In this article we will turn to the novel “The Life of Klim Samghin”. A summary of it will become our main topic. But first, let's talk a little about the structure and purpose of the work.
About the work
“The Life of Klim Samghin” is referred to as epic novels and is considered the largest work of Maxim Gorky. The work consists of 4 books, which were written from 1925 to 1936 (the year of the writer's death).
The idea of the work “The Life of Klim Samgin” (a brief summary will be presented below), according to Gorky himself, is to show the hero-intellectual, who were many during the first revolution of 1907. At first, these people warmly supported the workers and the revolutionary movement, but it gradually becomes clear that they are not on the way with the new Soviet Russia. The main goal is to show the reason for the incorrectness of their positioning themselves as a superclass group.
Simply put, Gorky portrayed an intellectual who had gone from a revolutionary to an emigrant.
Maxim Gorky, “The Life of Klim Samghin”: summary
Ivan Akimovich Samgin, an intellectual populist, had a son. The father decided to give him a peasant and unusual, in his opinion, name - Klim, which immediately made the boy special among other children - Lyuba Somova, whose father was a doctor; Boris, Barbara and Lydia, offspring of Varavka lodger; Igor Turoboev, who studied at a military school with Boris; Alina Telepneva and Konstantin Makarov, friends at the gymnasium; orphans of Ivan Dronov, who lived with the Samghins. A rather complicated relationship develops between Klim and these children, as the boy is constantly trying to stand out, to be different from others. Klim's main rival was Boris. Their enmity did not subside until Boris, along with Barbara, died - the children fell through the ice when they were skating.
Klim goes to school. At this time, he was overcome for the first time by an interest in women. The boy’s mother, having noticed this, decides to bribe the seamstress Rita so that the young’s first sexual experience is “safe”. Rita agrees, although in love with Doronov. All this becomes known to Klim. This leads to the fact that the young man is disappointed in all women, even in his mother.
Makarov falls in love with Lydia, but after a quarrel with a girl decides to commit suicide. Samgin manages to save a friend, which he later regrets - he liked Lida himself.
Student
He tried to portray a typical hero of his time M. Gorky (“The Life of Klim Samghin”). The summary (part 1 is set out above) shows how well the writer managed to do this, despite the fact that his character was constantly trying to look special.
Klim after graduating from high school went to St. Petersburg. For him, the student time began. Samghin had a new circle of contacts, which included: Dmitry, Klim's elder brother, a student participating in the revolutionary struggle; Serafima Nekhaeva, who had a weakness for everything decadent; Marina Premirova; Kutuzov, the future Bolshevik and active revolutionary, similar to Lenin; Vladimir Lyutov, a descendant of merchants, a student; Elizabeth Spivak and her musician husband. However, in the new company, he tried to be different, subjecting everything to critical analysis. For this, new friends dubbed him a "wise guy."
Lyutov falls in love with the capricious Alina Telepneva, who first agrees to become his wife, and then refuses because she fell in love with Turboev. Here the theme of the rivalry of a wealthy peasant (Lyutov) and an impoverished aristocrat (Turboev) is clearly manifested.
Rest in the country and failure in love
Klim lives in the country with his other friends in St. Petersburg. Quite a lot about the political and philosophical moods of the late 19th and early 20th centuries can be found in the novel “The Life of Klim Samghin”. A summary of the chapters describes the debate of the younger generation about the West and Russia, about the philosophy of the Slavophiles and Westerners. It turns out that Lyutov is a Russian anarchist. Samghin is trying in these disputes to take a special philosophical position, but in the end does not occupy any at all. At the same time, Klim is trying to admit to Lydia that he loves her, but receives a refusal.
Samghin goes to Moscow. Here he gets acquainted with new people, Moscow intellectuals, who differ from St. Petersburg in pronounced "Russianness." Among them: Uncle Khrisanf, Peter Marakuev, Varvara Antipova and Semion Diomidov.
At the Lyutov’s apartment, a booze takes place, on which Yegor Ipatievsky, deacon-rastriga, reads his poems about Vaska, Christ and the “unchangeable ruble”. Their meaning boils down to the fact that even in hatred it serves Christ. Lyutov admires poetry. Klim again feels superfluous.
Nicholas I arrives, after which tragic events take place on the Khodynka field, where many people were crushed when the coronation was celebrated. Samghin looks at the crowd and thinks about the insignificance of the person during mass psychosis.
There is a final break between Klim and Lydia, after which the girl leaves for Paris. Samghin goes to an industrial exhibition in Nizhny Novgorod. Here he meets Inokov, a peculiar poet and a bright newspaperman.
New acquaintances
As a supporter of the revolution, M. Gorky places relevant accents in his work. “The Life of Klim Samgin” (a brief summary of the books can be found in this article) is a work about the fact that a person who does not have clear convictions and does not belong to a particular social group is not able to achieve anything in life.
Klim meets with Tomilny, who is convinced that the path to truth lies through unbelief. This Nietzschean thought is close to Samghin. The hero meets a provincial historian Kozlov, a monarchist and guardian who denies both revolution and revolutionary spirit.
