A sad love story is the basis of the story "Garnet Bracelet". Real, selfless, true love is a deep and sincere feeling, the main theme of the story of the great writer.
His new story, which the famous writer Kuprin conceived as a story, Alexander Ivanovich began writing in the autumn of 1910 in the Ukrainian city of Odessa. He thought that he could write it in a few days, and even reports this in one of his letters to a friend, literary critic Klestov. He wrote to him that he would soon send his new manuscript to a publisher he knew. But the writer was wrong.
The story came out of the plot, and therefore took the writer not a few days, as he had planned, but several months. It is also known that the work is based on a story that actually happened. This is what Alexander Ivanovich reports in a letter to the philologist and friend Fyodor Batyushkov, when, describing to him how the work on the manuscript is going, they remind him of the very history that formed the basis of the work:
“Do you remember this? - the sad story of the little telegraph official P.P. Zheltikov, who was so hopelessly, touchingly and selflessly in love with Lyubimov's wife (D.N. is now the governor in Vilna).
“Now I'm writing "Bracelet", but it's bad. The main reason is my ignorance in music... Yes, and secular tone!”.
The manuscript saw the light in 1911, when it was published in the magazine "Earth". At that time, it also contained a dedication to Kuprin's friend, the writer Klestov, who took an active part in its creation. The story "The Garnet Bracelet" also had an epigraph - the first musical line from one of Beethoven's sonnets.
The composition of the story consists of thirteen chapters. At the beginning of the story, it tells about how difficult it was for Princess Vera Nikolaevna Shein. Indeed, at the beginning of autumn, she still lived in the country, while all the neighbors had long since moved to the city due to bad weather. The young woman could not do this, as repairs were underway in her city house. But soon the weather calmed down, and even the sun came out. With warmth, the mood of the main character also improved.
In the second chapter, the reader learns that the princess's birthday had to be celebrated with splendor, because this was required by the position of her husband. A celebration was scheduled for September 17, which was clearly beyond the means of the family. The thing is that her husband had already gone broke for a long time, but still did not show it to others, although this affected the family: Vera Nikolaevna not only could not afford too much, she even saved on everything. On this day, her sister, with whom the princess was on good terms, came to help the young woman. Anna Nikolaevna Friesse was not at all like her sister, but the relatives were very attached to each other.
In the third chapter, the writer tells about the meeting of the sisters and about a walk by the sea, where Anna gave her sister her valuable gift - a notebook with an old cover. The fourth chapter will take the reader to that evening when guests began to arrive at the celebration. Among the other guests was General Anosov, who was a friend of the girls' father and knew the sisters from childhood. The girls called him grandfather, but they did it nicely and with great respect and love.
The fifth chapter tells about how fun the evening was at the Sheins' house. Prince Vasily Shein, Vera's husband, constantly told stories that happened to his relatives and friends, but he did it so cleverly that the guests no longer even understood where the truth was and where the fiction was. Vera Nikolaevna was about to give the order to serve tea, but, counting the guests, she became very frightened. The princess was a superstitious woman, and there were thirteen guests at the table.
Going out to the maid, she learned that the messenger brought a gift and a note. Vera Nikolaevna began with a note and immediately, from the first lines, realized that it was from her secret admirer. But she became a little uneasy. The woman also looked at the bracelet, it was beautiful! But the princess was faced with the important question of whether to show this gift to her husband.
The sixth chapter is the story of the princess with the telegraph operator. Vera's husband showed his album with funny pictures, and one of them is the story of his wife and a petty official. But it had not yet been completed, so Prince Vasily began to simply tell it, not paying attention to the fact that his wife was against it.
In the seventh chapter, the princess says goodbye to the guests: some of them went home, while the other settled on the summer terrace. Seizing a moment, the young woman shows a letter from her secret admirer to her husband.
General Anosov, leaving in the eighth chapter, listens to the story of Vera Nikolaevna about the letters that the secret sender has been writing for a long time, and then informs the woman that true love is quite rare, but she is lucky. After all, this "madman" loves her with selfless love, which every woman can dream of.
