Yes, I foresee suffering, blood and death. And I think that it is difficult for the body to part with the soul, but, Beautiful One, praise to you, passionate praise and quiet love. "Hallowed be it your name"...
In my sad dying hour, I pray only to you. Life could be wonderful for me too. Don't complain, poor heart, don't complain. In my soul I call upon death, but in my heart I am full of praise to you: “Hallowed be thy name”...
A. Kuprin
In the 20th century, during the era of cataclysms, during a period of political and social instability, when a new attitude towards universal human values, love often became the only moral category that survived in a collapsing and dying world. The theme of love became central in the works of many writers at the beginning of the century. It became one of the central themes in the work of A. I. Kuprin. Love in his works is always unselfish, selfless, it is not touched by “any of life’s conveniences, calculations and compromises.” But this love is always tragic, obviously doomed to suffering. Heroes pass away. But their feelings stronger than death. Their feelings don't die. Is this why the images of “Olesya”, “The Duel”, “Shulamithi”, “Garnet Bracelet” remain in the memory for so long?
The story "Shulamith" (1908), written based on the biblical Song of Songs, presents Kuprin's ideal of love. He describes such “tender and fiery, devoted and beautiful love, which alone is more valuable than wealth, glory and wisdom, which is more valuable than life itself, because it does not even value life and is not afraid of death.” Story " Garnet bracelet"(1911) was intended to prove that such love exists in modern world, and refute the opinion expressed in the work by General Anosov, grandfather main character: "... love among people took... vulgar forms and simply descended to some kind of everyday convenience, to a little fun". And men are to blame for this, "at twenty years old, jaded, with chicken bodies and hare souls, incapable of strong desires, To heroic deeds, to tenderness and adoration before love..."
Kuprin presented the story, which others perceive as an anecdote about a telegraph operator who fell in love, as a touching and sublime Song of Songs about true love.
The hero of the story is Zheltkov G.S. Pan Yezhiy - an official of the control chamber, a young man of pleasant appearance, “about thirty, thirty-five years old.” He is “tall, thin, with long fluffy, soft hair,” “very pale, with a gentle girlish face, blue eyes and a stubborn childish chin with a dimple in the middle.” We learn that Zheltkov is musical and endowed with a sense of beauty. The spiritual appearance of the hero is revealed in his letters to Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina, in a conversation with her husband on the eve of suicide, but he is most fully characterized by “seven years of hopeless and polite love.”
Vera Nikolaevna Sheina, with whom the hero is in love, attracts with her “aristocratic” beauty, inherited from her mother, “with her tall flexible figure, gentle, but cold and proud face, beautiful, although rather big hands and that charming sloping shoulders that can be seen in ancient miniatures." Zheltkov considers her extraordinary, sophisticated and musical. He "began to pursue her with his love" two years before his marriage. For the first time seeing the princess in a box at the circus, he said to himself: “I love her because there is nothing like her in the world, there is nothing better, there is no animal, no plant, no star, no... a more beautiful person... and more tender." He admits that since then he "has been interested in nothing in life: neither politics, nor science, nor philosophy, nor concern for the future happiness of people." For Zheltkov, in Vera Nikolaevna, "it’s as if “all the beauty of the earth.” It is no coincidence that he constantly talks about God: “God was pleased to send me, as great happiness, love for you,” “love with which God was pleased to reward me for something.”
At first, Zheltkov’s letters to Princess Vera were of a “vulgar and curiously ardent” nature, “although they were quite chaste.” But over time, he began to reveal his feelings more restrainedly and delicately: “I blush at the memory of my audacity seven years ago, when I dared to write stupid and wild letters to you, young lady... Now only awe, eternal admiration remains in me and slavish devotion." “For me, my whole life lies only in you,” writes Zheltkov to Vera Nikolaevna. In this life, every moment is precious to him when he sees the princess or watches her with excitement at a ball or in the theater. Leaving this life, he burns everything dear to his heart: Vera’s handkerchief, which she forgot at the ball in the Noble Assembly, her note asking “not to bother her anymore with your outpourings of love,” the program art exhibition, which the princess held in her hand, and then forgot on the chair when leaving.
