The incident described in this story based on truth. Details floods are borrowed from the then magazines. The curious can handle it with news compiled by V.N. Berkh.On the shore of desert waves He stood there, full of great thoughts, And he looked into the distance. Wide before him The river rushed; poor boat He strove along it alone. Along mossy, marshy banks Blackened huts here and there, Shelter of a wretched Chukhonian; And the forest, unknown to the rays In the fog of the hidden sun, There was noise all around. And he thought: From here we will threaten the Swede, The city will be founded here To spite an arrogant neighbor. Nature destined us here Open a window to Europe, Stand with a firm foot by the sea. Here on new waves All the flags will visit us, And we’ll record it in the open air. A hundred years have passed, and the young city, There is beauty and wonder in full countries, From the darkness of the forests, from the swamps of blat He ascended magnificently and proudly; Where was the Finnish fisherman before? Nature's sad stepson Alone on the low banks Thrown into unknown waters Your old net, now there Along busy shores Slender communities crowd together Palaces and towers; ships A crowd from all over the world They strive for rich marinas; The Neva is dressed in granite; Bridges hung over the waters; Dark green gardens Islands covered her, And in front of the younger capital Old Moscow has faded, Like before a new queen Porphyry widow. I love you, Petra's creation, I love your strict, slender appearance, Neva sovereign current, Its coastal granite, Your fences have a cast iron pattern, of your thoughtful nights Transparent twilight, moonless shine, When I'm in my room I write, I read without a lamp, And the sleeping communities are clear Deserted streets and light Admiralty needle, And, not letting the darkness of the night To golden skies One dawn gives way to another He hurries, giving the night half an hour. I love your cruel winter Still air and frost, Sleigh running along the wide Neva, Girls' faces are brighter than roses, And the shine, and the noise, and the talk of balls, And at the time of the feast the bachelor The hiss of foamy glasses And the punch flame is blue. I love the warlike liveliness Amusing Fields of Mars, Infantry troops and horses Uniform beauty In their harmoniously unsteady system The shreds of these victorious banners, The shine of these copper caps, Through those shot through in battle. I love you, military capital, Your stronghold is smoke and thunder, When the queen is full Gives a son to the royal house, Or victory over the enemy Russia triumphs again Or, breaking your blue ice, The Neva carries him to the seas And, sensing the days of spring, he rejoices. Show off, city Petrov, and stand Unshakable like Russia, May he make peace with you And the defeated element; Enmity and ancient captivity Let the Finnish waves forget And they will not be vain malice Alarm last sleep Petra! It was a terrible time The memory of her is fresh... About her, my friends, for you I'll start my story. My story will be sad. Part one Over darkened Petrograd November breathed the autumn chill. Splashing with a noisy wave To the edges of your slender fence, Neva was tossing around like a sick person Restless in my bed. It was already late and dark; The rain beat angrily on the window, And the wind blew, howling sadly. At that time from the guests home Young Evgeniy came... We will be our hero Call by this name. It Sounds nice; been with him for a long time My pen is also friendly. We don't need his nickname, Although in times gone by Perhaps it shone And under the pen of Karamzin In native legends it sounded; But now with light and rumor It's forgotten. Our hero Lives in Kolomna; serves somewhere He shies away from the nobles and does not bother Not about deceased relatives, Not about forgotten antiquities. So, I came home, Evgeniy He shook off his overcoat, undressed, and lay down. But for a long time he could not fall asleep In the excitement of various thoughts. What was he thinking about? About, That he was poor, that he worked hard He had to deliver to himself And independence and honor; What could God add to him? Mind and money. What is it? Such idle lucky ones, Short-sighted, sloths, For whom life is much easier! That he serves only two years; He also thought that the weather She didn’t let up; that the river Everything was coming; which is hardly The bridges have not been removed from the Neva And what will happen to Parasha? Separated for two or three days. Evgeny sighed heartily here And he daydreamed like a poet: "Marry? To me? why not? It’s hard, of course; But well I'm young and healthy Ready to work day and night; I’ll arrange something for myself Shelter humble and simple And in it I will calm Parasha. Perhaps a year or two will pass - I’ll get a place, Parashe I will entrust our family And raising children... And we will live, and so on until the grave We'll both get there hand in hand And our grandchildren will bury us...” That's what he dreamed. And it was sad Him that night, and he wished So that the wind howls less sadly And let the rain knock on the window Not so angry... Sleepy eyes He finally closed. And so The darkness of a stormy night is thinning And the pale day is coming... Terrible day! Neva all night Longing for the sea against the storm, Without overcoming their violent foolishness... And she couldn’t bear to argue... In the morning over its banks There were crowds of people crowded together, Admiring the splashes, mountains And the foam of angry waters. But the strength of the winds from the bay Blocked Neva She walked back, angry, seething, And flooded the islands The weather became more ferocious The Neva swelled and roared, A cauldron bubbling and swirling, And suddenly, like a wild beast, She rushed towards the city. In front of her Everything ran, everything around Suddenly it was empty - suddenly there was water Flowed into underground cellars, Channels poured into the gratings, And Petropol emerged like a newt, Waist-deep in water. Siege! attack! evil waves, Like thieves, they climb into windows. Chelny From the run the windows are smashed by the stern. Trays under a wet veil, Wrecks of huts, logs, roofs, Stock trade goods, The belongings of pale poverty, Bridges demolished by thunderstorms, Coffins from a washed-out cemetery Floating through the streets! People He sees God's wrath and awaits execution. Alas! everything perishes: shelter and food! Where will I get it? In that terrible year The late Tsar was still in Russia He ruled with glory. To the balcony Sad, confused, he went out And he said: “With God's element Kings cannot control.” He sat down And in the Duma with sorrowful eyes I looked at the evil disaster. There were stacks of lakes, And in them there are wide rivers The streets poured in. Castle It seemed like a sad island. The king said - from end to end, Along nearby streets and distant ones On a dangerous journey through stormy waters The generals set off To save and overcome with fear And there are drowning people at home. Then, on Petrova Square, Where a new house has risen in the corner, Where above the elevated porch With a raised paw, as if alive, There are two guard lions standing, Riding a marble beast, Without a hat, hands clasped in a cross, Sat motionless, terribly pale Eugene. He was afraid, poor thing, Not for myself. He didn't hear How the greedy shaft rose, Washing his soles, How the rain hit his face, Like the wind, howling violently, He suddenly tore off his hat. His desperate glances Pointed to the edge They were motionless. Like mountains From the indignant depths The waves rose there and got angry, There the storm howled, there they rushed Debris... God, God! there - Alas! close to the waves, Almost at the very bay - The fence is unpainted, but the willow And a dilapidated house: there it is, Widow and daughter, his Parasha, His dream... Or in a dream Does he see this? or all ours And life is nothing like an empty dream, The mockery of heaven over earth? And he seems to be bewitched As