Fyodor Sologub (1863, 1927) was an outstanding Russian poet, writer, playwright, and publicist, one of the bright representatives of the Silver Age and a continuer of the traditions of Russian symbolism. His life and work had a significant impact on the development of Russian literature at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

The poet's real name was Fyodor Kuzmich Teternikov. He was born on February 17 (March 1) 1863 in St. Petersburg to a tailor's family. When he was only four years old, his father died, and his mother was left alone with two children, Fyodor and his younger sister Olya.

To provide for the family, Fyodor's mother took a job as a servant in a wealthy house of St. Petersburg nobles. The owners treated the children kindly and often gave Fyodor books, which he read with pleasure. However, his mother's harsh upbringing left a mark on his character, which later reflected in his work.

In 1879, Fyodor entered the St. Petersburg Teacher's Institute, where he studied and lived on full board for four years. After graduating from the institute in 1882, he moved with his mother and sister to the northern village of Kresttsy in the Novgorod province, where he worked as a teacher for three years.

Fyodor and his family wandered through the provinces, often changing their place of residence and work. Life in these places was hard, and the educated young man suffered from loneliness and despair.

After ten years, Fyodor was appointed a teacher at the Christmas City School and happily returned to St. Petersburg. He began writing poetry at the age of 12 and realized that poetry would become the main pursuit of his life.

The move to St. Petersburg was a turning point in his fate. Here he met Nikolai Minsky, a representative of mystical symbolism, and began publishing his works in the magazine "Northern Herald," taking the pseudonym Sologub. His first published work was the poem "Creativity."

In 1896, three books by Sologub were released: "Poems, Book One," a collection of stories, and the novel "Heavy Dreams." In 1904, he published the Third and Fourth Books of Poems, written during a difficult period of his creativity.

Three years later, Sologub published the novel "The Little Demon," which shocked society and became one of the most famous works of Russian literature.

Sologub was married to Anastasia Chebotarevskaya, who was also involved in literature and translations. Their marriage lasted 19 years, until the tragic death of Anastasia, caused by the exacerbation of a mental illness.

The death of his wife was a heavy blow for Fyodor, and he remained lonely for the rest of his life. Fyodor Sologub died on December 5, 1927, from myocarditis complicated by atherosclerosis and pneumonia.