Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin is a famous realist writer whose works resonated in the hearts of readers. His work was distinguished by the fact that he sought not only to accurately reflect events, but most of all by the fact that Kuprin was interested in the inner world of a person much more than just a reliable description. A brief biography of Kuprin will be described below: childhood, youth, creative activity.

The writer's childhood

Kuprin's childhood could not be called carefree. The writer was born on August 26, 1870 in the Penza province. Kuprin's parents were: hereditary nobleman I. I. Kuprin, who held the position of official, and L. A. Kulunchakova, who came from a family of Tatar princes. The writer was always proud of his origins on his mother’s side, and Tatar features were visible in his appearance.

A year later, Alexander Ivanovich’s father died, and the writer’s mother was left with two daughters and a young son in her arms without any financial support. Then the proud Lyubov Alekseevna had to humiliate herself in front of senior officials in order to place her daughters in a government boarding school. She herself, taking her son with her, moved to Moscow and got a job in the Widow's House, in which the future writer lived with her for two years.

Later he was enrolled in the state account of the Moscow Guardianship Council in an orphan school. Kuprin's childhood there was joyless, full of sorrow and reflections on the fact that they are trying to suppress a person's sense of self-worth. After this school, Alexander entered a military gymnasium, later transformed into cadet corps. These were the prerequisites for the development of an officer's career.

The writer's youth

Kuprin’s childhood was not easy, and studying in the cadet corps was also not easy. But it was then that he first had a desire to engage in literature and he began to write his first poems. Of course, the strict living conditions of the cadets and military drill tempered the character of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin and strengthened his will. Later his memories of childhood and youth will be reflected in the works “Cadets”, “Brave Fugitives”, “Junkers”. It’s not for nothing that the writer always emphasized that his works are largely autobiographical.

Kuprin's military youth began with his admission to the Moscow Aleksandrovskoe military school, upon completion of which he received the rank of second lieutenant. Then he went to serve in an infantry regiment and visited small provincial towns. Kuprin not only performed his official duties, but also studied all aspects of army life. Constant drill, injustice, cruelty - all this was reflected in his stories, such as, for example, “The Lilac Bush”, “Hike”, the story “The Last Duel”, thanks to which he gained all-Russian fame.

Beginning of a literary career

His entry into the ranks of writers dates back to 1889, when his story “The Last Debut” was published. Kuprin later said that when he left military service, the most difficult thing for him was that he had no knowledge. Therefore, Alexander Ivanovich began to thoroughly study life and read books.

The future famous Russian writer Kuprin began to travel throughout the country and tried himself in many professions. But he did this not because he could not decide on his future type of activity, but because he was interested in it. Kuprin wanted to thoroughly study the life and everyday life of people, their characters, in order to reflect these observations in his stories.

In addition to the fact that the writer studied life, he took his first steps in the literary field - he published articles, wrote feuilletons, and essays. A significant event in his life was his collaboration with the authoritative magazine "Russian Wealth". It was there that “In the Dark” and “Inquiry” were published in the period from 1893 to 1895. During the same period, Kuprin met I. A. Bunin, A. P. Chekhov and M. Gorky.

In 1896, Kuprin’s first book, “Kyiv Types,” a collection of his essays, was published, and the story “Moloch” was published. A year later, a collection of short stories, “Miniatures,” was published, which Kuprin presented to Chekhov.

About the story "Moloch"

Kuprin's stories were distinguished by the fact that the central place was given not to politics, but to the emotional experiences of the characters. But this does not mean that the writer was not concerned about the plight of the ordinary population. In the story "Moloch", which brought to a young writer fame, talks about difficult, even disastrous, working conditions for workers at a large steel mill.

It is no coincidence that the work received this name: the writer compares this enterprise with the pagan god, Moloch, who requires constant human sacrifice. The aggravation of social conflict (revolt of workers against management) was not the main thing in the work. Kuprin was more interested in how the modern bourgeoisie can have a detrimental influence on a person. Already in this work one can notice the writer’s interest in a person’s personality, his experiences, and thoughts. Kuprin wanted to show the reader how a person feels when faced with social injustice.

