Analysis of the poem “Before spring there are such days” by Akhmatova. Analysis of Akhmatova’s poem Before spring, there are days like this Under the dense snow, a meadow rests

Anna Akhmatova

Before spring there are days like this:
The meadow rests under the dense snow,
The dry and cheerful trees are rustling,
And the warm wind is gentle and elastic.
And the body marvels at its lightness,
And you won’t recognize your home,
And the song that I was tired of before,
Like new, you eat with excitement.

Anna Akhmatova once admitted that she does not know how to be friends with women, whom she considers envious, selfish and stupid. However, in her life there was still someone whom she, although with a stretch, still considered her friend. This is the hope of Chulkov, the wife of the famous Russian writer who helped Akhmatova publish her first poetry collections. It was with this woman that the poetess shared her creative plans and in 1915 even dedicated the poem “Before spring there are days like this...” to her.

The reason for writing this work was a long-standing dispute between Akhmatova and Chulkova, during which the writer’s wife suggested that the poetess try herself in the genre of landscape lyrics in order to objectively assess her creative potential. Chulkova was embarrassed by the fact that Akhmatova, being a married woman, writes poems about love for other men who exist only in her imagination. Therefore, in the early spring of 1915, while on the Slepnevo estate, which belonged to the family of Nikolai Gumilyov, the wife of the poetess, Akhmatova decided to follow the advice of her friend. However, she did not consider it necessary to describe the process of nature awakening from hibernation. The poetess was much more worried about the feelings that she experienced when looking at the meadow, which “rests under the dense snow” and the “cheerfully dry” trees, rustling from the slightest gust of wind.

On days like these, as the poetess admitted, her worldview becomes completely different, as if she feels everything that surrounds her in a new way. “And your body marvels at its lightness, and you don’t recognize your home,” notes Akhmatova. It is precisely such changes in the soul, and not a warm and gentle wind, that are a sure sign of the coming spring, which seems to renew the poetess from the inside, filling her with incomprehensible joy and expectation of a miracle.

It is on days like these that Akhmatova feels different and understands that life is taking another turn, and the past is leaving without regret. And even the old song, “which was boring before,” now sounds completely new and is filled with a completely different meaning, which is in tune with the mood and feelings. For Akhmatova, spring, first of all, is associated with deep emotional experiences, in which there is a place for awareness of the transience of life, rethinking of one’s own actions, new ideas and hopes. And this is precisely what gives her the strength to live on, without looking back and without reproaching herself for mistakes that can no longer be corrected.

“Before spring there are days like this...” analysis - main idea, means of expression, meter, rhyme

“Before spring there are days like this...” Akhmatova analysis

Year of writing — 1915

Subject. A poem about spring, about the awakening of nature and the human soul in spring

Poem idea: in the spring everything changes, is updated, looks different. This applies to both changes in nature and changes in the human soul

“Before spring there are days like this...” means of expression:

Metaphors - “the trees are cheerfully dry”, “the warm wind is gentle and elastic”.
Personifications— "comes to life" - "the meadow is resting", "the trees are rustling" etc.
Anaphora- four of the eight lines of the poem begin with the conjunction “and”.

Size- iambic Rhyme— steam room

At the beginning of the poem, the end of February and the beginning of March are depicted. The author uses the following techniques: “the meadow is resting” - personifications, “they are making noise” - also personifications, “fun-dry” - a metaphor. With the help of these techniques, the author enhances the image of nature. If we divide the first quatrain and the second, then we will see 2 themes: in the 1st quatrain - the mood of a certain expectation, revival is expressed. In the second, peace sets in, remembering one’s home, a song, all this conveys a picture of peace of mind. The poem is characterized by a restrained and joyful intonation.

Anna Akhmatova never had a great love for women, invariably preferring to spend time in male society. In her own words, most female representatives are too envious, stupid and selfish. And it was much easier for the poetess to find colleagues in creative interests among the men who formed the basis of the literary circles of her time.

