The Lyrical Subject as a Poet in the Works of M. Cvetaeva, B. Pasternak, and R.M. Rilke

Abstract

The author discusses the image of the poet in Marina Cvetaeva’s, Boris Pasternak’s and Rainer Maria Rilke’s production. A shared feature of their poetry is the clear identification of the lyrical subject with a poet. Though critical studies on the three poets have clarified many aspects of their human and literary encounter, a comparative approach to their lyrical subjects is still missing. The analysis shows a high degree of similarity between Pasternak’s and Rilke’s subjects, while Cvetaeva’s seems to be rather distinct from them. This study is divided into two main parts. The first focuses on the lyrical subject’s relation to reality, while the second delves into the very ontological nature of the subject, analysing the possibility of his/her comparticipation to mankind or his/her inborn difference from it.