DID KUPRIN WRITE ABOUT HIMSELF, THE DEATH OF ROMASHOV "KILLING" HIS YOUTH DREAMS?

A.P. Apsit Portrait of A. I. Kuprin 1928
Photo by A.I.Kuprin 1900s

Kuprin was a lieutenant of the White Army, a brilliant rider who, on a bet, could mount a horse to the second floor of a restaurant, drink half a glass of cognac without leaving the saddle, and return to earth in the same manner.
Kuprin spent his childhood in the Orphanage School (Moscow, Kazakova St., 18), where, for his delirium that he was General Skobelev, Napoleon himself, he would be put on a pointed cap with the inscription “Liar” in bold print.
As a twelve-year-old boy with a haircut, Kuprin studied at the Cadet School (Moscow, 1st Krasnokursantsky Prospect, 3-5), then at the Junkers' School (Moscow, corner of Znamenka and Gogolevsky Boulevard), where he sat in a punishment cell for a peasant girl Dunyasha (he looked after her instead of classes on topography) and for the first published story - "scribbling".
Yesterday, he, a cadet, raced in a troika to a ball at a women's institute, declared his love at a purely skating rink and secretly kept a stranger's scarf picked up in the theater, and today he is an officer of the 46th Dnieper Infantry Regiment. He jumps from the second floor, when some garrison lady promised a kiss for this, for the sake of one more love, abandoning poetry and prose, trying to enter the Academy of the General Staff.
I would have entered - I passed the exams brilliantly! - if on the way to St. Petersburg he had not met friends in the cadet corps in Kiev and, having taken a spree, had not thrown either from the ferry or from the float restaurant of the police bailiff. According to one version, for the fact that he did not yield to them, the officers, the ordered table, according to another, more romantic, for impudent molesting to some girl.
There were no duels in his life. But, isn't it, there is something in common in the description of the writer's youth with Romashov - the hero of his story "The Duel"?

The title of the story by AI Kuprin - "The Duel", correctly conveys the meaning of the drama played out in it. A duel means not only the duel described at the end of the story, but also all the events that take place with the main characters.
The book takes place at a time when fights between officers have just been officially allowed. Naturally, this topic is vividly discussed in the garrison. First
it is seriously touched upon in the conversation between Shurochka Nikolaeva and Romashov.
Shurochka, a beautiful, charming, intelligent, educated woman, speaks of duels as a necessary phenomenon. The officer, she argues, must risk himself. An insult can only be washed away with blood. It is not only Shurochka, the officer's wife, who talks about duels with such fervor. This is the opinion of the majority of the men in the garrison.
Romashov's life in the regiment is an eternal duel with himself and with the officer's prejudices. He is not like his comrades, he has other life aspirations. Arriving in the regiment, Romashov dreamed of "valor, exploits, glory." He idealized the officers, believing that these people are noble, generous, honest. But in the garrison, the officers lead a gray, hopeless existence, they take revenge on the soldiers who are not considered people, in the evenings, not knowing what to do, the officers gather, play cards and arrange senseless revelry.
The whole story is a series of small collisions between Romashov and the people around him.
All these minor skirmishes lead to one main thing - a duel between Romashov and Nikolaev.
In general, the duel was predetermined from the very beginning. Romashov loves Nikolaev's wife, in addition, and she answered him if not with love, but at least with sympathy, affection. Affectionately calling the officer "Romochka", Shurochka spends his free time with him "because there is nothing to do." Romashov refuses an affair with the regimental lady Raisa Aleksandrovna Peterson, with whom they dirty and boring (and for quite some time already) deceived her husband. Wanting to take revenge on her "mustached Zhorzhik", she begins to throw anonymous letters at her husband Shurochka.
Nikolaev himself does not accept Romashov from the very beginning. Consequently, sooner or later the duel had to take place.
The word "duel" in relation to the event that happened may not be entirely appropriate, since it was not a fair fight between two officers.
Shurochka, so dearly beloved by Romashov, assured him that everything was agreed in advance and no one would be injured. At the same time, she made a reservation that she was saying goodbye to him forever, but he, like all lovers, did not hear this.
Could a gullible, romantic second lieutenant assume that the woman he loved was so cold, calculating and treacherous?
He died, not knowing happy love, not fulfilling the cherished dream of quitting the service and devoting himself to a more worthy occupation. The duel between Romashov and the world around him was not in favor of the dreamy second lieutenant.
"The Duel" came out with a dedication to M. Gorky, to whom at that time of his work Kuprin was close, and, in addition to high ratings from critics, deserved the praise of Leo Tolstoy.

And now the duelists:

YURI ALEKSEEVICH ROMASHOV

I. Glazunov Illustration for the story "Duel" ch. 16 (fragment)

He was of medium height, thin, and although rather strong for his build, he was awkward from great shyness. He did not know how to fence with espadrons even in school, and after a year and a half of service, he completely forgot this art.
In a young graduate of a cadet school, now a second lieutenant, serving in a regiment for the second year, stationed in a small Jewish town, weakness of will and fortitude are uniquely combined. Service in the army for Romashov is a difficult test: he cannot come to terms with the rudeness and vulgarity of the regimental life.
Romashov composes stories, although he is ashamed of his literary pursuits.
"Not for the first time in a year and a half of his officer service he experienced this agonizing consciousness of his loneliness and being lost among strangers, hostile or indifferent people - this is a dreary feeling of not knowing what to do with tonight." Out of boredom, he often goes to the station, where trains that stop for a short time remind him of a different, festive life.
After a fight with Nikolayev, Romashov challenges him to a duel and within a day becomes "the city's fairy tale and the hero of the day." A meeting of the officers' court makes a decision on the inevitability of a duel between Romashov and Nikolaev.
The next day, Nikolaev kills Romashov in a duel.

