Sketches of Rome
| Author | Apollon Maykov |
|---|---|
| Original title | Очерки Рима |
| Country | Russia |
Publication date | 1847 |
| Media type | |
Sketches of Rome is Apollon Maykov's second book of poetry, published in 1847.[1][2]
History
In late 1842 Maykov went to Europe and spend two years there, staying in mostly in Rome. As a result of this experience came the collection of poems published as a single book in 1847. Sketches of Rome, according to biographer E.Mayorova, were hardly a highlight of the Russian poetry even of that period, but for Maykov the book was highly important, letting him enrich his language and opening new doors of development.[1]
Sketches of Rome were in a way prompted by Nikolai Gogol's Rome novelet (Moskvityanin, 1842) which rather troubled Belinsky with its 'slavophiliac' tendency "to look awry at Paris and myopically - at Rome," as he put it.[3]
Following Belinsky's recommendations, in 1843–1846 Maykov was obviously endeavoring to overcome his 'anthological' urge. In Sketches of Rome he created a gallery of people living in the ancient city, each expressing one side of the national character or another, in the "natural school" mode.[4]
In Maykov's collection modern Rome too often comes as a healthy alternative to the 'capitalist' North, namely Paris, full of conflicts and rows. Like the young Prince in Gogol's novel, Maykov's character sympathizes with the classical Rome, the nature and people reminding him "pictures from bright poems of ancient Hellas". The better half of this second book could be said to be said (according to biographer F.Pryima) ruminations over the ruins of Rome ("Games", "Ancient Rome", "Upon Visiting the Vatican Museum", "Campagna di Roma" and others).[2]
At least one of the poems, "Palazzo", demonstrated its author's political awareness, hinting at "stolen freedom": it had problems with censorship. The idea of seeking for the return of the Golden Age was part of the picture, best expressed in the poem "Anachoret" (1846). The hero dreams of the times when "the poor would tear shackles" and "some evil crook won't be honoured like he was God", but after having spent 20 years in the desert found the world unchanged for the better.[2]
Criticism
Biographer Pryima, writing of his 2nd collection, opined:
When Maykov tries to depict modern life he lacks dynamics and expressiveness. His girls from Albano by the fountain is “a sketch of a painter who sees the life of contemporary Italy as if through the prism of the classic art. The author not only tries to conceal but stresses the fact that his impressions are secondary, introducing to the picture first the portrait of a German painter who actually paints the picture of these girls, and then himself, a Russian poet dreaming of making a verbal sketch of the same.[2]
In many instances, according to Priyma, Maykov’s view is static and often self-effacing. He tends to observe Italy through the eyes of his hero, a painter who pictures this life.[2]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mayorova, O.E. (1990). "A.N.Maykov". Russian Writers. Bibliographical dictionary. (Ed. P.A.Nikolayev). Vol. 2 Moscow Prosveshchenye Publishers. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Pryima, Fyodor (1984). "A.N.Maykov’s Poetry". Pravda Publishers. Retrieved 2012-03-01.
- ↑ The Complete Belinsky. Vol. VI, 427, 661.
- ↑ Yampolsky, I. (1968). "Apollon Maykov. Russian Poets". Moscow. Detskaya Literatura Publishers. Retrieved 2012-12-01.
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