In the love lyrics of Russian poets, the image of a female goddess occupies one of the key places. The poem was no exception in this regard Valeria Bryusova"To a woman." which he wrote in 1899, 18 months after he married Joanna Runt, his younger sister's French governess.
However, the work "To a woman" dedicated not only to Joanna Runt, but also to all the daughters of Adam, whom Bryusov sincerely admired throughout his life. For him, a woman is a “book between books” and a “sealed scroll”, which contains many secrets and food for thought, as well as surprises, revelations and unpredictable discoveries. Each of her actions, like a crazy poem, amazes the imagination with its irrationality, but at the same time, filled with inexplicable charm.
Your poem “To a Woman” Valery Bryusov wrote in the form of a sonnet, thereby emphasizing the fragility, sophistication and sophistication of the fairer sex. However, the author had no illusions about their essence, believing that under the mask of prudence and politeness, an ardent temperament and passionate nature are often hidden. And deliberately rude and even vulgar women, as a rule, turn out to be very vulnerable and romantic people at heart. This duality and inconsistency, the ability to cleverly disguise one’s true desires, feelings and aspirations, remained an unsolved mystery for Valery Bryusov throughout his life. However, the poet understood that even the smartest woman, possessing extraordinary intuition and intelligence, is unlikely to be able to answer this question and explain what exactly makes her lead a double life, wishful thinking and cleverly manipulate men, subordinating them to her desires and whims .
In the love lyrics of Russian poets, the image of a female goddess occupies one of the key places. Valery Bryusov’s poem “To a Woman,” which he wrote in 1899, 18 months after he married Joanna Runt, his younger sister’s French governess, was no exception in this regard.
Fascinated by her beauty and grace, subtle mind (she was one of the few representatives of the fairer sex in the poet’s circle who had an education and earned their own living) and undoubted literary abilities, Valery Bryusov dedicated one of his most striking and moving poems to her.
Having become an exemplary family man, the poet realizes that a woman can simultaneously give pain and joy. That is why he compares the fairer sex with a “witch’s drink”, which makes the body and soul shudder from torment, but at the same time brings incomparable happiness and makes one “glorify” the one who has prepared her sweet torture for a man. At the same time, Valery Bryusov considers women to be higher beings, who from time immemorial have been adorned with the “star crown,” and men bow before them as if they were higher beings. By the way, it was Valery Bryusov who coined the common phrase that a woman is always right. Even in those cases when she is deeply mistaken, but at the same time she tries to defend her point of view and convince everyone around her of it. Moreover, it is the representatives of the weaker sex who are the meaning of life for a man, for them they are ready to drag themselves with an “iron yoke”, serve them “in the firmament of crushing mountains” and pray for them, recognizing the presence in women of two principles - witchcraft and the divine.
It should be noted that Valery Bryusov managed to maintain deep respect for women in his heart throughout his life; he bowed to them and, by his own definition, felt like a fool in their society, who was not given the ability to understand the superiors of this world. However, despite the fact that many novels were attributed to the poet during his lifetime, it is known for certain that until his death he remained faithful to his wife, considering her an unattainable ideal.
Valery Bryusov wrote his poem “To a Woman” in the form of a sonnet, thereby emphasizing the fragility, sophistication and sophistication of the fairer sex. However, the author had no illusions about their essence, believing that under the mask of prudence and politeness, an ardent temperament and passionate nature are often hidden. And deliberately rude and even vulgar women, as a rule, turn out to be very vulnerable and romantic people at heart. This duality and inconsistency, the ability to cleverly disguise one’s true desires, feelings and aspirations, remained an unsolved mystery for Valery Bryusov throughout his life. However, the poet understood that even the smartest woman, possessing extraordinary intuition and intelligence, is unlikely to be able to answer this question and explain what exactly makes her lead a double life, wishful thinking and cleverly manipulate men, subordinating them to her desires and whims .
Analysis of Valery Bryusov’s poem “To a Woman”
V.Ya. Bryusov wrote the poem “To a Woman” at the end of the nineteenth century. During that period, he married his sister's governess. His new wife was educated and smart. She was a rare woman of that time who was able to earn her own living.
