Peshkov Alexey Maksimovich. He was born on March 16, 1868. Orphaned at an early age, he grew up with his maternal grandparents. The boy’s childhood and adolescence were not easy; later he would write autobiographical trilogy“Childhood”, “In People”, “My Universities”.
While still a child, Alexey worked as a nanny, a shoemaker's assistant, and a washer on a steamship. With the money he earned, he bought books for himself. The boy was taught to read by his grandfather at the age of 6. He taught him from church books. Grandmother sang songs to him and told him stories.
Gorky graduated from a vocational school, and this was the end of his education. All his life the writer was engaged in self-education. Seeing life, understanding injustice, rudeness and ignorance, Gorky decided to do good to people, decided to defend the interests common people.
Favorite book is the biblical Book of Job, where God teaches a person “how to be equal to God and calmly stand next to God.” He wrote about this in his letter to V.V. Rozanov.
My creative activity Maxim Gorky started out as a provincial newspaperman. And in 1892, the writer’s first story, “Makar Chudra,” was published in the Tiflis newspaper “Caucasus.” Within a year, it was published in magazines and newspapers in the Volga region.
Society recognition came to the writer in 1898, after the publication of the two-volume book “Essays and Stories.” Works will begin to be translated into European languages, critics will start talking. Later, as it turned out, he is a good organizer literary process. He headed the publishing house “Knowledge” and began to publish collections of the partnership, where A. Kuprin, I., V. Veresaev and others were published.
Gorky created the novels “Foma Gordeev” (1889), “Three” (1900) and the plays “The Bourgeois” (1901), “At the Lower Depths” (1902), and “Summer Residents” (1904). The author's plays are permeated with the spirit of modernity; they are based on the confrontation and clash of ideas and moods of the era. This new phenomenon in world drama has provided the main direction in the development of Russian and foreign theater. The play “At the Lower Depths” was immediately staged on the stage of the Art Theater. For it, Maxim Gorky received the Griboyedov Prize, and the play went around the whole world.
Gorky was wary of him. After the first revolution in 1907, the writer left for Italy. There he would write the play “The Last” (1908) and the novel “The Life of Matvey Kozhemyaka” (1910 - 1911). His stories “Mother” and “Confession” are published. In 1913 he returned to St. Petersburg. Here he will write “Tales of Italy” (1911-1913), a cycle of stories “Across Rus'” (1912-1917), “Childhood” (1913-1914) and “In People” (1915-1916). And after 1917, he accused in his articles published in the newspaper “ New life“but in seizing power and unleashing terror.
His position was reflected in the book “On the Russian Peasantry” (1922). At Lenin's insistence he left for Italy again. Gorky returned in 1928 and completely immersed himself in work on the creation of “Klim Samgin,” which he began back in 1925. On the initiative of M. Gorky in 1934, the Writers' Union was created, which he headed. He died in June 1936 and was buried on Red Square.
Alexey Peshkov did not receive a real education; he only graduated from a vocational school.
In 1884, the young man came to Kazan with the intention of studying at the university, but did not enter.
In Kazan, Peshkov became acquainted with Marxist literature and propaganda work.
In 1902, the Imperial Academy of Sciences in the category of fine literature. However, the election was annulled by the government because the newly elected academician “was under police surveillance.”
In 1901, Maxim Gorky became the head of the publishing house of the Znanie partnership and soon began publishing collections in which Ivan Bunin, Leonid Andreev, Alexander Kuprin, Vikenty Veresaev, Alexander Serafimovich and others were published.
The top of it early creativity The play "At the Bottom" is considered. In 1902 it was staged in the Moscow art theater Konstantin Stanislavsky. Stanislavsky, Vasily Kachalov, Ivan Moskvin, Olga Knipper-Chekhova performed in the performances. In 1903, at the Berlin Kleines Theater, the performance "At the Bottom" with Richard Wallentin in the role of Satin took place. Gorky also created the plays "The Bourgeois" (1901), "Summer Residents" (1904), "Children of the Sun", "Barbarians" (both 1905), "Enemies" (1906).
In 1905, he joined the ranks of the RSDLP (Russian Social Democratic Party, Bolshevik wing) and met Vladimir Lenin. Gorky provided financial support for the revolution of 1905-1907.
The writer took an active part in revolutionary events 1905, was imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress, released under pressure from the world community.
