Poem by M.Yu. Lermontov
"Motherland"
The feeling of the homeland, ardent love for it permeates all Lermontov’s lyrics.
And the poet’s thoughts about the greatness of Russia found a kind of lyrical
expression in the poem "Motherland". This poem was written in 1841, shortly before the death of M.Yu. Lermontov. In poems belonging to early period creativity of M.Yu. Lermontov, the patriotic feeling does not achieve that analytical clarity, that awareness that manifests itself in the poem “Motherland”. “Motherland” is one of the most significant works of Russian poetry of the 19th century. The poem “Motherland” became one of the masterpieces not only of M.Yu. Lermontov’s lyrics, but also of all Russian poetry. The feeling of hopelessness gave rise to a tragic attitude, which is reflected in the poem “Motherland.” Nothing, it seems, gives such peace, such a feeling of peace, even joy, as this communication with rural Russia. This is where the feeling of loneliness recedes. M.Yu. Lermontov paints a people's Russia, bright, solemn, majestic, but, despite the general life-affirming background, in the poet's perception native land there is a certain tinge of sadness.
I love my homeland, but strange love!
My reason will not defeat her.
Nor glory bought with blood,
Neither complete proud trust peace,
Neither dark antiquity cherished legends
No joyful dreams stir within me.
But I love - for what, I don’t know myself -
Its steppes are coldly silent,
Her boundless forests sway,
The floods of its rivers are like seas;
On a country road I like to ride in a cart
And, with a slow gaze piercing the shadow of the night,
Meet on the sides, sighing for an overnight stay,
Trembling lights sad villages.
I love the smoke of burnt stubble,
A train spending the night in the steppe,
And on a hill in the middle of a yellow field
A couple of white birches.
With joy unknown to many
I see a complete threshing floor
A hut covered with straw
Window with carved shutters;
And on a holiday, on a dewy evening,
Ready to watch until midnight
To dance with stomping and whistling
Under the talk of drunken men.
Date of writing: 1841
Vasily Ivanovich Kachalov, real name Shverubovich (1875-1948) - leading actor of Stanislavsky's troupe, one of the first People's Artists of the USSR (1936).
The Kazan Drama Theater, one of the oldest in Russia, bears his name.
Thanks to the outstanding merits of his voice and artistry, Kachalov left a noticeable mark in such a special type of activity as the performance of works of poetry (Sergei Yesenin, Eduard Bagritsky, etc.) and prose (L. N. Tolstoy) in concerts, on the radio, in gramophone recordings records.
What is patriotism? Literally translated from ancient Greek given word means “fatherland”, if you look for information even deeper, you can understand that it is as ancient as the human race. This is probably why philosophers have always talked and argued about him, statesmen, writers, poets. Among the latter, it is necessary to highlight Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov. He, who survived exile twice, knew like no one else the true price of love for his homeland. And the proof of this is his amazing work“Motherland,” which he wrote literally six months before his tragic death in a duel. You can read the poem “Motherland” by Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov completely online on our website.
In the poem “Motherland,” Lermontov talks about love for his native patronymic - Russia. But from the very first line the poet warns that his feeling does not correspond to the established “model”. It is not “stamped”, not official, not official, and therefore “strange”. The author goes on to explain his “strangeness.” He says that love, no matter who or what it is, cannot be guided by reason. It is reason that turns it into a lie, demands from it immeasurable sacrifices, blood, tireless worship, glory. In this guise, patriotism does not touch Lermontov’s heart, and even the ancient traditions of humble monastic chroniclers do not penetrate his soul. Then what does the poet love?
