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The Economic Times
The Economic Times
Mukesh Thapliyal

Quote of the day by Alexander Pushkin: 'Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of...' - Russian poet and playwright's surprising wisdom behind life's simplest pleasures

Quote of the day by Alexander Pushkin: Alexander Pushkin is considered one of the best literary personalities in Russia. However, the biography of the writer is much more interesting than the definition of Alexander as a poet. He was not only able to write poems, novels, stories and plays but also his writing touched upon such themes as love, freedom, ambition, friendship and human feelings. Alexander was born in 1799 in Moscow into the noble family. Since childhood, he demonstrated a vivid interest in literature, which eventually led him to the formation of his own style that greatly influenced Russian literary writing. Alexander attended the Imperial Lyceum in Tsarskoye Selo, where he started serious writing.

What distinguished Pushkin from the rest was the fact that he could make literature very real and understandable for all people. He blended the literary language with the colloquial language, as well as humor and remarks on human nature. He could be romantic and humorous at one point, and then very serious and introspective at another. The life of Pushkin was also rather dramatic. He knew what love, friendship, politics, and even exile were like. Some of his works were of interest to the government authorities due to his views on liberty and revolution.

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Quote of the day

Quote of the day - " Ecstasy is a glass full of tea and a piece of sugar in the mouth ," is widely attributed to Russian poet, playwright and novelist of the Romantic era Alexander Pushkin.

Meaning of the quote

The quote of the day by Alexander Pushkin is an endearing reminder of the fact that happiness should not necessarily come out of something exceptional or unique in life. Sometimes, it is the small things that bring real happiness to our lives. For example, imagine being seated with a steaming cup of tea on a boring day after being tired. It may help one to relax and appreciate the situation. In such cases, there is no need of having any special food, fancy occasion or adventurous activity involved. However, for some time, everything seems to be perfect. That is the beauty behind Pushkin's words. The quote helps one to appreciate the small joys of life that one may ignore while trying to achieve great things in life.

One of his best known literary works is 'Eugene Onegin', which is a poem telling the story of many characters and their relationships and disappointments. This poem proved Pushkin's talent to unite poetry with realism. Pushkin has also written such famous works as 'The Bronze Horseman', 'The Captain's Daughter', and much more poems and short stories.

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The legacy of Pushkin is not limited to just his novels and poems. He was instrumental in creating the language that would be used in Russian literature in modern times. Moreover, he influenced generations of writers who succeeded him, including prominent writers like Leo Tolstoy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Ivan Turgenev. The popularity of his work can be attributed in part to the emotions which are present in his works. His characters fear love, make mistakes, pursue dreams, experience disappointment, and face tough decisions.

Pushkin's life ended tragically as he lost his life in a duel at only 37 years of age in 1837. Despite his short life, his influence on literature has been immense. Pushkin demonstrated the power of literature when imagination and realistic depiction of people were combined in writing. This might be the reason why his works are still being discussed.

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