Twelve poems by Alexander Blok. “The Twelve” - Blok’s poem about the revolution Poem 12 connection with the apostles
Black evening.
White snow.
Wind, wind!
The man is not standing on his feet.
Wind, wind -
All over God's world!
The wind curls
White snow.
There is ice under the snow.
Slippery, hard
Every walker
Slips - oh, poor thing!
From building to building
They will stretch the rope.
On the rope - poster:
The old woman is killing herself - crying,
He won't understand what it means
What is this poster for?
Such a huge flap?
How many foot wraps would there be for the guys,
And everyone is undressed, barefoot...
Old lady like a chicken
Somehow I rewound over a snowdrift.
- Oh, Mother Intercessor!
- Oh, the Bolsheviks will drive you into a coffin!
The wind is biting!
The frost isn't far behind!
And the bourgeois at the crossroads
He hid his nose in his collar.
Who is this? - Long hair
And he says in a low voice:
- Traitors!
- Russia is dead!
Must be a writer -
Vitia...
And there’s the long-haired one -
To the side and behind the snowdrift...
That today is not cheerful,
Comrade pop?
Do you remember how it used to be
He walked forward with his belly,
And the cross shone
Belly on the people?
There's a lady in karakul
Turned up to another:
- We cried and cried...
Slipped
And - bam - she stretched out!
Ay, ay!
Pull, lift!
The wind is cheerful.
Both angry and happy.
Twists the hems,
Passers-by are mowed down.
Tears, crumples and wears
Large poster:
“All power to the Constituent Assembly!”
And he delivers the words:
...And we had a meeting...
...In this building...
...Discussed -
Resolved:
For a while - ten, at night - twenty-five...
...And don’t take less from anyone...
…Let's go to sleep…
Late evening.
The street is empty.
One tramp
Slouching,
Let the wind whistle...
Hey, poor guy!
Come -
Let's kiss...
Of bread!
What's ahead?
Come on in!
Black, black sky.
Anger, sad anger
It boils in my chest...
Black anger, holy anger...
Comrade! Look
Both!
The wind is blowing, the snow is fluttering.
Twelve people are walking.
Rifles black belts
All around - lights, lights, lights...
There is a cigarette in his teeth, he has taken a cap,
You need the Ace of Diamonds on your back!
Freedom, freedom,
Eh, eh, without a cross!
Tra-ta-ta!
It's cold, comrades, it's cold!
And Vanka and Katka are in the tavern...
- She has kerenki in her stocking!
Vanyushka himself is rich now...
- Vanka was ours, but he became a soldier!
Well, Vanka, son of a bitch, bourgeois,
My, try, kiss!
Freedom, freedom,
Eh, eh, without a cross!
Katka and Vanka are busy -
What, what are you doing?..
Tra-ta-ta!
All around - lights, lights, lights...
Shoulders - gun belts...
Revolutionary step up!
The restless enemy never sleeps!
Comrade, hold the rifle, don’t be afraid!
Let's fire a bullet into Holy Rus' -
To the condo,
In the hut,
In the fat ass!
Eh, eh, without a cross!
How did our guys go?
To serve in the Red Army -
To serve in the Red Army -
I'm going to lay down my head!
Oh, you, bitter grief,
Sweet life!
Torn coat
Austrian gun!
We are at the mercy of all bourgeoisie
Let's fan the world fire,
World fire in blood -
God bless!
The snow is spinning, the reckless driver is screaming,
Vanka and Katka are flying -
Electric flashlight
On the shafts...
Ah, ah, fall!
n in a soldier's overcoat
With a stupid face
Twists, twirls the black mustache,
Yes, it twists
He's joking...
That's how Vanka is - he's broad-shouldered!
That's how Vanka is - he is talkative!
hugs Katya the Fool,
Speaks...
She threw her face back
Teeth sparkle like pearls...
Oh you, Katya, my Katya,
Thick-faced...
On your neck, Katya,
The scar did not heal from the knife.
Under your breasts, Katya,
That scratch is fresh!
Eh, eh, dance!
It hurts the legs are good!
She walked around in lace underwear -
Walk around, walk around!
Fornicated with the officers -
Get lost, get lost!
Eh, eh, get lost!
My heart skipped a beat!
Do you remember, Katya, the officer -
He did not escape the knife...
Al didn't remember, cholera?
Is your memory not fresh?
