Leonid Andreyev
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
Related e |
Featured: |
Leonid Nikolaievich Andreyev often also in Latin transcription Andrejew (August 9, 1871-September 12, 1919) was a Russian playwright and short-story writer who led the Expressionist movement in the national literature. He was active between the revolution of 1905 and the Communist revolution which finally overthrew the Tsarist government.
Born in the Oryol province of Russia, Andreyev originally studied law in Moscow and St. Petersburg, but abandoned his unremunerative law practice to pursue a literary career. He became police-court reporter for a Moscow daily, performing the routine of his humble calling without attracting any particular attention. His first story published was About a Poor Student, a narrative based upon his own experiences. It was not, however, until Gorky discovered him by stories appearing in the Moscow Courier and elsewhere that Andreyev's literary career really began.