In the ninth chapter, the husband of the princess and her brother discuss the case with the bracelet and come to the conclusion that this story has not only dragged on, but may also adversely affect the family's reputation. Before going to bed, they decide tomorrow to find this secret admirer of Vera Nikolaevna, return the bracelet to him and put an end to this story forever.
In the tenth chapter, Prince Vasily and the girl's brother Nikolai find Zheltkov and ask him to put an end to this story forever. The husband of Vera Nikolaevna felt the tragedy of his soul in this man, so he allows me to write the last letter to his wife. After reading this message, the princess immediately realized that this person would definitely do something with himself, for example, kill himself.
In the eleventh chapter, the princess learns about Zheltkov's death and reads his last letter, where she remembers the following lines: “I tested myself - this is not a disease, not a manic idea - this is love that God was pleased to reward me for something. As I leave, I say in delight: “Hallowed be thy name.” The princess decides to go to his funeral and see this man. The husband doesn't mind.
The twelfth and thirteenth chapters are a visit to the deceased Zheltkov, reading his last message and the woman's disappointment that true love has passed her by.
There are few characters in the story. But it is worth dwelling in more detail on the main characters:
Vera Nikolaevna Sheina.
Mr Zheltkov.
Another main and important hero of the story is Mr. Zheltkov. A thin and tall man with nervous fingers was a poor man. He looked to be about thirty-five. He is in the service of the control chamber, but the position is low - a petty official. Kuprin characterizes him as a modest, well-mannered and noble person. Kuprin copied this image from a real person. The prototype of the protagonist was a petty telegraph official Zheltikov P.P.
There are other characters in this story:
✔ Anna.
✔ Nicholas
✔ The husband of the main character, Vasily Shein.
✔ General Anosov.
✔ Others.
The story "Garnet Bracelet" has many important details that allow you to more deeply reveal the content of the work. But especially among all these details, the garnet bracelet stands out. According to the plot, the main character Vera receives it as a gift from a secret admirer. But beforehand, Zheltkov, who is the secret admirer, puts it in a bright red case.
Kuprin gives a detailed description of the bracelet, making one admire its beauty and sophistication: “It was gold, low-grade, very thick, but puffy and on the outside it was completely covered with small old, poorly polished garnets.” But special attention is drawn to the further description of the precious bracelet: “In the middle of the bracelet, surrounded by some strange little green stone, five beautiful cabochon garnets, each the size of a pea, rose.”
The writer also tells about the history of this bracelet, thus emphasizing how important it was for the petty official Zheltkov. The writer writes that this expensive jewelry belonged to the great-grandmother of the protagonist, and the last person to wear it was his late mother, whom he loved very much and kept the warmest memories of her. The green garnet in the middle of the bracelet, according to a petty official, had its own old legend, which was passed down in the Zheltkov family from generation to generation. According to this legend, a person is freed from heavy thoughts, a woman is also rewarded with the gift of providence, and a man will be protected from any violent death.
Writers highly appreciated the skill of Kuprin.
The first review of the work was given by Maxim Gorky in one of his letters in 1911. He was delighted with this story and constantly repeated that it was wonderfully written and that good literature was finally beginning. Reading the "Garnet Bracelet" for the famous revolutionary writer Maxim Gorky was a real holiday. He wrote:
"And what an excellent thing" Garnet Bracelet "Kuprin ... Wonderful!".
Garnet bracelet- The story of Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin, written in 1911. The plot was based on a real story, which Kuprin filled with sad poetry. In 1915 and 1964, a film of the same name was made based on this work.
On her name day, Princess Vera Nikolaevna Sheina received a bracelet adorned with a rare green garnet as a gift from her longtime, anonymous admirer. Being a married woman, she considered herself not entitled to receive any gifts from strangers.
Her brother, Nikolai Nikolaevich, assistant prosecutor, together with Prince Vasily Lvovich, found the sender. It turned out to be a modest official Georgy Zheltkov. Many years ago, at a circus performance, he accidentally saw Princess Vera in a box and fell in love with her with pure and unrequited love. Several times a year, on major holidays, he allowed himself to write letters to her.
