The Relation of Bely's Petersburg to the Bronze Horseman
The relation of Bely's Petersburg to the Bronze Horseman is based primarily on the symbolism and representations used by the writers. There are many allusions to the city's history dating back to its foundation within the fiction, and it incorporates numerous literary allusions to the artistry set in Petersburg, especially the Bronze Horseman.
Tsar Peter, the city of St Petersburg, and the eerie sweep of tyranny over the lives of polite society are all portrayed by the image of the Bronze Horseman. When Evgenii provokes the picture, he is provoking all that has been distilled in Petersburg's imagination (Pushkin20). At first, Bronze Horseman cannot recognize Evgenii because of his low position in society, until a time when Evgenii challenges him. Peter views this as arrogance and rebellion, which should meet equal measure. The image of the Bronze Horseman stirs in reaction to his challenge and dashes after him to destroy his rebellion. Before, Evgenii is viewed as a small man in society who can never threaten the existence of the Bronze Horseman. However, upon his challenge, Evgenii becomes equal and an enemy to the Bronze Horseman. The Bronze Horseman is determined to crush Evgenii. Pushkin presents a society of the oppressed represented by Evgenii and the oppressor represented by the Bronze Horseman. As much as the oppressed are determined to remain in power by all means, the oppressor will never let them be in peace.
The Epigraph from "The Bronze Horseman"
The epigraph from where chapter six of Bely’s Petersburg is taken from Pushkin’s poem "The Bronze Horseman." From the beginning of chapter six, we notice that the image of the Bronze Horseman and its implied significance is going to take a center stage in the whole chapter. "The Bronze Horseman": "Behind him everywhere the Bronze Horseman/ Was galloping with heavy clatter (Pushkin, line 20)."
The Imagery of Petersburg in Bely's Novel
The image of Petersburg that Bely portrays is unusual in the sense that it is not a real city; rather it is an idle as much as it preserves the outside trait of a concrete setting (Bely 16). Generally, the image of Tsar Peter on his horse says a lot about the statue and the sway of Pushkin on Bely.
Works Cited
Bely, Andrei. Petersburg. Pushkin Press, 2010.
Pushkin, Aleksandr Sergeevich. The bronze horseman: selected poems of Alexander Pushkin. New York: Viking Press, 1982.