VLADIMIR EFIMOVICH NIKOLAEV
For two years in a row he has been failing exams at the academy, and Alexandra Petrovna, Shurochka, is doing everything so that the last chance (she was allowed to enter only up to three times) was not missed.

And lastly, in 2007 a twelve-part television feature film "Juncker" was shot, based on the works of A. I. Kuprin. The script is based on the novel "Juncker", the novellas "The Duel", "At the Turning Point" ("Cadets"), many of the writer's stories and episodes of his biography. The time of action in the film, unlike Kuprin's novels, has been shifted from the end of the 19th century to the years preceding the start of the First World War.

It remains for us to reread the fragments of the original source!

The usual conversation, beloved by young officers, began about cases of unexpected massacres on the spot and how these cases went almost always with impunity. In one small town, a beardless drunken cornet with a saber hacked into a crowd of Jews, from whom he had previously "smashed an Easter heap." In Kiev, an infantry second lieutenant hacked a student to death in a dance hall for nudging him at the sideboard. In some big city - either in Moscow or in St. Petersburg - an officer shot, "like a dog," a civilian who, in a restaurant, made a remark to him that decent people do not bother strangers.
Romashov, who was still silent, suddenly, blushing with confusion, unnecessarily adjusting his glasses and clearing his throat, intervened in the conversation:
- And here, gentlemen, what will I say from my side. I suppose I don't consider a barman ... yes ... But if a civilian ... how can I put it? ... Yes ... Well, if he is a decent man, a nobleman, and so on ... why should I him, unarmed, to attack with a saber? Why can't I demand satisfaction from him? After all, we are cultured people, so to speak ... - Eh, you are talking nonsense, Romashov, - Vetkin interrupted him. - You will demand satisfaction, and he will say: "No ... uh-uh ... I, you know, web-site ... uh ... I do not recognize a duel. I am an opponent of bloodshed ... And besides , uh ... we have a magistrate ... "So then walk around with a bat muzzle all your life.

Have you read about the officer's duel in the newspapers? - asked Shurochka suddenly.
Romashov perked up and with difficulty looked away from her.
- No, I haven't. But I heard. And what?
- Of course, you, as usual, do not read anything. Indeed, Yuri Alekseevich, you are sinking. In my opinion, something ridiculous came out. I understand that fights between officers are a necessary and reasonable thing. - Shurochka convincingly pressed her knitting to her chest. - But why such tactlessness? Think: one lieutenant insulted another. The insult is grave, and the society of officers decides a duel. But then comes nonsense and stupidity. The conditions are just like the death penalty: fifteen paces of distance and fight to a serious wound ... If both opponents are on their feet, the shots are resumed. But this is a massacre, this is ... I don't know what! But wait, these are just flowers. All the officers of the regiment come to the place of the duel, almost even the regimental ladies, and even a photographer is placed somewhere in the bushes. After all, this is horror, Romochka! And the unfortunate second lieutenant, Fendrik, as Volodya says, is like you, and besides, offended, and not an offender, after the third shot, he receives a terrible wound in the stomach and by evening he dies in agony. And he, it turns out, had an old mother and sister, an old young lady who lived with him, just like our Mikhin ... But listen: why, who needed to make such a bloody buffoonery out of a duel? And this, mind you, at the very first stages, right after the resolution of the fights. And now believe me, believe me! - exclaimed Shurochka, sparkling with glowing eyes, - now sentimental opponents of officer duels, - oh, I know these despicable liberal cowards! - now they will zagald: "Ah, barbarism! Ah, a relic of wild times! Ah, fratricide!"
- However, you are bloodthirsty, Alexandra Petrovna! - put in Romashov.
- Not bloodthirsty, - no! she objected sharply. - I'm compassionate. I’m a bug that tickles my neck, I’ll take it off and try not to hurt him. But try to understand, Romashov, there is simple logic here. What are the officers for? For the war. What is required for a war first of all? Courage, pride, the ability not to blink before death. Where are these qualities most clearly manifested in peacetime? In duels. That's all. It seems clear. It is not French officers who need fights - because the concept of honor, and even exaggerated, is in the blood of every Frenchman - not German - because from birth all Germans are decent and disciplined - but for us, for us, for us! Then we will not have among the officer's environment card-sharpers, like Archakovsky, or hopeless drunkards, like your Nazansky; then by itself will emerge amicosity, familiar scoffing in the assembly, in front of the servants, this is your mutual foul language, throwing decanters at each other's heads, with the goal of not hitting, but missing. Then you will not abuse each other like that behind your backs. The officer's every word must be weighed. An officer is a model of correctness. And then, what a tenderness: fear of a shot! Your profession is to risk your life.

