The theoretical basis of symbolist poetry was a philosophy of intuitive creativity, the expression of obscure feelings and subtle ideas through incoherent, unsystematic symbols. The so-called cryptography of the unspoken. The second most important symbolist category was the obligatory musicality of the verse.
The reader must independently decipher the poetry of Alexander Blok's hints and take part in the work, adding to the picture of the fantasy or conditional reality of the poetic landscape, attitude or indescribable experience of the creator.
One of Blok’s hobbies was the philosophy of Vladimir Solovyov, from the ideal of all-unity of which the symbol of the eternal feminine principle, or femininity, came to his work. The world around the beginning of the century, with its tragic contradictions and social disasters, seemed to the poet terrible, even the central poetic cycle of this period was called.
Block. The Stranger (analysis)
As a result of avoiding the “terrible” existence, the lyrical hero of the poem forms his own beautiful and poetic world. If we take the poem that Blok wrote during this period - “The Stranger” - the analysis will show that it can be conditionally divided into two parts. Moreover, in the first, consisting of six quatrains, for some reason there will be everything that he did not like: wild and dull hot air; dust and boredom, baby crying; noisy couples walking between ditches; creak, screech; lackeys and drunkards with red eyes.
A. Blok “The Stranger” (analysis of the 1st part)
The poem was created in 1906. This period of life was difficult for Blok, beginning with family troubles, ending with a break with Symbolist poets. Time was turbulent also in terms of social upheaval. The poet did not leave the feeling of dysfunction, the contradictory tragedy of life, which gave rise to "a dull gloom."
It was born as a result of aimless wanderings in the St. Petersburg environs and trips to Ozerki to the country. The sublime solemn quatrains, where the heroine is beautiful in her mystery, are interspersed with quatrains-sayings of a hero disappointed with life, who has unconscious anxiety in his soul. He believes that the world is dying, rolling into darkness, into the abyss, it needs to be saved. Lawlessness and unbelief reign in him.
The lyrical hero of the poem, in search of a way out, goes into revelry and drunkenness. Now he is both a friend and a drinking companion. Wine “humbles” and “stuns” it. The real world, where ditches, dust, wits and their screeching ladies, the moon’s senselessly twisting disk, fades into the background when She enters the room at the “appointed” hour.
Block. “Stranger” (analysis of the 2nd part)
The hero doubts the reality of what is happening. In the presence of symbols of confusion: dream and fog ("dreaming", the window is foggy). Her character is unable to capture the whole, whole, details arise in the consciousness (the mill of a girl covered with silk, a hat with a veil and feathers, a hand in rings, blue eyes). The second part also consists of six quatrains. The last one is the result, the conclusion.
The secret of this poem is that it cannot be said for sure whether it is real or imaginary Stranger. A block analysis of his creation, decomposition into components of his wonderful magical world, probably would not have approved. Yes, it will not give anything! Each reader must decide everything for himself.
Make a more detailed analysis? The Stranger, Blok, as well as his other poems, hardly need him. It is better to read, feel, follow the poet’s imagination and receive unspeakable pleasure from the beauty and musicality of his fantasies!