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''The Village'' (Деревня, ''Derévnya'') is a short novel by a Nobel Prize-winning Russian author Ivan Bunin written in 1909 and first published in ''Sovremenny Mir'' journal (St.-P., ##3, 10–11, 1910) under the title ''Novelet'' (Повесть). ''The Village'' caused much controversy at the time; it was highly praised among others by Maxim Gorky (who from then on regarded the author the major figure in Russian literature) and is now generally regarded as Bunin's first masterpiece.〔The Works by I.A.Bunin. Vol.III. Novelets and Stories, 1907-1911. Khudozhestvennaya Literatura Publishers. Moscow, 1965. Commentaries, p.468.〕 Composed of brief episodes in the Russian provinces at the time of the 1905 Revolution and set in the author's birthplace, it told the story of the two peasant brothers, one a brute drunk, the other a gentler, more sympathetic character. Bunin's realistic portrayal of village life jarred with the idealized picture of 'unspoiled' peasants which was common in the mainstream Russian literature, and offended many with characters some of which "sunk so far below the average of intelligence as to be scarcely human."〔(【引用サイトリンク】 Ivan Bunin (1870-1953) )〕 ==History== Ivan Bunin completed the first part of ''The Village'' in September 1909, in Moscow, working, as his wife Vera Muromtseva attested, with extraordinary intensity.〔Muromtseva-Bunina, V.N. Conversing with Memories. ''Novy Journal'', Vol.65, New York, 1961. p.236〕 In a letter to Gorky the writer himself spoke of "sleepless nights" and "hands shaking" from nervous exhaustion.〔Gorkovskye Chtenya // Gorky Readings. Moscow, 1961. p.44〕 The first part of the novel, "The Morning" (Утро), was premiered as a recital before a Moscow literary circle audience, then appeared in ''Utro Rossii'' newspaper (1909, No.34, November 15).〔 On February 10, 1910, Bunin sent the first part to Saint-Petersburg's ''Sovremenny Mir'' for it to be published in March, promising the remaining parts for the April issue. But in April he unexpectedly left for North Africa and stayed at Capri, so the publication was postponed.〔 "What I am now engaged with is the completion of ''Деревня'' novelet. Two days will be spent in Moscow, then I'll depart for Orlovskaya gubernia to put all my energy into the work," Bunin told ''Odessky Novosty'' correspondent on May 16.〔The Works by I.A.Bunin. Vol.III. Novelets and Stories, 1907-1911. Khudozhestvennaya Literatura Publishers. Moscow, 1965. Commentaries, p.469.〕 These plans were disrupted by the writer's mother's illness and death. It was only after the burial that he returned to the unfinished book. On August 20, 1910 Bunin informed Gorky in a letter: On September 2, 1910, the manuscript was sent to ''Sovremenny Mir'' and was published in Nos.10 and 11. This second part again, was tried out at a public recital event at the Moscow Sreda (Wednesday) literary circle on September 19, where, according to ''Nash Zhurnal'' magazine, "the audience was deeply impressed."〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Village (Bunin novel)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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