The article talks about short biography Kuprin - a famous Russian writer, a recognized master of prose.
Biography of Kuprin: early years
Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin was born in 1870 in a small provincial town. His father was a hereditary nobleman, which should have foreshadowed successful life. But soon after Sasha’s birth, her father died, and her mother, in search of a livelihood, moved with her children to Moscow, where, after much begging and humiliation, she was able to settle down in a special institution - a widow’s house. Sasha learned to read in early childhood and devoted all his free time to this activity.
The boy was early placed in a boarding school, then in a cadet corps and a cadet school. Thus, Kuprin practically did not experience the joys of home and normal life. family life. Childhood years left an imprint on the formation of the personality of the writer, who acutely felt the suffering and humiliation of ordinary people.
The years spent in the corps and school were of particular importance for Kuprin. An atmosphere of isolation and strict military discipline reigned in these institutions. All the time the pupils were subject to a strict routine, severe punishment was imposed for the slightest violation. Kuprin recalled with particular pain how he was flogged for a minor offense.
At the school, Kuprin wrote his first story, “The Last Debut.” Its publication became the reason for placing the cadet in a punishment cell.
After graduating from college, the future writer served for four years in the regiment. During this time, he studied everyday life in detail royal officers, its insignificance and dirt. The proclaimed highest ideals turned out to be an illusion; rudeness and all kinds of vices flourished in the army. Kuprin's impressions from army service formed the basis of many subsequent works. The most famous and striking of them is the story “The Duel” (1905), where the morals and behavior of officers tsarist army subjected to severe criticism.
After leaving service, Kuprin decides to devote his life to the profession of a writer. At first, this occupation did not generate income, and the writer changed an incredible number of professions, from actor to pilot, trying his hand at a wide variety of activities. In addition, this gave the writer a wealth of experience in observing various situations and human characters.
Biography of Kuprin: the flowering of creativity
90s turned out to be the most fruitful in the writer’s work. At this time he wrote one of his most famous works - the story "Moloch". In the story, Kuprin portrayed with particular force the depravity and deceit of the new society, whose members are concerned only with personal gain and strive to achieve this by any means. A person’s personal feelings will be trampled if they stand in the way of such aspirations. A special place in the story is occupied by the image of the plant - “Moloch”, an all-crushing force that personifies the complete submission and insignificance of an ordinary person.
In the 90s Kuprin meets outstanding Russian writers who highly appreciated his work. The publication of the stories "The Duel", "The Pit" and others brought the writer nationwide fame. His work becomes one of the main and inseparable parts of Russian realism.
In his work, Kuprin paid great attention to children, especially those who had a difficult childhood, similar to the fate of the writer. They wrote several wonderful stories about children based on the stories of real people.
Kuprin reacted sharply negatively to October revolution and in 1920 he left for France. The writer practically did not work abroad creative activity. He, like many emigrants, was drawn to his homeland, but there was a danger of being subjected to political repression.
Kuprin for a long time lived abroad, but in the end, love for Russia overpowered the possible risk in the writer’s soul. In 1937, at the height of Stalin's purges, he returned to his homeland, dreaming of writing many more works.
The dream was not destined to come true; the writer’s strength was already significantly undermined. Kuprin died in 1938, leaving behind a huge literary legacy. The writer’s work is included in the golden fund of Russian literature. He is one of the greatest realist writers.
Alexander Kuprin is a great Russian writer who left a rich legacy of works to humanity. Observant, subtle and sensitive by nature, Alexander Ivanovich reflected in his works the life and morality of that time.
He was born on August 26 (September 7), 1870 in the family of a minor official in the small town of Narovchat, which is located in the Penza province. His father died a year after Alexander was born. Three children remained in the arms of mother Lyubov Alekseevna - older sisters and Sasha himself. The girls are sent to a boarding school, and Lyubov Alekseevna leaves with her son for Moscow.
It is worth noting that the writer’s mother is a native ancient family Tatar princes Kulanchakovs. She has a strong character, stubborn, she loves her children very much. Life in Moscow was hard, miserable, and the mother enrolled her six-year-old son in the Moscow Razumovsky boarding school (1876). It was not easy for Alexander, the boy was sad and homesick, and even thought about escaping. He read a lot, knew how to invent stories, and was popular for this. Alexander composed his first creation, a poem, at the age of seven.
