I love my fatherland, but with a strange love! My reason will not defeat her. Neither glory bought with blood, nor peace full of proud trust, nor cherished legends of dark antiquity stir in me a joyful dream. But I love - for what, I don’t know myself - Her steppes’ cold silence, Her boundless swaying forests, The floods of her rivers are like seas. On a country road I love to ride in a cart and, with my slow gaze piercing the shadows 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 train spends the night in the steppe And on a hill in the middle of a yellow cornfield A pair of whitening birches. With joy, unfamiliar to many, I see a complete threshing floor, A hut covered with straw, A window with carved shutters. And on a holiday, in a dewy evening, I’m ready to watch until midnight To dance with stomping and whistling To the talking of drunken peasants.
The creative heritage of the Russian poet and writer Mikhail Lermontov includes many works that express the author’s civic position. However, the poem “Motherland,” written by Lermontov in 1941, shortly before his death, can be classified as one of the most striking examples of patriotic lyrics of the 19th century.
Writers who were contemporaries of Lermontov can be divided into two categories. Some of them sang the beauty of Russian nature, deliberately turning a blind eye to the problems of the village and serfdom. Others, on the contrary, tried to reveal the vices of society in their works and were known as rebels. Mikhail Lermontov, in turn, tried to find a golden mean in his work, and the poem “Motherland” is rightfully considered the crowning achievement of his desire to express his feelings towards Russia as fully and objectively as possible.
One consists of two parts, different not only in size, but also in concept. The solemn introduction, in which the author declares his love for the Fatherland, is replaced by stanzas that describe the beauty of Russian nature. The author admits that he loves Russia not for its military feats, but for the beauty of nature, originality and bright national color. He clearly distinguishes concepts such as homeland and state, noting that his love is strange and somewhat painful. On the one hand, he admires Russia, its steppes, meadows, rivers and forests. But at the same time, he is aware that the Russian people are still oppressed, and the stratification of society into rich and poor becomes more pronounced with each generation. And the beauty of the native land is not able to veil the “trembling lights of sad villages.”
Researchers of this poet's work are convinced that by nature Mikhail Lermontov was not a sentimental person. In his circle, the poet was known as a bully and a brawler, he loved to mock his fellow soldiers and resolved disputes with the help of a duel. Therefore, it is all the more strange that from his pen were born not bravura patriotic or accusatory lines, but subtle lyrics with a touch of slight sadness. However, there is a logical explanation for this, which some literary critics adhere to. It is believed that people of a creative nature have amazing intuition or, as it is commonly called in literary circles, the gift of foresight. Mikhail Lermontov was no exception and, according to Prince Peter Vyazemsky, he had a presentiment of his death in a duel. That is why he hastened to say goodbye to everything that was dear to him, taking off for a moment the mask of a jester and actor, without which he did not consider it necessary to appear in high society.
However, there is an alternative interpretation of this work, which, undoubtedly, is key in the poet’s work. According to the literary critic Vissarion Belinsky, Mikhail Lermontov not only advocated the need for government reforms, but also foresaw that very soon Russian society with its patriarchal way of life would change completely, completely and irrevocably. Therefore, in the poem “Motherland,” sad and even nostalgic notes slip through, and the main leitmotif of the work, if you read it between the lines, is an appeal to descendants to love Russia as it is. Do not exalt her achievements and merits, do not focus on social vices and imperfections of the political system. After all, homeland and state are two completely different concepts that should not be tried to be brought to a single denominator even with good intentions. Otherwise, love for the Motherland will be seasoned with the bitterness of disappointment, which is what the poet who experienced this feeling was so afraid of.
What is patriotism? Literally translated from ancient Greek, this word means “fatherland”; if you look even deeper for information, you can understand that it is as ancient as the human race. This is probably why philosophers, statesmen, writers, and poets always talked and argued about him. 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 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 (“boundless swaying of forests”, “sad trees”, “sleeping convoy in the steppe”), as well as through the repeated repetition of the verb “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. On our website you can download 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.
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 the poems belonging to the early period of M.Yu. Lermontov’s work, the patriotic feeling does not reach 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, there is a certain shade of sadness in the poet's perception of his native land.
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.
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.