Golden Age of Russian Literature Research Guide: Writers

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a playwright and short story writer, often considered as one of the influential figures into modernism. The narrative principle "Chekhov's gun" was coined from the mention of the principle in his letters.

Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky was a writer and journalist, whose many works are considered influential in the scope of world literature. He was associated with the Petrashevky Circle, a Russian literary discussion group, for which he spent time in a Siberian prison camp and military service in exile.

Nikolai Vasilyevich Gogol (Ukrainian: Mykola Hohol (Микола Гоголь)) was a Russian writer of Ukrainian origin, best known for his grotesque proto-surrealist works, as well as his humorist and dramatist direction. He also assisted Pushkin with the magazine Sovremennik by contributing works for publication.

Ivan Aleksandrovich Goncharov was a writer, critic, and government official. During his time as a government official, he accepted a position in Saint Petersburg's censorship committee, for which he helped the publication of other writers, including Turgenev and Dostoevsky, until he was reprimanded, and later quit.

Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov was a writer and painter, considered one of the most influential figures in Russian Romantic poetry. He wrote his most famous work, "A Hero of Our Time," in exile due to the controversy surrounding his poem "Death of the Poet," which was written in reaction to Pushkin's death.

Nikolai Semyonovich Leskov was a writer and journalist, best known for his comprehensive portrayal of the contemporary Russian society. His works faced multiple censorship throughout his career. He also wrote under the pseudonym M. Stebnitky.

Alexander Nikolayevich Ostrovsky was a playwright from the realistic period. He wrote a total of 47 original plays, and many considered him the best representative of the Russian realistic period. He was also the co-founder of Society of Russian Dramatists and Opera Composers, which helped playwrights and composers deal with legal and financial issues.

Mikhail Yevgrafovich Saltykov, also known by nom-de-plum Nikolai Shchedrin, was a writer and satirist. He was editor of the literary magazine Otechestvennye Zapiski until its ban in 1884. The magazine featured works of major writers including Dostoevsky, Goncharov, Tolstoy, and Saltykov himself.

Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy was a writer known for his realist novels, which are considered the pinnacle of realism, and his non-fiction work. His thinking and ideas on nonviolent resistance had a profound impact on 20th-century activism through pivotal figures, including Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.

Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev was a Russian writer and translator, credited with the popularization of Russian literature in the West. He spent most of his time in self-exile in Western Europe as a response to the political climate for writers under Tsar Nicholas I.