Semantics of Eros in the Philosophical and Poetic Art of Vyacheslav Ivanov and Maximilian Voloshin

Abstract

The article attempts to analyze philosophical and poetic works of V. Ivanov and M. Voloshin concerning “mysteries of Eros”. It is concluded that V. Ivanov sang “the praise of eternal love rapture” while M. Voloshin didn’t perceive Eros only as a passion and opposed it to sex and sensuality. Ivanov perceived love in its intimate and religious aspects. He wrote about the universal pathos of unity with a beloved woman and God, as well. The final goal is the high love unity of mankind which can be realized by Church. The article deals with Ivanov’s poetic book “Eros”. It’s main theme is love as a creative basis which contains high joyfulness and inevitable sufferings, while Voloshin was writing about love based on Platon’s treatise “Feast” and also an antroposophic teaching. So his poems “Nympths Grotto”, “Cave” and “Maternity” are analyzed in the article. The author traces creative relationship of two poets and especially marks Voloshin’s cycle of verses “The Star of Wormwood”. Directly or polemically, each of them associates with Ivanov’s lyrics.