THE IMAGE OF ST. PETERSBURG IN A. PUSHKIN’S POEM «THE BRONZE HORSEMAN»

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the study is to identify the Pushkin concept of St. Petersburg in the poem "The Bronze Horseman", a stable set of motifs and images related to the "northern capital". Methodology and Approach. The article provides an analysis of the views of some previous and modern researchers of the last Pushkin poem. It argues that the "Peter's city" in Pushkin's creative mind was associated with the invincibility and power of Russia. The methodology lies in the revealing of Pushkin's literary devices in describing Petersburg (images, rhymes, epithets, etc.). Results. Attention is drawn to the fact that many of the images and colours in the painting of St. Petersburg are nothing but Pushkin's reminiscences and auto quotes, which does not change, in V. Belinsky's words, "high and powerful poetry" of not only the Introduction but also of the entire "St. Petersburg story". It is concluded that The Bronze Horseman is one of those Pushkin's works that laid the foundation for the Petersburg Text (V. Toporov's term) of Russian literature. Theoretical and Practical Implications. The article summarizes the material on the topic under study and, at the same time, introduces into scientific circulation the observations on the author's cultural, historical, and landscape characteristics of St. Petersburg presented in the Pushkin poem. Based on the analyzed material, we can conclude that in The Bronze Horseman Petersburg is presented as an object and subject of the story. The poetic techniques highlighted in the article are aimed at conveying Pushkin's perception of the magnificence, charm, and beauty of Petersburg and, at the same time, its disharmony during the hours of devastating floods, the full rule of the forces of nature.

Keywords

• two faces of Petersburg
• the literary background of the poem
• «Petersburg Text»
• landscape
• a force of nature
• images