What Kuprin thought about love. A.I

On January 1, 1957, the Pravda newspaper published M. Sholokhov’s story “The Fate of a Man,” permeated from beginning to end with a bright sense of faith in the Russian man, who “will be able to endure everything, overcome everything on his way, if his homeland calls him to do so.” " It seems to me that, speaking about the humanistic pathos of this work, we should dwell on its plot and compositional originality. Before us is a typical example of a “story within a story,” brilliantly developed by such outstanding short story writers as A.P. Chekhov and I.A. Bunin.

In the center of the story is the fate of Andrei Sokolov, who carried the high title of Man through all the hardships and hardships. Sholokhov prepares the reader for the meeting with Sokolov already in the introduction, depicting the “bad time of roadlessness” on the Don in the first post-war spring. In appearance The writer emphasizes the hero’s “eyes, as if sprinkled with ashes, filled with such inescapable melancholy” that it becomes clear: the man drank “the bitterness up to the nostrils and above.”

And this man in a burnt-out quilted jacket and patched pants will tell a random person he meets about his “awkward” life. Compositionally, the story of Andrei Sokolov falls into three parts: pre-war, war and post-war. And in each of them two themes sound piercingly: humanistic and tragic.

In the first part we see the fate of a peaceful man, father, husband, worker. A noteworthy detail: Andrei Sokolov was born in 1900, i.e., the same age as the century. Together with his country, he passed all the tests: Civil War, hunger. But gradually his life improved: he got married, became a father, lived “not worse than people" The war burst into this happy life “with a summons from the military registration and enlistment office.” So it goes into the story tragic theme: farewell to the family, Irina’s tears, her exclamation: “We won’t see each other... you and I... anymore... in this... world.” In the second part, humanistic and tragic themes coexist, as if shading each other.

Let us remember the scene in the church where the prisoners of war settled down for the night. People were driven into Orthodox church, desecrating Holy place shooting of five soldiers. And here, without hesitation, Andrei commits murder. In the name of salvation young officer V extreme situation Sokolov steps over the Christian commandment “Thou shalt not kill!” Moreover, Andrey does not think for a minute about whether to intervene or stay on the sidelines. His psychology and character did not allow him to remain inactive: “I won’t let you, son of a bitch, betray your commander!”

And how clearly the humanism of the Russian soldier manifested itself in Miller’s scene. A man half dead from hunger turned out to be morally superior to well-fed fascists, amazed by the courage and fortitude of “Russian Ivan.” “I wanted to show them, the damned one, that although I’m starving, I’m not going to choke on their handouts, that I have my own, Russian dignity and pride."

It seems to me that in the military unit the tragic theme still dominates. Andrei escapes from captivity, goes to Voronezh in the hope of meeting his family, but learns that Irina and her daughters have died. After some time, he finds his son at the front, dreams of simple human joys after the war, but on May 9, Anatoly dies, his hopes that he will live with his son and nurse his grandchildren are destroyed: “I buried my last joy and hope in a foreign German land... , and it was as if something broke in me.”

It would seem that a person who has experienced so much grief has the right to live for himself. But Andrei Sokolov is so designed that he cannot help but give himself to others, not think about his neighbors. The story with Vanyusha - highest manifestation his humanism.

It is impossible to read the scene of Sokolov’s “confession” without tears: “A burning tear began to boil inside me, and I immediately decided: “We must not disappear apart!” And another meeting immediately comes to mind. Early spring. Kuren Melekhov in the Tatarsky farm. Gray-haired Gregory painfully peers at Mishatka. And here is the paradox: the “native blood” does not immediately recognize his father, but the orphan Vanyushka does not doubt for a minute that this stooped and tired driver is his father. Isn’t this where the high tragedy of Grigory Melekhov’s fate and the deep humanism of the story “The Fate of a Man” lie?

The story with Vanyushka is, as it were, the final feature of Andrei Sokolov’s story. After all, if the decision to become Vanyushka’s father means saving the boy, then the subsequent action shows that Vanyushka also saves Andrei and gives him a meaning for his future life.

