The image of the Demon in the poem “Demon” is a lone hero who has transgressed the laws of good. He has contempt for the limitations of human existence. M.Yu. Lermontov for a long time worked on his creation. And this topic worried him throughout his life.
The image of the Demon in art
Images of evil spirits, the other world have long worried the hearts of artists. Many of the names of the fiend of Hell: Demon, Devil, Lucifer, Satan. Everyone should remember that evil is many-sided, so you should always be extremely careful. After all, insidious tempters constantly provoke people to commit sinful deeds so that their souls go to hell. But the forces of good that protect and protect a person from the evil one are God and Angels.
The image of the Demon in the literature of the early 19th century is not only villains, but also “tyrant fighters” who oppose God. Such characters were found in the works of many writers and poets of that era.
If we talk about this image in music, then in 1871-1872. A.G. Rubinshtein wrote the opera Demon.
M.A. Vrubel created excellent paintings depicting the creatures of hell. These are the paintings "Demon Flying", "Demon Sitting", "Demon Downed".
Lermontov Hero
The image of the Demon in the poem "Demon" is gleaned from the biblical myth of the exile from paradise. Lermontov reworked the content in his own way. The punishment of the protagonist lies in the fact that he is forced to wander forever in complete isolation. The image of the Demon in the poem "Demon" is a source of evil that destroys everything in its path. However, it is in close interaction with the opposite beginning. Since the Demon is a transformed angel, he remembers the past. It is as if he is taking revenge on the world for his punishment. It is important to pay attention to the fact that the image of the Demon in the poem of Lermontov is different from Satan or Lucifer. This is a subjective vision of a Russian poet.
Demon Characteristic
The poem is based on the idea of the demon's desire for reincarnation. He is unhappy that he is destined to sow evil. Suddenly, he falls in love with Georgian Tamara - an earthly woman. He seeks thus to overcome God's punishment.
The image of the Demon in the poem of Lermontov is characterized by two main features. This is heavenly charm and alluring mystery. The earthly woman is unable to resist them. A demon is not just a figment of the imagination. In Tamara’s perception, he materializes in visible and tangible forms. He comes to her in dreams.
It is similar to the elements of air and is inspired through voice and breath. There is no description of the appearance of the Demon. In Tamara’s perception, he “looks like a clear evening”, “shines quietly like a star”, “glides without sound and trace”. The girl is worried about his bewitching voice, he beckons her. After the Demon killed Tamara’s bridegroom, he appears to her and casts “golden dreams”, freeing her from earthly experiences. The image of the Demon in the poem "Demon" is embodied through a lullaby. It traces the poetization of the night world, so characteristic of the romantic tradition.
His songs infect her soul and gradually poison Tamara’s heart with longing for a world that does not exist. Everything earthly becomes hateful to her. Believing her seducer, she dies. But this death only aggravates the position of the Demon. He understands his failure, which leads him to the highest point of despair.
The author’s attitude to the hero
Lermontov’s position on the image of the Demon is ambiguous. On the one hand, there is a storyteller in the poem who sets out the “eastern legend” of the past. His point of view diverges from the opinions of the heroes and is characterized by objectivity. The text contains an author’s commentary on the fate of the Demon.
On the other hand, the Demon is a purely personal image of the poet. Most meditations of the main character of the poem are closely related to the author’s lyrics and are imbued with his intonations. The image of the Demon in Lermontov’s work turned out to be consonant not only with the author himself, but also with the young generation of the 30s. The main character reflected the feelings and aspirations inherent in the people of art: philosophical doubts about the correctness of being, a huge longing for lost ideals, the eternal search for absolute freedom. Lermontov subtly felt and even experienced many aspects of evil as a kind of personality behavior and perception of the world. He recognized the demonic nature of a rebellious attitude toward the universe with the moral impossibility of accepting its inferiority. Lermontov was able to understand the dangers lurking in creativity, because of which a person can plunge into a fantasy world, paying for it with indifference to everything earthly. Many researchers note that the Demon in Lermontov’s poem will remain a mystery forever.
The image of the Caucasus in the poem "Demon"
The theme of the Caucasus occupies a special place in the work of Mikhail Lermontov. Initially, the action of the poem "Demon" was supposed to take place in Spain. However, the poet carries him to the Caucasus after he returned from Caucasian exile. Thanks to landscape sketches, the writer was able to recreate a certain philosophical thought in a variety of poetic images.
The world over which the Demon flies is described in a very surprising way. Kazbek is compared to a facet of a diamond that shone with eternal snows. "Deep below" the blackening Darial is characterized as the dwelling of a snake. The green shores of Aragva, the Kayshaur valley, the gloomy Good Mountain are a wonderful setting for Lermontov’s poem. Carefully selected epithets emphasize the unbridled nature of nature.
Then the earthly beauties of magnificent Georgia are depicted. The poet concentrates the reader’s attention on what the Demon saw from the height of his flight “the land edge”. It is in this fragment of text that the lines are filled with life. Various sounds and voices appear here. Further, from the world of celestial spheres, the reader is transferred to the world of people. Change of angles occurs gradually. The general plan is replaced by a large one.
In the second part of the picture of nature are transmitted through the eyes of Tamara. The contrast of the two parts underlines the diversity of the nature of the Caucasus. It can be both violent, and serene and calm.
Tamara Characteristic
It is difficult to say that the image of Tamara in the poem “Demon” is much more realistic than the Demon himself. Its appearance is described by generalized concepts: deep gaze, divine leg and others. The poem focuses on the ethereal manifestations of her image: the smile is “elusive”, the leg “floats”. Tamara is characterized as a naive girl, which traces the motives of child insecurity. Her soul is also described - pure and beautiful. All the qualities of Tamara (feminine charm, spiritual harmony, inexperience) paint the image of romantic nature.
So, the image of the Demon occupies a special place in the works of Lermontov. This topic was of interest not only to him, but also to other artists: A.G. Rubinshtein (composer), M.A. Vrubel (artist) and many others.