Рассказ И. С. Шмелева «Свечка» и судьба князя Голицына

Abstract

The story “Candle” (1924) tells about a huge exemplary economy in the South of Russia, which name of Star-Novka is consonant with the Crimean Novy Svet, acquired in 1878 by Prince L.S. Golitsyn who created a winery in it. The fate of Star-Novka is described by Shmelev from the words of the Manager, who loved his business, but was forced to go abroad at the risk of his life after the establishment of Soviet power. However even in a foreign land he continues to believe in the undying humanity in people — the light in the soul, metaphorically manifested in the narrative by the image of a candle. The state of affairs of Prince Golitsyn, for 37 years skillfully and fruitfully managed the New World, gradually fell into decay, so that the estate in 1913 was donated to Nicholas II. L.S. Golitsyn died in 1915. His daughter and two granddaughters, underwent the troubles similar to those described in Shmelev's story. Thus, under the threat of execution in 1918, their jewelry was confiscated, in the 1920s their granddaughters were arrested, the husband of one of them managed to escape and settled in Paris. The real events he experienced, perhaps told and heard by Shmelev, could serve, in our opinion, a historical basis for the plot of the story “Candle”.