At the beginning of 1906, Maxim Gorky arrived in America, fleeing persecution Russian authorities, where he stayed until the fall. The pamphlets “My Interviews” and the essays “In America” were written here.
Upon returning to Russia in 1906, Gorky wrote the novel "Mother". In the same year, Gorky left Italy for the island of Capri, where he stayed until 1913.
Returning to St. Petersburg, he collaborated with the Bolshevik newspapers Zvezda and Pravda. During this period, the autobiographical stories “Childhood” (1913-1914) and “In People” (1916) were published.
After October revolution In 1917, Gorky was actively engaged in social activities, participated in the creation of the publishing house " World literature". In 1921 he went abroad again. The writer lived in Helsingfors (Helsinki), Berlin and Prague, and from 1924 - in Sorrento (Italy). In exile, Gorky more than once spoke out against the policies pursued by the Soviet authorities.
The writer was officially married to Ekaterina Peshkova, née Volzhina (1876-1965). The couple had two children - son Maxim (1897-1934) and daughter Katya, who died in childhood.
Later, Gorky tied himself into a civil marriage with actress Maria Andreeva (1868-1953), and then Maria Brudberg (1892-1974).
The writer's granddaughter Daria Peshkova is an actress at the Vakhtangov Theater.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Born on March 28 (March 16, old style) 1868 in Kunavino, Nizhny Novgorod province Russian Empire(since 1919 the city of Kanavino, since 1928 it became part of Nizhny Novgorod). Maxim Gorky is the writer’s pseudonym, real name Alexey Maksimovich Peshkov.
Father - Maxim Savvatyevich Peshkov (1840-1871) carpenter, last years life - manager of a shipping company.
Mother - Varvara Vasilievna Kashirina (1842-1879) from a bourgeois family.
Alexey Maksimovich was orphaned early. In 1871 he fell ill with cholera, the father was able to nurse his son, but he himself became infected and died. After the death of his father, Alexey moves with his mother from Astrakhan to Nizhny Novgorod. The mother took little care of her son and the grandmother, Akulina Ivanovna, replaced Alexei’s parents. At this time, Alexey did not attend school for long, and entered the third grade with a certificate of merit. In 1879, after the death of Varvara Vasilievna, his grandfather sent Alexei “to the people” - to earn his living. He worked as a “boy” in a store, as a pantry cook on a ship, as a baker, studied in an icon-painting workshop, etc. You can read more about the writer’s childhood and youth in his autobiographical stories “Childhood” and “In People.”
In 1884, Alexey went to Kazan, hoping to enter Kazan University. But he didn’t have money to study and had to go to work. The Kazan period was the most difficult in Gorky's life. Here he experienced acute need and hunger. In Kazan, he gets acquainted with Marxist literature and tries himself in the role of an educator and propagandist. In 1888, he was arrested for connections with revolutionaries and was soon released, but continued to be under constant police surveillance. In 1891 he went on a journey and even reached the Caucasus. During this period, he made many acquaintances among the intelligentsia.
In 1892, his work “Makar Chudra” was published for the first time.
In 1896 he married Ekaterina Pavlovna Volzhina (1876-1965). From the marriage there was a son, Maxim (1897-1934), and a daughter, Ekaterina (1898-1903).
1897-1898 lived in the village of Kamenka (now the village of Kuvshinovo in the Tver region Russian Federation) from a friend Vasiliev. This period of his life served as material for his novel “The Life of Klim Samgin.”
In 1902, Gorky was elected an honorary academician of the Imperial Academy of Sciences in the category of fine literature. But due to the fact that he was under police surveillance, his election was annulled. In this regard, Chekhov and Korolenko refused membership in the Academy.
By 1902, Gorky gained worldwide fame. In 1902, 260 newspaper and 50 magazine articles were published about Gorky, and more than 100 monographs were published.
In 1903, after the death of their daughter, Alexey Maksimovich and Ekaterina Pavlovna decided to separate, but not to formalize a divorce. At that time, divorce was possible only through the church, and Gorky was excommunicated from the church. In 1903 he married Maria Fedorovna Andreeva(1868-1953), whom he had known since 1900.
After “Bloody Sunday” (the shooting of a procession of workers on January 9, 1905), he issued a revolutionary proclamation, for which he was arrested and imprisoned in the Peter and Paul Fortress. Many famous European representatives of creative and scientific world. Under their pressure, Gorky was released on February 14, 1905 on bail.