Knowing full well that his feelings are unrequited, Zheltkov hopes and is “even sure” that someday Vera Nikolaevna will remember him. She, without even suspecting it, hurts him painfully, pushes him to commit suicide, saying telephone conversation the phrase: “Oh, if you only knew how tired I am of this whole story. Please stop it as soon as possible.” Nevertheless, in his farewell letter, the hero “from the depths of his soul” thanks Vera Nikolaevna for the fact that she was his “only joy in life, the only consolation.” He wishes her happiness and that “nothing temporary or worldly should disturb” her “beautiful soul.”
Zheltkov is the chosen one. His love is “selfless, selfless, not expecting reward...”. The one about which it is said “strong as death”... the kind of love “for which to accomplish any feat, to give one’s life, to go to torment is not work at all, but one joy...”. In his own words, this love was sent to him by God. He loves, and his feeling “contains the whole meaning of life - the whole universe!” Every woman, in the depths of her heart, dreams of such love - “holy, pure, eternal... unearthly,” “united, all-forgiving, ready for anything.”
And Vera Nikolaevna is also the chosen one, because it’s hers life path"crossed" real, "humble and selfless" true love. And if “almost every woman is capable of the most high heroism", then men in the modern world, unfortunately, have become impoverished in spirit and body; But Zheltkov is not like that. The date scene reveals many aspects of this man’s character. At first he is lost (“jumped up, ran to the window, fiddling with his hair”), admits that now “the most difficult moment has come” in his life, and his whole appearance testifies to indescribable mental anguish: with Shein and Tuganovsky he speaks “with just his jaws,” and his lips are “white ... like those of a dead man.” But composure quickly returns to him. , Zheltkov again regains the gift of speech and the ability to reason sensibly. As a sensitive person who knows how to understand people, he immediately rebuffed Nikolai Nikolaevich, stopped paying attention to his stupid threats, but in Vasily Lvovich he guessed a smart, understanding person who could listen to him. recognition. During this meeting, when a difficult conversation took place with the husband and brother of his beloved and Zheltkov was returned his gift - a wonderful garnet bracelet, family heirloom, which he calls “a humble, loyal offering,” the hero demonstrated a strong will.
After calling Vera Nikolaevna, he decided that he had only one way out - to die, so as not to cause any more inconvenience to his beloved. This step was the only possible one, because his whole life was centered around his beloved, and now he is denied even the last little thing: to stay in the city, “so that he can see her at least occasionally, of course, without showing his face to her.” Zheltkov understands that life away from Vera Nikolaevna will not bring relief from “sweet delirium,” because wherever he is, his heart will remain at the feet of his beloved, “every moment of the day” will be filled with Her, the thought of Her, dreams of Her. Having made this difficult decision, Zheltkov finds the strength to explain himself. His excitement is revealed by his behavior (“he has ceased to act like a gentleman”) and his speech, which becomes businesslike, categorical and harsh. “That’s all,” said Zheltkov, smiling arrogantly. “You will never hear from me again and, of course, you will never see me again... It seems that I did everything I could?”
For the hero, farewell to Vera Nikolaevna is farewell to life. It is no coincidence that Princess Vera, bending over the deceased to place a rose, notices that “deep importance” is hidden in his closed eyes, and his lips smile “blissfully and serenely, as if he, before parting with life, had learned some deep and sweet secret that had resolved his entire human life." Last words Zheltkova - words of gratitude for the fact that the princess was his “only joy in life, the only consolation, the only thought”, wishes for the happiness of his beloved and the hope that she will fulfill his last request: to perform the Sonata in D major No. 2, op. 2.