20
.........
In the evening that day he was again summoned to court, but this time together with Nikolayev. Both enemies stood almost side by side in front of the table. They never
looked at each other, but each of them felt at a distance
the mood of the other and was tensely agitated by this. Both are stubborn and
they looked at the chairman motionless as he read to them the decision of the court:
- "The Court of the Society of Officers of the N Infantry Regiment, in the composition - followed
ranks and names of judges - chaired by Lieutenant Colonel Migunov,
having examined the case of a collision in the premises of the officers' meeting of the lieutenant
Nikolaev and second lieutenant Romashov, found that due to the severity of mutual
insults, the quarrel of these chief officers cannot be ended with reconciliation and
that the duel between them is the only means of satisfaction
offended honor and officer's dignity. The court's opinion is approved
regiment commander ".
Having finished reading, Lieutenant Colonel Migunov took off his glasses and hid them in a case.
- It remains for you, gentlemen, - he said with stony solemnity, -
choose seconds for yourself, two on each side, and send them to nine
o'clock in the evening here, to the meeting, where they together with us will work out the conditions
duel. However, - he added, getting up and hiding the eyeglass case in his back pocket,
- however, the court ruling read now does not have for you
binding force. Each of you retains complete freedom to fight on
duel, or ... - he threw up his hands and paused, - or leave the service.
Then ... you are free, gentlemen ... Two more words. Not as chairman
court, but as a senior comrade, I would advise you, gentlemen officers,
refrain from attending the meeting until the fight. "This may lead to
complications. Goodbye.
Nikolaev turned abruptly and walked out of the hall with quick steps. Slowly
Romashov followed him. He was not afraid, but he suddenly felt
himself exceptionally lonely, strangely detached, as if cut off from
all over the world. Stepping out on the porch of the meeting, he, with a long, calm surprise
looked at the sky, at the trees, at the cow by the fence opposite, at the sparrows,
bathing in the dust in the middle of the road, and thought: "Here - everything lives, bustles,
fusses, grows and shines, but I no longer need anything and is not interested.
I am sentenced. I'm alone".
Sluggishly, almost bored, he went to look for Bek-Agamalov and Vetkin,
which he decided to ask for seconds. Both readily agreed -
Bek-Agamalov with gloomy restraint, Vetkin with affectionate and
meaningful handshakes.
Romashov did not want to go home - it was terrible and boring there. In these
difficult moments of mental powerlessness, loneliness and a sluggish misunderstanding of life
he needed to see a close, sympathetic friend and at the same time subtle,
understanding, gentle-hearted person.
And suddenly he remembered about Nazansky.

21
........
Romashov told in detail the story of his collision with Nikolaev.
Nazansky listened to him thoughtfully, bowing his head and looking down at the water,
which in lazy thick streams, poured like liquid glass,
sounded far and wide from the bow of the boat.
- Tell the truth, are you not afraid, Romashov? Nazansky asked quietly.
- Duels? No, I'm not afraid, - Romashov answered quickly. But immediately he
fell silent and in one second vividly imagined how he would stand completely
close against Nikolaev and see in his outstretched hand a descending black
the barrel of a revolver. - No, no, - added Romashov hastily, - I won't
to lie that I'm not afraid. Of course it's scary. But I know that I will not frustrate, not
I will run away, I will not ask for forgiveness.
Nazansky dipped the ends of his fingers into a warm, evening, slightly murmuring
water and spoke slowly, in a weak voice, clearing his throat every minute:
- Oh, my dear, dear Romashov, why do you want to do this? Think:
if you know for sure that you will not be afraid - if you know absolutely for sure - then
after all, how many times will then be bolder to take and refuse.
- He hit me ... in the face! - said stubbornly Romashov, and again burning
malice swayed heavily in him.
- Well, well, well, hit, - objected Nazansky affectionately and sad,
with gentle eyes he looked at Romashov. - Is that really the point? Everything in the world
passes, your pain and your hatred will pass. And you yourself will forget about
this. But you will never forget about the person you killed. He will be with
you in bed, at the table, alone and in the crowd. Windbags,
filtered fools, brass foreheads, colorful parrots claim that
killing in a duel is not killing. What nonsense! But they are sentimental
they believe that robbers dream of the brains and blood of their victims. No, murder -
always murder. And what matters here is not pain, not death, not violence, not
disgust for blood and corpse - no, the worst thing of all is that you
you take away from a person his joy of life. Great joy of life! - repeated
suddenly Nazansky loudly, with tears in his voice. - After all, no one - neither you nor me,
ah, but simply no one in the world believes in any afterlife.
That is why everyone fears death, but faint-hearted fools deceive themselves
perspectives of radiant gardens and sweet singing of castrates, and the strong -
silently step over the edge of necessity. We are not strong. When we think
what will happen after our death, then we imagine an empty cold and
dark cellar. No, my dear, it's all lies: the cellar would be happy
deception, joyful consolation. But imagine all the horror of the thought that
absolutely, absolutely nothing will happen, no darkness, no emptiness, no cold ... even
there will be no thought of it, even fear will not remain! At least fear!
Think!
......
- Yes, life is beautiful, - said Romashov.
- Beautiful! Nazansky repeated fervently. - And here are two people from behind
that one hit the other, or kissed his wife, or simply, passing
past him and twirling his mustache, looked at him impolitely - these two people
shoot each other, kill each other. Oh no, their wounds, their suffering,
their death is all to hell! Is he killing himself - a pathetic moving
a lump called a human? It kills the sun, hot, sweet
the sun, the bright sky, nature, - all the diverse beauty of life, kills
the greatest pleasure and pride is human thought! He kills what
never, never, never come back. Ah, fools, fools!

22
.......
- Well, do you want me to give up the fight tomorrow, apologize to him? Do it? he said sadly.
She was silent for a little. The alarm clock filled with its metal chatter
all corners of a dark room. Finally she spoke barely audibly, as if in
meditation, with an expression that Romashov could not catch:
- I knew that you would suggest it.
He raised his head and, although she held him by the neck with her hand, he straightened up on
beds.
- I'm not afraid! he said loudly and dully.
`` No, no, no, no, '' she said in a hot, hasty, pleading
in a whisper. - You did not understand me. Come closer to me ... as before ... Come! ..
She wrapped her arms around him and whispered, tickling his face with her
thin hair and hot breathing on his cheek:
- You did not understand me. I have something completely different. But I'm ashamed in front of you. You
so pure, kind, and I'm ashamed to tell you about it. I'm calculating
I'm ugly ...
- No, say everything. I love you.
“Listen,” she said, and he guessed her words rather than heard.
their. - If you refuse, then how many insults, shame and suffering will fall
at you. No, no, not that again. Oh my god, this minute I won't
lie to you. My dear, I have thought and weighed all this for a long time.
Let's say you refused. The husband's honor has been rehabilitated. But, understand, in a duel,
ending with reconciliation, there is always something ... how to say? .. Well,
perhaps, doubtful, something exciting bewilderment and disappointment ...
Do you understand me? - she asked with sad tenderness and carefully
kissed his hair.
- Yes. So what is it?
- The fact that in this case the husband will almost certainly not be admitted to the exams.
The reputation of a general staff officer should be fluff-free. Meanwhile
if you actually shot, then there would be something heroic,
strong. To people who know how to behave with dignity under the shot,
they forgive a lot, a lot. Then ... after the duel ... you could, if
if you want, and apologize ... Well, that's your business.
......
Trying to hide an incomprehensible, dull irritation, he said dryly:
- For God's sake, explain yourself more directly. I promise you everything.