A few months ago, while preparing for exams, I read a harsh and, in my opinion, unfair review of A. Solzhenitsyn about the story “The Fate of a Man,” and I wanted to defend my beloved writer. Yes, Sholokhov said nothing about the filtration camps where former prisoners were sent, or about the suspicious attitude towards them. However, let us not forget that he was the first to write about the resilience of the Russian man, who in the hell of fascist captivity remained not only a man, but also a fighter. And this literary feat, in my opinion, is no less significant than the feat of the author of the book “The Gulag Archipelago”.

“I saw and see my task as a writer in that with everything that I have written and will write, I should repay the debt to this working people, this heroic people.” These words of M. Sholokhov, in my opinion, in the most precise way reflect the idea of ​​one of best works writer, story “The Fate of Man.” As in many other works, here Sholokhov addressed the problem national character, to the image of the tragic life path Russian person. Reading “The Fate of Man,” you understand that the story was written in “controversy” with the writers “ lost generation", who believed that a person cannot preserve his “living soul” in war. Sholokhov was sure that this was possible.

The most striking thing in the story is the combination of high tragedy and humanity. The war, the loss of family, the loss of a son, the torment that had to be endured in German captivity, - the tragic content of the life of the main character Andrei Sokolov - did not kill the “man” in him. When you read the story and follow the hero, you realize that in his image, in his “walk through torment,” the fate of an entire generation is indicated. The story evokes not only sad, but also joyful feelings, because all the hardest blows of fate could not kill his soul.

And we can probably say that Sholokhov’s story is about the hero overcoming the tragedy of life thanks to willpower and beauty human soul. The plot of the story is based on actual events. Sholokhov's hero has real prototype, but Sholokhov never learned his name. The writer’s meeting with the hero took place in 1946, and the story appeared 10 years later. This has historical explanation. Obviously, such a work could not have been written during Stalin’s lifetime; its creation became possible only after the death of the “father of nations” and the 20th Party Congress. Sholokhov called his work a story, but it is absolutely clear that in terms of the breadth of generalization and typification, this work can rather be classified as an epic. For what is “The Fate of Man” if not a depiction of the fate of the people in crucial moment? Andrey Sokolov represents the entire people. His confession forms the plot center of the story. What is the composition of the work? She is quite traditional. This is a story within a story.

In addition, we can talk about two “planes” of the narrative: the voice of the hero and the voice of the author. The narrator becomes a listener here, while central place in “The Fate of Man” Sokolov’s story about himself is devoted. What do we learn about the hero? The story of Andrei Sokolov allows us to comprehend a separate human life like the life of an entire generation, even an entire people. Main character born in 1900 - significant detail, which tells the reader that this is a story that reflects the fate of his contemporaries, “his life was ordinary.” What does Andrei Sokolov do? By what B. Pasternak called “life-building,” the creation of simple human happiness: “I lived like that for ten years and did not notice how they passed. They passed as if in a dream.” That's why life ideal The hero is as follows: “Irina bought two goats. What else do you need? The children eat porridge with milk, have a roof over their heads, are dressed, have shoes, so everything is in order.”

