Who wrote being famous is ugly. Philological notes
In these lines of his famous poem “Being Famous is Ugly,” Boris Pasternak raises the problem of the loss of the true, high meaning creativity for man, the problem of spiritual temptation by fame, which is both the main idea of the work and a topical problem of all human society.
The author draws our attention to the phrase “meaning nothing” - there is nothing attractive in becoming famous without performing any significant, worthy deeds; on the contrary, it is shameful. It's shameful to feel like a celebrity and realize that not a single good deed preceded it.
Yes, I completely share the writer’s position. After all, the concepts of “activity” and “creativity” presuppose certain behavior, human actions aimed at transforming environment and creating something new accordingly. However, undeserved, empty fame does not imply any transformation of the environment, any creation of cultural or material assets. People who have become famous for something other than some noble act tend to have no conscience; Such people are ashamed and disgraceful.
Let's take modern show business. Stars Russian stage are often glorified not due to their talent, but due to their appearance, some extravagant actions on stage, in the end, connections decide a lot, if not everything. And the real ones talented people very little.
Stories bad people- another fate of this problem. After all, as history shows, you can become famous as good deeds, and bad. The stories of Napoleon, Hitler, Chikatilo, Bonnie and Clyde are examples of this.
Thus, it is better to be glorified by good deeds and virtues. Bad deeds and fame by any means are immoral. This problem is still relevant, since many people dream of becoming famous on the Internet, and there are many ways to do this, including shameful ones.
The subject of this essay is the application of the phenomenological approach (mainly according to R. Ingarden) in the field philological analysis text. To illustrate, let’s take a poem by B.L. Pasternak “Being famous is ugly.”
Being famous is not nice.
This is not what lifts you up.
No need to create an archive,
Shake over manuscripts.
The goal of creativity is dedication,
Not hype, not success.
Shameful, meaningless
Be the talk of everyone.
But we must live without imposture,
Live like this so that in the end
Attract the love of space to you,
Hear the call of the future.
And you have to leave spaces
In fate, and not among papers,
Places and chapters of a whole life
Crossing out in the margins.
And plunge into the unknown
And hide your steps in it,
How the area hides in the fog,
When you can't see a thing in it.
Others on the trail
They will pass your path by an inch,
But defeat comes from victory
You don't have to differentiate yourself.
And should not a single slice
Don't give up on your face
But to be alive, alive and only,
Alive and only until the end.
Let's start by identifying "horizontal" text level, i.e. its syntagmatics. The poem consists of seven quatrains. There is no actual plot here, but there is an internal, psychological one. In quatrain 1 it is expressed the main idea in summary: "It's not nice to be famous". Quatrains 1-2 are negative in content. They set out a certain program of life and action through denial. Here an image of incorrect, inappropriate behavior is drawn: what should not be done - start an archive, pore over manuscripts, wish hype, success(cheap) be the talk of the town, especially meaning nothing. This fragment is a concentrated negation. But we do not know the opposite program: being famous is ugly– what’s beautiful? This is not what lifts you to the heights- And what? (The phrase is constructed in such a way that it hints at an alternative: NOT THIS raises- that means there is something else that really elevates a person.) The next five quatrains outline a positive life and creative program: how to live and what to do.
Thus, the text is divided into two main parts - “negative” and “positive”. This is indirectly confirmed by the fact that both of them are identically designed, i.e. framed by constructions synonymous in meaning and grammatical structure, which contain the main content of these parts - the first: “Being famous is ugly - it’s shameful to be a byword on everyone’s lips.”; second: “you have to live - you have to be alive”. However, although we called the second part “positive”, it also contains negations and even begins with this: "need to live WITHOUT IMPOSTER»
. Denial merges with affirmation. We continue to see this, but we won’t talk about it now.
Let's move on now to his "vertical" text measurement. This is much easier to do, because “vertical”, i.e. paradigmatic, the layer does not require obligatory syntagmatic coherence, association with nearby linguistic units. It is precisely assumed that the elements of the paradigm are isolated from the immediate, immediate textual environment and are considered in combination with components related to them. So, let's move on to analyzing the language of the text at various levels.