Eh, eh, refresh
Let me sleep with you!
She wore gray leggings,
Minion ate chocolate.
I went for a walk with the cadets -
Did you go with the soldier now?
Eh, eh, sin!
It will be easier for the soul!
...Again galloping towards us,
The reckless driver is flying, screaming, yelling...
Stop, stop! Andryukha, help!
Petrukha, run behind!..
Fuck-bang-tah-tah-tah-tah!
Snowy dust swirled towards the sky!..
The reckless driver - and with Vanka - ran away...
One more time! Cock the trigger!..
Fuck-gobble! You will know
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
It's like walking with a stranger's girl!..
Run away, scoundrel! Alright, wait,
I'll deal with you tomorrow!
Where is Katka? - Dead, dead!
Shot in the head!
What, Katka, are you happy? - No goo-goo...
Lie, you carrion, in the snow!
Revolutionary step up!
The restless enemy never sleeps!
And again there are twelve,
Behind his shoulders is a gun.
Only the poor killer
You can't see your face at all...
Faster and faster
He quickens his pace.
I wrapped a scarf around my neck -
It won't recover...
What, comrade, are you not happy?
- What, my friend, are you dumbfounded?
- What, Petrukha, he hung his nose,
Or did you feel sorry for Katka?
Oh, comrades, relatives,
I loved this girl...
The nights are black and intoxicating
Spent with this girl...
Because of the poor prowess
In her fiery eyes,
Because of a crimson mole
Near the right shoulder,
I lost it, stupid
I ruined it in the heat of the moment... ah!
Look, you bastard, he started a barrel organ,
What are you, Petka, a woman, or what?
- Truly the soul inside out
Did you think of turning it out? Please!
- Maintain your posture!
- Keep control over yourself!
Now is not the time
To babysit you!
The burden will be heavier
To us, dear comrade!
And Petrukha slows down
Hasty steps...
He throws his head up
He became cheerful again...
Eh, eh!
It's not a sin to have fun!
Lock the floors
There will be robberies today!
Unlock the cellars -
The bastard is on the loose these days!
Oh, woe is bitter!
Boredom is boring
Mortal!
It's time for me
I’ll carry it out, I’ll carry it out...
I'm already crowned
I'll scratch it, I'll scratch it...
I'm already seeds
I'll get it, I'll get it...
I'm already using a knife
I'll strip, strip!..
You fly, bourgeois, little crow!
I'll drink some blood
For the sweetheart,
Black-browed...
Rest, Lord, the soul of your servant...
You can’t hear the city noise,
There is silence above the Neva Tower,
And there is no more policeman -
Go for a walk, guys, without wine!
A bourgeois stands at a crossroads
And he hid his nose in his collar.
And next to him he cuddles with coarse fur
A mangy dog with its tail between its legs.
The bourgeois stands there like a hungry dog,
It stands silent, like a question.
And the old world is like a rootless dog,
Stands behind him with his tail between his legs.
There was some kind of blizzard,
Oh, blizzard, oh, blizzard!
Can't see each other at all
In four steps!
The snow curled like a funnel,
The snow rose in columns...
Oh, what a blizzard, save me!
- Petka! Hey, don't lie!
What did I save you from?
Golden iconostasis?
You're unconscious, really.
Think, think sensibly -
Ali's hands are not covered in blood
Because of Katka's love?
- Take a revolutionary step!
The restless enemy is close!
Forward, forward, forward,
Working people!
...And they go without the name of the saint
All twelve - into the distance.
Ready for anything
No regrets...
Their rifles are steel
To an invisible enemy...
In the back streets,
Where one snowstorm gathers dust...
Yes, downy snowdrifts -
You can't drag your boot...
It hits my eyes
Red flag.
Is heard
Measured step.
Here he will wake up
Fierce enemy...
And the blizzard throws dust in their eyes
Days and nights
All the way!…
Go-go,
Working people!
...They walk into the distance with a mighty step...
- Who else is there? Come out!
This is the wind with a red flag
Played out ahead...
Ahead is a cold snowdrift.
- Whoever is in the snowdrift, come out!
Only a poor dog is hungry
Waddles behind...
Get off, you scoundrel.
I'll tickle you with a bayonet!
The old world is like a mangy dog,
If you fail, I'll beat you up!
... Bares his teeth - the wolf is hungry -
Tail tucked - not far behind -
A cold dog is a rootless dog...
