This slender and beautiful young lady with black curls of thick hair won the heart of Pushkin himself, who considered her his muse in poetry. The writer Nikolai Nekrasov immortalized her image in the immortal poem Russian Women. It is in this work that he describes in detail the character of the wife of the Decembrist, who goes to desperate self-sacrifice in order to save the family. Maria Raevskaya, a noblewoman by birth, dared to share the difficult fate of her husband and went after him to Siberian exile. Of course, her act should be regarded as a feat that only a select few could accomplish. And though she did not feel deep feelings for Prince Volkonsky, but Maria Raevskaya fulfilled her duty to him. What is known about the biography of the noblewoman? Let's consider this question in more detail.
Years of childhood and youth
Volkonskaya Maria Nikolaevna (nee Raevskaya) was born on January 6, 1806 on the estate of Voronka in the Chernigov province. Her father (Nikolai Nikolaevich) was a distinguished officer who participated in the most important military campaigns of the late 18th - early 19th centuries.
Mother (Sofya Alekseevna) was related to the scientist Mikhail Lomonosov. Parents did everything necessary so that Maria Raevskaya received worthy upbringing and education within the walls of the estate. The family, often visited in Kiev and St. Petersburg, had close ties with educated and intelligent people. In her youth, Maria learned to play music on the piano well and perfectly mastered several foreign languages, she loved to read books from her home library. In front of her father and mother, Masha turned into a slender and beautiful young lady with a smooth and slightly arrogant gait. No wonder that the fifteen-year-old Maria Raevskaya made the heart of the great poet irregularly beat. He literally began to idolize her.
Volkonsky and Pushkin
A lot has been written about the friendship of Alexander Sergeyevich with Raevsky. But when he met them - it is still not known for certain. He dedicated the best poems to the members of this family, not hiding the fact that he was proud of his friendship with them. The poet in a poem dedicated to V. Davydov reverently calls the family of the Russian officer "My Raevskys ...". Moreover, he addressed a lot of letters to the Voronka estate. Pushkin veiledly mentions the family in his poems. Some images from the immortal poem “Eugene Onegin” are directly copied from the Raevsky sisters.
Alexander Sergeyevich, communicating with the family of the participant of the Borodino battle, wanted to know the philosophy and deep secrets of the Russian intelligentsia of the 19th century. The poet traveled a lot with the Raevskys, having visited the Crimea, the Caucasus, and southern Russia.
The daughter of a distinguished officer and a great poet
It is now clear that Maria Raevskaya in the life of Pushkin appeared by chance.
Back in 1820 the poet went on a trip with the Raevskys to the Caucasus. She was 15 years old, he was 21. Maria Nikolaevna recalled how, traveling in a carriage with her sister, governess and Pushkin, they stopped in order to enjoy the sea. The young lady wanted to get closer to the water, and young Alexander, foreseeing her desire, followed her. The poet subsequently describes his sensual impulse in the first chapter of Eugene Onegin:
“... I remember the sea before the storm:
How I envied the waves
Running stormy succession
Lie down at her feet with love! ”
This is just one of the many fragments that indicate that Maria Raevskaya really played the first violin in Pushkin’s work ...
Unforgettable trip
And then there was a romantic trip to Gurzuf. The poet and the Raevsky family stayed at the magnificent estate of the Duke of Richelieu.
The picturesque nature - mountains, sea, green gardens - disposed to romance, and, of course, Alexander Sergeyevich began to show interest in Maria Nikolaevna. But not to her alone. Her sisters also fascinated Pushkin with youth and beauty. Especially the eldest daughter of Nikolai Nikolayevich, who was naturally a modest and serious young lady. The days spent with the Raevsky family in Gurzuf were the happiest in the life of the great poet. He enjoyed reading poetry to the daughters of the general, discussing the works of Byron and Voltaire with them.
Did not work out…
But did Pushkin and Maria Raevskaya get closer to each other? The love story of this couple, of course, interested everyone who admired the poet's talent. However, apart from friendship, strong and deep feelings for Alexander Sergeyevich, the future wife of the Decembrist did not experience. Moreover, Maria noticed that the young Alexander was also partial to her sisters. But they also did not take the poet seriously. But Pushkin's verses for Maria Raevskaya meant a lot. She was delighted with how Alexander masterfully mastered rhyme and the ability to express feelings and emotions on paper. Nevertheless, the fascination with young Masha gradually grew into true love. And Pushkin, being shy with the object of his passion, perhaps in the end dared to say about his feeling, but he did not achieve reciprocity. Subsequently, Alexander Sergeevich seriously experienced unrequited love, which, of course, was reflected in his work.
What is the “Bakhchisaray Fountain” alone, which, according to Gustav Olizare, has become a vivid dedication to Maria Nikolaevna. Pushkin continued to communicate with his muse in the city on the Neva and Moscow.