if chained to marble, Can't get off! Around him Water and nothing else! And with my back turned to him, In the unshakable heights, Above the indignant Neva Stands with outstretched hand Idol on a bronze horse. Part two But now, having had enough of destruction And tired of insolent violence, The Neva was drawn back, Admiring your indignation And leaving with carelessness Your prey. So villain With his fierce gang Having burst into the village, he breaks, cuts, Destroys and robs; screams, gnashing, Violence, swearing, anxiety, howling!.. And, burdened with robbery, Afraid of the chase, tired, The robbers are hurrying home, Dropping prey on the way. The water has subsided and the pavement It opened, and Evgeny is mine He hurries, his soul sinking, In hope, fear and longing To the barely subdued river. But victories are full of triumph, The waves were still boiling angrily, It was as if a fire was smoldering underneath them, The foam still covered them, And Neva was breathing heavily, Like a horse running back from battle. Evgeny looks: he sees a boat; He runs to her as if he were on a find; He calls the carrier - And the carrier is carefree Willingly pay him for a dime Through terrible waves you are lucky. And long with stormy waves An experienced rower fought And hide deep between their rows Every hour with daring swimmers The boat was ready - and finally He reached the shore. Unhappy Runs down a familiar street To familiar places. Looks Can't find out. The view is terrible! Everything is piled up in front of him; What is dropped, what is demolished; The houses were crooked, others Completely collapsed, others Shifted by waves; all around As if in a battlefield, Bodies are lying around. Eugene Headlong, not remembering anything, Exhausted from torment, Runs to where he is waiting Fate with unknown news, Like with a sealed letter. And now he’s running through the suburbs, And here is the bay, and home is close... What is this?.. He stopped. I went back and came back. He looks... he walks... he still looks. This is the place where their house stands; Here is the willow. There was a gate here - Apparently they were blown away. Where is home? And, full of gloomy care, He keeps walking, he walks around, Talks loudly to himself - And suddenly, hitting him on the forehead with his hand, I started laughing. Night haze She descended upon the city in trepidation; But the residents did not sleep for a long time And they talked among themselves About the day gone by. Morning ray Because of the tired, pale clouds Flashed over the quiet capital And I haven’t found any traces Yesterday's troubles; purple The evil was already covered up. Everything returned to the same order. The streets are already free With your cold insensibility People were walking. Official people Leaving my night shelter, I went to work. Brave trader, Not discouraged, I opened Neva robbed basement, Collecting your loss is important Place it on the nearest one. From the yards They brought boats. Count Khvostov, Poet beloved by heaven Already sang in immortal verses The misfortune of the Neva banks. But my poor, poor Evgeniy... Alas! his confused mind Against terrible shocks I couldn't resist. Rebellious noise The Neva and the winds were heard In his ears. Terrible thoughts Silently full, he wandered. He was tormented by some kind of dream. A week passed, a month - he He did not return to his home. His deserted corner I rented it out when the deadline passed, The owner of the poor poet. Evgeniy for his goods Didn't come. He'll be out soon Became alien. I wandered on foot all day, And he slept on the pier; ate A piece served into the window. His clothes are shabby It tore and smoldered. Angry children They threw stones after him. Often coachman's whips He was whipped because That he didn't understand the roads Never again; it seemed he Didn't notice. He's stunned Was the noise of internal anxiety. And so he is his unhappy age Dragged, neither beast nor man, Neither this nor that, nor the inhabitant of the world, Not a dead ghost... Once he was sleeping At the Neva pier. Days of summer We were approaching autumn. Breathed Stormy wind. Grim Shaft Splashed on the pier, grumbling fines And hitting the smooth steps, Like a petitioner at the door Judges who don't listen to him. The poor man woke up. It was gloomy: The rain fell, the wind howled sadly, And with him far away, in the darkness of the night The sentry called back... Evgeny jumped up; remembered vividly He is a past horror; hastily He got up; went wandering, and suddenly Stopped - and around He quietly began to move his eyes With wild fear on your face. He found himself under the pillars Big house. On the porch With a raised paw, as if alive, The lions stood guard, And right in the dark heights Above the fenced rock Idol with outstretched hand Sat on a bronze horse. Evgeny shuddered. cleared up The thoughts in it are scary. He found out And the place where the flood played, Where the waves of predators crowded, Rioting angrily around him, And lions, and the square, and that, Who stood motionless In the darkness with a copper head, The one whose will is fatal A city was founded under the sea... He is terrible in the surrounding darkness! What a thought on the brow! What power is hidden in it! And what fire there is in this horse! Where are you galloping, proud horse? And where will you put your hooves? O mighty lord of fate! Aren't you above the abyss? At the height, with an iron bridle Raised Russia on its hind legs? Around the foot of the idol The poor madman walked around And brought wild glances The face of the ruler of half the world. His chest felt tight. Chelo It lay down on the cold grate, My eyes became foggy, A fire ran through my heart, Blood boiled. He became gloomy Before the proud idol And, clenching my teeth, clenching my fingers, As if possessed by black power, “Welcome, miraculous builder! - He whispered, trembling angrily, - Already for you!..” And suddenly headlong He started to run. It seemed He is like a formidable king, Instantly ignited with anger, The face quietly turned... And its area is empty He runs and hears behind him - It's like thunder roaring - Heavy ringing galloping Along the shaken pavement. And, illuminated by the pale moon, Stretching out your hand on high, The Bronze Horseman rushes after him On a loud galloping horse; And all night long the poor madman, Wherever you turn your feet, Behind him is the Bronze Horseman everywhere He galloped with a heavy stomp. And from the time when it happened He should go to that square, His face showed Confusion. To your heart He hastily pressed his hand, As if subduing him with torment, A worn out cap, Didn’t raise embarrassed eyes And he walked aside. Small Island Visible at the seaside. Sometimes Lands there with a seine Late fisherman fishing And the poor man cooks his dinner, Or an official will visit, Walking in a boat on Sunday Deserted island. Not an adult There's not a blade of grass there. Flood Brought there while playing The house is dilapidated. Above the water He remained like a black bush. His last spring They brought me on a barge. It was empty And everything is destroyed. At the threshold They found my madman, And then his cold corpse Buried for God's sake.
(1833) PREFACE
The incident described in this story is based on truth. Details of the flood are taken from magazines of the time. The curious can consult the news compiled by V. N. Berkh.
INTRODUCTION
On the shore of desert waves He stood there, full of great thoughts, And he looked into the distance. Wide before him The river rushed; poor boat He strove along it alone. Along mossy, marshy banks Blackened huts here and there, Shelter of a wretched Chukhonian; And the forest, unknown to the rays In the fog of the hidden sun, There was noise all around.
And he thought: From here we will threaten the Swede, The city will be founded here To spite an arrogant neighbor. Nature destined us here Cut a window to Europe (1), Stand with a firm foot by the sea. Here on new waves All flags will visit us And we’ll record it in the open air.
