Russian poetry of XVIII century

[Constantin]

Hallo, dear friends!
First of all let me introduce myself; my name is Constantin, I'm from Russia and I'm a student of Moscow State University. Although I'm going to be a public servant, I like poetry very much. I'm trying to make English poetry more familiar for Russian people. Now I'm translating John Dryden, because in Russai we don't have ANY translations of his plays and poems. But I know, that English and Amercian friends of poetry don't know anything about old Russian literature - I mean. XVIII century. For example, our poets Lomonosow, Sumarokow, Trediakowsky and Cheraskov - they have created brilliant examples of Russian poetry. Unfortunately, even ourl people, as a rule, don't know anything about this writers. And I'd like to ask you: what do you know about them (for example, are there any translation in English or not) and would you like to learn out something about them?

[Logos]

Welcome to the LitNetwork Constatin :)

It is always great to see interest in restoring older works. I know of a few members here who are studying Russian, maybe they will have come across some of these poets.

I have read Russian literature only (Artzybashev Sanine, Andreyev, Georgii Nikolaevich Vladimov Faithful Ruslan etc. ) as well as the more popular writers Tolstoy, Dostoevsky etc. It is always interesting to see the forward comments or introduction to the work by the translator, it must be a very difficult task to translate! but I for one really appreciate being able to read and learn of other cultures and time periods. Eighteenth and nineteenth century Russia are favourites of mine.

I'm going to see if my university carries some of your poets' that you mentioned.

[rachel]

hullo Constantin,
welcome. I am thrilled that you are posting with us. I grew up as a child loving Russian literature, art, poetry and biographies of notable Russians of which are many.
I think that is a noble and hard task you have set for yourself but believe me you have a ready and eager audience to learn and enjoy the poets you have mentioned.
I too will ask our university what they have if anything and get back to you.
dosvi daniya

[Constantin]

Thank you, my dear friends! I think, it's the very time to make english reader more familiar with russian poets of XVIII century.

[Whifflingpin]

Hallo Constantin

The "Penguin Book of Russian Verse" has examples of poems by Lomonosov (Litsye svoye skryvayet dyen ...) and Sumarokov (Tshchyetno ya skryvayu cerdtsa skorbi lyuty...) with prose translations.

In the same book are examples from the poets Derzhavin, Krylov, Zhukovsky and Batyushkov, who were born in 18th century, although they were still writing in 19th.

"Kto rasbudil vospominanye i zamolchabshiye mechty?" Perhaps, in days to come, the answer will be "Constantin!"

.

[Constantin]

Thank you, Whifflingpin, I'm very glad that you're interested in such period of Russian poetry, very few people in Russia are interested in. Unfortunately, Russian language is quite difficult, and I'm in a doubt, whether somebody in GB or USA reads Sumarokov in Russia. Moreover, for Russian people sometimes it's either quite difficult to read such poets, like Cantemir (in fact it's the first poet of the new Russian literature) or Trediakowsky, that, like Chauser, have reformed our versification from syllabic into syllabo-tonic. I've to stydy Ryssian literature style of that epoch (because Dryden may be translated in Russia only in such style) in I've found, that it's a great, but yet undiscovered world, terra incognita of Russian literature.
Well, if it's interesting I may print here several poems of XVIII age with prose translation (I can translate in verse, but I don't think, that you'll like it).

[Constantin]

Here, for example, a little brilliant poem by Alexander Petrovich Sumarokov, "the northern Rasin", as people called him. He was the first tragical poet in Russia, but he was also a perfect lyric poet. He wrote a plenty of perfect pindaric, philisophical and love poems. He created poems in all classical genres, expect epic poem. This problem was solved by his puple, Michael Cheraskov.

МАДРИГАЛ
Анюта на себе алмазов не имела,
Но души попленить смотрителей умела.
Анюта выросла, сказали мне, в лесах.
Неправда, выросла она на небесах.

It means:

A MADRIGAL
Anuta had not brilliants at all,
Inspite of that, she captured the hall,
They said: "She has grown up in forest shade",
"Don't lie, she has grown up at heaven " - I said.

May be my translation is too ugly and rough, but, I think, you may understand the essence of the poem.

[Whifflingpin]

"The northern Rasin"

Does that mean that he led Cossack forces like Stenka Rasin? or is there a southern poet called Rasin?

I like your translation. As you say it is not perfect English, but it captures the heart of the poem.

[Constantin]

Thank you.
Of course, I mean Jean Racine.

[Whifflingpin]

Doh - I feel such an idiot. You said he was a tragical poet; I should have made the connection with Racine

[Constantin]

You said, that I'd captured the heart of poem? Do you speak Russian?

[rachel]

Constantin,
just the sweet and gentle yet extremely passionate manner you have of expressing yourself and translating is like honey to my ears and heart. You have a brialliant future in front of you I suspect.

[caspian]

Hallo, dear friends!
First of all let me introduce myself; my name is Constantin, I'm from Russia and I'm a student of Moscow State University. Although I'm going to be a public servant, I like poetry very much. I'm trying to make English poetry more familiar for Russian people. Now I'm translating John Dryden, because in Russai we don't have ANY translations of his plays and poems. But I know, that English and Amercian friends of poetry don't know anything about old Russian literature - I mean. XVIII century. For example, our poets Lomonosow, Sumarokow, Trediakowsky and Cheraskov - they have created brilliant examples of Russian poetry. Unfortunately, even ourl people, as a rule, don't know anything about this writers. And I'd like to ask you: what do you know about them (for example, are there any translation in English or not) and would you like to learn out something about them?
you're right, not just foreigners... these poets were left in shadow by soviets. i've heard just about Sumarokow.
i got interested, i'll try to find them and read.

[Avalive]

"As a White Stone..." by ANNA AKHMATOVA
1916

As a white stone in the well's cool deepness,
There lays in me one wonderful remembrance.
I am not able and don't want to miss this:
It is my torture and my utter gladness.

I think, that he whose look will be directed
Into my eyes, at once will see it whole.
He will become more thoughtful and dejected
Than someone, hearing a story of a dole.

I knew: the gods turned once, in their madness,
Men into things, not killing humane senses.
You've been turned in to my reminiscences
To make eternal the unearthly sadness.


Translated by Yevgeny Bonver, August, 2000



I love her works

[Constantin]

these poets were left in shadow by soviets. i've heard just about Sumarokow.

Actually, not. This is a very wide-spreaded habit both in Russia and in Europe - to blame Soviets in every sin. Soviet scientists had made a great work in order to restore Russian poetry of XVIII century.

Dear Rachel! I'm glad, that you like my translation. I'll do my best to make something new.