Level phonetic. Here we will first note not the linguistic, but the poetic (from the word “poetics”) features of the text: quatrains with cross rhyme and alternating feminine and masculine endings. The poems are written in iambic tetrameter with various deviations from it. This can be seen already in the first line: "B Y do you know AND/tym not/kras AND/in"– first re-emphasis (moving the stress to the first syllable), then iambic, then pyrrhic, then iambic.
Or take the lines from the second quatrain: "Target TV ABOUT r/chestva/ – self/department A/cha..."(spondee - pyrrhic - pyrrhic - iambic); “...B Y that's right AND/those on/ mouth A x/y sun E X"(spondee - pyrrhic - iambic - iambic).
One might assume that spondees (i.e., two stresses in a row) have a special function in the text - they highlight the most semantically important statements: « GOAL CREATURE quality - dedication..."; « BUT ON to live without impostor, // LIVE THIS WAY, so that in the end... // [Attract the love of space to yourself, // Hear the call of the future]"; " BUT BE alive, alive and only..."
However, this hypothesis is not confirmed: firstly, such strings do not always add up complete statements; secondly, no less or even more important lines do not begin with spondees: “Being famous is not beautiful // This is not what lifts you up”; “It’s shameful, meaning nothing, // To be a byword on everyone’s lips”; “But defeat from victory // You yourself should not distinguish.”
Thus, it cannot be confidently stated that shifts in poetic meter are associated with meaning. The fact that spondees draw attention to some fundamentally important conceptual statements is most likely an accident.
But phonics (sound writing), apparently, has expressive, figurative significance and enhances the imagery of the text: "P Roydu T T howl P yay for P poison P yad” - phonetic unity of command works to create an image of the path, movement, overcoming obstacles; this same impression is reinforced by: joint [ t t]; alternation – y/o; alliteration – [ Fri], [PD].
Here we enter the representative plane, where “this or that view appears in which the corresponding object of the image visibly appears to us.” Here we observe an ascent according to Ingarden: from the unity of sound and meaning to images that are tangible and visible to the reader.
In the text there are light, barely noticeable alliterations (including internal ones), supported by assonances: “a R Khiva – R bury SY mi – t RI'M WITH you With b". And also: “Shame N O, N And H his N e s N A H a, // To be a parable on US that X Y V WITH e X».
Their function can only be judged tentatively. For example, repeating sounds (or phonemes) link adjacent words into semantic blocks, unities.
Derivational the level can be considered in unity with the phonetic level. Firstly, both relate to the means of external organization of a word: it consists of sequentially located phonemes or morphemes (the connection between the “vertical” plan of the text and the “horizontal”). Secondly, phonetics and word formation are often interrelated in morphonology. A striking example something like this from Pasternak: raises- instead of raises- absence epentheses(and at the same time interfix). Let us also note the word-formation variant slice– diminutive (diminutive) and colloquial word hype. All three cases relate to colloquial speech, i.e. give the text a tone of sincerity and simplicity.
And also, of course, Difficult words dedication And imposture in the text they are contrasted, which is facilitated by their structural proximity.
On morphological level, the following features stand out:
substantive – future (call); abstract nouns – creativity, dedication, hype, success, impostor, space, call, life, uncertainty; non-objective words with generalized semantics approach them: trail, path, defeat, victory(they clearly do not imply correlation by number - it is hardly possible to say in this context: By TRACES, yours will pass WAYS, distinguish DEFEATS from VICTORIES – i.e. you can say, but their meaning is more generalized than specific
);
abundance of infinitives, incl. in combination with modal words – need to start archive, shake, be parable, need to live, attract(Love), hear, leave spaces, to hide, to hide, not to be seen no way, must not discriminate, must not retreat on behalf of, be alive; – such word forms and constructions give the author’s statements categorical, categorical, turning them into absolute moral maxims;
participial phrases
– "Nothing doesn't matter"; “Places and chapters of a whole life // Crossing out on the fields". The first turn has the adverbial meaning of the condition, the second only indicates additional action, expands the overall context.
As we see, morphology often goes beyond the word and approaches phraseology and syntax, which will be discussed below.
