"Requiem" by Anna Akhmatova

Paper Summary:

This paper explains that Anna Akhmatova, a famous Russian poet during Josef Stalin's regime, provides her own interpretation of life in her country during this period in the poem, "Requiem," first published in 1963. The author points out that Akhmatova, using clear and direct feminist language, considers a woman's suffering a far greater atrocity under Stalin's tyrannical rule than the combined death and suffering of Russia's sons and husbands because women must witness more deaths and sufferings than the males they are trying to protect. The paper relates that death, in "Requiem," is depicted as a welcome 'escape' from the reality; synonymous with the idea of death is succumbing to insanity or madness, another option in which the voice can also 'escape' the hard realities she can no longer accept and witness as she lives.

From the Paper:

"Suffering and death are made possible through gassing, being gunned down, poisoning, or inflicting a deadly disease. These are enumerated to elicit feelings of fear, terror, and hopelessness, emotions that the voice also feels. But Akhmatova goes beyond this kind of interpretation: as expressed in the poem, the woman states that she will be able to withstand all these forms of suffering, for this is not equal with the kind of suffering that cannot be depicted accurately by the poem's language and words. This part of the poem brings into lucidity the poet's interpretation and understanding of what suffering means for women, which is more emotional rather than physical."

More papers on "Requiem" by Anna Akhmatova:

• Analytical Essay # 144672 : "Submissive Female Gender Role in "Requiem"
• Comparison Essay # 3607 : "Sappho's Influence on Anna Akhmatova"

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