Elpat'evskii Efron

Born in 1854, the son of a deacon, he studied at the medical faculty of Moscow University. Literary activity Elpatievsky, which began in "New Review" in 1881, was interrupted by imprisonment and exile in Eastern Siberia. In late 1880-s. Elpat'evskii lived in Nizhny Novgorod, for many years lived in Yalta, where did a lot for the organization of sanatorium and free medical care to indigent patients. That did not stop, however, General Dumbadze evict Elpatievsky from Yalta. On stormy Pirogov Congress 1905. Elpat'evskii was elected chairman. In literary case spent a year in the Peter and Paul Fortress. Since the mid 1880-s. Elpat'evskii published a series of essays and stories in the "Northern Messenger", "Russian Thought", "News of Europe" and, mainly, in the "Russian Wealth" and "Russian Gazette". They are collected in the individually published books: "Sketches of Siberia" (2 edition, 1893 and 1897), "Essays and Stories" (St. Petersburg, 1898), and then joined the 3-volume edition "stories" Elpatievsky (St. Petersburg, 1904 ). Since 1911. published collection of his works (published in 2 volumes). Separately, as the book came out: "Close the shadows" (1908); "Abroad" (1910), "Egypt" (1911), short stories Elpatievsky: "Spirka" (St. Petersburg), "In the kitchen" (Vyatka, 1901), "Savely (Moscow, 1901) and other. The greatest literary interest is Volume I of his collected stories, which focused essays from a Siberian prison, and life is turned lyrical element nice talent Elpatievsky. In contrast to other forced tourists - for example, Korolenko, in Siberia which greatly impressed his romantic and wild majesty, - to Elpatievsky Siberia turned the mostly horror. In the beautiful Siberian his landscapes convey vividly terrible anguish, . which catches up with the Siberian solitude, . those thousands of miles without shelter, . "huge and empty, nothing" - Siberian taiga, . awful dull continuous noise, and some special "menacing howl", . exactly roars "spent, . agitated beast,
. Having lived several years in Siberia, Elpat'evskii in some of his stories (The Snow Maiden ") was able to objectively and completely treat the peculiar charm of the Siberian taiga to people accustomed from childhood to its wild beauty and freedom. Elpatev vividly depicts the horrors of Siberian life in those "allegedly cities," where have to arrange their residence forced tourists. That doctor, . which came to the capital Ostiak Tundra - "Cursed City": a very lively and intelligent, . he ended, . marrying ostyachke, . he almost became Ostiaks and a day did not come out of semi-oblivion, . broken only by the methods of alcohol,
. Ryzhov, a talented story "Hector", was in the frozen taiga from where rang the lark of spring fields and shouting quail in speyuschey rye, which is so sweet smells of apple blossom and so passionately sings the nightingale song of love in the quiet overgrown pond ". Howl of the taiga in those infinitely long polar night, which he spent in his wretched hut in the society of his only friend - a black dog Hector - radically changed his mind. "It was becoming clearer and clearer that what was what he believed, deceived him, and what he expected, did not occur". And he "no longer want to live" and "ceased to live". Filled the above forces and thirst for life and the spouse who is devoted to the lyrical story "They're coming". They make long and tedious way back in "Russia" from the lost in the far north of the Tunguska village, where they are buried and their children, and the mood of youth. Impressionable nature of her husband did not pass the test, he almost fell into madness, and broken-down, prematurely grown old wife is committed only one desire: "to relax a little. Forgetting ... forget ... "Even in a very unsympathetic to him" criminal nobility "Elpat'evskii with a true sense of humanity following the sepulchral cold which pour over Siberia anyone against their will get there. In the prison of their observations Elpat'evskii little notice the horrors of moral degradation, which noted Melshin, Doroshevich and other. In his portrayal of prison too good-natured. Volume II is devoted to stories Elpatievsky primarily of the evolution of social life, which the author found, when in late 1880-s. returned to Russia. Characteristically turning liberal Zemstvo Rukavitsyna ( "Misha") in a formidable patriot of his country, who are smashing the suburbs, the decline of parental authority in the villages and t. n. Even more striking change occurred with the hero of the story "Spirka". Once he was just a clever, does not disdain rogue he now prominent and well-known representative of Russia's "Industry". Before he simply pulled from the living and the dead, and now he heard that the state is ready to promote its activities in every way. Wound up and the "Employee" (in the story under that title), just a new kind: a sense of dignity, with a thirst for education, with public inquiries. Public Elpatievsky types, in particular "Spirka", attracted attention, but from a purely artistic side, they developed a rather sketchy and strongly respond journalism. Much art of some kind of humor stories Elpatievsky not claim to public importance. Among them especially given a beautiful story "In the kitchen, which is interspersed psychology trotter, Tamerlane and deaf dog, a lonely cook Orin, for which except for" Tamerlonushki "there is not one of joy in life. The entire third volume of "Stories" Elpateva devoted to memories of childhood in the countryside, in the spiritual and the peasant environment; pietetnoe relation to close people are bothered more freedom bytopisatelya. Very interesting Elpatievsky travel sketches and memories of people close to the author - the Assumption, St. Michael, Chekhov, Garin. With great enthusiasm brilliant journalistic articles written, printed, for the most part, the "Russian Wealth", one of the closest members of which belongs Elpatev C. Vengerov.