What are Gorky's works about? Maksim Gorky

Works of Gorky: complete list. Maxim Gorky: early romantic works The great Russian writer Maxim Gorky (Peshkov Alexey Maksimovich) was born on March 16, 1868 in Nizhny Novgorod - died on June 18, 1936 in Gorki. At an early age he “became popular,” in his own words. He lived hard, spent the night in the slums among all sorts of rabble, wandered, subsisting on an occasional piece of bread. He covered vast territories, visited the Don, Ukraine, the Volga region, Southern Bessarabia, the Caucasus and Crimea. Beginning He was actively involved in social and political activities, for which he was arrested more than once. In 1906 he went abroad, where he began to successfully write his works. By 1910, Gorky had gained fame, his work aroused great interest. Earlier, in 1904, critical articles and then books “About Gorky” began to be published. Gorky's works attracted the interest of politicians and public figures. Some of them believed that the writer interpreted events taking place in the country too freely. Everything that Maxim Gorky wrote, works for the theater or journalistic essays, short stories or multi-page stories, caused a resonance and was often accompanied by anti-government protests. During the First World War, the writer took an openly anti-militarist position. He greeted the 1917 revolution with enthusiasm, and turned his apartment in Petrograd into a meeting place for political figures. Often Maxim Gorky, whose works became more and more topical, gave reviews of his own work in order to avoid misinterpretation. Abroad In 1921, the writer went abroad to undergo treatment. For three years, Maxim Gorky lived in Helsinki, Prague and Berlin, then moved to Italy and settled in the city of Sorrento. There he began publishing his memoirs about Lenin. In 1925 he wrote the novel “The Artamonov Case”. All of Gorky's works of that time were politicized. Return to Russia The year 1928 became a turning point for Gorky. At the invitation of Stalin, he returns to Russia and for a month moves from city to city, meets people, gets acquainted with achievements in industry, and observes how socialist construction develops. Then Maxim Gorky leaves for Italy. However, the next year (1929) the writer came to Russia again and this time visited the Solovetsky special-purpose camps. The reviews are the most positive. Alexander Solzhenitsyn mentioned this trip of Gorky in his novel “The Gulag Archipelago”. The writer's final return to the Soviet Union occurred in October 1932. Since that time, Gorky has lived in the former Ryabushinsky mansion on Spiridonovka, at a dacha in Gorki, and goes to Crimea on vacation. The First Congress of Writers Some time later, the writer received a political order from Stalin, who entrusted him with preparing the 1st Congress of Soviet Writers. In light of this order, Maxim Gorky creates several new newspapers and magazines, publishes book series on the history of Soviet plants and factories, the civil war and some other events of the Soviet era. At the same time he wrote plays: “Egor Bulychev and others”, “Dostigaev and others”. Some of Gorky's works, written earlier, were also used by him in preparing the first congress of writers, which took place in August 1934. At the congress, organizational issues were mainly resolved, the leadership of the future Union of Writers of the USSR was elected, and writing sections by genre were created. Gorky's works were also ignored at the 1st Congress of Writers, but he was elected chairman of the board. Overall, the event was considered successful, and Stalin personally thanked Maxim Gorky for his fruitful work. Popularity M. Gorky, whose works for many years caused fierce debate among the intelligentsia, tried to take part in the discussion of his books and especially theatrical plays. From time to time, the writer visited theaters, where he could see with his own eyes that people were not indifferent to his work. And indeed, for many, the writer M. Gorky, whose works were understandable to the common man, became a guide to a new life. Theater audiences went to the performance several times, read and re-read books. Gorky's early romantic works The writer's work can be divided into several categories. Gorky's early works are romantic and even sentimental. They do not yet feel the harshness of political sentiments that permeate the writer’s later stories and tales. The writer's first story "Makar Chudra" is about gypsy fleeting love. Not because it was fleeting, because “love came and went,” but because it lasted only one night, without a single touch. Love lived in the soul without touching the body. And then the death of the girl at the hands of her beloved, the proud gypsy Rada passed away, and behind her Loiko Zobar himself - they floated across the sky together, hand in hand. Amazing plot, incredible storytelling power. The story “Makar Chudra” became Maxim Gorky’s calling card for many years, firmly taking first place in the list of “Gorky’s early works.” The writer worked a lot and fruitfully in his youth. Gorky's early romantic works are a cycle of stories whose heroes were Danko, Sokol, Chelkash and others. A short story about spiritual excellence makes you think. "Chelkash" is a story about a simple man who carries high aesthetic feelings. Fleeing from home, vagrancy, complicity in crime. A meeting of two - one is doing his usual thing, the other is brought by chance. Gavrila's envy, mistrust, readiness for submissive servility, fear and servility are contrasted with Chelkash's courage, self-confidence, and love of freedom. However, Chelkash is not needed by society, unlike Gavrila. Romantic pathos is intertwined with tragic. The description of nature in the story is also shrouded in a flair of romance. In the stories "Makar Chudra", "Old Woman Izergil" and, finally, in "Song of the Falcon" the motivation for the "madness of the brave" can be traced. The writer places the characters in difficult conditions and then, beyond any logic, leads them to the finale. What makes the work of the great writer interesting is that the narrative is unpredictable. Gorky's work "Old Woman Izergil" consists of several parts. The character of her first story, the son of an eagle and a woman, the sharp-eyed Larra, is presented as an egoist incapable of high feelings. When he heard the maxim that one inevitably has to pay for what one takes, he expressed disbelief, declaring that “I would like to remain unharmed.” People rejected him, condemning him to loneliness. Larra's pride turned out to be destructive for himself. Danko is no less proud, but he treats people with love. Therefore, he obtains the freedom necessary for his fellow tribesmen who trusted him. Despite the threats of those who doubt that he is able to lead the tribe out of the dense forest, the young leader continues on his way, taking people along with him. And when everyone’s strength was running out, and the forest did not end, Danko tore open his chest, took out his burning heart and with its flame illuminated the path that led them to the clearing. The ungrateful tribesmen, having broken free, did not even look in Danko’s direction when he fell and died. People ran away, trampled