His idea of ​​happiness is a folk one, close to any Russian person. And into this well-being, happiness, war breaks in. It is here that Sholokhov’s hero changes the tone of the conversation. The writer “puts together” the story of his hero’s military ordeals from a number of striking episodes: here Sokolov is carrying shells for the artillerymen under the threat of death, here he gets up, not wanting to die lying down, gives his boots along with his boots to the soldier taking him prisoner, saves the lieutenant by killing him , who wanted to hand over the snub-nosed boy to the Germans, wins a duel with the camp commandant and finally escapes from captivity. It becomes absolutely clear that both in the duel with Müller and with the German who takes him prisoner, it is not only his human dignity that saves the hero, but also his national dignity: “I took the glass and the snack from his hands, but as soon as I heard these words - I felt like I was on fire! I think to myself: “So that I, a Russian soldier, would drink German weapons for the victory?!” Would you like something, Herr Commandant? Damn it, I’m dying, so you’ll go to hell with your vodka.” It is probably important for the author to emphasize that Andrei Sokolov does not consider himself a hero. Moreover, in a number of episodes Sholokhov notes that his hero cares more about others than about himself. So, for example, he worries about his family and writes home that “everything is fine, we are fighting little by little,” but he doesn’t say a word about how difficult it is for him in the war, and even condemns those who “smear snot on paper " He understands perfectly well that “these unfortunate women and children had it no worse than ours in the rear.” Or when he is carrying artillery shells, he thinks (without a shadow of pathos) not about his safety, but about the fact that “his comrades may be dying there” - here it is, “the hidden warmth of patriotism.” We see the same thing in the episode of the murder in the church. Kryzhnev wants to betray his commander. And when Sokolov realizes that “a thin, snub-nosed boy, and very pale in appearance” will not be able to cope with this “fat-faced, fat gelding,” he decides to “finish him himself.”

There is nothing immoral in this murder: folk morality allows it, because the murder was committed “for a just cause.” Just before the murder scene, Sholokhov again reminds that Andrei Sokolov thinks about others, admiring the behavior of a military doctor: “That’s what it means real doctor! He did his great work both in captivity and in the dark.” Paying tribute to the doctor, Sholokhov's hero does not understand that he is doing the same thing. The juxtaposition of episodes of the murder of a traitor and the unnoticed feat of a military doctor is a sign of the writer’s skill. Thanks to this, we clearly see that on the pages of the story two life positions. The first can be expressed in the words of Sokolov: “One is sick of smoking and dying.” The second - in the words of Kryzhnev: “Your shirt is closer to your body.” There is a clash between the idea of ​​national unity and the idea that destroys this unity. The episode with the commandant is no less important. It is the unconscious sense of self-worth that forces the hero to do this and exactly that. “...even though I was dying of hunger, I’m not going to choke on their handouts, I have my own, Russian dignity and pride, and they didn’t turn me into a beast, no matter how hard they tried.” Therefore, in this context, the commandant’s reaction is normal. I can’t help but remember B. Vasilyev’s story “Not on the Lists.”

Just as Andrei Sokolov forced the Germans to see a man in himself, so Nikolai Pluzhnikov, who in the finale comes out to the German soldiers, involuntarily forces them, shocked by his feat, to salute him. What are the sources of Sokolov’s courage? First of all, in the memories of his family, children, and Irina: his loved ones helped him survive. After all, he defended his family, home, homeland. It is no coincidence that the place of the destroyed family in the heart of Andrei Sokolov is taken by little Vanyushka, thereby the hero seems to relieve himself of the feeling of guilt before Irina for pushing her away, and before Vanyushka for being left without parents. Sokolov’s story becomes an indictment of the war, which “crippled and distorted man.”

Here we immediately recall the portrait of the main character of the story, drawn by Sholokhov at the beginning of the work: “big dark hands“,” “eyes as if sprinkled with ashes, filled with inescapable melancholy.” What we have here is a metaphor enhanced by hyperbole. The eyes are a reflection of the soul, and we understand that everything inside Sokolov seemed to have burned out. Here one cannot help but recall the words of M. Lotman: “History passes through a person’s house, through his privacy, fate. It is not titles, orders or royal favor, but “the identity of a Man” that turns him into a historical figure.”

Sholokhov was one of the first to create a work full of genuine humanism about people who were in captivity. For many military and post-war years It was considered a crime that a Soviet soldier did not have time to shoot himself when he was captured. Former prisoners were often persecuted in their homeland. The time described in the story is the first post-war spring.

