History of creation
The story about the pomegranate decoration and Zheltkov's unhappy love is based on real events. Shortly before it was written, Kuprin was visiting the Lyubimov family. The couple, with whom Kuprin was friends, showed him a family album, and at the same time told him an interesting story. When the governor's wife was young, a telegraph employee fell in love with her. The admirer wrote touching letters to the woman. She read them and put them together, and made funny drawings for some of them. One day, along with a letter, Lyubimova received a gift: a pendant in the shape of an Easter egg on a gilded chain.
The story told inspired the writer to create a story about an unhappy lover. From the letters that Kuprin wrote to his colleagues, it follows that he began work on the work in 1910. At first he decided to limit himself to a story, but in the process it became clear that a different form was needed. Kuprin paid a lot of attention to detail, and besides, he greatly transformed the story. As a result, the text turned out to be large in volume, and the content fit perfectly into the canons of the story.
It took the author about six months to create the “Garnet Bracelet,” which he reported in letters addressed to Batyushkov. The catch was that the writer was not very knowledgeable about music, and extra time was required. Alexander Ivanovich did not want the work to turn out crumpled because of his “ignorance,” since he was very sensitive to his work.
In 1911, work on the story was completed, and soon “Garnet Bracelet” was published in the magazine “Earth”. Critics greeted the story warmly. They noted that the work contains bright ideas and acute “psychological situations.” Here are some statements from contemporaries:
- “an excellent thing”, “good literature” (M. Gorky);
- “dreamer, romantic” (A. Gornfeld about Kuprin), “funny eccentric” (aka about Zheltkov);
- “a gift to the new generation” (V. Lvov-Rogachevsky);
- “boundless, winged romanticism” (E.K. Koltonovskaya).
The townsfolk were also delighted. Even those who did not know Kuprin’s initials were engrossed in the work.
Garnet bracelet analysis of the work briefly
Analysis of the work of A.I. Kuprin "Garnet Bracelet".
The story “The Garnet Bracelet” is one of the most famous works of the writer A.I. Kuprina. The story was published more than a hundred years ago, but readers associate it with sincere and pure love, the dream of many young girls.
Plot of the story
The chain of events of the work begins with the celebration of the birthday of the main character of the story named Vera Nikolaevna Sheina. Celebrated among relatives and friends at the dacha. During the celebration, the woman is given a gift. The person who sent the parcel – a garnet bracelet – left a small card with the signature of the HSG. But he failed to remain unknown, since the husband and brother of the hero of the occasion immediately assumed that this was her long-time boyfriend. He is a low-ranking official, and for many years he has been sending love letters to the princess. The next day, the men were already at the annoying admirer’s house. The door of the tiny apartment is opened by a man whose last name is Zheltkov. He is ready to return the gift to himself and refuse to show signs of attention to Vera Nikolaevna if she herself tells him about it. The princess tells Zheltkov to leave her. The next morning, the newspapers report the death of a certain official who committed suicide. According to his latest confession, he was caught embezzling government property.
Main characters
Vera Nikolaevna Sheina is the main female image, the expression of an ideal representative of high origin; Vasily Lvovich Shein - husband of the main princess, nobleman; Georgy Stepanovich Zheltkov is a longtime admirer of Vera Nikolaevna, works as a minor official in the control chamber, and has long been in love with the princess; Anna Nikolaevna Friesse is the younger sister of the main character; Nikolai Nikolaevich Mirza-Bulat-Tuganovsky - brother of Vera and Anna; Yakov Mikhailovich Anosov is a family friend, a military man.
Analysis of the story
The writer partly based the idea of the work on a real story, although in real life it was rather anecdotal.
Some man working as a telegraph operator with the last name Zheltkov was in love with the wife of a Russian general. One fine day, he was so bold that he sent the object of his adoration an ordinary gold chain with a small pendant as a gift. Everyone around laughed at this act, but the author saw a deep dramatic meaning in this situation. In the story, as in the real story, the guests, and the Shein family itself, at first only mocked the unfortunate admirer, they were not cruel and soulless, they could not believe in such feelings that Zheltkov spoke about. After they met him, they changed their minds. The story “The Garnet Bracelet” is full of various symbols. The decoration itself is the personification of love and strong feelings. Another symbolic stone is pearl. The birthday girl's day begins with pearl earrings; her husband gives them to her. Unfortunately, there is a sign that pearl jewelry brings bad news. Weather conditions play a special role in the work. Before the birthday there was bad weather and a terrible storm. But, surprisingly, on the very significant day itself it was quiet and sunny, as if this foreshadowed an even greater storm and storm. Problems of the work of A.I. Kuprina
The key problem of the story is the problem of true love. The text clearly shows all its types through the relationships of the characters: friendly, calculating, and unconditional. The main character has a question about what the petty official really felt for her, but after looking at him, albeit after death, she understands that he really was blindly and unconditionally in love with her. Even her husband realizes this, despite the fact that at first he only mocked his ridiculous rival. At the end, the princess has the thought that maybe she missed that true and true love that happens perhaps once in a century.
