Russian Novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Dies at 89
Short biographical sketch
Russian Novelist Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Dies at 89
By Thamayanthi Giritharan
Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn is a recognizable name to those of the literature world. He recently passed away on August 3rd, leaving behind a great legacy. For those of you not familiar with him, Solzhenitsyn was primarily a Russian novelist, even receiving a Nobel Prize for his works (in the field of literature – of course).
Solzhenitsyn (Dec 11 1918 – Aug 3 2008) was immersed in a world of academics since a very young age. His family was well educated. He ended up going to the University of Rostov-na-Donu and graduating in mathematics. He also studied literature at Moscow State University. He not only witnessed WWII, but fought in it and eventually earned the rank of captain of artillery in 1945. He was soon after arrested for criticizing Joseph Stalin, which led to eight long, dim years in prisons and labour camps. One should think eight years is a good enough period for punishment, however, he was then forced to undergo three more years of exile. Finally, eleven years after the war ended, Solzhenitsyn was able to resettle in Russia. He became a mathematics teacher and it was at this time is passion for writing flourished.
In 1962, Solzhenitsyn had his short novel Odin den iz zhizni Ivana Denisovicha (One Day in the Life of Ivan Denishovich) published in the Soviet Union’s top literary journal Novy Mir (New World). His novel became an instant hit, giving him a sort of celebrity status. Solzhenitsyn had based this story on his own experience as an inmate of a labour camp during Stalin’s epoch. This piece was a new force to be reckoned with in the Soviet Union at the time. It created waves in politics and literature both in and outside of Russia. He continued to publish more works and more criticism followed. He then resorted to self-publishing his works and circulated them in secret and abroad.
In subsequent years, Solzhenitsyn had cemented his international literary standing with many published novels, like V kruge pervom (The First Circle) and Rakovy korpus (Cancer Ward). Several stories were somehow related to his life. For example, the first was obliquely based on his years as a mathematician working in a prison research institute. The latter was based on his treatment for terminally diagnosed cancer while being exiled in Kazakhstan in the fifties.
Solzhenitsyn was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1970 but didn’t want to leave to accept it in apprehension of not being allowed back into the Soviet Union. He did end up in possession of the award four years later – when he was exiled from the Soviet Union. (He was readmitted twenty years later)
Solzhenitsyn continued to produce great works which have expressed his views and beliefs. He was never one to shy away from articulating his thoughts – even if it meant being exiled and pounced upon by the Soviet press. He has become a great literary icon over the years and is sure to be a remembered literary icon for the years to come.
Information gathered from
http://www.almaz.com/nobel/literature/Solzhenitsyn.html
