What associations do you have with the word "bohemian"?It is a way and style of life, or the name of the opera this term can designate a specific group of people?In order to better understand the meaning of the word, you need to start a little dip in the story ...
first was a "gypsy"
First, as usual, was the word and the word was - "gypsy".It sounds like that translation from the French word "boheme".It all began with the fact that in Paris at the beginning of the XV century of Austro-Hungarian town of Bohemia arrived with unprecedented French, free and fun tribe Roma.As the Roma have lived since ancient times?
These were nomadic tribes of the free people, not constrained by the usual for European citizens rigid framework of social principles and rules.On the then Parisian manners and customs of the new residents made a huge impression.In addition, the Roma have been endowed with the ability to various arts: perfectly sang, danced, showed different tricks.In general, bored with them was impossible.
bohemian Parisians called eccentrics, the title area, where they arrived, and since this definition is firmly lodged in the languages of various peoples, indicating a people of a free, nomadic way of life.But modern bohemian - this is not the gypsies.What is the meaning of this word now?
Writer Henri Murger
And then things were this way: in 1851 in France, it came to light a literary work called Henri Murger "Scenes from the Life of Bohemia."And the actors in this book were not Roma, and the young and the poor inhabitants of the Latin Quarter: artists, actors, poets.
This creative young people as not arranged in everyday life, like a tribe of Gypsies, they take the opposite position, and well-fed primitive life of the French bourgeoisie.On the one hand - they are part of the working people, but on the other - still can not be in constant discord with the society of the rich.
Subsequently, based on the writings of Henri Murger Giacomo Puccini wrote the opera "La Boheme", has won huge popularity all over the world.Later the composer Imre Kalman, basing the story "Scenes from the Life of Bohemia", has published operetta "Violet of Montmartre".From now on, the word "bohemian" fundamentally changed.
modern interpretation of the word
But if you talk about the meaning of the word today, the bohemian - this is not the designation of a talented but poor and unrecognized artists rebels.Today, the term is most often made to use when it comes to the most famous, rich and at the same time, extraordinary representatives of various directions of contemporary art.
It is, rather, a kind of elite of our society: well-known fashion designers, singers, film actors, directors, playwrights, painters, writers and poets.Their bohemian lifestyle creates a lot of gossip and serves as a constant replenishment for the most popular and scandalous publications of magazines.
Russian bohemia
And now I would like to talk about the concept of "Russian bohemia".This expression refers to the representatives of creative intelligentsia of Russian Silver Age.Their desire for artistic freedom was a harbinger of the coming revolution.Here are a few names of some of the most prominent representatives of Russian bohemian Sergey Yesenin, Anna Akhmatova, Marina Tsvetaeva, Maximilian Voloshin, Valentin Serov, Konstantin Korovin, Bryusov, Vera Khlebnikov, and so on. D.
In the years before the Revolution they were still veryYoung people seeking to create various creative unions.They searched for new forms of expression and piously believed that the revolution will create a new, free man.Subsequently, all of them had to endure great disappointment, as proved unrealistic illusions.