- Hey, answer me, who's coming?
Who's waving the red flag there?
- Take a closer look, it’s so dark!
-Who is walking there at a quick pace?
Burying for everything at home?
Anyway, I'll get you
Better surrender to me alive!
- Hey, comrade, it will be bad,
Come out, let's start shooting!
Fuck-tah-tah! - And only echo
Responsible in homes...
Only a blizzard of long laughter
Covered in snow...
Fuck-fuck-fuck!
Fuck-fuck-fuck!
...So they go with a sovereign step -
Behind is a hungry dog.
Ahead - with a bloody flag,
And we are unknown behind the blizzard,
And unharmed by a bullet,
With a gentle tread above the storm,
Snow scattering of pearls,
In a white corolla of roses -
Ahead is Jesus Christ.
Analysis of the poem “The Twelve” by Blok
Many consider the poem “The Twelve” to be the main work in Blok’s work. It was written by the poet in early 1918 and reflects his view of the Russian revolution.
Poem 12 is an original poem. It is written in an innovative style. The language of the poem is as close as possible to the illiterate “soldier of the revolution.” A highly educated person is perplexed by some fragments of the poem. The extreme cynicism and frankness of the “twelve apostles of the revolution” is a characteristic feature of the verse.
The plot is based on a tour of a Red Army patrol consisting of twelve people. People who represent the birth of a new world are cold-blooded criminals and murderers for whom nothing is sacred. They are driven by extreme hatred of everything that the old society symbolizes. Blok’s true attitude towards the created characters is still not completely clear. In the memoirs and works of Soviet writers, the main characters were subjected to excessive idealization. The struggle to build communism was associated only with bright and fair ideas. For Blok’s characters, one of the main goals is to “shoot a bullet into Holy Rus'.”
The poem is oversaturated with bloodthirsty sadistic slogans and phrases: “world fire in blood”, “shot in the head”, “I’ll drink the blood” and many others. etc. The speech of the main characters is replete with rudeness and curses.
The patrol itself looks like a completely meaningless action. The Red Army soldiers do not have any specific goal. They, like vultures, want to find any excuse for robbery or murder.
With some unhealthy persistence, Blok constantly introduces Christian images into the text of his work. The number of “heroes” is equal to the number of apostles. “Black malice” is equated with “holy malice.” All the monstrous acts of the revolutionaries are accompanied by the wish “God bless!” Finally, the leader of the blood-drunk gang of murderers and thugs becomes the main symbol of Christianity - Jesus Christ. Blok himself claimed that he simply could not choose a more significant figure for this role.
The poem “The Twelve” leaves behind mixed feelings. Only an incorrigible fighter for a general revolution or a mentally unstable person can consider it a work glorifying the birth of a new world. It also does not fall under the category of “the harsh truth of life,” if only because “I slash, slash with a knife” somehow does not fit with “rest, O Lord, the soul of Thy servant.” There are opinions that Blok was simply mocking the new system, but he himself did not confirm this. It is known that the poet had a desire to burn his poem.
In the twentieth century, Russia went through many trials: coups d'état, regime changes, revolution after revolution... Troubled times dictated their conditions and demanded changes in social and political life. The “ruler of thoughts” - literature - took on the solution to many pressing issues. The talented treated the revolution differently. Some did not accept it and left their native lands, while others stayed and longed for change for the better. Alexander Blok insisted that it is necessary to listen to the revolution with all your heart and consciousness; for him it is “music that those who have ears should hear.”
The history of the creation of the poem "The Twelve". Recognition of a poet, critic
The work was written after the February one, and Blok himself admits that the poem took shape very quickly for him, because he wrote it in anticipation of change. First he wrote individual stanzas, and then collected them into a single composition, and in the end he was amazed at how little was crossed out in it. It is curious that the poem grew from just a few words (“I’ll slash, slash with a knife”), after which 8 stanzas instantly appeared. It was a blizzard January day, and the poet carried this mood throughout his entire work. Blok’s poem might not have survived to this day, since the author, in his dying delirium, demanded that his wife Lyubov Mendeleevna burn his brainchild, but she did not. Alexander Alexandrovich instantly turned into an enemy of the people and poets, for which Nikolai Gumilyov sentenced him: service to the Antichrist, secondary and execution of the sovereign.
