Literary relations between S.M. Gorodetsky and N.S. Gumilev in the aspect of acmeism development (based on the material of magazine and newspaper journalism of 1911-1914)

The article examines the development of literary and personal relations between S.M. Gorodetsky and N.S. Gumilev in times of the foundation of the “Guild of Poets” and the emergence of Acmeism theory, as well as in the first years of of this poetic movement. The material of critical and literary articles and correspondence of the two poets demonstrates their desire not only to establish the principles of a new literary school even before its proclamation in the press, but also to theoretically justify the appearance of Acmeism in the modern literary process. A comparison of the reviews of the “Anthology” (1911) by “Musaget” publishing house, in which both poets took part, suggests that Gorodetsky was more interested in strengthening relations with Gumilev than his future ally, Gorodetsky highlights the artistic value of Gumilev’s “Abyssinian Songs”, while he himself does not receive high praise from their author. In the reviews of the books of poems “Willow” (1912) and “Alien Sky” (1912), both poets put emphasis upon a synthetic nature of Acmeism, accumulating the achievements of previous trends, as well as its status as a literary school that opposes symbolism. The analysis of the one-day correspondence between Gorodetsky and Gumilev in April 1914 enables us to conclude that it was the presence of two leaders with different aesthetic and philosophical views in Acmeism that caused the conflict between them. The author puts forward an assumption that Gorodetsky’s accusations are based on an incorrect understanding of the words of Gumilev, who continued to consider Acmeism a school with its own poetics and artistic worldview.