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The Knightly Heart of Russia Рыцарское Сердце России

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The Knightly Heart of Russia Рыцарское Сердце России THE KNIGHTLY HEART OF RUSSIA ― ALEXEI KONSTANTINOVICH TOLSTOY Translation into English – by A. Pokidov РЫЦАРСКОЕ СЕРДЦЕ РОССИИ ― АЛЕКСЕЙ КОНСТАНТИНОВИЧ ТОЛСТОЙ Перевод на английский язык – А. В. Покидов Серия «Лирическая Россия» * «Lyric Russia» Series 2 A FEW WORDS TO THE READER This book is next book of the “Lyric Russia” series. The recommended book contains about a hundred lyric opuses of A. K. Tolstoy in parallel texts (bi-lingua), the introductory article characterizing the main aspects of the poet’s life and activity in the 40-70ies of the 19th century, the moral trend of his work, the notes in which the meaning and importance of concrete opuses are commented as well as their pathos, the sense of particular images and other specific traits of the poems. Besides, the notes show, in chosen examples, the general character and imperfection of the translations which had been made before. The present volume is practically devoted to lyric poetry (about half of the poet’s lyric opuses have been translated). However, while compiling the volume it was deemed reasonable to give two or three brilliant specimens of satirical poems, including the famous “Popov’s Dream”, which got the highest appraisal of Lev N. Tolstoy (this opus was never published during the poet’s life and was never translated into English). A lot of attention is allotted to the themes of nature and connection of man and nature. The volume also includes a number of opuses devoted to meditations about man’s destiny, about the role of art, about predestination of Poetry, about the poet’s duty towards people. As for A. K. Tolstoy’s greater opuses, the volume incorporates the famous poem “John Damaskin” and the most important monologue from the drama “Don Juan”. While appreciating the book one should bear in mind that up to now only 30 poems by A. K. Tolstoy have been published what is one third of the present book’s contents. It means that two thirds of the book’s opuses have been translated into English for the first time. The present edition shall be the broadest presentation of the poet to the English-speaking reader. One of the most important tasks of the translator was the adequate reproducing of both the remarkable sincerity of the poetic utterance and the glamour of the images. A. K. Tolstoy’s language is at the same time simple and exquisite, we feel in his voice the inexhaustible richness of popular intonations and the Herculean power of emotions. The reader shall feel the melodiousness and sonority of that voice, the finesse of the feelings devoid of any mannerism and fad taste (it is no mere chance that many composers have written hundreds of romances to A. K. Tolstoy’s poems, and it is very important that the English-speaking singers could have un opportunity to sing these romances in their native language without “stumbling” against the rhythm). A special care while translating was the need to preserve what Vlad. Solovyov, while analyzing A. K. Tolstoy’s poetry, defined by the term “the poesy of harmonious thought”. Tolstoy’s lyric opuses have long ago become part of Russia poetry and culture and will inevitably become part of world culture. Irina Sushkova 3 LIFE UNDER THE STAR OF LOVE “You do not know what thunder of rhymes is rolling in me, what waves of poetry are raging in me and craving to be at liberty…” (from А. К. Tolstoy’s letter to Sophia Miller, 1857) In one of his poems, Аlexei Кonstantinovich Tolstoy has glorified love as the all- penetrating and dominating principle of the whole universe (see “From torpid gloam, from nullity…” in the present book). А. К. Tolstoy was an uncommonly happy person in this respect. All his life was illumed by one lofty love which turned the diamond of his pure and manly heart into a brilliant of rare merit. His mother – Anna Alexeyevna Perovskaya, as well as her brother Аlexei and seven other children, was a natural daughter of the well-known dignitary of the Alexander I time – the count Аlexei Kirillovich Razumovsky*. Anna Alexeyevna, besides outstanding beauty, possessed a smart wit, a wilful character and whimsies which became the target of gossip in beau monde. So, for instance, as the story goes, at some fête she appeared with a hat which was exactly like the hat on the head of the empress. The Sovereign, having noticed it, was far from being delighted, and Anna Alexeyevna was informed about it. In spite of such displeasure, the young Anna continued to put on the hats and dresses quite