Трагизм самосознания человека культуры в «Трилистниках» И. Ф. Анненского

Abstract

The paper suggests new interpretations of the final “Trefoils” from the poetic book of I. F. Annensky “Cypress Chest”. The author emphasizes that the issue of self-awareness of a contemporary and, accordingly, the task of comprehending the origins of the tragic worldview of human culture of the late 19 – early 20 century is a structure-forming in the final work of Annensky. This work does not touch upon the contents and composition of the book published after the death of the poet, but proposes a general concept of the interpretation of “Trefoils” and — in general terms — the entire “Cypress Chest”, in lyrical form generalizing the cultural, sociological and philosophical reflections of the author, appearing as a deep intellectual and sensitive symbolist lyricist. To capture the multifaceted and rationally verified accuracy of Annensky's lyrical works, combined on the principle of including them in large cycles (“Trefoils”, “Folders”, “Marked Sheets”) and mini-cycles (three and two poems each), is possible involving the artist's entire heritage. Interpreting motifs and individual images that gain additional meaning at each new level of the book's structure, and within the framework of a separate poem sound self-sufficient and full-fledged, is necessary primarily in the context of literary criticism of Annensky and his works in terms of the study of antiquity. The confessionality of the poet's tragic lyrics lies in а complex representation of the inner world of a man of culture at the turn of the century, who conquered the spiritual peaks of the world of “ideas”, but lost direct perception of the world of “ideas”, without which love, beauty and virtue born in torment become conditional categories.