Lermontov's "Duma": analysis of the poem

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

Lermontov's "Duma" was written in 1838, at the time when the writer returned from exile. The poem is written in a poetic form widely used at that time by Decembrist poets. By genre, the work, like "Death of a Poet", belongs to the elegy-satire. Mikhail Yuryevich in the "Duma" reproaches his generation for cowardice, inaction and indifference. Young people condemn the mistakes of the generation of "fathers", but do nothing themselves, refusing to fight and not taking part in public life.

The main theme of the poem

Lermontov's "Duma" directs his satire not at the court society, which the poet used to be angry with, but at the entire noble intelligentsia of the 30s of the XIX century. The writer characterizes the entire generation to which he belongs, it is not in vain that he uses the pronoun "we". Mikhail Yuryevich reproaches himself for inaction, equates him to helpless and miserable people who have done nothing for posterity. The generation of the 1810-1820s was completely different;freedom-loving Decembrists, let them make a mistake and pay dearly for it, but at least they tried to change the country for the better.

The poet sincerely regrets that he was not born several decades earlier, because his contemporaries are boring and useless for society. They are not interested in art or poetry, they do not talk about good and evil, they are trying with all their might to remain neutral and not provoke the wrath of the authorities, they have retired from public life, occupying themselves with “fruitless science”, and this is not what Lermontov wanted at all. "Duma", the theme of which reveals the character of the entire generation of the 1830s, is dedicated to the social behavior of a person, it is the cry of the poet's tormented soul.

Contemplation of the past, present and future

Lermontov's "Duma" clearly shows how the writer relates to the generation of "fathers", contemporaries and descendants. Mikhail Yuryevich admires the courage and courage of the Decembrists, even if they made a mistake, but their heroic deeds left their mark on the history of the country, stirred up the public, laid the foundation for a popular protest against the tyranny of those in power. At the same time, Lermontov's contemporaries are not mistaken in anything, but they do nothing. The soul of the poet is eager to fight, he wants to change something, to express his protest, but he does not see like-minded people, and it is pointless to fight alone. Lermontov's "Duma" is a regret for the mediocre time spent.

Civil trial of contemporaries

To make the poem more vivid and more accessible to expresshis thought, the author used epithets exposing emotions, well-aimed metaphors, words in a figurative sense. Each quatrain is a complete thought. M. Yu. Lermontov's poem "Duma" condemns the intelligentsia of the 1830s, living in the "late mind of the fathers." The Decembrists burned themselves and were severely punished for disobedience, the next generation recognized the struggle as useless and reconciled with the order of things. Educated people do not have firm convictions, goals, principles, attachments, they follow a straight path, but there is no point in this. Lermontov is very upset by this and reproaches himself for impotence and uselessness.