Pyotr “Peter” Ilyich Tchaikovsky was one of the greatest and popular Russian composers of all time. Even though he died very mysteriously at the age of 53. His musical talent was so stellar, which led him to composing numerous symphonies, chamber compositions, vocal compositions, and dramatic works. With great musical ability comes great struggles within his personal life, much like other composers. Depression and love affairs were a constant struggle, but his music helped overcome those issues
Tchaikovsky: A Musical Giant Among Men Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky is widely considered the most popular Russian composer in history, who has added major contributions to the world of music in his time as well as in ours. His most influential as well as prominent works include The Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker. His music has always had great appeal for the general public because of its beautiful, flowing melodies, harmonies, and intriguing, picturesque orchestration, all of which bring about a
Introduction: L’Oreal was started in 1907 by French chemist, Eugene Schueller, who developed the world’s first synthetic hair-color product, L’Aureole. By 1912 his hair products were sold in France, Netherlands, Austria and Italy. In the mid-1930s, Schueller moved into the hygiene and toiletry sectors of the cosmetic market with great success. L’Oreal soon earned the reputation as the leader in European hair coloring and skin care products. Although L’Oreal reached European success, entering into
Nature regularly plays an integral role in all forms of literature whether it be novels, short stories, poetry, or screenplays. Ilfat Idilbi uses nature to the same extent in The Charm very effectively. In Idilbi's short story, nature is given the task of depicting the mood through the descriptions of the events as well as supplying symbolism that relates directly to the story line and the characters.. It also is a very important contributor to the depiction of the development of the main character
Ivan Turgenev is one of the greatest Russian writers of the nineteenth century. In his pieces, Turgenev shows deep concern for the tangible problems of Russia at that particular time, such as the evolution of peasants and intellectuals, the women question and the hierarchy of Russian population. In his masterpiece Fathers and Sons, Turgenev emphasizes the enormous difference between subsequent generations by describing their distinctive philosophical views and life ideologies. The protagonists of
Comparing Joseph Stalin and Fidel Castro There have been many dictators through out history that have shaped the way we look at them now. Sometimes it’s the way that dictators came to power that people judge them on. Sometimes it’s how long they stayed in power, but it’s not just how long they stayed in power. It’s what they did to stay in power. These two men are some of the most infamous dictators for those reasons alone. These men are Joseph Stalin and Fidel Castro, and they played a huge
in order to deliver logical, yet powerful messages. For centuries, authors have used satires as devices to not only ridicule, but to expose and criticize people’s stupidity and vices, often so in the context of character and demeanor. 19th century Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol was undoubtedly no different. Considered Gogol’s greatest work, Dead Souls is both an exemplar of intellectual Russian critique and side-splitting comedy gold, making it a satire worth crowning its author as one of the greatest writers
In Nikolai Gogol’s short story “Nevsky Prospect” (1835), setting illuminates the theme of lies and deception. The setting of the story is the city of St. Petersburg, Russia. St. Petersburg was custom-built as a distinctly European-style capital. The replication of European architecture gives St. Petersburg an artificial feel, which can be seen in the setting of Gogol’s story. The story’s setting is more than just a city; it is a character of its own. The setting of the story is initially presented
The statement made by Bukharin greatly represents how Stalin came to power. Stalin had not been viewed by other members in the Politburo, especially Trotsky, as intellectually capable enough of being the leader of Russia. The members of the Politburo did not take into consideration that Stalin had within the party, in particular through his role as the General Secretary, and that he was easily able to manipulate those and events within the government, such as Lenin's death, for his own advantage
“Home is where the heart is,” an old proverb affirms. But this did not always ring true in the life of Gogol Ganguli. In The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri, Gogol was the son of Bengali immigrants who resided in the Northeastern United States. Gogol, many times, struggled with his identity, and one of the major parts of identity is the place one lives. Throughout Gogol’s life, he lived in several different houses and places, and felt differently about each one, fitting into some and feeling strange