From 1906 to 1913, together with Maria Andreeva, he lived abroad in Italy, first in Naples, and then on the island of Capri. By official version due to tuberculosis. There is also a version that due to political persecution.
In 1907, he took part in the V Congress of the RSDLP (Russian Social Democratic Party) workers' party), which took place in London as a delegate with an advisory vote.
At the end of 1913, on the occasion of the three hundredth anniversary of the House of Romanov, a general amnesty was declared. After this, Gorky returns to Russia to St. Petersburg.
From 1917 to 1919 he was active in social and political activities. In 1919 he separated from Maria Andreeva and in 1920 he began to live with Maria Ignatievna Budberg (1892-1974). In 1921, at the insistence of Lenin, he went abroad. One version is due to the resumption of the disease. According to another version, due to the aggravation of ideological differences with the Bolsheviks. Since 1924 he lived in Sorrento in Italy.
In 1928, at the invitation of the Soviet government and Stalin personally, he came to the USSR for the first time. But he doesn’t stay and leaves for Italy. In 1929, on his second visit to the Union, he visited the Solovetsky special purpose camp and wrote positive feedback about his regime. In October 1929 he returned to Italy. And in 1932 he finally returned to Soviet Union.
In 1934, with the help of Gorky, the Union of Writers of the USSR was organized. The Charter of the Writers' Union was adopted at the First All-Union Congress Soviet writers, at which Gorky gave the main report.
In 1934, Gorky's son Maxim died.
At the end of May 1936, Gorky caught a cold and after three weeks of illness, he died on June 18, 1936. After cremation, his ashes were placed in the Kremlin wall on Red Square in Moscow.
There are many rumors associated with the death of Gorky and his son. There were rumors of poisoning. According to Yagoda's interrogations, Gorky was killed on Trotsky's orders. Some blame Stalin for the death. In 1938, three doctors were involved in the “Doctors' Case” and were accused of murdering Gorky.
Now the circumstances and causes of death of Gorky and his son Maxim remain the subject of debate.
If you ask: “What do you think about the work of Alexei Gorky?”, then few people will be able to answer this question. And not because these people don’t read, but because not everyone knows and remembers that this is for everyone famous writer Maksim Gorky. And if you decide to complicate the task even more, then ask about the works of Alexey Peshkov. Only a few here will remember what it is real name Alexei Gorky. He was not just a writer, but also an active one. As you already understand, we will talk about a truly national writer - Maxim Gorky.
Childhood and adolescence
Years of life of Gorky (Peshkov) Alexei Maksimovich - 1868-1936. They came at an important time historical era. The biography of Alexei Gorky is rich in events, starting from his childhood. The writer's hometown is Nizhny Novgorod. His father, a manager of a shipping company, died when the boy was only 3 years old. After the death of her husband, Alyosha's mother remarried. She died when he was 11 years old. Further education little Alexey grandfather was doing.
As an 11-year-old boy, the future writer was already “going public” - earning his own bread. He worked in all sorts of jobs: he was a baker, he worked as a delivery boy in a store, and as a dishwasher in a cafeteria. Unlike the stern grandfather, the grandmother was a kind and believing woman and an excellent storyteller. It was she who instilled in Maxim Gorky a love of reading.
In 1887, the writer attempted suicide, which he associated with difficult experiences caused by the news of his grandmother’s death. Fortunately, he survived - the bullet did not hit his heart, but damaged his lungs, which caused problems with the functioning of the respiratory system.
The life of the future writer was not easy, and he, unable to bear it, ran away from home. The boy wandered around the country a lot, saw the whole truth of life, but miraculously was able to maintain faith in the ideal Man. He will describe his childhood years, life in his grandfather’s house in “Childhood” - the first part of his autobiographical trilogy.
In 1884, Alexei Gorky tries to enter Kazan University, but due to his financial situation he learns that this is impossible. During this period, the future writer begins to gravitate towards the romantic philosophy, according to which the ideal Man is not similar to the real Man. Then he became acquainted with Marxist theory and became a supporter of new ideas.
The appearance of a pseudonym
In 1888, the writer was arrested for a short period of time for connections with the Marxist circle of N. Fedoseev. In 1891, he decided to start traveling around Russia and was eventually able to reach the Caucasus. Alexey Maksimovich was constantly engaged in self-education, saving and expanding his knowledge in different areas. He agreed to any job and carefully preserved all his impressions; they later appeared in his very first stories. He subsequently called this period “My Universities.”
