I was reading an Obituary for a young journalist in the Economist. The author ends his note with this Turgenev's poem. With a simple yet powerful contrast - these few lines immediately sets one thinking.
A young women stands behind a door
A voice asks whether she is prepared to endure
Cold, hunger, mockery, prison and death
All of which await her on the other side
She says Yes to everything and steps over
'A fool' cries a voice from behind her. 'A Saint' suggests another.
6 comments:
The Threshold
I see a great edifice. In front a portal opens wide. Beyond the portal I see a gloomy haze. Before the high threshold stands a girl . . . a Russian girl. Freezing winds blow from out of that impenetrable gloom and from the depths of the edifice comes a slow hollow voice:
"Oh, you, who wish to cross this threshold, do you know what awaits you?"
"I know," the girl replies.
"Cold, hunger, hatred, mockery, scorn, injury, sickness, even death."
"I know."
"Alienation, complete isolation."
"I know. I am ready. I shall bear all the sufferings, all the blows."
"Not only from enemies, but even from relatives, friends?"
"Yes-even from them.''
"Good. Are you ready for sacrifice?"
"Yes."
"For anonymous sacrifice? You will die, and no one will even know how to honor your memory. "
"I need neither thanks nor pity. I need no name."
"Are you ready to commit crimes ? "
The girl nodded her head.
"Do you know," the voice finally said, "that you may dissuade yourself of what you now believe, that you may come to understand that you have deceived yourself and have given your young life in vain?"
"I know that too. I still want to enter."
"Enter!"
The girl crossed the threshold and a heavy curtain fell over the entrance.
"Fool!" Said someone from behind it.
"Saint!" Came the answer from somewhere.
I just read the same article and was deeply moved by the excerpt from Turgenev's poem as it relates to the young journalist. What a beautiful and fearless soul she must have been; a saint indeed.
I just read the obituary too. It's a tragic that such a good person dies. It's a bless that such a beautiful poem exist.
Many thanks to the person who posted the full text of the poem "The Threshold." What a powerful story. I hate to admit it, but I have not read a lot of Turgenev's work. Only someone who has seen true pain, suffering and sacrifice could have written something so beautiful, so poignant, so timeless.
-Bill
I also read the article and immediately set out to find the poem. Thank you for posting it!
I havent read the article, But those lines are simply beautiful.
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