Poem “When from the darkness of error…” by Nikolay Nekrasov in English with English and Russian side by side

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Русская литература – Русская поэзия – Все Стихи Николая Некрасова – Устаревшие русские слова и их значение
Littérature Russe – Poésie Russe – Poèmes de Nikolaï Nekrassov – Mots russes obsolètes et leur signification
Russian Literature – Russian Poetry – Poems by Nikolay Nekrasov – Obsolete Russian Words and their meaning

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Translation of the poem “When from the darkness of error…” by Nikolay Nekrasov in English with English and Russian side by side
Short analysis of the poem “When from the darkness of error…” by Nikolay Nekrasov

Translation of the poem “When from the darkness of error…” by Nikolay Nekrasov in English with English and Russian side by side

Когда из мрака заблужденья	When, from the darkness of error

	Translated by Akirill.com Dec 2, 2023

Когда из мрака заблужденья	When, from the darkness of error,
Горячим словом убежденья	With a hot word of conviction
Я душу падшую извлек,	I retrieved the fallen soul,
И, вся полна глубокой муки,	And, all full of deep torment,
Ты прокляла, ломая руки,	You cursed, wringing your hands,
Тебя опутавший порок;	the vice that entangled you;

Когда забывчивую совесть	When a forgetful conscience
Воспоминанием казня,	was executed by memory,
Ты мне передавала повесть	You told me the story
Всего, что было до меня;	of everything that happened before me;

И вдруг, закрыв лицо руками,	And suddenly, covering your face with your hands,
Стыдом и ужасом полна,	Full of shame and horror,
Ты разрешилася слезами,	You burst into tears,
Возмущена, потрясена,-	Outraged, shocked,

Верь: я внимал не без участья,	Believe me: I listened not without sympathy,
Я жадно каждый звук ловил…	I greedily caught every sound…
Я понял все, дитя несчастья!	I understood everything, child of misfortune!
Я все простил и все забыл.	I have forgiven everything and forgotten everything.

Зачем же тайному сомненью	Why to a secret doubt
Ты ежечасно предана?	Are you devoted all the time?
Толпы бессмысленному мненью	Did crowds of senseless opinion
Ужель и ты покорена?	really conquered you?

Не верь толпе — пустой и лживой,	Do not believe the crowd – empty and deceitful,
Забудь сомнения свои,	Forget your doubts
В душе болезненно-пугливой	In your soul, painful and fearful
Гнетущей мысли не таи!	oppressive thoughts, do not hide!

Грустя напрасно и бесплодно,	Sad in vain and fruitlessly,
Не пригревай змеи в груди	Do not warm the snake in your chest
И в дом мой смело и свободно	And, into my house, boldly and freely
Хозяйкой полною войди!	Enter as a complete mistress!

Short analysis of the poem “When, from the darkness of error…” by Nikolay Nekrasov

In the poem “When from the darkness of error…” created in 1846 by Nekrasov, the theme of the fallen woman is explored. The lyrical hero emerges as her savior, lifting her from the depths of her despair. Despite her honesty about her past, he remains undeterred. He forgives her for her actions and goes beyond mere acceptance, inviting her to be the mistress of his home. However, she grapples with doubts about her acceptance into society and whether the crowd will ever forget her past. The hero urges her to discard such thoughts, dismissing the empty and deceitful opinions of others.

In this poem, Nikolay Nekrasov further develops vibrant characters. The woman is repentant, depressed, and confused, but she has resolved to embrace a new life and bid farewell to the old one forever. The man demonstrates a capacity for forgiveness, treating the former harlot with utmost sensitivity and correctness in their interactions. He fearlessly goes against public opinion to stand by her side, unafraid of condemnation from the crowd. He encourages women to be brave and strong, ready to offer unwavering support and be her pillar of strength. This motif of love, triumphing over society’s judgment, continues to resonate throughout Nekrasov’s intimate lyrics.

Nekrasov’s masterpiece incorporates a unique and powerful technique known as the addressed monologue. This technique revolves around the correlation of the heroine’s actions, such as “wringing her hands” or being “outraged, shocked,” with the experiences of the lyrical hero. The monologue’s complex dramatic structure serves as a combination of both a confession and a sermon, with the intention of persuading the heroine to abandon her doubts and prejudices. This structure gives rise to a speech filled with pathos and emotional intensity. It is characterized by a profusion of complex sentences containing extended subordinate clauses, encompassing up to 14 verses. Additionally, the monologue is adorned with an abundance of personal pronouns and features a dynamic interplay of questions and answers.

These themes in Nekrasov’s poetry are deeply intertwined with his personal life. For years, Nikolai Alekseevich was involved in a relationship with the married Avdotya Yakovlevna Panaeva. The lovers lived together in the same apartment, alongside her legal husband who was well aware of their situation. Nekrasov faced public outrage, with many friends and acquaintances turning away from him. Despite this, he found true happiness living with Panayeva and her husband for nearly two decades.

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Translation of the poem “When from the darkness of error…” by Nikolay Nekrasov in English with English and Russian side by side

Short analysis of the poem “When, from the darkness of error…” by Nikolay Nekrasov

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