Alekseeva L.F.

“Anxiety of the spirit” in Yakov Polonsky’s lyrics and comprehension of spiritual catastrophes by poets of the twentieth century. Pp.95-107.

UDC 821.161.1-1.09″18″

DOI 10.37724/RSU.2025.87.2.009

 

Abstract. The relevance of the paper lies in the need to study the influences of the image system of poetry and worldview of Yakov Polonsky (1819–1898) on the work of his successors in the following century. The aim of the article is to highlight the aspect, which is least investigated in the history of Russian literary studies: the impact of Polonsky’s imaginative system, poetics of his artistic world, and personal positions of the poet on other artists, among them poets who published their works in pre-revolutionary and then Soviet Russia and in the countries of the Russian Abroad. It is well-known that Alexander Blok worshipped Ya. P. Polonsky, but many other writers did not fail to respond to the original ideas and aesthetic attitudes of the famous poet. Among the poets who creatively perceived the poetic innovation of the author of The Tsar-Maiden are Konstantin Balmont, Innokenty Annensky, Sergei Yesenin, Georgy Ivanov, Marina Tsvetaeva, Vasily Sumbatov, Nikolai Otsup, Konstantin Simonov… They felt strong affinity with Polonsky not only aesthetically, but even more due to adherence to the same elements of Russian life, rebellious and freedom-loving national Russian spirit, following the writer’s unfailing truthfulness, and language richness. Hence the numerous interconnections of lyrical images, narrative and compositional techniques, formulations of those tendencies of history that inspired Polonsky’s anxious forebodings and grew into the catastrophic upheavals of the 20th century. The results consist in the activation of literary thought in relation to the subject. The conclusions represent a generalization of the discovered interrelations between Polonsky and the poets of the epoch to come, of wars and revolutions. The application of our results helps to continue scientific study of the literary process that was influenced by Polonsky’s poetry, they can be used in university and basic school teaching of Russian literature.

 

Keywords: Alexander Blok, eternal feminine (“das Ewig-Weibliche”), “Wait for me” by Konstantin Simonov, “In vain” by Vasily Sumbatov, comprehension of the catastrophes of the century in lyrical works, poetic continuity, “anxiety of the spirit,” “Tsar-Maiden” by Marina Tsvetaeva, Yakov Polonsky.

 

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