A Tale of Love - "Olesya"

No less works have been written about love. Love occupied a special place in Kuprin’s work. He always wrote about her touchingly and reverently. His heroes are people who are capable of experiencing, experiencing sincere feelings. One of these stories is “Olesya,” written in 1898.

All created images have a poetic character, especially the image main character Olesya. The work talks about tragic love between the girl and the narrator, Ivan Timofeevich, an aspiring writer. He came to the wilderness, to Polesie, to get acquainted with the way of life of inhabitants unknown to him, their legends and traditions.

Olesya turned out to be a Polesie witch, but she has nothing in common with the usual image of such women. It combines beauty with inner strength, nobility, a little naivety, but at the same time one can feel a strong will and a little bit of authority in her. And her fortune telling is not connected with cards or other forces, but with the fact that she immediately recognizes the character of Ivan Timofeevich.

The love between the characters is sincere, all-consuming, noble. After all, Olesya does not agree to marry him, because she considers herself no equal to him. The story ends sadly: Ivan did not manage to see Olesya a second time, and he only had red beads as a memory of her. And all other works on a love theme are distinguished by the same purity, sincerity and nobility.

"Duel"

The work that brought fame to the writer and occupied an important place in Kuprin’s work was “The Duel.” It was published in May 1905, already at the end of the Russo-Japanese War. A.I. Kuprin wrote the whole truth of army morals using the example of one regiment located in a provincial town. The central theme of the work is the formation of personality, its spiritual awakening using the example of the hero Romashov.

The “duel” can also be explained as a personal battle between the writer and the stultifying everyday life of the tsarist army, which destroys all that is best in a person. This work has become one of the most famous, despite the fact that the ending is tragic. The ending of the work reflects the realities that existed at that time in the tsarist army.

Psychological side of works

In the stories, Kuprin appears as an expert psychological analysis precisely because he always sought to understand what motivates a person, what feelings control him. In 1905, the writer went to Balaklava and from there traveled to Sevastopol to take notes on the events that took place on the mutinous cruiser Ochakov.

After the publication of his essay "Events in Sevastopol", he was expelled from the city and forbidden to come there. During his stay there, Kuprin creates the story “The Listriginovs,” where the main characters are simple fishermen. The writer describes their hard work and character, which were close in spirit to the writer himself.

In the story "Staff Captain Rybnikov" the writer's psychological talent is fully revealed. A journalist wages a hidden struggle with a secret agent of Japanese intelligence. And not for the purpose of exposing him, but in order to understand what a person feels, what motivates him, what internal struggle happens in it. This story was highly appreciated by readers and critics.

Love theme

Works on a love theme occupied a special place in the works of writers. But this feeling was not passionate and all-consuming; rather, he described selfless, selfless, faithful love. Among the most famous works"Shulamith" and " Garnet bracelet".

It is this kind of selfless, perhaps even sacrificial love that is perceived by the heroes as the highest happiness. That is, a person’s spiritual strength lies in the fact that one must be able to put the happiness of another person above one’s own well-being. Only such love can bring true joy and interest in life.

Writer's personal life

A.I. Kuprin was married twice. His first wife was Maria Davydova, the daughter of a famous cellist. But the marriage lasted only 5 years, but during this time they had a daughter, Lydia. Kuprin’s second wife was Elizaveta Moritsovna-Heinrich, whom he married in 1909, although before this event they had already lived together for two years. They had two girls - Ksenia (in the future - a famous model and artist) and Zinaida (who died at the age of three.) The wife outlived Kuprin by 4 years and committed suicide during the siege of Leningrad.

Emigration

The writer took part in the war of 1914, but due to illness he had to return to Gatchina, where he made a hospital for wounded soldiers from his house. Kuprin was waiting for the February Revolution, but, like the majority, he did not accept the methods that the Bolsheviks used to assert their power.

After the White Army was defeated, the Kuprin family went to Estonia, then to Finland. In 1920 he came to Paris at the invitation of I. A. Bunin. The years spent during emigration were fruitful. The works he wrote were popular with the public. But, despite this, Kuprin became increasingly homesick for Russia, and in 1936 the writer decided to return to his homeland.

The last years of the writer's life

Just as Kuprin’s childhood was not easy, so last years his life was not easy. His return to the USSR in 1937 caused a lot of noise. On May 31, 1937, he was met by a solemn procession, which included famous writers and admirers of his work. Already at that time, Kuprin had serious health problems, but he hoped that in his homeland he would be able to regain his strength and continue to engage in literary activities. But on August 25, 1938, Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin passed away.