In 1892, Gorky returned to his native place and took his first steps in the literary field as a writer in several provincial publications. For the first time his pseudonym "Gorky" appeared in the same year in the newspaper "Tiflis", which published his story "Makar Chudra".
The pseudonym was not chosen by chance: it hinted at the “bitter” Russian life and that the writer would write only the truth, no matter how bitter it may be. Maxim Gorky saw the life of the common people and, with his character, could not help but notice the injustice that occurred on the part of the rich classes.
Early creativity and success
Alexei Gorky was actively involved in propaganda, for which he was under constant police control. With the help of V. Korolenko, in 1895 his story “Chelkash” was published in the largest Russian magazine. Next, “Old Woman Izergil” and “Song of the Falcon” were published. They were not special from a literary point of view, but they successfully coincided with new political views.
In 1898, his collection “Essays and Stories” was published, which was an extraordinary success, and Maxim Gorky received all-Russian recognition. Although his stories were not highly artistic, they depicted the life of the common people, starting from the very bottom, which brought Alexei Peshkov recognition as the only writer who writes about the lower class. At that time, he was no less popular than L.N. Tolstoy and A.P. Chekhov.
In the period from 1904 to 1907, the plays “The Bourgeois”, “At the Depths”, “Children of the Sun”, “Summer Residents” were written. His most early works did not have any social orientation, but the characters had their own types and a special attitude to life, which the readers really liked.
Revolutionary activities
The writer Alexei Gorky was an ardent supporter of Marxist social democracy and in 1901 wrote “Song of the Petrel,” which called for revolution. For open propaganda of revolutionary actions, he was arrested and expelled from Nizhny Novgorod. In 1902, Gorky met Lenin, and in the same year his election to membership in the Imperial Academy in the category of belles-lettres was cancelled.
The writer was also an excellent organizer: from 1901 he was the head of the Znanie publishing house, which published best writers that period. He supported the revolutionary movement not only spiritually, but also financially. The writer's apartment was used as a headquarters for revolutionaries before important events. Lenin even performed at his apartment in St. Petersburg. Afterwards, in 1905, Maxim Gorky, due to fears of arrest, decided to leave Russia for a while.
Life abroad
Alexey Gorky went to Finland and from there - to Western Europe and the USA, where he collected funds for the Bolshevik struggle. At the very beginning, he was greeted there friendly: the writer made acquaintance with Theodore Roosevelt and Mark Twain. It is published in America famous novel"Mother". However, later Americans began to resent his political actions.
Between 1906 and 1907, Gorky lived on the island of Capri, from where he continued to support the Bolsheviks. At the same time, he creates a special theory of “god-building.” The point was that moral and cultural values much more important than political ones. This theory formed the basis of the novel "Confession". Although Lenin rejected these beliefs, the writer continued to adhere to them.
Return to Russia
In 1913, Alexey Maksimovich returned to his homeland. During the First World War, he lost faith in the power of Man. In 1917, his relations with the revolutionaries deteriorated, he became disillusioned with the leaders of the revolution.
Gorky understands that all his attempts to save the intelligentsia do not meet with a response from the Bolsheviks. But then in 1918 he recognized his beliefs as erroneous and returned to the Bolsheviks. In 1921, despite a personal meeting with Lenin, he failed to save his friend, the poet Nikolai Gumilyov, from execution. After this he leaves Bolshevik Russia.
Repeated emigration
Due to the intensification of attacks of tuberculosis and according to Lenin, Alexey Maksimovich leaves Russia for Italy, to the city of Sorrento. There he completes his autobiographical trilogy. The author was in exile until 1928, but continued to maintain contacts with the Soviet Union.
He does not give up writing, but writes in accordance with new literary trends. Far from his homeland, he wrote the novel “The Artamonov Case” and short stories. An extensive work, “The Life of Klim Samgin,” was begun, which the writer did not have time to finish. In connection with Lenin's death, Gorky writes a book of memoirs about the leader.
Return to homeland and last years of life
Alexei Gorky came to the Soviet Union several times, but did not stay there. In 1928, during a trip around the country, he was shown the “ceremonial” side of life. The delighted writer wrote essays about the Soviet Union.
In 1931, at the personal invitation of Stalin, he returned to the USSR forever. Alexey Maksimovich continues to write, but in his works he praises the image of Stalin and the entire leadership, without mentioning the numerous repressions. Of course, this state of affairs did not suit the writer, but at that time statements that contradicted the authorities were not tolerated.