A hundred years have passed, and the young city, There is beauty and wonder in full countries, From the darkness of the forests, from the swamps of blat He ascended magnificently and proudly; Where was the Finnish fisherman before? Nature's sad stepson Alone on the low banks Thrown into unknown waters Your old net is now there, Along busy shores Slender communities crowd together Palaces and towers; ships A crowd from all over the world They strive for rich marinas; The Neva is dressed in granite; Bridges hung over the waters; Dark green gardens Islands covered her, And in front of the younger capital Old Moscow has faded, Like before a new queen Porphyry widow.
I love you, Petra's creation, I love your strict, slender appearance, Neva sovereign current, Its coastal granite, Your fences have a cast iron pattern, of your thoughtful nights Transparent twilight, moonless shine, When I'm in my room I write, I read without a lamp, And the sleeping communities are clear Deserted streets and light Admiralty needle, And not letting the darkness of the night To golden skies One dawn gives way to another He hurries, giving the night half an hour (2). I love your cruel winter Still air and frost, Sleigh running along the wide Neva; Girls' faces are brighter than roses, And the shine and noise and talk of balls, And at the time of the feast the bachelor The hiss of foamy glasses And the punch flame is blue. I love the warlike liveliness Amusing Fields of Mars, Infantry troops and horses Uniform beauty In their harmoniously unsteady system The shreds of these victorious banners, The shine of these copper caps, Shot through and through in battle. I love you, military capital, Your stronghold is smoke and thunder, When the queen is full Gives a son to the royal house, Or victory over the enemy Russia triumphs again Or, breaking your blue ice, The Neva carries him to the seas, And, sensing the days of spring, he rejoices.
Show off, city Petrov, and stand Unshakable like Russia, May he make peace with you And the defeated element; Enmity and ancient captivity Let the Finnish waves forget And they will not be vain malice Disturb Peter's eternal sleep!
It was a terrible time The memory of her is fresh... About her, my friends, for you I'll start my story. My story will be sad.
PART ONE
Over darkened Petrograd November breathed the autumn chill. Splashing with a noisy wave To the edges of your slender fence, Neva was tossing around like a sick person Restless in my bed. It was already late and dark; The rain beat angrily on the window, And the wind blew, howling sadly. At that time from the guests home Young Evgeniy came... We will be our hero Call by this name. It Sounds nice; been with him for a long time My pen is also friendly. We don't need his nickname, Although in times gone by Perhaps it shone, And under the pen of Karamzin In native legends it sounded; But now with light and rumor It's forgotten. Our hero Lives in Kolomna; serves somewhere He shies away from the nobles and does not bother Not about deceased relatives, Not about forgotten antiquities.
So, I came home, Evgeniy He shook off his overcoat, undressed, and lay down. But for a long time he could not fall asleep In the excitement of various thoughts. What was he thinking about? About, That he was poor, that he worked hard He had to deliver to himself And independence and honor; What could God add to him? Mind and money. What is it? Such idle lucky ones, Mindless sloths, For whom life is much easier! That he serves only two years; He also thought that the weather She didn’t let up; that the river Everything was coming; which is hardly The bridges have not been removed from the Neva And what will happen to Parasha? Separated for two or three days. Evgeny sighed heartily here And he daydreamed like a poet:
Marry? Well…. Why not? It's hard, of course. But well, he's young and healthy, Ready to work day and night; He'll arrange something for himself Shelter humble and simple And it will calm Parasha. “Perhaps another year will pass - I’ll get a place - Parashe I will entrust our farm And raising children... And we will live - and so on until the grave, We'll both get there hand in hand And our grandchildren will bury us..."
That's what he dreamed. And it was sad Him that night, and he wished So that the wind howls less sadly And let the rain knock on the window Not so angry... Sleepy eyes He finally closed. And so The darkness of a stormy night is thinning And the pale day is already coming... (3) Terrible day! Neva all night Longing for the sea against the storm, Without overcoming their violent foolishness... And she was unable to argue... In the morning over its banks There were crowds of people crowded together, Admiring the splashes, mountains And the foam of angry waters. But the strength of the winds from the bay Blocked Neva She walked back, angry, seething, And flooded the islands. The weather became more ferocious The Neva swelled and roared, A cauldron bubbling and swirling, And suddenly, like a wild beast, She rushed towards the city. In front of her Everything started running; all around Suddenly it was empty - suddenly there was water Flowed into underground cellars, Channels poured into the gratings, And Petropol emerged like a newt, Waist-deep in water.
Siege! attack! evil waves, Like thieves, they climb into windows. Chelny From the run the windows are smashed by the stern. Trays under a wet veil, Wrecks of huts, logs, roofs, Stock trade goods, The belongings of pale poverty, Bridges demolished by thunderstorms, Coffins from a washed-out cemetery Floating through the streets! People He sees God's wrath and awaits execution. Alas! everything perishes: shelter and food! Where will I get it? In that terrible year The late Tsar was still in Russia He ruled with glory. To the balcony Sad, confused, he went out And he said: “With God's element Kings cannot control.” He sat down And in the Duma with sorrowful eyes I looked at the evil disaster. There were hundreds of lakes And in them there are wide rivers The streets poured in. Castle It seemed like a sad island. The king said - from end to end, Along nearby streets and distant ones On a dangerous journey through stormy waters The generals set off (4) To save and overcome with fear And there are drowning people at home.
Then, on Petrova Square, Where a new house has risen in the corner, Where above the elevated porch With a raised paw, as if alive, There are two guard lions standing, Riding a marble beast, Without a hat, hands clasped in a cross, Sat motionless, terribly pale Eugene. He was afraid, poor thing, Not for myself. He didn't hear How the greedy shaft rose, Washing his soles, How the rain hit his face, Like the wind, howling violently, He suddenly tore off his hat. His desperate glances Pointed to the edge They were motionless. Like mountains From the indignant depths The waves rose there and got angry, There the storm howled, there they rushed Debris... God, God! there - Alas! close to the waves, Almost at the very bay - The fence is unpainted, but the willow And a dilapidated house: there it is, Widow and daughter, his Parasha, His dream... Or in a dream Does he see this? or all ours And life is nothing like an empty dream, The mockery of heaven over earth? And he seems to be bewitched As if chained to marble, Can't get off! Around him Water and nothing else! And my back is turned to him In the unshakable heights, Above the indignant Neva Stands with outstretched hand Idol on a bronze horse.
PART TWO.
But now, having had enough of destruction And tired of insolent violence, The Neva was drawn back, Admiring your indignation And leaving with carelessness Your prey. So villain With his fierce gang Having burst into the village, he breaks, cuts, Destroys and robs; screams, gnashing, Violence, swearing, alarm, howling!…. And burdened with robbery, Afraid of the chase, tired, The robbers are hurrying home, Dropping prey on the way.
The water has subsided and the pavement It opened, and Evgeny is mine He hurries, his soul sinking, In hope, fear and longing To the barely subdued river. But victories are full of triumph The waves were still boiling angrily, It was as if a fire was smoldering underneath them, The foam still covered them, And Neva was breathing heavily, Like a horse running back from battle. Evgeny looks: he sees a boat; He runs to her as if he were on a find; He calls the carrier - And the carrier is carefree Willingly pay him for a dime Through terrible waves you are lucky.
