A brief analysis of the poem "To Chaadaev"

A.S. Pushkin created many worthy works and became a great poet because he was able to solve two historically important problems: he made literature a mirror of reality and lifted it by the art of words to a truly artistic height. In practice, he showed that creativity is not an “innocent toy”, not a pleasant pastime “at leisure”, but a “craft”, which should fulfill an important function - “burn the hearts of people with a verb”.

A new round in the work of the poet came after his move to St. Petersburg. This is inextricably linked with new acquaintances in the circles of freedom-loving youth. Poems and poems written during this period attract attention with extraordinary ease, a sharp assessment of reality and perfect mastery of the word. Freedom-loving essays aroused the greatest attention: “Liberty”, “Tales. Noel ”,“ To Chaadaev. ” The latter will be discussed in this article.

About Chaadaev and Pushkin

The analysis of the poem according to the plan is usually begun from the date and history of creation. To understand the depth of Pushkin’s lines, it is necessary to tell a little about the friendship of great people: Chaadaev and Pushkin. P. Ya. Chaadaev is a Russian philosopher and publicist. In 1836, his letter was published in the Telescope, in which Chaadaev sharply criticized the Russian past and present. Authorities declared him crazy and forbade him to write. But the letter did its job, as Herzen wrote, it "shocked the whole of thinking Russia." The acquaintance of Pushkin and Chaadayev took place in 1816, long before this publication.

They met in the house of Karamzin in Tsarskoye Selo. Serious, extremely intelligent and well-educated Pyotr Yakovlevich had a huge impact on the moral development of Pushkin. The famous lines of “hope” and “quiet glory” are dedicated to this man. When Pushkin was threatened with a reference to Solovki, Chaadaev convinced Karamzin to stand up for the poet. In the Mikhailovsky exile, the poet corresponded with Chaadaev and dedicated his works to him. Two more poems of Pushkin are addressed to him. Undoubtedly, Chaadayev’s personality influenced the creation of Onegin.

Writing history

Continuing the analysis of the poem “To Chaadaev”, we briefly consider the history of its creation. The poem has about seventy variations and interpretations. The manuscript of the great poet was not preserved, but no one thought to dispute the authorship of Pushkin. Often this dedication dates back to 1818 and is associated with the speech of Alexander I. Pushkin did not believe the royal liberal promises, which he wrote about. The verse was first published in 1829 in the Northern Star without the consent of the author and in a very distorted form. Pushkin expressed his displeasure about this.

Theme of the work

The poem refers to freedom-loving lyrics, it speaks of an exalted desire to free the "homeland" from the "yoke" of fatal power. This message is a call in which ideals are embodied. The poem combines intonations inherent in close friendship and the wording of the author’s civic position. Such a combination is rather unusual for lyric poetry, and it arouses the trust of the reader, who perceives the work as an appeal to him personally.

Continuing the analysis of the poem “To Chaadaev”, it should be noted that the author develops the traditions of civil romanticism. Criticism of the system and the program of the lyrical hero are not specific, but this can be considered the norm in the framework of romanticism. “We are waiting with enthusiasm”, “wonderful impulses”, “star of captivating happiness” - these are romantic images that create an atmosphere of service to the ideals of justice. The author provided clarity, purity of intonation and ease of perception. And the sincerity and civic position of the young poet cannot but attract the reader.

The basic idea

The central theme of Pushkin’s work is the expectation of “a minute of freedom of the saint.” The poem has 21 lines, and this is the 10th line, which takes center stage. Even a superficial analysis of the poem “To Chaadaev” shows that the poet addresses his message to a like-minded person, therefore, it is not necessary to state his position in detail. Citizenship is revealed in the form of a friendly message. The hero of the poem shares his experiences. Behind psychological specificity lies a general animation, reflecting the attitude of a whole generation.

This overcomes the antithesis of the personal and public good, characteristic of sentimentalism and classicism. And the thirst for freedom in the poem appears not as a duty, but as a tremulous feeling. The desire for freedom lurks in the very heart of the hero and makes up the meaning of his existence, because a free person is happy only in a free society. Therefore, the civic feeling here is likened to love, which gives it an exciting-personal character. Comparison of a young freedom-loving person with an impatient lover weaves the public and the personal into one knot and reflects the main idea of ​​the poem.