Ilya Glazunov Shurochka at Romashov's on the eve of the duel ch. 22

Then she spoke imperiously near his mouth, and her words were
like quick quivering kisses:
“You must certainly shoot yourself tomorrow. But none of you will
injured. Oh, understand me, don't judge me! I myself despise cowards, I
female. But do it for me, George! No, don't ask about your husband, he
knows. I did everything, everything, everything.
Now, with a stubborn movement of his head, he managed to free himself from her soft and
strong hands. He got out of bed and said firmly:
- Okay, so be it. I agree.

His Eminence, Commander of the N Infantry Regiment.
The head captain of the same regiment Diez.

I hereby have the honor to convey to your Excellency that this 2nd
June, according to the conditions reported to you yesterday, June 1,
a duel between Lieutenant Nikolayev and Second Lieutenant Romashov. Opponents
met at five minutes before 6 o'clock in the morning, in a grove called "Dubechnaya",
located 3 1/2 versts from the city. The duration of the fight,
including here and the time used for the signals was 1 min. 10 sec. Places,
occupied by the duelists were set by lot. On command "forward" both
enemy went to meet each other, with a shot fired
Lieutenant Nikolaev, second lieutenant Romashov was wounded in the upper right part
belly. For a shot, Lieutenant Nikolaev stopped, just like
remained standing, waiting for the return shot. After the set
half a minute for a return shot, it was found that Second Lieutenant Romashov
cannot answer to the enemy. As a result, the seconds of the second lieutenant
Romashov was offered to consider the fight over. By common consent, this
was done. When transferring second lieutenant Romashov to the carriage, the last
fell into a serious fainting state and died seven minutes later from
internal hemorrhage. Seconds from the side of Lieutenant Nikolaev
were: me and Lieutenant Vasin, on the part of Second Lieutenant Romashov: lieutenants
Bek-Agamalov and Vetkin. The order of the duel, by common consent, was
provided to me. The testimony of a junior doctor count. ac. Heat at this
I am attaching.
Head Captain Diez.

Site materials used

Composition

Almost all of Kuprin's work is permeated with the pathos of sympathy, traditional for Russian literature, for a “little” person doomed to a miserable existence in an inert, squalid environment. The protagonist of the story "The Duel", Second Lieutenant Romashov, is typical of the writer: an intelligent hero with a high pain threshold and a small margin of mental strength to resist the vulgarity and cynicism of those around him.
The author's sympathies are clearly on the hero's side, and the reader has sympathy for him as soon as Romashov appears in front of us.
Even his outward image does not repulse, but rather evokes pity for the young officer. He is short and thin, but rather strong. Because of shyness, awkward. And what dexterity can we talk about, even if his clothes seem to serve as an additional humiliation. He is wearing galoshes, "covered to the top with mud, thick as dough," and an overcoat, also cut off "for the sake of dirt." Looking at himself, he blushes with shame. The author constantly emphasizes the youth and immaturity of Romashov. Only once, at the end of the story, his age is mentioned: twenty-one years. But the reader would not have given him more before: Romashov feels a feeling of "boyish awkwardness in front of the soldiers," Shurochka calls him "and not a man at all." And most of all, the habit of thinking about himself in the third person speaks about his youth. She also speaks of the romanticism of the hero: he thinks of himself in the words of stereotyped novels.
Romashov is a dreamer. He goes to the station to the courier train in order to get a glimpse of a life different from his own. To see beautiful, elegant ladies, so unlike the ladies of the regiment, who are forced to alter the same dress countless times and clean their gloves with gasoline. To see "carefree self-confident" civilian gentlemen who cannot imagine the hardships of army life with its drill, rudeness, beatings, humiliations. Their life appears to Romashov as an eternal holiday and celebration, and the officers' leisure is drunkenness, cards, intrigues, adultery and a brothel. Behind the evening dawn, the young man fancies a beautiful city with pavements made of gold tiles, with towers, shady gardens and fountains. And people live there different: bright, joyful, not knowing obstacles in desires, not knowing sorrow, shame, worries.
But he dreams not only of an earthly paradise, he has much more material dreams, born, perhaps, even laudable, ambition. He sees himself as a learned officer of the general staff, he does not neglect regimental occupations, but avoids officers. He climbs higher and higher through the ranks, pacifies the workers' revolt. And he is already ready not to go to the meeting again, to sit down to read books in the morning, to cram, to pass the exam at the Academy of the General Staff. But in Romashov, ambition collides with childish naivety (the romantic dream of becoming a spy-organ-grinder in Germany), but, worse than that, it collides with weakness of character, inner lack of composure. In his dreams, he is an irreplaceable officer of the General Staff, but in reality he abandoned the purchased books, and they gather dust on the shelf; he does not read subscribed newspapers and magazines, kills his free time for evenings in the congregation, drinks a lot of vodka and draws a vulgar relationship with a married woman.
But for the reader, Romashov is still attractive for his spiritual purity and humanity. His behavior is very different from that of most other officers. Before the regimental commander Shulgovich himself, he stands up for a Tatar soldier who barely understands Russian. In Romashov, the human takes precedence over the prescriptions of the military regulations, and at this moment he does not think about the inevitability of punishment. He cannot understand the "necessity" of reprisals against the "shpaks", not seeing any manifestation of officer's honor in the demonstration of brute force in front of defenseless students and bartenders.

He would like all people to realize the futility of war, the whole world to lay down arms. But in reality, he can only forbid the subordinate not to beat the soldier (“Shapovalenko, don’t dare to fight!). He threatens the soldier Sliva to file a report against him for beating up the soldiers, and this is already a feat, already an act that goes beyond the number of actions of other officers.
Many little things, but in truth - not at all little things, in behavior, in the life of the second lieutenant, distinguish him from others. He is the only one who treats his orderly as a person, does not make him an animal, a clown for the entertainment of guests. He is ashamed of the very fact that someone is serving him, regrets that he cannot even shake hands with his faithful Gaynan. Romashov only once goes to Brem to borrow money, before that he went to him, driven by human sympathy, love for animals. He recalls his childhood dream of having a dog.
If we pay attention to how other officers relate to him, then we will see an obvious dislike for him of Plums, Osadchy, Doroshenki. They see that the second lieutenant has an inner core, the ability to protest, the courage to express their condemnation. So, he will stop the Osadchy's blasphemous mockery of the soldier who committed suicide: “I will not allow it! Be silent! Why laugh? Captain Osadchy, you are not at all funny, but you are hurt and scared! " Therefore, his bosses do not like him, seeing that a person is not completely broken.
The officers, who are equal in position to Romashov, treat him almost like a comrade, trust him. Suffice it to recall that Mikhin asked him to take the sisters into the carriage in order to protect them from the harassment of the rude Dits, to recall the silent gratitude of Bek-Agamalov, whom Romashov saved from committing murder and from shame for the rest of his life.
Romashov does not remain unchanged throughout the story. Intense thoughts about life, about the army, about himself lead him to the discovery of his own "I", his personality, individuality. This discovery will first fuel his vanity, and the result will be narcissism, desire for praise, and failure during the show. But after that, a deep breakdown will occur in Romashov's soul, he will finally grow up. The habit of thinking about yourself in the third person will disappear without a trace. He will understand that the personality is not only him, that everyone has their own “I”. The soldiers will no longer seem like a gray mass to him, each of them will have his own face. The barriers between people created by the army hierarchy will become even more painful for him. But he will have the courage and sympathy, despite the ridicule of other officers, to help the soldier Khlebnikov, whom he saved from suicide. But for Romashov himself, life will appear even more meaningless, his position even more hopeless. Considering the possibility of going into the reserve, he realizes that he will not find a better life and becoming a civilian. And it will not improve the situation if he understands what the “three proud vocations of man” are: science, art and free physical labor. Nazansky's inspired arguments about the value of life, about the great time ahead, when people will become gods, will not help. After all, Nazansky himself did not come a step closer to this time. Love for Shurochka will not save him either, because she will respond to his feeling with a momentary love, benevolence and cruel calculation. Romashov did not become a winner in a duel with Wednesday, did not become a winner in a duel with himself, did not find the strength to change his life. But he became a winner, deliberately leaving this life. It is naive to think that the fatal outcome of the duel was a tragic accident for Romashov or for Shurochka. She understood what she was pushing the young man in love, and he could not help but feel this: "... Romashov felt something secret, disgusting, slimy crawling between them, which smelled cold on his soul." But he gave his spiritual strength and gave his life for the sake of his beloved woman, saving the honor of her husband, saving her future, her desires and dreams. We can condemn him, not accept his willingness to die, not acknowledge it. But his consent to the duel was a mature decision of an adult. His victory is in pity and love, in simple, calm words: “Okay, so be it. I agree".

Other compositions on this work

1. Romashov and Nazansky.

2. Portrait of Romashov.

3. The actions of the hero.

4. What attracts you to Romashov?

5. Internal contradictions of the hero.

6. Romashov and Khlebnikov.

7. Romashov and Shurochka Nikolaeva.

Lieutenant Romashov, the protagonist of The Duel, becomes infected with the moods and thoughts of Nazansky. This is a typical Kuprin image of a truth-seeker and a humanist. Romashov is given in constant motion, in the process of his inner change and spiritual growth. Kuprin does not reproduce the entire biography of the hero, but the most important moment in it, without a beginning, but with a tragic end.

The portrait of the hero is outwardly inexpressive: "of average height, thin, and although quite strong for his build, but awkward from great shyness", sometimes characterless. However, in the actions of Romashov, an inner strength is felt, coming from a sense of righteousness and justice. For example, "unexpectedly for himself" protects the Tatar Sharafutdinov, who does not understand Russian, from the colonel offending him (Chapter I). He stands up for the soldier Khlebnikov when a non-commissioned officer wants to beat him (Chapter X). He defeats even the bestial drunk Bek-Agamalov, when he almost hacked to death a woman from the brothel where the officers were drinking with a sword: “With a force that he did not expect from himself, he grabbed Bek-Agamalov by the wrist. For several seconds, both officers, without blinking, gazed at each other ... he already felt that the madman was fading away in this distorted face with every moment. And it was terrifying and inexpressibly joyful for him to stand like that, between life and death, and already know that he was emerging victorious in this game ”(Chapter XVIII). In all these duels Romashov is on top.

