One of the most famous works of Russian romanticism is the ballad Svetlana. Zhukovsky took the plot in the works of the German poet Gottfried August Burger, reworked it, adding Russian color and replacing the tragic ending of the original with a happy ending. A creepy plot among Western romantics about a dead bridegroom leading a bride behind in Svetlana turns into just a nightmare.
Why did the author need to rewrite someone else's ballad? Why was it not enough just to translate? Why did Zhukovsky change the end? Answering these questions, we will understand what the meaning of the ballad "Svetlana" is.
Translation from German into Russian
Surprisingly, a colorful Russian ballad “Svetlana” turned out from a German-romantic work. Zhukovsky had previously translated this ballad, and her heroine was called Lyudmila. In terms of meaning and content, it is much closer to the “Lenore” of Burger, the same mystical and creepy. It was a success with readers, but the author continued to work on the plot, changing and complementing it.
The content of the Svetlana ballad resembles a good Russian fairy tale, where everything ends with the victory of good over evil. The author catches fear and horror on readers, but in the end it all turns out to be just a dream, a nightmare that does not come true. Perhaps this is precisely what the poet strove for, reworking the plot. A happy ending and wishes of happiness to the heroine radiate kindness and light, this is how the world sees Zhukovsky.
What is the meaning of the ballad "Svetlana"?
If you answer this question in a nutshell, the point is the victory of love and faith over death and darkness.
Zhukovsky believed in good. His heroine is pure in soul, prays, turning to the "angel - the comforter", sincerely believes in salvation, and it comes to her in the form of a white dove. So the author conveys to us his life belief that devilish temptations cannot destroy a sinless soul.
Ballad "Svetlana": a summary
The action takes place in the Epiphany evening, when, according to popular beliefs, with the help of fortune-telling, you can look into the future, find out fate. The author describes the types of fortune-telling: girls throw a shoe on the gate, feed chicken with grain, sing fortune-telling songs and entice the betrothed, looking at the candlelight in the mirror at night. Svetlana is sad, because for a long time there has been no news from her beloved, she dreams that he would soon return.
Tormented by anticipation, she decides to look into the mirror. Suddenly her bridegroom appears, happily reporting that the heavens are tamed, a murmur is heard. He calls her to get married. Carrying along with him, he puts Svetlana in a sled, and they go through a snowy plain to a strange temple, where instead of the expected wedding, the deceased is buried.
The journey ends when the sled stops near a small hut. Suddenly the groom and the horse disappear.
Left alone at night in an unfamiliar place, Svetlana, crossing herself, enters the house where the coffin stands. A creepy dead man in whom Svetlana recognizes her lover, gets up and holds out her dead hands to her. A white dove comes to the rescue, miraculously protecting the heroine from the terrible dead man.
Svetlana wakes up at home. Everything that happens is just a bad dream. At the same hour, the long-awaited groom returns, healthy and happy.
Such is the ballad "Svetlana." The summary ends with the wedding played by the heroes.
The Secret Power of Name
Few people remember that the name Svetlana was invented by Vasily Zhukovsky specifically for this ballad. It firmly entered into everyday life, became widespread and has survived to the present day. Light is heard in it, it sounds very kindly. It is such a bright joy that fills the girl’s quiet and pure soul, her love and faith will not fade and will not be dissolved in anything. The meaning of the ballad "Svetlana" is already in its very name.
And night is replaced by daylight
The action of creepy romantic ballads usually occurs under the cover of night - the darkest and most mysterious time of the day, covering darkness with various secrets. Zhukovsky ends the action with daylight, the ringing of a bell and the cry of a rooster. The dark and fears are replaced by the return of a loved one and the long-awaited wedding, a terrible dream is left behind. And here the author himself tells us what the meaning of the ballad is: "Svetlana" is the triumph of light over darkness, the victory of love over death and faith over temptation.
Strings filled with light
The ballad of Zhukovsky is a creative gift to Alexandra Andreevna Protasova (Voejkova), who, in the words of the author, was a muse, "who inspired him in a poetic mood."
The work became fateful for the author. Friends of the literary society Arzamas called the poet Svetlana. P. A. Vyazemsky wrote in his memoirs that Zhukovsky was "Svetlana not only by name, but also by soul." Thus, having invested his ideals and essence in a work, the author conveyed to us a “bright” faith, world outlook and attitude.
The ballad was also reflected in the work of many Russian writers and poets, including from A. S. Pushkin, who borrowed the “silent and sad” image of Svetlana when describing the character of Tatyana’s novel “Eugene Onegin”.
And, although the work took the basis for the plot in the German ballad, it can be considered native Russian, it certainly has a Russian flavor, close to folklore and folk art. Svetlana herself resembles the heroine of a Russian fairy tale or folk song. The personal authorship of the poet is indisputable here. He believed that Russian literature, having studied Western achievements, should not blindly copy them, but try in its own way to convey them to the Russian reader.