Gorky Maxim

HOME Gorky Maxim Lies are the religion of slaves and masters. Truth is the god of the free man. QUOTES
Maxim Gorky (real name Alexei Maximovich Peshkov) was an important Russian writer and a leading figure in socialist realism. He was born on March 28, 1868, into a poor family in Nizhny Novgorod. His father died in 1873, and Maxim lived with his grandmother, whose fairy tales had a profound influence on his psyche. However, at the age of eleven in 1879, he hit the road as his grandmother and grandfather struggled to provide food and did not want to burden them anymore. He began to wander across vast Russia, mostly on foot, often hungry, practicing various professions such as a shoemaker's assistant, a sailor, a porter, a night watchman, a fisherman, a baker, a chimney sweeper, a farm laborer. For more than 7 years, he traveled relentlessly, learning about people and their hardships. In December 1887, he shot himself with an old pistol in the chest, and the bullet remained in his lungs for 40 years, causing him pulmonary problems. Despite the adversities of his life, he found the courage and strength to write, and in 1892, he sold one of his stories to a Moscow newspaper, adopting the pseudonym Gorky, which means "bitter.". From 1895, the largest magazines sought collaboration with him and until 1899 his stories experienced great success; he became known throughout Europe. The rapid success was due to the fact that he revealed a truth about the humble and impoverished people, which was an integral part of his work. In addition to short stories, he wrote poetry, plays, and novels. He came into contact with revolutionary circles, became a Marxist, and a friend of Lenin. During the failed revolution of 1905, he was arrested and imprisoned, and writers from all over the world made an appeal for his release. In 1907, he wrote the novel "Mother", a landmark work that describes how an obscure person gains class consciousness through political struggles. He lived on Capri for many years and wrote the autobiographical trilogy (childhood, adolescence, my universities), a remarkable description of both his life and Tsarist Russia. He lived on Capri until 1913, and when he returned, he participated in the political events that led to the outbreak of the 1917 revolution. He took an active part in the revolution, but within two weeks of the revolutionaries taking power, he came into conflict with their leadership. He wrote about this: "Lenin and Trotsky have no idea of freedom or human rights. They are already alienated by the dirty poison of power. This is evident from the shameful disrespect for freedom of speech and all other bourgeois freedoms for which we fought." Lenin responded with threats: "My advice is for you to change your opinions, your ideas, and your ways, otherwise you may lose your head." In August of 1921, the friends and writers Nikolai Gumilev and his wife Anna Akhmatova were arrested. Gorky asked Lenin himself for their release, but it was already too late: Nikolai had been executed. Gorky left for Capri with his health deteriorating, suffering from an old case of tuberculosis. He stayed in Capri until 1929, while occasionally visiting Russia where he received honors from Stalin. A Russian airplane, a central avenue, and the largest park in Moscow were named after him in an effort by the Communist Party to exploit him for propaganda purposes. Regarding his personal life, he constantly had unsuccessful relationships. At a young age, he became involved with a married woman six years his senior, and some claimed that he had attempted suicide for her. After a few years, she became free and they reconnected, but their relationship quickly dissolved. For a period, he was with a young prostitute, claiming that he wanted to help her turn her life around. Then he met an actress from the Art Theater who was also married. He had traveled with her to America, introducing her as his wife. When it was revealed that she was someone else's wife, a big scandal erupted. After 1919, he was with his secretary. Gorky died suddenly and under mysterious circumstances in 1936.
One Autumn Evening

Lies are the religion of slaves and masters. Truth is the god of the free man.

Maxim Gorky (real name Alexei Maximovich Peshkov) was an important Russian writer and a leading figure in socialist realism. He was born on March 28, 1868, into a poor family in Nizhny Novgorod. His father died in 1873, and Maxim lived with his grandmother, whose fairy tales had a profound influence on his psyche. However, at the age of eleven in 1879, he hit the road as his grandmother and grandfather struggled to provide food and did not want to burden them anymore. He began to wander across vast Russia, mostly on foot, often hungry, practicing various professions such as a shoemaker's assistant, a sailor, a porter, a night watchman, a fisherman, a baker, a chimney sweeper, a farm laborer. For more than 7 years, he traveled relentlessly, learning about people and their hardships. In December 1887, he shot himself with an old pistol in the chest, and the bullet remained in his lungs for 40 years, causing him pulmonary problems. Despite the adversities of his life, he found the courage and strength to write, and in 1892, he sold one of his stories to a Moscow newspaper, adopting the pseudonym Gorky, which means "bitter.". From 1895, the largest magazines sought collaboration with him and until 1899 his stories experienced great success; he became known throughout Europe. The rapid success was due to the fact that he revealed a truth about the humble and impoverished people, which was an integral part of his work. In addition to short stories, he wrote poetry, plays, and novels. He came into contact with revolutionary circles, became a Marxist, and a friend of Lenin.

During the failed revolution of 1905, he was arrested and imprisoned, and writers from all over the world made an appeal for his release. In 1907, he wrote the novel "Mother", a landmark work that describes how an obscure person gains class consciousness through political struggles. He lived on Capri for many years and wrote the autobiographical trilogy (childhood, adolescence, my universities), a remarkable description of both his life and Tsarist Russia. He lived on Capri until 1913, and when he returned, he participated in the political events that led to the outbreak of the 1917 revolution. He took an active part in the revolution, but within two weeks of the revolutionaries taking power, he came into conflict with their leadership. He wrote about this: "Lenin and Trotsky have no idea of freedom or human rights. They are already alienated by the dirty poison of power. This is evident from the shameful disrespect for freedom of speech and all other bourgeois freedoms for which we fought." Lenin responded with threats: "My advice is for you to change your opinions, your ideas, and your ways, otherwise you may lose your head."

In August of 1921, the friends and writers Nikolai Gumilev and his wife Anna Akhmatova were arrested. Gorky asked Lenin himself for their release, but it was already too late: Nikolai had been executed. Gorky left for Capri with his health deteriorating, suffering from an old case of tuberculosis. He stayed in Capri until 1929, while occasionally visiting Russia where he received honors from Stalin. A Russian airplane, a central avenue, and the largest park in Moscow were named after him in an effort by the Communist Party to exploit him for propaganda purposes.

Regarding his personal life, he constantly had unsuccessful relationships. At a young age, he became involved with a married woman six years his senior, and some claimed that he had attempted suicide for her. After a few years, she became free and they reconnected, but their relationship quickly dissolved. For a period, he was with a young prostitute, claiming that he wanted to help her turn her life around. Then he met an actress from the Art Theater who was also married. He had traveled with her to America, introducing her as his wife. When it was revealed that she was someone else's wife, a big scandal erupted. After 1919, he was with his secretary. Gorky died suddenly and under mysterious circumstances in 1936.

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