Let's go to the level semantics.
TO lexical text details include:
colloquial words: raises, shakes, hype, no zgi, slice(some of them, as has been said, are related to word formation);
words of the semantic field "life": "necessary live without impostor, // So live so that in the end...". Double "live"
contrasts with the double “end” - perhaps it matters that life is in free combination, and death is in phraseological units, the semantics of the limit (however, within the framework of life).
Further: "Places and Chapters life whole"– arise: a) life = book (the writer should express himself not in interviews, etc., but in his books; in this sense, his whole life should be like a book); b) the theme of the integrity of life - see "So live, to in the end"; "By alive following"– “hot”; not “cold”, fresh (which is conventional for life path, this trace may not be completely “cold”).
Next comes the opposition: "alive but only - to end»
(compare above: to live in the end; by the way, in both cases LIFE duplicated).
From the basic meanings of the word "alive": having life; truthful, genuine ( living example); vigorous; life ( living problem); light and entertaining ( live story); experienced ( living resentment) – to a greater or greater extent to a lesser extent everyone approaches, and at the same time. It is important that they represent life in all its shades, in all its diversity, in its fullness.
"Imposture"– not in the literal meaning (illegal appropriation of someone else’s name or title for the purpose of deception), but a synonym for self-praise.
Basic themes and metaphors:
a) life, fate - book: the inseparability of life and creativity;
b) the animation of the world, embodied in abstract categories: the love of space, the call of the future.
Here we climb third level – representation of objects, and partly on fourth – value, and they are inseparable from each other.
Syntactic, i.e. formally – second text level, associated with fourth – axiological.
Pasternak uses the following shapes: parcellation– due to this, a classification of values is achieved; anadiplosis ("alive and only") – strengthening the categoricalness of the final conclusion; paraphrases: “That’s not what lifts you up”– this is not what elevates; “Attract the love of space”– fall in love with space. Such phrases enhance the bookish flavor of the text.
Another important linguistic feature of the text: lexical synonymy is supported by synonymy at the syntax level (with the element chiasma): “to be famous (ugly) is (shameful) to be a byword on everyone’s lips”. The evaluation dynamics here: from ugly to shameful. Strengthening is achieved by increasing the style (but increasing the ironic: expression "byword" already has this shade, and inaccurate reproduction even more so).
Additional notes.
The opposition is relevant for the text - “It’s not nice to be famous – you have to be alive”. A contextual antonymy "famous - alive", and due to this hidden synonymy "famous - dead".
The syntactic format of these segments is different: "be famous"(subject) "ugly"(compound nominal predicate – category of state); "(you) must be alive"(dispersed compound nominal predicate in a parceled predicative unit; state category). Movement from a generalized abstract truth to specific life rules for a specific person.
Time(a category important for phenomenology) is presented in different ways in this text.
Firstly, the future is directly indicated at the lexical level: "Hear future call".
Secondly, time is expressed grammatically. The mentioned future time is true, not distant, but beyond the limits of the creator’s life: “Others on the trail // Will pass your path is an inch away". The future in this poem is what comes after death, which we will not see. But the poet is able to come into contact with it - not so much to look at it as to hear it.
The text also contains the present non-actual, or rather the abitual, i.e. relating to the usual, generally accepted state of affairs in human society: “That’s not what lifts you up”. The present gnomic, relating to natural phenomena, also approaches it: “the area is hidden in the fog”. Let us pay attention to the fact that the expressed present tense does not refer to people, but to abstract concepts: "terrain" or even to "this"- Besides that "lifts up".
In addition, the present, constantly lasting, indefinite corresponds to the zero copula, equal to the verb form "There is": "It's not nice to be"(= being famous is ugly), “The goal of creativity is dedication // Not hype, not success”, “It’s a shame (...) to be a byword on everyone’s lips”, “defeat from victory // You yourself should not distinguish” and further in the text. The very “invisibility” of this verb makes time hidden. The maxims expressed by Pasternak are separated from a specific time and acquire a universal sound - at least they pretend to be so.
Moreover, the desire for universality is manifested in impersonal sentences with infinitives and modals: “No need to start an archive” and etc.