A.I. Kuprin was not just a writer who talked about various events. He studied human nature and sought to understand the character of every person he met. Therefore, reading his stories, readers empathize with the characters, feel sad and rejoice with them. Creativity of A.I. Kuprin occupies a special place in Russian literature.

The life experience and creativity of A. I. Kuprin are extremely closely related to each other. The autobiographical element occupies an important place in the writer’s books. For the most part, the author wrote about what he saw with his own eyes, experienced in his soul, but not as an observer, but as a direct participant in life’s dramas and comedies. What he experienced and saw was transformed in different ways in his work - there were cursory sketches, an accurate description of specific situations, and a deep socio-psychological analysis.

At the beginning of its literary activity The classic paid a lot of attention to everyday color. But even then he showed a penchant for social analysis. His entertaining book “Kyiv Types” contains not only picturesque everyday exoticism, but also a hint of the all-Russian social environment. At the same time, Kuprin does not delve into the psychology of people. Only as years passed did he begin to carefully and scrupulously study a variety of human material.

This was especially evident in such a theme of his work as the army environment. The writer’s first realistic work, the story “Inquiry” (1894), is associated with the army. In it, he described the type of person who suffers at the sight of injustice, but is spiritually restless, devoid of strong-willed qualities and unable to fight evil. And such an indecisive truth-seeker begins to accompany all of Kuprin’s work.

Army stories are notable for the writer's faith in the Russian soldier. She makes such works as “Army Ensign”, “Night Shift”, “Overnight” truly spiritual. Kuprin shows the soldier as cheerful, with rough but healthy humor, intelligent, observant, and prone to original philosophizing.

The final stage of creative quest at the early stage of literary activity was the story “Moloch” (1896), which brought real fame to the young writer. In this story, at the center of the action is a humane, kind, impressionable person who reflects on life. Society itself is shown as a transitional formation, that is, one in which changes are brewing, unclear not only acting persons, but also to the author.

Love occupied a large place in the work of A. I. Kuprin. The writer can even be called a singer of love. An example of this is the story “On the Road” (1894). The beginning of the story does not foreshadow anything sublime. A train, a compartment, a married couple - an elderly boring official, his young beautiful wife and a young artist who happened to be with them. He becomes interested in the official's wife, and she becomes interested in him.

At first glance, the story of a banal romance and adultery. But no, the writer’s skill turns a trivial plot into a serious topic. The story shows how a chance meeting illuminates the lives of two good people with honest souls. Kuprin constructed his little work with such psychological precision that he was able to say a lot in it.

But the most remarkable work dedicated to the theme of love is the story “Olesya”. It can be called a forest fairy tale, drawn with the authenticity and precision of details inherent in realistic art. The girl herself is an integral, serious, deep nature; she has a lot of sincerity and spontaneity. And the hero of the story is an ordinary person with an amorphous character. But under the influence of a mysterious forest girl, his soul brightens and, it seems, is ready to become a noble and integral person.

The work of A. I. Kuprin conveys not only the concrete, everyday, visible, but also rises to symbolism, implying the very spirit of certain phenomena. Such, for example, is the story “Swamp”. The overall coloring of the story is heavy and gloomy, similar to the swamp fog in which the action takes place. This almost plotless work shows the slow death of a peasant family in a forest lodge.

The artistic means used by the classic are such that there is a feeling of a disastrous nightmare. And the very image of a forest, dark and ominous swamp takes on an expanded meaning, creating the impression of some kind of abnormal swamp life smoldering in the gloomy corners of a huge country.

In 1905, the story “The Duel” was published, in which the methods of psychological analysis indicate Kuprin’s connection with the traditions of Russian classics of the 19th century. In this work, the writer showed himself to be a first-class master of words. He once again proved his ability to comprehend the dialectics of soul and thought, to artistically draw typical characters and typical circumstances.

A few words should also be said about the story “Staff Captain Rybnikov.” Before Kuprin, no one in Russian and foreign literature I didn’t create such a psychological detective story. The fascination of the story lies in the picturesque two-plane image of Rybnikov and the psychological duel between him and the journalist Shchavinsky, as well as in the tragic denouement that occurs under unusual circumstances.

