The personality of Mikhail Lermontov is mysterious, and his work is so deep and meaningful that it seems as if these works were created by a very mature, wise man over the years.
At that time, when M. Yu. Lermontov wrote “Three Palms,” he was only twenty-four years old. But this work is not only a brilliant example of landscape lyrics, here the poet reveals himself as a wonderful storyteller and thinker. Let us try to prove this using the methods of literary analysis applicable to the poem and retelling its brief content.
"Three palm trees"
Lermontov thought hard about the main issues of human life, about the power of passions and the power of spirit. With his vivid dynamic narrative, whether it be lyrics or prose, the poet involved the reader in the orbit of his thoughts. Therefore, we do not remain indifferent to his heroes and events described in the works of the master. This fully applies to the poem, which is sometimes called the ballad "Three palm trees."
What is the implication?
What and who are three palm trees in the ballad of the same name created by M. Yu. Lermontov? Of course, these are not just three slender trees growing in the desert. They are the personification of human suffering and quest, and an allegory of the rebellious spirit, and a symbol of the tragic contradictions of this world. The work is multi-layered. Removing layer by layer, we come to the innermost idea of the author.
Summary
Lermontov placed three palm trees in his "eastern legend" in an oasis where a spring breaks out of the ground. The first stanza of the ballad is dedicated to this landscape sketch. In this tiny living little world in the middle of a barren and sultry desert, there is a kind of idyll built on harmony: the spring nourishes and refreshes the roots of three trees ascended to the sky, and the dense foliage, in turn, shelters the weak source from the scorching sun and hot wind. Years go by and nothing changes. Suddenly, palm trees begin to murmur, express dissatisfaction with the fact that their life is worthless and boring. At once, a many-voiced caravan appears in the distance, people screaming and laughing approach the oasis, having reached it, they shamelessly use all the blessings that nature has provided for them: they are saturated enough with water, cut palm trees to make a fire, and leave the place at dawn, continuing their journey . Then the wind will scatter the ashes of the burnt palms, and the unprotected spring will dry out under unbearably hot sunlight. This is a summary.
Three palm trees as a symbol of rebellion against divine will
It is no coincidence that Lermontov assigns the epithet “proud” to them from the first lines. From a biblical point of view, pride, pride is a serious vice and sin. Indeed, the palm trees were not satisfied with the good fate that God had determined for them, they were indignant: there is no one who could appreciate their beauty and grandeur, therefore, life passes in vain! God directed events along a different path, which turned into doom for palm trees. The tragedy of the situation does not even hide the retelling of the ballad, which fits into a brief summary. Lermontov likened the three palms to a three-part human being, consisting of a body, soul and spirit, in which all three parts revolted, therefore there was not even a trace left from the oasis (the prototype of a harmonious person), and only the unsociable kite sometimes kills and torments its prey in that place that was intended for the triumph of life.
Ecological pathos of the poem "Three palm trees"
The main characters of the work were in fatal opposition: the trees hospitably received their guests, intending not only to show off, but also to bestow with what they have. The oasis has given people rest, freshness, moisture, shelter among the wild desert. But evening came, people froze and chopped palm trees for firewood to warm themselves. They acted naturally, but ungratefully and thoughtlessly, destroyed what should have been preserved. This issue is relevant not only because today people often do the same. The environmental problem is closely related to the moral problem. The barbaric actions of the caravaners are an indirect consequence of the murmur of palm trees before God: the poet shows what happens when absurd willfulness violates the pristine order of things.
Art techniques
The plot of the ballad is very dynamic; it intrigues the reader as an entertaining story. “Three palm trees” is generally a very elegant poem in terms of form. Let us pay attention to what epithets the author chooses to emphasize the ballad conflict. Tall palms appear before us in the luxury of thick succulent leaves, the stream is sonorous, cool and generous, and the cheerful caravan is full of colorful clothes, packs, tents, and eye-shine. The author skillfully creates a tension of anxiety as the travelers approach the oasis, where they are welcomed by three palm trees. The analysis of the verbal system of the verse emphasizes this feeling; verbs and nouns dominate the description of the caravan. The sand was “spinning a pillar”, the tent floors were “hanging, dangling”, the Arab was “burning” a horse that “climbed up and leaping like a leopard”, the folds of clothes “curled up in a mess”, and the young man “screaming and whistling” threw and caught spear on the fly. The peace and tranquility of a paradise is hopelessly destroyed.
The story of the murder
Using the personification, Lermontov turns the sketch of the parking of travelers into such a dramatic story about feelings and death that the heart is compressed. From the very beginning, palm trees appear to us like living beings. They, like people, grumble, fall silent, then graciously welcome the aliens, nodding with "terry heads", and when axes hit their roots, they fall without life. The author likens the trunks to chopped up bodies, who underwent torture of slow burning, and foliage - to clothes that were torn and stolen by small children. After this, we face a lifeless and static picture of death and desolation.
Soundwriting Verse
Alliterations and intonational accents strike with accuracy. Pauses, questions, exclamations, embarrassment and reflection, conveyed by ellipsis, allow you to see and hear what is happening, emotionally experience it. The abundance of sonor consonants is consistent with the story of the serene life of palm trees, and the appearance of hissing sounds portends the invasion of disharmony, which is about to come. The poem was written by the three-footed amphibrach, which in terms of dimension corresponds to the genre declared by the author - “Eastern legend” or, in other words, a parable.
Finally
These are some of the strokes of the analysis of this work, the main conclusions and a summary. Lermontov undoubtedly devoted his “Three Palms” to his beloved theme of loneliness and dissatisfaction of the soul, longing for something more significant that surrounds it in everyday life. That is why a vivid feeling is born in our heart that the author does not agree with God's sentence, although he understands its regularity and justice.