The poet was amazed by her combination of impeccability, beauty and intelligence. But V.Ya. Bryusov dedicated his work not only to her. He put all women on a pedestal. The author was a connoisseur of the fair sex, women inspired him. He compares a woman to a source of wisdom, “a book between books.” In a world of dominant men at the time, this was a bold challenge.
The poet thinks that a woman brings joy and, at the same time, pain. Apparently he himself experienced such contradictory feelings in the name of love. He compares the feminine essence with a “divine drink.” V.Ya. Bryusov’s phrase about women’s righteousness has become a household word. He notes the influence of women on men. Even while dragging the yoke, men are ready to serve women. The poem mixes feminine qualities such as witchcraft and divinity. These features are combined with each other.
In the work, the woman is elevated to the level of a deity, and the man is enslaved. Even realizing that he will die, the man succumbs to the spell and “glorifies madly in the midst of torture.” Such a scalding drink, like a woman, burns and with its harshness enslaves a strong man. Bryusov shows enslavement as a virtue and the pinnacle of pleasure.
Throughout his life, the poet respected and appreciated women. He was credited with many affairs, but he was faithful to his wife. He considered her the ideal. Perhaps he copied feminine qualities from her. V.Ya. Bryusov was always delighted and frightened by the inconsistency of the female character.
In the poem, he wonders why double life is so characteristic of female nature. The poet believed that even an intelligent and educated girl would not be able to answer this question. Today in Russian literature this poem most elevates and, without using metaphors, deifies a woman. Surprisingly, the author has collected all the advantages of the fair half of humanity in such a short work.
“To a Woman” by V. Bryusov
You are a woman, you are a book between books,
You are a rolled up, sealed scroll;
Every moment in his pages is insane.
You are a woman, you are a witch's drink!
It burns with fire as soon as it enters your mouth;
And he praises madly in the midst of torture.
You are a woman, and you are right.
You are the image of a deity in our abysses!
And we pray - from eternity - for you!
Analysis of Bryusov’s poem “To a Woman”
In the love lyrics of Russian poets, the image of a female goddess occupies one of the key places. Valery Bryusov’s poem “To a Woman,” which he wrote in 1899, 18 months after he married Joanna Runt, his younger sister’s French governess, was no exception in this regard.
Fascinated by her beauty and grace, subtle mind (she was one of the few representatives of the fairer sex in the poet’s circle who had an education and earned their own living) and undoubted literary abilities, Valery Bryusov dedicated one of his most striking and moving poems to her.
However, the work “Woman” is dedicated not only to Joanna Runt, but also to all the daughters of Adam, whom Bryusov sincerely admired throughout his life. For him, a woman is a “book between books” and a “sealed scroll”, which contains many secrets and food for thought, as well as surprises, revelations and unpredictable discoveries. Each of her actions, like a crazy poem, amazes the imagination with its irrationality, but at the same time, filled with inexplicable charm.
Having become an exemplary family man, the poet realizes that a woman can simultaneously give pain and joy. That is why he compares the fairer sex with a “witch’s drink”, which makes the body and soul shudder from torment, but at the same time brings incomparable happiness and makes one “glorify” the one who has prepared her sweet torture for a man. At the same time, Valery Bryusov considers women to be higher beings, who from time immemorial have been adorned with the “star crown,” and men bow before them as if they were higher beings. By the way, it was Valery Bryusov who coined the common phrase that a woman is always right. Even in those cases when she is deeply mistaken, but at the same time she tries to defend her point of view and convince everyone around her of it. Moreover, it is the representatives of the weaker sex who are the meaning of life for a man, for them they are ready to drag themselves with an “iron yoke”, serve them “in the firmament of crushing mountains” and pray for them, recognizing the presence in women of two principles - witchcraft and the divine.
It should be noted that Valery Bryusov managed to maintain deep respect for women in his heart throughout his life; he bowed to them and, by his own definition, felt like a fool in their society, who was not given the ability to understand the superiors of this world. However, despite the fact that many novels were attributed to the poet during his lifetime, it is known for certain that until his death he remained faithful to his wife, considering her an unattainable ideal.