The poetry of labor and the aroma of the sea pervade the stories “Listrigons”, which tell about Balaklava Greek fishermen. In this series, the classic showed the original corner of the Russian Empire in all its beauty. In the stories, the concreteness of the descriptions is combined with a kind of epicness and simple-minded fabulousness.

In 1908, the story “Shulamith” appeared, which was called a hymn to female beauty and youth. This is a prose poem that combines sensuality and spirituality. There is a lot of bold, daring, frank in the poem, but there is no falsehood. The work tells about the poetic love of a king and a simple girl, which ends tragically. Shulamith becomes a victim of dark forces. The killer's sword kills her, but he is unable to destroy the memory of her and her love.

It must be said that the classic always had an interest in the “small” ones, “ ordinary people" He made such a person a hero in the story “The Garnet Bracelet” (1911). The message of this brilliant story is that love is as strong as death. The originality of the work lies in the gradual and almost imperceptible increase tragic theme. There is also a certain Shakespearean note. She breaks through the quirks of the funny official and captivates the reader.

The story “Black Lightning” (1912) is interesting in its own way. In it, the work of A.I. Kuprin is revealed from another side. This work depicts provincial, provincial Russia with its apathy and ignorance. But it also shows those spiritual forces that lurk in provincial cities and from time to time they make themselves felt.

During the First World War, such a work as “Violets” came out from the pen of a classic, glorifying the spring season in a person’s life. And the continuation was social criticism, embodied in the story “Cantaloupe”. In it, the writer paints the image of a cunning businessman and hypocrite who profits from military supplies.

Even before the war, Kuprin began working on a powerful and deep social canvas, which he called darkly and briefly - “The Pit”. The first part of this story was published in 1909, and in 1915 the publication of “The Pit” was completed. The work created true images of women who found themselves at the bottom of their lives. The classic masterfully depicted individual character traits and the dark corners of the big city.

Finding himself in exile after the October Revolution and the Civil War, Kuprin began to write about old Russia as an amazing past that always pleased and amused him. The main point his works of this period was to reveal inner world their heroes. At the same time, the writer often turned to the memories of his youth. This is how the novel “Junker” appeared, which made a significant contribution to Russian prose.

The classic describes the loyal mood of future infantry officers, youthful love, and such eternal theme How mother's love. And of course, the writer does not forget nature. It is communication with nature that fills the youthful soul with joy and gives impetus to the first philosophical reflections.

“The Junkers” skillfully and knowledgeably describes the life of the school, while it provides not only educational, but also historical information. The novel is also interesting in the gradual formation of a young soul. The reader is presented with a chronicle of the spiritual development of one of the Russian youths late XIX– beginning of the 20th century. This work can be called an elegy in prose with great artistic and educational merits.

The skill of a realist artist and sympathy for the ordinary citizen with his everyday everyday worries were extremely clearly manifested in the miniature essays dedicated to Paris. The writer united them with one name - “Paris at home”. When A.I. Kuprin’s work was in its infancy, he created a series of essays about Kyiv. And after many years in exile, the classic returned to the genre of urban sketches, only the place of Kyiv was now taken by Paris.

French impressions were uniquely reunited with nostalgic memories of Russia in the novel “Zhaneta”. It soulfully conveyed the state of restlessness, mental loneliness, and unquenched thirst to find a loved one. The novel “Zhaneta” is one of the most masterful and psychologically subtle works and, perhaps, the saddest creation of the classic.

The fabulous and legendary work “The Blue Star” appears to readers as witty and original in its essence. In this romantic fairy tale main theme is love. The plot takes place in an unknown fantasy country, where an unknown people live with their own culture, customs, and morals. And a brave traveler, a French prince, penetrates this unknown country. And of course, he meets a fairytale princess.

Both she and the traveler are beautiful. They fell in love with each other, but the girl considers herself ugly, and all the people consider her ugly, although they love her for her kind heart. But the fact was that the people who inhabited the country were real freaks, but considered themselves handsome. The princess was not like her compatriots, and she was perceived as ugly.

