Joseph Brodsky
Russian and American poet and essayist, Nobel laureate and United States Poet Laureate.
Last updated
Iosif Aleksandrovich Brodsky (24 May 1940 – 28 January 1996), anglicized as Joseph, was a Russian and American poet and essayist. Born in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) in the Soviet Union, Brodsky ran afoul of Soviet authorities and was expelled from the Soviet Union in 1972, settling in the United States with the help of W. H. Auden and other supporters.
He taught thereafter at Mount Holyoke College, and at universities including Yale, Columbia, Cambridge, and Michigan. Brodsky was awarded the 1987 Nobel Prize in Literature. He was appointed United States Poet Laureate in 1991.
Early years
Brodsky was born into a Russian Jewish family in Leningrad, descending from an ancient rabbinic line. His father was a Soviet Navy photographer, his mother an interpreter; they lived in poverty in communal apartments, marginalized for their Jewish identity. He survived the Siege of Leningrad, nearly starving, and later developed related health problems. He left school at fifteen, working as a milling machine operator, then in a prison morgue, and later on geological expeditions.
Early career
Through self-education, he learned Polish and English to translate poets like Czesław Miłosz and John Donne, and developed deep interests in philosophy, religion, and mythology. He began writing poetry in 1955, circulating it secretly; his work was apolitical. He met Anna Akhmatova in 1960, who became his mentor. In 1962, she introduced him to the artist Marina Basmanova, to whom he dedicated much love poetry.
His poetry was denounced in 1963, leading to his persecution. Following his exile, Brodsky stated he considered himself a Christian, though he acknowledged his Jewish ancestry. Scholars have since canonized his work, with figures like Andrey Ranchin calling him the only modern Russian poet whose body of work is considered a classic. Daniel Murphy ranks him among the most influential Christian poets of the 20th century, alongside T. S. Eliot and Akhmatova.
Lore & Background
Brodsky was born into a Russian Jewish family in Leningrad. His father, Aleksandr Brodsky, was a professional photographer in the Soviet Navy, and his mother, Maria Volpert Brodskaya, was a professional interpreter. In early childhood, Brodsky survived the Siege of Leningrad.
At fifteen, Brodsky left school and worked as a milling machine operator, later at a morgue, in hospitals, in a ship's boiler room, and on geological expeditions. He engaged in a program of self-education, learning Polish and English. In 1955, he began writing poetry and producing literary translations. In 1960, he met Anna Akhmatova, who became his mentor.
In 1963, his poetry was denounced, and he was arrested and charged with social parasitism in 1964, sentenced to five years hard labor, serving 18 months in the village of Norenskaya. His sentence was commuted in 1965 after protests. His son, Andrei, was born on 8 October 1967.
Reader's Guide
Brodsky's writings were apolitical. He is considered by some a Christian poet. According to Professor Andrey Ranchin, Brodsky is the only modern Russian poet whose body of work has been awarded the honorary title of a canonized classic. Daniel Murphy includes Brodsky among the most influential Christian poets of the 20th century.
Irene Steckler was the first to state that Brodsky was 'unquestionably a Christian poet'. Brodsky himself said in an interview in July 1972: 'While I am related to the Old Testament perhaps by ancestry, and certainly the spirit of justice, I consider myself a Christian. Not a good one but I try to be.' Viktor Krivulin said that 'Brodsky always felt his Jewishness as a religious thing, despite the fact that, when all is said and done, he's a Christian poet.'
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Brodsky expelled from the Soviet Union?
Soviet authorities considered his poetry ideologically unacceptable and forced him out of the country in 1972. International literary figures, notably W. H. Auden, rallied to his cause and helped him rebuild his life in the United States.
What major honors did Brodsky receive?
He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1987 and appointed United States Poet Laureate the following cycle, in 1991. Together these honors cement his standing as one of the defining poets of the late twentieth century.
How did Brodsky come to live in America?
After his 1972 deportation, the American literary community—led by supporters like Auden—gave him a foothold in the United States. He eventually became a U.S. citizen and a central voice in American letters.
More in Writers & Poets
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Joseph Brodsky (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced