Mikhail Yurievich Lermontov was of noble origin, so from early childhood he was brought up in severity, with the full development of secular manners. And of course, great attention was paid to the educational process. The poet’s grandmother Elizaveta Alekseevna, from whom he was brought up from an early age, did not spare funds for the education of her beloved grandson. Otherwise, where did he get such magnificent knowledge of Russian and foreign literature and several foreign languages? Lermontov also studied music and painted beautifully. All this soon bore fruit.
Captive Knight
Lermontov, brought up on the literary creations of the great William Shakespeare and Friedrich Schiller, whose work he was very passionate about in his youth, wanted to become a famous person too, or, in extreme cases, some general who the whole world would know, and, for example, conquer the floor -Europe, as Napoleon did.
Lermontov began to get involved in poetry from childhood. His first poems were written in French. He was a big dreamer and dreamer, but his dreams and desires never came true, because at all times it was always easier to live for ignoramuses and fools than for such smart and talented people as, for example, Pushkin and Lermontov.
Lermontov wrote his poem “Captive Knight” under the influence of something that did not happen and that did not come true. The image of the knight, who created Lermontov a year before his death in 1840, became literally the death mask of the poet. He practically buried himself alive in the prime of life. His soul by that time was already tormented and wounded. The poet understood that his time was drawing to a close, there was no more strength or desire left for the struggle.
"Captive Knight", Lermontov. Analysis of the work
Lermontov became a hostage of his time, he, as a person of progressive and revolutionary views, did not like the social foundations, and in this state he could not find the spiritual freedom that the Decembrists and Pushkin dreamed about.
The poem “Captive Knight” by Lermontov fully reveals the poet’s inner world , albeit in a veiled form. Lermontov here associates himself with a tired knight, sitting “under the window of the dungeon”, who is painful and ashamed. Why does he have such strong emotions? And all because of the lack of the long-awaited freedom that he had sought for so long, but did not find.
Metaphor
In The Captive Knight, Lermontov often refers to a metaphor. His hero is an experienced warrior who understands that no one needs him anymore. Tired of his inaction, he is now forced to be locked up in a dungeon, where the helmet was taken away - this is the lattice of the loophole, his shield is cast-iron doors, and the stone shell is replaced by high walls. Time is associated with a horse that no one rules. Here Lermontov implies his own life, already worthless, aimless and useless to anyone. He wanted to fulfill his destiny, but was deprived of such an opportunity. And now the only way the poet sees is death. This image appears in the last lines of the poem. Moreover, death is perceived as an assistant who can support the knight with a stirrup when he arrives. It is then that the long-awaited relief comes from loneliness, emotional unrest and longing associated with unfulfilled dreams.
Conclusion
At this time, when he wrote the poem "Captive Knight", Lermontov often addressed the theme of life and death. And each time he preferred the second option as saving and the most faithful, since he no longer saw other ways for himself. This traced the deepest depression and premonition of a fatal outcome. Looking back, the poet understood that he had left nothing for posterity. It should be borne in mind that Lermontov was quite self-critical and did not take his work seriously at all, considering him a youthful amusement or hobby, which is not worth paying attention to, especially since at that time his poems were not recognized by society, but all more annoying. If he could understand earlier that Russian literature in the person of poetry was his main priority, then perhaps he would have lived his life differently.