Yevgeny Yevtushenko Criticism
Yevgeny Yevtushenko stands as a significant figure in Russian literature, renowned for his profound impact as a poet, novelist, and cultural reformer. Emerging from his Siberian roots and a background of exiled Ukrainians, Yevtushenko's works are deeply infused with political engagement and personal introspection. His career took off with the narrative poem Stantsiya Zima (1956), and he gained international acclaim during the post-Stalin era, using his poetry and dramatic readings to bridge cultural divides, as highlighted in Yevgeny Yevtushenko: Man and Poet.
Yevtushenko's oeuvre, including influential works like Babi Yar and The Heirs of Stalin, critiques Soviet and Russian political landscapes, often sparking both controversy and acclaim. Notably, his poetry, as discussed in Introduction to Bratsk Station and Other New Poems, weaves civic and personal themes reflective of the tumultuous political environment. During the Brezhnev era, he expanded into new literary forms with Wild Berries and Don't Die before You're Dead, capturing Russian existential themes with Western thriller elements.
While celebrated for his powerful imagery and unique rhyming structures, Yevtushenko's reception is mixed. Western critics often laud his cultural contributions, but some Russian scholars question his literary merit, as noted by Tomas Venclova in Making It. Despite this, his work remains pivotal in depicting Soviet society and the quest for reform, as discussed by Translators' Note on ‘Bratsk Station’.
Yevtushenko's poetry often oscillates between declamatory works addressing political issues and personal poems exploring themes of introspection and self-doubt. Although criticized for self-absorption, his personal poetry is appreciated for its raw energy and authenticity, as noted by Vera S. Dunham. His work also reflects a blend of metaphysical themes with Communist ideology, suggesting a spiritual future while celebrating Russian achievements, as explored by J. M. Cohen and A. Lawton.
Despite varied critiques, Yevtushenko's collection Invisible Threads, examined by Edwin Morgan, combines poetry and photography to address global peace and unity, themes recurring throughout his body of work. His exploration of women's roles, highlighted by Vickie A. Babenko, and his provocative Soviet perspective on American culture in "Under the Skin of the Statue of Liberty," analyzed by Rima Shore, further showcase his diverse thematic interests. While some criticize his later works, Yevtushenko's dynamic presence and commitment to engaging with global issues ensure his continued relevance in literature, as discussed by L. B. Croft.
Contents
- Principal Works
- Yevtushenko, Yevgeni (Vol. 3)
- Yevtushenko, Yevgeny (Vol. 1)
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Yevtushenko, Yevgeni (Vol. 13)
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J. M. Cohen
(summary)
In the following essay, J. M. Cohen argues that Yevgeny Yevtushenko's 'The Bratsk Station' blends metaphysical themes with Communist ideology, celebrating Russian achievements while envisioning a spiritual future, and urges Western readers to appreciate its poetic qualities despite ideological differences.
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Rima Shore
(summary)
In the following essay, Rima Shore analyzes Yevgeny Yevtushenko's play "Under the Skin of the Statue of Liberty," highlighting its depiction of American youth and culture through a Soviet lens, and exploring its controversial use of symbolism and political innuendos, which suggest both anti-American and anti-Soviet elements.
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A. Lawton
(summary)
In the following essay, A. Lawton argues that Yevtushenko's poetry, particularly in his collection Le betullenane, poignantly illustrates the Soviet intellectual struggle to reconcile traditional ideologies with contemporary values, demonstrating his moral and artistic integrity amidst societal and ideological uncertainty.
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Women in Evtushenko's Poetry
(summary)
In the following essay, Vickie A. Babenko analyzes Yevgeny Yevtushenko's unique portrayal of women in his poetry, emphasizing their real and intense emotions, their distinctiveness from traditional love-goddesses, and highlighting his fascination with the inner lives of older women, ultimately depicting them as strong, resilient, and ennobled by suffering.
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L. B. Croft
(summary)
In the following essay, L. B. Croft critiques From Desire to Desire as a work aimed more at novice admirers of Yevgeny Yevtushenko rather than scholars, suggesting it primarily serves those looking to enhance their literary conversation with his name.
