An analysis of the poem “Knight for an Hour” reveals a sincere, conscientious confession of the lyrical hero, who completely exposes his soul to the reader. Below we will take a closer look at all aspects of the prayer poem.
History of creation
In 1860, N. A. Nekrasov decided to write an autobiographical large poem, "The Knight for an Hour." The main character in it bore the name Valezhnikov. But only the first part was created - "On the Volga" - and the second, which we will consider. The confessional poem “The Knight for an Hour,” an analysis of which will be made below, was first called “Insomnia.” It was written in 1862 and published in Sovremennik with banknotes for censorship reasons in 1863. These were difficult years for the poet. Belinsky and Dobrolyubov have already died. The poet departs from the liberals and draws closer to the revolutionary democratic movement. But it was defeated, Mikhailov and Chernyshevsky were exiled to Siberia. The lonely lyrical hero faces only “good impulses”. He is not ready for a difficult struggle, the author notes with bitterness, and cannot accomplish anything. The poem was created after N. Nekrasov visited the village of Greshnevo, where he spent his childhood.
Poem genre
“A song of repentance” - so A.N. Nekrasov called his deep and bitter confession-prayer. It contains elegiac, satirical and lyrical notes. Nekrasov is the first writer who combined these motives in one work.
Composition and theme of the work
The name is the key to the theme of the poem “The Knight for an Hour,” an analysis of which we have to do. The magazine Sovremennik in the 60s split into two parts: liberal and revolutionary-democratic, calling for an active struggle. N. Nekrasov supported raznochintsev. An analysis of the poem “The Knight for an Hour” shows that the author first of all accused himself personally and then contemporaries (an “insignificant tribe”) of not being devoted enough to the struggle for freedom of the oppressed people: many beautiful and correct words were said, but for they are not worth the real deal. His "mind is yearning," and no one is ready for a difficult struggle. The beginning of the poem is insomnia that overcomes the lyrical hero.
The first part is a forced walk in the late autumn night.
The second takes him to distant native places, and before him stands the image of a long-dead mother.
In conclusion, waking up in the morning, the hero realizes his unpreparedness for a difficult struggle: the flames of youth have awakened, but the "mocking inner voice" viciously advises to submit to fate, since there is no strength for affairs.
The theme is revealed as confession, as repentance for inaction.
The main idea: knowing your purpose, you should not give in to a momentary impulse, but rather act systematically and purposefully for the sake of social transformations.
First part
An introduction of seven lines explains why the "knight for an hour" does not sleep. An analysis of his sensations demonstrates that, as in nature, darkness reigned over the soul, the mind yearns, and there is only one way out - to go for a walk through the chill.
And so he went out. It's a frosty night. Observation of nature rejuvenated the hero's soul. He is interested in everything that he sees, and he is glad that he will not languish tonight.
Footsteps are heard loudly in silence as he steps across a wide field. Geese awoke on the pond, a young hawk smoothly took off from the stack. One can hear how the cart rides, how slightly it smells of tar. Walking joyfully while legs are strong. Thoughts freshened up. The knight surrendered to the power of the surrounding peppy nature for an hour. An analysis of the continuation of feelings possessed by the lyrical hero shows that he is filled with a sense of freedom, but then conscience spoke to him. He drives her. This moonlit quiet night is good to admire the clean deep transparent distance, the month, the waters, the whimsical shadows of white moonlight, the ricks that surrounded the village. In a bitter reality, alone with cruel thoughts, the knight again appears for an hour. The analysis says that he is mentally transported far to the grave of his mother.
The second part of
Behind the village on a low mountain, he fancies an old church. He mentally sees the old bell ringer rise to the bell tower and count out the blows of the bell after him. Midnight. Grave of mother.
A soul dear to the lyrical hero invisibly hovers there. Her knight begs to appear to him for an hour (Nekrasov). An analysis of the poem shows how hard his mother lived. Unloved by her husband, she did not live for herself, but for the children, she prayed for them, beautiful, with blond hair and blue eyes, God. She encouraged him to be merciful with them, not thinking about herself. The poet painted her noble image. The lyrical hero wants to burden her with his bail again and asks for forgiveness for this. But he dies, a knight for an hour (Nekrasov). An analysis of the poem shows the depth of his suffering, and a request for maternal love is not empty words for him. He asks his beloved mother-mother to again guide him on the right path, from which he has gone astray, to help him to re-enter the thorny road of truth, and asks her forgiveness. He himself will not be able to: he is too deeply sucked by unclean mud, petty passions and thoughts. From this the knight is unhappy for an hour (Nekrasov). The analysis of the work that we do has opened the heart for the mother completely, and the hero is now ready to prove by death that he knew how to love, and his heart was beating in a chest: he despised enemies and envious people, did not bow his head before them.
Final lines
The epilogue of the hero who woke up in the morning is filled with despondency, regret and contempt for himself. Nothing will change in his life.
And he realizes it with a pain in his heart.
Analysis of the verse “Knight for an hour” (Nekrasov)
The three-footed anapaest was used by the poet when writing a poem. It is easy to read, as its speech is close to conversational. The landscape part is written using bright epithets, metaphors, alliterations using the sound “l”. The image of the mother is drawn using epithets. Metaphorically and the name of the poem. It emphasizes that a person forgets the noble goals set in his youth.