Gradually life got better, and Kuprin decided to become a military man. After graduating from the boarding school in 1880, he immediately entered the Second Moscow Military Academy. Eight years later he studies at the Moscow Alexander Military School. The years of study were not in vain for Alexander Ivanovich; later he would write and expose them in his works. There will be a lot of thoughts about honor, uniform, courage, the characters of the heroes, as well as about corruption.
He continued to read and study literature, and in 1889 his first story, “The First Debut,” was published. In 1890, after completing his studies, Kuprin entered service in an infantry regiment as a second lieutenant. Its new location is Podolsk province. Four years later, Alexander Ivanovich retired. Having no specialty, Kuprin tries himself in various fields activities.
This person, greedy for impressions, takes on any job, he is not afraid of anything, everything is interesting to him. His character is explosive, but he is ready for an adventure. It was important for him to communicate with people, to get used to their atmosphere of life, to capture the feelings, character and subtleties of each person. Then Kuprin will skillfully reflect his observations in his works.
Soon he meets, and. Publications in Moscow and St. Petersburg begin to publish his works, notes, and essays. In 1901, Alexander Kuprin married Maria Davydova, and a year later their daughter Lida was born. In 1905, the story “The Duel” was published. In addition to the army impressions set out in his works, Kuprin writes about love, about animals (“White Poodle” 1902), becomes popular, and is published a lot. In 1907, after a divorce from his first wife, Alexander Kuprin remarried Elizaveta Heinrich. Daughter Ksenia is born.
Alexander Ivanovich served in Finland in 1914, but was discharged due to health reasons. (1914-1918), then he and his wife Elizaveta and daughter Ksenia set up an infirmary at home. They provided assistance to wounded soldiers. Kuprin perceived the revolution negatively. He was on the side of the white movement, although at first he tried to cooperate with the Bolsheviks. Like many others creative personalities, Kuprin and his family leave Russia, they go to France. Alexander Ivanovich continues to create, but not so productively; he misses his homeland. Actively participates in the anti-Bolshevik press.
In the spring of 1937, the writer and his family returned to their homeland. He was greeted warmly and cordially. Unfortunately, the writer was seriously ill and died a year later. He died on August 25, 1938 in the city of Leningrad. Most popular works Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin:
"Duel", " Garnet bracelet", "Olesya", "Pit".
1. Years of study.
2. Resignation, beginning literary activity.
3. Emigration and return to homeland.
A. I. Kuprin was born in 1870 in county town Narovchat of the Penza province in the family of a minor official, secretary of the world congress. His father Ivan Ivanovich Kuprin died of cholera in August 1871. Almost three years later, the widow Lyubov Alekseevna moved with three children to Moscow, sent her daughters to closed educational establishments, Alexander lived with his mother until he was six years old in the Kudrinsky widow's house. For the next four years, Kuprin studied at the Razumovsky orphanage, where in 1877 he began writing poetry. The story “Brave Fugitives” (1917) is about this period of his life.
After graduating from the boarding school, he enters the Moscow Military Gymnasium (cadet corps). He studies in cadet corps eight years, there he writes lyrical and comic poems, translates from French and German. This period of life is reflected in the story “At the Turning Point” (“Cadets”) (1900). Enters the Alexander Military School, graduating as a second lieutenant in 1890. In 1889, the magazine “Russian Satirical List” published Kuprin’s first story, “The Last Debut.” The author considered the story a failure. For the publication, Kuprin received two days in a punishment cell - the cadets were forbidden to speak in the press. This is described in the novel “Junker” (1928-1932) and in the story “Printing Ink” (1929).
Service in the Dnieper infantry regiment in 1890-1894 was Kuprin’s preparation for a military career, but due to his violent temper when drunk, he was not accepted into the General Staff Academy (the strongman Kuprin threw a policeman into the water).
