Prose series "Tales of Belkin" was written by Pushkin during the famous "Boldin Autumn" in 1830 and then published anonymously. These series consist of a preface ("From the Publisher") and five novels: "The Shot", "The Blizzard", "The Undertaker", "The Station Master" and "The Squire’s Daughter".
"Tales of Belkin" is a first finished prose work of Pushkin. All novels are written in the village of Great Boldino in autumn of 1830. Due to the author's dating of the story were finished: "The Undertaker" – on the 9th of September, "The Station Master" – on the 14th of September, "The Squire’s Daughter" – on the 20th of September, "The Shot" – on the 14th of October and "The Blizzard" – on the 20th of October.
The preface "From the publisher" dates supposedly from the second half of October or 31 October - beginning of November 1830.
For the first time the entire series of stories, including the preface, was published in the book "Tales of the Late Ivan Petrovich Belkin, published by Aleksandr Pushkin"
Ivan Petrovich Belkin is a character invented by Pushkin. This is a young gentleman who was engaged in writing in his spare time and died in 1828. He has composed 5 stories. His brief biography is described in the preface to the book. In addition to stories series Belkin emerged as the author of the chronicle "History of the village Gorukhino".
Pushkin wrote every story in this or that direction in Russian literature existing at the time: "The Shot" - realism; "The Blizzard", "The Station Master" and " The Squire’s Daughter " - sentimentalism; "The Undertaker" - contains the elements of the Gothic novel. In the works the theme of the "little man" is easily perceptible.