“Garnet bracelet” analysis of the work (option 2)
Characteristics of heroes
There are quite a few characters in the story, and this is partly why the writer worked on it for so long. All the images are painted brightly and realistically, making the work exciting and emotional. Each person has a recognizable character, and some heroes evoke admiration, others - pity, and still others - surprise.
Main characters
The key characters are the Sheina spouses and their loved ones . The main characters can be briefly described as follows:
- Shein Vasily Lvovich. The prince is a decent, noble and sincere person. The financial situation of the family leaves much to be desired, but Vasily Lvovich behaves with dignity and remains a hospitable host. He knows that his wife has an admirer, and understands the feelings of this man.
- Sheina Vera Nikolaevna. Previously, the woman loved her husband dearly, but over time, romance gave way to friendly relations. Vera supports her husband, realizing that their financial situation is unstable. Difficulties have brought the family together, and yet the woman suspects that Zheltkov is the person with whom true love could connect her.
- Zheltkov Georgy Stepanovich. A sincere and kind man, unrequitedly in love with the princess. As soon as he saw Vera, he immediately realized that she was his ideal. The official chose to remain in the shadows and only observe the life of his beloved from afar. He idolized Vera, not expecting reciprocity and understanding that she would always be faithful to her husband. Zheltkov was happy already because fate sent him such a gift - a real feeling of love. Not wanting to cause trouble to the object of his adoration, this man committed suicide.
- Anosov Yakov Mikhailovich. Like most of Kuprin's other heroes, the general is honest and kind. Yakov Mikhailovich is a close friend of the Shein family and a friend of Vera’s father. He reasons wisely and tries to evaluate every situation objectively. Having lived for many years, the general has seen different people, so he is able to distinguish deep feelings from momentary lust.
- Mirza-Bulat-Tuganovsky Nikolai Nikolaevich. Assistant prosecutor, brother of Vera and Anna. He is strict, serious, decisive and pragmatic. This person considers romance stupid, sentimentality is alien to him. Nikolai Nikolaevich warns Zheltkov that his feelings could result in trouble for Vera.
Minor characters
Relatives and acquaintances of the Shein family are not among the main characters, but each of them plays a significant role in the work. Minor characters and their characteristics:
- Friesse Anna Nikolaevna. Vera's sister, who has a completely different character. Anna has two children from her husband, for whom the woman does not feel love. Anna loves to flirt, but she keeps it within limits. She is wasteful and does not mind gambling. The paradox is that, despite all the carelessness, Anna is a deeply religious person, and at the same time she is engaged in charity, helping representatives of the lower classes.
- Friesse Gustav Ivanovich. Anna's husband, deeply attached to her. This character evokes pity, just like Zheltkov with his unrequited love.
- Ponamarev. Anosov's friend, staff colonel, one of the guests invited to Vera's name day. The main occupation is clerical work. Ponamarev is not stupid, which can be understood by how quickly he learned to play poker.
- Bakhtinsky. A funny young man, an unsurpassed organizer of balls. At Vera's name day, Anna flirts with Bakhtinsky, telling him about her charity work.
- Jenny Reiter. A talented pianist, a friend of Sheina Vera at the Smolny Institute. After looking at the dead Zheltkov and returning home, Vera asks Jenny to play the melody that her admirer wrote about in her last message.
- Luke. The cook of the Sheins, a tall man with a yellow, shaved face. The gentlemen trust this worker and know that he can “get” rare products.
- Vasyuchok. A rich but careless man. He is invited to balls because he knows how to recite, sing, stage performances and live paintings. Vasyuchok also became famous for his ability to organize charity bazaars.
- Lyudmila Lvovna. The widowed sister of Prince Vasily Lvovich, whom he brought for Vera’s name day. Lyudmila's married name is Durasova, which hints at her appearance and intelligence. When the prince reads family sketches to the guests, he first introduces the guests to a comic biography of his sister, and only then moves on to the story of Vera’s admirer.
Composition
The compositional features of the work are manifested both at the formal and semantic levels. First, A. Kuprin draws the reader to Beethoven’s sonnet through an epigraph. In the finale, it turns out that the musical masterpiece plays the role of a symbol. With the help of this symbolic image, a frame is created that enhances the ideological sound.
The order of the plot elements is not broken. The exhibition includes landscape sketches, an introduction to the Shein family, and a story about the upcoming holiday. The beginning is Vera Nikolaevna receiving a gift. The development of events - a story about the name day, the search for the recipient of the gift, a meeting with Zheltkov. The climax is Zheltkov’s recognition that only death will kill his feelings. The denouement is the death of Zheltkov and the story of how Vera listens to the sonata.
