Video: The fate of Pushkin's killer: a brilliant political career instead of a pang of conscience
2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55
Duel of Alexander Pushkin and Georges Dantes - a turning point in the development of Russian culture. Mikhail Lermontov compared the killer of the "wondrous genius" and "slave of honor" to a fugitive who was thrown into Russia "to pursue happiness and ranks." But is everything so unambiguous in this story? And how did Dantes' life develop after the fatal duel?.. Historians, literary critics, and culturologists wrote about the events that took place on January 27 (according to the old style) in 1837. On this day, Pushkin and Dantes stood up to the barrier, and two shots were fired. The poet was mortally wounded, and his opponent's arm was shattered. By the decision of the emperor, Dantes and Danzas (Pushkin's second) were sentenced to death for participating in a duel, although later they were pardoned and demoted to the military rank. Dantes was expelled from the country and lost his officer rank.
It would seem that this is the end of the story, but for Georges Dantes it was only the beginning of a prosperous life. No matter how cynical it may sound, but his fate really turned in another (safe) direction after the fatal shot. The loss of an officer's rank did not break Georges's life: after living for several ascetic years in Alsace, he later made a brilliant political career. First, Georges became a deputy, after the mayor of Sulza. Having joined the party of Napoleon III, he rose to the post of senator (Louis Bonaparte did not forget about his loyal assistant, having come to power after the coup).
Dantes was surprisingly calm about the murder of Pushkin, realizing that in Russia he would never have achieved what he was given in France. Lermontov was right that Dantes in a duel "could not spare … our glory, could not understand at this bloody moment, to what he raised his hand!"
The opinions of historians about the reasons for the duel are ambiguous. The official reason was the anonymous libel "Patent for the title of cuckold", received by Pushkin in November 1836. The jealous poet considered that it was about the connection of his wife Natalia with Georges Dantes (secular rumor actively discussed this), and the libel was written by Louis Heckern, Dantes' adoptive father. Although the version was clearly untenable, Pushkin harbored a grudge and, at the first opportunity, challenged the offender to a duel.
It is worth remembering the fact that 17 days before the duel, the wedding of Dantes and Ekaterina Goncharova (sister of Natalia Goncharova) took place. It is generally accepted that Dantes was calculating, and in fact harbored feelings for Natalia Goncharova, and marriage was only a skillful cover for forbidden passion. They also said that the marriage was an attempt to reconcile with Pushkin. On the other hand, Georges' own letters to his wife have survived, in which he wrote: “My heart is full of tenderness and affection for you, dear Katenka …” Whether or not Georges loved his wife is a mystery that is difficult to solve after so many years.
Before the wedding, an attempt was made to reconcile the participants in the conflict, Pushkin even agreed to this, but at the last moment he flared up and insisted on a duel. Nobody knows the true reason that made him shoot, the emperor himself, who considered the case of the duel, concluded that "no one comprehends the reason for it."
As already mentioned, a peaceful life in France developed brilliantly for Georges Dantes. He quickly made a political career. Interestingly, until the end of his days, Dantes remained faithful to Catherine. His wife died at the age of 31, shortly after the birth of his fourth child, but the widower never married again, raised his children, rejoiced in his grandchildren, and lived to be 83 years old.
Payback for the murder of Pushkin overtook Dantes unexpectedly: one of his daughters was fond of the work of the Russian genius and went to the point of insanity when she learned that her own father had become the poet's killer. The girl cursed him to death for this.
The duel between Pushkin and Dantes went down in history as one of the most famous Russian duels … For those who are not yet afraid to throw the glove to their opponent, read our review.
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