The Image of I. A. Bunin in the Memoir Prose of Irina Odoevtseva
(Based on the Memoir “Na beregakh Seny”)

Irina Odoevtseva’s emigration began in 1922, permanently deleting the poet from Russian literature. In emigration, she stopped writing poems and turned to prose. Mainly, her memoir
work brought her fame. The memoirs “Na beregakh Seny” are dedicated to the memories
writers and poets of the Russian emigration, but a special place among them is occupied by
I. A. Bunin. It was his criticism that Odoevtseva considered the most valuable and it was from
him that she received approval as a prose writer. Thanks in large part to his comments and observations, she improved her writing skills. Moreover, the author-memoirist managed to get
the location of Bunin. He repeatedly noted Odoevtseva’s ability to listen to him with genuine attention and interest. This impressed the writer and made him want to share his thoughts. Irina Odoevtseva’s femininity, diplomacy and sincerity allowed her to maintain good relations
with Bunin throughout her life. So, the most significant event of emigration for Odoevtseva
becomes acquaintance with Bunin.

The memoirist does not tell about each meeting in chronological order: it captures the most
striking key moments. The poet admired the extraordinary and rare talent of the writer. Behind the mask of arrogance and arrogance, Odoevtseva was able to discern the best human
qualities in him. She saw her task as bringing her contemporaries and descendants at least a
little closer to Bunin’s greatness. According to the memoirist, he was such a multiaceted
personality that no one could give an exhaustive description of his image. Being a poet and
prose writer, she learned Bunin mainly as an author-Creator. But the main thing in Irina
Odoevtseva’s observations is that this image extended to Bunin’s life as a whole. This was
expressed in the way he saw the world, how he spoke and reminisced about his childhood and
youth. Even the most mundane story told by Bunin became a small work of art. The writer did
not just tell, but showed what he was talking about. He, like no one else, felt and understood
nature subtly and sensitively, and his presence always created a special atmosphere. This, according to Odoevtseva, made him an extraordinary and unique person, and that is why it was
so important for her to get to know the real Ivan Bunin and capture his multi-faceted image.