The author has woven love stories into the outline of the main events, which also help the reader understand the meaning of love in human life.
Topic and main problem
The analysis of the story “The Garnet Bracelet” should begin with a definition of the problem. The main theme of the work is love. Writers showed different facets of feeling, and more often than not, the heroes whom it visited waited for an answer and did everything to win the hearts of their lovers .
In "Pomegranate Bracelet" love is shown from an unexpected side. Kuprin has this self-sufficient feeling. Zheltkov, who is in love, does not expect reciprocity and does nothing to achieve it. He doesn't even reveal his name. Vera's husband and relative have to make efforts to find the mysterious donor and talk to him. The problematics of the work are based on the main theme. Through the mouths of the characters, Kuprin conveys his thoughts to readers. He talks about what love is, what images it can take, how to distinguish a deep feeling from a fleeting infatuation.
Landscape sketches help to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of the story and feel the same as the main character . The action takes place at the dacha of the Sheins. The weather is pleasant with sunny days, which creates a feeling of warmth and light sadness. Nature is on the verge of change, and it will soon happen in the life of the main character.
Just as August did not bring good weather, Vera’s life did not spoil her with bright events. But after a gift from a mysterious stranger, the woman realized that she had been wrong to consider this man crazy. The princess began to guess that he had a strong and sincere feeling for her, which many only dream of.
The symbol of true love is a bracelet with stones, which gives the name to the work. The author built a plot around this decoration, leaving the reader alone with thoughts about eternal love. According to the writer, true feeling is stronger than death. It does not pass, does not disappear, even when the person is no longer in this world. Only a select few are given the opportunity to experience such love, and not everyone knows how to accept it.
Subject
Alexander Kuprin is considered the unsurpassed Russian genius of love prose; he created many works glorifying love in all its manifestations.
In “The Garnet Bracelet,” the analysis of the story is subordinated to this favorite theme of the author, the theme of love.
In essence, this work examines 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.
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The writer, giving such a name to his title, immediately makes it clear what the main idea of the story is devoted to.
He examines different forms of love, its different manifestations. Each person described by the writer has a different attitude towards this feeling. For some, it’s just a habit, social status, superficial well-being. For another, this is the only, real feeling, carried throughout life, for which it was worth living.
For the main character Zheltkov, love is a sacred feeling for which he lives, realizing that his love is doomed to be unrequited. The adoration of the woman he loves helps him endure all the hardships of life and believe in the sincerity of his feelings. Vera Nikolaevna for him is the meaning of his whole life. When Zheltkov was told that by his behavior he was compromising the woman he loved, the official concluded that problems of social inequality would always stand in his way to happiness, and committed suicide.
Composition and genre
Compositional features are manifested not only in construction, but also at the level of meaning. Kuprin indicates a Beethoven sonata as an epigraph. In the finale, he again turns to the work of this musician. The sonata symbolizes the eternity of love and the forgiveness granted to Vera . Here are the elements of the story:
- exposition - introducing the reader to the Sheins;
- the beginning - receiving a letter with a gift;
- development of events - search for Zheltkov;
- the climax is the conversation between the lover and Vera’s husband;
- The denouement is the suicide of an official and the performance of a sonata.
When the woman listened to Jenny Reiter play, she seemed to hear Zheltkov addressing her, and his posthumous words made her cry. As soon as the pianist finished playing, the princess realized that the unhappy lover had forgiven her.
So the author showed that true art can touch the deepest strings of the soul. It both makes you cry and heals.
The genre of “The Garnet Bracelet” is a story. This is indicated by the following signs: the presence of several storylines, many images, a solid volume. Literary direction: realism. The author conveyed not only the details, but also the atmosphere of the era, and took as a basis what actually happened. The work is worth reading in its entirety: it will give you strong emotions, make you empathize with Zheltkov and cry with the main character.
Brief Analysis
Before reading this analysis, we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the work itself, Garnet Bracelet.
Year of writing – 1910
History of creation - A. I. Kuprin was inspired to write the work by a story heard in a family of acquaintances.
Theme - The story reveals traditional themes of unrequited love, a sincere feeling that all women dream of.
Composition - The semantic and formal organization of the story has its own peculiarities. The work begins with an epigraph addressed to Beethoven’s “Sonata No. 2”. This same musical masterpiece acts as a symbol in the final part. The author wove small love stories told by Vasily Lvovich into the outline of the main plot. The story consists of 13 parts.
Genre – Story. The writer himself considered his work a story.
Direction – Realism.
- History of creation
- Subject
- Composition
- Main characters
- Genre
Bonus
- Work test
