Andrey
Bely was born in Moscow, on 14th October, 1880. The son of a mathematics
professor, Bely studied philosophy at the University of Moscow.
While a
student Bely began writing poetry. His first major work was The
Northern Symphony (1901). This was followed by Gold
in Azure (1904), Ashes
(1909), Urna (1909), a novel,
The Silver Dove (1910) and Peterburg
(1913).
Bely's
poetry, with its "intricate musical system of inter-woven themes
and motifs," was considered very difficult and was unpopular
with the general public. After the October
Revolution Bely was attacked by supporters of Socialist
Realism as producing "decadent poetry".
As well
as his poetry Bely wrote a series of experimental novels such as The
Memoirs of a Crank (1923),
Moscow (1926) and Masks
(1930). He also wrote four volumes of memoirs: Recollections
of Alexander Blok (1922),
On the Border of Two Centuries
(1929), The Beginning of a Century
(1932) and Between Two Revolutions
(1933). Andrey Bely died in Moscow on 7th January, 1934.
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