Events take place in winter in Petrograd. A blizzard blows through which screams and squeals can be heard. A detachment of twelve Red Army soldiers, the so-called fighters against the old world, are moving through the city at night, shooting mercilessly and destroying everything in their path. One of them, the sensual Vanka, kills his friend Katka and subsequently experiences her death, but his comrades order him to gather his strength: “Now is not the time to babysit you.” The squad warns citizens about the upcoming robbery: they will eradicate everything that reminds them of the old world. They forget about God, walk “without the name of a saint,” and remind the praying Petka that he already has “the blood of a girl,” which means he should not expect God’s help. However, in the last, twelfth chapter He appears: “In a white corolla of roses Ahead is Jesus Christ.” Who it is - the savior or the destroyer - Blok does not give an answer, so the meaning of the ending of the poem “The Twelve” is interpreted differently.
Image of Jesus
The appearance of Christ in the finale is an unexpected phenomenon, since Holy Rus' has already been shot at several times and the cross has been removed. A hundred years have passed since the poem was written, and literary scholars are still considering this issue and putting forward several guesses. Jesus leads a detachment of Red Guards and leads them into a new world - criminals have become saints. Other researchers believe that these are the apostles, marching in a revolutionary step under the leadership of Peter. Mikhail Voloshin assures that the image of Christ in the poem “The Twelve” was introduced for a different purpose: he does not save the detachment, but, on the contrary, tries to hide from it. Pavel Florensky drew attention to the changes in the name Jesus - in Blok it is “Jesus”, but one should not be naive and assume that the typo was made by accident. The detachment is led by the Antichrist, who is also omnipotent, invulnerable “and invisible behind the blizzard.”
Composition of the poem
“Twelve” is a response to the music of the revolution that Blok heard, and the musicality of the work is achieved by a clear rhythm. The poem is not similar to the previous works of Alexander Alexandrovich, and the poet seems to be in search of a new form, which he successfully succeeds in. The tradition of the march would later be continued in his work by the futurist Vladimir Mayakovsky. The poem consists of twelve parts of different shapes, which are interconnected and form a single whole. If you analyze the poem "The Twelve", you can identify ellipses between the stanzas that were inserted by the editors after publication - obviously, the censors considered it necessary to omit some places. At certain points, the narrative part fades into the background, and the actions are described in dialogues and monologues. The rhyme is inconsistent, and in some episodes there is none at all; often the action is interrupted by shooting - “fuck-tah-tah!”
Features of language in the poem "The Twelve"
The most brilliant symbolist of the twentieth century, Alexander Blok, reached a turning point in his work. The poet, who had previously written poems about women and love, began to become interested in new topics, and the onset of the revolution finally convinced him to rethink the motives of his work. very unusual - Blok wrote it in a fit of expectations, passions and collected urban folklore, not ignoring even vernacular and abusive language. The phrase “Mignon ate chocolate” belongs to Lyubov Mendeleeva. Blok’s prostitute Katya is “fat-faced,” the lantern is “electric,” the cadets are “cadets,” and Rus' is “fat-assed.” The author perfectly conveyed the flavor of street life, but by conducting a full analysis of the poem “The Twelve”, catchphrases can also be identified. Stanza "...Wind, wind - all over God's world!" soon became a proverb.
This mysterious number is twelve...
Delving deeper into the history of the poem, one can identify some contradictory points. In the history of world culture, there are some numbers, the peculiarity of which was noticed by ancient people: they brought good luck to some, misfortune to others. The number 12 is the personification of cosmic order and is found in European, Chinese, Vedic and pagan cultures. Since Christianity has been preached in Russia since the tenth century, Christians are interested in the sacred meaning of this number. So, 12 is the number of Jesus' apostles, 12 fruits of the spirit, 12 tribes of Israel; at the base of the Holy City there were 12 gates and stones, which is also very symbolic. Everyone also knows that this figure is often found not only in religion, but also in everyday human life. Day and night last 12 hours, 12 months a year. In Ancient Greece and Rome, this is exactly the number of main gods that sat on Olympus.
Twelve is a truly unusual and mysterious number, but Alexander Blok himself warned that the poem is very symbolic, and any symbol and hint can be interpreted in different ways. Perhaps the meaning of this number in the poem is very realistic, since at the time of the revolution the Red Guard patrols actually numbered 12 people.
