There are numerous obstacles that have made it impossible for me to focus on the play as it ended before time. First of all, we have approximately 15 characters who appear in one scene! This is much larger than what my weak concentration can bear. Secondly, the names are of course Russian, which helps in my inability to remember them and know who is speaking. Thirdly, the conversation rotates between more than one group simultaneously. For example, you will find a group of two or three people talking about a certain topic, and at the same time another group is talking about another topic and the conversation shifts between these and those. After a while, I found myself completely unable to focus. The play actually seems good, but I think it would be better if I watched it on the stage floor and not written.
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The Lower Depths
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Written in 1902 and produced by the Moscow Arts Theatre on December 18, 1902 under the direction of Konstantin Stanislavski. It became his first major success, and a hallmark of Russian social realism. The play depicts a group of impoverished Russians living in a shelter near the Volga.
When it first appeared, The Lower Depths was criticized for its pessimism and ambiguous ethical message. The presentation of the lower classes was viewed as overly dark and unredemptive, and Gorky was clearly more interested in creating memorable characters than in advancing a formal plot. However, in this respect, the play is generally regarded as a masterwork.
The theme of harsh truth versus the comforting lie pervades the play from start to finish, as most of the characters choose to deceive themselves over the bleak reality of their condition.
When it first appeared, The Lower Depths was criticized for its pessimism and ambiguous ethical message. The presentation of the lower classes was viewed as overly dark and unredemptive, and Gorky was clearly more interested in creating memorable characters than in advancing a formal plot. However, in this respect, the play is generally regarded as a masterwork.
The theme of harsh truth versus the comforting lie pervades the play from start to finish, as most of the characters choose to deceive themselves over the bleak reality of their condition.
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1,1902
This edition
- Format
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80 pages, Paperback
- Published
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May 18, 2016 by Dover Publications
- ISBN
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9780486411156
- ASIN
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048641115X
- Language
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English
About the author
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Russian writer Aleksei Maksimovich Peshkov (Russian: Алексей Максимович Пешков) supported the Bolshevik revolution of 1917 and helped to develop socialist realism as the officially accepted literary aesthetic; his works include The Life of Klim Samgin (1927-1936), an unfinished cycle of novels.
This Soviet author founded the socialist realism literary method and a political activist. People also nominated him five times for the Nobel Prize in literature. From 1906 to 1913 and from 1921 to 1929, he lived abroad, mostly in Capri, Italy; after his return to the Soviet Union, he accepted the cultural policies of the time.
This Soviet author founded the socialist realism literary method and a political activist. People also nominated him five times for the Nobel Prize in literature. From 1906 to 1913 and from 1921 to 1929, he lived abroad, mostly in Capri, Italy; after his return to the Soviet Union, he accepted the cultural policies of the time.
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It is a simple description of poor people. Their lives are often filled with hardships and struggles. They face various challenges on a daily basis, yet they manage to carry on. Their thoughts may be different from those of the more privileged. They might focus on the basic necessities of life and how to survive. There is no special plot in this description. It's just a portrayal of ordinary people and their mode of life.
I really liked one character here. It was the old man. Everything he said was full of wisdom. He seemed to have seen and experienced a lot in his life. His words were like pearls of wisdom that made me think deeply. To be honest, I was reading this book mainly because of him. His character added a touch of depth and interest to the otherwise simple narrative.
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**Book Review: Lower Depths - Maxim Gorky**
Maxim Gorky, a renowned author, had a limited formal education but his passion for literature led him to become a world-famous writer. Born Aleksey Makimovich Peshkov on 16th March 1868 in Russia, his early life was filled with hardships. His father died when he was five, and he lived with his poor and often offensive grandparents. At eight, he was taken out of school and put to work, but his love for learning led him to study with a fellow cook. At 12, he ran away from home and worked at various places, taking on different jobs. During this time, he adopted the name Maxim Gorky, which means “The Bitter One” in Russian.
His experiences with the lowest class of society, including prostitutes and thieves, influenced his writing. He also got involved with revolutionaries and was jailed several times. His major earnings supported the Marxists. He spent some time in Italy and later returned to Russia, where he was greeted warmly. He died in 1936, and there is some controversy surrounding his death.
“The Lower Depths” is Gorky’s second play, written in 1902. It was very successful and was produced at the Moscow Art Theatre in the same year. The play has no solid plot but consists of a series of sequences that focus on the characters, their thoughts, motives, and actions. The characters, such as Kostoloff, Pepel, Satine, and Luka, are based on Gorky’s encounters with different people. The play protests against inhumanity and explores the theme that all men strive for a better life and work towards becoming better men. Luka is a particularly interesting character, being endlessly optimistic and always eager to question the meaning and purpose of life.
The language in the play is simple, continuous, and descriptive, similar to the writing style of MKGandhi. After reading the book, it stayed with me for three days, making me think about the meaning and purpose of life, the existence of God, and other profound questions. Gorky’s writing style is such that each character and incident gets absorbed deeply within you. If you are looking for sincere writing, truth, real-life characters and incidences, simple English, and answers to life’s questions, then you should read all of Gorky’s books.
Maxim Gorky, a renowned author, had a limited formal education but his passion for literature led him to become a world-famous writer. Born Aleksey Makimovich Peshkov on 16th March 1868 in Russia, his early life was filled with hardships. His father died when he was five, and he lived with his poor and often offensive grandparents. At eight, he was taken out of school and put to work, but his love for learning led him to study with a fellow cook. At 12, he ran away from home and worked at various places, taking on different jobs. During this time, he adopted the name Maxim Gorky, which means “The Bitter One” in Russian.