And long with stormy waves An experienced rower fought And hide deep between their rows Every hour with daring swimmers The boat was ready - and finally He reached the shore. Unhappy Runs down a familiar street To familiar places. Looks Can't find out. The view is terrible! Everything is piled up in front of him; What is dropped, what is demolished; The houses were crooked, others Completely collapsed, others Shifted by waves; all around As if in a battlefield, Bodies are lying around. Eugene Headlong, not remembering anything, Exhausted from torment, Runs to where he is waiting Fate with unknown news, Like with a sealed letter. And now he’s running through the suburbs, And here is the bay, and home is close... What is this?... He stopped. I went back and came back. He looks... walks... still looks. This is the place where their house stands; Here is the willow. There was a gate here - Apparently they were blown away. Where is home? And full of gloomy care Everything goes on, he goes around, Talks loudly to himself - And suddenly, hitting him on the forehead with his hand, I started laughing. Night haze She came down to the city in trepidation But the residents did not sleep for a long time And they talked among themselves About the day gone by. Morning ray Because of the tired, pale clouds Flashed over the quiet capital And I haven’t found any traces Yesterday's troubles; purple The evil was already covered up. Everything returned to the same order. The streets are already free With your cold insensibility People were walking. Official people Leaving my night shelter, I went to work. Brave trader Not discouraged, I opened Neva robbed basement, Collecting your loss is important Place it on the nearest one. From the yards They brought boats. Count Khvostov, Poet beloved by heaven Already sang in immortal verses The misfortune of the Neva banks.
But my poor, poor Evgeniy... Alas! his confused mind Against terrible shocks I couldn't resist. Rebellious noise The Neva and the winds were heard In his ears. Terrible thoughts Silently full, he wandered. He was tormented by some kind of dream. A week passed, a month - he He did not return to his home. His deserted corner I hired him out when the deadline passed, The owner of the poor poet. Evgeniy for his goods Didn't come. He'll be out soon Became alien. I wandered on foot all day, And he slept on the pier; ate A piece served into the window. His clothes are shabby It tore and smoldered. Angry children They threw stones after him. Often coachman's whips He was whipped because That he didn't understand the roads Never again; it seemed he Didn't notice. He's stunned Was the noise of internal anxiety. And so he is his unhappy age Dragged, neither beast nor man, Neither this nor that, nor the inhabitant of the world Not a dead ghost... Once he was sleeping At the Neva pier. Days of summer We were approaching autumn. Breathed Stormy wind. Grim Shaft Splashed on the pier, grumbling fines And hitting the smooth steps, Like a petitioner at the door Judges who don't listen to him. The poor man woke up. It was gloomy: The rain fell, the wind howled sadly, And with him far away, in the darkness of the night The sentry called to each other... Evgeny jumped up; remembered vividly He is a past horror; hastily He got up; went wandering, and suddenly Stopped - and around He quietly began to move his eyes With wild fear on your face. He found himself under the pillars Big house. On the porch With a raised paw, as if alive The lions stood guard, And right in the dark heights Above the fenced rock Idol with outstretched hand Sat on a bronze horse.
Evgeny shuddered. cleared up The thoughts in it are scary. He found out And the place where the flood played, Where the waves of predators crowded, Rioting angrily around him, And lions, and the square, and that, Who stood motionless In the darkness with a copper head, The one whose will is fatal The city was founded under the sea... He is terrible in the surrounding darkness! What a thought on the brow! What power is hidden in it! And what fire there is in this horse! Where are you galloping, proud horse? And where will you put your hooves? O mighty lord of fate! Aren't you above the abyss? At the height, with an iron bridle Raised Russia on its hind legs? (5)
Around the foot of the idol The poor madman walked around And brought wild glances The face of the ruler of half the world. His chest felt tight. Chelo It lay down on the cold grate, My eyes became foggy, A fire ran through my heart, Blood boiled. He became gloomy Before the proud idol And, clenching my teeth, clenching my fingers, As if possessed by black power, “Welcome, miraculous builder! — He whispered, trembling angrily, Already for you!..." And suddenly headlong He started to run. It seemed He is like a formidable king, Instantly ignited with anger, The face quietly turned... And its area is empty He runs and hears behind him - It's like thunder roaring - Heavy ringing galloping Along the shaken pavement. And, illuminated by the pale moon, Stretching out your hand on high, The Bronze Horseman rushes after him On a loud galloping horse; And all night long the poor madman. Wherever you turn your feet, Behind him is the Bronze Horseman everywhere He galloped with a heavy stomp.
And from the time when it happened He should go to that square, His face showed Confusion. To your heart He hastily pressed his hand, As if subduing him with torment, A worn out cap, Didn’t raise embarrassed eyes And he walked aside.
Small Island Visible at the seaside. Sometimes Lands there with a seine Late fisherman fishing And the poor man cooks his dinner, Or an official will visit, Walking in a boat on Sunday Deserted island. Not an adult There's not a blade of grass there. Flood Brought there while playing The house is dilapidated. Above the water He remained like a black bush. His last spring They brought me on a barge. It was empty And everything is destroyed. At the threshold They found my madman, And then his cold corpse Buried for God's sake.
NOTES (1) Algarotti said somewhere: “Pétersbourg est la fenêtre par laquelle la Russie regarde en Europe.”
(2) See the verses of the book. Vyazemsky to Countess Z***.
(3) Mickiewicz described in beautiful verse the day preceding the St. Petersburg flood, in one of his best poems - Oleszkiewicz. It's just a pity that the description is not accurate. There was no snow - the Neva was not covered with ice. Our description is more correct, although it does not contain the bright colors of the Polish poet.
(4) Count Miloradovich and Adjutant General Benckendorf.
(5) See description of the monument in Mickiewicz. It is borrowed from Ruban - as Mickiewicz himself notes.
Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin
BRONZE HORSEMAN
Petersburg story
Preface
The incident described in this story is based on truth. Details of the flood are taken from magazines of the time. The curious can consult the news compiled V. N. Berkhom.
Introduction
On the shore of desert waves stood He, full of great thoughts, And he looked into the distance. Wide before him The river rushed; poor boat He strove along it alone. Along mossy, marshy banks Blackened huts here and there, Shelter of a wretched Chukhonian; And the forest, unknown to the rays In the fog of the hidden sun, There was noise all around. And he thought: From here we will threaten the Swede, The city will be founded here To spite an arrogant neighbor. Nature destined us here Open a window to Europe, Stand with a firm foot by the sea. Here on new waves All the flags will visit us, And we’ll record it in the open air.
A hundred years have passed, and the young city, There is beauty and wonder in full countries, From the darkness of the forests, from the swamps of blat He ascended magnificently and proudly; Where was the Finnish fisherman before? Nature's sad stepson Alone on the low banks Thrown into unknown waters Your old net is now there, Along busy shores Slender communities crowd together Palaces and towers; ships A crowd from all over the world They strive for rich marinas; The Neva is dressed in granite; Bridges hung over the waters; Dark green gardens Islands covered her, And in front of the younger capital Old Moscow has faded, Like before a new queen Porphyry widow.