Two worlds in the work
The confrontation between the past and the new is the main theme of the poem "The Twelve". Blok saw in the revolution “deliverance from the spiritual swamp” and firmly believed that sooner or later this should happen. The old world with its foundations was not destined to exist for long - for the sake of change, society is ready to make sacrifices. The poem begins with a snowstorm, which is an image of a revolution. "Wind, wind - all over God's world!" - against this wind of change, which seems to have swept not only Russia, but the whole world, not everyone can resist. Twelve Red Army soldiers walk through a snowstorm, not afraid of anything. The old world is powerless before the coming new one, and the harbingers of revolution are just as uncontrollable and unstoppable.
Democracy or anarchy?
Twelve Red Army soldiers are the main images of the poem "The Twelve". They are irreconcilable with the old foundations - they go, and they don’t care about anything. They are a reflection of the true face of the revolution, which sweeps away everything in its path, just like a blizzard. The Red Guards warn residents to lock the “floors” and unlock the cellars, since “there will be robberies today.” Such outcries symbolize anarchy, but not the struggle of the proletariat for a better life. They despise the old world, but what can they offer in return? While destroying, they are not ready to create. They don’t say: “We will build our new world, we will create it!” Analysis of the poem "The Twelve" will allow us to see the death of the country in the events taking place. The uselessness of the revolution is confirmed by the old woman, who, seeing the poster “All power to the Constituent Assembly!”, is amazed at why it is needed. From such a huge piece of cloth one could sew foot wraps for the children, because in these hungry and cold times, when “everyone is naked and barefoot,” the state needs to take care of the well-being of the people.
Even the church is deprived of its former power. Alexander Blok portrays a priest, who, if earlier he “walked forward on his belly” and shone with a cross, is now, just like everyone else, subjugated by the Red Guards, and they address him as “comrade priest.” The new government does not need the church and faith, and the Red Guards are calling to shoot at Holy Rus' with a rifle.
Sacrifices for what?
For the revolution, the life of one person means nothing against the backdrop of a worldwide blizzard. When one of the twelve Red Army soldiers named Petka accidentally kills his girlfriend Katya, he begins to wail, not believing what is happening. In the eyes of the eleven others, this looks like weakness, because it is not the place to relax at such an important moment when the fate of Russia is being decided.
Katya is a symbol of all human vices, an anti-heroine who walks with cadets and goes to bed with everyone. She “wore gray leggings, ate Minion chocolate” and, in general, was an atypical representative of a Russian woman. Perhaps Blok's poem was written to confirm that people like Katya really must be sacrificed for the sake of the revolution.
Chaos or harmony: which will win?
The old world is insignificant and it can no longer exist. It's about to collapse. The author compares him to the image of a rootless dog who stands behind the bourgeoisie with his tail between his legs. The struggle does not last long: the dark future has already passed, but is there any light in sight? What awaits the people after this snowstorm? The Red Guards promise even greater destruction, because a future built on blood cannot be considered bright. When analyzing the poem “The Twelve,” one cannot help but notice that at the end the storm calms down, and the revolutionary people move into the future with a “sovereign step”, accompanied by someone wearing a “white crown of roses.” This is Jesus Christ. His sudden appearance promises salvation and hope that the horrors of destruction will be removed, and that the people will have the strength to overcome everything in a revived Russia. It seems that harmony will soon be reborn from chaos. For the sake of a happy life, they are ready to kill and die themselves.
Disappointment with change
The revolution of Alexander Blok can be compared to an element that, although it purifies the world, does not yet have the ability to create. The old is destroyed, but the new, built on blood, is no better. Once upon a time, Alexander Blok waited for the revolution, believed in it, said: “Those who are filled with music will hear the sigh of the universal soul, if not today, then tomorrow”; later, disillusioned with the changes taking place, he stopped hearing the “music of the revolution.” We can conclude that nothing new can be built through destruction - it is much better to preserve and improve what has been built up bit by bit over many centuries.
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Questions about Chapter 1.
What colors dominate the chapter, and why? What picture does the poet paint? Is its appearance in the poem natural? Why? What images appear and what is the principle of their depiction? Why exactly this?
The chapter begins with the designation of the polar color scheme - black and white. Black color is a symbol of darkness (“black evening”, “black anger”), white color (“white snow”) is a symbol of light. The poem unfolds a cosmic drama of the collision of light and darkness. The author paints a picture of a snow storm. This is an element of nature, symbolizing a revolutionary storm of cosmic proportions.
