«VERBLESSNESS» IN THE POETRY OF B. L. PASTERNAK AND A. A. FET

Abstract

This article examines the stylistic features of Afanasy Fet's poetry. It is noted that Afanasy Fet's lyric poetry in many of its manifestations paved the way for the emergence and development of symbolism and influenced the rise of other literary movements in the mainstream of the Silver Age. Afanasy Fet is considered an innovative poet who enriched the rhythmic and metric structure of Russian poetry. The comparative method of scientific research made it possible to compare the poetry of Boris Pasternak with the poetry of Afanasy Fet, in particular, the “verbless” poems of both poets. The article notes that Fet's appearance in Russian poetry is associated with impressionistic landscape lyric poetry, with the poetry of fleeting moments, captured in the famous verbless poem “Whisper, timid breathing...”.  The aim of the work is to reveal the enormous influence that Fet’s lyric poetry, and especially his “verbless poems,” had on the poets of the “Silver Age,” in particular on the lyric poetry of Boris Pasternak. Fet was called an impressionist in poetry, and the poetic work of Boris Pasternak is likened to Fet’s later period: religious-philosophical, spiritual, prophetic. The article states that B. Pasternak and A. Fet are connected by a “flood of feelings,” a “bird’s flight,” and Pasternak’s poem “The Definition of Poetry” is cited as an example. The famous verbless poem by Fet, "This morning, this joy," is well known. Let us note that Fet’s verbless definitions refer to spring, while Pasternak’s verbless definitions refer to poetry. It is noted that “verbless” poems are especially musical. Fet’s verbless style, like the one of Pasternak’s, was connected with the ability to capture the momentary impressions of life, fleeting sensations. In B. Pasternak’s poem “In everything I want to get to the very essence,” these elusive moments are named and designated. The article states that the theme of verblessness was developed by many poets of the Silver Age. According to G. Ivanov, verblessness is the poverty of a fading dawn. G. Ivanov wrote: “I love hopeless peace.” However, Fet’s verblessness is not a lack of hope, but the fragility and tenderness of existence, and B. Pasternak reacts to verblessness in the same way. Thus, the influence of A. Fet’s poetry on the poetic work of B. Pasternak is connected, first of all, with the era of the Silver Age, since it was the Symbolists who first spoke about the continuity of Fet’s poetry and the poetry of the Symbolists.