Romashov is a dreamy, romantic nature, he is prone to reflection. He had "a slightly funny, naive habit, often characteristic of very young people, of thinking of himself in the third person, in the words of stereotyped novels." Attractive in the hero is spiritual gentleness, kindness, an innate sense of justice. All this sharply distinguishes him from the rest of the officers of the regiment. The collision of a man and an officer first occurs in Romashov himself, in his soul and consciousness. This internal struggle is gradually turning into an open duel with Nikolayev and with all the officers. Romashov is gradually freed from the false understanding of the honor of the officer's uniform. The turning point was the hero's reflections on the position of the human person in society, his inner monologue in defense of human rights, dignity and freedom. Romashov "was stunned and shocked by an unexpectedly vivid consciousness of his individuality," and he, in his own way, rebelled against the depersonalization of a person in military service, in defense of an ordinary soldier. He is indignant at the regimental authorities who maintain a state of enmity between soldiers and officers. But his impulses to protest are replaced by complete apathy and indifference, his soul is often overwhelmed by depression: "My life is gone!"

The feeling of absurdity, confusion, incomprehensibility of life oppresses him. During a conversation with a sick, disfigured Khlebnikov, Romashov feels acute pity and compassion for him (Chapter XVI). Unexpectedly, he rebelles against God himself, who allows evil and injustice (another duel, perhaps the most important one). “Since that night, a deep emotional breakdown occurred in Romashov,” He closed in on himself, focused on his inner world, firmly decided to break with military service in order to start a new life: “The thought became clearer and clearer for him that there are only three proud human recognition: science, art and free physical labor ”. His thoughts about the possibility of another life are combined with thoughts of love for Shurochka Nikolaeva. Sweet, feminine Shurochka, with whom Nazansky is also in love, is essentially guilty of murdering Romashov in a duel. Self-interest, calculation, lust for power, double-mindedness, "some kind of evil and proud force", the resourcefulness of Shurochka are not noticed by the enamored Romashov. She demands: "You must certainly shoot tomorrow" - and Romashov agrees for her sake to a duel that could have been avoided.

Romashov Georgy Alekseevich

DUEL
A Tale (1905)

Romashov Georgy Alekseevich (Romochka, Yuri Alekseevich) is the main character of the story. Shurochka calls him "awkward", "sweet boy", "kind, cowardly", weak. In a young graduate of a cadet school, now a second lieutenant, serving in a regiment for the second year, stationed in a small Jewish town, weakness of will and fortitude are uniquely combined. Service in the army for R. is a difficult test: he cannot accept the rudeness and vulgarity of the regimental life.

R. composes stories, although he is ashamed of his literary pursuits. "He was of average height, thin, and although rather strong for his build, he was awkward from great shyness." However, it is the shy one, blushing even in conversation with the officers, R. stands up for the Tatar soldier before the regimental commander Shulgovich, which causes his anger. R. is aware of his loneliness and lost among strangers, hostile or indifferent people. Out of boredom, R. often goes to the station, where trains that stop briefly remind him of a different, festive life. R. retained the childhood habit of "thinking of himself in the third person, in the words of stereotyped novels." But one day he saw a beautiful lady and her companion standing on the platform of a courier train laughing at him - pale, short-sighted and awkward.

Like Andrei Bolkonsky from "War and Peace" by L. Tolstoy, R. dreams of a feat. He is unable to force himself not to go to the Nikolaevs' house anymore, to give up his love for Shurochka, who considers herself an exalted nature and dreams of breaking out of the vulgar regimental life. For this, one thing is needed: that her husband, on the third attempt, passed the exams at the military academy. Having severed the painful connection with Raisa Peterson, R. "is not ashamed to grieve for his lost purity, for simple physical purity." Guessing about R.'s love for Shurochka, Raisa sends Nikolayev anonymous libel letters. Finally, Shurochka confesses his love to R., but reproaches him: “Why are you so<...>weak!<...>If you could win a big name for yourself, a big position! "

Calling himself “small”, “weak”, “grain of sand,” R. grumbles against God, but then asks for forgiveness: “Do with me whatever you want. I obey everything with gratitude. " R. is experiencing a deep emotional breakdown, feels much older than his twenty-two years.

After a fight with Nikolaev, R. challenges him to a duel and within a day becomes "the city's fairy tale and the hero of the day." A meeting of the officers' court makes a decision on the inevitability of a duel between R. and Nikolaev. Shurochka asks R. not to kill her husband, but also not to give up the duel, as this may prevent him from entering the academy. According to Shurochka, Nikolaev knows everything and will also try not to get in. ”Shv. Here “something secret, disgusting, slimy crept invisibly between them,” and Shurochka, knowing that he was seeing R. for the last time, gave himself up to him.

The next day, Nikolaev kills R. in a duel.

All characteristics alphabetically:

Topic: "This is my duel with the tsarist army ..."

(Ideological and artistic originality of the story

A.I.Kuprina "Duel")

... And with my novel I will call on

duel of the royal army.

A.I. Kuprin

Target: 1. To acquaint with the content of the story, to reveal the ideological and artistic originality of Kuprin’s story; identify the most important features of Kuprin's creative method (a combination of realism and romanticism ; “Through everyday life - being”; subtle psychologism and lyricism).

2. To practice the skill of independent analysis of a large epic work, the skills of monologue speech.

3. Education of a thinking person, able to analyze his own impressions, to express his opinion.

Lesson equipment:

portrait of A.I. Kuprin; texts

a multimedia projector for showing a slide film;

Handout;

electronic textbook (sound reader);

cards for group work.

Basic forms and methods of the lesson:

independent analysis of the story by groups of students based on the questions proposed as homework;

messages;

analytical conversation;

expressive reading.

1st group The image of the army in the story of A.I. Kuprin "Duel"

How Kuprin draws images of officers?

What are their typical features?

Is it true that each of the officers, the heroes of Kuprin's story, "at least for a moment is shown as he could have become if it were not for the destructive influence of the army"?

Group 2

Life story.

Portrait.

The actions of the hero.

Romashov and Khlebnikov.

Romashov and Shurochka Nikolaeva.

Group 3 The meaning of the title of the story.

Why - "Duel" (with whom? With what?)

