Аннотация: A powerful machine producing comfort. About Arthur Conan Doyle 's biography by Maxim Chertanov. Literary and historical note.
A powerful machine producing comfort. About Arthur Conan Doyle 's biography by Maxim Chertanov. Literary and historical note.
During reading the biography of Arthur Conan Doyle (1859 - 1930) from Maxim Chertanov (Chertanov M. "Conan Doyle") [Чертанов М. 'Конан Дойл'], I could not understand why I was reading an interesting biography, a well-written book, but a reading was boring, the book was reading with a great difficulty. (Maxim Chertanov - according to some sources, a literary pseudonym).
I read part one (six chapters). I read three chapters from part two.
There was a hypothesis.
Readers of Russian culture (Maxim Chertanov probably is one of such humans), are used to some cultural stereotypes.
For example, the life of most of the great Russian writers - to a large extent - suffering, anxiety, risk. Often - monetary difficulties. Constantly - in the foreground is the state with which the writer has a very difficult (a hostile? a loyal?) relations ..
Comfort periods are relatively short. They are relatively rare ...
Even when Count Leo Tolstoy lives, becoming a world famous writer, in own estate, not everything is simple ...
A some biographer is slightly ironic - the wives of Tolstoy and Dostoevsky had the opportunity to personally communicate. They had common topics of conversation, both were a kind of literary agents of their husbands-writers.
Another thing is Arthur Conan Doyle. He has an excellent literary agent. He has an inconspicuous, kind, obedient wife (first wife) ...
Maxim Chertanov emphasizes the relativity of the financial problems of the Doyle family ...
If you move away from the details, then the world in which Arthur Conan Doyle lives is a world of comfort. And this is a little boring for a person who grew up in a Russian cultural and historical environment ...
Where is the chain of heroic deeds? It is heroic deeds that create the core, the backbone for a biography. They give her interest, they give her an amusement style...
For example, in the biography of a European writer (contemporary of Arthur Conan Doyle) we can find both problems between mother and father, and the placement of one of the next of kin in a psychiatric hospital. But there are manifestations of opposition, examples of heroism. The biography is easy to read, events follow one after another ...
In general, the world in which Conan Doyle grows and lives is a powerful comfort machine. This machine grinds irrational or alien elements ...
These elements are not so many, but they are. A relative (the father of the writer) is talented man, but (perhaps) he drinks too much alcohol. He enters the system of psychiatric hospitals (where he dies).
Conan Doyle drifts to Protestantism.
Maxim Chertanov mentions Fenian (Irish nationalists), some of the Irish roots of Arthur Conan Doyle. - In the quotes cited by Maxim Chertanov, one can find signs that Conan Doyle considered himself an Englishman.
Conan Doyle's first wife gets tuberculosis. Spouses move to Switzerland for treatment. In Switzerland, Conan Doyle advertises Davos (as a good resort place) and makes (successful) attempts to develop sports that are common in Britain.
It gradually turns out that you can be treated in Britain ... Doyle's spouses are returning to Britain ...
Britain is a convenient country. And the school where Conan Doyle studied wasn 't bad.
And there was a good university.
And for a beginner doctor, earnings were found.
And when there were difficulties on the professional path of a doctor, Conan Doyle switched to writing.
And now he 's already making good money... He is a writer ...
The British state is somehow not noticeable in the biography written by Maxim Chertanov (in the mentioned above chapters of the book ).
What role did the British state play in the early stages of Arthur Conan Doyle's life?
Relatives helped young Conan Doyle. Also - some people who were not relatives.
The famous writer Conan Doyle was helping a relatives and many people - not relatives.
In the biography written by Maxim Chertanov, various social, sports, creative, and also commercial organizations are mentioned.
Sometimes something like cheating appears. The revenue from the lecture tour was roughly equal to the writer 's expenses for this tour. A wasted the lecture tour? 15 percent of the proceeds were given to the agent?
However, this biographical detail is offset by the story, - of how Conan Doyle sold his play for a specific amount. The play turned out to be extremely popular. Deductions from income in favor of the author were not provided for by the contract. One of the participants in the project, after each production of the play, sent to Conan Doyle a guinea (coin) - although he was not obliged to do this (such information can be found at Chertanov).
Sherlock Holmes appears - a person standing guard over order, a person practically independent of the state, and possessing supernatural mental abilities to solve problems ...
The simple Watson looks up at Holmes. Watson does not always understand Holmes. Maybe he never, even, understands Holmes. There are just facts. Holmes solves problems. He takes care of simple Watson. Holmes and Watson live in comfort ...
Watson understands little, but the facts are the facts ...
Some a strange, an awesome (?), an intimidating (?) machine, which is producing comfort ...
Chertanov talks about the negative emotions of Arthur Conan Doyle in connection with the placement of Doyle's father in a psychiatric clinic ...
Arthur Conan Doyle (little boy) cried when he had to leave his mother and go to a far-off school ...
Difficulties of a young doctor Doyle with medical practice.
Conan Doyle's experiences in connection with the death of his father in a psychiatric clinic ...
Behind these emotions is well-being, well-being, well-being ...
Involuntarily, somebody of the Russian-speaking readers may feel discomfort, even boredom ... Everything is very strange ...
April 3, 2020 17:15
Translation from Russian into English: April 4, 2020 10:04.
Владимир Владимирович Залесский 'Мощная машина комфорта. О биографии Артура Конан Дойла от Максима Чертанова. Литературно-историческая заметка.'.