Question about Pasternak

[Zachary Rewinski]

Dear Svetlana,

As I'm sure you already know, Mandelstam references Herzen to conclude his "Заметки о поэзии," in which he responds to Сестра моя - жизнь:

"Конечно, Герцен и Огарев, когда стояли на Воробьевых горах мальчиками, испытывали физиологически священный восторг пространства и птичьего полета. Поэзия Пастернака рассказала нам об этих минутах: это - блестящая Нике, перемещенная с Акрополя на Воробьевы горы."

That said, I don't see a direct connection to Herzen in Pasternak's "Воробьевы горы" (of the same collection), nor am I sure that Mandelstam suggests any connection beyond the moment the poem captures.

I also would be eager to hear answers to this question as well as for any information about Pasternak's attitudes towards and readings of other 19th century thinkers, especially Petr Kropotkin (I'm familiar with Smirnov's arguments in Роман тайн "Доктор Живаго").

Zach Rewinski
PhD Student
Department of Slavic Languages and Literature
University of Wisconsin-Madison

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