The Age (Masterplots II: Poetry, Revised Edition)
At a glance:
- Author: Osip Mandelstam
- First Published: 1922
- Type of Work: Lyric
- Genres: Poetry, Lyric poetry
- Subjects: Twentieth century, Nineteenth century, Revolutions, Poetry or poets, Life, philosophy of, Life and death, Blood, Time, Russia or Russian people, Russian Revolution
The Poem
“The Age” consists of four stanzas of eight-syllable lines, which are rhymed ababcdcd throughout. The title refers to the age in which Osip Mandelstam lived and which he addresses in the poem. It is one of several poems with a related theme—the poet’s running dialogue (indeed, an argument) with his own age.
In the very first line, the poet addresses his age directly and immediately equates it with a beast (“My age, my beast”). This equation sets the tone for the entire poem. He expresses his puzzlement about his age by wondering who can...
[The entire page is 1330 words long]
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