The lieutenant resigned. His life was stormy, he had the opportunity to try himself in the most different areas, from wanderer to mover and dentist. He was an inveterate adventurer and explorer - he went underwater as a diver, flew an airplane, and created an athletic society. He based many of his life experiences as the basis for his works. The years of service were reflected in the military stories “Inquiry” (1894), “The Lilac Bush” (1894), “Night Shift” (1899), “Hike” (1901), “Overnight” (1895), in the story “Duel” (1904 -1905), the story “The Wedding” (1908).
In 1892, Kuprin began work on the story “In the Dark.” In 1893, the manuscript was transferred to the editors of “Russian Wealth,” an almanac published by V. G. Korolenko, N. K. Mikhailovsky, I. F. Annensky. The story was published in the summer, and already at the end of autumn the story “ Moonlit night».
IN early works Kuprin can see how his skill grew. There is less and less imitation, a tendency to psychological analysis. Army-themed stories are distinguished by their sympathy for to the common man, acute social orientation. Feuilletons and essays paint the life of a big city with rich colors.
After his resignation, Kuprin moved to Kyiv and worked in newspapers. The Kyiv period was a fruitful time in Kuprin’s life. He gets acquainted with the life of the townspeople and tells the most interesting things in the collection “Kyiv Types”. These essays appeared at the end of 1895 in the newspaper “Kyiv Slovo”, and the following year they were published as a separate book. Kuprin works as an accountant at a steel mill in Donbass, writes the story “Moloch”, the story “The Wonderful Doctor”, the book “Miniatures: Essays and Stories”, travels, meets I. A. Bunin. In 1898, he lived with the family of his sister and brother-in-law, a forester, in the Ryazan province. In these wonderful places he began work on the story “Olesya”. Residents of Polesie forests, such as rich inland and external beauty Olesya, continue to interest Kuprin later as an object for depiction - in the story “Horse Thieves” he draws the image of the horse thief Buzyga, a strong, brave hero. In these works, Kuprin creates his “ideal of a natural man.”
In 1899, the story “Night Shift” was published. Kuprin continues to collaborate in newspapers in Kyiv and Rostov-on-Don, and in 1900 he publishes the first version of the story “Cadets” in the Kyiv newspaper “Life and Art”. He leaves for Odessa and Yalta, where he meets Chekhov and works on the story “At the Circus.” In the fall he leaves again for the Ryazan province, taking on a contract to measure six hundred acres peasant forest. Returning to Moscow, in the same year he joined N.D. Teleshov’s literary circle “Sreda” and met L.N. Andreev and F.I. Chaliapin.
At the end of the year, Kuprin moved to St. Petersburg to head the fiction department at the Magazine for Everyone. Introduced by I. A. Bunin to the publisher of the magazine “World of God” A. Davydova, he publishes there the story “In the Circus”. The story is imbued with the mood of the death of all that is beautiful. Kuprin reconsiders the “ideal of the natural man.” Man is beautiful by nature, capable of inspiring an artist, but in life beauty is belittled, therefore it evokes a feeling of regret, Kuprin believes. Chekhov assessed the story in this way: “Bunin’s “In Autumn” was made with a constrained, tense hand, in any case, Kuprin’s “At the Circus” is much more higher. “At the Circus” is a free, naive, talented work, and, moreover, written, undoubtedly, knowledgeable person" He also informed Kuprin that L.N. Tolstoy also read the work, and he liked it. Changes occur in Kuprin’s family life - he marries M. Davydova, his daughter Lydia is born. Now he is a co-editor of the magazine together with A. I. Bogdanovich and F. D. Batyushkov. He is introduced to L.N. Tolstoy, M. Gorky. In 1903, the story “Swamp” appeared in print, and the first volume of works was published.
In Crimea, the writer makes the first drafts of the story “The Duel”, but destroys the manuscript. Based on his impressions of a meeting with a traveling circus, he writes the story “White Poodle.” At the beginning of 1904, Kuprin resigned from editorship of the magazine. Kuprin's story "Peaceful Life" has been published. He leaves for Odessa, then to Balaklava.
Kuprin was far from the revolutionary movement, but the approach of the revolution was reflected in his work - it acquired a critical, revealing beginning. Essay “Frenzy” (1904), which expresses ideological position Kuprin, satirically depicts the “masters of life”, a contrast among the quiet lyrical southern night the fun of an idle audience is depicted. The stories "Measles", "The Good Society" and "The Priest" depict the conflict between the "good society" and the democratic intelligentsia. In reality, “good society” turns out to be mired in fraud; these are rotten people with imaginary virtue and ostentatious nobility.