A brave traveler takes the girl to France, and there she realizes that she is beautiful, and the prince who saved her is also beautiful. But she considered him a freak, just like herself, and felt very sorry for him. This work has entertaining, good-natured humor, and the plot is somewhat reminiscent of old good fairy tales. All this made " blue star"a significant phenomenon in Russian literature.

In emigration, the work of A. I. Kuprin continued to serve Russia. The writer himself lived an intense, fruitful life. But every year it became more and more difficult for him. The stock of Russian impressions was drying up, but the classic could not merge with foreign reality. Taking care of a piece of bread was also important. And therefore one cannot help but pay tribute to the talented author. Despite his difficult years, he managed to make a significant contribution to Russian literature.

Russian writer Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin (1870–1938) was born in the town of Narovchat, Penza province. A man of difficult fate, a career military man, then a journalist, emigrant and “returnee,” Kuprin is known as the author of works included in the golden collection of Russian literature.

Stages of life and creativity

Kuprin was born into a poor noble family on August 26, 1870. His father worked as a secretary in the regional court, his mother came from a noble family of Tatar princes Kulunchakov. In addition to Alexander, two daughters grew up in the family.

The life of the family changed dramatically when, a year after the birth of their son, the head of the family died of cholera. The mother, a native Muscovite, began to look for an opportunity to return to the capital and somehow arrange the life of the family. She managed to find a place with a boarding house in the Kudrinsky widow's house in Moscow. Three years of little Alexander’s life passed here, after which, at the age of six, he was sent to an orphanage. The atmosphere of the widow's house is conveyed by the story “Holy Lies” (1914), written by a mature writer.

The boy was accepted to study at the Razumovsky orphanage, then, after graduation, he continued his studies at the Second Moscow Cadet Corps. Fate, it seems, destined him to be a military man. And in early work Kuprin, the theme of everyday life in the army and relationships among the military is raised in two stories: “Army Ensign” (1897), “At the Turning Point (Cadets)” (1900). At the peak of his literary talent, Kuprin writes the story “The Duel” (1905). The image of her hero, Second Lieutenant Romashov, according to the writer, was copied from himself. The publication of the story caused great discussion in society. In the army environment, the work was perceived negatively. The story shows the aimlessness and philistine limitations of the life of the military class. A kind of conclusion to the dilogy “Cadets” and “Duel” was autobiographical story“Junker”, written by Kuprin already in exile, in 1928-32.

Army life was completely alien to Kuprin, who was prone to rebellion. Resignation from military service took place in 1894. By this time, the writer’s first stories began to appear in magazines, not yet noticed by the general public. After leaving military service, he began wandering in search of income and life experiences. Kuprin tried to find himself in many professions, but the experience of journalism acquired in Kyiv became useful for starting professional literary work. The next five years were marked by the emergence best works author of: stories “Lilac Bush” (1894), “Painting” (1895), “Overnight” (1895), “Barbos and Zhulka” (1897), “ Wonderful doctor"(1897), "Breget" (1897), the story "Olesya" (1898).

The capitalism that Russia is entering has depersonalized the working man. Anxiety in the face of this process leads to a wave of workers' revolts, which are supported by the intelligentsia. In 1896, Kuprin wrote the story “Moloch” - a work of great artistic power. In the story, the soulless power of the machine is associated with an ancient deity who demands and receives human lives as a sacrifice.

“Moloch” was written by Kuprin upon his return to Moscow. Here, after wandering, the writer finds a home, enters the literary circle, meets and becomes close friends with Bunin, Chekhov, Gorky. Kuprin marries and in 1901 moves with his family to St. Petersburg. His stories “Swamp” (1902), “White Poodle” (1903), “Horse Thieves” (1903) are published in magazines. At this time, the writer is actively involved in public life, he is a candidate for deputy State Duma 1st convocation. Since 1911 he has lived with his family in Gatchina.

Kuprin’s work between the two revolutions was marked by the creation of love stories “Shulamith” (1908) and “Pomegranate Bracelet” (1911), distinguished by their bright mood from the works of literature of those years by other authors.

During the period of two revolutions and civil war Kuprin is looking for an opportunity to be useful to society, collaborating either with the Bolsheviks or with the Socialist Revolutionaries. 1918 was a turning point in the writer’s life. He emigrates with his family, lives in France and continues to work actively. Here, in addition to the novel “Junker,” the story “Yu-Yu” (1927), the fairy tale “Blue Star” (1927), the story “Olga Sur” (1929), a total of more than twenty works, were written.