on the flaming heart as they ran, and it scattered into blue sparks. Gorky's romantic works leave an indelible mark on the soul. Readers empathize with the characters, the unpredictability of the plot keeps them in suspense, and the ending is often unexpected. In addition, Gorky’s romantic works are distinguished by deep morality, which is unobtrusive, but makes you think. The theme of personal freedom dominates the writer’s early work. The heroes of Gorky's works are freedom-loving and are ready to even give their lives for the right to choose their own destiny. The poem "The Girl and Death" is a vivid example of self-sacrifice in the name of love. A young girl, full of life, makes a deal with death for one night of love. She is ready to die in the morning without regret, just to meet her beloved again. The king, who considers himself omnipotent, dooms the girl to death only because, returning from the war, he was in a bad mood and did not like her happy laughter. Death spared Love, the girl remained alive and the “bony one with a scythe” no longer had power over her. Romance is also present in “Song of the Storm Petrel”. The proud bird is free, it is like black lightning, rushing between the gray plain of the sea and the clouds hanging over the waves. Let the storm blow stronger, the brave bird is ready to fight. But it is important for the penguin to hide his fat body in the rocks; he has a different attitude towards the storm - no matter how he soaks his feathers. Man in Gorky's works The special, refined psychologism of Maxim Gorky is present in all his stories, while the personality is always assigned the main role. Even the homeless tramps, the characters of the shelter, are presented by the writer as respected citizens, despite their plight. In Gorky's works, man is placed at the forefront, everything else is secondary - the events described, the political situation, even the actions of government bodies are in the background. Gorky's story "Childhood" The writer tells the life story of the boy Alyosha Peshkov, as if on his own behalf. The story is sad, it begins with the death of the father and ends with the death of the mother. Left an orphan, the boy heard from his grandfather, the day after his mother’s funeral: “You are not a medal, you shouldn’t hang around my neck... Go join the people...”. And he kicked me out. This is how Gorky's work "Childhood" ends. And in the middle there were several years of living in the house of my grandfather, a lean little old man who used to flog everyone who was weaker than him on Saturdays. And the only people inferior to his grandfather in strength were his grandchildren living in the house, and he beat them backhand, placing them on the bench. Alexey grew up, supported by his mother, and a thick fog of enmity between everyone and everyone hung in the house. The uncles fought among themselves, threatened the grandfather that they would kill him too, the cousins ​​drank, and their wives did not have time to give birth. Alyosha tried to make friends with the neighboring boys, but their parents and other relatives were in such complicated relationships with his grandfather, grandmother and mother that the children could only communicate through a hole in the fence. "At the Bottom" In 1902, Gorky turned to a philosophical topic. He created a play about people who, by the will of fate, sank to the very bottom of Russian society. The writer depicted several characters, the inhabitants of the shelter, with frightening authenticity. At the center of the story are homeless people on the verge of despair. Some are thinking about suicide, others are hoping for the best. M. Gorky's work "At the Depths" is a vivid picture of social and everyday disorder in society, which often turns into tragedy. The owner of the shelter, Mikhail Ivanovich Kostylev, lives and does not know that his life is constantly under threat. His wife Vasilisa persuades one of the guests, Vaska Pepel, to kill her husband. This is how it ends: the thief Vaska kills Kostylev and goes to prison. The remaining inhabitants of the shelter continue to live in an atmosphere of drunken revelry and bloody fights. After some time, a certain Luka appears, a projector and a blabbermouth. He “fills up” for no reason, conducts lengthy conversations, promises everyone indiscriminately a happy future and complete prosperity. Then Luke disappears, and the unfortunate people whom he encouraged are at a loss. There was severe disappointment. A forty-year-old homeless man, nicknamed Actor, commits suicide. The rest are not far from this either. Nochlezhka, as a symbol of the dead end of Russian society at the end of the 19th century, is an undisguised ulcer of the social structure. The work of Maxim Gorky "Makar Chudra" - 1892. A story of love and tragedy. "Grandfather Arkhip and Lenka" - 1893. A poor, sick old man and with him his grandson Lenka, a teenager. First, the grandfather cannot withstand adversity and dies, then the grandson dies. Good people buried the unfortunate people near the road. "Old Woman Izergil" - 1895. Some stories from an old woman about selfishness and selflessness. "Chelkash" - 1895. A story about "an inveterate drunkard and a clever, brave thief." "The Orlov Spouses" - 1897. A story about a childless couple who decided to help sick people. "Konovalov" - 1898. The story of how Alexander Ivanovich Konovalov, arrested for vagrancy, hanged himself in a prison cell. "Foma Gordeev" - 1899. A story about the events of the late 19th century that took place in the Volga city. About a boy named Thomas, who considered his father a fabulous robber. "Bourgeois" - 1901. A story about bourgeois roots and the new spirit of the times. "At the Bottom" - 1902. A poignant, topical play about homeless people who have lost all hope. "Mother" - 1906. A novel on the theme of revolutionary sentiments in society, about events taking place within a manufacturing factory, with the participation of members of the same family. "Vassa Zheleznova" - 1910. The play is about a youthful 42-year-old woman, the owner of a shipping company, strong and powerful. "Childhood" - 1913. A story about a simple boy and his far from simple life. "Tales of Italy" - 1913. A series of short stories on the theme of life in Italian cities. "Passion-face" - 1913. A short story about a deeply unhappy family. "In People" - 1914. A story about an errand boy in a fashionable shoe store. "My Universities" - 1923. The story of Kazan University and students. "Blue Life" - 1924. A story about dreams and fantasies. "The Artamonov Case" - 1925. A story about the events taking place at a woven fabric factory. "The Life of Klim Samgin" - 1936. Events of the beginning of the 20th century - St. Petersburg, Moscow, barricades. Every story, novel or novel you read leaves an impression of high literary skill. The characters carry a number of unique characteristics and characteristics. Analysis of Gorky's works involves comprehensive characteristics of the characters followed by a summary. The depth of the narrative is organically combined with complex but understandable literary techniques. All works of the great Russian writer Maxim Gorky were included in the Golden Fund of Russian Culture.

