The Image of The Village in The Works of Sergei A. Yesenin

Abstract

The intersection of literature, national identity, and rural imagery has long been central to Russian cultural discourse. Within this tradition, Sergei A. Yesenin emerges as a defining voice whose poetry encapsulates the spiritual and aesthetic essence of rural Russia. Despite extensive literary acclaim, limited analytical focus has been placed on how the village functions as a multidimensional construct—both lyrical and ideological—in Yesenin’s evolving worldview. This article investigates the role of the village as a poetic, philosophical, and symbolic locus in Yesenin’s works, tracing its transformation across different historical and personal phases of the poet’s career. The study reveals that the village in Yesenin’s poetry is not merely a setting but a central metaphor for homeland, spirituality, and cultural continuity. It evolves from an idyllic and folkloric ideal to a site of existential and historical rupture, especially after the October Revolution. Texts like “Anna Snegina” and “Rus’” illustrate this shift, as the countryside transitions from a realm of sacred natural harmony to a battleground of social change and ideological tension. The article presents a nuanced reading that frames the village as an archetypal and metaphysical entity, rather than a socio-political theme. This exploration contributes to deeper understandings of poetic identity, rural mythology, and national memory in Russian literature, highlighting Yesenin’s enduring relevance in cultural reflections on tradition, loss, and belonging.