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Maxim Gorky, Important Writer to be Studied in Russian Literature

Maxim Gorky, whose real name was Alexei Maximovich Peshkov, was born on March 28, 1868, in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia. He was a prominent Russian writer and social thinker, widely known for his works that highlight the struggles of the working class and the oppressed.
Gorky’s early life was marked by hardship; he was orphaned at a young age and worked various jobs, which contributed to his understanding of the struggles of the poor and working people. His literary career began with his short stories, but his major breakthrough came with his novel Mother(1906), a powerful portrayal of the Russian working class and their revolutionary spirit.

Gorky’s achievements include not only his influential works of fiction but also his role as a political figure. He was a staunch supporter of the Bolshevik Revolution and the Soviet government, although he later became disillusioned with some of the excesses of the Stalinist regime. He spent a significant portion of his life in exile, living in Europe and the United States, but returned to the Soviet Union in 1932, where he continued to write.

Some of his other notable works include The Lower Depths (1902), The Artamonov Business (1925), and The Confessions (1914). Gorky is considered one of the founders of socialist realism in Soviet literature, which focused on depicting the lives of ordinary workers and promoting the ideals of socialism. He died on June 14, 1936, under circumstances that are still debated, with some suggesting that he may have been poisoned. Despite controversies surrounding his political views, Gorky remains a significant figure in Russian literature.

Maxim Gorky’s literary works span multiple genres, including novels, plays, short stories, and autobiographical works. Here’s a chronological list of his major works across different genres:

1. Early Short Stories & Sketches (1890s)
   - Makar Chudra (1892) – A short story that portrays the life of a poor peasant.
   - Chelkash (1895) – A short story that revolves around a thief and his life in the underworld.
   - Twenty-Six Men and a Girl (1899) – A short story about a group of workers and their exploitation.
   - The Stoker (1899) – A story that focuses on the life of a worker and his struggles.

2. Novels and Novella
   - Foma Gordeyev (1899) – A novel that examines the life of a wealthy merchant’s son who rebels against his upbringing and the injustices in society.
   - Mother (1906) – Gorky’s most famous novel, it depicts the life of a working-class woman who becomes involved in the revolutionary movement in Russia.

3. Plays
   - The Lower Depths (1902) – A play that explores the lives of the downtrodden and the hopelessness of their existence.
   - Vassa Zheleznova (1910) – A play about a cruel and selfish woman who controls her family and business.
   - The Last Ones (1909) – A drama focusing on the decline of the old Russian social order.
   - Summerfolk (1904) – A play that examines the lives of the Russian bourgeoisie during their leisure time.

4. Autobiographical Works
   - Childhood (1913) – The first part of his autobiographical trilogy, which covers his early years.
   - In the World (1916) – The second part of his autobiography, describing his early adulthood.
   - My Universities (1923) – The final part of his autobiography, focusing on his time as a young man and his entry into revolutionary circles.

5. Novels and Prose Works (Post-Revolution)
   - The Artamonov Business (1925) – A novel that explores the rise and fall of a family and its business empire in pre-revolutionary Russia.
   - The Life of a Useless Man (1907) – A novel about the inner turmoil of an intellectual who has no real purpose in life.
   - The Confessions (1914) – Gorky’s reflections on his life and experiences.
   
6. Social and Political Writings
   - On Literature and Revolution (1918) – A collection of essays about the role of literature in the Russian Revolution and its social implications.
   - My Apprenticeship (1913) – Gorky’s reflections on his early experiences and apprenticeship in life and writing.

 7. Other Works
   - The Russian Revolution (1905) – A collection of Gorky's reflections on the 1905 Revolution.
   - The Art of Writing (1920) – A series of essays on literary theory and the role of the writer in society.

Maxim Gorky’s works, especially in the early part of his career, reflected his commitment to social issues, the plight of the working class, and the struggle for justice. His later works continued to explore these themes but also engaged more deeply with questions of political ideology and the changes brought by the Russian Revolution.

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