Can the death of the protagonist be called tragic and senseless? Did you expect such an ending? Was this death predetermined, natural and inevitable?

How could the fate of Romashov have developed? What does Nazansky say about this?

Is it possible to rank the image of Romashov among the images of "little people", put on a par with Samson Vyrin, Akaki Akakievich Bashmachkin, Makar Devushkin, and others?

I. Survey_

We got acquainted with some facts of Kuprin's biography, got a general idea of ​​his work. What is interesting about Kuprin the man, Kuprin the writer? What is interesting (remarkable) about his biography?

(Life did not spoil Kuprin, he spent 13 years of his childhood and adolescence in closed educational institutions, the "state grubs" were disgusting. He served in the Dnieper infantry regiment for four painful years. Born into a noble family, leads the life of a commoner, a working life. earnings and life impressions changed many professions. Kuprin is an optimist and a life-lover, temperamental, broad nature. He called himself a reporter of life, he was tormented by a thirst to explore how people live, he wanted to see and experience everything.)

What are the main themes of his work? What problems do the artist care about?

(A.I. Kuprin writes about social problems: about inequality, about capitalist exploitation, about the imperfection of the state structure. personality and awakening of the soul.)

II ... New topic

On the chalkboard - lesson plan

We will listen to the children’s messages, discuss what we have read, and make notes in notebooks during the lesson.

The history of the creation of the story. Student message.

In the fall of 1901 A.I. Kuprin moved to St. Petersburg and immediately found himself in the very center of cultural life. He is surrounded by bright, talented people: Bunin, Gagarin-Mikhailovsky, Serafimovich. Meets Gorky.

Gorky attracted Kuprin to participate in the publication of the collections "Knowledge". Kuprin recalls his army years, creates a cycle of stories: "Inquiry", "Night shift", "Lodging", "Campaign".

These stories are original sketches for a large canvas, one of Kuprin's best works, the story "The Duel", written in 1905.

The story was published in May 1905, shortly after Port Arthur and Tsushima (a terrible and shameful time for Russia, because Russia is defeated in the war with Japan).

How was the story received by the readers?

The story had a wide resonance, brought All-Russian glory to Kuprin. Some scolded (it is not hard to guess who scolded - the military and government circles).

The democratic circles of the Russian public were praised and approved of them.

Teacher: Approved the story by M. Gorky, reckoning "Duel" as a civil one,

Revolutionary prose.

Kuprin admitted: “... all the most the bold and violent in my story belongs to you ... ", - and dedicated the story to Gorky.

What in the story can be defined as “bold and violent”?

Group 1 message.

• How is the officer environment described?

Kuprin boldly criticizes the order in the army. The paintings he created are realistic, reliable and merciless.

Almost all the officers in "Duel" are nonentities, drunkards, stupid and cruel careerists and ignoramuses. Moreover, they are confident in their superiority, disdain for civilians, who are called "hazel grouse", "shpak", "shafirk". Even Pushkin is "some kind of shpak" for them. Among them it is considered "youth to scold or beat a civilian for no apparent reason, extinguish a cigarette on his nose, pull a top hat over his ears."

"Except for a few ... all the officers served as a forced, unpleasant corvee." (Chapter 6, p. 180)

Why don't they leave the service?

(Because they don't know how to do anything else. They are no good anywhere else)

What is the reason for drunkenness, general cruelty, depravity?

("None of them believes in the service, they do not see a reasonable purpose of their service")

Typical features of army officers: senseless cruelty, vulgarity, arrogance, arrogance, drunkenness, ignorance.

In addition to the general features of the majority, do they have individual traits?

(Kuprin singles out the officer of the Osadchy. This image is ominous. "He is a cruel man," Romashov thinks of him. The cruelty of the Osadchy is constantly experienced by the soldiers who trembled from his voice and the inhuman force of the blows. The brutal, bloodthirsty Osadchy in disputes about duels insists on the need for the fatal outcome of the duel - “otherwise it will only be a stupid pity, a comedy.” In a bloody battle, he finds pleasure, he is intoxicated by the smell of blood, he is ready to chop, stab, shoot everything all his life who is equal and for what. "

(Reading fragments of chap. 8, 15 about how the teachings are going.)

“During the exercises, from all sides ... the sounds of slaps in the face were incessantly heard. Often from a distance, about two hundred paces away, Romashov watched as some angry company commander began to whip on the faces of all his soldiers one by one, from the left to the right flank.

… In this there was a lot of terrible and disgusting ... They beat in the blood, knocked out teeth ... Some monstrous, ominous nightmare came ... "

Regiment commander Plum.

Captain Pliva - regiment commander - “an outlandish monument to the fierce

military antiquity ". He has not read a single book, not a single newspaper. The main thing is discipline, drill. This is a sluggish, degraded person. He is waiting for the end of the day to come home and get drunk - one such joy remains with him.

But! He is attentive to the needs of the soldiers and does not hold up money, he personally monitors the company boiler. He made his career thanks to a loud voice.

-What are the distinguishing features of Beg-Agamalov?

(We meet in Chapter 1, he brags about his ability to cut. I did it easily. ”With his evil eyes, a humped nose and bared teeth, he“ looked like some kind of predatory, angry and proud bird. ”(Ch. 1)

Many are generally bestial. Especially in the scandal scene in

the brothel shows it. (chap. 19)

Another scandal, which ended in a fight and a challenge to a duel, took place in the officers' club: everyone dispersed, embarrassed, depressed - "felt the horror and longing of small, evil and dirty animals." (chap. 19)

Are there no goodies among the officers?

(At first glance, Captain Stelkovsky leaves a favorable impression. At the inspection his fifth company (only his company, the only one) was praised by the general. Stelkovsky takes care of the soldiers, treats them like a human being. He is patient, cold-blooded, persistent. Smart, strong, courageous man ...