Nevertheless, according to some experts, there was a period when Raevskaya was not indifferent to the author of Eugene Onegin. We are talking about the first half of the 20s, when Maria Nikolaevna and Alexander Sergeyevich held a meeting in Odessa. Shortly before this, the girl addressed Pushkin a letter in which she admitted that she badly lacked his company. However, at that time Pushkin had already cooled somewhat to his muse and decided to tell her about it in person. He did so. After that, Maria Raevskaya, whose biography contains many interesting and noteworthy facts, hastened to leave Odessa to Kiev.
The last time the poet saw his muse in the winter of 1826, shortly before her departure to exile. One way or another, but Maria Raevskaya left a big mark in Pushkin’s life.
Failed husband
However, in an effort to win the attention of young Masha, Alexander Sergeyevich once had a competitor. We are talking about the Polish count Gustav Olizar, who, like Pushkin, was engaged in poetry. The nobleman was also struck by the appearance of Maria Nikolaevna. In 1824, he even embraced a young lady, but Nikolai Nikolaevich opposed this idea, because he was greatly embarrassed by the Polish roots of a potential son-in-law.
And subsequently, Pushkin repeatedly met with his counterpart and talked with him on literary topics. Is it any different, but the general Raevsky’s daughter didn’t have any love for Pole Olizar either, and he was very upset about this. Maria Nikolaevna did not want to connect her fate with the “straightforward” gentry, because the differences in Russian and Polish lifestyles seemed too deep to her.
Prince
After some time, fate will bring Mary Raevskaya with thirty-six-year-old Prince Sergei Volkonsky, who belonged to a noble family. In his youth, he served as a lieutenant of the Life Guards Cavalry Guard regiment. Having gained experience in military affairs, Volkonsky showed himself well in the battles of 1806-1807. Then he participated in the First World War and foreign campaigns. Having reached the rank of general, Volkonsky returned to his homeland. In the early 1920s, the prince was given command of an entire infantry division. Any military officer could envy his military career. The only incident that haunted Sergei Grigorievich was that he led a bachelor life, although he was already over thirty. He, like many representatives of the Russian elite, regularly visited Masonic lodges.
The prince had membership in the Southern Society and often visited the city on the Neva for negotiations. And with his associates, he discussed the idea of destroying monarchs and establishing a republican form of government in the country.
Marriage
In 1824, Sergey Grigoryevich hurried to Kiev "on a very important matter." He intended to make an offer to Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya and hoped that her father would bless their union. The prince knew perfectly well the family of General Raevsky and was happy to stay at their estate, sometimes arranging “magnetic sessions”, which were actually ordinary meetings with members of the Masonic lodge. He asked his comrade-in-arms Orlov to pat him in front of Nikolai Nikolaevich and find out if he agreed to give Maria Nikolaevna to marry. And Prince Raevsky eventually lost, because the financial situation of his family was seriously shaken, and Volkonsky was a wealthy man. And although Maria Nikolaevna did not feel anything for Sergey Grigoryevich, she decided to submit to the will of her father. For the sake of the interests of her own family, she sacrificed herself. And after a meeting with Pushkin in Odessa, life for her to some extent lost its meaning.
Some time after marriage, Volkonskaya Maria Nikolaevna became ill, and in order to restore her health, she had to leave for Odessa. The prince could not accompany her because of the service. Yes, and spiritual closeness between Sergei Grigorievich and daughter Raevsky did not arise. He could not take care of her even at that moment when the princess became pregnant. The birth was difficult and negatively affected the health of Maria Nikolaevna.
A sharp twist of fate
And then she found out about the arrest of her husband. The conspirators suffered a harsh fate: the emperor ordered them to be exiled to Siberia. Sergey Volkonsky received 20 years of hard labor. Maria decided not to leave her husband and go after him.
However, her parents were very critical of her undertaking. But Volkonskaya Maria Nikolaevna (the wife of the Decembrist), who inherited the character of her father, showed integrity and ignored the views of her relatives. She visited the Blagodatsky mine, and the Petrovsky plant, and in Chita. The daughter of General Raevsky shared with her husband all the hardships of exiled life. Truly severe and difficult tests suffered Volkonskaya Maria. The children of the princess died: first, Nicholas, left in the care of relatives, and two years later, daughter Sofia, born in exile. In the fall of 1829, General Nikolai Nikolaevich Raevsky died.
In Irkutsk, Maria lived in the house of the mayor. In the second half of the 30s, Princess Maria Nikolaevna Volkonskaya with her husband and children moved to a settlement in the village of Urik, located near Irkutsk.
Long-awaited freedom
Only in 1856 Volkonsky was allowed under an amnesty to return to his homeland. By then, the health of Maria Nikolaevna was seriously undermined. After arriving from Siberia, she began to write autobiographical memoirs. Her Notes are reprinted many times.
Death
The Princess died on August 10, 1863. Doctors diagnosed her with heart disease. They buried Maria Nikolaevna in the native village of Voronki, Chernihiv province.