It is remarkable that personal sentences with a hidden temporal meaning and impersonal sentences without it are structurally closer (containing infinitives and modal words), especially when in the former both the subject and the modal part of the predicate gradually fade into the shadows:
(…)defeat from victory
YOU I shouldn't be able to tell the difference myself.
AND MUST not a single piece
DON'T GIVE UP on behalf of,
But BE alive, alive and only,
Alive and only until the end.
Pasternak’s thought gradually becomes as if timeless in the form of its embodiment, although in content it is precisely connected with the time limit: "to end". The form argues with the content.
Here we move on to another phenomenal category of text - idea. In this text it is expressed with the utmost frankness, primarily in the first two lines and the last quatrain. Idea works, according to R. Ingerden, only leaves its mark on it, but plays far from main role, which is difficult to agree with (in Pasternak’s poem everything is determined by it).
But in phenomenological theory this is how it should be, because it focuses on the reader's perception. Ingarden has two more categories - "sketchy" And "concretization". The first means that much is left unsaid in the text and is presented in a simplified form. But the text intentional, i.e. is aimed at the reader, who is called upon to overcome this schematism through concretization. The reader fills the diagram with his thoughts, images, and associations. Moreover, this is not arbitrariness, but compliance with the “rules of the game.” A priori, it is believed that the author necessarily encourages the reader to think, that the reader answers the questions that, according to G. Gadamer, the text asks him.
How? After all, Pasternak doesn’t ask us about anything - on the contrary, he teaches and preaches: this is ugly, this is shameful, you shouldn’t do this, and you should do that, you shouldn’t do this, but you should do this. For him these are absolute truths, he is sure that for others too.
But this is the most real diagram, and the reader can rethink it in his own way and even disagree with something. Do Pasternak's declarations have an absolute meaning or a relative one? Is it always ugly to be famous? Why shouldn't you create an archive? Is the goal of creativity really dedication? (What if there is nothing to give?) And aren’t there more important goals? Such doubts, for example, are expressed by V.S. Bushin. The reason for these doubts lies in the language: these truths are relative, but the poet formulates them as absolute.
So, the aspects of the phenomenological approach that are useful for a philologist are: movement from linguistic material to an idea, awareness of the incompleteness and certain schematic nature of the text, which is overcome by the reader in the process of dialogue, as well as the concretization of the author’s scheme by the reader’s experience. But all this is also in traditional linguaesthetic analysis, only with big amount nuances. On the other hand, it is hardly possible, nor even advisable, to ensure a gradual and strict ascent from linguistic specificity to figurative and semantic generality. We never abstract from linguistic material, returning to it at every level.
Alexander Florya
“Being famous is ugly...” analysis of the work - theme, idea, genre, plot, composition, characters, issues and other issues are discussed in this article.
Lyric poem by Boris Pasternak “Being famous is not nice...”, ironically, is as famous as its author himself. The first line, which has long become an aphorism, is an example proving how important it is that the beginning literary work instantly captivated the reader and forced him to greedily read the text further until the very end. In fact, already in the first line of his programmatic poem, the author formulates an artistic and personal position, which is very unusual for a poet. After all, it is known that creative people at all times have been in dire need of understanding and success. Often doubting everything, it is thanks to their enthusiastic attitude towards themselves that they understand that what they are doing is not in vain. However, Pasternak clearly distinguishes between the concepts "hype" And "love of space" ("the call of the future"). This is the main antithesis poem, and it is intonationally reinforced by cross rhyme.
The poet emphasizes: recognition, if it has come, should be a natural consequence "dedication" in art, not "imposture". He seems to foresee the future glory of the real creator:
Others on the trail
They will pass your path by an inch,
- and immediately insists that the person "shouldn't differentiate" "defeat from victory". He needs complete acceptance of everything that happens to him as a sign of fate.
Modesty and dignity - this is what Boris Pasternak teaches his readers. And it seems that at the same time he is turning to himself, his inner voice and possible impulses of ambition in his own soul. Is it so? ... Let's see at what time and under what circumstances in the poet's life this poem was created.