Now, after talking with the prince, he felt ashamed of those actions that could compromise an innocent woman. However, his love for her was so deep and disinterested that he could not imagine the forced separation that the husband and brother of the princess insisted on.
After they left, he wrote a farewell letter to Vera Nikolaevna, in which he apologized to her for everything and asked her to listen to L. van Beethoven. 2 Son. (Op. 2, No 2). Largo Appassionato. Then he took the bracelet returned to him to the landlady with a request to hang the decoration on the icon of the Mother of God (according to the Catholic custom), locked himself in his room and shot himself, not seeing the point in his later life. Zheltkov left a posthumous note in which he explained that he shot himself due to the waste of state money.
Vera Nikolaevna, having learned about the death of G.S.Zh., asked her husband’s permission and went to the apartment of the suicide to look at least once at the person who had loved her unrequitedly for so many years. Returning home, she asked Jenny Reiter to play something, no doubt that she would play exactly the part of the sonata that Zheltkov wrote about. Sitting in the flower garden to the sound of beautiful music, Vera Nikolaevna clung to the trunk of an acacia tree and wept. She realized that the love that Anosov spoke about, which every woman dreams of, passed her by. When the pianist finished playing and went in to the princess, she began to kiss her with the words: "No, no - he has forgiven me now. Everything is fine."
A.I. Kuprin in his works often raises the theme of true love. In his story "Garnet Bracelet", written in 1911, he touches on its infinity and significance in human life. However, often this vivid feeling turns out to be unrequited. And the power of such love can destroy the one who experiences it.
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Kuprin, being a real literary artist, liked to reflect real life in his works. He was the one who wrote many stories and novels based on real events. "Garnet Bracelet" was no exception. "Garnet Bracelet" genre - a story written in the spirit.
It was based on an incident that happened to the wife of one of the Russian governors. A telegraph official was in love with her unrequitedly and passionately, who once sent her a chain with a small pendant.
If for people from the real world this case was tantamount to a joke, then for Kuprin's characters a similar story turns into a strong tragedy.
The genre of the work "Garnet Bracelet" cannot be a story, due to the insufficient number of characters and one storyline. If we talk about the features of the composition, then it is worth highlighting many small details that, as events slowly unfold, hint at a catastrophe at the end of the work. To an inattentive reader, it may seem that the text is fairly filled with details. However, it is they help the author to create a complete picture.“Garnet Bracelet”, the composition of which is also framed by inserts about love, ends with a scene explaining the meaning of the epigraph: “L. van Beethoven. 2 Son. (op. 2, no. 2). Largo Appassionato»
The theme of love, in one form or another, sews the whole work with a red thread.
Attention! There is nothing left unsaid in this masterpiece. Thanks to skillful artistic descriptions, realistic images emerge before the eyes of readers, the plausibility of which no one will doubt. Natural, simple people with ordinary desires and needs are of genuine interest to readers.
There are not so many heroes in Kuprin's work. To each of them the author gives a detailed portrait. The appearance of the characters reveals what is going on in the soul of each of them. Description of the heroes of the "Garnet Bracelet", their memories occupy a large part in the text.
This woman of regal calm, is the central figure story. It is on her name day that an event takes place that forever changed her life - she receives a garnet bracelet as a gift, which gives its owner the gift of foresight.
Important! A revolution in the mind of the heroine occurs when she listens to Beethoven's sonata, bequeathed to her by Zheltkov. Dissolving in music, she awakens to life, to passions. However, her feelings are difficult, and even impossible, to understand others.
The only joy in the whole life of a petty official is opportunity to love at a distance Vera Nikolaevna. However, the hero of the "Garnet Bracelet" cannot stand his all-consuming love. It is she who elevates the character above other people with their base, and even insignificant, feelings and desires.
Thanks to his gift of high love, Georgy Stepanovich was able to experience great happiness. He bequeathed his life to Vera alone. Dying, he did not hold a grudge against her, but continued to love, cherishing her image in his heart, as evidenced by the words spoken towards her: “Hallowed be thy name!”.
