After the revolution, many wonderful poets and prose writers left Russia. One of them was Arkady Averchenko. The biography of this writer is rather sad, as well as the life of many Russian emigrants, forced to live out their lives away from their homeland.
Childhood
The satirist reflected his early years in the work “Autobiography” created in a unique style. Since childhood, Arkady Averchenko, whose biography, like life, ended quite early, due to a severe congenital disease, had poor eyesight. He was born in Sevastopol in 1881. The father of the future writer was a middle-aged merchant. But Averchenko failed to get a decent education. The reason for this was all the same ailment. In a sense, the son of a Sevastopol merchant can be called a nugget. After all, he was able to fill the gaps in education thanks to his natural abilities, perseverance and the pursuit of knowledge.
Adolescence
However, the time for training was not so much in his youth at Averchenko. His biography says that the life of this person was formed in such a way that at the age of fifteen the teenager had to earn his bread. First, he entered as a scribe in the Sevastopol transport office. Then there was a service at one of the mines in the Donbass. The first labor experience in his early work was reflected by Arkady Averchenko. The biography of this person is known to everyone who is familiar with the works of the satirist. The stories "Autobiography" and "On the ship's beeps" are written in a light humorous style. Averchenko’s works, although they do not have great literary value, are created with a subtle satire, which the author was always able to direct not only towards others, but also to himself.
Donbass mine
The future writer was at sixteen at the Bryansk mine. Here he worked for four years. And, of course, life experience and communication with employees in the miner's office could not but serve as material for writing the following stories. In the works “Lightning” and “In the Evening” the young writer Averchenko reflected his life in the mine. The biography of this man, as already mentioned, is quite short. But at the same time it is very saturated. In just twenty years, he changed several cities, both Russian and foreign.
Kharkiv
In 1900, Averchenko leaves the Donbass. He goes to Kharkov, where he begins his career. In one of the local newspapers at the beginning of the century, his first story appears. The work was entitled "How I Insured My Life." But not this story Averchenko considered his literary debut. A short biography of the writer, written by himself, suggests that in the Kharkov period he completely abandoned his service and devoted much time to literary creation. And it was during these years that the story “The Righteous” was written.
Work in the magazine
For about a year, the hero of our story worked in satirical magazines in Kharkov. According to the memoirs of friends and relatives, Arkady Averchenko was an extremely unlucky person. The biography (short) of this writer is not accidentally set forth in the book of Alexander Vek "The Great Losers."
In the magazines "Bayonet" and "Sword" Averchenko regularly published his small works, which were popular with readers. But for some reason, after a year, the young writer was fired with the words: “You are not suited to hell, although you are a good person.” And he left Kharkov, without paying the money debts, which he had strangely appeared in a very short time.
Petersburg
In the capital, Arkady Averchenko at first worked primarily in third-rate publications. But here he finally gained recognition. In Petersburg, luck smiled at him. Employees of the journal "Dragonfly", which at that time was losing its subscribers, decided one day to organize a new periodical. Among the organizers was Arkady Averchenko.
This magazine was called "Satyricon." And Averchenko himself became the chief editor. The biography and work of the writer is closely connected with this satirical magazine. It was here that the most famous stories appeared. Satyricon has become extremely popular, primarily thanks to the works of Averchenko. While working in this journal, the writer was able to find his own style. However, in the stories that were published in the Satyricon, there was a political orientation. Averchenko has been subjected to legal proceedings more than once. However, the popularity of his literary creations was reflected in the most favorable way.
In 1911, Averchenko travels to European cities. He organizes the trip with his colleagues. Traveling in Europe inspires him to write a satirical essay. The writer combined his work in the journal with the review of high-profile theatrical productions. But he used to sign his critical articles with various pseudonyms.
October Revolution
After the coup, everything changed. The Satyricon was closed by the Bolsheviks. The new authorities did not like the staff of the magazine. Which, however, was mutual. Suddenly, Averchenko Arkady Timofeevich turned from a prominent literary figure into a fugitive and political criminal . His biography after the revolutionary events was quite rich. He published stories, published books. However, the intense creative upsurge that was characteristic of the Petersburg period was no longer in his life.
In order to get to his native city, the writer had to make his way through Ukrainian cities occupied by German troops for a long time. In Sevastopol, he did not work long in a local magazine. When the Bolsheviks entered the city, he miraculously managed to get on the last ship leaving for Constantinople.
Emigration
The first years abroad for Averchenko passed fruitfully. At that time, there were many Russians in Constantinople. And in Paris, where Averchenko went a few months after emigration, he found like-minded people. In France, no one restricted his freedom. The publication of anti-Bolshevik literature was then in vogue. And Averchenko wrote several satirical pamphlets devoted to the new Soviet power. These works were collected in one edition. And even Lenin himself drew attention to them, calling the book "talented," and its author, "an embittered White Guard."
Czech
In 1922, Averchenko moved to Bulgaria, then to Belgrade. After that he lived for several months in Prague. In the Czech Republic, he instantly gained popularity. However, away from his homeland, his life became more and more complicated. In the last, late period, he wrote several works devoted to nostalgia for Russia. One of them is the story “The Tragedy of a Russian Writer”.
In 1925, the writer's health deteriorated sharply. He underwent an operation that caused a heart complication. In the same year, Arkady Averchenko passed away. Russian satirist is buried in the Prague cemetery. His last work was the novel "Joke of the Patron." This work was written two years before the death of the author, but published in 1925.