Kuprin works for a long time on the manuscript of the “duel”, reads excerpts to Gorky and receives his approval, but during the search the gendarmes seized part of the manuscript. When it was published, the story brought fame to the author and caused great resonance in criticism. The writer observes with his own eyes the uprising on the cruiser "Ochakov", for this he travels every day from Balaklava to Sevastopol. He witnessed the shooting of the cruiser and sheltered the surviving sailors. The St. Petersburg newspaper “Our Life” publishes Kuprin’s essay “Events in Sevastopol.” In December, Kuprin was expelled from Balaklava and banned from living there in the future. He dedicated a series of essays “Listrigons” (1907-1911) to this city. In 1906, the second volume of Kuprin's stories was published. In the magazine “World of God” there is a story “Staff Captain Rybnikov.” Kuprin said that he considered “The Duel” to be his first real work, and “Staff Captain Rybnikov” as his best.
In 1907, the writer divorced and married E. Heinrich, and in this marriage a daughter, Ksenia, was born. Kuprin writes “Emerald” and “Shulamith”, publishes next volume stories. In 1909 he received Pushkin Prize. During this time, he creates “River of Life”, “Pit”, “Gambrinus”, “Garnet Bracelet”, “Liquid Sun” ( Science fiction with elements of dystopia).
In 1918, Kuprin criticized the new times and was arrested. After his release, he leaves for Helsinki and then to Paris, where he actively publishes. But this does not help the family live in prosperity. In 1924, he was offered to return, and only thirteen years later, the seriously ill writer came to Moscow, and then to Leningrad and Gatchina. Kuprin's esophageal disease worsened and in August 1938 he died.
Kuprin Alexander Ivanovich (1870 - 1938) - Russian writer. Social criticism marked the story “Moloch” (1896), in which industrialization appears in the image of a monster factory that enslaves a person morally and physically, the story “The Duel” (1905) - about spiritual death pure hero in the deadening atmosphere of army life and the story “The Pit” (1909 - 15) is about prostitution. A variety of finely outlined types, lyrical situations in the stories and short stories “Olesya” (1898), “Gambrinus” (1907), “Garnet Bracelet” (1911). Cycles of essays (“Listrigons”, 1907 - 11). In 1919 - 37 in exile, in 1937 he returned to his homeland. Autobiographical novel"Junker" (1928 - 32).
Big encyclopedic Dictionary, M.-SPb., 1998
Biography
Kuprin Alexander Ivanovich (1870), prose writer.
Born on August 26 (September 7, new year) in the city of Narovchat, Penza province, in the family of a minor official who died a year after the birth of his son. After the death of her husband, his mother (from the ancient family of Tatar princes Kulanchakov) moved to Moscow, where the future writer spent his childhood and youth. At the age of six, the boy was sent to the Moscow Razumovsky boarding school (orphanage), from where he left in 1880. The same year he entered the Moscow Military Academy, which was transformed into the Cadet Corps.
After completing his studies, he continued his military education at the Alexander Junker School (1888 - 90). Subsequently he will describe his “ military youth"in the stories "At the Turning Point (Cadets)" and in the novel "Junkers". Even then he dreamed of becoming “a poet or novelist.”
Kuprin's first literary experience was poetry that remained unpublished. The first work to see the light was the story “The Last Debut” (1889).
