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2.2. The work “The Duel”: main idea and characters
In 1904 Kuprin started working on The Duel. This novel, conceived in his second year in the army, and commenting on the "horror and tedium of army life," was published on 3 May 1905. The creation of this novel was a cathartic experience for Kuprin. "I must free myself from the heavy burden of impressions accumulated by my years of military service. I will call this novel The Duel, because it will be my duel ... with the tsarist army. The army cripples the soul, destroys all a man's finest impulses, and debases human dignity... I have to write about all I have known and seen. And with my novel I shall challenge the tsarist army to a duel," he informed his wife in a letter29.
The Duel became the literary sensation of the year in Russia. In 1905 some 45.5 thousand copies were sold, a vast number for the early 1900s. The controversy this novel caused continued until 1917. Critics of the left welcomed The Duel as "another nail in the coffin of autocracy," while their conservative counterparts condemned it as "perfidious assault on the ruling order." One officer even challenged Kuprin to a duel through a Petersburg paper, while a group of twenty officers sent Kuprin a letter in 1905, expressing their gratitude. The Duel, according to Luker, marked "the summit of Kuprin's career... assuring him immortality in the annals of Russian literature."30
The central idea of the narration is a life style in Russian army: how higher officer push around those who lower during the day, and heavy drinking and promiscuity in the evening. Through the main characters – Yuriy Romashov, Vasiliy Nazansky, captain Sliva, the Nikolayevs – author shows what army is: captain Sliva and Vladimir Nikolayev with his wife Shurochka are considered to be the product of army – without any emotions, senses and cruel sometimes even not smart units of that reality; V. Nazansky is the “prophet” in that world, he had understood long ago that those who enter the army got nothing but dying mentally, and he says that it is impossible to leave the army, as the military are not adapting for anything more than serving the army, so even if they leave the army they will die in the outer world, as many others who wanted to escape – this is the real understanding of the army reality that he retells to Romashov, who is still “alive”; Yuriy Romashov is depiction of the author himself – he is kind, romantic, intelligent, honest and earnest, in other words, among many others he is morally alive, and he, as Nazansky, also understand the impossibility of leaving army. Another central character, who plays the most important role in the story is Shurochka – V. Nikolayev’s wife. She depicts hypocrisy and two-faced nature of those people who could adopt to army rules and life style. She leads the main hero – Romashov, to death, and in this death the author sees the real exit from the army for Romashov.
Romashov Georgiy Alexeevich is the main hero of the story. He is a young officer, who has been serving for almost 2 years. It is really hard for him to adopt with this rough reality of army. He is romantic, kind and a bit shy, he is not in the rows of those who can rebuild his nature for the rules dictated by army, but still, author wanted to depict him as a person in whom the weakness of spirit combines with the strength of will. Shurochka blames him for being so weak, as she put “a great name” and a status inn society higher all other things. That is why being with her, she always fell himself as if he is tiny. Deep in his soul he was romantic: he wrote novel and poems but was afraid to show it anybody. In his free time, he liked to dream about another life: he dreamed about brave deed. He has all gentle and kind feelings to Shurochka. At the beginning she does not show any reciprocal feelings, but later she says him that she also likes him, but dislike his softness and asks not to come to her house. Later, it will be crystal clear that only she is guilty in his death.
Shurochka, or Alexandra Petrovna Nikolayeva, is the woman whom Romashov loves. She is smart, intelligent, has a sense of beauty, and with all her soul she wants to leave army. The only way for this is to make her husband enter the Academy, but he is not talented and cannot pass an exam. Although Shurochka seems to stand alone and independently on the whole line of the narration, in the end namely she seems the worst person, even in comparison with cruel officers. Because she, being in chase of her own desires, kills a friend.
Nikolayev Vladimir Yephimich is considered to be the dumb officer with meaningless eyesight. When he was young and promised high perspectives, he married Shurochka, but, unfortunately, did not lived up to her expectations. Being informed from anonymous mails that his wife and Romashov are together, he appoints the duel to Romashov, on which he (Romashov) is killed. In this character author generalized officer in army: those who could only perform tasks and was not able to think.
Nazansky Vasiliy Nilich is “a prophet” from the author’s words. Although he is not considered as a main hero, yet he plays an important role in the story. He describes the situation as it is to readers. He announces his findings bravely and has a lot of strength and talents, but, unfortunately, he cannot apply himself anywhere.
All characters supplement each other and help to show their good and bad sides. In this novel author wanted to show how a person may conflict with society, and if he or she is not strong enough, he or she will disappear. Here is also shown transformation of people: from living creatures to machines that know nothing except army. In this conflict Romashov lost, and Kuprin had to kill him as there were no another way to solve these problems or escape from this prison. The story “The Duel” is considered to be as a pearl of Russian and world treasury for its realistic and frank depiction of army reality which reflects the reality in Russia of that time31
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