All of the above convinces us that the image of Zheltkov, painted by Kuprin with such nobility and enlightened love, is not an image of a “small”, pitiful, defeated by love, a poor man in spirit. No, when he passes away, Zheltkov remains strong and selflessly loving. He reserves the right to choose and protects his human dignity. Even Vera Nikolaevna’s husband understood how deep this man’s feeling was and treated him with respect: “I will say that he loved you, and was not crazy at all,” Shein reports after meeting Zheltkov. “I didn’t take my eyes off him.” and saw every movement, every change of his face. And for him there was no life without you. It seemed to me that I was present at the enormous suffering from which people die."
Inconspicuous official, " small man" with funny last name Zheltkov performed a feat of self-sacrifice in the name of the happiness and peace of his beloved woman. Yes, he was obsessed, but obsessed high feeling. It was “not a disease, not a manic idea.” It was love - great and poetic, filling life with meaning and content, saving man and humanity itself from moral degeneration. Love that only a select few are capable of. The love “that every woman dreams of... the love that is repeated only once in a thousand years”...
Zheltkov G.S. (apparently, Georgy is “Pan Ezhiy”)- appears in the story only towards the end: “very pale, with a gentle girlish face, blue eyes and a stubborn childish chin with a dimple in the middle; He must have been about thirty, thirty-five years old.” Along with Princess Vera, he can be called the main character of the story. The beginning of the conflict is when Princess Vera received on September 17, her name day, a letter signed with the initials “G. S. Zh.”, and a garnet bracelet in a red case.
It was a gift from a then stranger to Vera Zh., who fell in love with her seven years ago, wrote letters, then, at her request, stopped bothering her, but now confessed his love again. In the letter, J. explained that the old silver bracelet once belonged to his grandmother, then all the stones were transferred to a new, gold bracelet. J. repents that he previously “dared to write stupid and impudent letters” and adds: “Now only reverence, eternal admiration and slavish devotion remain in me.” One of the guests at the name day, for the sake of entertainment, presents the love story of the telegraph operator, P.P.Zh. (distorted G.S.Zh.), to Vera in a comic form, stylized as a pulp novel. Another guest, a person close to the family, old general Anosov suggests: “Maybe he’s just an abnormal fellow, a maniac.”<...>Maybe your path in life, Verochka, has been crossed by exactly the kind of love that women dream about and that men are no longer capable of.”
Under the influence of his brother-in-law, Vera’s husband, Prince Vasily Lvovich Shein, decides to return the bracelet and stop the correspondence. J. amazed Shein at the meeting with his sincerity. Zh., having asked Shein for permission, speaks on the phone with Vera, but she also asks to stop “this story.” Shein felt that he was present “at some enormous tragedy of the soul.” When he reports this to Vera, she predicts that J. will kill himself. Later, from the newspaper, she accidentally learned about the suicide of Zh., who referred in his suicide note for embezzlement of government money. That evening she receives Farewell letter from J. He calls love for Faith “an enormous happiness” sent to him by God. He admits that he “is not interested in anything in life: neither politics, nor science, nor philosophy, nor concern for the future happiness of people.” All life lies in love for Vera: “Even though I was ridiculous in your eyes and in the eyes of your brother<...>As I leave, I say in delight: Hallowed be Thy name.” Prince Shein admits: J. was not crazy and loved Vera very much and therefore was doomed to death. He allows Vera to say goodbye to J. Looking at the deceased, she “realized that the love that every woman dreams of has passed her by.” In the face of the dead ^K. she noticed “deep importance”, “deep and sweet mystery”, “peaceful expression”, which “she saw on the masks of the great sufferers - Pushkin and Napoleon.”
At home, Vera found a familiar pianist, Jenny Reiter, who played her exactly that passage from Beethoven’s second sonata that seemed to J. the most perfect - “Largo Appassionato”. And this music became an afterlife declaration of love addressed to Vera. Vera’s thoughts that “great love passed by” coincided with the music, each “verse” of which ended with the words: “Hallowed be Thy name.” At the very end of the story, Vera utters words that only she understands: “...he has forgiven me now. Everything is fine".