I love you, Petra's creation, I love your strict, slender appearance, Neva sovereign current, Its coastal granite, Your fences have a cast iron pattern, of your thoughtful nights Transparent twilight, moonless shine, When I'm in my room I write, I read without a lamp, And the sleeping communities are clear Deserted streets and light Admiralty needle, And, not letting the darkness of the night To golden skies One dawn gives way to another He hurries, giving the night half an hour. I love your cruel winter Still air and frost, Sleigh running along the wide Neva, Girls' faces are brighter than roses, And the shine, and the noise, and the talk of balls, And at the time of the feast the bachelor The hiss of foamy glasses And the punch flame is blue. I love the warlike liveliness Amusing Fields of Mars, Infantry troops and horses Uniform beauty In their harmoniously unsteady system The shreds of these victorious banners, The shine of these copper caps, Through those shot through in battle. I love you, military capital, Your stronghold is smoke and thunder, When the queen is full Gives a son to the royal house, Or victory over the enemy Russia triumphs again Or, breaking your blue ice, The Neva carries him to the seas And, sensing the days of spring, he rejoices.
Show off, city Petrov, and stand Unshakable like Russia, May he make peace with you And the defeated element; Enmity and ancient captivity Let the Finnish waves forget And they will not be vain malice Disturb Peter's eternal sleep!
It was a terrible time The memory of her is fresh... About her, my friends, for you I'll start my story. My story will be sad.
Part one
Over darkened Petrograd November breathed the autumn chill. Splashing with a noisy wave To the edges of your slender fence, Neva was tossing around like a sick person Restless in my bed. It was already late and dark; The rain beat angrily on the window, And the wind blew, howling sadly. At that time from the guests home Young Evgeniy came... We will be our hero Call by this name. It Sounds nice; been with him for a long time My pen is also friendly. We don't need his nickname, Although in times gone by Perhaps it shone And under the pen of Karamzin In native legends it sounded; But now with light and rumor It's forgotten. Our hero Lives in Kolomna; serves somewhere He shies away from the nobles and does not bother Not about deceased relatives, Not about forgotten antiquities.
So, I came home, Evgeniy He shook off his overcoat, undressed, and lay down. But for a long time he could not fall asleep In the excitement of various thoughts. What was he thinking about? About, That he was poor, that he worked hard He had to deliver to himself And independence and honor; What could God add to him? Mind and money. What is it? Such idle lucky ones, Short-sighted, sloths, For whom life is much easier! That he serves only two years; He also thought that the weather She didn’t let up; that the river Everything was coming; which is hardly The bridges have not been removed from the Neva And what will happen to Parasha? Separated for two or three days. Evgeny sighed heartily here And he daydreamed like a poet:
"Marry? To me? why not? It’s hard, of course; But well I'm young and healthy Ready to work day and night; He'll arrange it somehow for himself Shelter humble and simple And in it I will calm Parasha. Perhaps a year or two will pass - I’ll get a place, - Parashe I will entrust our farm And raising children... And we will live, and so on until the grave We'll both get there hand in hand And our grandchildren will bury us...”
That's what he dreamed. And it was sad Him that night, and he wished So that the wind howls less sadly And let the rain knock on the window Not so angry... Sleepy eyes He finally closed. And so The darkness of a stormy night is thinning And the pale day is coming... Terrible day! Neva all night Longing for the sea against the storm, Without overcoming their violent foolishness... And she couldn’t bear to argue... In the morning over its banks There were crowds of people crowded together, Admiring the splashes, mountains And the foam of angry waters. But the strength of the winds from the bay Blocked Neva She walked back, angry, seething, And flooded the islands The weather became more ferocious The Neva swelled and roared, A cauldron bubbling and swirling, And suddenly, like a wild beast, She rushed towards the city. In front of her Everything started running; all around Suddenly it was empty - suddenly there was water Flowed into underground cellars, Channels poured into the gratings, And Petropol emerged like a newt, Waist-deep in water.
Siege! attack! evil waves, Like thieves, they climb into windows. Chelny From the run the windows are smashed by the stern. Trays under a wet veil, Wrecks of huts, logs, roofs, Stock trade goods, The belongings of pale poverty, Bridges demolished by thunderstorms, Coffins from a washed-out cemetery Floating through the streets! People He sees God's wrath and awaits execution. Alas! everything perishes: shelter and food! Where will I get it? In that terrible year The late Tsar was still in Russia He ruled with glory. To the balcony Sad, confused, he went out And he said: “With God's element Kings cannot control.” He sat down And in the Duma with sorrowful eyes I looked at the evil disaster. There were stacks of lakes, And in them there are wide rivers The streets poured in. Castle It seemed like a sad island. The king said - from end to end, Along nearby streets and distant ones On a dangerous journey through stormy waters The generals set off To save and overcome with fear And there are drowning people at home.
Then, on Petrova Square, Where a new house has risen in the corner, Where above the elevated porch With a raised paw, as if alive, There are two guard lions standing, Riding a marble beast, Without a hat, hands clasped in a cross, Sat motionless, terribly pale Eugene. He was afraid, poor thing, Not for myself. He didn't hear How the greedy shaft rose, Washing his soles, How the rain hit his face, Like the wind, howling violently, He suddenly tore off his hat. His desperate glances Pointed to the edge They were motionless. Like mountains From the indignant depths The waves rose there and got angry, There the storm howled, there they rushed Debris... God, God! there - Alas! close to the waves, Almost at the very bay - The fence is unpainted, but the willow And a dilapidated house: there it is, Widow and daughter, his Parasha, His dream... Or in a dream Does he see this? or all ours And life is nothing like an empty dream, The mockery of heaven over earth?
And he seems to be bewitched As if chained to marble, Can't get off! Around him Water and nothing else! And with my back turned to him, In the unshakable heights, Above the indignant Neva Stands with outstretched hand Idol on a bronze horse.
“The Bronze Horseman” by Pushkin is a fairly short poem, consisting of only 500 verses written in iambic tetrameter. However, such was the talent of the creator (who, by the way, called it “The Petersburg Tale,” putting it in the subtitle) that his work contained everything he wanted to say, turning out to be both a majestic monument to the Peter the Great period and a realistic depiction of modernity. In order to achieve ideal content and the form corresponding to it, Pushkin constantly rewrote each verse several times, sometimes even more than ten. At the center of the narrative part of the poem “The Bronze Horseman,” which can be read in full online or downloaded on our website, is real event- the terrible St. Petersburg flood, which in fact was just one of many troubles. The author shows in retrospect what the decision of the great king led to - these are small sacrifices. The mythological and realistic plans of the poem intersect, closely interact, intertwine to ultimately create a compositional unity in which there is a place for both Peter’s thoughts and love little man, and a description of the “city of Petrov”.
