Dears Readers and subscribers, this week I made a short analysis and translated the poem “Stranger” by Alexander Blok written in 1906 and which reflects the author’s feelings and reflections during hard time. As always I added a painting called “Illumination in St. Petersburg” by Fyodor Vasilyev as well as the explanation of a few words.
Since I have been writing in English, French and Russian I also created a page where you can find the name of all Russian writers and painters who are on the site in the 3 languages next to each other. I will add the French and Americain writers and artist a bit later.
So have a nice cup of coffee and enjoy, the entire poem as always is freely accessible with a link to the page at the bottom of our little extract.
- Short analysis of the poem “Stranger” by Alexander Blok
- Painting “Illumination in St. Petersburg” by Fyodor Vasilyev
- Explanation of a few words
- Translation of the poem “Stranger” by Alexander Blok in English with English and Russian side by side
Short analysis of the poem “Stranger” by Alexander Blok
Alexander Blok wrote the poem “Stranger” after his wife left him causing him to be crushed by despair and spending whole days of binge drinking in dirty and cheap establishments. It reflects the author’s feelings and reflections during hard time for himself and an attempt to find a way out of his bad situation.
In this poem the author describes the gloomy atmosphere of a dirty restaurant. where nothing changes and the monotony and meaninglessness drives you crazy. But hope for deliverance to our lyrical hero in the form of a mysterious stranger. This woman passing between the drunken rows comes from a pure and bright world and looking at her and smelling her perfume, the poet understands the horror of his situation and in his dreams, he flies away and begins a new life.
The ending of the poem is ambiguous and can be interpreted in two different manners. It can be that he was not like the drunks around him and realized that he still had a “spiritual treasure” that he had the right to dispose of, or it could have simply be a drunken delirium followed by a severe hangover
Painting “Illumination in St. Petersburg” by Fyodor Vasilyev
Explanation of a few words
дик: short masculine singular of ди́кий (wild)
Уклю́чина
Oarlock
Translation of the poem “Stranger” by Alexander Blok in English with English and Russian side by side
| Незнакомка – Александр Блок | Stranger – Alexander Blok |
| Translated by Akirill.com 09/17/2023 | |
| По вечерам над ресторанами | In the evenings above the restaurants |
| Горячий воздух дик и глух, | The hot air is wild and deaf, |
| И правит окриками пьяными | And rules on the drunken shouts |
| Весенний и тлетворный дух. | The spirit of spring and perniciousness. |
| Вдали над пылью переулочной, | Far above the dust of the alley, |
| Над скукой загородных дач, | Above the boredom of country houses, |
| Чуть золотится крендель булочной, | The bakery’s pretzel is slightly golden, |
| И раздается детский плач. | And a child’s cry is heard. |
| Читать далее … | Continue reading … |
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