All the heroes of the story, not excluding J., had real prototypes. Criticism pointed out, however, the connection between “The Garnet Bracelet” and the prose of the Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun.
“Garnet bracelet” Kuprin A.I.
Zheltkov G. S.- appears in the story only towards the end: “very pale, with a gentle girlish face, blue eyes and a stubborn childish chin with a dimple in the middle; He must have been about thirty, thirty-five years old.” Along with Princess Vera, he can be called the main character of the story. The beginning of the conflict is when Princess Vera received on September 17, her name day, a letter signed with the initials “G. S. Zh.”, and a garnet bracelet in a red case.
It was a gift from a then stranger to Vera Zh., who fell in love with her seven years ago, wrote letters, then, at her request, stopped bothering her, but now confessed his love again. In the letter, J. explained that the old silver bracelet once belonged to his grandmother, then all the stones were transferred to a new, gold bracelet. J. repents that he previously “dared to write stupid and impudent letters” and adds: “Now only reverence, eternal admiration and slavish devotion remain in me.” One of the guests at the name day, for the sake of entertainment, presents the love story of the telegraph operator, P.P.Zh. (distorted G.S.Zh.), to Vera in a comic form, stylized as a pulp novel. Another guest, a person close to the family, old General Anosov, suggests: “Maybe he’s just an abnormal fellow, a maniac.”<...>Maybe your path in life, Verochka, has been crossed by exactly the kind of love that women dream about and that men are no longer capable of.”
Under the influence of his brother-in-law, Vera’s husband, Prince Vasily Lvovich Shein, decides to return the bracelet and stop the correspondence. J. amazed Shein at the meeting with his sincerity. Zh., having asked Shein for permission, speaks on the phone with Vera, but she also asks to stop “this story.” Shein felt that he was present “at some enormous tragedy of the soul.” When he reports this to Vera, she predicts that J. will kill himself. Later, from a newspaper, she accidentally learned about the suicide of Zh., who referred in his suicide note to the embezzlement of government money. In the evening of the same day, she receives a farewell letter from J. He calls his love for Vera “an enormous happiness” sent to him by God. He admits that he “is not interested in anything in life: neither politics, nor science, nor philosophy, nor concern for the future happiness of people.” All life lies in love for Vera: “Even though I was ridiculous in your eyes and in the eyes of your brother<...>As I leave, I say in delight: Hallowed be Thy name.” Prince Shein admits: J. was not crazy and loved Vera very much and therefore was doomed to death. He allows Vera to say goodbye to J. Looking at the deceased, she “realized that the love that every woman dreams of has passed her by.” In the face of the dead ^K. she noticed the “deep importance”, the “deep and sweet mystery”, the “peaceful expression” that “she saw on the masks of the great sufferers - Pushkin and Napoleon.”
At home, Vera found a familiar pianist, Jenny Reiter, who played her exactly that passage from Beethoven’s second sonata that seemed to J. the most perfect - “Largo Appassionato”. And this music became an afterlife declaration of love addressed to Vera. Vera’s thoughts that “great love passed by” coincided with the music, each “verse” of which ended with the words: “Hallowed be Thy name.” At the very end of the story, Vera utters words that only she understands: “...he has forgiven me now. Everything is fine".
All the characters in the story, not excluding J., had real prototypes. Criticism pointed out, however, the connection between “The Garnet Bracelet” and the prose of the Norwegian writer Knut Hamsun.
The dramatic events that happened to the main characters will not leave anyone indifferent. Unrequited love took a life wonderful person, who was never able to come to terms with the fact that he could never be with the woman he loved. The image and characterization of Zheltkov in the story “Garnet Bracelet” is key. From his example you can see that real love exists regardless of time and eras.
Zheltkov – main character works. Full name unknown. There is an assumption that his name was George. The man always signed documents with the three letters G.S.ZH. Works as an official. For many years he has been unrequitedly in love with Vera Sheina, a married lady.