The second part of the poem “Motherland” begins with a loud statement that the poet loves no matter what, and the truth of this statement is felt in the words that he himself does not know why. And indeed, a pure feeling cannot be explained or seen. It is inside, and it connects a person, his soul with some invisible thread with all living things. The poet talks about this spiritual, blood, endless connection with the Russian people, land and nature, and thereby contrasts the homeland with the state. But his voice is not accusatory; on the contrary, it is nostalgic, gentle, quiet and even humble. He describes his innermost experience by creating bright, expressive and imaginative pictures of Russian nature (“the boundless swaying of forests,” “sad trees,” “a convoy overnight in the steppe”), as well as through the repeated repetition of the verb “I love”: “I love to gallop in cart”, “I love the smoke of burnt stubble”. It’s now easy to learn the text of Lermontov’s poem “Motherland” and prepare for a literature lesson in the classroom. You can download it on our website this work absolutely free.
I love my fatherland, but with a strange love!
My reason will not defeat her.
Nor glory bought with blood,
Nor the peace full of proud trust,
Nor the dark old treasured legends
No joyful dreams stir within me.
But I love - for what, I don’t know myself -
Its steppes are coldly silent,
Her boundless forests sway,
The floods of its rivers are like seas;
On a country road I like to ride in a cart
And, with a slow gaze piercing the shadow of the night,
Meet on the sides, sighing for an overnight stay,
The trembling lights of sad villages;
I love the smoke of burnt stubble,
A convoy spending the night in the steppe
And on a hill in the middle of a yellow field
A couple of white birches.
With joy unknown to many,
I see a complete threshing floor
A hut covered with straw
Window with carved shutters;
And on a holiday, on a dewy evening,
Ready to watch until midnight
To dance with stomping and whistling
Under the talk of drunken men.
I love my fatherland, but with a strange love!
My reason will not defeat her.
Nor glory bought with blood,
Nor the peace full of proud trust,
Nor the dark old treasured legends
No joyful dreams stir within me.
But I love - for what, I don’t know myself -
Its steppes are coldly silent,
Her boundless forests sway,
The floods of its rivers are like seas;
On a country road I like to ride in a cart
And, with a slow gaze piercing the shadow of the night,
Meet on the sides, sighing for an overnight stay,
Trembling lights of sad villages.
I love the smoke of burnt stubble,
A train spending the night in the steppe,
And on a hill in the middle of a yellow field
A couple of white birches.
With joy unknown to many
I see a complete threshing floor
A hut covered with straw
Window with carved shutters;
And on a holiday, on a dewy evening,
Ready to watch until midnight
To dance with stomping and whistling
Under the talk of drunken men.
Analysis of the poem “Motherland” by Lermontov
IN late period Lermontov's creativity appears deep philosophical themes. The rebellion and open protest inherent in his youth are replaced by a more mature outlook on life. If earlier, when describing Russia, Lermontov was guided by high civic ideas associated with martyrdom for the good of the Fatherland, now his love for the Motherland is expressed in more moderate tones and is reminiscent of Pushkin’s patriotic poems. An example of such an attitude was the work “Motherland” (1841).
Lermontov already admits in the first lines that his love for Russia is “strange.” At that time it was customary to express it in pompous words and loud statements. This was fully manifested in the views of the Slavophiles. Russia was declared the greatest and happiest country, having absolutely special way development. All shortcomings and troubles were ignored. Autocratic power and Orthodox faith were declared the guarantee of the eternal well-being of the Russian people.
The poet declares that his love does not have any rational basis, it is his innate feeling. The great past and the heroic deeds of his ancestors do not evoke any response in his soul. The author himself does not understand why Russia is so incredibly close and understandable to him. Lermontov perfectly understood the backwardness of his country from the West, the poverty of the people and their slave position. But it is impossible not to love his own mother, so he is delighted with the pictures of the vast Russian landscape. Using bright epithets(“boundless”, “whitening”), Lermontov depicts a majestic panorama native nature.
The author does not directly talk about his contempt for the life of high society. It can be seen in the loving description of a simple village landscape. Lermontov is much closer to a ride on an ordinary peasant cart than a walk in a shiny carriage. This allows you to feel the life of ordinary people, to feel your unbreakable connection with him.
