Melo, melo all over the earth
To all limits.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
Like a swarm of midges in summer
Flying into the flame
Flakes flew from the yard
to the window frame.
Snowstorm sculpted on glass
Circles and arrows.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
On the illuminated ceiling
The shadows lay
Crossed arms, crossed legs,
Crossing fates.
And two shoes fell
With a knock on the floor.
And wax with tears from the night light
Drip on the dress.
And everything was lost in the snow haze
Gray and white.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
The candle blew from the corner,
And the heat of temptation
Raised like an angel two wings
Crosswise.
Melo all month in February,
And every now and then
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
Analysis of the poem "Winter Night" by Pasternak
In our time, B. Pasternak is considered one of the most talented Russian poets. Recognition at home came to him after his death. After the publication of the novel "Doctor Zhivago" in the West, Pasternak's work was banned in the USSR. In his most famous work, the writer devoted most of the poetry, which is the fruit of the protagonist's creativity. These philosophical and love lyrics become an organic part of the novel, explaining and connecting the various parts. In this lyric, one of the central poems is "Winter Night". Subsequently, it came out as an independent work. The exact date of writing is unknown, since the writer worked on the entire novel for about ten years.
The central image of the poem is a burning candle, symbolizing a saving light in the midst of the surrounding darkness. She is able to warm and calm the tormented soul. The whole novel as a whole is also permeated in this way. The candle becomes for the lovers the center of the universe, which pulled them to itself and gave shelter in the middle of the "snow haze". Love relationships are outlined with only a few catchy strokes: “crossing of arms”, “crossing of legs”, “heat of temptation”. They are not so important in the general philosophical sense. Much more important is the “crossing of fate”, that is, the union around the life-giving true source of light of two lonely hearts.
In the context of the novel, the image of a candle symbolizes human life, and the surrounding bad weather symbolizes inevitable death. A trembling light is easy to extinguish with a careless movement, it reminds a person that death can come suddenly at the most unexpected moment. On the other hand, the flame of a candle is immeasurably weaker than a hard blizzard, but continues its unequal struggle. The philosophical meaning of this symbolic fight is that a person should never give up and use the time allotted to him to the end.
Pasternak uses a variety of expressive means in the poem. The refrain “the candle burned” is repeated several times, emphasizing the significance of the image. Epithets are used mainly in the description of the February bad weather: “snowy”, “gray-haired and white”. Almost everything that surrounds the main characters is endowed with human features through personifications (“the blizzard molded”, “shadows lay down”). The comparisons used are very expressive: “like midges”, “wax with tears”, “like an angel”.
The poem has become very popular in the post-Soviet space. His words were set to music.
Boris Pasternak is rightfully considered one of the brightest Russian poets and writers of the 20th century. It was he who came up with the idea to combine prose and poetry in one work, which caused a flurry of criticism from contemporaries, but was duly appreciated by descendants.
We are talking, in particular, about the famous novel "Doctor Zhivago", the last part of which is devoted to the poems of the protagonist. The fact that Yuri Zhivalo is a subtle lyricist and a lover of rhyming phrases, the reader will learn in the first chapters of the novel. However, Boris Pasternak tries not to distract readers with lyrical digressions, so he decides to combine all of Yuri Zhivago's poems into a separate collection.
The first poem attributed to the authorship of the protagonist is called "Winter Night". Later, it was often published as an independent literary work called "Candle" and was even set to music, adding to the repertoire of Alla Pugacheva and ex-leader of the Gorky Park group Nikolai Noskov
Boris Pasternak worked on the novel Doctor Zhivago for 10 years, from 1945 to 1955. Therefore, it is already impossible to establish exactly when the poem “Winter Night” was written. Although some researchers of Pasternak's work claim that the immortal lines were born during the war, which their author spent in evacuation, having lived for more than a year in the city of Chistopol. However, given the style of writing and the maturity of thoughts, critics are inclined to believe that the poem was nevertheless created shortly before the end of work on the novel, when Boris Pasternak, like the main character, already had a premonition of his death.
It is the theme of death and life that is the key moment of the poem "Winter Night". It should not be taken literally, but should be read between the lines, since each quatrain is a vivid metaphor, so contrasting and memorable that it gives the poem an amazing elegance. Considering "Winter Night" in the context of the struggle for survival, one can easily guess that the blizzard, the February cold and the wind symbolize death. And the candle flame, uneven and barely glowing, is synonymous with life, which leaves not only the terminally ill doctor Zhivago, but also Boris Pasternak himself.
In favor of the version that the poem was written in 1954-55 is also evidenced by the fact that in 1952 Boris Pasternak experienced his first heart attack, having experienced from his own experience what it means to be between life and death. However, it is possible that, possessing the gift of foresight, Pasternak in "Winter Night" predicted to himself not only physical, but also creative death. And he turned out to be right, because after the publication of the novel “Doctor Zhivago” abroad and the award of the “Nobel Prize” to the work, the famous writer was persecuted. He stopped publishing and was expelled from the Writers' Union of the USSR. Therefore, the only source of livelihood for parsnips during this period was literary translations, which still remained in demand and fairly well paid.