Dated 1956, the work was born in late period life and work of Boris Pasternak. By this time, the “great leader” had already passed away Soviet people» I. Stalin, who was glorified by a romantically minded poet a few years ago. A short period has already passed public recognition Pasternak in the Soviet Union and membership in the Writers' Union. The poet moved away from the general literary bustle and increasingly devoted himself to translations of works by foreign authors and risky activities to protect and support disgraced friends, among whom were Akhmatova and her son. The writer’s life included a rethinking of the events of past years and his path, and in this sense, it would not be wrong to assume that "It's not nice to be famous..."- a reminder both to yourself and to your fellow writers about true values and, of course, to the readers, who, in fact, create destructive hype around their idols.
Literary critics suggest that in this poem Boris Pasternak openly dissociates himself from creative path another famous contemporary and former like-minded person - Vladimir Mayakovsky. By that time it was customary to praise him without knowing the measure, as “ best poet modernity." The words belonged to Stalin, which for a long time determined the “inviolability” of Mayakovsky, who had already become a cult poet in the eyes of the people. In this “court path” Pasternak saw a terrible danger for creative person. But still lyrical hero his poems do not at all drool with slander and do not hide in their words and intonations resentment towards the whole world for their own lack of recognition.
In every phrase one hears a conscious and hard-won truth. This is a stern sermon addressed to those who have the divine gift of inspiring and "to lift up" and who has forgotten or may forget their purpose on earth. “No need to start an archive, writes the author, Shake over manuscripts". And openly passes judgment
Shameful, meaningless
Be the talk of everyone.
Some exaggeration of the denial of the gift in in this case should work like a tub of cold water. This began the awakening from sleep, and it is expressed compositionally in the first two stanzas. Further, the author nevertheless moves on to discussions about what a poet should be like (both in the narrow and in the in a broad sense this word).
A poem written in complex, ever-changing verse size(spondee - pyrrhic - pyrrhic - iambic), has no external plot- only internal. This is the movement of the poet-philosopher’s thought from the denial of glory to the affirmation great power gift
...leave spaces
In fate, not among papers.
Metaphor "spaces" here the meaning of understatement takes on, motive for knowledge and searching for oneself, and lexical repetition of the word "alive" convinces the reader of the need to strive for spiritual life - "but only"!
Boris Leonidovich Pasternak (January 29, 1890, Moscow - May 30, 1960, Peredelkino, Moscow region) - Russian writer, one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, laureate Nobel Prize on literature (1958).
The creative path of Boris Pasternak was very difficult and extraordinary. Today he is rightfully considered one of the brightest Russian poets of the 20th century. However, their most famous works, including the novel “Doctor Zhivago,” which brought the author a Nobel Prize, Parsnip wrote during the era of the formation and development of the USSR. Naturally, in order to become a famous writer in a country with a totalitarian regime, it was necessary to have not only a bright and original talent, but also be able to hide his true feelings both in public and in works. Parsnips were never able to learn this, so they were periodically subjected to disgrace by the ruling elite. Nevertheless, he was popular, and his poems, novels and plays, which periodically disappeared from sale and were rejected by censorship, were published abroad and copied by hand. The author was really famous, but he was embarrassed to be recognized on the street and tried in every possible way to belittle his own contribution to literature. However, not all Soviet writers behaved this way. Many of them, not having even a hundredth part of Pasternak’s talent, considered themselves real geniuses and emphasized this in every possible way. Moreover, in those days it was not so much a literary gift that was valued as a loyal attitude to party politics.
Among creative intelligentsia Pasternak, for all his fame, had few friends. The poet himself explained this by saying that he was unable to maintain warm and trusting relationships with hypocrites and careerists. Those who were treated kindly by the authorities could afford to live in luxury, although from the pages of newspapers they called on the people for equality and brotherhood. Therefore, in 1956, Parsnip wrote his famous poem“Being famous is ugly,” which was addressed to colleagues in the literary workshop.
Pasternak knows that history is created by people and interpreted by them to serve their own interests. Therefore, he is convinced that everything in this world is relative, and you should not revel in your achievements, which may be perceived completely differently after many years. The author believes that a real poet should not distinguish “defeats from victories”, because time will still judge everyone in its own way. And the only value that is an absolute value for Pasternak is the opportunity to “be alive” to the end, i.e. be able to sincerely love, despise and hate, and not portray these feelings to please someone in your works.