The wind becomes an active hero. He “curls” the “white snowball”, “twists the hems”, mows down passers-by, tears, crumples, carries” a poster. The wind covers the entire space of the poem: “Wind, wind - in all of God’s world!” In the unfolding snowy elements, caricatured images appear: an old woman frightened by a storm, a long-haired writer, a long-sexed priest, a lady in karakul.
The images are given satirically (“the old woman is like a chicken”; “remember how you used to walk forward with your belly, and your belly would shine like a cross on the people”, etc.).
Heroes are static. These are images of the old world, so there is no movement in them. This image is associated with the author's assessment of the characters.
Questions for chapters 2 and 3.
What is the setting in which the twelve appear?
How does the author decide on their image? Why is this so? What is the rhythmic structure of the chapters, what role does it play? What is the attitude of the twelve towards Vanka and Katka? How do you understand the call “Revolutionary keep your step! The restless enemy never sleeps!”
Twelve appear in the swirling snow of a blizzard. They easily enter the wild elements. Their image is the same. The portrait row accompanying the heroes - a cigarette, a cap, an ace of diamonds - is associated with anarchy. Therefore, the motive of spontaneous freedom “without a cross” arises. Blok sees how black anger brings to life permissiveness, unbridled wild instincts. Twelve “go without the name of the saint,” encroaching on Holy Rus':
Comrade, hold the rifle, don’t be afraid!
Let's fire a bullet into Holy Rus' -
To the condo.
In the hut,
In the fat ass!
Twelve personify the elements of history. The spontaneous beginning is emphasized by the rhythm of the chapters. The original rhythm of the march (iamb) changes to free verse, and in the 3rd chapter ditty motifs are heard. This emphasizes the lack of a strict organizing
started at twelve. The story about Vanka and Katka is also important. Twelve envy the heroes who are having fun in the tavern, while the Red Guards are freezing (“it’s cold, comrades, it’s cold!”).
The call “Revolutionary, keep your step! The restless enemy never sleeps!” reminds rather not of an external, but of an internal enemy, making Vanka and Katka jealous. The ditty motifs of the third chapter introduce a new color symbol - red: “World fire in blood.” This move of the author returns the reader to the idea that the battle between darkness and light will lead to blood.
Questions for chapters 4-6.
Why does Blok introduce a love triangle into the plot of the poem? How does the author create the images of Vanka, Petrukha and Katka? Why does he use these particular techniques?
With a love triangle, the element of love enters the poem. It is the elements of nature, history and love that are the harbingers of the coming of the Spirit of Music. Without this theme, Blok's concept of revolution would have collapsed.
The images of Vanka and Katka are created through portrait characteristics. Vanka is handsome. He is talkative, broad-shouldered, and twirls his black mustache. He resembles the hero of popular prints. The author rewards Vanka with a “stupid face”, since behind external beauty there is internal
emptiness. It is no coincidence that there is no description of the hero’s eyes. Katka is also spoken of unflatteringly - “stupid.” Her stupidity is associated with naive gullibility, which did not allow her to see
Vanka the seducer. Katka’s portrait is bright: “her face is thrown back, her teeth sparkle like pearls.”
Petrukha's character is revealed in his memories, through the internal stream of consciousness. The meeting with Katka awakened lyrical feelings in Petka and awakened dormant passions. Jealousy awakens cruelty in the soul. Demonstrative behavior
Vanki leads to a psychological breakdown. The patience of the Red Guards bursts, the inner “restless enemy” awakens, and they decide to take revenge on Vanka for his betrayal.
However, Katka turned out to be killed. Anger found a way out, staining the snow with blood. Weapon,
issued to defend a common cause, turned into an instrument of personal revenge. Feeling is spontaneous, it is not subject to reason. The author sympathizes with Petrukha, but understands that in the fire of the general, the personal can also burn out. The element of feeling must cleanse the hero’s soul. And the following chapters explore the psychological state of the hero.
Questions for chapters 7-8.
What feelings overwhelm Petrukha’s soul? How is the complex range of feelings conveyed in the rhythm of the poem? How do the Red Guards react to Petrukha’s behavior?