Valery Bryusov wrote his poem “To a Woman” in the form of a sonnet, thereby emphasizing the fragility, sophistication and sophistication of the fairer sex. However, the author had no illusions about their essence, believing that under the mask of prudence and politeness, an ardent temperament and passionate nature are often hidden. And deliberately rude and even vulgar women, as a rule, turn out to be very vulnerable and romantic people at heart. This duality and inconsistency, the ability to cleverly disguise one’s true desires, feelings and aspirations, remained an unsolved mystery for Valery Bryusov throughout his life. However, the poet understood that even the smartest woman, possessing extraordinary intuition and intelligence, is unlikely to be able to answer this question and explain what exactly makes her lead a double life, wishful thinking and cleverly manipulate men, subordinating them to her desires and whims .
Sample Poem Analysis
After studying individual lyrical works, it is advisable to conduct a final lesson.
The final lesson on lyricism summarizes all the observations made during the lessons on lyricism.
Closing lessons can be taught in various forms. These include quiz lessons and competition lessons for the best reader. It could also be a teacher's lecture. To activate the attention and emotions of students, the lecture can include the reading of samples of lyrics by masters of artistic expression, and the performance of romances based on the words of lyrical works. This lesson, regardless of form, should be educational and educational. From this lesson, students should take with them specific answers to the questions: How does the poetry of the poet being studied differ from the poetry of his predecessors? What are the features of his lyrics? What are the main themes and motifs? What is the meaning of the lyrics of the poet being studied?
You are a rolled, sealed scroll,
There is an abundance of thoughts and words in his lines,
Every moment is mad in his words.
You are a woman, you are a witch's drink.
It burns with fire, barely entered the mouth,
But the flame drinker suppresses the cry
And praises madly amidst torture
You are a woman, and you are right about that,
From time immemorial she has been adorned with a crown of stars,
You are the image of a deity in our abysses.
We draw you with an iron yoke,
We serve you, crushing the firmament of the mountains,
And we pray - from eternity - for you.
Poem by V. Bryusov - sonnet. This is a favorite form of lyricists to create harmonious poems that glorify beauty. The sonnet form was not chosen by Bryusov by chance. This work is a hymn to women. And the main theme of this poem is the power of women's charms.
Bryusov uses the simple pronoun “you” in the refrain. The symbolist tells us with the help of definite-personal and indefinite-personal constructions (“we serve you”, “we draw an iron yoke for you”, “we pray”, “he who drinks the flame suppresses the cry”, “praises madly”): this “you” known to everyone. But she has no name, She is also a sacredly revered idol, “the image of a deity,” a witch’s potion. Using in the refrain a two-part sentence with a zero connective in a compound nominal predicate (“You are a woman”), Bryusov emphasizes the greatest constancy of two concepts: “you”, “woman”. The author does not give the “woman” a name; she is a collective image of all Eva’s great-granddaughters.
Symbols represented by a type of trope - metaphor - help the poet reveal the essence of a woman.
A woman is a book between books (that is, the main book that is interesting for anyone to read), an imprinted scroll (not everyone has access to a precious scripture full of discoveries), a witch’s drink (a sure way to be transported to another, magical and crazy world), a divine person crowned with stars. The objectification of a woman in the first and second stanzas helps to express the author’s attitude towards her as something precious and protected. The epithets used by Valery Bryusov allow Valery Bryusov to make the poetic role bright and emotionally charged: scroll - imprinted, rolled up; drink - burning with fire; the crown is starry. The inversion gives a special flavor to the lines that are important to the author:
There is an abundance of thoughts and words in his lines...
We serve you, crushing the firmament of the mountains.
The combination of the incompatible in the phrase “drinking the flame” tells the reader that, in the author’s opinion, for the sake of a woman, anyone is capable of madness, “suppressing a cry.”
Use of anaphora: “You are a woman, you are a book between books, you are a scroll; In his lines there is an abundance of thoughts and words, every moment in his lines is crazy,” - makes the author’s speech more coherent, concentrates the reader’s attention on the basic concepts.
Let's turn to another linguistic level - phonetic: in the first two stanzas alliteration predominates, which emphasizes the rhythmicity and formality of the hymn to a woman in conversational intonation.
The assonance in the third and fourth stanzas makes the lines praising the woman melodious and allows for the creation of a melodic intonation.
You are a woman, you are a book between books,
You are a rolled, sealed scroll
U - |U - |U - |U - |U – | U
The poetic meter of Bryusov’s work is iambic pentameter. The symbolist poet uses archaisms: mouth, glorifies, removed, vleset, yoke, firmament. Archaisms allow us to emphasize that for a long time - “from time immemorial” - “they prayed... for you”, that a woman, as a deity, is an enduring magnitude and that she will always inspire poets with the flame of her fire.