The Boldino exile became one of the most fruitful periods in creative life Pushkin Alexander Sergeevich. The Russian poet then wrote many works that became classics of Russian literature. This period ended with the creation of the poem “The Bronze Horseman,” which was written in less than a month. In it, the poet, who has always been interested in the history of the Fatherland, and especially the personality of Peter 1, simultaneously reflects on the epoch-making influence of this tsar on the development of Russia. This is by no means a historical poem in the classical sense, since the king is not here actor, at least not in the usual sense, he is an “idol”, a monument and a myth.
The text of “The Bronze Horseman” must be read very carefully, since Pushkin introduced into it another important idea about the relationship between man and power, moreover, a tragic relationship based on contradictions. Pushkin touches on two important issues that relate to social contradictions and the future of the country. The poet shows the reader past, present and future events in Russia as one whole, as an inextricably important story. This topic has always interested the poet, but it is presented in such an interpretation for the first time, subsequently finding reflection in a number of his poems. A book about a small man and a great city, about small troubles and great achievements, became one of the first works dedicated to a small drama or internal conflict a hero, but the life of an ordinary person, in which there are also many tragedies, they are simply as invisible as he himself.
Alexander Sergeevich Pushkin
BRONZE HORSEMAN Preface Petersburg story The incident described in this story is based on truth. Details of the flood are taken from magazines of the time. The curious can consult the news compiled by V. N. Berkh. Introduction On the shore of desert waves stood He, full of great thoughts, And he looked into the distance. Wide before him The river rushed; poor boat He strove along it alone. Along mossy, marshy banks Blackened huts here and there, Shelter of a wretched Chukhonian; And the forest, unknown to the rays In the fog of the hidden sun, There was noise all around. And he thought: From here we will threaten the Swede, The city will be founded here To spite an arrogant neighbor. Nature destined us here Stand with a firm foot by the sea. Here on new waves All the flags will visit us, And we’ll record it in the open air. A hundred years have passed, and the young city, There is beauty and wonder in full countries, From the darkness of the forests, from the swamps of blat He ascended magnificently and proudly; Where was the Finnish fisherman before? Nature's sad stepson Alone on the low banks Thrown into unknown waters Your old net is now there, Along busy shores Slender communities crowd together Palaces and towers; ships A crowd from all over the world They strive for rich marinas; The Neva is dressed in granite; Bridges hung over the waters; Dark green gardens Islands covered her, And in front of the younger capital Old Moscow has faded, Like before a new queen Porphyry widow. I love you, Petra's creation, I love your strict, slender appearance, Neva sovereign current, Its coastal granite, Your fences have a cast iron pattern, of your thoughtful nights Transparent twilight, moonless shine, When I'm in my room I write, I read without a lamp, And the sleeping communities are clear Deserted streets and light Admiralty needle, And, not letting the darkness of the night To golden skies One dawn gives way to another He hurries, giving the night half an hour. I love your cruel winter Still air and frost, Sleigh running along the wide Neva, Girls' faces are brighter than roses, And the shine, and the noise, and the talk of balls, And at the time of the feast the bachelor The hiss of foamy glasses And the punch flame is blue. I love the warlike liveliness Amusing Fields of Mars, Infantry troops and horses Uniform beauty In their harmoniously unsteady system The shreds of these victorious banners, The shine of these copper caps, Through those shot through in battle. I love you, military capital, Your stronghold is smoke and thunder, When the queen is full Gives a son to the royal house, Or victory over the enemy Russia triumphs again Or, breaking your blue ice, The Neva carries him to the seas And, sensing the days of spring, he rejoices. Show off, city Petrov, and stand Unshakable like Russia, May he make peace with you And the defeated element; Enmity and ancient captivity Let the Finnish waves forget And they will not be vain malice Disturb Peter's eternal sleep! It was a terrible time The memory of her is fresh... About her, my friends, for you I'll start my story. My story will be sad. Part one Over darkened Petrograd November breathed the autumn chill. Splashing with a noisy wave To the edges of your slender fence, Neva was tossing around like a sick person Restless in my bed. It was already late and dark; The rain beat angrily on the window, And the wind blew, howling sadly. At that time from the guests home Young Evgeniy came... We will be our hero Call by this name. It Sounds nice; been with him for a long time My pen is also friendly. We don't need his nickname, Although in times gone by Perhaps it shone And under the pen of Karamzin In native legends it sounded; But now with light and rumor It's forgotten. Our hero Lives in Kolomna; serves somewhere He shies away from the nobles and does not bother Not about deceased relatives, Not about forgotten antiquities. So, I came home, Evgeniy He shook off his overcoat, undressed, and lay down. But for a long time he could not fall asleep In the excitement of various thoughts. What was he thinking about? About, That he was poor, that he worked hard He had to deliver to himself And independence and honor; What could God add to him? Mind and money. What is it? Such idle lucky ones, Short-sighted, sloths, For whom life is much easier! That he serves only two years; He also thought that the weather She didn’t let up; that the river Everything was coming; which is hardly The bridges have not been removed from the Neva And what will happen to Parasha? Separated for two or three days. Evgeny sighed heartily here And he daydreamed like a poet: Marry? Well... why not? It’s hard, of course; But well, he's young and healthy, Ready to work day and night; He'll arrange something for himself Shelter humble and simple And it will calm Parasha. “Perhaps a year or two will pass - I’ll get a place, - Parashe I will entrust our farm And raising children... And we will live, and so on until the grave We'll both get there hand in hand And our grandchildren will bury us..." That's what he dreamed. And it was sad Him that night, and he wished So that the wind howls less sadly And let the rain knock on the window Not so angry... Sleepy eyes He finally closed. And so The darkness of a stormy night is thinning Terrible day! Neva all night Longing for the sea against the storm, Without overcoming their violent foolishness... And she couldn’t bear to argue... In the morning over its banks There were crowds of people crowded together, Admiring the splashes, mountains And the foam of angry waters. But the strength of the winds from the bay Blocked Neva She walked back, angry, seething, And flooded the islands The weather became more ferocious The Neva swelled and roared, A cauldron bubbling and swirling, And suddenly, like a wild beast, She rushed towards the city. In front of her Everything started running; all around Suddenly it was empty - suddenly there was water Flowed into underground cellars, Channels poured into the gratings, And Petropol emerged like a newt, Waist-deep in water. Siege! attack! evil waves, Like thieves, they climb into windows. Chelny From the run the windows are smashed by the stern. Trays under a wet veil, Wrecks of huts, logs, roofs, Stock trade goods, The belongings of pale poverty, Bridges demolished by thunderstorms, Coffins from a washed-out cemetery Floating through the streets! He sees God's wrath and awaits execution. Alas! everything perishes: shelter and food! Where will I get it? In that terrible year The late Tsar was still in Russia He ruled with glory. To the balcony Sad, confused, he went out And he said: “With God's element Kings cannot control.” He sat down And in the Duma with sorrowful eyes I looked at the evil disaster. There were stacks of lakes, And in them there are wide rivers The streets poured in. Castle It seemed like a sad island. The king said - from end to end, Along nearby streets and distant ones On a dangerous journey through stormy waters To save and overcome with fear And there are drowning people at home. Then, on Petrova Square, Where a new house has risen in the corner, Where above the elevated porch With a raised paw, as if alive, There are two guard lions standing, Riding a marble beast, Without a hat, hands clasped in a cross, Sat motionless, terribly pale Eugene. He was afraid, poor thing, Not for myself. He didn't hear How the greedy shaft rose, Washing his soles, How the rain hit his face, Like the wind, howling violently, He suddenly tore off his hat. His desperate glances Pointed to the edge They were motionless. Like mountains From the indignant depths The waves rose there and got angry, There the storm howled, there they rushed Debris... God, God! there - Alas! close to the waves, Almost at the very bay - The fence is