The author himself wrote letters several times addressed to the Secretary General of the CPSU Nikita Khrushchev, trying to convince the head of state of his political reliability, but this did not help. Moreover, Pasternak's opponents appealed not to the novel itself as a whole, but to its poetic part, and, in particular, to "Winter Night", calling the poem an example of decadence, decadence and vulgarity.
Only a few decades later, when in 1988 the novel Doctor Zhivago was first published in the USSR, the poem Winter Night was recognized as one of the most successful and heartfelt works of love lyrics written by Boris Pasternak.
"Winter night". B. Pasternak
Melo, melo all over the earth
To all limits.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
Like a swarm of midges in summer
Flying into the flame
Flakes flew from the yard
to the window frame.
Snowstorm sculpted on glass
Circles and arrows.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
On the illuminated ceiling
The shadows lay
Crossed arms, crossed legs,
Crossing fates.
And two shoes fell
Boris Pasternak is rightfully considered one of the brightest Russian poets and writers of the 20th century. It was he who came up with the idea to combine prose and poetry in one work, which caused a flurry of criticism from contemporaries, but was duly appreciated by descendants.
We are talking, in particular, about the famous novel "Doctor Zhivago", the last part of which is devoted to the poems of the protagonist. The fact that Yuri Zhivalo is a subtle lyricist and a lover of rhyming phrases, the reader will learn in the first chapters of the novel. However, Boris Pasternak tries not to distract readers with lyrical digressions, so he decides to combine all of Yuri Zhivago's poems into a separate collection.
The first poem attributed to the authorship of the protagonist is called "Winter Night". Later, it was often published as an independent literary work called "Candle" and was even set to music, adding to the repertoire of Alla Pugacheva and ex-leader of the Gorky Park group Nikolai Noskov
Boris Pasternak worked on the novel Doctor Zhivago for 10 years, from 1945 to 1955. Therefore, it is already impossible to establish exactly when the poem “Winter Night” was written. Although some researchers of Pasternak's work claim that the immortal lines were born during the war, which their author spent in evacuation, having lived for more than a year in the city of Chistopol. However, given the style of writing and the maturity of thoughts, critics are inclined to believe that the poem was nevertheless created shortly before the end of work on the novel, when Boris Pasternak, like the main character, already had a premonition of his death.
It is the theme of death and life that is the key moment of the poem "Winter Night". It should not be taken literally, but should be read between the lines, since each quatrain is a vivid metaphor, so contrasting and memorable that it gives the poem an amazing elegance. Considering "Winter Night" in the context of the struggle for survival, one can easily guess that the blizzard, the February cold and the wind symbolize death. And the candle flame, uneven and barely glowing, is synonymous with life, which leaves not only the terminally ill doctor Zhivago, but also Boris Pasternak himself.
In favor of the version that the poem was written in 1954-55 is also evidenced by the fact that in 1952 Boris Pasternak experienced his first heart attack, having experienced from his own experience what it means to be between life and death. However, it is possible that, possessing the gift of foresight, Pasternak in "Winter Night" predicted to himself not only physical, but also creative death. And he turned out to be right, because after the publication of the novel “Doctor Zhivago” abroad and the award of the “Nobel Prize” to the work, the famous writer was persecuted. He stopped publishing and was expelled from the Writers' Union of the USSR. Therefore, the only source of livelihood for parsnips during this period was literary translations, which still remained in demand and fairly well paid.
The author himself wrote letters several times addressed to the Secretary General of the CPSU Nikita Khrushchev, trying to convince the head of state of his political reliability, but this did not help. Moreover, Pasternak's opponents appealed not to the novel itself as a whole, but to its poetic part, and, in particular, to "Winter Night", calling the poem an example of decadence, decadence and vulgarity.
Only a few decades later, when in 1988 the novel Doctor Zhivago was first published in the USSR, the poem Winter Night was recognized as one of the most successful and heartfelt works of love lyrics written by Boris Pasternak.
"Winter night". B. Pasternak
Melo, melo all over the earth
To all limits.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
Like a swarm of midges in summer
Flying into the flame
Flakes flew from the yard
to the window frame.
Snowstorm sculpted on glass
Circles and arrows.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
On the illuminated ceiling
The shadows lay
Crossed arms, crossed legs,
Crossing fates.
And two shoes fell
With a knock on the floor.
And wax with tears from the night light
Drip on the dress.
And everything was lost in the snow haze
Gray and white.
The candle burned on the table
WINTER NIGHT
Melo, melo all over the earth
To all limits.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
Like a swarm of midges in summer
Flying into the flame
Flakes flew from the yard
to the window frame.
