Alexander Alexandrovich Blok (1880-1921) was a seminal figure in Russian Symbolism and a profound influence on Russian poetry. Born in Saint Petersburg into an intellectual family, his father was a law professor, and his maternal grandfather was a renowned botanist and rector of Saint Petersburg State University. After his parents separated, Blok spent his childhood with his maternal grandfather, which exposed him to various intellectual and cultural influences.

Blok was educated at the Vvedenskaya Gymnasium and later attended the University of Saint Petersburg, where he studied law before shifting to the History and Philosophy Department. His literary career began in earnest at the age of 17, and by 1903, his poems were being published. That same year, he married Lyubov Mendeleeva, daughter of the famous chemist Dmitri Mendeleev, to whom he dedicated the poetry cycle "Verses on a Beautiful Lady" (1904).

Blok's work often reflected his philosophical and spiritual explorations, influenced by Vladimir Solovyov and other Russian thinkers. His early poetry was marked by a mystical and symbolic style, while his later works, such as "The Twelve" (1918), engaged with political themes and the tumultuous events of his time, including the Russian Revolution, which he supported.

Throughout his life, Blok wrote several plays and poems that explored themes of Russian identity, history, and the human condition. Despite facing personal challenges, including a difficult marriage and health issues, Blok remained a prominent literary figure until his death in 1921 in Petrograd, Russian SFSR. His legacy endures as one of the most influential poets of the Russian Silver Age.