Maxim Gorky - pseudonym, real name - Alexander Maksimovich Peshkov; USSR, Gorki; 03/16/1868 – 06/18/1936

Maxim Gorky is one of the most famous writers of the Russian Empire, and then the USSR. His works have received recognition all over the world, and many of them have been filmed both in the homeland of the writer and playwright and beyond. And now M. Gorky is as relevant to read as it was a century ago, partly thanks to this, his works are presented in our rating.

Maxim Gorky biography

Alexander Maksimovich was born in 1868 in Nizhny Novgorod. His father, who worked in a shipping office, died quite early, his mother remarried, but died of consumption. Therefore, Alexander was brought up in the house of his maternal grandfather. The boy's childhood ended quickly. Already at the age of 11, he began working as a “boy” in stores, as a baker, and studied icon painting. Later, the writer would write a partly autobiographical story, “Childhood,” in which he would describe all the hardships of those days. By the way, now Gorky’s “Childhood” must be read according to the school curriculum.

In 1884, Alexander Peshkov tries to enter Kazan University, but becomes acquainted with Marxist literature and begins to participate in propaganda work. The consequence of this was his arrest in 1888 and constant police control over him. In the same year, Alexander gets a job as a watchman at the railway station. He will write about this period of his life in his stories “The Watchman” and “Boredom for the Sake.”

In 1891, Maxim Gorky went to travel around the Caucasus, and in 1892 he returned to Nizhny Novgorod. Here his work “Makar Chudra” was published for the first time, and the author himself published articles for many local newspapers. In general, this period is called the heyday of the writer’s creativity. He writes many new works. So in 1897 you can read Former People. This is the same work with which the author appeared on the pages of our rating. The culmination of this period of life is considered to be the publication of the first collection of stories by M. Gorky, published in 1898. They received recognition, and in the future the author pays more and more attention to literature.

In 1902, Gorky was elected an honorary member of the Imperial Academy of Sciences, but being under police supervision, he was immediately expelled from it. Because of this, Korolenko also left the academy. Subsequently, due to problems with the police and arrest, Gorky was forced to leave for America. Only in 1913, after a general amnesty, the author was able to return to his homeland.