unpainted, but the willow And a dilapidated house: there it is, Widow and daughter, his Parasha, His dream... Or in a dream Does he see this? or all ours And life is nothing like an empty dream, The mockery of heaven over earth? And he seems to be bewitched As if chained to marble, Can't get off! Around him Water and nothing else! And with my back turned to him, In the unshakable heights, Above the indignant Neva Stands with outstretched hand Idol on a bronze horse. Part two But now, having had enough of destruction And tired of insolent violence, The Neva was drawn back, Admiring your indignation And leaving with carelessness Your prey. So villain With his fierce gang Having burst into the village, he breaks, cuts, Destroys and robs; screams, gnashing, Violence, swearing, anxiety, howling!.. And, burdened with robbery, Afraid of the chase, tired, The robbers are hurrying home, Dropping prey on the way. The water has subsided and the pavement It opened, and Evgeny is mine He hurries, his soul sinking, In hope, fear and longing To the barely subdued river. But victories are full of triumph, The waves were still boiling angrily, It was as if a fire was smoldering underneath them, The foam still covered them, And Neva was breathing heavily, Like a horse running back from battle. Evgeny looks: he sees a boat; He runs to her as if he were on a find; He calls the carrier - And the carrier is carefree Willingly pay him for a dime Through terrible waves you are lucky. And long with stormy waves An experienced rower fought And hide deep between their rows Every hour with daring swimmers The boat was ready - and finally He reached the shore. Unhappy Runs down a familiar street To familiar places. Looks Can't find out. The view is terrible! Everything is piled up in front of him; What is dropped, what is demolished; The houses were crooked, others Completely collapsed, others Shifted by waves; all around As if in a battlefield, Bodies are lying around. Eugene Headlong, not remembering anything, Exhausted from torment, Runs to where he is waiting Fate with unknown news, Like with a sealed letter. And now he’s running through the suburbs, And here is the bay, and home is close... What is this?.. He stopped. I went back and came back. He looks... walks... still looks. This is the place where their house stands; Here is the willow. There was a gate here - Apparently they were blown away. Where is home? And, full of gloomy care, He keeps walking, he walks around, Talks loudly to himself - And suddenly, hitting him on the forehead with his hand, I started laughing. Night haze She descended upon the city in trepidation; But the residents did not sleep for a long time And they talked among themselves About the day gone by. Because of the tired, pale clouds Flashed over the quiet capital And I haven’t found any traces Yesterday's troubles; purple The evil was already covered up. Everything returned to the same order. The streets are already free With your cold insensibility People were walking. Official people Leaving my night shelter, I went to work. Brave trader, Not discouraged, I opened Neva robbed basement, Collecting your loss is important Place it on the nearest one. From the yards They brought boats. Count Khvostov, Poet beloved by heaven Already sang in immortal verses The misfortune of the Neva banks. But my poor, poor Evgeniy... Alas! his confused mind Against terrible shocks I couldn't resist. Rebellious noise The Neva and the winds were heard In his ears. Terrible thoughts Silently full, he wandered. He was tormented by some kind of dream. A week passed, a month - he He did not return to his home. His deserted corner I rented it out when the deadline passed, The owner of the poor poet. Evgeniy for his goods Didn't come. He'll be out soon Became alien. I wandered on foot all day, And he slept on the pier; ate A piece served into the window. His clothes are shabby It tore and smoldered. Angry children They threw stones after him. Often coachman's whips He was whipped because That he didn't understand the roads Never again; it seemed he Didn't notice. He's stunned Was the noise of internal anxiety. And so he is his unhappy age Dragged, neither beast nor man, Neither this nor that, nor the inhabitant of the world, Not a dead ghost... Once he was sleeping At the Neva pier. Days of summer We were approaching autumn. Breathed Stormy wind. Grim Shaft Splashed on the pier, grumbling fines And hitting the smooth steps, Like a petitioner at the door Judges who don't listen to him. The poor man woke up. It was gloomy: The rain fell, the wind howled sadly, And with him far away, in the darkness of the night The sentry called to each other... Evgeny jumped up; remembered vividly He is a past horror; hastily He got up; went wandering, and suddenly Stopped - and around He quietly began to move his eyes With wild fear on your face. He found himself under the pillars Big house. On the porch With a raised paw, as if alive, The lions stood guard, And right in the dark heights Above the fenced rock Idol with outstretched hand Sat on a bronze horse. Evgeny shuddered. cleared up The thoughts in it are scary. He found out And the place where the flood played, Where the waves of predators crowded, Rioting angrily around him, And lions, and the square, and that, Who stood motionless In the darkness with a copper head, The one whose will is fatal The city was founded under the sea... He is terrible in the surrounding darkness! What a thought on the brow! What power is hidden in it! And what fire there is in this horse! Where are you galloping, proud horse? And where will you put your hooves? O mighty lord of fate! Aren't you above the abyss? At the height, with an iron bridle Around the foot of the idol The poor madman walked around And brought wild glances The face of the ruler of half the world. His chest felt tight. Chelo It lay down on the cold grate, My eyes became foggy, A fire ran through my heart, Blood boiled. He became gloomy Before the proud idol And, clenching my teeth, clenching my fingers, As if possessed by black power, “Welcome, miraculous builder! - He whispered, trembling angrily, - Already for you!..” And suddenly headlong He started to run. It seemed He is like a formidable king, Instantly ignited with anger, The face quietly turned... And its area is empty He runs and hears behind him - It's like thunder roaring - Heavy ringing galloping Along the shaken pavement. And, illuminated by the pale moon, Stretching out your hand on high, The Bronze Horseman rushes after him On a loud galloping horse; And all night long the poor madman, Wherever you turn your feet, Behind him is the Bronze Horseman everywhere He galloped with a heavy stomp. And from the time when it happened He should go to that square, His face showed Confusion. To your heart He hastily pressed his hand, As if subduing him with torment, A worn out cap, Didn’t raise embarrassed eyes And he walked aside. Small Island Visible at the seaside. Sometimes Lands there with a seine Late fisherman fishing And the poor man cooks his dinner, Or an official will visit, Walking in a boat on Sunday Deserted island. Not an adult There's not a blade of grass there. Flood Brought there while playing The house is dilapidated. Above the water He remained like a black bush. His last spring They brought me on a barge. It was empty And everything is destroyed. At the threshold They found my madman, And then his cold corpse Buried for God's sake. Notes Written in 1833. The poem is one of the deepest, boldest and most perfect in artistically works of Pushkin. The poet in him, with unprecedented strength and courage, shows the historically natural contradictions of life in all their nakedness, without trying to artificially make ends meet where they do not converge in reality itself. In the poem, in a generalized figurative form, two forces are opposed - the state, personified in Peter I (and then in symbolic image a revived monument, “The Bronze Horseman”), and a person in his personal, private interests and experiences. Speaking about Peter I, Pushkin glorified in inspired verses his “great thoughts”, his creation - the “city of Petrov”, a new capital built at the mouth of the Neva, “under the pestilence”, on “mossy, marshy banks”, for military-strategic reasons, economic and to establish cultural connection with Europe. The poet, without any reservations, praises the great state work of Peter, the wonderful city he created - “full of beauty and wonder of the world.” But these state considerations of Peter turn out to be the reason for the death of the innocent Eugene, a simple, ordinary man. He is not a hero, but he knows how and wants to work (“...I am young and healthy, // I’m ready to work day and night”). He was brave during the flood; “He was afraid, poor thing, not for himself. // He did not hear how the greedy wave rose, // Washing his soles, he “boldly” sails along the “barely resigned” Neva to find out about the fate of his bride. Despite poverty, what Eugene values most is “independence and honor.” He dreams of simple human happiness: to marry the girl he loves and live modestly by his own labor. The flood, shown in the poem as a revolt of the conquered, conquered elements against Peter, ruins his life: Parasha dies, and he goes crazy. Peter I, in his great state concerns, did not think about defenseless little people forced to live under the threat of death from floods.
