Article

Name: On the problem of the relationship between self-repetitions and addressees in the early love lyrics of Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov: Anna Grigoryevna Stolypina or the unknown addressee

Authors: Marina P. Grebneva

Altai State University, Barnaul, Russian Federation

In the section Study of literature

Abstract:

This paper examines the early love poetry of Mikhail Yuryevich Lermontov, which functions primarily as a lyrical diary and a deeply personal confession. It is argued that the characteristic self-repetition within Lermontov’s oeuvre is fundamentally connected to the identity of his addressees, most notably the female dedicatees of his verse. The present study focuses on works associated with Anna Grigoryevna Stolypina, proposing that a structural analysis of his “autocitations” provides a firm methodological basis for identifying hidden biographical contexts. The research centers on two pivotal poems, “To a Genius” and “To a Tree”, both containing authorial postscripts suggesting a shared recipient. These works are further linked to “Stanzas to D***” and “Dream” through recurring motifs such as the balcony/gazebo, evening/night, and the moon/crescent. The intensity of romantic anguish establishes a connection between “Stanzas to D***” and “September 28”, while “Vision” mirrors the autocitations found in the postscripts to the Stolypina cycle, particularly those testifying to the “madness” of the lyrical hero. Furthermore, the poem “June 11, 1831” assists in the reconstruction of the image of an “unknown woman” who embodies a sincere, yet measured, love. A comprehensive analysis of these self-repetitions reveals a significant expansion of the corpus of works associated with Anna Grigoryevna Stolypina and a refinement of the understanding of Lermontov’s “unknown” poetic muses.

Keywords: love lyrics, addressees, self-repetitions, A. G. Stolypina, N. F. Ivanova, unknown addressee

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