"The Captive Knight," Lermontov. Analysis of the poem

Mikhail Yurievich Lermontov was of noble origin, therefore from early childhood he was brought up in rigor, with full mastery of secular manners. And of course, great attention was paid to the educational process. The grandmother of the poet Elizaveta Alekseevna, from whom he was brought up from an early age, spared no money for training his beloved grandson. Otherwise, where would he get such excellent knowledge of Russian and foreign literature and several foreign languages? Lermontov also studied music and painted beautifully. All this soon borne fruit.

"The Captive Knight"

Lermontov, brought up on the literary creations of the great William Shakespeare and Friedrich Schiller, whose creativity was very keen in his youth, wanted to become a well-known person or, at least, a general who the whole world would know, and, for example, conquer the floor -Europe, as Napoleon did.

Poetry Lermontov began to get involved since childhood. His first poems were written in French. He was a great dreamer and a visionary, but his dreams and desires did not come true, because at all times it was always easier to live ignoramuses and fools than to such clever and talented people as Pushkin and Lermontov, for example.

Lermontov wrote his poem "The Captive Knight" under the influence of something that failed and failed. The image of the knight, who created Lermontov a year before his death in 1840, literally became the poet's death mask . He practically buried himself alive in full bloom. By that time his soul had already been torn and wounded. The poet understood that his time was drawing to a close, no effort or desire was left for the struggle.

"The Captive Knight," Lermontov. Analysis of the work

Lermontov became a hostage of his time, he, as a man of progressive and revolutionary views, did not like the social foundations, and in this condition he could not obtain that spiritual freedom that the Decembrists and Pushkin dreamed of.

The poem "The Captive Knight" 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 hurt and ashamed. Why does he have such strong emotions? And all because of the lack of that long-awaited freedom, which he had been seeking for so long, but did not find it.

Metaphor

In the work "The Captive Knight" Lermontov often refers to the metaphor. His hero is an experienced warrior, who understands that nobody is needed anymore. Tired of his inaction, he now has to be locked up in a dungeon where the helmet is taken away - this is the grating of the loophole, its 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 means his own life, already useless, aimless and useless to anyone. He wanted to fulfill his destiny, but he was deprived of such an opportunity. And now the only way out that the poet sees is death. This image appears in the last lines of the poem. And death is perceived as an assistant, who can support the knight stirrups when he arrives. Then it will come the long-awaited relief from loneliness, emotional unrest and longing connected with unrealized dreams.

Conclusion

At this time, when he wrote the poem "The Captive Knight", Lermontov often turned to the theme of life and death. And each time he preferred the second option as the saving and the most faithful, since he had not seen any other ways for himself. In this there was a deep depression and a premonition of a fatal outcome. Looking back, the poet understood that for posterity he did not leave anything. At the same time, it should be borne in mind that Lermontov was sufficiently self-critical and did not take his creativity seriously at all, considering him a youthful amusement or hobby, which should not be taken into consideration, especially since at that time his poems were not recognized by society, and all More annoying. If he could have understood earlier that Russian literature in the person of poetry was his main priority, then perhaps he would have lived his life differently.