Russian writer Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin: childhood, adolescence, biography

Kuprin Alexander Ivanovich - one of the most notable figures of Russian literature of the first half of the 20th century. He is the author of such famous works as "Olesya", "Pomegranate Bracelet", "Moloch", "Duel", "Junker", "Cadets", etc. Alexander Ivanovich lived a bright, unusual, decent life. Fate sometimes was severe to him. As the childhood of Alexander Kuprin, and mature years are marked by instability in various spheres of life. He had to fight alone for his material independence, fame, recognition and the right to be called a writer. Kuprin passed through many adversities. Childhood and his youth were especially difficult. We'll talk about all this in detail.

The origin of the future writer

Kuprin Alexander Ivanovich was born in 1870. His native city is Narovchat. Today he is in the Penza region. The house where Kuprin was born is now a museum (photo below). Kuprin's parents were not wealthy. Ivan Ivanovich, the father of the future writer, was a kind of impoverished nobility. He served as a petty official and often drank. When Alexander was only the second year, Ivan Ivanovich Kuprin died of cholera. The childhood of the future writer, therefore, passed without a father. His only support was his mother, which should be told separately.

Mother of Alexander Kuprin

Lyubov Alekseevna Kuprina (maiden name - Kulunchakova), the boy's mother, was forced to settle in the Widow's house in Moscow. It is from here that the first memories that Ivan Kuprin shared with us flow. His childhood is largely associated with the image of the mother. She played the role of a higher being in the life of a boy, was for the future writer a whole world. Alexander Ivanovich recalled that this woman was strong-willed, strong, strict, similar to the eastern princess (Kulunchakovs belonged to the ancient family of Tatar princes). Even in the wretched situation of the Widow's house, she remained so. During the day, Lyubov Alekseevna was strict, but in the evening turned into a mysterious sorceress and told her son the tales, which she altered in her own way. Kuprin listened to these interesting stories with pleasure. His childhood, very severe, brightened up tales of distant lands and unknown creatures. While still a child, Alexander Ivanovich came across a sad reality. However, the difficulties did not prevent the realization of such a talented person as Kuprin as a writer.

Childhood spent in the Widow's House

Childhood of Alexander Kuprin passed away from the comfort of noble estates, luncheons, father's libraries, where you could sneak secretly at night, Christmas gifts, which are so delicious to look under the tree at dawn. But he knew the grayness of the orphan rooms, the meager gifts given out on holidays, the smell of official clothes and the clout from the caregivers, to which they did not skimp. Of course, the imprint on his personality imposed an early childhood Kuprin. The biography of his later years is marked by new difficulties. It should be briefly told about them.

Kuprin's military-drill childhood

For the children of his position, there were not so many options for further destiny. One of them is a military career. Lyubov Alekseevna, taking care of her child, decided to make her son a military man. With his mother, Alexander Ivanovich soon had to part. In his life began a dull military drill time, which continued the childhood of Kuprin. Biography of his this pore is marked by the fact that he spent several years in state institutions of Moscow. At first there was the Razumovsky orphan boarding school, after a while the Moscow Cadet Corps, and then the Alexandrov Military School. Kuprin hated each of these temporary shelters in his own way. Equally strongly the future writer annoyed with the stupidity of the authorities, the state of affairs, spoiled peers, the proximity of educators and teachers, the "cult of the kulak", uniform for all form and public flogging.

It was such a difficult childhood was Kuprin. It is important for children to have a close person, and in this sense Alexander Ivanovich was lucky - he was supported by a loving mother. She died in 1910.

Kuprin goes to Kiev

Kuprin Alexander, graduating from college, spent another 4 years in military service. He retired at the earliest opportunity (in 1894). Lieutenant Kuprin forever removed the military uniform. He decided to move to Kiev.

A real test for the future writer was a large city. Kuprin Alexander Ivanovich spent his whole life in public institutions, so he was not adapted to independent life. On this occasion, he later sneered that in Kiev it was like a "Smolanka Institution", which was brought into the woods at night and left without a compass, food and clothing. It was not easy at this time had such a great writer as Alexander Kuprin. Interesting facts about him during his stay in Kiev are connected with what Alexander had to do in order to earn his living.

How Kuprin earned his living

In order to survive, Alexander took almost any case. He quickly tried himself as a seller of tobacco, a construction superintendent, a carpenter serving in the office, a factory worker, a blacksmith's assistant, a psalm-reader. At one time Alexander Ivanovich even seriously thought about going to the monastery. Kuprin's difficult childhood, briefly described above, probably left a lasting trace in the soul of the future writer, who had to face severe reality from a young age. Therefore, his desire to seclude himself in the monastery is understandable. However, Alexander Ivanovich was destined for another fate. Soon he found himself in the literary field.

