The poem "Homeland" by Lermontov M. Yu. Is an example of creativity for subsequent generations - revolutionary democrats of the 60s of the XIX century. The poet became, to some extent, the discoverer of a new style of writing poetry. The poem of Mikhail Yurievich in many respects echoes Pushkin’s poetry, but with the only difference being that the whole of immense Russia is depicted in the Motherland, while Alexander Sergeyevich preferred to reduce the review to the size of a small village. Many contemporaries of the poet appreciated this work.
Lermontov’s “Homeland” is a patriotic poem by which the author wanted to show his attitude to the Fatherland and compare his feelings with the feelings of officials. Mikhail Yuryevich calls his love strange, because he despises the rich country, but has warm feelings for the poor peasants, he likes Russian nature and culture. The poet rejoices while driving along a country road, admires birches, and is indulgent towards drunk peasants.
In many works, M. Yu. Lermontov expresses his attitude towards the country, people and authorities. "Homeland" (verse) is a kind of result of reflection, the poet tells what Russia means to him. Initially, the poem was called "Fatherland", but shortly before publication, Lermontov changed it to "Homeland." This is quite atypical for that time, because in the 19th century poets usually described the "small homeland", that is, their estate, birthplace, and not the whole country.
Mikhail Yurievich set himself the goal in the image of a small village to show the vast Russia. The poet became a pioneer in the ratio of the large and small homeland. This writing style was clearly manifested only in the middle of the twentieth century. In literary criticism, Lermontov’s “Homeland” is considered as a poetic work written by a romantic, but close to realism. The author poetizes the usual landscape, sees only everything beautiful in peasant life, treats some shortcomings condescendingly.
The embodiment of traditional and non-traditional vocabulary was the poem "Homeland". M. Yu. Lermontov relied on tradition, but at the same time updated it. For example, many poets mentioned trees in their works, but Mikhail Yurievich first drew attention to the birch - a symbol of Russia. The poet’s homeland always had a feeling of melancholy and despondency; sad emotions are also present in this work.
Many do not understand the poet’s statement that he loves his country with “strange love.” Its meaning is not how Lermontov loves, but what he loves: ordinary peasants, nature, native expanses, culture, ordinary folk life. The poet has feelings for the Fatherland as a woman or a native, close person. The verse "Homeland" by Lermontov reveals his hidden feelings, the author does not consider the advantages and disadvantages of Russia, he loves her for who she is. The poetry of Mikhail Yurievich was the beginning of a new trend, it greatly influenced the work of revolutionary democrats. Like Lermontov, in the second half of the 19th century, Nekrasov wrote about love for the Fatherland, and at the beginning of the 20th century - Blok.