Nikolai Nekrasov is the author of poems and poems mainly on the topics of social inequality. He was a clear critic of romance, believing that the poet should promote his views on life. However, in earlier works he still has a place and landscape lyrics. First of all, these verses symbolize the state of man, the author describes his mood in the colors of nature.
The first impression of the poem
So, in 1846, Nekrasov creates an amazing poem, "Before the Rain." At first glance, it seems that it has a simple description of nature, and in the last lines it seems to be unclear why people are mentioned. However, after a more detailed analysis of the poem Before the Rain by Nekrasov, we grasp the meaning.
The first paragraph sets a gloomy tone for the rest of the story. There is a certain signal of danger. The second paragraph shows what the elements can be capable of and that this is clearly not the limit. Passions run high in the third paragraph, leaving no hope for a good outcome. And finally, in the last quatrain, the mood of nature completely passed to man.
Planning and plot description
In order to conduct a qualitative analysis of Nekrasov’s poem “Before the Rain” according to the plan, you must first carefully read the text several times and try to title each paragraph, for example, as follows:
- Nature grumbles.
- Getting cold.
- It's getting dark.
- People tend to leave faster.
Next, you can make an analysis of Nekrasov’s poem “Before the Rain” briefly using the plan. To do this, expand the thesis to 2-3 sentences:
- Under a strong gust of wind, all nature grumbles. Birds try to fly away as far as possible, and the old trees can only creak and fall apart even more. Branches in the whole forest come in a chaotic movement.
- A small stream is clogged with leaves, and its movement is slowed down by the formation of a thin layer of ice, due to the fact that it becomes cold. This can be considered a sign of late autumn.
- It suddenly darkens earlier than usual, which portends a heavy downpour. The cries of birds catch up with gloomy surroundings.
- Realizing that it will rain heavily soon, people tend to drive faster. The gendarme, whose share was the bad weather trip, is very annoyed and takes out the anger on the coachman, holding a whip in his hands.
What did the author really want to say?
Now the logical sequence of the text becomes more understandable, but in order to more accurately make an analysis of the poem “Before the Rain” by Nekrasov, it is worth finding its main meaning. As noted earlier, the poet binds and closely intertwines nature and man. In fact, a little and only in passing is mentioned about people here, and the elements devoted to most of the text. But in fact, acute social problems can be traced. Here is what can be understood in the paragraphs of the verse in this light:
- Troubled times have come. Young people are full of decisive action against the government. Their mothers cry bitterly, foreshadowing misfortune. Fathers and grandfathers are trying to convey something to them, not understanding progressive thoughts, remaining in deep ignorance.
- Because of the free views on young people, a lot of problems pour in, they are pursued by the tsarist government, they die under bullets.
- The public is confused, many rumors and gossip are born, people are driven into fear by ignorance and misunderstanding of the situation. Most support royal power.
- The gendarmes, as executors of power, drive the rebels into prisons. They treat ordinary people like cattle. Waving a whip over a coachman and ordering him to drive a cart faster, the gendarme shows his strength and impunity.
Why analyze a poem
As a result, the analysis of the poem “Before the Rain” by Nekrasov showed that the hidden meaning does not lie on the surface, that it is necessary to look for it among metaphors and contrasts. The poet skillfully plays with every word, making accurate and accurate, and most importantly, laconic descriptions of events. His contemporary, undoubtedly having discovered the word “gendarme” in the last line, began to search for a secret subtext and re-read it again and again. Actually, this was done only by those who, like the author, acutely felt social inequality.
This analysis of the poem Before the Rain by Nekrasov will help students learn how to disassemble any other works, guided by this method.