An important literary and life experience was the service of a reporter in the newspapers of Kiev. Alexander Ivanovich wrote about everything - about politics, murders, social and social problems. He had to fill up also entertaining categories, writing cheap melodramatic stories, which, by the way, enjoyed considerable success with an uncomplicated reader.

The first serious works

Little by little, serious works began to emerge from Kuprin's pen. The story "Inquiry" (another name of it - "From a remote past") was printed in 1894. Then there was a collection of "Kiev types", in which he placed his essays Alexander Kuprin. His work of this period was marked by many other works. After a while, a collection of short stories was published under the title "Miniatures". The story "Moloch", published in 1996, made a name for the beginning writer. His glory was strengthened by the works of "Olesya" and "Cadets" that left their tracks.

Moving to St. Petersburg

Anton Pavlovich Chekhov, a great authority in literature, became interested in these successful publications. He met Kuprin in Odessa and invited him to work in the "Magazine for All", which was published in St. Petersburg.

In this city, a new, bright life with a lot of meetings, acquaintances, sprees and creative achievements began for Alexander Ivanovich. Contemporaries recalled that Kuprin loved to walk well. In particular, Andrei Sedykh, a Russian writer, noted that in his youth he lived violently, often was drunk and at that time was made terrible. Alexander Ivanovich could do reckless things and sometimes even cruel. And Nadezhda Teffi, a writer, remembers that he was a very complex person, not at all kind and simple, which at first glance might seem.

Kuprin explained that the creative activity took from him a lot of energy and strength. For every success, as well as for failure, you had to pay with your health, nerves, your own soul. But evil tongues saw only unsightly tinsel, and then there were always rumors that Alexander Ivanovich was a reveler, a rowdy and a drunkard.

New works

No matter how hard Kuprin splashed out his ardor, he always returned to the desk after another booze. Alexander Ivanovich in the turbulent period of life in St. Petersburg wrote his became a cult novel "Duel." By the same period belong his stories "Marsh", "White Poodle", "Sulamith", "Staff-captain Rybnikov", "River of Life", "Gambrinus". After a while, already in Odessa, he completed the "Pomegranate Bracelet", and also set about creating the "Listrigony" cycle.

Kuprin's personal life

In the capital, he met his first wife, Davidova Maria Karlovna. From her, Kuprin had a daughter, Lydia. Maria Davydova gave the world a book called "The Years of Youth". After a while, their marriage broke up. Alexander Kuprin married in 5 years on Heinrich Elizaveta Moritzovna. With this woman he lived until his death. Kuprin from the second marriage - two daughters. The first one was Zinaida, who died early, contracting pneumonia. The second daughter, Xenia, became a famous Soviet actress and model.

Moving to Gatchina

Kuprin, tired of the tense metropolitan life, left Petersburg in 1911. He moved to Gatchina (a small town, located 8 km from the capital). Here, in his "green" house, he settled with his family. In Gatchina, everything has to do with creativity - the silence of the country cottage, a shady garden with poplars, a spacious terrace. Today this city is closely connected with the name of Kuprin. Here there are a library and a street named in his honor, as well as a memorial plaque and a monument dedicated to him.

Emigration to Paris

However, a gradual happiness came to an end in 1919. First Kuprin was mobilized in the army on the White side, and a year later the whole family emigrated to Paris. Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin will return to his homeland only after 18 years, already in old age.

At different times, the reasons for the emigration of the writer were interpreted in different ways. As the Soviet biographers asserted, he was almost forcibly taken out by the White Guards and all the subsequent long years, until his return, languished in a foreign land. The ill-wishers tried to prick him, betraying him as a traitor who exchanged his motherland and talent for foreign goods.

Return to the homeland and death of the writer

If you believe the numerous memories, letters, diaries that became available to the public a little later, then Kuprin objectively did not accept the revolution and the established power. He called her familiarly "scoop".

When he returned to his homeland already a broken old man, he was taken around the streets to demonstrate the achievements of the USSR. Alexander Ivanovich said that the Bolsheviks are wonderful people. The only thing is unclear - where do they get so much money.

Nevertheless, Kuprin did not regret returning to his homeland. For him, Paris was a beautiful city, but a stranger. Kuprin died on August 25, 1938. He died of esophageal cancer. The next day a crowd of thousands crowded the House of Writers in Petersburg. The famous colleagues of Alexander Ivanovich, and faithful admirers of his work also came. All of them gathered in order to send Kuprin to the last path.

Childhood writer A. Kuprin, in contrast to the young years of many other figures of literature of the time, it was very difficult. However, in many respects precisely because of all these experienced difficulties he found himself in creativity. Kuprin, whose childhood and youth were in poverty, acquired both material prosperity and fame. Today we are acquainted with his work in school years.