After the revolution, Maxim Gorky criticized the Bolshevik regime and saved, as far as possible, writers and cultural figures from executions. As a result of this, he himself was forced to leave for Europe in 1921. Only in 1932, after Stalin’s personal invitation, Gorky returned to his homeland and prepared the ground for the “First Congress of Soviet Writers,” which took place in 1934. Two years later the writer dies. His ashes are still kept within the walls of the Kremlin.

Maxim Gorky on the Top books website

Maxim Gorky got into the ratings of our site due to the great demand for the novels “Former People” and “Mother”, the works “Childhood”, “Into People” and many others. Part of the popularity of the works is due to their presence in the school curriculum, which provides the lion's share of requests. Nevertheless, the books made it into our rating and took quite worthy places, and interest in Gorky’s works has even been growing a little lately.

All books by M. Gorky

1. Foma Gordeev
2. Artamonov case
3. Life of Klim Samgin
4. Poor Pavel"
5. Man. Essays
6. The life of an unnecessary person
7. Confession
8. Okurov town
9. Life of Matvey Kozhemyakin

The literary activity of Maxim Gorky lasted more than forty years - from the romantic “Old Woman Izergil” to the epic “The Life of Klim Samgin”

Text: Arseniy Zamostyanov, deputy editor-in-chief of the “Historian” magazine
Collage: Year of Literature.RF

In the twentieth century, he was both the ruler of thoughts, and a living symbol of literature, and one of the founders of not only new literature, but also the state. There are countless dissertations and monographs devoted to the “life and work” of the “classic of proletarian literature.” Alas, his posthumous fate was too closely linked with the fate of the political system, which Gorky, after many years of hesitation, finally blessed. After the collapse of the USSR, people began to carefully forget about Gorky. Although we have not had and never will have a better chronicler of the “era of initial capital.” Gorky found himself “in an artificial offside position.” But it seems he has come out of it, and someday he will come out for real.

From a huge and multi-genre heritage, choosing a “ten” is not easy and therefore useful. But we will talk almost entirely about textbook works. At least in the recent past they were diligently studied at school. I think they will not forget in the future. We don’t have a second Gorky...

1. OLD WOMAN IZERGIL

This is a classic of the “early Gorky”, the result of his first literary quest. A harsh parable of 1891, a terrible fairy tale, the favorite (in Gorky’s system) conflict of Prometheus with both Zeus and birds of prey. This is new literature for that time. Not Tolstoy's, not Chekhov's, not Leskov's story. The layout turns out to be somewhat pretentious: Larra is the son of an eagle, Danko raises his own heart high above his head... The old woman narrator herself, by contrast, is earthly and stern. In this story, Gorky explores not only the essence of heroism, but also the nature of egoism. Many were hypnotized by the melody of the prose.

Actually, this is a ready-made rock opera. And the metaphors are appropriate.

2. THE ORLOV SPOUSES

Russian literature did not know such cruel naturalism - and even with knowledge of the environment. Here you can’t help but believe that the author walked barefoot throughout Russia. Gorky spoke in detail about the life he would like to change. Ordinary fights, taverns, basement passions, illnesses. The light in this life is a nursing student. I want to say to this world: “Oh, you bastards! Why are you living? How are you living? You are a hypocritical crook and nothing more!” The spouses have the will to change the situation. They work in a cholera barracks, they work furiously.

However, Gorky does not like “happy endings”. But faith in a person also appears in the dirt.

If you think about it, this is not a banality at all. Such is Peshkov's grip. These are Gorky's tramps. In the 1980s, the creators of the perestroika “chernukha” worked in the style of these paintings.

3. SONG ABOUT THE FALCON, SONG ABOUT THE PETUREWEST

All his life, Alexey Maksimovich wrote poetry, although he did not consider himself a poet. Stalin’s half-joking words are well known: “This thing is stronger than Goethe’s Faust. Love conquers death." The leader spoke about Gorky’s poetic fairy tale “The Girl and Death,” which has now been forgotten. Gorky composed poetry in a somewhat old-fashioned spirit. He did not delve into the searches of the poets of that time, but he read many. But his two “songs”, written in blank verse, cannot be erased from Russian literature. Although... Poems published as prose in 1895 were perceived as something outlandish:

“We sing glory to the madness of the brave!

The madness of the brave is the wisdom of life! O brave Falcon! In a battle with your enemies, you bled to death... But there will be time - and drops of your hot blood, like sparks, will flare up in the darkness of life and will ignite many brave hearts with an insane thirst for freedom and light!

Let you die!.. But in the song of the brave and strong in spirit you will always be a living example, a proud call to freedom, to light!

We sing a song to the madness of the brave!..”

It's about Falcon. And Burevestnik (1901) became a real anthem of the Russian revolution. In particular, the revolutions of 1905. The revolutionary song was illegally reissued in thousands of copies. You may not accept Gorky’s stormy pathos, but it is impossible to erase this melody from your memory: “A petrel soars proudly between the clouds and the sea.”