His experiences with the lowest class of society, including prostitutes and thieves, influenced his writing. He also got involved with revolutionaries and was jailed several times. His major earnings supported the Marxists. He spent some time in Italy and later returned to Russia, where he was greeted warmly. He died in 1936, and there is some controversy surrounding his death.
“The Lower Depths” is Gorky’s second play, written in 1902. It was very successful and was produced at the Moscow Art Theatre in the same year. The play has no solid plot but consists of a series of sequences that focus on the characters, their thoughts, motives, and actions. The characters, such as Kostoloff, Pepel, Satine, and Luka, are based on Gorky’s encounters with different people. The play protests against inhumanity and explores the theme that all men strive for a better life and work towards becoming better men. Luka is a particularly interesting character, being endlessly optimistic and always eager to question the meaning and purpose of life.
The language in the play is simple, continuous, and descriptive, similar to the writing style of MKGandhi. After reading the book, it stayed with me for three days, making me think about the meaning and purpose of life, the existence of God, and other profound questions. Gorky’s writing style is such that each character and incident gets absorbed deeply within you. If you are looking for sincere writing, truth, real-life characters and incidences, simple English, and answers to life’s questions, then you should read all of Gorky’s books.
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The messages it gave were really very beautiful. Only because I had difficulty in reading this kind, my score was 4!It is a book with too many quotes to be shared, but let me leave one here“—Wow! I swear there is nothing better than thieves in this world!
-Of course, it is easy for them to make money... They don't work
—Many people find money the easy way, but getting away from money is easy for very few. Working huh? If it gave me pleasure, it would be okay, maybe I would work... Yes! Maybe! If work gives pleasure, life is beautiful! But if work has become a necessity, then life also turns into captivity!”This passage makes us think deeply about the nature of work and the relationship between money and happiness. It shows that while some people may obtain money easily, the true value lies in finding pleasure and meaning in work.
-Of course, it is easy for them to make money... They don't work
—Many people find money the easy way, but getting away from money is easy for very few. Working huh? If it gave me pleasure, it would be okay, maybe I would work... Yes! Maybe! If work gives pleasure, life is beautiful! But if work has become a necessity, then life also turns into captivity!”This passage makes us think deeply about the nature of work and the relationship between money and happiness. It shows that while some people may obtain money easily, the true value lies in finding pleasure and meaning in work.
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Poor folk often find themselves oscillating between the grim truth and illusionary hope. On one hand, they are constantly faced with the harsh realities of poverty, such as lack of basic necessities, limited opportunities for education and employment, and a generally difficult living situation. These hard facts can weigh them down and make them feel hopeless and despondent. On the other hand, however, they also hold onto illusionary hope. This hope might be in the form of winning the lottery, getting a big break in life, or having a better future suddenly appear out of nowhere. They cling to these dreams, even though the chances of them coming true are often slim. This oscillation between the two can be a source of great stress and turmoil for poor folk. It can make them feel trapped and unable to break free from their difficult circumstances.
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Some nice philosophizing about truth, lies, and human sympathies is all wrapped up in quite ill-fitting theatrical garb. The number of named characters could have been reduced by about half a dozen without detriment. Act 4 is simply an overlong mess, and it is all the more remarkable for being the shortest of the four. After dispatching Luka at the end of Act 3, Gorky has to give the big Luka speech in Act 4 to the entirely unsuitable Satin. (The Tartar would have been a better choice, except that it's well beyond his linguistic abilities.) The translation I read (by Hunter-Blair and Brooks, for the Royal Shakespeare Company) seems okay, except for the occasional painfully fake slang (e.g., "'pecks" for kopecks). I'm going to assume that a lot of the beauties and resonances of Gorky's language were lost in translation. Maybe I should try to hack my way through the original. I'll be curious to see what Renoir and Kurosawa made of this. It would be interesting to observe how these two great filmmakers interpreted and brought to life the complex themes and characters in Gorky's work. Their unique artistic visions and directorial styles could potentially add new dimensions and perspectives to the story, making it even more engaging and thought-provoking. I'm looking forward to seeing their interpretations and comparing them to my own understanding of the play.
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It is simply incredible how in such a small work the author managed to look so deeply and show us the problems of so many and completely different characters in the play.
Just one such seemingly不起眼 character as the stranger Luka and his life wisdom, advice, sobriety of views, mind and prudence are worth gold.
Everyone has their own bottom. People come to it by different paths, but getting out of its quagmire is sometimes very difficult and not everyone is capable of it. Some choose easy paths, some try to get out of it at the expense of others, some simply give up, and some don't even try. Many drown their grief in alcohol, but for some reason no one wants to choose the difficult and just path...
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Here, the world has no honor, no conscience... What use is honor and conscience? If you don't have shoes, you won't be able to step with honor or conscience... Those who need honor and conscience are the gentlemen, the great and the powerful...” “Look, as I told you, you will die and you will find peace... You won't need anything anymore, you won't be afraid of anyone anymore. Only peace and tranquility... Keep sleeping! Death alleviates all pain... She is good to us... They say that only after death do you rest... Because, where can the poor man rest in this world?” This passage presents a rather pessimistic view of the world. It seems to suggest that in this harsh reality, honor and conscience are of little value. The mention of death as a source of peace and rest implies a sense of weariness and longing for an escape from the hardships of life. However, it also makes one question whether such a bleak perspective is the only way to look at things. Maybe there are still glimmers of hope and moments of beauty and meaning that can be found even in the midst of difficulties.
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