A. S. Pushkin, "To Chaadaev". Analysis of the poem

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

A. S. Pushkin, "To Chaadaev" is the topic of today's article. The poem was written in 1818. The person to whom the message is addressed was one of the closest friends of the poet. Pushkin met P. Ya. Chaadaev during his stay in Tsarskoye Selo. In St. Petersburg, their friendship did not stop. In 1821, Chaadaev became a member of the Union of Welfare (a secret society of the Decembrists).

But soon he nevertheless left the freedom-loving ideals of his young years. The main thing that Pushkin wanted to express in the poem “To Chaadaev”, the theme that runs through him like a red thread, is the struggle against autocracy, liberty, freedom. The message turned out to be passionate, enthusiastic, temperamental in matters of politics, inspired and even pompous. It is immediately clear that it belongs to the early period of the poet's work. However, along with elements characteristic of Pushkin's lyceum lyrics, there are serious sprouts of future mature works here. In general, several motives can be traced in the work at once. Later they will be repeated more than once in other variations in the poet's work.

Alexander Pushkin, "To Chaadaev": the motive of glory

In all the lyrics, yes, perhaps, in all the poetry of the author, he is the most stable. It is estimated that in Pushkin's work the noun "glory" occurs about 500 times in different meanings. Of course, the point is not in the amount of its use, but nevertheless. All his life, right up to the writing of the "Monument", Pushkin thought about what glory is: wide popularity, the result of generally accepted opinion, or just secular talk and rumors.

A. S. Pushkin, "To Chaadaev": the motive of false hopes

The lyrical hero of the message is deceived in his best dreams and expectations, but he does not give in to despair. After all, such an “elevating deceit”, such a noble delusion is inevitable in youth, associated with its unbridled impulses. Under the burden of years, of course, they dissipate, but they leave their mark on every soul, and certainly better than dark and low truths. The motive of deceit and false, unfulfilled hopes in Pushkin is often compared with a dream, which suggests the idea of the first philosophical poems of G. R. Derzhavin. Apparently, singing life in faded colors at the age of 17 is typical of all young poets.

A. S. Pushkin, "To Chaadaev": the motive of political freedom

Further, from a pessimistic note, the message changes into a different tone, more major, cheerful. Here, in a political context, the author uses the images of fire and burning that are characteristic of love lyrics. In the message, they convey the intensity of feelings. It becomes clearer with every linethe political context of the work. Under the yoke of power, the hope and hope that freedom will triumph and justice will triumph is even stronger. In political slavery, the expectation of freedom becomes even more impatient, the voice of the Fatherland is even more audible. In the mind of the poet, service to the Motherland is inextricably merged with the struggle against power - unjust, oppressive people. The civic pathos of the epistle intensifies more and more from one quatrain to another. Political words are heard more and more often. The tonality of the whole work determines the motif of liberty. A. S. Pushkin makes the words “Fatherland”, “honor”, “freedom” exceptionally capacious in the poem. “To Chaadaev” is a call to a comrade to devote his whole life to such a holy cause as the liberation of the Motherland from autocracy. And for this, the memory of posterity will be more grateful to him than for singing in verse the amusements of youth and the quiet joys of life. The final lines of the message are also filled with high enthusiasm and pathos, pure love for the Motherland and freedom.