Gorky himself was considered a petrel.

The petrel of the revolution, which really happened, although at first it did not please Alexei Maksimovich.

4. MOTHER

This novel, written under the impressions of the events of 1905, was considered the foundation of socialist realism. At school they studied him with special effort. It was republished countless times, filmed several times and, between us, imposed. This caused not only respect, but also rejection.

In the wake of the barricades of 1905, Gorky joined the Bolshevik Party. An even more convinced Bolshevik was his companion, actress Maria Andreeva, the most charming revolutionary of the twentieth century.

The novel is tendentious. But how convincing is he emotionally?

Including in his hope for the proletariat. But the main thing is that this novel is not only a historical document. The power of the preacher and the power of the writer multiplied, and the book turned out to be powerful.

5. CHILDHOOD, IN PEOPLE, MY UNIVERSITIES

Korney Chukovsky said after reading this book: “In his old age, Gorky was drawn to paint.” Between the revolution of 1905 and the war, the main writer showed how a rebel, Prometheus, is born and matures in a child. During this time, Tolstoy left, and Gorky became the “main” Russian writer - in terms of influence on readers’ minds, in terms of reputation among colleagues - even such picky ones as Bunin. And the story with Nizhny Novgorod motifs was perceived as the program of the ruler of thoughts. It is impossible to ignore comparisons with “Childhood”: the two stories are separated by half a century, but the main thing is that the authors are from different constellations. Gorky revered Tolstoy, but crossed out Tolstoyism. He did not know how to recreate real worlds in prose; Gorky composed a song, an epic, a ballad about the hero’s youth, about his paths.

Gorky admires people who are stern, brave, and thick-skinned; he is fascinated by strength and struggle.

He shows them enlarged, neglecting halftones, but refrains from hasty judgments. He despises lack of will and humility, but even admires the cruelty of the world. You can’t say it better than Gorky: “A thick, motley, inexpressibly strange life began and flowed with terrible speed. I remember it as a harsh fairy tale, well told by a kind but painfully truthful genius.” One of the most striking episodes in the story “Childhood” is about how Alyosha learned to read and write: “Beeches-people-az-la-bla.” This became the main thing in his life.

6. AT THE BOTTOM

Here certifications are unnecessary, this is simply Gorky’s Bible, the apotheosis of Russian outcasts. Gorky brought the inhabitants of the shelter, tramps, and thieves onto the stage. It turns out that in their world there are high tragedies and struggles, no less significant than those of Shakespeare's kings... “Man - that sounds proud!” - proclaims Satin, Gorky’s favorite hero, a strong personality who was not broken by either prison or drunkenness. He has a strong rival - a wandering preacher of forgiveness. Gorky hated this sweet hypnosis, but refrained from unequivocally exposing Luka. Luke has his own truth.

The heroes of Gorky’s shelter were applauded not only by Moscow and St. Petersburg, but also by Berlin, Paris, Tokyo...

And they will always put “At the Bottom”. And in the muttering of Satin - the seeker and the robber - new subtexts will be found: “Only man exists, everything else is the work of his hands and his brain! Human! It's great!"

7. BARBARIANS

In the role of a playwright, Gorky is most interesting. And “Barbarians” on our list represents several of Gorky’s plays about people of the early twentieth century. “Scenes in a provincial town” are sad: the heroes turn out to be false, the provincial reality is gone and gloomy. But in the longing for the hero there is a premonition of something great.

While creating sadness, Gorky does not fall into straightforward pessimism.

It is not surprising that the play had a happy theatrical fate: at least two roles - Cherkun and Monakhova - were written brilliantly. There is something there for interpreters to look for.

8. VASSA ZHELEZNOVA

But this tragedy in our time simply needs to be reread and reconsidered. I think there is no more insightful book (not to mention plays) about Russian capitalism. A merciless play. Even today bigots are afraid of her. It is easiest to repeat the common truth that behind every great fortune there is a crime.

And Gorky managed to show the psychology of this crime in rich neighborhoods.

He knew how to describe vices like no one else. Yes, he exposes Vassa. And yet she turned out to be alive. It’s incredibly interesting for actresses to play her. Some even manage to justify this murderer. Vera Pashennaya, Faina Ranevskaya, Nina Sazonova, Inna Churikova, Tatyana Doronina - Vassa was played by actresses whom the theater world worshiped. And the public watched how Russian capitalism went crazy, acted strangely and perished.

