A. S. Pushkin, "Poltava": analysis of the poem

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

Pushkin wrote his second largest poem in record time. "Poltava" was conceived in the spring of 1828, but work on it somehow did not go, and Alexander Sergeevich postponed this work until the fall. It was then that inspiration came to the writer, and he composed a poem in a few days. Pushkin wrote all day long, distracted only to satisfy his hunger, he dreamed of poetry even at night. The poet in a hurry wrote down everything that came to his mind, sometimes even in prose, and then corrected it.

The attitude of critics to the poem "Poltava"

Pushkin distinguished himself with his innovative work. "Poltava" was not understood by either contemporaries or future generations of critics. There are many different opinions about what exactly the poet wanted to show in his poem. With a superficial glance at the work, one can understand that Alexander Sergeevich made a hero out of Peter, and a villain and a traitor out of Mazepa, that is, everything is exactly as it was customary in Pushkin's time.

Manyresearchers of the poet's work cannot agree with such an interpretation, knowing the attitude of Alexander Sergeevich towards Peter, it is difficult to imagine that he could voluntarily praise him. In the 19th century, it was impossible to freely voice one's thoughts, so the poet left Peter to be ex alted and Mazepa to be stigmatized by an unknown narrator, and the author's handwriting can be traced in the Notes, from which it becomes clear which side A. S. Pushkin is on. The poem "Poltava" still causes a lot of controversy among writers.

Main topics covered in the poem

Alexander Sergeevich managed to reveal three topics in Poltava. The first topic concerns the fate of Russia and the entire Russian people, relations with other European states. Pushkin has not yet forgotten about the memorable battle with Napoleon, therefore, with patriotism and pride in the Fatherland, he recreated the struggle between Peter and Charles XII. Although the enemy was powerful, and the victory was hard, but still the Russian people were able to survive, show inner strength and cope with the invasion, defend their territory.

Pushkin also showed the multinationality of the state in his work. "Poltava" characterizes the writer as a state thinker who reflects on the cohesion of different nations within one country. As an example, Alexander Sergeevich takes Ukraine, which Mazepa wants to tear away from Russia with the help of enemy troops. The theme of a private person caught in the wheel of history was also covered by Pushkin. "Poltava" showed not only the struggle for territory at the level of rulers, but also the fate of ordinarypeople who became participants in terrible events.

Historical description of battles

Alexander Sergeevich attached great importance to the reliability of the description of historical events. The poem is accompanied by notes, as well as a list of historical documents indicating the veracity of the events that Pushkin described in his work. "Poltava" (the excerpt "Poltava battle" is the most vivid, memorable and patriotic) was written in high spirits, with some of its features the poem resembles the style of Ukrainian thoughts, folk songs or historical legends.