The Blind Musician

Name: The Blind Musician
Author: Vladimir Korolenko

The story revolves around a young blind musician who lives in a small Russian town. He is a talented violinist and earns his living by playing on the streets. The townspeople are initially sympathetic to him, but their attitude changes when they discover that he has a beautiful singing voice. As news of his talent spreads, people begin to request that he sing for them, rather than play the violin. This leads to a decline in his income and a sense of isolation among the townsfolk, who no longer see him as a musician, but rather as a singer. The story explores themes of identity, community, and the complexities of human relationships.

By Vladimir Korolenko · First published 1886 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Drama, Social Commentary · 50 chapters · 40,421 words

First lines

At the hour of midnight, in a wealthy family living in the southwestern part of Russia, a child was born. As the first faint, pitiful cry of the baby echoed through the room, the young mother, who had been lying with closed eyes, unconscious to all appearances, stirred uneasily in the bed. She murmured a word or two in a low whispering tone, while her pallid face, with its sweet and almost childlike features, was disfigured by an expression of impatience -- like that of a spoiled child, who resents the unwonted suffering as something new to her experience. The nurse bent low to catch the inarticulate sounds that fell from her whispering lips.

What this Textopian page supports

The Blind Musician is listed on Textopian as a novel by Vladimir Korolenko, dated 1886 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Novel
Author: Vladimir Korolenko
Date: 1886 CE
Language: English
Genres: Literary Fiction, Drama, Social Commentary, Coming-of-Age, Realism
Length: 40,421 words
Structure: 50 chapters, 505 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Blind Musician by Vladimir Korolenko
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Blind Musician?
How does this novel by Vladimir Korolenko fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Literary Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Literary Fiction — The narrative focuses on character development and explores deep themes of human experience.
Drama — The story contains intense emotional conflicts and character interactions that drive the plot.
Social Commentary — The work addresses societal issues and the struggles of marginalized individuals.
Coming-of-Age — The protagonist undergoes significant personal growth and self-discovery throughout the story.