Lyceum lyrics by Pushkin A. S. Analysis and list of works

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

Pushkin began to write poetry quite early, and he was not satisfied with all his early works. However, Pushkin's lyceum lyrics are of great interest to researchers, because it was at this time that the author's poetic style was formed.

Periodization of creativity

The work of A. S. Pushkin is very complex and multifaceted. In each of the periods of his life, the writer turned to certain topics, treated life phenomena in different ways. It is customary to classify Pushkin's work depending on its location. For example, the lyceum period is considered the first, followed by the St. Petersburg period, the time when the young writer worked at the College of Foreign Affairs. Then the poet was sent to the Southern exile. Here, in the south of Russia, the third period of his work begins. Then he settles in the Mikhailovsky family estate, then in Boldino, and finally, the second Petersburgsky completes the diverse work of this brilliant writer.

Training at the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum

The years spent at the Lyceum contributed to the development of a love of literature. After all, this school hadhumanitarian focus. The main subjects were history, literature and foreign languages. In literature classes, students were required to present their own work. Undoubtedly, Pushkin was most successful in these exercises. In addition to studies, students published their poems in the publications "Young swimmers", "Inexperienced pen", "Lyceum sage". Pushkin regularly participated in literary readings, followed the news in this area. One of the favorite entertainments of the lyceum students was the collective composition of fairy tales, in which Delvig and Kuchelbecker were the most successful.

The first poem by A. S. Pushkin

The poet's first serious literary experience appeared in print in 1814. It was the work "To a friend of the poet." It should be said that, like other early works of the poet, this verse was imitative. Pushkin inherited Boileau's style. In a playfully comic manner, the lyrical hero of the poem turns to his friend, who writes poetry. He advises him to give up poetry, because “to be glorious is good, calm is better twice.” Despite his young age, Pushkin tremblingly felt the true purpose of the poet. This is not someone who can rhyme lines, he must teach, please the mind, experience and work endlessly without sparing himself.

Already in this early poetic creation, Pushkin shows his light style, of course, the poet is well versed in the genre of satire, in addition, the situations depicted by him are very believable. The genius was able to do what none of the imitators could doBoileau.

Thus, Pushkin's lyceum lyrics already offer an example of his attitude to the theme of the poet and poetry. Briefly, we can say that for Pushkin, writing is following the muse and inspiration, it is selfless and responsible work.

The poet's first triumph

True success and blessing for further creativity Pushkin receives during the exam in Russian literature. As an examination paper, Alexander Sergeevich offers his ode "Memories in Tsarskoye Selo". The main listener and censor was the master of Russian literature - G. R. Derzhavin. Subsequently, Pushkin recalled that he read his poems with incredible quivering excitement, he could hardly control himself. Derzhavin was delighted, he wanted to hug the young poet.

Pushkin's lyceum lyrics (poems written during the first three years of study, in particular) show his ability to work with different genres. He is equally successful both in satire and in ode, lyrics, elegies. This ability was especially clearly manifested in the poem "Memories in Tsarskoye Selo". Of course, Pushkin relies on the tradition of Russian classicism, but he brings a fresh stream to the verse, adding an elegiac, meditative mood to the ode genre. When the author speaks of the glory of Russian heroes, he chooses a solemn odic style. After the verse becomes smoother and more melodic, at the moment when the lyrical hero recalls the moment of Napoleon's offensive, that he lived in carelessness and bliss for all the years, not knowing that trouble would come. AND,finally, the poem ends with the same solemn and loud voice glorifying the capital of Russia. This work embodied all the grace, all the power that Pushkin's lyceum lyrics have. The composition "Memories in Tsarskoye Selo" made the author famous. It was after reading it that Derzhavin blessed the young genius for his future work and announced that a great poet had appeared in Russia.

Pushkin's lyceum lyrics: poems imitating light French poetry

Why did Pushkin's poems look unusual and new? Mainly because of the language. Pushkin chooses a special poetic style. There are no more ponderous phrases, long lines, difficult to understand syntactic constructions that were so characteristic of the poets of classicism. Alexander Sergeevich adopts the style of such French poets as Guys and Voltaire, whose work is usually called "light". However, lightness was manifested not only at the level of style, but also at the level of subject matter. Pushkin's lyceum lyrics are an affirmation of epicureanism, a free attitude to life. Pushkin borrows this motif from his colleague in writing, Batyushkov. Another well-known poem of the lyceum period is the message of 1814 "To Batyushkov". In this text, the poet calls his friend "sloth", "frisky philosopher". Pushkin gives friendly advice to Batyushkov: enjoy life, love, but don't forget the music.

Civic motives in early lyrics

Civil motives kept popping up inpoems of the poet throughout his career, the lyceum lyrics of Pushkin were no exception. The poems in which these motives sound are distinguished by liveliness, energy and youthful uncompromisingness. One of the most famous works is Licinius (1815). In this text, Alexander Sergeevich draws on an extensive layer of ancient symbols and images. The author tells us about the time of the Roman decline, when people deified their emperor, when moral standards began to decline. The lyrical hero is a young and passionate poet. He invites his friend Licinius to leave Rome, go to the countryside and work with poetry there, in a word to condemn the low morals of their time. This work is well compared with the freedom-loving lyrics of the poet, created by him in the first Petersburg period. However, the lyceum lyrics are distinguished by a complete denial of state power, which is dictated by the Epicurean view of the world.

Changes in lyrics

Already in the last years of his studies at the Lyceum, Pushkin begins to write poems in which notes of sadness appear. This change was marked by the message "To Zhukovsky" (1816). Pushkin will no longer have an anacreontic expanse, carelessness. The poet will remain the same optimist, but he does not accept life for the sake of pleasure. In a letter to Zhukovsky, Pushkin expresses his respect for the work of this great poet. Elegiac poems become the main direction in the late lyceum period. An example is the poems "Separation", "Desire", "Singer".

Analysis of Pushkin's lyrics is impossible without drawing parallels between his work andworks of other poets of his time. Alexander Sergeevich conducts a kind of dialogue with his contemporaries, the subject of which is art, namely, how it should be, what a poet should write about, how to write.

Pushkin's lyceum lyrics: poems (list)

The most famous poems of Pushkin, written by him in the Tsarskoye Selo Lyceum:

1. "Memories in Tsarskoye Selo".
2. "Licinia".
3. "To Batyushkov".
4. "To Zhukovsky".
5. "Wish".
6. "Elegy".
7. "Riders".

Conclusions

The richest material for research is Pushkin's lyceum lyrics. Briefly, it can be described as the formation of the poetic manner of the writer, in which the talent of a master of all genres, as well as the ability to work with words, was clearly manifested. After all, already in these verses one can see the harmonious style, lightness and beauty of poetry. The main themes of Pushkin's lyrics of this period: poetry, friendship, love.