MUSICAL IMAGES AND MOTIVES IN THE POETRY OF A. PLATONOV

Abstract

Th e fi rst literary experiments of A. Platonov, like among many novelists of the twenties, are connected with poems, which occupy a signifi cant place in his early works. Poems are the texts where was formed a unique style of the writer. Th is article analyzes the musical images and motifs from Platonov`s two books of poetry: “Blue Depth” (1922) and “Th e Singing Th oughts” (1926—1927). Th e leitmotif of the fi rst part of the book of poems “Blue depth” is music of machines. Th e presence of this motive is caused by the infl uence of Proletkult poetry. In a number of poems in this section the music of machines is a part of the characteristics of the utopian New Town, which is being built by the proletarians. At the end of the fi rst part of “Blue depth” appears the image of unsung songs. Th is image indicates to the ways of knowing of the world, which are rational-technocratic alternative ways. In the plot of the second part of this book of poetry the motif of music machines is transformed into the image of music of thought. Analysis of the cycle of poems “Th e Singing Th oughts” has shown that in comparison with the “Blue depth” this book has a plot where a new interaction between musical motifs and themes takes place. Th e development of this plot is based on the principle of a counterpoint.

Keywords

• A. Platonov
• poetry
• plot
• motif
• music
• musicality
• counterpoint