the same as those of the empress. The self-will of this kind was quite contrary to the “etiquette”, but how vividly it shows the independent temper of that woman, which in other respects was inherited by her son who often went “against the current”. However, the same wilful features have played a negative role in the personal fate of her son when the problem of his marrying the woman he fell in love with arose. Anna Perovskaya focused all her love on her son, and, doubtless, this love proved to be almost the decisive factor in moulding the cast of mind of the future poet. And not only a motherly love to a son was that love but a sort of font in which the very personality of А. К. Tolstoy was born and the best features it his human aspect were fostered. The life of the adult А. К. Tolstoy was also lighted up with the only and inimitable love for a woman who became not only the person dear to his heart but also a subtle judge and critic of his creations. But let us revert to the origins. The most glamorous of the Russian 19th century lyricists – А. К. Tolstoy – was born on the 24th of August, 1817, in wedlock of the beautiful Anna Perovskaya and the count Konstantin Petrovich Tolstoy who, if it had not been for that (second for him) marriage, would have remained in history as the brother of the well-known graphic * The last Ukrainian hetman Kirill Grigoryevich Razumovsky was the great grandfather to А. К. Tolstoy, and Аlexei Kirillovich Razumovsky was the grandfather to him (in the reign of Catherine II, А. K. Razumovsky was a senator, and at the times of Alexander I – the Minister of Public Education). The extramarital children of А. K. Razumovsky got the surname Peróvsky from the near-Moscow estate of Razumovsky – Peróvo. 4 artist, engraver and sculptor Fyodor Petrovich Tolstoy, vice-president of the Academy of Arts. This marriage, however, rapidly broke up after the child was born (too evident was the difference in the wit and education of both), and the young mother with her 6- week son went to the estate Krasny Rog (the Chernigov province of the Ukraine). Here, close to the mild Ukrainian nature, in the estates of his mother and then of her brother Alexei Perovsky (Pogorelsky), who was like a father to the young boy, the childhood of А. К. Tolstoy was spent. And again we witness a unique generosity of fate which granted the uncle’s tender attachment to the young Alyosha. Remembering those years, А. К. Tolstoy writes that he began to waste paper at the age of 6. At the same age of her son Anna Alexeyevna returned to Petersburg. Already in the winter of 1826, she could be seen among the capital’s high society. Grants to the fact that the count Vasily Alexeyevich Perovsky (one of the youth’s uncles) was acquainted with the Crown prince’s tutor – V. A. Zhukovsky, the 9-year-old Alyosha was introduced to the prince and admitted to the group of children who on Sundays formed the game company of the future Russian tsar... And let us mark again a brilliant luck – warmest friendly relations formed between Tolstoy with the young Alexander Nikolayevich – the son of Nicholas I. In the middle of the 20ies, Anna Alexeyevna with her brother Alexei and her son Alyosha set out on a trip abroad. Numerous connections and considerable financial means enabled visiting most titled persons. So, the travelers were welcomed by the Grand Duke in Weimar. Then followed a visit to the patriarch of European literature – J. W. Goethe. The old man-genius gave a warm reception to the guest from Russia and, having displayed much kindness to the boy, seated him upon his lap. It was the first but by no means the last journey of Tolstoy to foreign countries. In 1831, the travelers went to Italy. Their trip included Venice, Verona, Milan, Genoa, Pisa, Lucca, Florence, Civitta Castellana, Rome, Naples and – by sea – again Genoa. The 14-year-old Alyosha literally feasted his eyes on works of art, and got into art himself. The point is that being in Rome Anna and Alexei Perovsky got acquainted with Karl Bryullov, the famous painter, who was so much charmed by the personality of the young tourist, that upon return to Moscow (in 1835) he made a portrait (at the order of Alexei) of the young Tolstoy in a hunting outfit, and a portrait of his uncle (the portrait of Anna was, alas, not even started). To the youth’s great grief, at the beginning of 1836, in Warsaw, his uncle Alexei Perovsky died on the arms of Alyosha having left him the title of a count and all his fortune as well as all his estates (it was Anna Alexeyevna who had to govern them). As one of the contemporaries said, “…the count А. К.
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