Alexander Trifonovich Twardowski is one of the few truly talented Soviet writers who managed to print in those harsh times. Not only a good poet, but also a brilliant journalist, he enjoyed the location of party leaders. However, in his work there was something that censorship did not miss. This article will be the subject of our article. Today we will review the summary “By Right of Memory”. Twardowski said a lot in this poem about his far from cloudless relationship with Soviet reality.
Topic
The theme of the poem, which can be distinguished by reading even a brief summary “By the Law of Memory”, Twardowski hatched for many years. It first appeared in the poem Country of Ants, and then clearly sounded in a cycle called Mother's Memory. This topic is the confession of the writer, summing up life results. It was in the poem “By the Law of Memory” that the fruits of Tvardovsky’s many years of heavy thought were realized.
The theme of confession is accompanied by the theme of memory and responsibility. Responsibility for deeds to future generations. The writer was sure that we have no right to forget the past, since it determines the future and will affect the fate of all those living in our country.
Genre originality
The poem “By the Right of Memory” can be attributed to the genre of lyrical and philosophical reflection. Summary (Twardowski literally confesses to the reader in the work) once again confirms this.
The protagonists of the poem are ordinary Soviet people, their accomplishments and deeds that cannot be forgotten and for which you must answer to posterity. The author seems to be looking at the expanses of the motherland in his poem and sees three distances:
- incredibly large Russian open spaces, which have no end, no edge;
- the space of history, where generations of people are inextricably intertwined, where the continuity of fate and time manifests itself;
- the same vast space of morality of the lyrical hero.
Summary “By Right of Memory” (Twardowski): Chapter One
The first chapter is called “Before Departure”, it was printed during the author’s lifetime and was called “In the Hay Bale”. The lyrical hero and his friend gather from the village "on a long journey." The young men are full of hopes and dreams of a wonderful future, they are in their illusion of a wonderful life: “We do not care for anything”; "They were only waiting for happiness."
Their enthusiastic optimism was so overwhelming that they did not hear the morning roosters "singing the end of children's days", predicting how soon the edge of their native land would "fall off the spot in a continuous snowstorm." The last quote alludes to collectivization carried out in the village in the 30s.
Heroes do not yet know what challenges await them ahead. There is only a hint about the fate of the comrade: "That friendship was considered blame that anyone could remind me of." Most likely, a friend was subjected to Stalinist repression and was declared an enemy of the people. Only for communicating with such a person could reproach the protagonist.
Chapter 2
We continue to consider the poem "By the Law of Memory." Summary Twardowski himself to some extent already concludes the title of the chapters. So, the second chapter is entitled "The son is not responsible for the father." These words were uttered by Stalin in the 30s. Then the children of the kulaks and enemies of the people perceived them as an unexpected salvation from the stigma for life. But it turned out completely wrong. This phrase has acquired another immoral and inhuman meaning. The children did not get rid of the marks passed on to them by their parents, but the whole nation was cut off from its roots, ancestors, and therefore lost its moral guidelines: “Betray in the way of your brother”.
A pronounced anti-Soviet orientation was realized in the poem “By the Right of Memory,” a brief summary of the chapters perfectly illustrates this. The poet sincerely repents that he once renounced his father and family. This guilt haunted Twardowski all his life, but it was not in his power to make life easier for loved ones.
Chapter 3
Comes to the end of the poem "By the Law of Memory" (Twardowski). A summary of the chapters ends with the third part - “On Memory”. Here the poet utters an angry, full of anguish and suffering monologue that, despite party instructions to forget about the past, this should by no means be done. A person has the right to remember his past, parents, family, mistakes and crimes. People simply cannot forget about it, otherwise they cannot see a happy future. Everything is inextricably linked, the actions of grandfathers are reflected in the fate of their grandchildren.
On this piercing note, on this peak of repentance, he completes the Tward poem, which simply could not be printed in the Soviet Union.
Conclusion
So, having examined the summary “By the Right of Memory” (Twardowski), we can conclude that the lot of sorrows and sorrows fell on the poet, which did not leave him throughout his life. He survived the most severe times: the Stalinist repressions, the war and the post-war years, the thaw. And all these difficulties and trials resulted in a beautiful poem.