“Kuprin is a True Artist, a Great Talent” (L. N. Tolstoy): On the 155th Anniversary of Alexander Kuprin’s Birth

Abstract

Aim. To examine both the assessment of A. I. Kuprin’s prose given by contemporaries and subsequent scholars and the influence of his work on the writer’s artistic ontology, revealing the existential essence of his symbolism, thereby allowing for a deeper understanding of the significance of creative individuals’ statements about him as a fellow writer. Diversity of recollections of A. I. Kuprin’s work is evaluated, and uniqueness, cultural and historical value of his legacy are examined.

Methodology. The author offers an analysis dedicated to the work of A. I. Kuprin. To solve the problem, assessments of Kuprin’s readers from different eras and periods – from Leo Tolstoy and A. P. Chekhov to Pavel Basinsky and Victoria Milenko – are made; this makes it possible to clarify similarity in the authors’ views on the literary and artistic process and on A. I. Kuprin’s legacy.

Results. During the work, various points of view of the critical approach to the legacy of A. I. Kuprin were identified, and a conclusion was drawn about the need to master the basics of critical skill using the material used.

Research implications. The author has proposed a new approach to evaluate A. I. Kuprin work within the critical perspective of writer-critics.