Soviet writer Gorky

Gorky (1868.3.28 - 1936.6.18) (now 1868) was the great founder of Soviet socialist literature and the greatest proletarian writer in the world.

Gorky was born on March 28, 1868 in a family of carpenters on the Volga River. Due to the early death of his parents, he went out to make a living at the age of ten and wandered everywhere. He worked as an apprentice in a shoe store, washed dishes on ships, carried goods on docks, and worked for rich peasants. He also worked as a railway worker, baker, janitor, gardener...

In a life of hunger and cold, Gorky studied himself tenaciously and mastered the knowledge of European classical literature, philosophy and natural science. Gorky, who had only attended elementary school for two years, published his first work at the age of 24, a short story "Makar Chudra" published in the Caucasus Daily. The novel reflects the life of the Gypsies, with twists and turns and vivid characters. The newspaper editor was very satisfied with the contribution, so he told the author to go to the newspaper. When the editor saw Gorky, he was astonished. He did not expect that the person who wrote such an excellent work was a ragged bum. The editor said to Gorky: "We have decided to publish your novel, but the manuscript should be signed." Gorky thought for a moment and said, "Then sign it like this: Maxim Gorky." In Russian, "Gorky" means "pain" and "Maxim" means "the greatest." From then on, he began his creative career under the pseudonym "The greatest pain", and his original name was Alexei Maximovich Bisikov.

The wandering life of his youth allowed Gorky to see and experience with his own eyes the difficult life of the Russian working people under the rule of the Tsar. Gorky was full of disgust and hatred for the decadent old system. In his works, he attacked the darkness of the tsarist system and exposed class exploitation and oppression in capitalist society. His works were well received by readers, but the tsarist government was very afraid of it and monitored, detained, arrested Gorky several times, and exiled him. Not only did the suppression not make him surrender, but it strengthened his will and determination to fight. In 1906, Gorky's masterpiece and novel "Mother" was completed. It depicts the magnificent revolutionary struggle of the proletariat and creates a touching image of Bavel, a worker's party member, and Nolofna, a revolutionary mother. This novel greatly inspired the workers and horrified the rulers of Tsarist Russia. "Mother" is recognized as a brand-new and foundational work of socialist realism in the history of world literature.

Lenin, the revolutionary mentor, was Gorky's mentor and friend. Lenin constantly cared for and helped Gorky in his thoughts, work and life. With Lenin's advice and encouragement, Gorky created a trilogy of autobiographies: "Childhood", "On Earth" and "My University". The trilogy not only reflects the writer's own life experience and his arduous ideological exploration process before accepting Marxism, but also broadly summarizes Russian social life in the 1870s and 1880s, describes the miserable life and suffering of the working people, and extols their excellent qualities.

Gorky's last work was the novel "The Life of Kerim Samkin". He created a large number of works of various genres throughout his life, leaving a huge wealth for the treasure house of proletarian literature.

Gorky experienced ups and downs in his life and suffered from human suffering. He published his debut short story "Magar Chudra" in 1892, and wrote his first novel "Fuma Gorteyev" in 1899, which is internationally famous. In 1901, the prose poem "Haiyan" was published, which foretold the storm of the Russian revolution and inspired the fighting spirit of the masses. In 1905, Gorky joined the Russian Socialist Democratic Labor Party. In 1906, he published the novel "Mother", which created a heroic image in the workers 'movement and was recognized as the first masterpiece of socialist literature.

Gorky also participated in the "February Revolution" and the "October Revolution". Elected to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in May 1929, he was elected as the first chairperson of the Soviet Writers' Association in 1934.

Gorky's letter to Sun Yat-sen dated October 12, 1912

Gorky's illustration of "Mother"

Gorky recited "The Ground Floor" to Moster Art Theater actor Hu

Gorky, Leo Tolstoy and the painter Repin

Gorky and Roman Roland

The cover of "Gorky's Collected Works" published by People's Literature Publishing House

Moscow Gorky Museum