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1830–1836 (year of composition uncertain)
- University of Wisconsin Press
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Родри́г – Roderick This mysterious dramatic monologue is presumably connected to Southey’s “Roderick , Last of the Goths” (see commentary to “На Испанию родную”), but the precise nature of that connection is difficult to determine. The passage does not directly correspond to any scene in the poem; it does, of course, recall the dream in the third part of “На Испанию родную.” Even the title is uncertain, because in the manuscript it is written not at the top of the page, but at the bottom (and in parentheses, no less), suggesting either a general reference to the Roderick theme or perhaps even a stage direction (“Enter Roderick”), who would appear in response, as it were, to the closing words of the monologue (“Кто там идет?”). Given this ambiguity, there is no overwhelming reason to identify the speaker as Roderick; it may be the hermit whom Roderick meets. The form is equally puzzling. Like “На Испанию родную,” it is written in trochaic tetrameter. However, the earlier work was in unrhymed four-line stanzas (the standard form of “Spanish trochees”), whereas this one is in two stanzas of unequal length, with the first seven lines (and lines and ) rhyming, but all others unrhymed. старец некой (=некий) – a certain old monk На после́дней борозде́ – at the last furrow вели́кой=вели́кий испове́довать себя́ – to make a confession. The expression is somewhat archaic; modern Russian would be “исповедоваться.” разреше́нье – absolution Казны вечныя старшу́ся – I fear eternal torment. The archaic genitive “вечныя” (rather than modern Russian “вечной”) gives an ecclesiastical tone to the line. Милосе́рдия наде́юсь – I hope for mercy. The use of “надеяться” with a genitive complement (i.e., without a preposition) is now archaic, but this is not the only instance in Pushkin’s writing when it appears. Но твоя́ да будет воля – But let it be your will Literature: Dolinin , –. 1830–1836 (year of composition uncertain) ...