The writer is sitting by an old Jeep, he is dressed in military cotton trousers and a quilted jacket, and has a soldier’s earflap on his head. That’s why the driver Andrei Sokolov opened his soul to his brother-driver, who had been in the war, where he too had to “sip some grief.” The attentive eyes of the narrator see how poorly, but carefully and lovingly the boy is dressed. And the way the father is dressed reveals his indifference to himself.
The description of Sokolov’s portrait, even before his monologue, partly reveals the narrator himself: “He put his big dark hands on his knees, hunched over. I looked at him from the side, and I felt something uneasy... Have you ever seen the eyes, as if sprinkled with ashes, filled with such an inescapable mortal melancholy that it is difficult to look into them? These were the eyes of my random interlocutor." At the most tragic moments of Sokolov’s story, the author expresses his impression: “He abruptly stopped the story mid-sentence, and in the silence that followed, I heard something bubbling and gurgling in his throat. Someone else’s anxiety was transmitted to me.” When Andrei Sokolov, filled with painful memories, suggested a smoke break, the author “... seemed different... in these moments of mournful silence, the vast world, preparing for the great achievements of spring, for the eternal affirmation of the living in life.”

Author's digression at the end of the story, the author also reveals his attitude to what he heard from Sokolov: “With heavy sadness I watched them follow. Maybe everything would have turned out well if we parted, but Vanyusha, taking a few steps away and braiding his scanty legs, turned to face me as he walked , waved his pink little hand. And suddenly, as if a soft but clawed paw squeezed my heart, and I hastily turned away... The most important thing here is not to hurt the child’s heart, so that he doesn’t see a burning and stingy man’s tear running down your cheek. .."

Andrei Sokolov retains his spiritual responsiveness and nobility after all the trials. Sokolov's life before the war was filled with work. He married an orphan from an orphanage. The family has three children. Having not fought for even a year, he is surrounded and captured. At night in the church, he destroys the informer, who in the morning intended to hand over the lieutenant to the Nazis. With a feeling of contempt, Sokolov hands the marauder-escort his boots and, incidentally, his footcloths. Andrei Sokolov escapes from the Poznan camp at the first opportunity. The Germans on motorcycles catch up with him after forty kilometers: “At first they beat me as hard as they could, and then they set the dogs on me, and only my skin and meat fell off in shreds.”

The author is sensitive to the fact that Sokolov’s heroism has national traditions: “So that I, a Russian soldier, would drink German weapons for the victory?!” Sokolov agrees to drink a glass of vodka “for his death and deliverance from torment,” but does not take the snack: “I wanted to show them, damned, that even though I’m starving, I’m not going to choke on their handout, that I have my own, Russian dignity and pride and that they didn’t turn me into a beast, no matter how hard they tried.” Sokolov wanted to survive not so much for himself as for his family. He retained his dignity in the face of the threat of death: “I walk through the camp yard, look at the stars, say goodbye to them, think: “So you have suffered, Andrei Sokolov, and in the camp - number three hundred and thirty-one.” Something felt pitiful for Irinka and the kids, and then the pity subsided, and I began to gather my courage to look into the hole of the pistol fearlessly, as befits a soldier...” Sokolov runs away to his people from the front line in an Opel Admiral , taking the German major (engineer) along with documents in a thick briefcase.

Sokolov's family dies. What saves Andrey from despair is that he adopts Vanyushka. The writer adds one trifle to the boy’s portrait. The five-year-old child sighs, which amazes Andrei: “Such a small bird, but he has already learned to sigh. Is it his business?”

The lyrical ending of the story is optimistic and humane. Andrey Sokolov will raise Vanyushka to be a real man. “Is there something waiting for them ahead? And I would like to think that that same Russian man, a man of unbending will, will endure and grow up to be around his father’s shoulder, someone who, having matured, will be able to endure everything, overcome everything on his way, if he is called to do so.” Motherland". The author speaks in the story from a universal humane position against misanthropic wars, with a protest against the persecution of former prisoners of war.

Love is one of the main themes in Kuprin's work. The heroes of his works, “illuminated” by this bright feeling, are more fully revealed. In the stories of this wonderful author, love is, as a rule, unselfish and selfless. After reading a large number of in his works one can understand that with him it is always tragic, and it is obviously doomed to suffering.

The poetic and tragic story of a young girl in the story “Olesya” sounds in this vein. Olesya's world is a world of spiritual harmony, a world of nature. He is alien to Ivan Timofeevich, the representative of the cruel, big city. Olesya attracts him with her “unusuality”, “there was nothing like the local girls in her”, the naturalness, simplicity and some kind of elusive inner freedom characteristic of her image attracted him to her like a magnet.

