Ангел (Angel) by Alexander S. Pushkin

Angel(Ангел) was written by Alexander Pushkin in 1827. The poem is written below with the original version in Russian as well as an English translation below it:

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В дверях эдема ангел нежный

Главой поникшею сиял,

А демон мрачный и мятежный

Над адской бездною летал.

Дух отрицанья, дух сомненья

На духа чистого взирал

И жар невольный умиленья

Впервые смутно познавал.

“Прости,- он рек,- тебя я видел,

И ты недаром мне сиял:

Не все я в небе ненавидел,

Не все я в мире презирал”.

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A shining angel, gentle, pensive, stood radiant by the gates of bliss; meanwhile a demon, dark, offensive, flew hovering over hell’s abyss.

Spirit of doubt and of negation, he eyed the radiant soul above and sensed within, in consternation, a first reluctant glow of love.

He spoke: “How can I be forgiven? I’ve seen your light – it’s proved its worth. I can’t hate all there is in heaven, I can’t spurn all there is on earth.”

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Pushkin began to gain notoriety in the late 1810s and the early 1820s as a result of his outspoken political views. These were the same political views that inspired rebels, otherwise known as “Decembrists”, to stage a revolt in late 1825. Unfortunately for the Decembrists, their uprising was unsuccessful and shut down quickly. As a result of Pushkin's revolutionary political views, the tsar, Alexander I of Russia, exiled Pushkin in May of 1820. After the Decembrist uprising in late-1825, the new tsar, Nicholas I of Russia, allowed Pushkin to return because he knew Pushkin had not taken part in the revolt, and he knew of Pushkin’s immense popularity. However, the tsar put him under heavy censorship to stop him from writing anything negative about the government. Pushkin had agreed to the censorship because he was not aware of what a burden it would become. This forced Pushkin to become more creative. A year after he was allowed to return from exile, he wrote this poem. He wrote this poem to demonstrate to himself, and his readers, that the good in life will always win over the bad. In the poem, Pushkin writes that the "Spirit of doubt and of negation" has “seen your light – it’s proved its worth.” This gives a sense of hope to the reader as even the evilest of evils has succumbed to the power of good. I also believe that Pushkin used this poem to give himself hope that the government will change for the better and that his censorship would come to a conclusion. The cultural significance of religion in Russia, along with Pushkin's research into Russia's Catholic and Eastern Orthodox history, also had an influence on his choice of language. The Catholic Church was dominant until the 16th century when the Eastern Orthodox Church became the primary religion. Religion was woven into the fabric of everyday culture in Russia, including politics. The militant nature of religious compliance bled into the secular discourse. Russia's harsh perspective on ideas opposing mainstream views eventually caught up with Pushkin's own fate.

As a society, we have lost sight of the beauty in the world, or as Pushkin wrote, the "light", and we have all become more selfish. Every day politicians focus on gaining power instead of helping their constituents. Businessmen and women are constantly focused on how they can make the most money instead of how they can help and impact those in need in their communities and our broader society. Simultaneously, society has been steadily losing interest in the arts: classical music, architecture, poetry, painting, and more. Perhaps, there is a connection here. Luckily, during the pandemic, people have begun to create more art of all forms. The art that is created gives people hope and spreads a feeling of community around the world. That feeling of community translates into altruistic acts and behaviors that keep the community in mind rather than just "the individual". The selfless healthcare professionals who risk their lives every day in an attempt to save people's lives are motivated by an increased sense of hope from the community. Unfortunately, not all of us live with a community-first state of mind. Several Congressmen were found to sell their interest in public companies several weeks prior to the US federal government's declaration of a state of emergency. These Congressmen were briefed on the looming public health crisis in confidential intelligence committee meetings before any American civilian had the chance to prepare themselves. Instead of maintaining a sense of community, they chose to profit from insider information - a pure act of selfishness. Instead of serving the American people, they did what would generate the most profit for themselves. We must do all in our power to return to our roots and recognize the beauty in one another on a more regular basis to experience the "light" again. We have to put more focus on the arts and beauty of the world so we can shed our selfishness, and put more effort into preserving and creating beauty in the world. Once we are able to return to that space, we will be able to care for others again.

Citations:

Blagoy, Dimitry Dimitriyevich. “Return from Exile.”Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 19 Feb. 2020, www.britannica.com/biography/Aleksandr-Sergeyevich-Pushkin/Return-from-exile.

Catholic Encyclopedia, 254; Dmitrii Tolstoy,Romanism in Russia(London: J. T. Hayes, 1874), 6.

Pushkin, Aleksandr Sergeevich, and Roger Clarke.Love Poems. Alma Classics, 2016.