In 1890, having graduated military school, Kuprin, with the rank of second lieutenant, was enlisted in an infantry regiment stationed in the Podolsk province. The life of an officer, which he led for four years, provided rich material for his future works. In 1893 - 1894, his story “In the Dark” and the stories “On a Moonlit Night” and “Inquiry” were published in the St. Petersburg magazine “Russian Wealth”. A series of stories are dedicated to the life of the Russian army: “Overnight” (1897), “Night Shift” (1899), “Hike”. In 1894, Kuprin retired and moved to Kyiv, without any civilian profession and having a small life experience. IN next years He traveled a lot around Russia, trying many professions, greedily absorbing life experiences that became the basis of his future works. In the 1890s, he published the essay “Yuzovsky Plant” and the story “Moloch”, the stories “Wilderness”, “Werewolf”, the stories “Olesya” and “Kat” (“Army Ensign”). During these years, Kuprin met Bunin, Chekhov and Gorky. In 1901 he moved to St. Petersburg, began working for the “Magazine for Everyone,” married M. Davydova, and had a daughter, Lydia. Kuprin's stories appeared in St. Petersburg magazines: “Swamp” (1902); "Horse Thieves" (1903); "White Poodle" (1904). In 1905, his most significant work was published - the story "The Duel", which had big success. The writer’s performances with the reading of individual chapters of “The Duel” became an event cultural life capital Cities. His works of this time were very well-behaved: the essay “Events in Sevastopol” (1905), the stories “Staff Captain Rybnikov” (1906), “River of Life”, “Gambrinus” (1907). In 1907, he married his second wife, sister of mercy E. Heinrich, and had a daughter, Ksenia. Kuprin's work in the years between the two revolutions resisted the decadent mood of those years: the cycle of essays "Listrigons" (1907 - 11), stories about animals, the stories "Shulamith", "Garnet Bracelet" (1911). His prose became a notable phenomenon of Russian literature at the beginning of the century. After the October Revolution, the writer did not accept the policy of military communism, the “Red Terror”; he feared for the fate of Russian culture. In 1918 he came to Lenin with a proposal to publish a newspaper for the village - “Earth”. At one time he worked in the publishing house " World literature", founded by Gorky. In the fall of 1919, while in Gatchina, cut off from Petrograd by Yudenich's troops, he emigrated abroad. The seventeen years that the writer spent in Paris were an unproductive period. Constant material need and homesickness led him to the decision to return to Russia. In the spring of 1937, the seriously ill Kuprin returned to his homeland, warmly received by his admirers. Published the essay “Native Moscow”. However, the new creative plans were not destined to come true. In August 1938, Kuprin died in Leningrad from cancer.
Brief biography of A.I. Kuprina - option 2
Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin (1870-1938) - famous Russian writer. His father, a small official, died a year after the birth of his son. His mother, originally from the Tatar princes Kulanchakov, after the death of her husband moved to the capital of Russia, where Kuprin spent his childhood and youth. At the age of 6, Alexander was sent to an orphanage, where he stayed until 1880. And immediately upon leaving, he entered the Moscow Military Academy.
Afterwards he studied at the Alexander School (1888-90). In 1889, his first work, “The Last Debut,” saw the light of day. In 1890, Kuprin was assigned to an infantry regiment in the Podolsk province, life in which became the basis for many of his works.
In 1894 the writer resigns and moves to Kyiv. The following years were devoted to wandering through Russia.
In 1890, he introduced readers to many publications - “Moloch”, “Yuzovsky Plant”, “Werewolf”, “Olesya”, “Kat”.
In 1901, Kuprin moved to St. Petersburg and worked as secretary of the “Magazine for Everyone.” In the same year he marries Davydova M. and life gives him a daughter.
Two years later, Kuprin marries a second time. His chosen one is sister of mercy E. Heinrich, who gave birth to the writer’s daughter.
In 1918, Kuprin comes to Lenin and offers to publish a newspaper for village residents - “Earth”. In 1919 the author emigrated abroad. But the period when he stayed in Paris - 17 years - was unproductive. The reason for this is the material side, longing for the homeland. And as a result, the decision to return to Russia.
Already in 1937, Kuprin returned to Russia and published the essay “Native Moscow.” Death from cancer overtakes the author in 1938.
Biography of A.I. Kuprin |
Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin experienced many different events, whose life and work are filled with the drama of events that took place in the world. His works enjoy constant success among both ordinary readers and professionals. Many of Kuprin's stories represent a standard literary genre, for example, "Staff Captain Rybnikov". Such pearls from the treasury of Russian literature as “The Garnet Bracelet”, “Shulamith”, “Olesya”, “Listrigons”, “Junkers” - it’s impossible to list them all will remain popular for all times. And how do modern children read such stories as Alexander Kuprin in our the country has truly national recognition.