Set over three decades, The Namesake describes the lives of the Ganguli family as they live in a country that challenges their culture and values. The family is separated by a generation gap; Ashoke and Ashima were born and raised to traditional families in Calcutta, but their move to the United States means that their children grow up adopting very different lifestyles. As the years pass, their firstborn, Gogol, displays a strong disapproval of his identity and especially his name, instead embracing
Most people carry the belief that marriage only occurs when two people are really in love. However, it is a fact, but not always the only reason that people get married. In the short story “The Story of an Hour”, Kate Chopin uses irony to demonstrate a typical situation of a society with women as prisoners in their marriages, and they can get out of marriage only after their husband’s death. During that time, marriage is not about the mutual love between a woman and a man. The marriage is about how
The Impact of Greed and Superficial Materialism on Society Humans know the price of everything and the value of nothing. From one’s first breath, you are placed into a social ranking. This ranking puts a price tag on you. In Russian society in the 1800’s, one might take a single glimpse at this price and determine your stature. Whereupon, if the price is high, one might feel more compelled to treat you with authority or respect. Money is power. If the price is inferior, one might feel the right to
In The Namesake, Gogol was always unsure of his identity he did not know how to communicate his feelings with others or how to express himself. He was nothing like his sister Sonia or his enemy Dimitri. He was quiet and lonesome. Sonia and Gogol are complete opposites when it comes to their character types. Sonia is more outgoing, whereas, Gogol is the shy oddball. According to the book, The Namesake, “Sonia plays with the dirt they've dug up from the yard and threatened to put the dollar bill in
In Gogol’s Petersburg Tales, he emphasizes the contrast between idealism and the concrete city of St. Petersburg. In “Nevsky Prospect” and “The Portrait”, he depicts the stories of an idealistic “Petersburg artist”. Gogol’s portrayal of these characters reveals a specific conception of “the artist”, as he presents certain values and characteristics as being central to the identity of the artist. For Gogol, the artist represents purity, passion, innocence, and idealism. The artist’s lofty profession
Dead Souls was written by Nikolai Gogol and first published in 1842. Even though Gogol was born in the Ukraine, he is widely known for being a Russian author. Dead Souls is a story about a fictional character, Pavel Ivanovich Chichikov, who travels to a small town in Russia to swindle himself a fortune. Chichikov enters the town and almost immediately begins to sway the favor of anyone with status or nobility. His charm makes him seem unlike any other passerby, in that almost all of the town’s officials
Lenin's Death as the Beginning of a Period of Struggle for Leadership between the Leading Bolsheviks Lenin’s death marked the beginning of a period of struggle for leadership between the leading Bolsheviks, at the end of which Stalin emerged as the undisputed and unchallenged dictator. Divisions in the party over the future of the Revolution enabled Stalin to position himself in a place of power, providing
The Overcoat by Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol The hero of “The Overcoat”, Akaky Akakievich, engenders both hatred and pity from the reader. His meekness and his pathetic life deserve sympathy, while his utter detachment from his peers and his singular obsession with a coat are often despised. He is drastically different from any of his peers, but there is a certain purity in his way of life which the overcoat defiles. Akaky’s world is completely devoid of any excitement; his sole source of pleasure
Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” grabs its readers from the start and creates an unexpected twist at the end of the short story. Louise Mallard is given the news that her husband has died in a terrible train accident. To her surprise, he arrives home and “did not even know there had been one” (Chopin, 607). Upon the death of Louise who once believes she was a widow only to find that her husband is still alive, the confusion begins. The death of Louise is questioned by many critics as a state
Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise’s West Side Story (USA, 1961), a classic American film, and Mira Nair’s The Namesake (USA, 2006), a more contemporary film, both tell the story of young adults seeking out the American Dream. In both West Side Story and The Namesake, we see young people taking chances at love, while living out their lives and the American Dream. We experience the challenges that come with interracial relationships and the cultural influences that sadly put an end to the relationships