However, she always made an exception for one woman, considering her an interesting conversationalist and a creative person. Nadezha Chulkova, the wife of the most famous Russian publisher of the 19th century, Mikhail Dmitrievich Chulkova, became a close friend of the poetess.

The Chulkovs had their own literary salon, where prominent writers and other creative figures regularly gathered. At one of these meetings, Chulkova reproached Akhmatova for writing exclusively about passion for men, and for those created by the imagination of the poetess herself.

According to Chulkova, real writing talent is multifaceted. To develop it, you need to resort to various topics, honing and improving your gift. For Akhmatova, these words sounded like a challenge to her creative abilities. She promised to create a poem on the theme of landscape lyricism, demonstrating her viability in other areas of the literary genre.

In the summer of 1915, while on the estate that belonged to the poetess's husband, Nikolai Gumilyov, Akhmatova wrote the poem “Before spring there are such days...” This work clearly showed her critics that the poetess’s talent is not limited to love lyrics, but is capable of creating on a variety of topics.

The main idea and emotional leitmotif of the work

Talking about the onset of spring, the poetess did not consider it necessary to describe the changes taking place in nature. Much more important for Akhmatova are the feelings that she experiences when looking at the awakening of nature. On days like these, as she notes at the beginning of the poem, her worldview changes, she feels renewed and happy, forgetting that all life circumstances have remained the same.

Akhmatova conveys the joyful anticipation of change by talking about nature that awaits spring. The streams have not yet flowed, and there is snow on the fields, as before. But the air itself has changed, the wind has become warm and elastic. For the poetess, waiting is much more joyful than the arrival of spring itself. The tense anticipation of change is in tune with the state of the lyrical hero of the work, who feels excitement and joy on such days.

But Akhmatova does not seek to describe in detail the nature around her. To describe the days that make her happy, only 2-3 lines are enough for her. She is not a landscape artist, it is important for her to capture the very essence, create a sketch, show how this time changes the character of her hero.

Most of the work talks specifically about the feelings of the observer. He looks at the objects around him with different eyes. The house to which he is accustomed seems new and unusual to him. The hero does not recognize himself, is surprised and rejoices at new sensations.

These days, the poetess comes to the realization that life does not stand still, making new turns according to the laws of nature. The past is gone forever, even the old song, “the one that was boring before”, takes on a new meaning and sounds differently. All the experiences that bother the hero go away, giving way to other, bright feelings.

Compositional features of the poem

Despite the brevity of the work (8 lines), Akhmatova fully manages to convey the mental state of her hero. The poem evokes bright, positive emotions. A number of literary techniques help the poetess achieve this effect. In her poem she uses:

Metaphors that convey the beauty of nature. For example - “the trees are cheerfully dry”, “the warm wind is gentle and elastic”.
Personifications, thanks to which the poem seems "comes to life" - "the meadow is resting", "the trees are rustling" etc.
Anaphora, which gives the work even greater expressiveness - four of the eight lines of the poem begin with the conjunction “and”.

The verse is written using paired rhyme. The meter of the work is iambic. Akhmatova often resorts to it when creating her works.

In many cultures, the symbol of spring is associated with renewal, the beginning of a new life. But Akhmatova brings another, deeper sound to the old image. For her, spring is not only a time of creation, but also a stage of rethinking the past, trying to perceive it in a new way, giving space to new ideas and aspirations.

“Requiem”, analysis of Akhmatova’s poem
“Courage”, analysis of Akhmatova’s poem
“I clenched my hands under a dark veil...”, analysis of Akhmatova’s poem

Anna Akhmatova once admitted that she does not know how to be friends with women, whom she considers envious, selfish and stupid. However, in her life there was still someone whom she, although with a stretch, still considered her friend. This is Nadezhda Chulkova, the wife of the famous Russian writer who helped Akhmatova publish her first poetry collections. It was with this woman that the poetess shared her creative plans and in 1915 even dedicated the poem “Before spring there are days like this...” to her.

