Wikipedia

Farewell, Unwashed Russia

Farewell, Unwashed Russia (Russian: Прощай, немытая Россiя, romanized: Proshchay, nemytaya Rossiya) is a poem by Mikhail Lermontov, written in connection with his last exile from Russian capital cities.[1]

Farewell, Unwashed Russia
by Mikhail Lermontov
Original titleПрощай, немытая Россiя
TranslatorAnatoly Liberman
WrittenApril 1841; 183 years ago (1841-04)
First published inRusskaya Starina
CountryRussia
LanguageRussian
Genre(s)Invective
FormLyric poetry
MeterIambic tetrameter
Rhyme schemeABAB
PublisherPavel Viskovatov
Publication date1887; 137 years ago (1887)
Lines8
Pages738—739
Full text
"Farewell, Farewell, Unwashed Russia" at Wikisource

Text edit

Third publication and its literal translation:[2][3]

The poem is written in the genre of political invective[4] and aimed at people in "blue uniforms" and "people, devoted to them".[5] "Blue uniforms" is metonymy used to refer to the Russian Special Corps of Gendarmes.[6][7]

The text in the third publication is probably the most original version of the poem.[8] The text in the first and second publications is identical, but is different in comparison with the third publication. Instead of "стѣной, stenoy, 'wall'" it says "хребтомъ, hrebtom, 'ridge'" and instead of "пашей, pashey, 'pashas'" it says "вождей, vozhdey, 'overlords'.[9][10] There are also variants with "послушный, poslushny, 'obedient'" or "покорный, pokorny, 'submissive'" instead of "devoted" and "царей, tsarey, 'tsars'" instead of "pashas". The poem criticizes the lack of freedom in Russia and calls the tsarist servants pashas, pointing to the Turkish, despotic nature of life in Russia.[11][12]

History edit

The poem was written in April 1841, when Lermontov was exiled to the Caucasus from St. Petersburg. However, it was first mentioned only on March 9, 1873 in a letter from Pyotr Bartenev to Pyotr Efremov and first published in 1887 in the journal Russkaya Starina by Pavel Viskatov.[9][13]

In the 20th century, the poem received a rise in popularity.[14] A number of literary critics have expressed doubts about the authorship of the poem.[15][16][17][18] In 2017, an international round table dedicated to the issue of authorship was assembled, which included more than twenty leading Lermontovedians. As a result of the round table, a resolution was adopted that confirmed the authorship.[19][20][21]

Reception and use edit

The poem is included in the Russian school curriculum.[19]

In 1890, Vladimir Korolenko, speaking about the poem, wrote: "Bright and strong. Lermontov knew how to feel like a free man, he knew how to portray these feelings. In our time, this is already an anachronism, this does not happen anymore! ... Now, even behind the wall of the Caucasus, you can't hide from the all-seeing eyes!"[22] Larissa Volpert said that the poem is "the pinnacle of Lermontov's political lyrics".[23]

Russian politician and historian Yuri Afanasyev [Wikidata]:[24]

Our great poet Mikhail Lermontov, who was exiled to the then war with Chechnya (in 1840), wrote when he left for the army: "Farewell, unwashed Russia." Isn't it a very figurative and accurate description of the state of "universal slavery"? Especially considering that the "blue uniforms" were worn by the ranks of the Gendarme Corps, the forerunner of the Russian secret police (later the tsarist security departments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, even later the Cheka, the KGB and their current heirs).