Hero of the poem

We continue the analysis of Pushkin’s poem “To Chaadaev” and consider the image of the lyrical hero. He is not alone in the message - “the deceit undead us”, he hopes that they will understand him - “he still burns his will”, support him - “we are waiting”, and respond to “wonderful impulses”. His task is to strengthen the faith of the friend to whom he refers - “comrade, believe” that the time will come for “captivating happiness”; not to doubt their choice, because they are still “burning with desire” and waiting for freedom, and these are not empty words, they themselves are ready to fulfill their civic duty “as long as the hearts” are “alive”, they will not forget their struggle against “autocracy” and “will write names. "

This message embodies the view of a person’s feelings as something volatile and unstable. Even the civic position appears as a passing state - “while we burn” with freedom. Consequently, the rapture of freedom passes in the same way as love, and you cannot miss the "souls beautiful impulses." All this determines the mood of this message: impatience, a passionate desire for a better future, a call for immediate action for the good of the fatherland. So in Pushkin’s lyrics the traits inherent in the romantic worldview are defined: an impatient desire for the ideal of freedom, interest in the contradictions of the human soul.

Is it possible in the context of the freedom-loving lyrics of Pushkin to replace the concept of “hero” with the word “author”? Of course. The attitude outlined in the message was characteristic of the representatives of that generation, because the purpose of their life was to fight against social trends unacceptable to them, to support the oppressed. The autobiographical nature of the message is also obvious because the poem is addressed to a specific person - a close friend of Pushkin P. Ya. Chaadaev.

Composition of the poem

According to the content of the poem “To Chaadaev”, the analysis of which we are interested in, can be divided into two parts. In one, the first quatrain with a cross rhyme, memories of the happiness of "love, hope." They filled the soul, "undead" the imagination, like a "dream", but vanished with the advent of adulthood. The illusions of youth are deceptive, but thanks to them, the soul began to “burn” with ideals and live on enduring values. The word “heed” from “listen” is to listen, absorb what you hear, listen carefully.

In the second part, the author affirms his attitude to the misfortunes of his homeland, talks about the need to intervene in the course of history and correct mistakes, influencing the course of events. Tensions and feelings are transmitted through hyperbole and comparison. The hero languishes - “waits with longing”, like a “young lover” in anticipation of “a minute of liberty”. He has no doubt that this will be a “sure date”, that is, it will certainly come, so he urges you to put on your clothes and not to abandon attempts to bring this to life. Gusts of the soul will not go unnoticed, since they are like a fire.

The rhythm of the message

We continue the analysis of Pushkin’s poem “To Chaadaev”. Briefly dwell on the rhythm and poetic size of the message. It was written in four-foot iamba, and there is no division into stanzas. This unity of the text gives the impression that the hero’s monologue is moving to confirm the timeless significance of “trust”, “burning”, “impulses”, which are caused by the desire to free oneself “from the yoke of power”. The thirst for freedom here is not expressed as a rational requirement, but becomes the content of spiritual life. Young hobbies were replaced by love for the fatherland, to which the hero longs to devote himself: “fatherland heed calling.”

The opposing union “but” not only reports two periods of life, but also shares the two parts of the message: “but it still burns in us ...”. This is the fifth line of the poem, it is very important, and the sound correspondence with it is not only in this quatrain, in the 8th line, but also in the 9th line (“we are waiting ... hope”), and in the 12th (“minutes ... goodbye ”), being as if a reminder of the main idea.

Art tools

We continue the analysis of the poem “To Chaadaev” according to the plan proposed below. Hyperbole (exaggeration) arises in the poem due to the fact that the author focuses on civic feelings that require self-sacrifice: impatience should become “burning”, and the lofty goal of turning life into life “for honor”. The call to devote "beautiful impulses" to the motherland is a continuation of the love for her of a mature person who has abandoned youthful "fun." Along with hyperbole, metaphors and stylistic turns are found in the poem.

In the metaphor “we burn with freedom” two planes are visible: the objective in the form of a flame and figurative, as an animation. They are compared in one image. And this comparison brings new shades to the point. It conveys not only a tangible impression of the spiritual world of the hero and his peers, but also the aesthetic value that is important to them, their ideals. The flames of the bonfire are beautiful, and the author likens them to the impulses of the soul, and, on the contrary, the high feelings are reminiscent of the tongues of flame aspiring to heaven.