If you look closely at the work of Kuprin, you can see a number of short stories reflecting his search for the ideal of love. These include:
Completing this love cycle, "Garnet Bracelet" showed, alas, not the deep feeling that the writer was looking for and would like to fully reflect. However, in its strength, Zheltkov’s painful unrequited love is not inferior at all, but on the contrary, transcends the attitudes and feelings of other characters. Contrasted with his hot and passionate emotions in the story is the calmness that reigns between the Shein spouses. The author emphasizes that only good friendship remained between them, and the spiritual flame has long been extinguished.
Zheltkov is supposed to excite the calm state of Vera. He does not evoke reciprocal feelings in a woman, but arouses excitement in her. If throughout the book they were expressed as premonitions, then at the end, obvious contradictions rage in her soul.
A sense of danger in Sheina arises already when she first sees a gift sent to her and a letter from a secret admirer. She involuntarily compares the modest gold bracelet adorned with five bright red garnets to blood. This is one of the key symbols that marked the future suicide of the unfortunate lover.
The author admitted that he had never written anything more sensitive and subtle. And the analysis of the work "Garnet Bracelet" confirms this. The bitterness of the story intensifies autumn landscape, the atmosphere of farewell to summer cottages, cold and transparent days. The nobility of Zheltkov's soul was appreciated even by Vera's husband, he allowed the telegraph operator to write her the last letter. In it, each line is a poem about love, a real ode.
Play by Alexander Ostrovsky: a summary of the chapters
Strong episode story can be considered a scene where the main characters meet, whose fates are so suddenly intertwined and changed. Living Vera looked at the peaceful face of the dead man and thought about her spiritual shock. Numerous aphorisms, often used in speech, fill this small work. What quotes make readers shudder:
Garnet bracelet. Alexander Kuprin
Garnet bracelet. A.I. Kuprin (analysis)
Zheltkov's unrequited passion did not pass without a trace for the main character. The symbol of eternal love - a garnet bracelet - turned her life upside down. Kuprin, who always blesses this feeling, expressed in his story the full force of this inexplicable attraction.
One of the most famous works of Alexander Kuprin is "Garnet Bracelet". What genre does the story about the unrequited love of a modest official Zheltkov belong to? More often this work is called a story. But it also contains features characteristic of the story. It turns out that it is not easy to define the genre of "Garnet Bracelet".
In order to do this, one should recall the content of Kuprin's work, as well as consider the features of both the story and the story.
Under this literary term is understood the composition of small prose. A synonym for this word is "novella". Russian writers usually called their works stories. A short story is a concept that is more common in foreign literature. There is no significant difference between them. Both in the first and in the second case, we are talking about a work of a small volume, in which there are only a few characters. An important feature is the presence of only one storyline.
The structure of such a work is quite simple: plot, climax, denouement. In Russian literature of the 19th century, a story was often called what is commonly called a story today. A striking example is the well-known works of Pushkin. The writer created several stories, the plot of which was allegedly told to him by a certain Belkin, and called them stories. In each of these works there are few characters and only one storyline. So why didn't Pushkin call his collection Belkin's Stories? The fact is that the literary terminology of the 19th century is somewhat different from the modern one.
But the genre affiliation of Chekhov's works is beyond doubt. Events in the stories of this writer revolve around any, at first glance, minor incidents that allow the characters to look at their lives differently. There are no superfluous characters in Chekhov's works. His stories are clear and concise. The same can be said about the prose of later authors - Leonid Andreev, Ivan Bunin.
The work of this genre occupies an intermediate position between the short story and the novel. In foreign literature, the concept of "story" is missing. English and French authors created either short stories or novels.
In ancient Rus', any prose work was called a story. Over time, the term has taken on a narrower meaning. Until the middle of the 19th century, it was understood as an essay of a small size, but larger than a story. There are usually significantly fewer characters in the story than in the War and Peace epic, but more than in Chekhov's The Wallet. Nevertheless, modern literary critics sometimes find it difficult to determine the genre of a work written more than 200 years ago.
