A. S. Pushkin

A. S. Pushkin (1799–1837) is the founder of the modern Russian literary language. His poem «Я памятник себе воздвиг нерукотворный…» was written in 1836 and is devoted to the theme of the poet and poetry: the poet compares his work to “a monument not made by hands” that rises higher than the Alexandrian Column. He believes that a poet does not die entirely: the people will love him because he awakened good feelings, praised freedom and called for mercy to the fallen. The solemn style is supported by archaisms: «пиит» (poet), «доколь» (as long as), «сущий» (existing), «венец» (reward), «приемли» (accept). «Я вас любил» (1829) has a different theme: the speaker recalls unanswered love as sincere, shy and selfless, and wishes the woman happiness with another man.