Alexander Blok, The Scythians. Analysis of the poem and a summary

This article will analyzethe poem of the Block "Scythians", as well as its brief content. It is noteworthy that this is the last work of the poet. More until 1921 (the year of death), he wrote nothing.

History of creation

In record time, I wrote my ownpoem Block. "Scythians" (the analysis is better to start with the history of creation) appeared in just two days - January 29 and 30. 1918 was marked for the poet by a significant creative upsurge. At the beginning of the year he created The Twelve, then the article "Intelligentsia and Revolution", and in the end - the poem we are considering.

The reason that prompted Blok to writeworks, was purely political. According to the diary entries of the poet, he closely followed the peace negotiations held in Brest-Litovsk Soviet power with the Germans. Their unexpected failure caused a storm of emotions the writer and indignation: "... despicable bourgeois, German dud ... we looked at your Aryan eye, as long as you had a face. And on your face we look at our sly, quick glance; we will surrender to the Asians, and the East will shed on you ... Are we barbarians? It's good. " This small passage contains the key to understanding the meaning of the poem.

It is also necessary to mention that in 1917 there was a revolution, and the Bolsheviks came to power.

Summary: Beginning

Russia takes a special place in its workBlock ("Scythians"). Analysis of the poem says that he represented his homeland as a kind of frontier that separated the West and the East, simultaneously defended the first from the attacks of the second and served as the ambassador, establishing relations. That is why Russia deserves to be treated with respect and reverence, but enmity with it can lead to disaster.

In his work, Blok refers to a huge number of interlocutors: "Millions are you." That is, to the entire European world, he urged him to think about the role and value of Russia.

Main part and decoupling

An analysis of the poem "Scythians" by Alexander Blokgives an opportunity to evaluate the work as a warning to the enemies of our country. The poet asks to listen to himself and think about it, he threatens - Russia will find how to respond to the aggressor. However, the conflict can end badly: "... centuries will be cursed by the sick later offspring."

Blok is confident that Russia is able to live inworld with all European countries: "We will become - brothers". And if there is a world conflict, the updated motherland will simply not take part in it, as it has other interests.

The poem ends with a patrioticappeal: "... Come to your senses, old world." The poet calls on Europe to reconcile and unite, otherwise disaster can not be avoided. In the verse, anti-war intonations sound most clearly.

Block, "Scythians": analysis

The work can be calledrevolutionary-patriotic ode. It consists of 12 quatrains, that is, 76 lines, written with a multicolored iambic. Literary critics put this poem on a par with such great creations as "Slanderers of Russia" (Pushkin) and "The Last Housewarming" (Lermontov).

The work is a direct reflectionhistorical situation in Russia in those years. It was a very terrible and tense time - only the beginning of the formation of a new state, born in the fire of the October Revolution. Undoubtedly, all this was reflected in Blok's poem.

Theme and idea

The Peaceful Bloc remains true to itself. The "Scythians" (the analysis confirms this) call for agreement and peace. Almost in every stanza, the poet says that after all the horrors carried over it's time to sit down at the negotiating table, to join forces.

Russia has already suffered from several previousyears, and she now has no desire to get involved in a new war with the Old World. In addition, the young country has its own plans for the future, and it is not necessary to interfere with other people's squabbling, that's why it will observe everything from the side with "slanting eyes".

An analysis of the poem of the Block "Scythians"that the anti-war theme comes to the forefront. Russia identifies the poet with the Scythians and, despite appeals for peace, makes it clear that she has the strength to repel any enemy who dares to set foot on her land: "... we have nothing to lose, and we are treacherous." The writer has his own opinion on identity in Russia, he assigns to her one of the fateful roles for the world.

For many centuries our homeland, according toopinion of the poet, served as a "shield" separating Asia and Europe and preventing their direct clashes. On the one hand, Europe craved the riches of Asian countries, their secrets and mysteries. On the other hand, the Mongolian horde could break into the lands of the Old World and seize them. Only thanks to Russia, which takes the blow, not a single party suffered. Our homeland appears as a peacemaker in this situation. The block highlights the high sacral meaning of the existence of Russia.

The poem is imbued with patriotism. Despite the fact that the poet calls for peace, he does not detract from the strength of his country. On the contrary, he emphasizes that, if necessary, Russia will be able to respond. That's just why resurrect the horrors of war, which are so fresh in your memory. A thin peace, from Blok's point of view, is better than a good battle.

The middle of the poem is noteworthy. Here the author paints a new motherland in a new way - she appears before the reader as a "wise Sphinx," who, despite the fact that he himself is "bleeding black," is ready to come to the rescue or give advice if necessary. The work ends with a direct humanistic appeal, filled with peace and patriotism.

"Scythians" (Block): analysis of stanzas

Let's analyze a few quatrains:

• In the first poet appeals to European countries. He calls the Russian people Scythians, hinting at the relationship to Russia as a barbaric country.
• In the second, we are talking about how for centuries our country served as a shield.
• In the third, the poet looks back at the prosperous and carefree past of Europe.
• In the fifth there is the theme of conquest - describes the greedy look that the Old World looked at the East.
• The seventh quatrain describes the present: "trouble" is coming, with every day "a lot of insults". But it will not lead to anything good.
• In the eighth, the image of the Russian Sphinx appears for the first time, which looks around "with hatred and with love."

From the poem it becomes clear how muchstrongly worried about the fate of his country and the world Alexander Blok. The "Scythians" (the analysis presented in this article) are a kind of soul cry. It's painful for a poet to look at the horror that surrounds him. But he understands that if nothing is changed, it will be much worse.

Evaluation of contemporaries

An analysis of the poem of the Bloc "Scythians" showed howit was a work of its day. However, the reaction to his contemporaries was ambiguous. Many did not like the challenge in the poem, an acute patriotic and civil pathos.

The writer himself spoke about the "Scythians" very coldly, he did not like what they came out. Blok even called them "boring."