The abundance of artistic means and techniques allows the author of the poem to achieve unity of form and content.
Listen to Bryusov's poem to a woman
Topics of adjacent essays
Picture for the essay analysis of the poem to a Woman
The poem “To a Woman” was written in 1899 by 26-year-old Bryusov and was included in the cycle “Another Fairy Tale”. It was published in 1900 in the collection “Tertia Vigilia”. The poem is not dedicated to a specific woman. At the age of 25, Bryusov married a Frenchwoman, Joanna Runt, his younger sister’s governess. His beloved wife was almost a deity for him. But the woman depicted in the poem not only bears the features of Joanna Runt, but also of Bryusov’s other lovers. This is a generalized image of a beloved - a mysterious woman, a queen, a goddess.
Literary direction and genre
Bryusov, as a symbolist poet, paints the image of an abstract woman, a woman as such, feminine nature itself. A woman and her essence are revealed through symbolic images of a book, a scroll, a love potion...
The genre of the poem is philosophical lyrics, comprehension of the feminine principle, the role of a woman in a man’s life. Of course, the lyrical hero loves the woman he idolizes. But the poem is not about feelings, but about the hero’s perception of the world, so the poem can be classified as love poetry with a stretch.
Theme, main idea and composition
The poem consists of two quatrains and two tercets, that is, it is a sonnet. As befits a sonnet, the first stanza sets a theme (thesis), which develops in the second stanza as an antithesis. The thesis is that a woman is wisdom and a mystery at the same time. The antithesis of the second quatrain is addressed not to thought, but rather to feeling and sensation. The woman, who is described so stationary and calm in the first stanza, in the second turns into a whirlwind, into a contradiction, forcing her to simultaneously enjoy and suffer.
In the first terzetto, according to the law of the sonnet, there must be a synthesis, and in the second there must be a denouement. The synthesis of the sonnet about a woman is that her contradictory essence is the main advantage, feminine nature. She's "right" about it. The lyrical hero enhances her elevation from “right” to royalty (star crown) and divinity.
The denouement returns to the world of the poem the balance stated in the title. This is a dedication to a woman, to the feminine, coming from a man. The man reappears in the final terzetto denouement, asserting his role in the binary opposition of feminine and masculine. The lyrical hero consistently accepts, gradually increasing, dependence on a woman: lack of freedom - work and even slavery - spiritual dependence, worship.
The theme of the poem is praise to women. The main idea is that the lyrical hero, highlighting specifically feminine virtues, extolling a woman as a queen and even a goddess, does not forget about the harmonious world order and the binary opposition of woman and man. The mystery of a woman exists only when there is a man to solve it.
Paths and images
The main trope of the poem is comparison and metaphor. The woman is compared to a book between books and a rolled up imprinted scroll. This image contains several important qualities of a woman: a mystery that needs to be solved, wisdom that needs to be seen. With the help of metaphors, a woman’s fullness is emphasized (an excess of thoughts and words). The images of the scroll and the book as symbolic feminine objects refer to Freud's philosophy. The last metaphorical line is a bridge to the next quatrain. Why every moment is mad can be understood from further reasoning.
The second stanza is the antithesis of the first. A woman is compared to a witch's drink. The metaphor “the drink burns with fire” is an oxymoron, as is “drinking the flame.”
There is also a contradiction in the last line of the quatrain: not only does a person experience torment when he drinks, he also madly glorifies at this time. This is how Bryusov symbolically describes the contradictory nature of a woman.
In the first terzetto, a woman is compared to a deity. The metaphors “decorated with a crown of stars” and “our abysses” expand space, the inhabited world into infinity, and the feminine divine essence extends there as well.
The last stanza symbolically describes the “exploits” of a man in the name of a woman using the metaphors “we are drawn with an iron yoke,” “we serve, crushing the firmament of the mountains.” If the first terzetto speaks of the influence of a woman in space, then the second speaks of the significance of a woman in time (from century to century).