Petrukha’s emotional drama unfolds before the reader. At first, the hero does not understand what happened: “Where is Katka? - Dead, dead! Shot in the head! Then, in a fit of black anger, an assessment is born: “What, Katya, are you happy? “No goo-goo... Lie, you carrion, in the snow!” Having contacted the officer, the cadet and Vanka, she fell further and further morally. Hence the conclusion - “carrion”.
But the death of an innocent person does not bring peace. Petrukha’s “restless enemy” - his conscience - begins to torment the hero. The murder forced him to relive his love for Katka. In Petrukha’s mind, the ideal image of Katka is revived, awakening the former high feeling:
- Oh, comrades, relatives,
I loved this girl...
The nights are black and drunk
Spent with this girl...
- Because of the poor prowess
In her fiery eyes,
Because of a crimson mole
Near the right shoulder,
I lost it, stupid
I ruined it in the heat of the moment... ah!
The hero's confession is poetic. Katka's image takes on a high-pitched meaning. “Fiery eyes” give the heroine fatal passion. Petrukha and Katka are in tune with the heroes of the early Blok. The Red Guards do not understand Petka’s confession. They are busy thinking about the general thing: “The burden will be heavier for us, dear comrade.”
Petka, wanting to cope with the pangs of conscience, embarks on a violent revelry: “Lock the floors, now there will be robberies! Unlock the cellars - there's a lot of desperation going on these days. This violence entails spiritual emptiness and depression: “Oh, bitter grief! Boredom is boring, mortal"
A desire for revenge arises on Vanka: “You fly, bourgeois, like a sparrow! I’ll drink some blood for the sweetheart, the black-browed one...” This whole complex of different feelings leads the hero to purification and spiritual enlightenment.
Questions for Chapter 9.
What is Petka’s condition at the beginning of the chapter? Why does the image of a bourgeois appear after Petrukha’s drama? How does this relate to the love triangle? Why
does the image of a dog appear?
The chapter begins with a description of silence. This is the silence in Petka’s soul. Sobering sets in. The spiritual purification of the hero ends. For Blok, revolution is a cyclone of cleansing power that renews the human soul. The image of a bourgeois appears: Vanka’s features are lost in him, but the image acquires social definition. And later merges with the image of a dog - a symbol of the old world. The image of a rootless dog debunks the old world.
Questions for chapters 10-12.
Why does the image of a blizzard appear again? Has the appearance of the twelve changed? How is it conveyed in the rhythmic structure of the chapters? Why does the image of a hungry dog appear? Why does the image of Jesus Christ appear?
The clearing blizzard returns the reader to the elements of nature. The tread of the twelve becomes firmer, which is conveyed in the rhythm of the verse, reminiscent of a clear step: “A red flag beats in the eyes. A measured step is heard.” But they go “without the name of a saint,” because they are ready to kill: “Fuck-tah-tah! “And only the echo responds in the houses...” The movement of the elements of history is directed forward. The dog remains behind - a symbol of the old world. Ahead is the invisible Jesus Christ.
The appearance of Christ reminds us of the moral purification of Petrukha and serves as a personified symbol of the general renewal of life, the arrival of the Spirit of Music. For Blok, revolution is not so much a social phenomenon as a moral and psychological one, connected with a person’s spiritual life.
Why does the poem have this title? How was it reflected in the composition of the work?
Twelve Red Army soldiers evoke different associations. The twelve apostles brought the teachings of Christ to the world. The Twelve Thieves are the heroes of “The Legend of Two Great Sinners” (N. Nekrasov’s poem “Who Lives Well in Rus'”). It tells of the rightness of popular vengeance: God absolves Kudeyar of the sin of innocent blood not only for the murder of an even more sinner, but for sincere repentance and the torment of an awakened conscience.
The idea of the poem is reflected in the composition: “The Twelve” has 12 chapters. The unity of form and content makes the poem an integral poetic canvas, which reflects the response of the poet’s soul to the elements of revolution.
4.4 / 5. 11
The writing of the work took place against the backdrop of the February Revolution, which, as you know, took place in 1917, and just a year later Blok sat down to work on his famous poem “The Twelve”. The work is permeated with the chill of that time, as if the era had frozen. The poem got its name because of the twelve apostles of Christ. Blok wrote down the final and memorable phrase in his notebook, which has survived to this day.
An analysis of the poem “The Twelve” must certainly include information about the genre and compositional structure. As can be seen even from the title of this article, this work is a poem, but initially the author intended to make it in the form of a play. The result was a large poetic work with dramatic content. In structure and shape it has a ring composition. It begins and ends with an antithesis.
