The Prisoner of the Caucasus (poem)
Author | Alexander Pushkin |
---|---|
Original title | Кавказский пленник |
Translator | Roger Clarke |
Country | Russian Empire |
Language | Russian |
Genre | Narrative poem |
Publication date | 1822 |
Media type |
The Prisoner of the Caucasus (Russian: «Кавказский пленник»), also translated as Captive of the Caucasus, is a narrative poem written by Alexander Pushkin in 1820-21 and published in 1822. Dedicated to his friend General Nikolay Raevsky, it was inspired by the poet's time spent in Pyatigorsk during his southern exile.[1]
The poem is about a Byronic Russian officer who is disillusioned with elite life and decides to escape by seeking adventure in the Caucasus. He is captured by Circassian tribesmen but then saved by a beautiful Circassian woman. Despite its Romantic and Orientalist themes, Pushkin's use of academic footnotes and reliable ethnographic material gave it credibility in its day.[2] It was highly influential on popular perceptions of the Caucasus for its time.[3] The poem remains one of Pushkin's most famous works and is often referenced in Russian popular culture, in films such as the Soviet comedy Kidnapping, Caucasian Style.[4]
English translations
- Roger Clarke, in Eugene Onegin & Other Stories. London: Wordsworth Editions. 2005. ISBN 978-1840221367.
References
- ↑ Layton, Susan (1995). Russian Literature and Empire: Conquest of the Caucasus from Pushkin to Tolstoy. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 26. ISBN 978-0521444439.
- ↑ Layton, p. 28
- ↑ King, Charles (2008). The Ghost of Freedom: A History of the Caucasus. Oxford: Oxford University Press. pp. 110–112. ISBN 978-0195177756.
- ↑ "Russian Film: 'Кавказская Пленница' – 'Kidnapping, Caucasian Style'". Ruslanguage School. Retrieved 15 April 2017.
See also
- Russian conquest of the Caucasus
- The Prisoner of the Caucasus, a short story by Leo Tolstoy
- A Journey to Arzrum, a later work by Pushkin on the Caucasus
External links
- (in Russian) The text of The Prisoner of the Caucasus at Russian Wikisource