Image
A young man about 35 years old.“...he must have been about thirty, thirty-five years old...”
Thin, emaciated. Tall. Long, soft hair hung down over her shoulders. Zheltkov looks sick. Perhaps this is due to the overly pale complexion.
“very pale, with a gentle girlish face, blue eyes and a stubborn childish chin with a dimple in the middle...”
The official wore a light mustache with a reddish tint. Thin, nervous fingers were in constant movement, which betrayed nervousness and imbalance.
Characteristic
Zheltkov was a wonderful person. Well-mannered, tactful, modest. Over the years that he rented an apartment, he became almost a son to the landlady.The man did not have his own family. There is only a brother.
Not rich. He lived very modestly, not allowing himself any excesses. The salary of a minor official was not high, there was not much to go around.
Decent. Noble.
“I immediately recognized you as a noble person...”
Honest. Sincere. You can always rely on people like him. He won't let you down, he won't deceive you. Incapable of betrayal.
Loves music. Favorite composer Beethoven.
Love in Zheltkov's life
Several years ago, Zheltkov fell in love with Vera after seeing her at the opera. At that time she was not married. He didn't have the courage to verbally admit his feelings. He wrote letters to her, but Vera asked not to bother her anymore. She really didn't like his importunity. Instead of a reciprocal feeling, a wave of irritation rose in the woman. For some time he fell silent, not making any mention of himself, until the time came for Vera’s name day celebration. At the holiday, she receives an expensive gift, the sender of which was the hopelessly in love Zheltkov. With his gift, he showed that feelings had not cooled down. Only now did he understand everything and realize that the letters were stupid and impudent. He repented and asked for forgiveness. Faith became the meaning of life for him. He couldn't breathe without her. She is the only joy that brightens up gray everyday life. His letter was read by Vera’s husband and brother. At the family council, it was decided to stop his love impulses by returning the bracelet and asking him not to bother their family anymore. Vera herself told him about this over the phone. This was a heavy blow for the poor guy. He could not bear it, deciding to die forever, choosing a terrible method for this - suicide.The novel “The Garnet Bracelet” by A. Kuprin is rightfully considered one of the best, revealing the theme of love. The basis storyline real events are taken. The situation in which the main character of the novel found herself was actually experienced by the mother of the writer’s friend, Lyubimov. This work It's called that for a reason. Indeed, for the author, “pomegranate” is a symbol of passionate, but very dangerous love.
The history of the novel
Most of A. Kuprin’s stories are permeated with the eternal theme of love, and the novel “The Garnet Bracelet” most vividly reproduces it. A. Kuprin began work on his masterpiece in the fall of 1910 in Odessa. The idea for this work was the writer’s visit to the Lyubimov family in St. Petersburg.
One day Lyubimova’s son told one entertaining story about his mother's secret admirer, who throughout for long years wrote her letters with frank declarations of unrequited love. The mother was not delighted with this manifestation of feelings, because she had been married for a long time. At the same time, she had a higher social status in society, rather than her admirer - a simple official P.P. Zheltikov. The situation was aggravated by a gift in the form of a red bracelet, given for the princess’s name day. At that time it was a daring act and could put a bad shadow on the lady’s reputation.
Lyubimova’s husband and brother paid a visit to the fan’s home, he was just writing another letter to his beloved. They returned the gift to the owner, asking not to disturb Lyubimova in the future. ABOUT future fate None of the family members knew the official.
The story that was told at the tea party hooked the writer. A. Kuprin decided to use it as the basis for his novel, which was somewhat modified and supplemented. It should be noted that work on the novel was difficult, as the author wrote to his friend Batyushkov in a letter on November 21, 1910. The work was published only in 1911, first published in the magazine “Earth”.