The poem consists of twelve chapters. It is worth noting separately, and this is a very interesting detail in the analysis of the poem, that the work is musical. In what sense? While exploring the plot line, you can hear marches and the sound of drums, someone singing and talking.
Problems and theme
The problematics of the poem involve a comparison of two concepts: Old Russia and New. Alexander Blok depicts Old Russia as a hungry dog, and New Russia as twelve. Of course, Blok did not put the meaning into political processes, but into deep philosophical reflections.
If we talk about the main theme of the work, then two points can be highlighted here:
- The theme of Russia - reality - seemed to the poet a terrible and collapsing world, and the February and October revolutions - instruments for its collapse. Blok wanted to convey to readers his idea that human life is worth nothing, the law is not on the side of ordinary people.
- Moral. When Katka is killed, no one thinks about the punishment that must follow. People no longer see death as something terrible and punishable. But the “twelve” remain the bearers of morality.
Basic images and other details of the analysis of the poem "The Twelve"
The characters in the poem are also divided into two worlds: old and new. Representatives of the new world are twelve Red Guards. In the old world there are also twelve of them: the Old Lady, the Bourgeois, the Writer, the Comrade Priest, the Lady in Karakul, the Five Prostitutes, the Tramp and, of course, the dog.
There are also characters like Katka and Vanka, but they do not belong to these worlds. The block creates a love line.
The final and most controversial image is the image of Christ, which was criticized by Blok’s contemporaries. According to the usual model of the appearance of Christ in the blue sky, in the poem he appears at a moment of disturbance of the elements. Christ heads both worlds and everyone follows him without exception. The author uses this technique to show that God is always there, no matter whether he is needed or not.
From the analysis of the poem “The Twelve” it is clearly clear that Alexander Blok is a symbolist, and his poem is built on this technique. The red flag is contrasted with the white aureole, which shows the purity and immaculateness of Christ. The symbol of Christ and this, as Blok called it - “Jesus” - makes this image, and the poem as a whole, more popular. After all, this pronunciation of his name is acceptable. The poem is a revolutionary work, written in the genre and style of that time, with all the realities and difficulties. That is why it is recognized by the people and is still loved so much.
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Year of publication of the poem: 1918
Blok’s poem “12,” which poetry lovers have recently begun to read more and more actively, is one of the author’s last works. It is considered an attempt to rethink the October Revolution. It conveys the author’s fatigue from two years of war, admiration for the “world fire” and awe of the advancing German army. Those who have read the poem “12” can find all this in its lines. This combination caused a flurry of criticism from all sides, and probably the poem “The Twelve” at the moment remains Blok’s most controversial work.
The plot of the poem "The Twelve" briefly
Blok's poem "12" begins with a description of the winter streets of Petrograd. A detachment of 12 Red Army soldiers walks along them. They discuss their colleague Vanka, who abandoned revolutionary activities to contact the former prostitute Katka. Suddenly the detachment encounters a sleigh on which Vanka and Katka are riding. The squad attacks the sled, causing Vanka to drive away, but Katka gets shot. Petka, who fired the fatal shot, is sad, but the squad does not condemn him.
Further you can read in the poem of Block “12” how the detachment continues to move. The dog that gets caught up with the detachment is driven away with bayonets. Suddenly a vague shadow appears ahead. The Twelve attack her, but there is nothing they can do. After all, before them is Jesus Christ. So the troop of twelve continues to move with Jesus Christ in front and the mangy dog behind.
According to numerous critics, Blok wrote the poem “The Twelve” during a period of spiritual admiration for the revolution. Because of her, many of his friends turned away from him. So he considered it unacceptable even in delirium to invent such poems. Blok himself, just a few years later, lying on his deathbed, asked to destroy all the manuscripts of the poem. What is quite significant is that Blok could not read the poem “12”. In this he always asked his wife to help, whom he took to concerts by chansonnier Savoyarov. According to Blok, “12” should be read exactly like Savoyarov, playing the role of a tramp.
Poem "Twelve" on the Top books website
The popularity of reading Blok’s poem “12” is so great that this allowed the work to take a high place in our ranking. At the same time, interest in the work is quite stable, which, after so many years have passed since its writing, is characteristic only of truly iconic works in literature.
You can read Alexander Blok’s poem “12” online on the Top Books website.