Pushkin's verse "To Chaadaev". Genre and theme

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

Among all the majestic works of Pushkin, the verse "To Chaadaev" stands out. The genre and theme of this verse is unique in his work. The verse is unlike most of his lyrical poems and appeals. Here spiritual lyrics are skillfully combined with civil, patriotic lyrics. It was quite an innovative approach to creativity at the time.

Let's conduct a small analysis of the poem "To Chaadaev". The genre and theme will be discussed below. First, let's describe who P. Chaadaev is, why does the poet address quite patriotic messages to him?

A close friend of A. Pushkin - P. Chaadaev

The famous poem is dedicated to a prominent figure at that time - an officer of the Life Guards Hussar Regiment P. Ya. Chaadaev. Pyotr Chaadaev, as an officer, participated in the great Battle of Borodino and the capture of Paris.

Peter Chaadaev participated in many organizations - he was an official member of the Krakow Masonic Lodge, the "Union of Welfare" in Moscow. In the Decembrists, he was only listed. However, no assistance to the movementrendered. Therefore, Pushkin turns to his close friend in the hope that he will understand his impulses of the soul. Peter himself set his peasants free, as he sympathized with them. His political views were very progressive. In addition, this man eventually became one of the smartest people of that time. He himself is a great philosopher and publicist.

"To Chaadaev". Verse-message

The great poet created this creation in the St. Petersburg period of creativity. Then the young Alexander Sergeevich, as you know, deeply sympathized with the movement of the rebels - the Decembrists.

Chadaev, one of the few comrades of his young years, he could trust any of his innermost ideas, he always appreciated the opinion of his older friend.

The verse was written in 1818, it was known to all the Decembrist youth with whom Pushkin communicated and sought to interact in the future.

The poet did not publish his poem himself, but one of the young people who knew the poet himself submitted these lines for publication in 1829, against Pushkin's wishes.

Genre and theme

If we take into account the time of the release of the poem, we can understand Pushkin's fears. The poem ex alts freedom from autocracy. Although it is not directly said about the overthrow of tsarism, the spirit of the revolutionary is very clearly felt in the stanzas.

Let's return to the literary analysis. By genre, a poetic work is considered a message to a friend. Although Pushkin addresses not only Pyotr Yakovlevich Chaadaev, but all his compatriots who share his liberallooks.

This genre - the message was widely used in ancient times. It was used in their work by Ovid and even Horace. In the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, this genre was also very popular among writers.

Pushkin writes in a letter to a friend innermost thoughts that otherwise might not have poured out of the poet's soul. Feel in the poem and lyrical spiritual notes. After all, by nature Pushkin is a lyricist. And even in his civil lyrics one can feel the sublime poetic soul. He is able to sum up personal and civil feelings and give extraordinary pathos to his thoughts.

What is the theme? The theme is a revolutionary proclamation, imbued to the core with deep love for the fatherland and youthful ardent faith that, following the path of revolution, he will serve his people and future generations. This theme fully corresponds to the chosen genre of the verse "To Chaadaev". The genre, as we remember, is a message in a lyric-civil form.

"To Chaadaev". Idea

In the poem "To Chaadaev" the main idea is a call for freedom and civil choice - to change or not to change the political situation? During the Decembrist movement, this issue was acute in noble circles. Alexander Pushkin considers it an honor to fight against tsarism and serfdom. And he does not see his fate otherwise; the poet considers it his duty to help the movement. He uses socio-political vocabulary to express how important the fate of his homeland is to him.

The lines of the verse directly say: "Our names will be written on the ruins of autocracy!". He talks aboutlove of freedom as the dignity of an ex alted citizen of his homeland. And he believes that his poems will really awaken impulses of civil disobedience, and he sees his merit in that.

Poetic meter

Like most of Pushkin's poems, "To Chaadaev", the genre and theme of which we have already examined in detail, is written in iambic 6-foot. This poetic size was the most favorite in his work. Iambic is found in almost every work and is given to the poet with unprecedented ease.

Only sometimes found in later works anapaest, but it was much later, when the poet also sought to experiment in poetry. When I tried to find a new muse for myself and slightly change the usual rhythm in the narrative.

Conclusion

As you can see, the young Pushkin, who had just finished his studies at the Lyceum, greatly valued his friendship with his senior comrade Peter Chaadaev. The whole poem is a message to a friend, in which the poet reveals his patriotic feelings. And what is the main idea of the verse, what is the quintessence of the message "To Chaadaev"? The theme chosen by the poet is the desire for a free life in the fatherland. And the idea is a call to devote all your thoughts and feelings to the fatherland.