Childhood and youth
The future writer was born in August 1880 in a small town in the Penza province. His father, a minor official, died when his son was barely a year old. The mother could not raise little Alexander to his feet because there was not enough money, and she sent the boy to an orphan school.
The Alexander School in Moscow left more than just joyless memories. Here he spent his adolescence and youth, the first youthful hobbies, literary experiments appeared, and the main thing that Alexander Kuprin acquired at the school was friends.
Moscow was beautiful with its patriarchal morals, own myths, filled with local pride (the capital’s rights denied!), with its local celebrities and eccentrics. The appearance of the city was solid and unlike any other.
Start of writing
The studies gave Kuprin a fairly complete education: languages - Russian, French, German. Physics, mathematics, history, geography and literature (literature). The latter became his refuge for the rest of his life. Here, at the school, his first story was written - "The Last Debut", published in the heat of the moment in the "Russian Satirical Messenger".
Kuprin was incredibly happy, although he served time in a punishment cell for this act (publications without the knowledge of the head of the school were prohibited, but young Kuprin did not know this, so he was punished for ignorance of internal service).
Finally, the aspiring writer was released from school in the first category and assigned to serve on the southwestern border of Russia; remote provincial towns of this kind were brilliantly described by him in the story “The Duel” and the story “The Wedding.”
Service at the country's borders
The material for excellent, painstakingly labored works, such as “Inquiry”, “Overnight” and others, was service on the border. However, the writer was seriously thinking about professional literary activity. It was necessary to gain sufficient experience for this, so it was published in provincial newspapers, and the story “In the Dark” was accepted into the magazine “Russian Wealth”.
In 1890, Kuprin, whose life and work seemed to be covered with moss in the outback, suddenly met Chekhov and Gorky. Both masters played a huge role in the fate of Kuprin. Naturally, Alexander valued them extremely highly, and their opinion even more, and he almost idolized Chekhov.
main topic
Not even one of the main ones, but the most main topic, which the writer Alexander Kuprin used throughout his life, is love. The heroes from the pages of his prose directly glow with this feeling, revealing themselves in their best manifestations, always brightly, always tragically, with very rare exceptions (for example, “The Lilac Bush” - this amazingly beautiful story is equal in power of impression to “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry, there everything ends well, except for the hero-officer’s feeling of shame for his little deception). For all real writers, like Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin, biography helps them create.
"Olesya"
The first fairly large and very significant work appears in 1898. This is the story "Olesya" - sad, without the slightest melodrama, bright, romantic. The heroine's natural world is spiritual harmony as opposed to a person from the big and cruel city. Naturalness, inner freedom, the simplicity of Olesya attracted the main character faster than a magnet to a piece of metal.
Cowardly kindness turned out to be stronger than spiritual wealth, almost destroying a pure and strong girl. The framework of social and cultural life can change even such a natural person as Olesya, but Kuprin did not allow this. Even a high feeling of love cannot revive those spiritual qualities that civilization has destroyed. That is why the meaning of this excellent story is high, because the life of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin taught him to see both the light and the shadow that obscures it everywhere.
"Garnet bracelet"
In the most everyday reality, the writer searches for and finds people whose obsession with high feelings can rise above the prose of life, at least in dreams. Turning to the description of the “little man,” Alexander Kuprin, whose books are read avidly, truly works miracles. It turns out that Kuprin’s “little” man is characterized by subtle, all-encompassing love, hopeless and touching. This is a miracle, a wonderful gift. Even when dying, love revives life, defeating death. And music, music that regenerates the soul. It sounds in every line, moving from cold contemplation to a reverent feeling of the world.
Truly inevitably tragic. The chastity of the heroes has creative creative power. This is how heroes appear before readers, as Kuprin saw, whose life and work portrays them to us in a cruel world that is trying to break a fragile soul. At the same time, there is almost always a certain underestimation of himself by the hero, a disbelief in the right to possess the woman whom his entire essence desires. Nevertheless, the complexity of the situations and the drama at the end do not leave the reader with a feeling of despondency; the characters that Alexander Kuprin brought before the reader, his entire books, are the very love of life, the very optimism. The bright feeling after reading it does not leave the reader for a long time.
