Never miss a chance to read aloud (Part II)
The other day we read "Silence" by Leonid Andreyev
To my delight, there is an English translation. However, we shall learn some meanings before start reading the text.
First of all, Andreyev was not only the first author of horror stories but the first who wrote in expressionism (a revolt against dehumanization and an assertion of onthological value of the human spirit).
Being inspired by real events, Leonid Andreyev created (almost) every story as mystical and real that you are never sure what made him make up a story. He was a great journalist and dotted down every notable accident in live.
If you want to support my project, you can do it here financially.
It’s just one cup of good herbal tea.
“Silence” (1900) is based on a true story happened to a priest whose daughter committed a suicide (it was the very priest who baptized L. Andreyev).
Vera was silent. That inflicted sufferings to both parents. Olga, her mother, tried to be gentle and shyly asked her why she looks so bored and quiet. Father Ignatius reminded her of her trip to Petersburg against his will but he didn’t punish her for that.
In Russian culture, silence is better than empty talk. Speech is silver, silence is golden. A silence, says a monk, is a prayer of angel. Vera was silent. But why?
Это не была тишина, потому что тишина — лишь отсутствие звуков, а это было молчание, когда те, кто молчит, казалось, могли бы говорить, но не хотят.
What is “тишина”? (See Part 2).
In the end of the Part 1 we read the next:
— Душенька... барышнина... Разве можно её держать?
Something dear to heart we call as душа моя, душенькая моя. Do you see what’s hidden there? Душа — soul. However, notice, expressionism in literature adds few more layers to essensial parts… So, what’s the meaning of the cry? (See Keys)
Reading the novel, try to focus on the Father Ignatius’ attitude towards people: whether it changes graduately, what words he uses addressing questions to the same people.
Eventually Vera is no longer with us. Father Ignatius walk at the graveyard is not easy (pay attention to the description).
Faith is no longer with us. Because Vera is translated into English as “Faith.”
Find the Russian version here and the English here. Read it aloud, enjoy the sounds.
И, конечно, я очень рада тому, что ты прочитал(а) до конца.
P.S. See more photos taken by L. Andreyev here.
KEYS
Душенька… барышнина…
— the external layer — Her lovely one… of our young lady…
— the deep meaning — Her soul… of our young lady…