In 1934, Gorky’s son died, and on June 18, 1936, under circumstances that were not fully understood, Maxim Gorky died. IN last way people's writer accompanied by the entire leadership of the country. The urn with his ashes was buried in the Kremlin wall.
Features of the work of Maxim Gorky
His work is unique in that it was during the period of the collapse of capitalism that he was able to very clearly convey the state of society through description ordinary people. After all, no one before him had described in such detail the life of the lower strata of society. It was this undisguised truth of the life of the working class that won him the people's love.
His faith in man can be traced in his early works; he believed that man can make a revolution with the help of his spiritual life. Maxim Gorky managed to combine the bitter truth with faith in moral values. And it was this combination that made his works special, his characters memorable, and made Gorky himself a writer of workers.
Born in Nizhny Novgorod. The son of the manager of the shipping office, Maxim Savvatievich Peshkov, and Varvara Vasilievna, nee Kashirina. At the age of seven he was left an orphan and lived with his grandfather, a once rich dyer, who by that time had gone bankrupt.
Alexei Peshkov had to earn his living from childhood, which prompted the writer to later take the pseudonym Gorky. IN early childhood served as an errand worker in a shoe store, then as a draftsman's apprentice. Unable to withstand the humiliation, he ran away from home. He worked as a cook on a Volga steamship. At the age of 15, he came to Kazan with the intention of getting an education, but, without any financial support, he was unable to fulfill his intention.
In Kazan I learned about life in slums and shelters. Driven to despair, he committed unsuccessful attempt suicide. From Kazan he moved to Tsaritsyn, worked as a watchman at railway. Then he returned to Nizhny Novgorod, where he became a scribe for attorney M.A. Lapin, who did a lot for young Peshkov.
Unable to stay in one place, he went on foot to the south of Russia, where he tried himself in the Caspian fisheries, and in the construction of a pier, and other work.
In 1892, Gorky's story "Makar Chudra" was first published. IN next year he returned to Nizhny Novgorod, where he met with the writer V.G. Korolenko, who took a great part in the fate of the aspiring writer.
In 1898 A.M. Gorky was already famous writer. His books sold thousands of copies, and his fame spread beyond the borders of Russia. Gorky is the author of numerous short stories, novels “Foma Gordeev”, “Mother”, “The Artamonov Case”, etc., plays “Enemies”, “Bourgeois”, “At the Demise”, “Summer Residents”, “Vassa Zheleznova”, the epic novel “ The life of Klim Samgin.
Since 1901, the writer began to openly express sympathy for the revolutionary movement, which caused a negative reaction from the government. Since that time, Gorky has been subjected to arrests and persecution more than once. In 1906 he went abroad to Europe and America.
After the October Revolution of 1917, Gorky became the initiator of the creation and first chairman of the Union of Writers of the USSR. He organized the publishing house “World Literature”, where many writers of that time had the opportunity to work, thereby escaping hunger. He is also credited with saving members of the intelligentsia from arrest and death. Often during these years Gorky was last hope persecuted by the new government.
In 1921, the writer’s tuberculosis worsened, and he went to Germany and the Czech Republic for treatment. Since 1924 he lived in Italy. In 1928 and 1931, Gorky traveled around Russia, including visiting the Solovetsky special purpose camp. In 1932, Gorky was practically forced to return to Russia.
The last years of the seriously ill writer’s life were, on the one hand, full of boundless praise - even during Gorky’s lifetime he hometown Nizhny Novgorod was named after him - on the other hand, the writer lived in practical isolation under constant control.
Alexey Maksimovich was married many times. First time on Ekaterina Pavlovna Volzhina. From this marriage he had a daughter, Ekaterina, who died in infancy, and a son, Maxim Alekseevich Peshkov, an amateur artist. Gorky's son died unexpectedly in 1934, which gave rise to speculation about his violent death. The death of Gorky himself two years later also aroused similar suspicions.
He was married for the second time in a civil marriage to actress and revolutionary Maria Fedorovna Andreeva. In fact, the third wife in the last years of the writer’s life was a woman with a stormy biography, Maria Ignatievna Budberg.
He died near Moscow in Gorki, in the same house where V.I. died. Lenin. The ashes are in the Kremlin wall on Red Square. The writer's brain was sent to the Moscow Brain Institute for study.