9. OKUROV TOWN

Gorky wrote this story in 1909. A gray provincial town, the eternal orphanage of fussy, unhappy people. The chronicle turned out to be full-blooded. Gorky is observant and ironic: “The main street - Porechnaya, or Berezhok - is paved with large cobblestones; in the spring, when young grass breaks out between the stones, the city head Sukhobayev calls the prisoners, and they, large and gray, heavy, silently crawl along the street, tearing out the grass by the roots. On Porechnaya the best houses lined up orderly - blue, red, green, almost all with front gardens - the white house of the chairman of the zemstvo council, Vogel, with a turret on the roof; red brick with yellow shutters - heads; pinkish - the father of Archpriest Isaiah Kudryavsky and a long row of boastful cozy houses - the authorities lived in them: the military commander Pokivaiko, a passionate lover of singing, - nicknamed Mazepa for his large mustache and thickness; tax inspector Zhukov, a gloomy man who suffered from heavy drinking; zemstvo chief Strechel, theatergoer and playwright; police officer Karl Ignatievich Worms and the cheerful Doctor Ryakhin, the best artist of the local circle of comedy and drama lovers.”

An important topic for Gorky is the eternal dispute about philistinism. Or - “confusion”?

After all, a lot of things are mixed up in a Russian person, and perhaps this is precisely his mystery.

10. LIFE OF KLIM SAMGIN

The novel—the largest in Gorky’s legacy, “for eight hundred people,” as the parodists quipped—remained unfinished. But what remains is superior in polish to everything written by Gorky. It turns out that he knew how to write restrainedly, almost academically, but at the same time in a Gorky style.

According to Gorky’s definition, this is a book about “an intellectual of average value who goes through a whole series of moods, looking for the most independent place in life, where he would be comfortable both financially and internally.”

And all this - against the backdrop of the turning point revolutionary years, right up to 1918. Gorky for the first time showed himself to be a realist, an objective analyst, and found a harmonious narrative tone for his last book. He wrote Samghin for decades. At the same time, the author does not like the title character. Samghin is a real snake, also reminiscent of Shchedrin’s Judushka Golovlev. But he crawls “all over Great Rus'” - and the space of history opens up to us. It seems that Gorky, who lived in an eternal hurry, did not want to part with this book. The result was an encyclopedia, and not at all idealistic. Gorky writes without hypocrisy about love and flirtation, about politics and religion, about nationalism and financial scams... This is both a chronicle and a confession. Like Cervantes, he even mentions himself in the novel: the characters discuss the writer Gorky. Just like us a hundred years later.

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Years of life: from 03/28/1868 to 06/18/1936

Russian writer, playwright, public figure. One of the most popular authors of the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Maxim Gorky (real name - Alexey Maksimovich Peshkov) was born (16) March 28, 1868 in Nizhny Novgorod. Father, Maxim Savvatievich Peshkov (1840-71) - the son of a soldier, demoted from the officers, a cabinetmaker. In recent years he worked as a manager of a shipping office, but died of cholera. Mother, Varvara Vasilyevna Kashirina (1842-79) - from a bourgeois family; Having become a widow at an early age, she remarried and died of consumption. The writer spent his childhood in the house of his grandfather Vasily Vasilyevich Kashirin, who in his youth was a barracks worker, then became rich, became the owner of a dyeing establishment, and went bankrupt in his old age. The grandfather taught the boy from church books, his grandmother Akulina Ivanovna introduced her grandson to folk songs and fairy tales, but most importantly, she replaced his mother, “saturating,” in Gorky’s own words, “strong strength for a difficult life.”

Gorky did not receive a real education, graduating only from a vocational school. His thirst for knowledge was quenched independently; he grew up “self-taught.” Hard work (a boatman on a ship, a “boy” in a store, a student in an icon-painting workshop, a foreman at fair buildings, etc.) and early hardships taught him a good knowledge of life and inspired dreams of reorganizing the world. Participated in illegal populist circles. After his arrest in 1889, he was under police surveillance.

I found myself in the world of great literature with the help of V.G. Korolenko. In 1892, Maxim Gorky published his first story, “Makar Chudra,” and in 1899-1900 he met L.N. Tolstoy and A.P. Chekhov, gets closer to the Moscow Art Theater, which staged his plays “The Bourgeois” and “At the Depths”.

The next period of Gorky's life is associated with revolutionary activity. He joined the Bolshevik Party, later, however, disagreeing with it on the issue of the timeliness of the socialist revolution in Russia. He took part in the organization of the first Bolshevik legal newspaper, Novaya Zhizn. During the December armed uprising of 1905 in Moscow, he supplied workers' squads with weapons and money.

In 1906, on behalf of the party, Maxim Gorky illegally traveled to America, where he campaigned in support of the revolution in Russia. Among the Americans who ensured Gorky's reception in the United States was Mark Twain.

Upon returning to Russia, he wrote the play "Enemies" and the novel "Mother" (1906). In the same year, Gorky travels to Italy, to Capri, where he lives until 1913, devoting all his energy to literary creativity. During these years, the plays “The Last” (1908), “Vassa Zheleznova” (1910), the stories “Summer”, “Okurov Town” (1909), and the novel “The Life of Matvey Kozhemyakin” (1910 - 11) were written.