References to the poem were made by various Russian composers.[25] The line "Farewell, unwashed Russia" is used in Nikolay Kolyada's play "Oginsky's Polonaise" (Russian: Полонез Огинского).[26] Zelimkhan Yandarbiyev in his 1995 article writes: "You were unwashed, and remain unwashed" referring to the first verse of the poem.[27]

In 2017, the poem was quoted by the then President of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko.[28]

References edit

  1. ^ "М. Ю. Лермонтов. "Прощай, немытая Россия...". Текст произведения" [M. Yu. Lermontov. "Farewell, unwashed Russia ...". The text of the work]. ilibrary.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  2. ^ "Русский архив. Историко-литературный сборник. 1890. Выпуски 9-12" [Russky arkhiv. Historical and literary collection. 1890. Issues 9-12]. Runivers (in Russian). Moscow: University typography. 1890. p. 375. Retrieved 2021-04-29.
  3. ^ Rancour-Laferriere, Daniel (1993). "Lermontov's Farewell to Unwashed Russia: A Study in Narcissistic Rage". The Slavic and East European Journal. 37 (3): 293–304. doi:10.2307/309277. ISSN 0037-6752. JSTOR 309277 – via JSTOR.
  4. ^ Annenkova, Natalia (2019). Научные исследования русской словесности (к юбилею профессора С.А. Матяш) [Scientific research of Russian literature (for the anniversary of Professor S.A. Matyash)] (PDF) (in Russian). Orenburg: Orenburg State University. p. 73. ISBN 978-5-600-02490-8. Retrieved 2021-05-02. {{cite book}}: |website= ignored (help)
  5. ^ Annenkova, Natalia (2007). "Композиция Жанра Инвективы М.Ю.Лермонтова" [Composition of the Invective Genre by M.Yu. Lermontov]. Vestnik of the Orenburg State University (in Russian). 77. Orenburg State University: 26. ISSN 1814-6465 – via CyberLeninka.
  6. ^ Shapovalova, Tatyana; Ledeneva, Valentina; Kolesnikova, Svetlana; Osilbekova, Dania; Popova, Marina; Aysakova, Elena; Nikolina, Natalia; Grishenko, Alexander; Gryaznova, Anna (2021-04-02). Современный русский язык в 3 т. Том 1. Фонетика. Орфография. Лексикология. Словообразование 2-е изд., пер. и доп. Учебник и практикум для вузов [Modern Russian language in 3 volumes. Volume 1. Phonetics. Spelling. Lexicology. Word formation 2nd ed., Trans. and add. Textbook and workshop for universities] (in Russian). Moscow: Litres. p. 155. ISBN 978-5-04-237589-7.
  7. ^ ""Мундиры голубые" — униформа Отдельного корпуса жандармов (тайной полиции). Иллюстрация к стихотворению М. Лермонтова "Прощай, немытая Россия..."" ["Blue uniforms" — the uniform of the Separate Corps of Gendarmes (secret police). Illustration for the poem by M. Lermontov "Farewell, unwashed Russia..."]. онлайн-читать.рф (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-04.
  8. ^ Golovanova, T; Lapkina, G; Mikhailova, N (1954). "ФЭБ: Примечания: Лермонтов. Соч. Т. 2" [FEB: Notes: Lermontov. Op. T. 2.]. feb-web.ru (in Russian). L .: Publishing house of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  9. ^ a b Pigarev, Kirill (1955). "Новый список стихотворения Лермонтова "Прощай, немытая Россия..."" [A new list of Lermontov's poem "Farewell, Unwashed Russia..."]. feb-web.ru (in Russian). Moscow: Bulletin of the USSR Academy of Sciences. Department of Literature and Language. pp. 372–373. Retrieved 2021-04-30.
  10. ^ "A Farewell to Russia, With a Russian Poem". The New York Times. 1986-09-30. p. 10. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  11. ^ Dinesman, Tatyana (1981). ""Прощай, немытая россия" // Лермонтовская энциклопедия" ["Farewell, Unwashed Russia" // Lermontov Encyclopedia]. feb-web.ru (in Russian). The Fundamental Digital Library of Russian Literature and Folklore. p. 452. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  12. ^ Saxena, Ranjana (2013). Chatterjee, Suchandana (ed.). "Image of the Region in Eurasian Studies. Representing the Caucasus in Russian Literature: Creative Writings "Then" and "Now"" (PDF). harivasudevan.com. p. 245.
