TOPOS OF ITALY IN NICHOLAY OTSUP’S POEMS
DOI: 10.23951/1609-624X-2017-11-218-225
N. Otsup, Russian poet of the first wave of emigration lived abroad for 34 years. He lived in France, but his heart belonged to Italy. His first poem, dedicated to Italy, appeared in the book “In the smoke” (1926). N. Otsup was hoping to see a country of great culture, but found the country of philistines. Gradually his negative impressions were replaced by descriptions of the aesthetic space of Italy, largely due to meeting with his future wife. In N. Otsup’s lyrics Italian motifs are closely intertwined with motives of love and faith, as the wife has brought him to God. The poem “Meeting” (1928) was dedicated to the enlightenment of the lyrical hero. Italy is a prideful country, where the life passes slowly, and therefore the enlightenment comes not very soon. Italy took important place in the last N. Otsup’s poem “Diary in verse”. The poet dedicate it to his wife, which he compares with Dante Beatrice. Otsup describes the usual life of Italians, the idyll of rural Italy and also wrote with sadness about fascism. The poet joined Italian Resistance and fought for the country as for his second homeland. During the WWII he experienced a spiritual crisis, but he overcame adversity and found his Paradise in the Holy land of Italy. Analysis of the image of Italy shows the hero’s journey from despair to the attainment of love and faith.
Keywords: Russian literature abroad, poetry of Nikolai Otsups, Italy
References:
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Issue: 11, 2017
Series of issue: Issue 11
Rubric: RUSSIAN ÉMIGRÉ LITERATURE
Pages: 218 — 225
Downloads: 782