Stories by I.A. Bunin in the Collections of “Znanije” Company: “Chernozem” (1904), “Poor Devil” (1909), “Zakhar Vorobyov” (1912), “In Memory of Chekhov” (1905)

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Abstract:

The article analyzes the stories of I.A. Bunin published for the first time in Gorky’s collections “Znanije”. Their subjects and problems are close to the realistic direction of the collections. The stories tell the story of the richness of the fertile Russian land, the conspicuous desolation of landowners’ nests and the poverty of peasants; about the originality and power of the Russian character. For the first time in the story “Sakhar Vorobyov” in the person of a red-haired burgher, who pushed the main character to death, the motive of the phenomenon of the trait is noted. It is indicated that “Beden Bes” is an integral part and the first, more complete, edition of the later story “Birds of Heaven” (1927). Unlike other writers-znanievtsy Bunin more deeply — in the “context of broad cultural philosophical issues” — reflected on what was happening in Russia after the defeat of the first Russian Revolution in 1905. Memories of Chekhov, written in hot pursuit, later entered into the posthumous edition of I.A. Bunin’s book “About Chekhov” (New York, 1955). The high assessment of M. Gorky, A.P. Chekhov, E.P. Peshkova early prose by I. Bunin is given. Gorky invariably set Bunin as an example for aspiring authors, calling to learn artistic skills.