In the story, events revolve around the protagonist. Actions take place in a short period of time. That is, if the work tells about how the hero was born, graduated from school, university, made a successful career, and then, closer to his seventieth birthday, died safely in his bed, then this is a novel, but not a story.
If only one day in the life of a character is shown, and there are two or three characters in the plot, this is a story. Perhaps the clearest definition of the story would be the following: "a work that can not be called either a novel or a short story." What is the genre of "Garnet Bracelet"? Before answering this question, let's recall the content.
A work can be confidently attributed to the genre of a story if it deals with two or three characters. There are more heroes here.
Vera Sheina is married to a kind and well-bred man. She has nothing to do with the telegraph operator who regularly writes love letters to her. Moreover, she never saw his face. Vera's indifference is replaced by a feeling of anxiety, and then pity and regret after she receives a garnet bracelet as a gift from the telegrapher.
The genre of this work could be easily determined if Kuprin excluded such characters as General Anosov, Vera's brother and sister, from the narrative. But these characters are not just present in the plot. They, and especially the general, play a role.
Let us recall several stories included by Kuprin in the "Garnet Bracelet". The genre of a work can be determined in the process of its artistic analysis. And for that, you need to go back to the content.
The officer fell in love with the wife of the regimental commander. This woman was not attractive, and besides, she was a morphine addict. But love is evil ... The romance did not last long. An experienced woman soon got tired of her young lover.
Garrison life is boring and monotonous. The military wife, apparently, wanted to brighten up everyday life with thrills, and she demanded proof of love from her former lover. Namely, throw yourself under a train. He did not die, but remained disabled for the rest of his life.
Another story from the garrison life is told about another story included in the "Garnet Bracelet". Its genre could be easily determined if it were a separate work. It would be a classic story.
The wife of a brave officer, highly respected by the soldiers, fell in love with a lieutenant. A passionate romance ensued. The traitor did not hide her feelings at all. Moreover, the husband was well aware of her relationship with her lover. When the regiment was sent to war, she threatened him with a divorce if something happened to the lieutenant. The man went to sapper work instead of his wife's lover. Checked guard posts for him at night. He did everything to save the health and life of his opponent.
These stories are not random. They were told to Vera by General Anosov, one of the most striking characters in the Garnet Bracelet. The genre of this work would not raise doubts if this colorful hero did not exist in it. In that case, it would be a story. But the general distracts the reader from the main storyline. In addition to the above stories, he also tells Vera about some facts from his biography. In addition, Kuprin paid attention to other minor characters (for example, sister of Vera Sheina). The structure of the work from this has become more complex, the plot is deep and interesting.
The stories told by Anosov impress the main character. And his reasoning about love makes the princess look differently at the feelings of a faceless telegraph operator.
It was said above that in literature there was no clear division between such concepts as a story and a story before. But this was only at the beginning of the 19th century. The work referred to in this article was written by Kuprin in 1910. By that time, the concepts used by modern literary critics had already been formed.
The writer defined his work as a story. Calling "Garnet Bracelet" a story is wrong. However, this mistake is forgivable. As one well-known literary critic said, not without a share of irony, no one is perfectly able to distinguish a story from a story, but philology students love to argue on this topic.
The story of the great genius of love prose A. I. Kuprin "Garnet Bracelet" can be interpreted in different ways, arguing on the topic of who is the real hero here. The opinions of critics differ on this issue, some consider Zheltkov to be the hero, who is trying to prove his love by any means, but also to declare his existence, others prefer the heroine's husband, who simply wants his wife to be happy. An analysis of the work according to the plan will help to understand this. This material can be used in preparation for the exam in literature in grade 11.
Year of writing— 1910
History of creation- The writer took a real story told by one of his friends as the basis of the plot.
Theme - The main theme of this story is love, unrequited and real.
Composition - In the exposition, the action begins, introducing the heroes of the story, followed by a plot when Vera Nikolaevna receives a garnet bracelet as a gift. Features of the composition in the use of symbols, secret meanings. Here is the garden, which is described at the time of withering, and short stories, the bracelet itself, the main symbol is the Beethoven sonata, which is the leitmotif of the story. The action develops, Zheltkov dies, and Beethoven's sonata sounds the climax, and - the denouement.