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Blake Morrison
(summary)
In the following essay, Blake Morrison examines Yevgeny Yevtushenko's Love Poems, highlighting the shift from public to more personal themes in his poetry, while also noting the persistence of a moralistic tone that doesn't entirely abandon public concerns.
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J. M. Cohen
(summary)
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Yevtushenko, Yevgeny (Alexandrovich)
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The Newcomers
(summary)
In the following essay, Marc Slonim explores Yevgeny Yevtushenko's career as a reflection of the social and political aspirations of Russian youth in the 1960s, highlighting his rebellious spirit, international popularity, and the political impact of his poetry, despite its occasionally questionable poetic value.
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Public Poet
(summary)
In the following essay, Vera S. Dunham discusses Yevgeny Yevtushenko's poetry, highlighting the bifurcation in his work between civic bombast and personal lamentation, exploring themes of ambiguity and self-searching, and noting his narrative style that employs linguistic playfulness and traditional poetic devices.
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At the Top of the Voice
(summary)
In the following essay, Margaret Dalton compares Yevgeny Yevtushenko to Mayakovsky, arguing that while both are civic poets involved in contemporary issues, Yevtushenko's more restrained and lyrical style reflects the post-Stalin era's less innovative climate compared to Mayakovsky's revolutionary fervor and linguistic genius.
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Bratsk Station and Other New Poems
(summary)
In the following essay, Rosemary Neiswender argues that Yevgeny Yevtushenko's Bratsk Station is a heroically ambitious poetic cycle that symbolizes faith and human progress through its depiction of the Siberian hydroelectric power complex, contrasting it with the Egyptian pyramids as representations of slave labor.
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Cooked and Raw
(summary)
In the following essay, Julian Symons critiques Yevgeny Yevtushenko's poetry for its tendency towards verbal excess and lack of precision, while acknowledging certain works of his that exhibit restraint and delicacy, ultimately comparing his style unfavorably to traditional ballads and more favorably to Macaulay.
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From Blok to Yevtushenko
(summary)
The critic examines Yevtushenko's poetry, defending his lyrical and meditative work against accusations of superficiality and emphasizing his profound engagement with American themes, while critiquing his tendency to assume the role of an international critic through his global travels.
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Allegory: Yevgeny Yevtushenko, Poems
(summary)
In the following essay, Alayne P. Reilly examines Yevgeny Yevtushenko's evolving poetic relationship with America, noting a shift from propagandist anti-American verses to more nuanced and morally reflective poetry post his U.S. visits, which marked a growing ambivalence in his political ideology and a deepening poetic maturity.
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In Defense of the Pyramid (On Yevtushenko's Poetry)
(summary)
In the following essay, Andrei Sinyavsky examines Yevgeny Yevtushenko's poem "Bratsk Hydroelectric Station," highlighting its thematic exploration of belief versus unbelief, its reflection of civic concerns, and Yevtushenko's personal and poetic complexities, which oscillate between self-display and self-doubt, ultimately portraying him as a poet in transition and continually seeking his "real self."
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'I' and 'We'
(summary)
In the following essay, Michael Schmidt critiques Yevgeny Yevtushenko's poetry collection The Face behind the Face, arguing that while some poems retain the poet's earlier intimacy and power, others suffer from a loss of personal insight, becoming didactic and overly public, thus diminishing the poet's potential impact.
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Self's the Man
(summary)
In the following essay, Andrew Motion critiques Yevgeny Yevtushenko's poetry for its focus on self-absorption and lack of depth, arguing that despite his charismatic public persona, his work offers little genuine introspection and instead delivers banal advice and abstract concepts with an overly didactic tone.
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Untidy Moments
(summary)
In the following essay, Alan Brownjohn examines Yevgeny Yevtushenko's The Face Behind the Face, arguing that the collection reveals a vulnerable and self-questioning side of the poet, despite containing some less compelling pieces, while highlighting Yevtushenko's enduring lyrical sharpness in selected poems.