The reason for writing this work

A long-standing dispute arose between Akhmatova and Chulkova, during which the writer’s wife suggested that the poetess try herself in the genre of landscape lyrics in order to objectively assess her creative potential. Chulkova was embarrassed by the fact that Akhmatova, being a married woman, writes poems about love for other men who exist only in her imagination. Therefore, in the early spring of 1915, while on the Slepnevo estate, which belonged to the family of Nikolai Gumilyov, the wife of the poetess, Akhmatova decided to follow the advice of her friend. However, she did not consider it necessary to describe the process of nature awakening from hibernation. The poetess was much more worried about the feelings that she experienced looking at the meadow, which “rests under the dense snow” and the “cheerfully dry” trees, rustling from the slightest gust of wind.

(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

“The Rosary” is Akhmatova’s second collection, published by the Hyperborey publishing house for the first time in 1914. It was this book that made the poetess truly famous. The main feature of Anna Andreevna’s work – “sparingness of words” – was revealed...
During her lifetime, the work of Anna Akhmatova was never viewed in a Christian manner. At the beginning of the 20th century, literature and religion were considered incompatible concepts, and later analyze poetry from the point of view of their...
Anna Akhmatova. Now every cultured person pronounces this name with great respect. But has it always been this way? Let's remember the beginning of the poetess's journey. Her first poems appeared in Russia in 1911...
After breaking off relations with Nikolai Gumilyov, Anna Akhmatova mentally continues to conduct arguments and dialogues with him, reproaching her ex-husband not only for infidelity, but also for destroying the family. Indeed, u...
The poem “In Memory of Sergei Yesenin” was written by Akhmatova in 1925, and published only in 1968 after her death. This is a mournful poem about the tragic fate of the poet. “Thoughtlessly and painlessly...
From the very beginning, the marriage union of Anna Akhmatova and Nikolai Gumilev was like a deal in which each party received a certain benefit. Gumilev was hopelessly in love for several years...
The marriage of Anna Akhmatova and Nikolai Gumilyov was doomed to collapse from the very beginning. It was extremely difficult for two creative people to get along under one roof, although in many ways their views on literature...
Anna Akhmatova’s work was significantly influenced by several poets, among whom was Innokenty Annensky. He was not familiar with the young poetess, but Akhmatova considered him her spiritual mentor....
Anna Akhmatova met Nikolai Gumilev in 1904, and the 17-year-old boy did not make much of an impression on her. Moreover, the future poetess treated her admirer very coldly, although she loved...
Anna Akhmatova did not have many true friends, one of whom was the writer Mikhail Lozinsky. The poetess met him in 1911, when she joined the Acmeist circle and...
It is no secret that Anna Akhmatova agreed to become the wife of the poet Nikolai Gumilev not out of love for her chosen one, but out of pity and compassion. The thing is that this young man...
Stalin's repressions did not spare Anna Akhmatova's family. First, her ex-husband Nikolai Gumilyov was arrested and shot, and then in 1938 her son, Lev Gumilyov, was convicted on false charges....
There were many men in Anna Akhmatova’s life, which is not surprising, because this woman could captivate a man with just one glance, even if she saw him for the first time in her life. Some kind of witchcraft was attributed to her...
After the revolution, Anna Akhmatova had quite a few opportunities to leave rebellious Russia and move to a well-fed, prosperous Europe. However, every time the poetess received such an offer from relatives or...
The poem “The Gray-Eyed King,” written by Anna Akhmatova in 1910, is perhaps one of the most mysterious lyrical works of the poetess. Critics are still arguing about who exactly it was...
The life of poetess Anna Akhmatova was not easy and cloudless. However, in the most difficult and hopeless moments, this amazing woman found the strength and faith to move forward...
In her youth, Anna Akhmatova was a rather impudent and wayward person who always did as she saw fit, not paying attention to public opinion. Convincing her to do something differently was almost...
The revolution of 1917 completely changed the life of Anna Akhmatova. By this time, she was already a fairly well-known poetess and was preparing her third literary collection for publication. However, overnight it suddenly became clear...
In 1906, a tragic event occurred in Anna Akhmatova’s family - Inna, the elder sister of the future poetess, died of tuberculosis. By that time, Akhmatova’s parents had divorced, and her mother, having taken the children,...
Anna Akhmatova often liked to repeat that some episodes of her life were described in world literature at one time. Indeed, there is nothing new under the sun, especially when it comes to relationships...
Anna Akhmatova and Dmitry Shostakovich met before the war. They met quite often at various cultural events, although they did not get along with each other. According to one version, Shostakovich did not share...
In her autobiographical memoirs, Anna Akhmatova repeatedly mentioned that since childhood she dreamed of being a poet. Moreover, she claimed that her fate was predetermined in advance, and someone from above constantly...
After the dissolution of her marriage with Nikolai Gumilyov, Anna Akhmatova linked her fate with the orientalist scientist Vladimir Shileiko. According to eyewitnesses, at first she rented a room in his St. Petersburg apartment, and later she actually evicted him...
One of Anna Akhmatova’s favorite poetic images was a man whom she invented and embodied in her poems. There were many disputes and rumors about this in literary circles, which the poetess...
In 1911, Anna Akhmatova met Alexander Blok, and this fleeting meeting made an indelible impression on the poetess. By this time, Akhmatova was already familiar with the work of this poet, considering...
In her poems, Anna Akhmatova often had endless conversations with fictional characters. For the most part, these were men with whom in her imagination the poetess acted out scenes of jealousy, love, separation and...
It is no secret that the works of many poets are autobiographical. In them, they re-experience their most powerful feelings and impressions, rethink them and sometimes even provide philosophical comments. Anna Akhmatova...