Olesya grew up in the forest. She could not read or write, but she had enormous spiritual wealth and strong character. Ivan Timofeevich is educated, but not decisive, and his kindness is more like cowardice. These two are absolutely different people they fell in love with each other, but this love does not bring happiness to the heroes, its outcome is tragic.

Ivan Timofeevich feels that he has fallen in love with Olesya, he would even like to marry her, but he is stopped by doubt: “I did not even dare to imagine what Olesya would be like dressed in fashionable dress, talking in the living room with the wives of my colleagues, pulled out of the charming frame of the old forest, full of legends and mysterious forces.” He realizes that Olesya will not be able to change, become different, and he himself does not want her to change. After all, to become different means to become like everyone else, and this is impossible.

Poetizing life not limited by modern social and cultural frameworks, Kuprin sought to show the clear advantages of a “natural” person, in whom he saw spiritual qualities lost in civilized society. The point of the story is to affirm high standard person. Kuprin is looking for people in real, everyday life who are obsessed with a high feeling of love, who are able to rise, at least in their dreams, above the prose of life. As always, he turns his gaze to the “little” man. This is how the story begins " Garnet bracelet”, which talks about sophisticated, all-encompassing love. This story is about a hopeless and touching love. Kuprin himself understands love as a miracle, as a wonderful gift. The death of the official brought back to life a woman who did not believe in love, which means that love still conquers death.

In general, the story is dedicated to the inner awakening of Vera, her gradual awareness of the true role of love. To the sound of music, the heroine's soul is reborn. From cold contemplation to a hot, reverent feeling of oneself, a person in general, the world - such is the path of the heroine, who once came into contact with a rare guest of the earth - love.

For Kuprin, love is a hopeless platonic feeling, and also a tragic one. Moreover, there is something hysterical in the chastity of Kuprin’s heroes, and in their attitude towards a loved one, what is striking is that the man and woman seem to have swapped their roles. This is characteristic of the energetic, strong-willed “Polesie sorceress” Olesya in her relationship with the “kind, but only weak Ivan Timofeevich,” and the smart, calculating Shurochka with the “pure and kind Romashov” (“Duel”). Underestimation of oneself, disbelief in one’s right to own a woman, a convulsive desire to withdraw - these traits complete the picture of Kuprin’s hero with a fragile soul caught in a cruel world.

Closed in itself, such love has creative creative power. “It so happened that I am not interested in anything in life: neither politics, nor science, nor philosophy, nor concern for the future happiness of people,” Zheltkov writes before his death to the subject of his generation, “...for me, all life consists only in you". Zheltkov leaves this life without complaints, without reproaches, saying like a prayer: “Hallowed be Thy name.”

Kuprin's works, despite the complexity of situations and often dramatic endings, are filled with optimism and love of life. You close the book, and a feeling of something bright remains in your soul for a long time.

On turn of the 19th century and 20th centuries, Russian literature experienced a period of special prosperity. In poetry it was called " silver age" But prose has also been enriched with many masterpieces. In my opinion, A.I. Kuprin also contributed a lot to this. His work strangely combines the harshest life realism and amazing airiness and transparency. He is the author of some of the most heartfelt works about love in Russian literature.

I would like to focus on two of them: “Duel” and “Garnet Bracelet”. They are very different, but upon closer examination, even in the plot you can find a similarity. In both stories, the basis of the plot is a story of unhappy love, and both main characters die tragically, and the reason for this is the attitude of the woman they love towards them.