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Ivan the Terrible and Ivan the Fool
(summary)
In the following essay, Emma Fisher critiques Yevtushenko's long poem "Ivan the Terrible and Ivan the Fool," highlighting its focus on the workers and exploring the complex tones of the poem, which may be lost in translation, ultimately suggesting the piece is overly serious and therefore less engaging.
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A Melancholy Tale
(summary)
In the following essay, Francis B. Randall examines Yevgeny Yevtushenko's early impactful poem on Babi Yar and contrasts it with his later work, Ivan the Terrible and Ivan the Fool, suggesting that while Yevtushenko's influence has waned, his call for idealism and tolerance within Communism remains significant.
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The Poet and His Camera
(summary)
In the following essay, Edwin Morgan examines Yevgeny Yevtushenko's Invisible Threads, highlighting the poet's use of photography as an international language to promote themes of global peace and unity, while acknowledging that the work also prompts reflections on the value of cultural diversity and individuality.
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Document of Life and Death
(summary)
In the following essay, Martin Booth analyzes Yevtushenko's "A Dove in Santiago" as a profound literary work that revitalizes the Russian narrative poem tradition with contemporary relevance, documenting the poignant struggles of an art student in Chile through a blend of pathos, documentary style, and parable-like narrative.
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A Dove in Santiago
(summary)
The critic highlights Yevgeny Yevtushenko's "A Dove in Santiago" as a tragic and memorable narrative set against the backdrop of the Pinochet coup in Chile, focusing on the divided soul of a young artist named Enrique whose personal conflicts and despair lead to his untimely demise.
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The Newcomers
(summary)
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Yevtushenko, Yevgeny (Vol. 126)
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Past, Implacable
(summary)
In the following essay, the critic draws parallels between Yevtushenko's poetic themes and glasnost, concentrating on "Bukharin's Widow" and "Monuments Not Yet Erected."
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A Soviet Whitman
(summary)
In the following review, D'Evelyn emphasizes the public and social aspects of Yevtushenko's poetic practices evident in The Complete Poems.
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Perestroika Redefines the Poet's Role
(summary)
In the following essay, Kidder expresses Yevtushenko's concerns about the state of Russian politics, poetry, and attitudes toward indigenous cultural traditions in the era of perestroika.
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The Truth of Poetry
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Cotter outlines the principal themes of Yevtushenko's poetry in The Collected Poems.
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The Collected Poems 1952–1990
(summary)
In the following review, Brodsky provides a thematic and stylistic overview of the contents of The Collected Poems. The new Collected Poems 1952–1990 reflects Yevgeny Yevtushenko's poetic career in microcosm: vast and uneven, sometimes irritating, often appealing, and ever astonishing in its variety. The title is somewhat misleading, since the volume offers only a selection from Yevtushenko's extensive oeuvre, and in addition, several long poems are represented in excerpts only. Yevtushenko's allusiveness can be a problem for Western readers; a few names and terms are explained in footnotes, but this practice could profitably have been expanded. A helpful feature is the chronological list of poems with their Russian titles, date and place of first publication, and location, if any, in the 1983 Sobranie sochinenii.
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Fatal Half Measures
(summary)
In the following review, Croft vaunts the rich detail and informed perspective of Soviet society in Fatal Half Measures.
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Fatal Half Measures
(summary)
In the following review, Ludwig outlines the principal themes of Fatal Half Measures, revealing their significance to Yevtushenko's poetic works.
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Russian Poet Still Pleases, Provokes
(summary)
In the following essay, Reynolds discusses Yevtushenko's reputation in relation to his politics.
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Twentieth Century Russian Poetry
(summary)
In the following review, Tonkin commends the selections of Twentieth Century Russian Poetry.
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Rediscovered Gems Play Again
(summary)
In the following review, Sterritt praises the cinematic style of I Am Cuba.
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Yevtushenko-Poet of Love and Politics
(summary)
In the following essay, the critic profiles Yevtushenko's life and career with respect to the poet's politics and literary themes.
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Russian Roue
(summary)
In the following review, Wilson-Smith assesses the literary merits of Don't Die before You're Dead, concentrating on characterization and thematic emotion.