Analysis of Akhmatova’s poem “Before spring there are such days

Analysis of the poem “Before spring there are such days” by Akhmatova

In the early work of A. Akhmatova, descriptions of any specific things were rarely found. The poetess mostly depicted her inner world, which was full of fantastic dreams and hopes. A considerable part of the works was devoted to fictitious love images that have nothing to do with reality. For this, Akhmatova was often reproached by her friends and relatives, since they knew about her infallible loyalty to her husband. A close friend of the poetess N. Chulkova suggested that she write a poem in the genre of landscape lyricism in order to test her creative powers. Akhmatova’s response was the work “Before spring there are days like these...” (1915).

The poetess passed the proposed test with honor. Her poem is written with great artistic skill. The first part of the work is devoted to the landscape itself. It depicts the last days of the passing winter. It was not by chance that Akhmatova chose this borderline state of nature. Many poets enthusiastically described the first signs of spring. For the poetess’s inner world, the moment when nature seems to freeze before its awakening is much more important. The snow has not even begun to melt, so the earth is not burdened by its burden (“the meadow is resting”). The controversial epithet “cheerfully dry” emphasizes that the trees are already preparing for the spring movement of sap, which is about to begin. The first “warm wind” has already replaced the fierce cold gusts. It is not yet full of spring aromas, but it brings significant relief.

The second part describes the feelings of the heroine herself caused by this state of nature. An amazing lightness appears throughout the body. There is still a long way to go before a rapid surge of vitality. Nature gives all creatures a short respite to throw off the burden accumulated over the winter and prepare for the rapid awakening of spring. At this time, you can free yourself from burdensome thoughts and experiences, cleanse your soul for new joyful impressions. Therefore, the heroine claims that “you don’t recognize your home.” She perceives everything around her in a completely new light. Akhmatova symbolically compares this state with a boring song that is sung in a new way.

The poem “Before spring there are such days...” proves Akhmatova’s mastery in the genre of landscape lyricism, which is unusual for her. The poetess not only successfully described the interesting state of nature, but also directly connected it with human feelings and thoughts.