Snowstorm sculpted on glass
Circles and arrows.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
On the illuminated ceiling
The shadows lay
Crossed arms, crossed legs,
Crossing fates.
And two shoes fell
With a knock on the floor.
And wax with tears from the night light
Drip on the dress.
And everything was lost in the snowy haze
Gray and white.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
The candle blew from the corner,
And the heat of temptation
Raised like an angel two wings
Crosswise.
Melo all month in February,
And every now and then
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
1946
Translation
WINTER NIGHT
Blizzards were blowing across the land
In all the pieces.
A candle was burning.
Like a swarm of summer midges
Flies to the flame
The flakes flew from the yard
To the window frame.
The Blizzard sculptured on the glass
circles and arrows.
A candle burned on the table
A candle was burning.
On the illuminated ceiling
lay down the shade,
Crossed arms, crossed legs,
A cross of fate.
And fell down two shoes
With a thud on the floor.
And wax tears with a lamp
The dress was dripping.
And all was lost in snowy mist
gray and white.
A candle burned on the table
A candle was burning.
The candle on the barrel from the corner
And the heat of temptation
Raised as an angel, two wings
Phillips.
Melo entire month in February
And
A candle burned on the table
A candle was burning.
1946
Boris Pasternak is rightfully considered one of the brightest Russian poets and writers of the 20th century. It was he who came up with the idea to combine prose and poetry in one work, which caused a flurry of criticism from contemporaries, but was duly appreciated by descendants.
We are talking, in particular, about the famous novel "Doctor Zhivago", the last part of which is devoted to the poems of the protagonist. The fact that Yuri Zhivalo is a subtle lyricist and a lover of rhyming phrases, the reader will learn in the first chapters of the novel. However, Boris Pasternak tries not to distract readers with lyrical digressions, so he decides to combine all of Yuri Zhivago's poems into a separate collection.
The first poem attributed to the authorship of the protagonist is called "Winter Night". Later, it was often published as an independent literary work called "Candle" and was even set to music, adding to the repertoire of Alla Pugacheva and ex-leader of the Gorky Park group Nikolai Noskov.
Boris Pasternak worked on the novel Doctor Zhivago for 10 years, from 1945 to 1955. Therefore, it is already impossible to establish exactly when the poem “Winter Night” was written. Although some researchers of Pasternak's work claim that the immortal lines were born during the war, which their author spent in evacuation, having lived for more than a year in the city of Chistopol. However, given the style of writing and the maturity of thoughts, critics are inclined to believe that the poem was nevertheless created shortly before the end of work on the novel, when Boris Pasternak, like the main character, already had a premonition of his death.
It is the theme of death and life that is the key moment of the poem "Winter Night". It should not be taken literally, but should be read between the lines, since each quatrain is a vivid metaphor, so contrasting and memorable that it gives the poem an amazing elegance. Considering "Winter Night" in the context of the struggle for survival, one can easily guess that the blizzard, the February cold and the wind symbolize death. And the flame of the candle, uneven and barely glowing, is synonymous with life, which leaves not only the terminally ill doctor Zhivago, but also Boris Pasternak himself.
In favor of the version that the poem was written in 1954-55 is also evidenced by the fact that in 1952 Boris Pasternak experienced his first heart attack, having experienced from his own experience what it means to be between life and death. However, it is possible that, possessing the gift of foresight, Pasternak in "Winter Night" predicted to himself not only physical, but also creative death. And he turned out to be right, because after the publication of the novel “Doctor Zhivago” abroad and the award of the “Nobel Prize” to the work, the famous writer was persecuted. He stopped publishing and was expelled from the Writers' Union of the USSR. Therefore, the only source of livelihood for parsnips during this period was literary translations, which still remained in demand and fairly well paid.
The author himself wrote letters several times addressed to the Secretary General of the CPSU Nikita Khrushchev, trying to convince the head of state of his political reliability, but this did not help. Moreover, Pasternak's opponents appealed not to the novel itself as a whole, but to its poetic part, and, in particular, to "Winter Night", calling the poem an example of decadence, decadence and vulgarity.
Only a few decades later, when in 1988 the novel Doctor Zhivago was first published in the USSR, the poem Winter Night was recognized as one of the most successful and heartfelt works of love lyrics written by Boris Pasternak.
"Winter night". B. Pasternak
Melo, melo all over the earth
To all limits.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
Like a swarm of midges in summer
Flying into the flame
Flakes flew from the yard
to the window frame.
Snowstorm sculpted on glass
Circles and arrows.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
On the illuminated ceiling
The shadows lay
Crossed arms, crossed legs,
Crossing fates.
And two shoes fell
With a knock on the floor.
And wax with tears from the night light
Drip on the dress.
And everything was lost in the snow haze
Gray and white.
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
The candle blew from the corner,
And the heat of temptation
Raised like an angel two wings
Crosswise.
Melo all month in February,
And every now and then
The candle burned on the table
The candle was burning.