The tragic fate of Eugene and the poet’s deep, sorrowful sympathy for it are expressed in “The Bronze Horseman” with enormous power and poetry. And in the scene of the collision of the mad Eugene with the “Bronze Horseman”, his fiery, gloomy protest and a frontal threat to the “miraculous builder” on behalf of the victims of this construction, the poet’s language becomes as highly pathetic as in the solemn introduction to the poem. “The Bronze Horseman” ends with a spare, restrained, deliberately prosaic message about the death of Eugene:
...Flood Brought there while playing The house is dilapidated... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . His last spring They brought me on a barge. It was empty And everything is destroyed. At the threshold They found my madman, And then his cold corpse Buried for God's sake. Pushkin does not give any epilogue that returns us to the original theme of the majestic Petersburg, an epilogue that reconciles us with the historically justified tragedy of Eugene. The contradiction between the full recognition of the rightness of Peter I, who cannot take into account the interests of an individual in his state “great thoughts” and affairs, and the full recognition of the rightness of a little man who demands that his interests be taken into account - this contradiction remains unresolved in the poem. Pushkin was quite right, since this contradiction lay not in his thoughts, but in life itself; it was one of the most acute in the process historical development. This contradiction between the good of the state and the happiness of the individual is inevitable as long as class society exists, and it will disappear with its final destruction.
Artistically, The Bronze Horseman is a miracle of art. In an extremely limited volume (the poem has only 481 verses) there are many bright, lively and highly poetic pictures - see, for example, the individual images scattered before the reader in the introduction, from which the whole majestic image of St. Petersburg is composed; saturated with strength and dynamics, from a number of private paintings, a description of the flood is formed, an image of the delirium of the insane Eugene, amazing in its poetry and brightness, and much more. What distinguishes The Bronze Horseman from other Pushkin poems is the amazing flexibility and variety of its style, sometimes solemn and slightly archaic, sometimes extremely simple, colloquial, but always poetic. The poem is given a special character by the use of techniques almost musical structure images: repetition, with some variations, of the same words and expressions (guard lions over the porch of the house, the image of a monument, “an idol on a bronze horse”), carrying through the entire poem in different changes the same thematic motif - rain and wind , Neva - in countless en aspects, etc., not to mention the famous sound recording of this amazing poem.
Pushkin’s references to Mickiewicz in the notes to the poem refer to a series of poems by Mickiewicz about St. Petersburg in the recently published third part of his poem “The Wake” (“Dziady”). Despite the benevolent tone of the mention of Mickiewicz, Pushkin in a number of places in his description of St. Petersburg in the introduction (and also partly when depicting the monument to Peter I) polemicizes with the Polish poet, who in his poems expressed a sharply negative opinion about Peter I, and about his activities, and about Petersburg, and about Russians in general.
“The Bronze Horseman” was not published during Pushkin’s lifetime, since Nicholas I demanded from the poet such changes in the text of the poem that he did not want to make. The poem was published shortly after Pushkin's death in a revision by Zhukovsky, who completely distorted its main meaning. From early editions From the manuscripts of the poem
After the verses “And what will he be with Parasha // Separated for two, three days”:
Here he warmed up heartily And he daydreamed like a poet: “Why? why not? I'm not rich, there's no doubt about that And Parasha has no name, Well? what do we care? Is it really only the rich? Is it possible to get married? I'll arrange A humble corner for yourself And in it I will calm Parasha. Bed, two chairs; cabbage soup pot Yes, he is big; What more do I need? Let's not know whims Sundays in the summer in the field I will walk with Parasha; I’ll ask for a place; Parashe I will entrust our farm And raising children... And we will live - and so on until the grave We'll both get there hand in hand And our grandchildren will bury us..."
After the verse “And the drowning people at home”:
The senator comes from his sleep to the window And he sees - in a boat along the Morskaya The military governor is sailing. The senator froze: “Oh my God! Here, Vanyusha! stand up a little Look: what do you see through the window?” I see, sir: there is a general in the boat Floats through the gate, past the booth. “By God?” - Exactly, sir. - “Besides a joke?” Yes, sir. - The senator rested And asks for tea: “Thank God! Well! The Count gave me anxiety I thought: I’m crazy.”
Rough sketch of Eugene's description
He was a poor official Rootless, orphan, Pale, pockmarked, Without clan, tribe, connections, Without money, that is, without friends, However, a citizen of the capital, What kind of darkness do you meet, Not at all different from you Neither in face nor in mind. Like everyone else, he behaved laxly, Like you, I thought a lot about money, How you, feeling sad, smoked tobacco, Like you, he wore a uniform tailcoat. Cut a window to Europe- Algarotti said somewhere: “Pйtersbourg est la fenctre par laquelle la Russie regarde en Europe.” And the pale day is coming...- Mickiewicz described in beautiful verse the day preceding the St. Petersburg flood, in one of his best poems - Oleszkiewicz. It's just a pity that the description is not accurate. There was no snow - the Neva was not covered with ice. Our description is more correct, although it does not contain the bright colors of the Polish poet. The generals set off- Count Miloradovich and Adjutant General Benckendorff. Russia reared up- See the description of the monument in Mickiewicz. It is borrowed from Ruban - as Mickiewicz himself notes.
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