Georgy Romashov, “Romochka”, from “The Duel” - a young officer. His character does not at all correspond to his chosen field. He is shy, blushes like a young lady, and is ready to respect the dignity of any person, but the results are disastrous. His soldiers are the worst marchers. He himself constantly makes mistakes. His idealistic ideas constantly come into conflict with reality, and his life is painful. His only joy is his love for Shurochka. For him, she personifies beauty, grace, education, and culture in general in the atmosphere of a provincial garrison. In her house he feels like a human being. Shurochka also appreciates Romashov’s difference, his difference from others. She is proud and ambitious, her dream is to escape from here. To do this, she forces her husband to prepare for the academy. She herself teaches military disciplines, so as not to get bogged down in idleness, not to become dull in the surrounding lack of spirituality. Romashov and Shurochka found each other, opposites met. But if for Romashov love consumed his entire soul and became the meaning and justification of life, then it bothers Shurochka. Achieving the intended goal is impossible for her with the weak-willed, gentle “Romachka”. Therefore, she only allows herself this weakness for a moment, and then chooses to stay with her unloved, untalented, but persistent and stubborn husband. Once upon a time, Shurochka already refused Nazansky’s love (and now he is a drunken, desperate man).

In Shurochka’s understanding, a lover must make sacrifices. After all, she herself, without thinking twice, sacrifices both her own and someone else’s love for the sake of well-being, social status. Nazansky was unable to adapt to her demands - and he was removed. Shura will demand even more from Romashov - for the sake of her reputation, for the sake of gossips and talkers, he must sacrifice his life. For George himself, this may even be salvation. After all, if he had not died, he, in best case scenario, would have suffered the same fate as Nazansky. The environment would have swallowed him up and destroyed him.

In "Garnet Bracelet" the situation is similar, but not quite. The heroine is also married, but she loves her husband, and, on the contrary, she does not feel any feelings towards Mr. Zheltkov except annoyance. And Zheltkov himself seems to us at first to be just a vulgar suitor. This is how both Vera and her family perceive him. But in the story about calm and happy life alarming notes flash: this fatal love Vera's husband's brother; the love and adoration that her husband has for Vera’s sister; the failed love of Vera's grandfather, it is this general who says that real love should be a tragedy, but in life it is trivialized, everyday life and various kinds of conventions interfere. He tells two stories (one of them even somewhat resembles the plot of “The Duel”), where true love turns into a farce. Vera, listening to this story, has already received a garnet bracelet with a bloody stone, which should protect her from misfortune, and could save its former owner from violent death. It is with this gift that the reader’s attitude towards Zheltkov changes. He sacrifices everything for his love: career, money, peace of mind. And doesn't require anything in return.

But again, empty secular conventions destroy even this illusory happiness. Nikolai, Vera’s brother-in-law, who once gave up his love to these prejudices, now demands the same from Zheltkov, he threatens him with prison, the court of society, and his connections.

Essay on the topic “Love in the works of Kuprin”

One of the primary themes in Kuprin’s work is love. The characters of his creations, “illuminated” by the present strong feeling, open deeper. In the works of this wonderful writer, love, like a pattern, is selfless and selfless. Having analyzed a considerable number of his works, one can understand that in his work it is invariably tragic and condemned in advance to torment. One of the most high values In the life of a person, according to A.I. Kuprin, there has always been love. Love, which collects into a single bouquet all the best, all that is healthy and bright, with which life rewards a person, which justifies any hardships and hardships that may come along his way. So in "Oles". So in "Garnet Bracelet". So in Shulamith. So in "Duel". Until the end of his life, the writer retained the romantic mood of his youth in his soul, and this is what makes his works strong.

Many events take place before us on the pages of the story "The Duel". But the emotional culmination of the work was not the tragic fate of Romashov, but the night of love he spent with the insidious and therefore even more captivating Shurochka; and the happiness experienced by Romashov on this pre-duel night is so great that it is this alone that is conveyed to the reader.

The poetic and tragic story of a young girl in the story “Olesya” sounds in this vein. Olesya’s world is a world of spiritual harmony, a world of nature. He is alien to Ivan Timofeevich, a representative of a cruel, big city. Olesya attracts him with her “unusuality”, “there was nothing like the local girls in her”, the naturalness, simplicity and some kind of elusive inner freedom characteristic of her image attracted him to her like a magnet.

