to greet him on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his creative activity.
Fateful day
The reasons for the poet's suicide are usually associated with his confused relationship with Lily Brik, who had almost mystical power over him, and with Veronika Polonskaya, who was married, but with whom he wanted to start a normal family life. They mention Tatyana Yakovlev, who lived in Paris and called his true love. The suddenness of the tragic departure gave rise to many versions, including the murder of the poet. Mayakovsky’s chronological table summarizing the last days of the poet’s life:
On April 12, 1930, he writes a famous farewell letter with words about a love boat that crashed into everyday life ...
April 14, 1930:
8.00 - he goes to the telegraph and gives a telegram to T. Yakovleva in Paris: "Mayakovsky shot himself."
8.30 - he calls for Veronika Polonskaya and takes her to his apartment.
9.00 - they arrive at Mayakovsky’s working apartment in Lubyansky passage.
9.30 - the book courier, who brought the poet the books he ordered, accidentally saw the poet kneeling in front of a young woman.
10.45 - Polonskaya leaves the room, saying that she is late for a rehearsal in the theater, promising to return in the evening. On the stairs, she hears a shot ringing out in the room. Returning back, she saw Mayakovsky lying on the floor, with a bloody stain on his shirt near his heart. He died before the arrival of an urgently called ambulance.
Posthumous recognition
This is the biography of Mayakovsky. The chronological table of the memorialization of the poet is also of interest.
The end to the complicated attitude towards Mayakovsky’s personality by the official authorities was laid by Stalin himself, who said in 1935: "Mayakovsky was and remains the best, most talented poet of our Soviet era." Immediately after this, the assignment of the poet's name to the streets in many cities of the Union, libraries, cinemas, etc. In addition, the name Mayakovsky received:
1935 - the former Triumphal Square in Moscow;
1938 - station of the Zamoskvoretskaya line of the Moscow metro;
1946 - a village in the Kaliningrad region;
1954 - Moscow Academic Drama Theater;
1967 - St. Petersburg metro station;
1967 - a small planet.