Meter and rhyme
Bryusov's poem is something between a French and English sonnet with the rhyme system abba baab VGV GDD. That is, in form it is 3 quatrains and a distich, a sonnet key, but in content the last two lines are not the key. Rhyme b between the first and second quatrain is so inaccurate that it may not be accepted, considering it a separate rhyme: books - a moment; penetrated - scream. If these are different rhymes, the sonnet is no longer classical and will acquire the rhyme abba bvvb gdg dee.
Bryusov does not at all strive for the exact rhyme characteristic of a sonnet. For example, the rhyme star - iron requires the outdated sound of the first word (with a stressed e). The form of the sonnet is important, but Bryusov uses it flexibly, paying great attention to the content, logic, and images of the sonnet. The poem is written in iambic pentameter. Male and female rhymes alternate.
- “To the Young Poet”, analysis of Bryusov’s poem
“To a Woman” Valery Bryusov
You are a woman, you are a book between books,
You are a rolled up, sealed scroll;
There is an abundance of thoughts and words in his lines,
Every moment in his pages is insane.You are a woman, you are a witch's drink!
It burns with fire as soon as it enters your mouth;
But the flame drinker suppresses the cry
And he praises madly in the midst of torture.You are a woman, and you are right.
From time immemorial she has been adorned with a crown of stars,
You are the image of a deity in our abysses!We draw you with an iron yoke,
We serve you, crushing the firmament of the mountains,
And we pray - from eternity - for you!
Analysis of Bryusov’s poem “To a Woman”
In the love lyrics of Russian poets, the image of a female goddess occupies one of the key places. Valery Bryusov’s poem “To a Woman,” which he wrote in 1899, 18 months after he married Joanna Runt, his younger sister’s French governess, was no exception in this regard.
Fascinated by her beauty and grace, subtle mind (she was one of the few representatives of the fairer sex in the poet’s circle who had an education and earned their own living) and undoubted literary abilities, Valery Bryusov dedicated one of his most striking and moving poems to her.
However, the work “Woman” is dedicated not only to Joanna Runt, but also to all the daughters of Adam, whom Bryusov sincerely admired throughout his life. For him, a woman is a “book between books” and a “sealed scroll”, which contains many secrets and food for thought, as well as surprises, revelations and unpredictable discoveries. Each of her actions, like a crazy poem, amazes the imagination with its irrationality, but at the same time, filled with inexplicable charm.
Having become an exemplary family man, the poet realizes that a woman can simultaneously give pain and joy. That is why he compares the fairer sex with a “witch’s drink”, which makes the body and soul shudder from torment, but at the same time brings incomparable happiness and makes one “glorify” the one who has prepared her sweet torture for a man. At the same time, Valery Bryusov considers women to be higher beings, who from time immemorial have been adorned with the “star crown,” and men bow before them as if they were higher beings. By the way, it was Valery Bryusov who coined the common phrase that a woman is always right. Even in those cases when she is deeply mistaken, but at the same time she tries to defend her point of view and convince everyone around her of it. Moreover, it is the representatives of the weaker sex who are the meaning of life for a man, for them they are ready to drag themselves with an “iron yoke”, serve them “in the firmament of crushing mountains” and pray for them, recognizing the presence in women of two principles - witchcraft and the divine.
It should be noted that Valery Bryusov managed to maintain deep respect for women in his heart throughout his life; he bowed to them and, by his own definition, felt like a fool in their society, who was not given the ability to understand the superiors of this world. However, despite the fact that many novels were attributed to the poet during his lifetime, it is known for certain that until his death he remained faithful to his wife, considering her an unattainable ideal.
Valery Bryusov wrote his poem “To a Woman” in the form of a sonnet, thereby emphasizing the fragility, sophistication and sophistication of the fairer sex. However, the author had no illusions about their essence, believing that under the mask of prudence and politeness, an ardent temperament and passionate nature are often hidden. And deliberately rude and even vulgar women, as a rule, turn out to be very vulnerable and romantic people at heart. This duality and inconsistency, the ability to cleverly disguise one’s true desires, feelings and aspirations, remained an unsolved mystery for Valery Bryusov throughout his life. However, the poet understood that even the smartest woman, possessing extraordinary intuition and intelligence, is unlikely to be able to answer this question and explain what exactly makes her lead a double life, wishful thinking and cleverly manipulate men, subordinating them to her desires and whims .