Olesya grew up among the forest. She could not read or write, but she had great spiritual wealth and a strong character. Ivan Timofeevich is educated, but indecisive, and his kindness is more like cowardice. These two completely different people fell in love with each other, but this love does not bring happiness to the heroes, its outcome is tragic.

Ivan Timofeevich feels that he has fallen in love with Olesya, he would even like to marry her, but he is stopped by doubt: “I didn’t even dare to imagine what Olesya would be like, dressed in a fashionable dress, talking in the living room with the wives of my colleagues, torn from the charming the framework of an old forest full of legends and mysterious powers." He realizes that Olesya will not be able to change, become different, and he himself does not want her to change. After all, to become different means to become like everyone else, and this is impossible.

The story "Olesya" develops the theme of Kuprin's creativity - love as a saving force that protects "pure gold" human nature from “subversion”, from the destructive influence of bourgeois civilization. It is no coincidence that Kuprin’s favorite hero was a man of strong-willed, courageous character and noble, kind heart, capable of enjoying all the diversity of the world. The work is built on a comparison of two heroes, two natures, two worldviews. On the one hand, an educated intellectual, a representative of urban culture, the rather humane Ivan Timofeevich, on the other, Olesya, a “child of nature” who has not been influenced by urban civilization. Compared to Ivan Timofeevich, a man of a kind but weak, “lazy” heart, Olesya rises with nobility, integrity, and proud confidence in her strength. Freely, without any special tricks, Kuprin draws the appearance of the Polesie beauty, forcing us to follow the richness of her shades spiritual world, always original, sincere and deep. "Olesya" is Kuprin's artistic discovery. The writer showed us true beauty an innocent, almost childlike soul of a girl who grew up far from the noisy world of people, among animals, birds and forests. But along with this, Kuprin also highlights human malice, senseless superstition, fear of the unknown, the unknown. However, true love triumphed over all this. A string of red beads is the last tribute to Olesya’s generous heart, the memory of “her tender, generous love.”

Poetizing life not limited by modern social and cultural frameworks, Kuprin sought to show the clear advantages of a “natural” person, in whom he saw spiritual qualities lost in civilized society. The meaning of the story is to affirm the high standard of man. Kuprin is looking for people in real, everyday life who are obsessed with a high feeling of love, who are able to rise, at least in their dreams, above the prose of life. As always, he turns his gaze to the “little” man. This is how the story “The Garnet Bracelet” arises, which tells about a refined all-encompassing love. This story is about hopeless and touching love. Kuprin himself understands love as a miracle, as a wonderful gift. The death of the official brought back to life a woman who did not believe in love, which means that love still conquers death.

In general, the story is dedicated to the inner awakening of Vera, her gradual awareness of the true role of love. To the sound of music, the heroine's soul is reborn. From cold contemplation to a hot, reverent feeling of oneself, a person in general, the world - such is the path of the heroine, who once came into contact with a rare guest of the earth - love.

For Kuprin, love is a hopeless platonic feeling, and also a tragic one. Moreover, there is something hysterical in the chastity of Kuprin’s heroes, and in their attitude towards a loved one, what is striking is that the man and woman seem to have swapped their roles. This is characteristic of the energetic, strong-willed “Polesie sorceress” Olesya in her relationship with the “kind, but only weak Ivan Timofeevich” and the smart, calculating Shurochka with the “pure and kind Romashov” (“The Duel”). Underestimation of oneself, disbelief in one’s right to own a woman, a convulsive desire to withdraw – these traits complete the picture of Kuprin’s hero with a fragile soul caught in a cruel world.

Increased affection for every human personality and mastery psychological analysis- the specificity of A.I. Kuprin’s artistic talent, which allowed him to fully study the realistic heritage. The importance of his work lies in the artistically convincing discovery of the soul of his contemporary. The author analyzes love as a perfect moral and psychological feeling. The works of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin awaken the original questions of humanity - questions of love.

The stories created by Kuprin, despite the complexity of the circumstances and often tragic end, full of love for life and optimism. You close the book you read with his stories, but in your heart you still long time the feeling of touching something light and clear is preserved.