Zabolotsky: "Juniper bush" - analysis of the poem

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

One of the most famous Russian and Soviet poets is Nikolai Zabolotsky. "The Juniper Bush" is a late poem by the author, an excellent example of his love lyrics, which is included in the cycle of works "Last Love". The poem, which is simple in composition, is nevertheless distinguished by an exquisite style. Its deep philosophical meaning is connected with the author's reflections on life and love.

Cycle

At the end of their lives, poets often turn to love themes. Zabolotsky was no exception. "The Juniper Bush" is the eighth poem in a collection of sentimental lyrics. The circumstances of writing are connected with the personal drama of the author: shortly before his death, he had a disagreement with his wife, who as a result left him. And although they soon reconciled, nevertheless, the former relations in the family did not improve. This feeling of returned happiness and at the same time the realization of the impossibility of returning to former love pervades the poem in question. In general, all the works of the cycle are permeated with tragic notes: love in the author's poetry is presented not as joy, but as suffering, it is associated with torment, longing,sadness. And even the feeling of joy of a lyrical hero is never complete, since an acute feeling of bitterness is necessarily mixed with a feeling of happiness.

Symbols

Zabolotsky, whose “Juniper Bush” became one of the most iconic poems not only in his late lyrics, but also in his work in general, often resorted to conditional images, which allowed him to convey the experiences of the lyrical hero with the greatest completeness. In this poem, the main symbol is a juniper bush, which simultaneously personifies both the joy and sadness of the author. With him, the author associates the appearance of a beloved woman. So, he sees through the branches some semblance of her smile, and this fills his soul with joy. But at the same time, this symbol is filled with sadness and longing: the poet cannot forget betrayal in any way, and therefore the rustle of leaves is associated in his mind with the whisper of deceptive lips.

Nikolai Zabolotsky often used abstract images in his works. "The Juniper Bush" in this respect is an excellent example of the poet's skill in applying metaphors, comparisons, literary repetitions. One of the most significant symbolic images is amethyst berries. The red color is a symbol of love, which, in combination with the golden hue of the resin, very well conveys the joyful mood of the hero, who seems to be full of life, strength and energy. However, at the end, an image of a deserted garden that has flown around appears, which means the spiritual devastation of the author after the shock experienced.

Literary devices

The true master of the figurative word is Zabolotsky. “Juniper bush: analysis of a poem” is one of the topics of school literature lessons. At such lessons, children learn to analyze the work of the poet. They learn that in this work the author used the most famous literary techniques: epithets (comparisons of berries with amethyst, the sky with gold), metaphors (description of bush trunks), repetitions (in the poem, the author refers to juniper several times, as if focusing the reader's attention on this main image of the work). In addition, he masterfully conveys the sounds, colors, colors of the sky, nature. With his special language, the poet conveys not only the appearance of the bush, but also paints a picture of the morning landscape, which he observes from the window of his house. Acquaintance with Zabolotsky's poetics helps to develop a sense of beauty in young readers.

Nikolai Zabolotsky helps connoisseurs of poetry to tune in to the perception of the high, appreciate the subtlety and tenderness of feelings with his beautiful cycle of love lyrics. "Juniper Bush", the main idea of which is to express bright sadness for lost love, is one of the best examples of the author's late work.