Anna Akhmatova 1889–1966
Beloved Russian Poet
As a young girl growing up in the Ukraine in Russia, Anna Akhmatova (ak MAH toh vuh) wrote her first poem when she was only 11 years old. One of her poems was printed in a magazine when she was 18.
Akhmatova developed a style of writing that was different from that of other Russian poets. She used clear, direct words and imagery. Her first book of poems, Evening, made her extremely popular before she turned 30. In addition to her popularity, many of Russia's most respected poets admired Akhmatova's talent.
After Russia became a communist country, the government did not allow her to write. She secretly ignored their orders. Sometimes she asked her friends to memorize her poems. Then Akhmatova would burn the paper on which she had written the poem.
During the communist era, Akhmatova lost both friends and family to labor camps and political jail sentences. In the 1930s, she composed a long poem called Requiem, which was dedicated to the Russians who had died under Stalin's rule. For the next 35 years, Akhmatova's writing was repressed by the communist government. When she passed away, Russia lost a great literary figure who understood the suffering her fellow citizens had endured.
Critical Thinking
In what way did communism affect Akhmatova's life?