What do you think?
Rate this book
Alexander Blok: Selected Poems
The poetry of Alexandr Blok (1880-1921) marks the highest achievement of that fertile period in Russian literary history chiefly identified with the Symbolist movement. The aim of this book is to convey some idea of Blok's scope and development as a poet in a selection of fifty poems and it provides an editorial apparatus to facilitate understanding and appreciation.
The visionary, mystical element is present in most of Blok's poetry, but this does not preclude a considerable evolution - from highly personal lyrics of the early cycles through the 'transitional phase' of volume II, in which new themes reflecting the poet's broadening experience of life are combined with extensive formal experimentation, to the mature verse of volume III and the climax of his development in Двенадцать, the first and still greatest poem devoted to the October Revolution. The result is some of the finest poetry in the Russian language since the death of Tyutchev (1873), and a unique record of the doubts, fears and hopes which accompanied an unusually sensitive intellectual's experience of the collapse of the world he knew and of the chaos and tensions of Russia's 'terrible years'.
The visionary, mystical element is present in most of Blok's poetry, but this does not preclude a considerable evolution - from highly personal lyrics of the early cycles through the 'transitional phase' of volume II, in which new themes reflecting the poet's broadening experience of life are combined with extensive formal experimentation, to the mature verse of volume III and the climax of his development in Двенадцать, the first and still greatest poem devoted to the October Revolution. The result is some of the finest poetry in the Russian language since the death of Tyutchev (1873), and a unique record of the doubts, fears and hopes which accompanied an unusually sensitive intellectual's experience of the collapse of the world he knew and of the chaos and tensions of Russia's 'terrible years'.
404 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 1972
18 people want to read
About the author
Avril Pyman
33 books6 followersBritish scholar and translator of Russian literature. In addition to translating poetry and children's literature, she has written a study of Russian symbolism, as well as biographies of Alexander Blok and Pavel Florensky.
She was married to the late Russian artist Kirill Sokolov. They have daughter Irina (Irene).
She was married to the late Russian artist Kirill Sokolov. They have daughter Irina (Irene).
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 13, 2023
[studied na pole kulikovom + dvenadstat']
i really love blok's writing !! i think i'll read a bit more on russian history at the turn of the century before reading the rest of the works but ... he's just so evocative and punchy (can't think of a more eloquent way to put it)
i really love blok's writing !! i think i'll read a bit more on russian history at the turn of the century before reading the rest of the works but ... he's just so evocative and punchy (can't think of a more eloquent way to put it)
July 21, 2024
Excellent introduction, and has the poems in Russian. If you are not able to read Russian, I recommend the book anyway for the biographical details.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews