«THE WORD THAT CONQUERED DEATH» (A. AKHMATOVA AND J. BRODSKY: «TWO VOICES ARE EXCHANGING VIEWS»)

• Main Author: Asya Michailovna Sapir
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Ural State Pedagogical University 2018-02-01
• Series: Филологический класс
• Subjects: significant poem, universe, russian poetry, russian writers, poetry writing
• Online Access: https://filclass.ru/en/archive/2018/51/the-word-that-conquered-death-a-akhmatova-and-j-brodsky-two-voices-are-exchanging-views

The purpose of this research is twofold. Aspect 1: «The word that conquers death» - today, fifty years later from the death of Anna Akhmatova, this aspect somehow lost its relevance but although it remained relevant in the light of posing eternal questions of poetry: what is poetry and what is its purpose in society. Aspect 2: Anna Akhmatova and Joseph Brodsky, as participants of so-called «two voices are exchanging views»1 are perceived and read differently than outside it. Their kinship gives an opportunity to rethink their attitude toward mission of the Word, Speech and also to the vital aim of poetry per se whose existence in a totalitarian regime is a feat. According to Joseph Brodsky, Anna Akhmatova performed a feat, representing the voice of the «hundred-million people» and by «obtained the gift of speech in the deaf-mute space ocean»2. The presentation of the topic also allowed to review and give a new interpretation to the poem «The Courage» by Anna Akhmatova and the poem «On The 100th Anniversary of Anna Akhmatova» by Joseph Brodsky.