Taking advantage of the amnesty, he returned to St. Petersburg in 1913 and collaborated with the Bolshevik newspapers Zvezda and Pravda. In 1915 he founded the magazine "Letopis", headed the literary department of the magazine, uniting around him such writers as Shishkov, Prishvin, Trenev, Gladkov and others.

Gorky greeted the February Revolution of 1917 with enthusiasm. He was a member of the “Special Meeting on Arts” and was the chairman of the Commission on Arts under the Executive Committee of the Petrograd Council of the RSD. After the revolution, Gorky participated in the publication of the newspaper “New Life,” which was the organ of the Social Democrats, where he published articles under the general title “Untimely Thoughts.”

In the fall of 1921, due to an exacerbation of the tuberculosis process, he went abroad for treatment. At first he lived in resorts in Germany and Czechoslovakia, then moved to Italy in Sorrento. He continues to work a lot: he completes the trilogy - "My Universities" ("Childhood" and "In People" were published in 1913 - 16), writes the novel "The Artamonov Case" (1925). Begins work on the book “The Life of Klim Samgin,” which he continued to write until the end of his life. In 1931 Gorky returned to his homeland. In the 1930s he again turned to drama: “Egor Bulychev and others” (1932), “Dostigaev and others” (1933).

Summing up his acquaintance and communication with the great people of his time, Gorky wrote literary portraits of L. Tolstoy, A. Chekhov, V. Korolenko, and an essay “V.I. Lenin”. In 1934, through the efforts of M. Gorky, the 1st All-Union Congress of Soviet Writers was prepared and held.

On May 11, 1934, Gorky’s son, Maxim Peshkov, unexpectedly dies. The writer himself died on June 18, 1936 in the town of Gorki, near Moscow, having outlived his son by a little more than two years. After his death, he was cremated and his ashes were placed in an urn in the Kremlin wall on Red Square in Moscow. Before cremation, A. M. Gorky's brain was removed and taken to the Moscow Brain Institute for further study. There is still a lot of uncertainty around his death, like the death of his son Maxim.

Gorky began as a provincial newspaperman (published under the name Yehudiel Chlamida). The pseudonym M. Gorky (he signed letters and documents with his real name - A. Peshkov) appeared in 1892 in the Tiflis newspaper "Caucasus", where the first story "Makar Chudra" was published.

The circumstances of the death of Gorky and his son are considered “suspicious” by many. There were rumors about poisoning, which, however, were not confirmed. According to the interrogations of Genrikh Yagoda (one of the main leaders of the state security agencies), Maxim Gorky was killed on Trotsky's orders, and the murder of Gorky's son, Maxim Peshkov, was his personal initiative. Some publications blame Stalin for Gorky's death.

Bibliography

Stories
1908 - “The Life of an Useless Man.”
1908 - “Confession”
1909 - "", "".
1913-1914- " "
1915-1916- " "
1923 - ""

Stories, essays
1892 - “Makar Chudra”
1895 - “Chelkash”, “Old Woman Izergil”.
1897 - “Former People”, “The Orlov Spouses”, “Malva”, “Konovalov”.
1898 - “Essays and Stories” (collection)
1899 - “Song of the Falcon” (prose poem), “Twenty-six and one”
1901 - “Song of the Petrel” (prose poem)
1903 - “Man” (prose poem)
1913 - “Egor Bulychov and others (1953)
Egor Bulychov and others (1971)
Life of the Baron (1917) - based on the play "At the Lower Depths"
The Life of Klim Samgin (TV series, 1986)
The Life of Klim Samgin (film, 1986)
The Well (2003) - based on the story by A.M. Gorky "Gubin"
Summer People (1995) - based on the play "Summer Residents"
Mallow (1956) - based on the stories
Mother (1926)
Mother (1955)
Mother (1990)
Bourgeois (1971)
My Universities (1939)
At the Bottom (1952)
At the Bottom (1957)
At the Bottom (1972)
Washed in Blood (1917) - based on M. Gorky’s story “Konovalov”
Premature Man (1971) - based on the play “Yakov Bogomolov” by Maxim Gorky
Across Rus' (1968) - based on early stories
For the sake of boredom (1967)
Tabor goes to heaven (1975)
Three (1918)
Foma Gordeev (1959)

(estimates: 6 , average: 3,17 out of 5)

Name: Alexey Maksimovich Peshkov
Nicknames: Maxim Gorky, Yehudiel Chlamida
Birthday: March 16, 1868
Place of Birth: Nizhny Novgorod, Russian Empire
Date of death: June 18, 1936
A place of death: Gorki, Moscow region, RSFSR, USSR

Biography of Maxim Gorky

Maxim Gorky was born in Nizhny Novgorod in 1868. In fact, the writer’s name was Alexey, but his father was Maxim, and the writer’s last name was Peshkov. The father worked as a simple carpenter, so the family could not be called wealthy. At the age of 7 he went to school, but after a couple of months he had to quit his studies due to smallpox. As a result, the boy received a home education, and he also studied all subjects independently.

