The story "Blue Star" is part of the school curriculum for literature. Primary school students study it in the third grade. The author is A.I. Kuprin, a famous Russian writer of the last century.
The twentieth century presented the world with many works, which later were considered masterpieces of Russian literature. Among them are “Garnet Bracelet”, “Olesya”, “Duel”, “Blue Star” (Kuprin). The summary of the last text allows the reader to take a fresh look at the personality of the writer and his work.
Briefly about the author
Kuprin was born in 1870 in the family of a Nazi official. Before becoming a writer, he tried himself in various fields. Kuprin has military service, acting, organization of circus performances, estate management, a career as a reporter.
The first
works of Kuprin are dated to the end of the XIX century. In 1919, the writer left his homeland. He stayed in Europe until 1937, but his return to Russia was short-lived.
In 1938, the writer died. Kuprin's story “Blue Star” first saw the light of day in the French capital in 1927. Then he had the name "Princess-ugly." Later, the collection Brave Runaways was published, in which the story got its current name.
Kuprin "Blue Star"
The theme of this work is external and internal beauty. The author conveys to the reader the idea that different peoples have different ideas about beauty. Moreover, the population of the same state at different times can consider opposite things to be the standard of beauty. You don’t have to go far for an example: the best examples of medieval European painting demonstrate the admiration of people of that time for full-bodied women. Today, fullness is a flaw.
Kuprin claims that external beauty is a relative thing. It is much more important to have a beautiful soul. If a person has a beautiful soul, then others will not pay attention to external flaws. It is about this work “Blue Star” (Kuprin). A summary of the story is presented below.
The work is aimed at readers of all ages. It will be equally interesting for children and adults, since the focus is on the process of growing up the protagonist.
Summary
In ancient times, one people lived high in the mountains. He was cut off from the whole world until one day the knights who came from the south appeared. The new area made a strong impression on them, so they decided to stay here. On the highlands, people created a state, at the head of which they placed the most worthy - Erna. For a thousand years the country lived in peace and tranquility. The only grief is the ugliness with which some heirs to the throne were born. However, the external shortcomings of the members of the royal family were not a serious problem, since they had a beautiful soul.
King Ern XXIII was married to a local beauty. After ten years of living together, fate gave them a daughter, but she was as ugly as her ancestor, Ern the First and many of his descendants. Parents still loved the princess for her kindness and helpfulness. At the request of the queen, all mirrors were destroyed in the country. However, at the age of fifteen, the girl still learned about the shortcomings of her appearance when she found a hidden fragment of a mirror in the house of her nurse.
Returning to the castle, the princess heard cries for help. The girl went to her voice and saw a foreigner as ugly as she was. He hung on the edge of a cliff. Erna took off her blue dress, made a rope out of it and with her help she lifted the wounded traveler.
The princess ordered the young man to be transferred to the castle and personally nursed him. During this time, mutual feelings arose between the young people, so after recovery the prince made an offer to Erne. After the wedding, they went to the prince’s homeland, to France, where the girl saw that all the inhabitants of this country were like her. Like Erna, they had long legs, small feet and hands, a high waist, large blue eyes and full lips.
A year after the wedding, the young couple had a son. Erna, he seemed very handsome. When she told her husband about this, he laughed for her the words carved on the wall in her stepfather's house by King Ern the First. He wrote in Latin that the men and women who inhabit his country have many virtues. But they are ugly.
The meaning of the name
A.I. Kuprin called the story "Blue Star." The text refers to the prediction that was made to the young Prince Charles. According to the prophecy, the young man will visit the northern lands. There he will look into the eyes of death, but will be saved by a blue star. She will light his whole life. Princess Erna had blue eyes, and on the day of the meeting, the girl was dressed in a blue dress. Charles recognized her immediately. It is no coincidence that the author chose the blue color: it symbolizes infinity, selflessness, harmony with oneself and the world around, avoiding reality.
To summarize
For many readers, the story “Blue Star” (Kuprin) is of great interest. The summary cannot fully convey the intent of the author. However, even a cursory acquaintance with the text makes you think about some important things. Among them, the senselessness of striving to be like a universally recognized standard of beauty to the detriment of one’s soul. The author is convinced that it is not necessary to have a beautiful appearance in order to remain a kind, responsive and sensitive person. The heroes of the story “Blue Star” (Kuprin) teach us this. A summary of the work is presented above.