"White Poodle"
This story, published in 1903, about an elderly organ grinder, a boy Seryozha and their faithful dog, the poodle Artaud, is called by the writer “The White Poodle.” Alexander Kuprin, as often happened, copied the plot from life. Guests often came to his dacha - artists, just passersby, pilgrims, and the Kuprin family welcomed everyone, fed them lunch and gave them tea. Among the guests one day there appeared an old man with a barrel organ, a small acrobat and a white learned dog. So they told the writer about what happened to them.
A rich lady insisted on selling a poodle for her little, spoiled and capricious son; the artists, naturally, refused. The lady got angry and hired a man to steal the dog. And Seryozha risked his life, freeing his beloved Artoshka. This story seemed to Kuprin interesting topics that the story easily included two of his favorite themes - social inequality and selfless friendship, love for animals, caring for them. So often, instead of the writer, as Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin himself said, biography works instead of the writer.
"Duel"
While serving as a second lieutenant in the 46th Dnieper Infantry Regiment, Alexander Kuprin conceived and suffered the “Duel.” The city of Proskurov, where the service took place, is easily recognizable in this story. After retiring, the writer began to systematize his scattered notes. When the story was ready, Maxim Gorky highly praised it, calling it excellent and should make an indelible impression on all thinking and honest officers.
Also, A.V. Lunacharsky dedicated an article to “The Duel” in the magazine “Pravda” in the fall of 1905, where he welcomed this topic and this style of writing in every possible way, saying about the wonderful pages of Kuprin’s story, which are an eloquent appeal to the army, and every officer will certainly hear mine own voice undefiled honor.
Paustovsky called some scenes of “The Duel” the best in Russian literature. But there were also opposing assessments. Not all army men agreed with the reality that Alexander Kuprin revealed (life and work clearly say that he did not write a word of lies). However, Lieutenant General Geisman accused the writer of slander, hatred of the army, and even an attempt on the state system.
This is one of Kuprin’s most significant works about the history of the conflict between the young lieutenant Romashov and an officer of senior rank. Manners, drill, vulgarity of officer society - the whole background of the life of a provincial regiment Kuprin collided with a young romantic worldview and - again! - real, all-forgiving and all-encompassing, sacrificial love.
The first edition of the story was published with a dedication to Maxim Gorky, since everything that was most violent and daring in the story determined his influence. But Chekhov did not like the story, and its romantic mood - especially, which made Kuprin very puzzled and upset.
This fall, the writer spent time in Balaklava, Crimea, where he read Nazansky’s monologue from “The Duel” at a charity evening. Balaklava is a city of military men, and there were many of them in the hall at that moment. A huge scandal broke out, which the sailor, Lieutenant P.P. Schmidt, helped to extinguish, a month later he became the head of the The writer saw with his own eyes the ruthless reprisal of government troops against the rebels and described these events, sending correspondence to St. Petersburg, to the newspaper " New life". For this, Kuprin was expelled from Balaklava in forty-eight hours. But the writer managed to save several sailors from Ochakov from persecution. Wonderful stories were later written about this uprising: “The Caterpillar”, “Giants”, the wonderful “Gambrinus”.
Writer's family
Kuprin's first wife was Maria Karlovna Davydova, whom he married in 1902 and received a divorce in 1909. She was a highly educated lady, the daughter of a famous cellist and magazine publisher. By her next marriage she became the wife of a prominent statesman Nikolai Jordansky-Negorev. Maria Karlovna left a book of memories about Kuprin - “Years of Youth”.
They still have joint daughter- Lydia Aleksandrovna Kuprina, who died early, in 1924, giving the writer a grandson, Alexei. Alexandra Ivanovich and his grandson did not leave any other offspring, the Kuprin family was interrupted.
The second wife, his muse and guardian angel, is Elizaveta Moritsevna Heinrich, who married the writer in 1909. She was the daughter of a photographer and the sister of an actress. Elizaveta Moritsevna worked all her life, which was not typical for that time, and was a nurse. I couldn’t survive the siege of Leningrad.