Gorky had a rather difficult childhood. His parents died too early, and the boy lived with his grandfather , who had a very difficult character. Already at the age of 11, the future writer set out to earn his living, working part-time in a bread store or in a canteen on a ship.

In 1884, Gorky found himself in Kazan and tried to get an education, but this attempt failed, and he had to work hard again to earn money to feed himself. At the age of 19, Gorky even tries to commit suicide due to poverty and fatigue.

Here he becomes interested in Marxism and tries to agitate. In 1888 he was arrested for the first time. He gets a job at an iron job where the authorities keep a close eye on him.

In 1889, Gorky returned to Nizhny Novgorod and got a job as a clerk for lawyer Lanin. It was during this period that he wrote “The Song of the Old Oak” and turned to Korolenko to evaluate the work.

In 1891, Gorky went to travel around the country. His story “Makar Chudra” was published for the first time in Tiflis.

In 1892, Gorky again travels to Nizhny Novgorod and returns to the service of lawyer Lanin. Here he is already published in many publications in Samara and Kazan. In 1895 he moved to Samara. At this time he actively wrote and his works were constantly published. The two-volume “Essays and Stories,” published in 1898, is in great demand and is very actively discussed and criticized. In the period from 1900 to 1901 he met Tolstoy and Chekhov.

In 1901, Gorky created his first plays “The Bourgeois” and “At the Depths”. They were very popular, and “The Bourgeois” was even staged in Vienna and Berlin. The writer has already become famous internationally. From this moment on, his works are translated into different languages ​​of the world, and he and his works become the object of close attention of foreign critics.

Gorky became a participant in the revolution in 1905, and since 1906 he has left his country due to political events. He has lived on the Italian island of Capri for a long time. Here he writes the novel “Mother”. This work influenced the emergence of a new direction in literature, like socialist realism.

In 1913, Maxim Gorky was finally able to return to his homeland. During this period, he actively worked on his autobiography. He also works as an editor for two newspapers. At the same time, he gathered proletarian writers around him and published a collection of their works.

The period of the revolution in 1917 was controversial for Gorky. As a result, he joins the ranks of the Bolsheviks, even despite doubts and torment. However, he does not support some of their views and actions. In particular, regarding the intelligentsia. Thanks to Gorky, most of the intelligentsia in those days avoided starvation and painful death.

In 1921, Gorky left his country. There is a version that he does this because Lenin was too worried about the health of the great writer, whose tuberculosis had worsened. However, the reason could also be Gorky’s contradictions with the authorities. He lived in Prague, Berlin and Sorrento.

When Gorky turned 60, Stalin himself invited him to the USSR. The writer was given a warm welcome. He traveled around the country, where he spoke at meetings and rallies. They honor him in every possible way and take him to the Communist Academy.

In 1932, Gorky returned to the USSR for good. He is very active in literary activities, organizes the All-Union Congress of Soviet Writers, and publishes a large number of newspapers.

In 1936, terrible news spread throughout the country: Maxim Gorky left this world. The writer caught a cold when he visited his son’s grave. However, there is an opinion that both the son and the father were poisoned because of their political views, but this has never been proven.

Documentary

We bring to your attention a documentary film, a biography of Maxim Gorky.

Bibliography of Maxim Gorky

Novels

1899
Foma Gordeev
1900-1901
Three
1906
Mother (second edition - 1907)
1925
Artamonov case
1925-1936
Life of Klim Samgin

Stories

1908
The life of an unnecessary person
1908
Confession
1909
Okurov town
Life of Matvey Kozhemyakin
1913-1914
Childhood
1915-1916
In people
1923
My universities

Stories, essays

1892
The Girl and Death
1892
Makar Chudra
1895
Chelkash
Old Isergil
1897
Former people
The Orlov couple
Mallow
Konovalov
1898
Essays and stories (collection)
1899
Song of the Falcon (prose poem)
Twenty six and one
1901
Song of the Petrel (prose poem)
1903
Man (prose poem)
1913
Tales of Italy
1912-1917
In Rus' (cycle of stories)
1924
Stories from 1922-1924
1924
Notes from a diary (series of stories)

Plays

1901
Bourgeois
1902
At the bottom
1904
Summer residents
1905
Children of the Sun
Barbarians
1906
Enemies
1910
Vassa Zheleznova (reworked in December 1935)
1915
Old man
1930-1931
Somov and others
1932
Egor Bulychov and others
1933
Dostigaev and others

Journalism

1906
My interviews
In America" ​​(pamphlets)
1917-1918
series of articles “Untimely Thoughts” in the newspaper “New Life”
1922
About the Russian peasantry