Analysis of the work
Description of the work
On her birthday, Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina receives an anonymous gift in the form of a bracelet, which is decorated with green stones - “garnets”. The gift was accompanied by a note, from which it became known that the bracelet belonged to the great-grandmother of the princess's secret admirer. The unknown person signed with the initials “G.S.” AND.". The princess is embarrassed by this present and remembers that for many years a stranger has been writing to her about his feelings.
The princess's husband, Vasily Lvovich Shein, and brother, Nikolai Nikolaevich, who worked as an assistant prosecutor, are looking for a secret writer. He turns out to be a simple official under the name Georgy Zheltkov. They return the bracelet to him and ask him to leave the woman alone. Zheltkov feels ashamed that Vera Nikolaevna could lose her reputation because of his actions. It turns out that he fell in love with her a long time ago, having accidentally seen her at the circus. Since then, he writes letters to her about unrequited love until his death several times a year.
The next day, the Shein family learns that official Georgy Zheltkov shot himself. He managed to write his last letter to Vera Nikolaevna, in which he asks for her forgiveness. He writes that his life no longer has meaning, but he still loves her. The only thing Zheltkov asks is that the princess not blame herself for his death. If this fact will torment her, then let her listen to Beethoven’s Sonata No. 2 in his honor. The bracelet, which was returned to the official the day before, he ordered the maid to hang on the icon of the Mother of God before his death.
Vera Nikolaevna, having read the note, asks her husband for permission to look at the deceased. She arrives at the official's apartment, where she sees him dead. The lady kisses his forehead and places a bouquet of flowers on the deceased. When she returns home, she asks to play Beethoven’s work, after which Vera Nikolaevna burst into tears. She realizes that “he” has forgiven her. At the end of the novel, Sheina realizes the loss of the great love that a woman can only dream of. Here she recalls the words of General Anosov: “Love should be a tragedy, the greatest secret in the world.”
Main characters
Princess, middle-aged woman. She is married, but her relationship with her husband has long grown into friendly feelings. She has no children, but she is always attentive to her husband and takes care of him. She has a bright appearance, is well educated, and is interested in music. But for more than 8 years she has been receiving strange letters from a fan of “G.S.Z.” This fact confuses her; she told her husband and family about it and does not reciprocate the writer’s feelings. At the end of the work, after the death of the official, she bitterly understands the severity of lost love, which happens only once in a life.
Official Georgy Zheltkov
A young man about 30-35 years old. Modest, poor, well-mannered. He is secretly in love with Vera Nikolaevna and writes about his feelings to her in letters. When the bracelet he had been given was returned to him and asked to stop writing to the princess, he commits an act of suicide, leaving a farewell note to the woman.
Vera Nikolaevna's husband. A good, cheerful man who truly loves his wife. But because of his love for constant social life, he is on the verge of ruin, which drags his family to the bottom.
The main character's younger sister. She is married to an influential young man, with whom she has 2 children. In marriage, she does not lose her feminine nature, loves to flirt, plays gambling, but very pious. Anna is very attached to her older sister.
Nikolai Nikolaevich Mirza-Bulat-Tuganovsky
Brother of Vera and Anna Nikolaevna. He works as an assistant prosecutor, a very serious guy by nature, with strict rules. Nikolai is not wasteful, far from feelings of sincere love. It is he who asks Zheltkov to stop writing to Vera Nikolaevna.
General Anosov
Old military general ex-friend late father of Vera, Anna and Nikolai. Participant Russian-Turkish war, was injured. Has no family or children, but is close to Vera and Anna biological father. He is even called “grandfather” in the Sheins’ house.
This work is full of different symbols and mysticism. It is based on the story of one man's tragic and unrequited love. At the end of the novel, the tragedy of the story takes on even greater proportions, because the heroine realizes the severity of loss and unconscious love.
Today the novel “The Garnet Bracelet” is very popular. It describes great feelings of love, sometimes even dangerous, lyrical, with a tragic ending. This has always been relevant among the population, because love is immortal. In addition, the main characters of the work are described very realistically. After the publication of the story, A. Kuprin gained high popularity.