The proximity of these two phenomena has been noticed long ago, which is known to many by the metaphor of “fiery feelings”. But in Pushkin’s message it is concretized and characterizes political aspirations. Here the motive of sacrifice is introduced. A tragic reflection of the flame falls on modernity, and therefore like-minded people and friends are perceived as people who consciously chose their path and foresaw that for fighters with "autocracy" only memory will be a reward. They should be encouraged by the realization that they awaken the homeland from centuries of sleep. What their actions bring closer the rise of the "star", whose ray will destroy autocracy, and their special gift is the ability to perceive their tragic fate as true happiness.

Poetic means

The last statement “on the fragments of autocracy ... our names” is distinguished by two features: an ascending intonation and a through rhyme, consonant with the rhyme of the previous quatrain: “it will rise ... will rise from sleep”. The fifth line here is like a continuation, which causes the transfer effect. Attention is drawn to the importance of the opposing side, the opponent of which is autocracy, hated by the lyrical hero. When analyzing the poem “To Chaadaev”, it should be noted once again how much importance Pushkin attached to his friendship with Chaadaev, speaking of it in his personal diaries as “happiness”.

In this regard, it is no coincidence that he is addressed in the message as a person whose name will be on a par with representatives of the generation that is “burning” with freedom. They are connected by emotional factors, the main of which is the delight of the realization that the fate of the heroes awaits them, their activity on the road of “honor” will bring them fame. Everything that they have learned in their youth fades before the struggle against fate itself, the struggle for freedom. They “burn” the desire to prove love for the homeland by sacrificial service to him. Hope becomes a "languor of hope" that their names will not be forgotten by descendants. And all this is not a deception of youth, but reality, dangerous, cruel, but accepted by them, their "impatient soul" in anticipation of a "faithful date."

Pushkin's early lyrics

We continue the analysis of Pushkin’s poem “To Chaadaev”. In the 9th grade of a comprehensive school, Pushkin’s lyrics are studied in more detail. The letter “To Chaadaev” is a great example of early lyrics. The poetic means used by the author in the poem made it possible to single out the dominant idea. It is important for characterizing the message itself, its imagery, and characterizing the hero. Freedom for the poet is an indispensable condition for life, despite the fact that it is difficult to reach it, like a star. And no matter how far these ideal aspirations are from everyday life, a person is appreciated by the ability to devote his life to lofty goals, to bring himself in the name of a common cause.

For Pushkin’s lyrical hero, a person with all the uniqueness of his feelings is important, who makes efforts to overcome the imperfection that he perceives as the dominance of darkness. He seeks to bring happiness to people, paving the way for a star that "rises" above them, like the sun. And the Pushkin hero is ready to prove the inevitability of this to those who are unsure. He finds ways to show what has befallen them: it is not only loss, suffering, sacrifice, but also the meaning of life - "captivating happiness."

Poem Plan

In educational institutions starting from grade 5, students are invited to analyze the poem. This is necessary in order to:

• To acquaint them with the main stages of the author’s work.
• Identify the most important goals and principles of the artist.
• Apply the acquired knowledge and determine the leading theme and genre of the work, plot, problems, compositional construction, rhythm, the prevailing mood of the author.
• Independently characterize the hero and determine its relevance to the author.

There is no universal plan, but in grade 7 the analysis of the poem “To Chaadaev” will be something like this:

• title and author of the poem;
• topic, idea (what is the verse about?);
• main idea (what did the author want to say?);
• which poet paints a picture in his poem? (drawing details, their color scheme; words that suggested the features of the image);
• feelings and mood of the poet (do they change from beginning to end);
• main images (as correlated with the author; the author himself or on behalf of the hero of the story);
• expressive means (epithets, metaphors, comparisons);
• own attitude (what feelings does the poem have in you?).

In grade 9, in the analysis of the poem “To Chaadaev,” it is additionally required to determine:

• Does the author belong to any literary grouping (acmeist, symbolist, futurist);
• rhythm, poetic size (anapest, dactyl, trochee, iambic, etc.);
• rhyme (ring, steam, cross);
• stylistic figures (anaphora, antithesis, epiphora, etc.);
• the vocabulary of the author (everyday, literary, journalistic; archaisms, neologisms);
• autobiographical poem or prototypes and addressees;
• characteristic of the lyrical hero;
• evolution of images in the work of the author.