“Being famous is ugly” Boris Pasternak
Being famous is not nice.
This is not what lifts you up.
No need to create an archive,
Shake over manuscripts.
The goal of creativity is dedication,
Not hype, not success.
Shameful, meaningless
Be the talk of everyone.
But we must live without imposture,
Live like this so that in the end
Attract the love of space to you,
Hear the call of the future.
And you have to leave spaces
In fate, and not among papers,
Places and chapters of a whole life
Crossing out in the margins.
And plunge into the unknown
And hide your steps in it,
How the area hides in the fog,
When you can't see a thing in it.
Others on the trail
They will pass your path by an inch,
But defeat comes from victory
You don't have to differentiate yourself.
And should not a single slice
Don't give up on your face
But to be alive, alive and only,
Alive and only until the end.
Don't sleep, don't sleep, artist,
Don't give in to sleep.
You are a hostage to eternity
Trapped by time.
Everyone handles fame differently - some put on the armor of pride, others try to pass by the laurels unnoticed, without being distracted from serving the muse. Boris Pasternak considered himself to be of the second type, not accepting fame, considering creativity, not celebrity, as the goal.
This position is clearly visible in the poem “Being Famous is Ugly,” the analysis of which I propose. Already in the second quatrain, Pasternak clearly outlines the purpose of creativity:
The goal of creativity is dedication,
Not hype, not success.
Without dedication, a celebrity will melt like ice under the July sun - one-time laurels cannot be tried on for a long time, but it is better to pass them by altogether. The poems were written in 1956, two years before the Nobel Prize, not so much for readers as for colleagues. Many of them chase fame like a cat chases a mouse, losing ideals in this rush and smearing themselves in time. The imminent presentation of the prize confirms that the poet is right.
Pasternak lived difficult life, trying not to compromise on ideals and not to retreat into the shell of self-sufficiency. It was Pasternak who stood up for Akhmatova’s husband when he was arrested and no one cast a vote in his defense. Boris Leonidovich wrote several poems to Stalin, and then fell into disgrace, which affected the style of his work.
These points are important for a deep analysis of the lines, as they help to understand Pasternak’s life and the conditions under which the lines were written. In the poem “Being Famous,” the poet expresses his opinion about celebrity and shares it with his colleagues in the poetry workshop. He does not blame them, does not show them the way, but simply expresses his opinion, which he has transferred to his life. The author encourages you to live honestly, work with maximum dedication and not rest on your laurels. According to Boris Leonidovich, life and creativity are inseparable - you cannot act meanly, but be a great poet!
The following lines are of interest:
Others on the trail
They will pass your path by an inch,
But defeat comes from victory
You don't have to differentiate yourself.
There will be many who will try to copy the path of a celebrity, take her thoughts and ideas, presenting them in their own form. This is plagiarism and you don’t need to pay attention to it, whether you win or lose in the battle of creativity will be decided by the future. You shouldn’t consider yourself one of the genius people - the judgment will take place tomorrow.
Pasternak left the most important, the most intimate for the last quatrain:
And should not a single slice
Don't give up on your face
But to be alive, alive and only,
Alive and only until the end.
The most important thing in creativity is to stay alive and not deviate from the path under the influence of external circumstances. While remaining a person first and foremost, one can be a good poet, becoming bad person, you can’t count on the public’s delight. Walk through life with your head up, don’t hide your gaze in shame, make mistakes, correct mistakes and move on with your visor open, without reducing your dedication to creativity in case of success - this is the main message of the poem.
Being famous is not nice.
This is not what lifts you up.
No need to create an archive,
Shake over manuscripts.
The goal of creativity is dedication,
Not hype, not success.
Shameful, meaningless
Be the talk of everyone.
But we must live without imposture,
Live like this so that in the end
Attract the love of space to you,
Hear the call of the future.
And you have to leave spaces
In fate, and not among papers,
Places and chapters of a whole life
Crossing out in the margins.