But then we learn that he has a "hobby" - to seduce inexperienced peasant girls. He takes girls into his house as maids, and in a year he calculates them with a small reward. This is repeated annually. This behavior is disgusting.

Another example: Romashov is very fond of Captain Brem (Rafalsky's nickname). Rafalsky spends all his money on animals, touchingly cares for them. His house is a real menagerie. A dear, glorious eccentric, the kindest soul - lends money to everyone. He is never returned. Here is this dear Brem - beats the bugler who holds the horn to his mouth, hits the horn with all his might with his fist: "The bugler spat out his crumpled teeth on the ground along with the blood."

Output: Before us is a section of the army environment from the highest ranks to the lowest.

More than 30 officers. The army is backward, incapable of combat. The soldiers are downtrodden, intimidated.

Officers - seriously believe that they are not supposed to think.

They drink, they run wild, they visit a brothel, they beat the soldiers, the service for them -

"Forced, unpleasant, revolting corvee."

Slide - film

I propose to look at this work through the eyes of artists.

Here are illustrations by artists Dm.Dubinsky and A. Itkin.

(What episodes do artists choose for illustration? What can you say about the composition of drawings, color? Why do you think there are no portraits?

No bright colors, muted tones prevail?

(Illustrators choose the most significant episodes, are attentive to details, and respect the text. Following the truth of the text, they depict the characters' lives as dull and colorless.)

Group 2Image of the main character of the story - Yuri Alekseevich Romashov.

1. History of life.

Portrait.

The actions of the hero.

Internal contradictions of the hero.

Romashov and Khlebnikov.

Romashov and Shurochka Nikolaeva.

Romashov Yuri Alekseevich - second lieutenant, he is 21 years old.

He dreams of a better life, in his dreams he presents himself as a brilliant officer. Once again he gives himself a vow - to start studying, and once again he goes to the officers' club and ... gets drunk. A weak, timid person. Kuprin does not reproduce Romashov's biography. Only two months of his such short life pass before us. The portrait of the hero is inexpressive: "of average height, thin, and although strong enough for his build, but awkward from great shyness", sometimes characterless. And at the same time, he is a sweet, naive and very kind person.

How and when did the process of maturation, internal transformation begin?

Let's follow the hero's actions:

He stood up for the Tatar Sharafutdinov before the regiment commander.

For which he was under house arrest for four days. Reflects:

"I" "other me"

“I am more important than all these concepts of duty, honor, Fatherland” (Chapter 6).

Case "on display"

Romashov is crushed, they speak of him contemptuously - "it is one", "some kind of interjection." The hero is on the verge of suicide.

What does Kuprin offer?

What helps the hero gain confidence, straighten up?

(Another person to be helped)

This is how a sense of responsibility is born.

And now he is ready to confront both Nikolaev and all the officers. He defeats even the bestial drunk Bek-Agamalov, when he almost hacked to death with a saber a woman from a brothel where officers were drinking:

“With a force that he himself did not expect from himself, he grabbed Bek-Agamalov by the wrist. For several seconds, both officers, without blinking, gazed at each other ...

… he already felt that the mad fire was extinguished with every moment in this distorted face. And it was terrifying and inexpressibly joyful for him to stand like this, between life and death, and already know that he is emerging victorious in this game. "

Chapter 18

Romashov and Shurochka Nikolaeva

How is the character revealed with rel. with

"Shura is the daughter of a thieving notary"

(This is Raisa Peterson talking about her).

Why there are so many names for the hero:

"Zhorzhik" (this is how Raisa addresses)

"Romochka" (Shura)

"Georgy Alekseevich" (he himself signs an imaginary dying letter. Georgy is the victorious)

(Probably because a lot is inherent in him, he could have become Zhorzhik - if he had succumbed to the pernicious influence ...)

p. 326 - Bazarov (burdock will grow and Nazansky as well).

How is Romashov's character revealed in love?

Did she tell her husband not to shoot?

What is she asking Romashov?

(retelling - reading 22 chap.)

Shurochka Nikolaeva at first seems beautiful (smart, beautiful). But soon this impression disappears. Shurochka is not capable of true love. Her goal is to get out of here, to enter high society. For the sake of her future, she is ready to sacrifice the life of a person who loves her.

I will do everything for you, ”Romashov repeats several times. (Refuse to duel? Apologize?)

But Shurochka needs his life - and he - without thinking for a minute: "I will do everything."

His love- unlimited, pure, selfless.

She- she, like a predator, enjoys the love of Romashov.

Can her feeling be called love?

(…)

Add that beautifully describes love, romantic, sublime. For example, Nazansky tells Romashov how wonderful it is, what happiness it is to stand under the window of a beloved woman, see her shadow on the curtain and almost die of a heartbeat.

Sound reader (23 chap.)

IV Lesson summary

Group 3 The story ends tragically: the duel took place, Nikolaev was shooting ...

Who is to blame for the death of Romashov? Who is to blame that the life of a young man was so short?

How could the fate of Romashov have developed?

Was Romashov's death predetermined?

Tragic death? Senseless? Was death predetermined? Accidental?

Why - "Duel"?

(A duel with yourself, your weaknesses; a duel with cruelty and vulgarity in the name of love and kindness).

Homemade

exercise Working in groups by cards

№ 1. Compare Romashov's speech in different episodes. Draw conclusions about the character of the hero.

№ 2. What traditions of Russian literature does Kuprin continue?

№ 3. Kuprin for a very long time, until the last hours of work on the final chapter, resisted the decision to kill Romashov. Why do you think? Why did he reject the hero's suicide? Why did you regret your decision?

№ 4. “I love the naked truth that hits the head,” the writer declares and immediately contradicts himself, “in fact, I’m only dreamer, storyteller i". Prove the correctness of the writer with the text.