A. Block. "The Stranger" (analysis)

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

The theoretical basis of Symbolist poetry was the philosophy of intuitive creativity, the expression of vague feelings and subtle ideas through incoherent unsystematic symbols. The so-called secret writing of the unspoken. The second most important symbolist category was the obligatory musicality of the verse.

The reader must independently decipher the poetry of Alexander Blok's hints and take part in creativity, adding to the picture of fantasy or conditional reality of the poetic landscape, attitude or inexpressible experience of the creator.

One of Blok's hobbies was the philosophy of Vladimir Solovyov, from the ideal of unity of which a symbol of the eternal feminine, or femininity, came into his work. The surrounding world of the beginning of the century, with its tragic contradictions and social catastrophes, seemed terrible to the poet, so even the central poetic cycle of this period was called.

Block. "Stranger" (analysis)

As a result of leaving the "terrible" existence, the lyrical hero of the poem forms his own, beautiful and poetic world. If you takethe poem that Blok wrote during this period - "The Stranger" - analysis will show that it can be conditionally divided into two parts. Moreover, in the first, consisting of six quatrains, for some reason there will be everything that he did not like: wild and deaf hot air; dust and boredom, children's crying; noisy couples walking between ditches; creak, screech; lackeys and drunkards with red eyes.

A. Block "Stranger" (analysis of the 1st part)

The poem was written in 1906. This period of life for Blok was difficult - starting with family troubles, ending with a break with symbolist poets. The time was also turbulent in terms of social upheavals. The poet did not leave the feeling of trouble, the contradictory tragedy of life, which gave rise to "deep darkness".

It was born as a result of aimless wanderings around the St. Petersburg environs and trips to Ozerki to the country. Sublimely solemn quatrains, where the heroine is beautiful in her mystery, are interspersed with quatrains-statements of a hero disappointed with life, who has unconscious anxiety in his soul. He believes that the world is dying, rolling into darkness, into the abyss, it needs to be saved. Iniquity and unbelief reigns in it.

The lyrical hero of the poem, in search of a way out, goes into revelry and drunkenness. Now he is his own friend and companion. Wine "humbles" and "stuns" him. The real world, where ditches, dust, wits and their squealing ladies, the mindlessly twisting disk of the moon fades into the background when She enters the room at the "appointed" hour.

Block. "Stranger" (analysis of the 2nd part)

The hero doubts the reality of what is happening. There are symbols of obscurity: sleep and fog (“dream”, the window is foggy). Her image of the hero is not able to capture the whole, entirely, details arise in the mind (the girl’s body covered with silks, a hat with a veil and feathers, a hand in rings, blue eyes). The second part also consists of six quatrains. The last is the result, the conclusion.

The secret of this poem is that it is impossible to say for sure whether the Stranger is real or imaginary. Block analysis of his creation, decomposition into components of his wonderful magical world, probably would not approve. Yes, it won't do anything! Each reader must decide for himself.

Make a more detailed analysis? "The Stranger", Blok, as well as his other poems, hardly need it. It is better to read, feel, follow the poet's imagination and enjoy the beauty and musicality of his fantasies inexpressibly!