The poem "Borodino" Lermontov M. Yu

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

M. Yu. Lermontov dedicated the poem "Borodino" to the events of the Patriotic War of 1812. The work was written 25 years after the momentous battle. First published in 1837 in Sovremennik magazine.

History of writing

In the early thirties, Lermontov wrote a poem "The Field of Borodin". It is believed that it was then that the poet had the idea of a poem dedicated to the Patriotic War. Lermontov's "Borodino" came out on the anniversary of the battle that took place in September 1812. The work could not fail to attract wide attention. In those years, the heroic resistance of the Russian people during the short period of the anti-Napoleonic campaign was actively discussed. Mikhail Lermontov, like many in the first half of the 19th century, liked to reflect on Russia's past and events that changed the course of history.

Features

What is the key idea in the work "Borodino"? M. Yu. Lermontov, according to Belinsky, wanted to emphasize the inaction of his contemporaries, their envy of their ancestors who lived intimes marked by glory and great deeds. The theme of heroism runs like a red thread through many works created by the Russian poet in the first half of the thirties.

Shortly before writing the poem "Borodino" Lermontov met Afanasy Stolypin. This man was a hero, a veteran of the Patriotic War, an artillery staff captain. In a word, a legendary personality in Lermontov's times. And of course, the staff captain participated in the Battle of Borodino. Lermontov and Stolypin were related. The latter was the brother of the poet's grandmother.

Stolypin told the poet a lot about the Battle of Borodino. But in the work the narration is conducted on behalf of a nameless soldier - an illiterate man, but wise and insightful. But most importantly - on behalf of a direct participant in the liberation war. This feature makes the work epic and fills it with folklore content. In the story of a soldier-artilleryman, there are epoch-making moods that were often met in the circle of the military in those days. There is another interesting image in the work - a nameless colonel. Lermontov does not objectify this character. But there is a version that its prototype is Pyotr Bagration, the famous general, commander-in-chief of the Second Western Army.

Battle of Borodino

It was the biggest battle of the Patriotic War. It lasted twelve hours. Any history textbook says that the Russian army won this battle. However, Kutuzov the next day after the victory ordered to retreat. Why? The thing isthat Napoleon had large reserves. After a visible victory, defeat could also occur.

The French army invaded the territory of the Russian Empire in the early summer of 1812. Russian troops retreated. The French quickly advanced inland. The Napoleonic army was strong, and, as it seemed to many then, invincible. The retreat of the Russian army, which was clearly delayed, caused extreme discontent among the public. Then Alexander I appointed Kutuzov commander in chief. However, he also chose the path of retreat.

There is no consensus on how many Russian soldiers died in the battle sung in Lermontov's poem "Borodino". The number of losses has been repeatedly revised by historians. However, at least thirty thousand people are known to have died.

According to French encyclopedias, about thirty thousand soldiers and officers of the Napoleonic army were killed in the battle. True, two-thirds of the total number of victims died from wounds. The battle of Borodino is one of the bloodiest in the 19th century. And this is the largest battle of those that lasted only one day. But only until 1812 (the losses in subsequent wars are much greater).

The battle of Borodino is devoted to many works of literature. It is reflected in Tolstoy's novel War and Peace, in one of Pushkin's poems and, of course, in Lermontov's Borodino.

Storyline

M. Yu. Lermontov's poem "Borodino" is a kind of story about the events of 1812. As already mentioned, the story is fromfaces of a common soldier. The author does not name his hero. The story is prompted by a question asked by a member of the younger generation.

Everyone knows the first lines of Lermontov's verse "Borodino". The interlocutor of the narrator is interested in why the burned Moscow was given to Napoleon. The stanza, beginning with the words “Tell me uncle …”, is known by heart by many. But what did the nameless soldier say? There is no plot as such in the verse "Borodino" by Lermontov. These are the memories of an old warrior, clothed by the poet in poetic form.

Soldier begins to remember the battle. In his story there are notes of regret about the past heroic times. The current generation (“the current tribe”), according to the narrator, is inferior both in nobility and courage to the brave military.

The story told by a veteran of the Patriotic War is permeated with pride in the courage of the Russian people. The hero of the poem "Borodino" Lermontov admires the courage of his fellow soldiers. In the narrative, the narrator uses the pronouns "I" and "we". He is part of the Russian people. He is inseparable from him. The narrator speaks for all the soldiers. The hero of Lermontov's work "Borodino" expresses the true national spirit and love for the Fatherland.

Composition

The work begins with a stanza, which is a question from a representative of a new generation. This is an introduction. It is followed by the main part. The story of the protagonist in Lermontov's poem "Borodino" has a circular composition. The story begins with the fact that he expresses admiration for the soldiers who ended up in 1812year in the very center of hostilities. There are survivors and fallen among them.

Next, a detailed description of the battle begins. The narration of the soldiers is not impartial. The narrator expresses the feelings that he himself and the other soldiers experienced. The work ends with words about Moscow, which Russian soldiers would not give up if it were not for God's will.

Artistic and expressive means

Lermontov's work is a monologue of a simple soldier, and therefore elements of colloquial speech are used in it. The whole poem is an appeal of the representatives of the old time to the young, on whose shoulders the responsibility for the Fatherland is now placed. However, the narrator doubts his interlocutor and others like him: “The heroes are not you!”

Lermontov included colloquial expressions and words in the narrative, for example, "here it is", "ears on top", "what's the use of such a trifle." The French soldier calls "musya".

Meet in the work "Borodino" Lermontov and elements of high style: "sparkling eyes", "rejoiced". Thus, the author emphasized the greatness, the special significance of the battle in the history of Russia. There are several rhetorical exclamations at the beginning of the poem. They also express the solemnity of the Battle of Borodino.

Image of the Colonel

It's notable how the soldier talks about this nameless character. He calls the colonel "a servant of the tsar, a father of soldiers." Thanks to a few wordsthe image of a noble, honest, just and generous commander is created, who, dying on the battlefield, leaves only good memories in the soul of the soldiers.

Climax

The main part of Lermontov's work is the one in which the soldier tells directly about the battle. Here the author did not stint on expressive means. The soldier describes the rapid attack of the French as follows: "they moved like clouds." Uses the poet and personifications, emphasizing the fierceness of the battle, such as "buckshot screeched".