Alexander Alexandrovich Bestuzhev, son of Alexander Fedoseevich Bestuzhev, who in 1798 published the "Saint Petersburg Journal" together with I. P. Pnin and wrote "An Essay on Military Education for Noble Youth." Alexander was educated at the Mining Corps, served as an adjutant to General Betancourt and the Duke of Württemberg, and later, having attained the rank of staff captain, transferred to the Life Guards Dragoon Regiment.

After participating in the Decembrist conspiracy of 1825, he was exiled to Yakutsk, and in 1829 he was transferred to the Caucasus, where he served as a soldier. For his participation in battles, he received the rank of non-commissioned officer and the Order of St. George, and later became a ensign. He died in battle against the mountaineers at Cape Adler, and his body was never found.

Bestuzhev's literary career began in 1819 when he published his poems and stories in the magazines "Son Otechestva" and "Sorevnovatel Prosveshcheniya." In 1820, he was accepted into the Petersburg Society of Lovers of Russian Literature. In 1821, his book "A Trip to Revel" was published, and in 1823 and 1825, he co-published the almanac "Polar Star" with K. F. Ryleev, which became a significant phenomenon in the literature of that time. Many outstanding writers gathered around the editors, including Pushkin, who maintained an active correspondence with Bestuzhev.

Bestuzhev was a supporter of Romanticism, opposed pseudoclassicism, and advocated for freedom of artistic creativity. He criticized old literary norms and called for independence in choosing themes and methods. His critical articles, while not deep, were vivid and original, sparking lively discussions.

After the December events of 1825, his literary activity was temporarily interrupted. In Yakutsk, he studied foreign languages and local customs, which inspired him to write ethnographic articles about Siberia. In 1828, the first chapter of his poem "Andrei, Prince of Pereyaslavl" was published in Saint Petersburg without his knowledge. In 1829, he was transferred to the Caucasus, where he began writing again. From 1830, his stories and novellas began to appear in magazines under the pseudonym Marlinsky. In 1832, they were published in five volumes under the title "Russian Tales and Stories."

Bestuzhev-Marlinsky quickly became popular among the Russian public; his works were eagerly awaited and memorized. In the 1830s, he was referred to as the "Pushkin of Prose." He was the first in Russian literature to depict the life of Russian society, using vivid and colorful language. His romantic style was a novelty for readers who were not yet familiar with the works of Pushkin and Gogol.

However, with the advent of realism and a journalistic approach to literature, his style began to be perceived critically. Bestuzhev created images of aristocratic heroes who were far removed from real life. Belinsky called his talent superficial, which explained both his rapid success and quick oblivion. Nevertheless, his influence on literature was significant, and his style was reflected in the works of Pushkin and Lermontov.