They had a daughter, Ksenia Alexandrovna, beautiful and smart, a favorite not only of the whole family, but also of people who communicated with her at least a little. She worked at the Fashion House for the then famous Paul Poiret, and was a model and actress. In 1958 she returned from France to the USSR. She also wrote the memoirs “Kuprin is my father.” She played at the Moscow Pushkin Theater. One-year-old Ksenia had a sister, Zinaida, but in 1912 she died of pneumonia.
Pre-war, war and post-war years
Throughout 1909, Kuprin worked hard - writing a story with a risky theme for our times. The writer decided to show life from the inside brothel somewhere in the province. He called the story "The Pit". It took a long time to write. In the same year, he was awarded the Pushkin Prize, as was Ivan Bunin. This was already official recognition from the Academy of Sciences.
In 1911, Kuprin had to sell the publishing rights to Complete collection essays. Having received a hundred thousand rubles in royalties from the publisher, already in 1915 the writer wrote that he was mired in debt. Then the story “The Garnet Bracelet,” which Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin wrote so reverently, and the stories “Telegraph Operator” and “Holy Lie” were published - subtle, lyrical, sad works. They clearly showed that the author’s soul was not mired in wealth, that he was still ready to sympathize, love and condole.
In 1914, Kuprin volunteered to go to war, again as a lieutenant. He served in Finland, but not for long: he was declared unfit for service for health reasons. He returned home, and at home there was an infirmary: Elizaveta Moritsevna and daughter Ksenia were nursing the wounded... Thus the years of war passed. Kuprin did not understand and did not accept the revolution of 1917. Didn't like Lenin. After the defeat of the white movement in 1920, the Kuprins left Russia.
Twenty years of Kuprin’s life in France showed how difficult it is for a Russian person to adapt abroad. There were no earnings. The most famous works writers were translated into French, but new ones were not written. Commercial enterprises especially if they didn’t succeed. The main thing was that sadness ate my soul. Gone are youth, health, strength, hopes... It is this nostalgia that permeates the only thing major work, written by Alexander Ivanovich far from Russia, is the novel “Junker”. These turned out to be almost documentary memories of a military school, warm, sad, but with the same kind and gentle Kuprin humor. He really, really wanted to return to his homeland.
Home!
Kuprin’s dream of returning to Russia came true too late. A terminally ill writer returned home to die. The meeting was incredibly warm - he was loved so much that almost all of Moscow decided to see him. Alexander Ivanovich's joy was immeasurable. Eyewitnesses testify that he often cried, he was touched by everything: the children, the very smell of his homeland, and especially the attention and love of those around him. The writer, despite his illness, published: an essay about the capital “Native Moscow”, then memoirs about Gorky (with huge omissions, since in exile Kuprin did not favor Gorky for his support and complicity with the “regime of horror and slavery”).
On New Year's Eve 1937, the Kuprins moved to Leningrad and settled there, surrounded by care and attention. In June 1938, we visited our dear Gatchina, where lilacs once bloomed so magnificently. They gave up both their old dacha and the seventy thousand compensation for it and settled with a friend, the widow of a famous architect. Kuprin walked through the beautiful garden, enjoying the peace and quiet joy.
Nevertheless, the disease was getting worse, the diagnosis was terrible - esophageal cancer. In Leningrad, after returning from Gatchina, the council decided to operate on Kuprin. Temporarily he felt better, but the doctors warned that, in principle, there was nothing to hope for. Kuprin was dying. IN last days he had everything possible - the best doctors, excellent care. But such an extension of life cannot last forever.
Life is eternal
Literary scholars, critics, and memoirists have written a living portrait of a wonderful, truly Russian writer who continued the best classical traditions a brilliant follower of L.N. Tolstoy. Alexander Kuprin, whose quotes have been in circulation for a century, wrote more than a hundred works of various genres. He was truthful, sincere, with a large share of life specificity in every word, he wrote only about what he himself experienced, saw, and felt.
Kuprin addressed the widest audience, his reader does not depend on gender and age, everyone will find their own treasured in his lines. Humanism, persistent love of life, flexible, vivid descriptions, and exceptionally rich language help Kuprin’s works remain to this day among the most read. His works have been filmed, dramatized and translated into many languages of the world.
