Alexander Pushkin's famous poem "I Loved You (Я вас любил)" was written in 1829, and published in 1830. The poem is written below with the original version in Russian as well as two English translations below it, a literal translation and a translation by Babette Deutsch:
Я вас любил: любовь ещё, быть может,
В душе моей угасла не совсем;
Но пусть она вас больше не тревожит;
Я не хочу печалить вас ничем.
Я вас любил безмолвно, безнадежно,
То робостью, то ревностью томим;
Я вас любил так искренно, так нежно,
Как дай вам Бог любимой быть другим.
Literal Translation:
I loved you: yet the love, maybe,
Has not extinguished in my heart;
But hence may not it trouble thee;
I do not want to make you sad.
I loved you hopelessly and mutely,
Now with shyness, now with jealousy being vexed;
I loved you so sincerely, so fondly,
Likewise may someone love you next.
Babette Deutsh Translation:
I loved you; and perhaps I love you still,
The flame, perhaps, is not extinguished; yet
It burns so quietly within my soul,
No longer should you feel distressed by it.
Silently and hopelessly I loved you,
At times too jealous and at times too shy.
God grant you find another who will love you
As tenderly and truthfully as I.
Pushkin met Nataliya Nikolaevna Goncharova in 1828, he was 32 and she was 16 at the time. He wrote this poem one year later, at the age of 17. However, it is unlikely that this poem was about her. The poem is about a character letting go of a loved one who does not love them back equally, and Pushkin and Goncharova ended up marrying in 1831 and remained married until Pushkin's death in 1837. It may be about another woman, but he is widely regarded as a respectful man so it is unlikely he had an affair. Another possibility is that the poem is about a woman he had been previously involved with. The irony of the poem is that it is about respecting a lover who has moved on. Towards the end of his life, he believed that Goncharova was having an affair with Georges d'Anthès, and instead of respecting and trusting his wife, Pushkin challenged d'Anthès to a duel. Unfortunately, Pushkin was fatally wounded in the duel.
The poem "I Loved You" (Я вас любил) is a reflection of Pushkin's respectful attitude towards life. The poem is about two lovers who have grown apart. While the narrator of the poem is still in love with their former partner, the narrator respects their partner's decisions. The narrator is so deeply in love with their significant other that they value their partner's happiness above all else. The narrator is willing to accept the loss of their significant other if it means that their significant other will be able to regain happiness and relaxation that they are unable to obtain otherwise. The lover concludes with a wish of good luck upon their former partner, "God grant you find another who will love you as tenderly and truthfully as I."
A powerful aspect of the poem is that gender is not mentioned anywhere. This leaves the poem open to more interpretations. If gender was mentioned in the poem, the poem's relatability would be diminished, as its wide application to all kinds of people is what gives it its power. The ambiguity of the poem also allows Pushkin to better dictate how the reader will feel. People are now more capable of expressing their true selves. The roles of gender and sex-changing are prime examples of increased self-expression. If people feel that they do not align with the gender they are born with, they are able to opt into sex-changing surgeries. Ultimately, the poem has only become more relevant as time has passed.
For another interpretation of the poem visit: http://www.shareyouressays.com/essays/summary-of-i-love-you-by-alexander-pushkin/97969
References:
Irena Grudzińska-GrossCzeslaw Milosz and Joseph Brodsky 2009
The Indian Journal of Russian Language, Literature, and Culture 1984
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