Evdokiya Petrovna Rostopchina was one of the early Russian women poets.
Background
Evdokiya Petrovna Rostopchina was born on December 23, 1811 in Moscow, Russian Federation. After losing her mother at the age of six, Evdokiya Sushkova grew up in Moscow in the family of her maternal grandfather, Ivan Alexandrovich Pashkov.
Education
The young girl was very fond of reading and quickly learned German, French, Italian and English. She was given home education.
Career
In 1831 her friend Pyotr Vyazemsky published her first poem, "Talisman", in his almanac "Severnye Tsvety" (Northern Flowers). In 1836 the family moved to Petersburg, where the countess was well received in the high intellectual society of the capital. Her literary work was supported by such poets as Lermontov, Pushkin, Zhukovsky. Ogarev, Mey, and Tyutchev devoted their poems to her. Her popular literary salon hosted such famous guests of its literary salon were Vyazemsky, Gogol, Myatlev, Pletnev, and others.
Poems about the unrequited love comprised a large part of her poetry. In 1839 she published a book "Descriptions of High Society", which was ignored both by the readers and by critics. Although Evdokiya Petrovna also wrote prose and comedy, these works did not enjoy any particular success.
During her trip abroad in 1845 the poet wrote an allegorical ballad named "Forced Marriage" (Russian: Насильный брак), in which she condemned Russia's relationship with Poland. On the orders of enraged Nicholas I, Rostopchina was forbidden to appear in the capital; and till the death of the tsar Evdokiya Petrovna lived in Moscow. She continued to write poems, plays, and translations, but public interest in her work already decreased.
In the last years of her life, Evdokiya Petrovna ridiculed various literary movements in Russia; as the result, she found herself in complete isolation. Almost forgotten by the public and succumbing after two years of sickness, Evdokiya Petrovna died on December 3, 1858.
In 1833 Evdokiya Petrovna married count Andrey Fedorovich Rostopchin, a rich son of the former Moscow commander-in-chief, Fyodor Rostopchin. In September 25, 1838 Evdokia Petrovna gave birth to the daughter Lydia.