A room without books is like a body without a soul. - Cicero

Vladimir Sergeevich Soloviev

(1853 -1900)

Vladimir Sergeevich Soloviev was a poet, philosopher, and the son of famous Russian historian Sergey Mikhailovich Soloviev. Vladimir Soloviev's work had a very strong influence on the formation of Mladosymbolist philosophy, and helped define the poetic style of A. Beliy and A. Blok's first books.

The wise goddess Sofia was at the foundation of Soloviev's philosophy. In the poem "Three Meetings," which came to be quoted so often by Symbolist poets, Soloviev asserts the divine unity of the universe. He also developed a study of universal theocracy and explores the possibility of a society built on spiritual principles.

The real-world development of Russia soon caused Soloviev to contemplate new ideas, such as the end of world history, the last period of world history, and the final struggle between Christ and the Antichrist. ("Three Conversations"). According to Soloviev, the highest aim of art is to form in reality the order inherent in the embodiment of "absolute beauty, or the creation of the universal spiritual body".

Soloviev's verse contains nothing psychologicaly concrete, and is full with hazy, fleeting impressions.

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Apukhtin A. N.
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Polonsky Y.
Pushkin A.
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