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Yevtushenko's Revolution
(summary)
In the following review, Stanley situates Don't Die Before You're Dead in a contemporary Russian literary and social context, addressing the relevance of Yevtushenko's literary art.
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Don't Die Before You're Dead
(summary)
In the following review, Chamberlain appreciates the vitality and balance of the account of the 1991 Russian putsch in Don't Die Before You're Dead.
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Review of the Babi Yar Symphony
(summary)
In the following review, Hansen highlights the musical significance of literary allusions to Babi Yar in an audio recording of Shostakovich's symphonic version of the poem.
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Don't Die before You're Dead
(summary)
In the following review, Adams comments on the vivid narrative techniques of Don't Die before You're Dead, describing it as an exciting novel about the 1991 attempt to overthrow Mikhail Gorbachev's government that combines personal observation, real and imaginary characters, satire and tragedy, and various narrative styles.
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Well Versed
(summary)
In the following essay, Burnside provides an overview of Yevtushenko's literary career in comparison to contemporary and past writers and themes.
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Don't Die before You're Dead
(summary)
In the following review, Thompson pans Don't Die before You're Dead, charging Yevtushenko with obfuscating historical realities.
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Babi Yar Symphony
(summary)
In the following review, Linkowski praises an audio recording of Shostakovich's Babi Yar Symphony, detailing its origins in Yevtushenko's poem and its premier performance in 1962.
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A Concert Stage Too Small for Morality and Art
(summary)
In the following review, Swed assesses the viability of composer Shostakovich's symphonic rendition of Babi Yar, focusing on the musical presentation of the poem's themes and tones.
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In His Own Words
(summary)
In the following essay, Schaer reports his impressions of Yevtushenko's public reading of his poetry during a visit to Long Island, New York, providing an overview of the poet's career.
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Past, Implacable
(summary)
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Yevtushenko, Yevgeny
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Yevgeny Yevtushenko: Man and Poet
(summary)
In the following essay, Reavey places Yevtushenko in the context of Russian literature and chronicles his work through the mid-1960s.
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Introduction to Bratsk Station and Other New Poems
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Ireland surveys Yevtushenko's career and works.
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Translators' Note on ‘Bratsk Station’
(summary)
In the following excerpt, Glaessner and Dutton extol the importance of Yevtushenko as a poet and remark on the problems encountered translating his poetry into English.
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Yevgeni Yevtushenko's Solo: On His 50th Birthday
(summary)
In the following essay, Sidorov considers the characteristics of Yevtushenko's poetry, praising him for his contributions to Russian literature.
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Queuing for Hope (About Yevgeni Yevtushenko's Poem ‘Fukú!’)
(summary)
In the following review, Ulyashov extols the universal theme and important message of the poem “Fukú!”
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Yevtushenko's Stantsiya Zima: A Reassessment
(summary)
In the following essay, Pursglove provides a close textual analysis of Stantsiya Zima, which he classifies as a landmark in Soviet Literature.
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Half Free
(summary)
In the following review, Rumens characterizes Yevtushenko's poetry as high energy.
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Making It
(summary)
In the following review, Venclova dismisses Yevtushenko as a Russian writer of merit, refuting Western interpretations of his poetry and politics.
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Review of The Collected Poems 1952-1990
(summary)
In the following review, Brodsky praises Yevtushenko's accessibility and the power of visual details in his poetry. The new Collected Poems 1952-1990 reflects Yevgeny Yevtushenko's poetic career in microcosm: vast and uneven, sometimes irritating, often appealing, and ever astonishing in its variety. The title is somewhat misleading, since the volume offers only a selection from Yevtushenko's extensive oeuvre, and in addition, several long poems are represented in excerpts only. Yevtushenko's allusiveness can be a problem for Western readers; a few names and terms are explained in footnotes, but this practice could profitably have been expanded. A helpful feature is the chronological list of poems with their Russian titles, date and place of first publication, and location, if any, in the 1983 Sobranie sochineniĭ.
-
Yevgeny Yevtushenko: Man and Poet
(summary)
- Further Reading