This article will be dedicated to one of the most famous poets of the Silver Age. More precisely, we will analyze Gumilev’s poem "Memory".
About the poem
Poems were written in 1920. In it, the writer addresses the theme of memory and change of the human soul. For clarity, Gumilev compares a person with a snake. And his conclusion is disappointing - the snake, having the opportunity to shed its skin, keeps its soul young, and man is not given such luxury, his soul and not his body change: "Only snakes lose their skin ... We change souls, not bodies."
In reflection, the poet returns to his past and realizes that in his life he “changed his soul” four times. In accordance with these hypostases, the poem can be divided into four parts for the convenience of analysis.
First part
We begin the analysis of Gumilyov’s poem “Memory” with a description of the poet’s first “soul”. In this hypostasis, he is still an “ugly and thin” child, whose friends only have a “tree and a red dog”. The reader will see a lonely ugly duckling, who, however, is destined to change, "becoming a haughty swan."
According to Gumilyov’s contemporaries, in childhood he really was a very unattractive child, do not forget about his inborn squint.
Second part
We continue the analysis of Gumilyov’s poem “Memory”, referring to the second part of the work. Now the next “soul” of the lyrical hero appears before the reader. This is a poet who "wanted to become both a god and a king." After many years, the author himself admits that he did not like this hero at all.
Critics correlate this hypostasis of the poet with the first publication of a collection of poems by Gumilyov in 1905, which was called The Way of the Conquistadors. This book is very romantic and sensual. Gumilev later said more than once that he would like to forget about its existence altogether.
Indeed, it turns out that in his youth he was a completely different person, unlike the present. These past "souls" absolutely do not cause the lyrical hero to yearn for the departed or sentimentality. On the contrary, he describes them with coldness and even a certain squeamishness, completely not understanding them.
The third part
So, an analysis of Gumilyov’s poem “Memory” led us to the third “soul” of the lyrical hero, which is embodied in the arrow and navigator. To this past incarnation, the lyrical hero is much more favorable: "I love the chosen one of freedom."
Dreams of distant countries and cities attracted Gumilyov from childhood. During his life, the poet visited Africa, Abyssinia, Egypt, Italy. And judging by the praised courage, courage and description of the traveler’s beautiful life, the passion for adventure did not leave the lyrical hero after years. He dreams of the freedom that he once had, despite all the dangers that he had to face. But then he "sang loudly the waters and envied the clouds."
Alas, but this stage of life has sunk into oblivion. There is no longer that fearless and free traveler. Again the soul had to be reborn.
Fourth part
Gumilev Nikolay Stepanovich talks about his life in this poem. And so we get to the moment when the poet had the chance to take part in the First World War. Then Gumilev went to the front among the volunteers, believing that he was fulfilling his duty to the Motherland: "I exchanged cheerful freedom / For a sacred long-awaited battle."
In the war, the poet rose to the rank of ensign of the hussar regiment and was distinguished by unprecedented courage in battle. For this, he was twice awarded the St. George Cross: "St. George touched twice."
Despite all the awards, Nikolai Stepanovich Gumilyov was never a supporter of the war and did not accept it, which is also stated in the poem. The battle for him is only flour, but not a place where you can show your valor.
It was during the war that the fourth "soul" was born, who loves the motherland, believes in the best of people, and empathizes with their suffering and torment. Homeland becomes the key to this part of the poem.
However, despite the fact that at the time of writing in Russia there was a revolution, the writer does not mention it at all. As if for him she was not there.
Last stanzas
The last stanzas came especially strong from under the pen that Nikolay Gumilev held in his hand. "Memory" ends with the image of a traveler with a hidden face, in front of which an eagle flies, and behind it comes a lion. These characters symbolize Christ and his companions - Mark, associated with the symbols of the lion, and John, embodied in the eagle.
Thus, Gumilev compares the immortality of God, who bequeathed his teachings to his followers, and the immortality of the poet, who kept his thoughts in verse. The author, of course, doubts his immortality, speaking of the birth of new souls, which means the death of old ones, but he has the only hope for eternal life - creativity. Only it can help a person become equal to God.
So, we have completed the summary of the verse and its analysis. In fact, the poem became a kind of Gumilyov’s autobiography, in which he reflected all the spiritual changes that had ever happened in him.