Amar Chelebela: Maxim Gorky Translated by Amal Dasgupta Bengali Novel PDF
Title: Amar Chelebela (My Childhood),
Author: Maxim Gorky,
Translator: Amal Dasgupta,
Language: Bengali,
Genre: Autobiography, Bengali Novel,
Amal Dasgupta translated the autobiographical book Amar Chelebela (My Childhood) of Gorky
Subject Matter: Gorky’s own childhood hardships, his grandmother’s affection, and a portrayal of contemporary Russian society.
Introduction
“Amar Chelebela (My Childhood)” is Maxim Gorky’s famous autobiographical work. Translated by Amal Dasgupta, this book is a timeless document of the difficult childhood and bitter life experiences of the orphan Alexei Maximovich Peshkov.
Gorky: Amar Chelebela (My Childhood)
Before becoming a famous writer, Maxim Gorky of Nizhny Novgorod spent his life working as a servant in a shoe shop, sometimes washing dishes on a steamboat, sometimes working as a blacksmith, and sometimes as a servant in a bakery. “My Childhood” is a novel about the early life of Gorky. This Russian author was born on March 28, 1868, in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia, at his maternal grandparents’ home. He later became famous in the world of literature under the name Maxim Gorky, abandoning the name given to him by his father.
A Alone Life
After his father’s death, he took refuge in his grandfather Kashirin’s house in Nizhny Novgorod. After his mother’s death a short time later, the responsibility for his upbringing fell to his grandfather. However, his grandfather did not want to take on this responsibility. A few days after his mother’s funeral, he called Gorky and said, “I can’t keep you hanging around my neck like a medal. There’s no place for you here anymore. It’s time for you to venture out into the world.”
Meaningless Life
At one point, he had to take a job in a bakery. He had to work continuously from evening until noon the next day. The harsh realities of poverty and the strain of backbreaking labor day after day caused him to lose his mental strength. Life became meaningless to him; survival seemed pointless. To end his bitter life, Gorky bought a pistol.
On December 14, 1887, when he was only 20 years old, Peshkov went to the riverbank and shot himself in the chest. He was taken to the hospital in critical condition. The doctors had given up hope for his life, but miraculously, he survived. An old revolutionary occasionally visited the bakery.
After Gorky recovered, the revolutionary took him to his village home. He didn’t want to stay in one place for long. During this time, he composed some poems, which he titled “Songs of the Old Oak.” He was acquainted with two revolutionaries, which led to his arrest by the police. However, due to lack of evidence, he was released after a short time.
Second Life
Then his second life began. Peshkov started life anew with renewed vigor. Joining a revolutionary group, Gorky got his hands on the works of Marx. He began reading books on economics, history, sociology, philosophy, and many other subjects. Poverty was still his constant companion.
Then, he met a famous young writer, Vladimir Korolenko. Gorky regained his consciousness through Korolenko’s words. He challenged conventional ways of thinking… Having abandoned his previous path, he embarked on a new journey. The people of the lower strata of society—thieves, scoundrels, vagrants, drunkards, prostitutes, farmers, laborers, and fishermen—began to appear in his writings.
Some of the famous stories from this period include ‘Malva’, ‘Old Izergil’, ‘Chelkash’, and ‘The Birth of a Man’. These stories reflect, on the one hand, his deep compassion for the downtrodden, and on the other, his extraordinary descriptive power, imagination, and creative genius. He gained worldwide recognition through his novels.
Literary Works:
“My Childhood” (1913) is the first of three novels based on Maxim Gorky’s autobiography. The other two are “On the Road to the World” (1915) and “In the World’s School” (1923).
Maxim Gorky’s autobiographical novel “My Childhood” is primarily a poignant portrayal of poverty, cruelty, and a helpless childhood in pre-revolutionary Russia. It depicts the struggles of young Alyosha (Gorky), who lost his father, and his life with his strict grandfather, kind grandmother, family conflicts, and his fight for survival in the face of harsh realities.
After leaving home at the age of just 12, Gorky began to earn his own living. Despite facing immense hardships at every step of his life, he never lost faith in himself and humanity, nor his hope for acquiring knowledge.
The Main Themes of the Novel:
- Cruel Childhood and Poverty: After his father’s death, five-year-old Alyosha finds refuge with his mother at his grandfather’s house. There, his childhood is spent amidst his grandfather’s tyranny, his uncles’ quarrels, and extreme poverty.
- Grandfather’s Cruelty vs. Grandmother’s Love: The grandfather was a harsh, greedy, and cruel man who regularly beat young Alyosha. On the other hand, his grandmother was his best friend, affectionate and a storyteller, who sowed the seeds of love in Alyosha’s heart.
- Facing Reality: Gorky witnessed firsthand the hypocrisy, jealousy, and the monstrous side of humanity surrounding his childhood. This harsh environment quickly matured him.
- Artistic Representation: Although the book tells the story of the author’s own life, it is not merely Gorky’s biography, but a document of the struggles of ordinary Russian people of that time.
- Self-Reliance: After leaving home at the age of just 12, Gorky began to earn his own living and, despite the hardships, never lost faith in humanity and his hope for acquiring knowledge.
- A Life Forged in Hardship: Maxim Gorky is one of the few literary figures of the nineteenth century who created a storm in world literature.
In Short
“My Childhood” is a courageous portrayal of the dark aspects of life and the resilience of humanity amidst adversity. A story of struggle. Readers can now access and enjoy the PDF version online.