  13. ^ Viskovatov, Pavel (1887). Русская старина. Г. 18 1887, Т. 56, [кн. 10-12], октябрь-декабрь [Russkaya Starina. Y. 18 1887, V. 56, [b. 10-12], October–December] (in Russian). Saint-Petersburg: Mikhail Semevsky. pp. 738–739.
  14. ^ Zhuravlev, Anatoly (2019-09-24). "Немытая Россия (about a Possible Source of the Lermontov's Formula)" [Unwashed Russia (about a Possible Source of the Lermontov’s Formula)]. Russkaya Rech' (in Russian) (4). Russian Academy of Sciences: 77–81. doi:10.31857/S013161170005364-9. ISSN 0131-6117. S2CID 214357987.
  15. ^ Bushin, Vladimir. "Кто немытый?" [Who is unwashed?]. Union of Writers of Russia (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  16. ^ Elzon, Mikhail. "Об авторе стихотворения "Прощай, Немытая Россия..."" [About the author of the poem "Farewell, Unwashed Russia ..."]. zvezdaspb.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  17. ^ Sokurov, Sergey (2018-01-23). ""Немытая Россия" и грязный автор фальшивки" ["Unwashed Russia" and the dirty author of the fake]. rusfact.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  18. ^ Khatyushin, Valery. "Давно Разоблаченная Фальшивка" [Long Unveiled Fake]. Union of Writers of Russia (in Russian). Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  19. ^ a b "Проблема авторства стихотворения "Прощай, немытая Россия" с точки зрения современной филологической науки" [The problem of authorship of the poem "Farewell, unwashed Russia" from the point of view of modern philological science] (PDF). ekatalog.lplib.ru (in Russian). 2017-05-12.
  20. ^ Saprygina, Nina. "И всё-таки Лермонтов!" [And yet it is Lermontov!] (PDF). doxa.onu.edu.ua (in Russian). Odesa University.
  21. ^ Sosnina, Ekaterina. "Принадлежит ли перу М.Ю. Лермонтова стихотворение "Прощай, немытая Россия"?" [Does the poem "Farewell, Unwashed Russia" belong to the pen of M. Yu. Lermontov?]. домиклермонтова.рф (in Russian). State Museum-Reserve of M. Yu. Lermontov. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  22. ^ Korolenko, Vladimir (1988). Воспоминания, статьи, письма [Memories, articles, letters] (in Russian). S. I. Timina. Moscow: Soviet Russia. p. 331. ISBN 5-268-00576-6. OCLC 19366420.
  23. ^ Pickman, Pavel (2017-07-06). "Прощай, Немытая Россия" [Farewell, Unwashed Russia]. kackad.press (in Russian). Cascade Russian Newspaper Baltimore, MD. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  24. ^ Afanasyev, Yuri (2001). Опасная Россия: традиции самовластья сегодня [Dangerous Russia: Traditions of Autocracy Today.] (in Russian). Moscow: RGGU. p. 110. ISBN 5-7281-0544-0. OCLC 49304392.
  25. ^ Morozova, Ludmila; Rozenfeld, Boris (1983). "ФЭБ: Лермонтов в музыке: Справочник" [FEB: Lermontov in Music: A Handbook.]. feb-web.ru (in Russian). Moscow. p. 176. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
  26. ^ Kutyaeva, Ulyana (2013). Babenko, Lyudmila (ed.). Феномен прецедентности в драматургии Н. В. Коляды в социокультурном и функциональном аспектах : автореф. дис. … канд. филол. наук : 10.02.19 [The phenomenon of precedent in the drama of N.V. Kolyada in the socio-cultural and functional aspects: author. dis. ... Cand. philol. Sciences: 10.02.19] (in Russian). Yekaterinburg: Ural Federal University. OCLC 881584693.
  27. ^ Ram, Harsha (1999-08-01). "Prisoners of the Caucasus: Literary Myths and Media Representations of the Chechen Conflict" (PDF). California Digital Library. University of California, Berkeley.
  28. ^ Balmforth, Tom (2017-06-17). "As Ukraine Says 'Farewell Unwashed Russia,' Putin Says Take Care In 'Gay' Europe". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 2021-05-19.
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