In 1937, after an entry permit approved by Stalin, the already very ill writer returned to Russia and settled in Moscow, where a year after returning from emigration, Alexander Ivanovich died. Kuprin was buried in Leningrad at the Volkovsky cemetery.

Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin is a famous writer, a classic of Russian literature, whose most significant works are “The Junkers”, “The Duel”, “The Pit”, “The Garnet Bracelet” and “The White Poodle”. Also considered high art short stories Kuprin about Russian life, about emigration, about animals.

Alexander was born in the district town of Narovchat, which is located in the Penza region. But the writer spent his childhood and youth in Moscow. The fact is that Kuprin’s father, hereditary nobleman Ivan Ivanovich, died a year after his birth. Lyubov Alekseevna’s mother, who also came from a noble family, had to move to a large city, where it was much easier for her to give her son upbringing and education.

Already at the age of 6, Kuprin was sent to the Moscow Razumovsky boarding school, which operated on the principle of an orphanage. After 4 years, Alexander was transferred to the Second Moscow Cadet Corps, after which the young man entered the Alexander Military School. Kuprin graduated with the rank of second lieutenant and served for exactly 4 years in the Dnieper Infantry Regiment.

After his resignation, the 24-year-old young man leaves for Kyiv, then to Odessa, Sevastopol and other cities Russian Empire. The problem was that Alexander did not have any civilian specialty. Only after meeting him does he manage to find a permanent job: Kuprin goes to St. Petersburg and gets a job at the “Magazine for Everyone.” Later he would settle in Gatchina, where during the First World War he would maintain a military hospital at his own expense.

Alexander Kuprin enthusiastically accepted the abdication of the Tsar's power. After the arrival of the Bolsheviks, he even personally approached with a proposal to publish a special newspaper for the village “Zemlya”. But soon, seeing that the new government was imposing a dictatorship on the country, he became completely disillusioned with it.

It is Kuprin who owns the derogatory name Soviet Union- “Sovdepiya”, which will become firmly established in the jargon. During the Civil War, he volunteered to join the White Army, and after a major defeat he went abroad - first to Finland and then to France.

By the early 30s, Kuprin was mired in debt and could not provide his family with even the most necessary things. In addition, the writer did not find anything better than to look for a way out of a difficult situation in a bottle. As a result, the only solution was to return to his homeland, which he personally supported in 1937.

Books

Alexander Kuprin began writing in his final years in the cadet corps, and his first attempts at writing were in the poetic genre. Unfortunately, the writer never published his poetry. And his first published story was “The Last Debut.” Later, his story “In the Dark” and a number of stories on military topics were published in magazines.

In general, Kuprin devotes a lot of space to the theme of the army, especially in his early works. Suffice it to recall his famous autobiographical novel “Junkers” and the story that preceded it “At the Turning Point”, also published as “Cadets”.

The dawn of Alexander Ivanovich as a writer came at the beginning of the 20th century. He published the story “The White Poodle,” which later became a classic of children’s literature, his memoirs about his trip to Odessa, “Gambrinus,” and, probably, his most popular work, the story “The Duel.” At the same time, such creations as “Liquid Sun”, “Garnet Bracelet”, and stories about animals were released.

Separately, it is necessary to say about one of the most scandalous works of Russian literature of that period - the story “The Pit” about the life and destinies of Russian prostitutes. The book was mercilessly criticized, paradoxically, for “excessive naturalism and realism.” The first edition of "The Pit" was withdrawn from publication as pornographic.

In exile, Alexander Kuprin wrote a lot, almost all of his works were popular with readers. In France, he created four major works - “The Dome of St. Isaac of Dalmatia”, “The Wheel of Time”, “Junker” and “Zhanet”, as well as a large number of short stories, including the philosophical parable about beauty “Blue Star”.

Personal life

The first wife of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin was young Maria Davydova, the daughter of the famous cellist Karl Davydov. The marriage lasted only five years, but during this time the couple had a daughter, Lydia. The fate of this girl was tragic - she died shortly after giving birth to her son at the age of 21.

The writer married his second wife Elizaveta Moritsovna in 1909, although they had been living together for two years by that time. They had two daughters - Ksenia, who later became an actress and model, and Zinaida, who died at three years old from a complex form of pneumonia. The wife outlived Alexander Ivanovich by 4 years. She committed suicide during the siege of Leningrad, unable to withstand the constant bombing and endless hunger.

Since Kuprin’s only grandson, Alexei Egorov, died due to injuries received during World War II, the line of the famous writer was interrupted, and today his direct descendants do not exist.

Death

Alexander Kuprin returned to Russia with severely compromised health. He had an alcohol addiction, plus old man I was quickly losing my sight. The writer hoped that he would be able to return to work in his homeland, but his health did not allow this.

A year later, while watching a military parade on Red Square, Alexander Ivanovich contracted pneumonia, which was also aggravated by esophageal cancer. On August 25, 1938, the famous writer’s heart stopped forever.

Kuprin’s grave is located on the Literary Bridge of the Volkovsky Cemetery, not far from the burial place of another Russian classic -.

Bibliography

• 1892 - “In the Dark”
• 1898 - “Olesya”
• 1900 - “At the Turning Point” (“Cadets”)
• 1905 - “Duel”
• 1907 - "Gambrinus"
• 1910 - “Garnet Bracelet”
• 1913 - “Liquid Sun”
• 1915 - “The Pit”
• 1928 - “Junkers”
• 1933 - “Zhaneta”

A very short biography (in a nutshell)

Born on September 7, 1870 in the city of Narovchat, Penza region. Father - Ivan Ivanovich Kuprin (1834-1871), official. Mother - Lyubov Alekseevna (1838-1910). In 1880 he entered the Moscow Cadet Corps, and in 1887 he entered the Alexander Military School. On February 3, 1902 he married Maria Davydova. Since 1907, Heinrich began to live with Elizabeth. From two marriages he had three daughters. In 1920 he emigrated to France. In 1937 he returned to the USSR. Died on August 25, 1938 at the age of 67. He was buried in St. Petersburg on the Literary Bridge of the Volkovsky Cemetery. Main works: “The Duel”, “The Pit”, “Moloch”, “Garnet Bracelet”, “The Wonderful Doctor” and others.

Brief biography (details)

Alexander Kuprin is an outstanding Russian realist writer of the late 19th century. The writer was born on September 7, 1870 in the district town of Narovchat, Penza region, in the family of a hereditary nobleman. The writer's father, Ivan Ivanovich, died shortly after the birth of his son. Mother, Lyubov Alekseevna, was from a family of Tatar princes. After the death of her husband, she moved to Moscow, where Alexander, at the age of six, was sent to an orphanage. In 1880 he entered the Moscow Cadet Corps, and in 1887 he entered the Alexander Military School. He would later write about the years spent at this school in the story “At the Turning Point” and in the novel “Junker”.

The writer's first literary experience manifested itself in poems that were never published. Kuprin's work was first published in 1889. It was the story "The Last Debut". The writer collected rich material for his future works while serving in the Dnieper Infantry Regiment in 1890. A few years later, his works “Russian Wealth”, “Overnight”, “Inquiry”, “Hike” and others were published. It is believed that Kuprin was a very greedy person for impressions and loved to lead a wandering lifestyle. He was interested in people of various professions, from engineers to organ grinders. For this reason, the writer could equally well describe a variety of subjects in his books.

The 1890s were fruitful for Kuprin. It was then that one of his best stories, “Moloch,” was published. In the 1900s, the writer met such literary geniuses as Bunin, Gorky, Chekhov. In 1905, the writer’s most significant work appeared - the story “The Duel”. This story immediately brought great success to the writer, and he began to give readings of individual chapters in the capital. And with the appearance of the stories “The Pit” and “The Garnet Bracelet,” his prose became a significant part of Russian literature.

The turning point in Kuprin’s life was the revolution that broke out in the country. In 1920, the writer emigrated to France, where he spent almost seventeen years. This was a kind of calm period in his work. However, after returning to his homeland, he wrote his last essay, “Native Moscow.” The writer died on the night of August 25, 1938 and was buried on the Literary Bridge in St. Petersburg.

Brief biography video (for those who prefer to listen)