Samghin meets Kutuzov, who is as self-confident as Kozlov, although he has opposed views. Kutuzov says that the intelligentsia is "revolutionaries from boredom." Klim’s house is searched, after which the hero talks with Popov, the gendarme captain. The military makes it clear that Klim will never become a revolutionary.
First arrest and Moscow unrest
The events of the novel “The Life of Klim Samghin” (brief summary) are again transferred to Moscow. Here Klim actively communicates with the top of the liberal intelligentsia - Tagilsky and Preuss. Kutuzov arrives, next to whom Samghin realizes that the real revolution is being prepared aside from him and his closest intellectual circle. Makarov discusses the philosophical doctrine of N.F. Fedorov and the place of women in history.
In Vyborg, Ivan Akimovich, the father of Klim, dies. Samghin goes to the funeral and meets with his brother. Somova and Klim are being arrested. After interrogation by the police, Samgin is offered to become an informant. Klim refuses, but he has the idea that he did wrong. Samghin and Varvara Antipova have a love affair, after which the girl has to have an abortion.
In Moscow, student unrest begins. Samghin finds himself in a crowd near the Manege, he is afraid. He is rescued by a police agent Mitrofanov. Klim goes to the village, where he witnesses peasant robberies. The hero has a fear of men.
Unrest in Moscow continues. Klim enters into a love affair with Nikonova, who turns out to be a police informant.
1905 revolution
Seriously changed Bloody Sunday (January 9, 1905) the life of Klim Samghin. A summary of the chapters tells us that Samghin begins to mentally support the revolutionary movement. Klim is in prison, he is suspected of revolutionary activity.
The revolution of 1905 begins. Samghin is located in Moscow. Here Somova begins the organization of sanitary facilities where they could help the wounded. Klim joyfully support Kutuzov and the revolution - "let everything fly to hell." However, he understands that what is happening affects his interests. Dies Turoboev. Makarov recognizes the spiritual crisis of the intelligentsia. Turoboev’s funeral is taking place. Samgin, Alina Telepneva, Lyutov and Makarov find themselves in a dangerous situation from which the thief Sashka Sudakov and the Black Hundreds rescue them.
Rusgorod
The description of revolutionary events in the novel “The Life of Klim Samghin” begins. The summary depicts Klim, who found himself in the midst of military events - on the barricades. The revolutionary crowd is led by Comrade Jacob. In front of the hero’s eyes, the detective Mitrofanov is executed. Then he sees the death of Anfimievna. Klim is horrified to realize that he has become an involuntary hostage to what is happening around the events.
Klimov goes to Russia on behalf of Kutuzov - you need to take money for the Bolsheviks. On the train, he talks with a tipsy lieutenant, telling how terrible it is to shoot people on orders.
Klim gets acquainted with Marina Zotova, a rather wealthy woman who considers herself to be people with a folk way of thinking. She believes that the reason for the revolution is that the intelligentsia does not know the people and never knew them. Here, in the company of acquaintances of Marina Samghin, he is finally convinced that he is far from the "folk element", torn from it. Klim witnesses the brutal murder of the governor.
Returning from abroad Lydia, Samghin finally disappointed in her.
Abroad
Gorky brings his hero to a completely logical result. The life of Klim Samghin (a brief summary confirms this) continues already abroad. First he goes to Berlin, where he is overcome by boredom. Then Klim meets his mother in Switzerland, but realizes that they have become completely strangers. Samghin remains completely alone. The news comes from Geneva - committed suicide Lutov.
In Paris, Klim meets with Marina Zotova. Berdnikov and Popov offer Samgin to become a secret agent with a woman, promising a good pay, but the hero refuses.
Return
Gorky depicts a completely incomprehensible and superfluous person. "The Life of Klim Samghin," a summary is proof of this, is a description of the tragedy that befell the intelligentsia during the revolution.
Klim, realizing that his loneliness abroad has only increased, returns to Russia. They kill Marina Zotova. Bezbedov, who is dying in prison even before the trial, is suspected of her murder.
Barbara dies. In Moscow, Samghin is trying to organize a liberal-independent newspaper. The news of the death of L.N. Tolstoy, which excites and scares everyone around.
World War I
Coming to the end of "The Life of Klim Samghin" (a brief summary in parts of the above). The First World War erupts, which in the novel symbolizes the destruction of the collective mind. Samghin goes to Borovichi to the front. There he met with Lieutenant Petrov, who is an example of the decomposition of military officers. The moral downfall of the army is also confirmed by the episode of the murder of Tagilsky by an angry officer.
Klim returns from the front. Here he ends up with Leonid Andreev for the evening , who says that people will become united only when they realize that they are alone in the universe.
The year 1917 begins, and with it the February Revolution. The fate of the protagonist remains unclear, as the novel has an open ending. Most likely this is due to the premature death of Gorky himself, who never managed to finish the most voluminous thing in his life.
So ends the epic novel "The Life of Klim Samghin" (summary). "Briefs" - a resource on which you can read the whole work.