The theme of love in the works of Bunin and Kuprin, two Russian writers from the first half of the 20th century, is common in their works. The heroes of their stories and stories are characterized by extraordinary sincerity and strength of feeling. It subordinates to itself all the thoughts of man. However, the theme of love in the works of Bunin and Kuprin is almost always tragic. The main characters are always doomed to suffering. In order to maintain their feelings, they should leave forever. Such a finale we observe in all the stories of Ivan Alekseevich. The theme of tragic love in the works of Bunin is revealed in great detail.
Love in the works of Bunin
The heroes of his works live in anticipation of love. They seek to find her and often perish, burned by her. This feeling in his works is selfless, selfless. It does not require a reward. About such love we can say: "Strong as death." It will be a joy for her, not a misfortune, to go to torment.
With Bunin, love does not live long - in marriage, in the family, on weekdays. This is a dazzling short flash that illuminated to the very depths of the heart and soul of lovers. Inevitable tragic ending, death, nonexistence, suicide.
Ivan Alekseevich created a whole series of stories "Dark Alleys", dedicated to the description of various shades of this feeling. In it, probably, you will not find a single piece with a happy ending. The feeling described by the author, one way or another, is short-lived and ends if not tragically, then at least dramatically. One of the most famous short stories in this series is Sunstroke.
"Sunstroke"
In Bunin's work, the theme of love and beauty is represented by very complex situations, which are often controversial. For the author, this feeling is real madness. Love is a surge of emotions. This is an instant of happiness that quickly breaks off and only after some time is understood and realized. Such, for example, is the meeting of the lieutenant with a stranger, described in "Sunstroke". This short moment of happiness cannot be resurrected, returned. When the heroine leaves, the lieutenant feels that he is 10 years old. The feeling between them suddenly appeared and just as suddenly disappeared. It left a deep wound in the soul, but still it was a great happiness.
"Caucasus" and "Clean Monday"
In the story "The Caucasus," love ends tragically at all. The husband of the narrator's lover dies because of her. The theme of love in the works of Ivan Bunin is known to many of us in the work "Clean Monday".
In it, the heroine goes to the monastery, and the hero suffers from longing for her. He loved this girl with all his soul. However, in spite of everything, his feeling for her remains a bright spot in his life, albeit with an admixture of something mysterious, incomprehensible, bitter.
Love of the characters of the works "Olesya" and "Garnet Bracelet"
The theme of love is the main theme in the work of Kuprin. Alexander Ivanovich created many works dedicated to this feeling. In the story “Olesya” by Alexander Ivanovich Kuprin, the heroine fell in love with a “kind, but only weak” person. The theme of tragic love in the works of Kuprin is also revealed in his other work - “Garnet Bracelet”.
The author tells the story of a poor employee Zheltkov, describing his feelings for the wealthy married princess Vera Nikolaevna. For him, the only way out is suicide. Before making it, he pronounces, like a prayer, the words: "Hallowed be thy name." In the works of Kuprin, heroes may seem unhappy. However, this is only partially true. They are already happy that once in their life there was love, and yet this is the most wonderful feeling. Thus, the theme of tragic love in Kuprin's work has a life-affirming connotation. Olesya from the same story regrets only that she did not have a child from her beloved. Yolks die, pronouncing a blessing to the beloved woman. These are romantic and beautiful love stories that are so rare in real life ...
Heroes of Kuprin's works are dreamy personalities endowed with a passionate imagination. However, they are at the same time terse and impractical. These features are fully revealed after they pass the test of love.
So, for example, Zheltkov did not speak of love for Faith, thereby condemning himself to torment and suffering. However, he could not hide his feeling, so he wrote letters to her. The yolks from the story "Pomegranate Bracelet" experienced an unrequited, sacrificial feeling, completely possessing him. It would seem that this is a petty official, an unremarkable person. However, he possessed a truly great gift - he knew how to love. He subjugated his whole being, his whole soul to this feeling. When the husband of Vera Nikolaevna asked him not to bother her with his letters anymore, Zheltkov decided to die. He simply could not imagine existence without a princess.
Description of nature, the contrast of love and life
Kuprin's description of nature plays a very important role. It is the backdrop in which events take place. In particular, the love that broke out between Ivan Timofeevich and Olesya is presented against the background of a spring forest. The theme of love in the works of Bunin and Kuprin is characterized by the fact that in the works of these authors a high feeling is powerless in front of ambitions, calculation and cruelty of life. After a collision with the ordinary, it disappears. Instead, only a feeling of satiety remains.
Love passes by
In the works of these authors, everyday life and love, everyday life and this high feeling cannot be combined. However, it also happens that people, not noticing their happiness, pass by him. And from this side, the theme of love is revealed in the works of Bunin and Kuprin. For example, the heroine of the Pomegranate Bracelet, Princess Vera, late notices Zheltkov’s feeling for her, but at the end of the work she learns what all-consuming, selfless love means. For a brief moment, she illuminated her life.
Imperfection of man and life-affirming moments
In man himself, there is probably something that prevents us all from noticing goodness and beauty. This is egoism, which is often expressed in the desire to be happy at all costs, even if the other person suffers from it. In the works of Kuprin and Bunin we find all these reflections. However, in spite of the drama present in them, something life-affirming can be seen in stories and short stories. A high feeling helps the characters of Kuprin and Bunin go beyond the circle of vulgarity and ordinaryness surrounding them. And it doesn’t matter that only for a moment, that the price of this moment is often a whole life.
Finally
So, we answered the question of how the theme of love is revealed in the works of Bunin and Kuprin. In conclusion, we note that the stories and stories of these authors teach us the ability to discern a real feeling, to be able not to miss it and not hide it, because one day it can be too late. Both Bunin and Kuprin believe that love is given to a person in order to illuminate his life, to open his eyes.
It can be noted that both the author in the works devoted to this feeling most often resort to the reception of contrast. They contrast in their stories and stories two lovers. These are different people both morally and spiritually. In addition, they often have a big difference in social status.