Aleksandr Kuprin: The Duel

[learna]

First of all, Kuprin had a wonderful style with an amazing feeling of words.
His description of nature and characters impresses with their accuracy and elegance.
"The Duel" is considered Kuprin's main work which was written in the best traditions of the Russian classics. This short novel differs from romantic "Olesja"( filmed in 1956, La Sorciеre, Andre Michel, with Marina Vlady), "Sulamif" and "The Garnet Bracelet."
The title on its own means not only a private conflict but has a figurative meaning, as well - the contradiction between a pure, in some way, naive young man and degeneration of the army and society at that time. Young officers spent their time taking pleasure in primitive balls, drinking, odd dalliances, sometimes, teaching their servants to do some oddish whims.
On the back of the social conflict Romashov's private story moves - his love to a young married lady which, as well as the protagonist, suffers from primitive life of the province. She sees a solution to the problem in her husband's going to the military college. And for it she with her amorphous and unloved husband makes preparations for college for years. But the quarrel of Romashov and Shurochka's husband can be a backset to her plan...
This is a very affecting, profound and qualitative short novel, full of superfine psychology.
I do not like retelling the story in details to keep an intrigue.

[Svidrigailov]

Yes, a good novel. "Olesya" I liked it too. And stories. Unfortunately Kuprin was lost on the background of the titans of Russian literature (Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Chekhov and others).