Color Designation in V.V. Mayakovsky’s Poetics: “Red” and “Yellow” (mythological implication)

Abstract

The article deals with semantics of “red” and “yellow” color in V.V. Mayakovsky’s poetics. A lot has been written about “red” color; this color is associated with the revolutionary ideas and symbols, and it is often used in Mayakovsky’s early works. However, “yellow” color is used along with “red” one and, in our opinion, it has more complicated semantics. This color is important for the poet himself and his creative life (Mayakovsky’s yellow blouse), and for his early poems where we see the clothing elements of this color. According to folkloric ideas, it is the very color which is ambivalent; it correlates with the sun and a new life, and is attributed to mourning ritual symbolism. Folklore commentary to some details in the poems “A Cloud in Trousers”, “A Man” and “Fifth International” allows us better understanding the poet’s figurative and metaphorical system.