Sergey Esenin is one of the most popular and well-known Russian poets of the 20th century. Beginning from the early writings, he expressed feelings of patriotism and love to Russian nature.
Background
He was married 4 times during his life, and also had mistresses who inspired him to write. Many of his poems are dedicated to his women.
The last two years of Yesenin's life he created some of his most famous poems. But he also suffered from alcoholism, experienced a mental breakdown and was hospitalised for a month. Two days after his release, he cut his wrist, wrote a farewell poem in his own blood and hanged himself from the heating pipes on the ceiling of his room in the Hotel Angleterre. He was 30 years old.
Education
In 1909 he graduated with honors from a four year Konstantinovo college and continued his education in Spas-Klepiki teaching school after which he was “a teacher of grammar school”.
Career
He began to write poetry at the age of nine. In 1912, Esenin moved to Moscow, where he supported himself working as a proofreader in a printing company. His early poetry was inspired by Russian folklore. In 1915, he moved to St. Petersburg, where he became well known in literature circles.
Although he was one of Russia's most popular poets and had been given an elaborate funeral by the State, most of his writings were banned by the Kremlin during the reigns of Joseph Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev. Nikolai Bukharin's criticism of Yesenin contributed significantly to the banning. Only in 1966 most of his works were republished. Today Yesenin's poems are taught to Russian schoolchildren; many have been set to music and recorded as popular songs. The early death, unsympathetic views by some of the literary elite, adoration by ordinary people, and sensational behavior, all contributed to the enduring and near mythical popular image of the Russian poet.
During the short term of his life, Yesenin had already published many books - collections of his poetry. They were recompiled in various ways after the death of the poet, and are included into collections of the best poetry by Russian authors.
Politics
Attitude of the poet towards the Soviet Power was negative. It can be proved by the fact, that he was tried more than times because of his unrestrained critical sayings about the Soviet Government.