At that time, the prevailing opinion was that nobles differed from peasants not only in education, but in the physical and moral structure of the body. Lermontov declares common roots all the people. How else can one explain the unconscious admiration for village life? The poet is gladly ready to exchange fake capital balls and masquerades for “a dance with stomping and whistling.”
The poem "Motherland" is one of the best patriotic works. Its main advantage lies in the absence of pathos and the enormous sincerity of the author.
Motherland and people... What short words. But what a huge meaning they contain. For each person, the concept of homeland is associated with various aspects and aspects of life. For M. Yu. Lermontov it is life itself, it is part of his fiery, passionate, sincere soul. Lermontov could not imagine himself without his homeland, without Russia. But I couldn’t imagine Russia without the Russian people. Therefore, all his lyrics are imbued with a reverent love for the fatherland and a great sense of national heroism. I love my fatherland, but with a strange love! “My reason will not defeat her,” the poet admits in the poem “Motherland.” This love came from the very heart, which was infinitely dear to the “cold silence of the steppes,” and the “boundless swaying forests,” and “the floods of its rivers, like seas,” and “the trembling lights of sad villages.” Lermontov subtly felt the beauty of Russian nature, poetry was close and dear to him folk life: I love the smoke of burnt stubble, a convoy train spending the night in the steppe, and a pair of white birches on a hill in the middle of a yellow field. His heart was filled with tenderness and warmth when he saw peasant huts covered with straw, windows “with carved shutters,” when he watched the cheerful folk festivals. Surrounded by native nature and the original Russian peasant landscape, the poet’s heart was filled with peace and harmony. Only in his homeland could he, at least for a short time, feel himself for real happy. When the yellowing field is agitated, And the fresh forest rustles at the sound of the breeze, And the raspberry plum hides in the garden Under the shadow of the sweet green leaf; When, sprinkled with fragrant dew, On a ruddy evening or morning at the golden hour, From under a bush a silver lily of the valley nods its head welcomingly; When the icy spring plays along the ravine And, plunging my thought into some kind of vague dream, Babbles to me a mysterious saga About the peaceful land from which it rushes, - Then the anxiety of my soul is humbled... ...And I can comprehend happiness on earth... In these lines Lermontov says with the very heart, only the true ones perform here, strong feelings, the main thing of which is a feeling of love for one’s native land. But the poet’s view of his beloved homeland was not at all idealized. His soul, striving for harmony and happiness, was not worried about “glory bought with blood,” “nor peace full of proud trust,” “nor cherished legends of dark antiquity.” He perfectly saw all the hardships of the life of his people, their suffering, and was indignant at the serfdom, the gendarmerie empire with its division into masters and slaves, into gendarmes and “the people obedient to them.” Lermontov saw all the ulcers on the body of his native land, saw and did not understand the slavish obedience of the people, rebelled against their humility, voicelessness and immobility. And the poet’s heart was torn to pieces. Because he still loved and could not stop loving everything that he called “my home.” In this house he is “condemned to suffer,” but only in it can he be calm. That is why Lermontov called his love for his homeland “strange” - it combined happiness and pain, the desire to do everything possible for his native land and the consciousness of his own powerlessness. Love for Russia is inextricably linked in the poet’s heart with love for great capital- to Moscow. It is she who is the central image of the poem “Borodino”, in which the author openly swore allegiance to his homeland. It was Moscow that taught the poet to value the freedom and independence of the people, it was she who showed the real heroic character Russian people. It was here that M. Yu. Lermontov was formed as a poet and as a citizen, here his powerful mind manifested itself, his thoughts declared themselves, and great philosophical ideas were born. The poet treasured civil exploits ancestors who knew how to stand up for truth, for human dignity, for the honor of the fatherland. That’s why he constantly glorifies people’s Russia in his poems, which he loves with all his soul, with all his heart, “truly holy and reasonable.” And, remembering the heroic past of the Russian people, Lermontov looks with sadness and doubt at future generations, whom life “languishes like a smooth path without a goal.”