Genre - It is difficult to determine the genre essence of "Garnet Bracelet" According to its composition, consisting of thirteen chapters, it can be attributed to the genre of the story, and the writer himself believed that "Garnet Bracelet" is a story.
Direction - In the story, everything is subordinated to the direction of realism, where there is a slight touch of romanticism.
The history of the creation of the story has a real basis. Once the writer was visiting his friend, where they looked at family photos. A friend told a story that happened in his family. Some official fell in love with his mother, he wrote letters to her. Once this petty official sent some trinket as a gift to his beloved woman. Having found out who this official was, they made him a suggestion, and he disappeared from the horizon. Kuprin came up with the idea to embellish this story, covering the love theme in more detail. He added a romantic note, elevated the ending, and created his "Garnet Bracelet", leaving the essence of the story. The year of writing the story is 1910, and in 1911 the story was published in print.
A Alexander Kuprin is considered the unsurpassed Russian genius of love prose, he created many works that glorify love in all its manifestations.
In The Pomegranate Bracelet, the analysis of the story is subordinated to this theme, beloved by the author, the theme of love.
In essence, this work deals with the moral issues of relationships associated with the love relationships of the heroes of the story. In this work, all events are connected with love, this is even the meaning of the title of this story, since the pomegranate is a symbol of love, a symbol of passion, blood and anger.
The writer, giving such a name to his title, immediately makes it clear what the main idea of the story is devoted to.
He considers various forms of love, its various manifestations. Each person described by the writer has a different attitude to this feeling. For someone, it's just a habit, social status, superficial well-being. For another, this is the only, real feeling carried through the whole life, for the sake of which it was worth living.
For the protagonist Zheltkov, love is a sacred feeling for which he lives, realizing that his love is doomed to unrequitedness. The adoration of a beloved woman helps him endure all life's hardships, believe in the sincerity of his feelings. Vera Nikolaevna for him is the meaning of his whole life. When Zheltkov was told that he was compromising the woman he loved with his behavior, the official concluded that the problems of social inequality would always stand in his way to happiness, and committed suicide.
The composition of the story contains many secret meanings and symbols. The garnet bracelet gives a vivid definition to the all-consuming theme of passionate love, defining it as blood, makes it clear that this love can be destructive and unhappy, anger led to Zheltkov's suicide.
The fading garden reminds of Vera Nikolaevna's fading love for her husband. The drawings and poems in her husband's family notes are the story of his love, sincere and pure, which has not undergone any changes throughout their life together. Despite her fading passion and cool attitude towards him, he continues to love his wife for real.
General Amosov prefers to share love stories with his interlocutors, which is also symbolic. This is the only person in the work who correctly understands the true essence of love. He is a great psychologist, a connoisseur of human souls, clearly seeing all their secret and obvious thoughts.
Beethoven's second sonata, the main symbol of the whole story, runs like a red thread through the whole work. The action develops against the background of music. The final sound of the sonata is a strong climax. Beethoven's work reveals all the innuendo, all the innermost thoughts and feelings of the characters.
The plot of the action - Vera Nikolaevna receives a gift. The development of the action - the brother and husband go to sort things out with Zheltkov. The protagonist of the work, remaining aloof throughout the story, commits suicide. The climax is a Beethoven sonata, and Vera Nikolaevna comes to realize her life.
Kuprin masterfully ends his story, bringing all the actions to a denouement, where the true power of love is revealed.
Under the influence of music, the sleeping soul of Vera Nikolaevna wakes up. She begins to understand that she has lived, in essence, an aimless and useless life, all the while creating the visible well-being of a happy family, and true love, which has accompanied her all her life, has passed by.
What the writer's work teaches, everyone decides in his own way, everything here depends on the reader. Only he decides in whose favor to make a choice.
The work of the great writer consists of thirteen chapters, belongs to the genre of the story. The writer thought it was a story. The period of the events taking place lasts for a long time, it involves a large number of characters, and it is fully consistent with the accepted genre.
