It would be a platitude to say that A. S. Pushkin is the greatest
Russian poet. But I hope no-one is challenging the view that he occupies
an outstanding place in Russian literature and culture.
Every summer in June, thousands of people visit the Pskov land.
They come here to the village of Mikhailovskoye to the wonderful
festival of poetry, to see the places where he lived and worked.
Pushkin is always alive for us, he is the man we all know and
love, the greatest of poets. Generations come and go, but Pushkin still
remains. We are all grateful to Pushkin for each line of his works.
Pushkin is not only a great poet for us. He is the perfect man combining
brilliant talent with civil courage and moral integrity. His name is
associated with our love for the Motherland, and the best in our life.
Hundreds of new concepts, hundreds of new words have appeared in
the language in the years that have passed since his death, but not a
single word of his poetry has become obsolete. The old forms of life
went into the past, but everything written by Pushkin continues to live.
It has not become something of the past, it does not need any
corrections and hardly needs commentary. His feelings and his views
still correspond to our own feelings and views.
We admire the great world of Pushkin's poetry as a whole, each of
us finding some special lines for himself, lines showing Pushkin's
great and generous heart, his sympathy and respect for his people.
Whatever Pushkin's work we see portrayal of Russian life, the Russian
intellect, the Russian soul, the life of the Russian land in all epochs,
the Russian people. The reader cannot imagine his inner world without
him.
|