Receiving world recognition for a specific genre and then taking a complete turn and exploring another one definitely is a bold move. However, Alexander Pushkin, a famous Russian poet who gained the level of recognition that made him the symbol of Russian poetry, was no stranger to bold experiments with his artistic abilities, hence several forays into prose. “The Queen of Spades” is one of his most famous short novels along with several others such as “The Captain’s Daughter” and “The Blizzard.” Although “The Queen of Spades” incorporates a range of literary devices for multiple purposes, which include fleshing out the main characters and emphasizing the main message of the story, their key purpose appears to be to reinforce the juxtaposition of Realism and Romanticism, as well as the associated mysticism, which intertwines in the novel in most intricate ways.
Representing a combination of Romanticism and Realism, Pushkin’s “Queen of Spades” is one of the author’s best-known forays into prose. Mostly known for his poetry, Pushkin cultivated his image of a renowned Russian poet, yet his masterful use of language and understanding of the dialogue, the mise-en-scene, and the development of characters also offered massive opportunities for prose writing. The specified skills shine particularly brightly in “The Queen of Spades,” where one of the lead characters tragically descends into madness, whereas the elements of the narrative masterfully woven by Pushkin into the story serves as the means of exploring the journey of the main character from a Realistic to a Romantic one.
The development of the mise-en-scene serves the purpose of highlighting the phantasmagorical nature of the story and the mystical feeling that it contains impeccably. For instance, the scene in which the lead character approaches the corpse of the duchess can be considered a clear example of the use of phantasmagorical elements since it allows increasing the narrative tension. In a certain sense, the scene in question can be considered a representation of the transition from the environment rooted in Realism to the one that contains the elements of Romanticism. Namely, the novel transitions from the meticulous description o the situation in which the lead character finds himself to the changes that he experiences, namely, the transformation from a healthy person to a gambler and, eventually, to an addict. Thus, the chase for the elusive luck and the infamous Queen of Spades continues, locking Hermann in a perpetual loop.
When considering the elements that prove the transitioning from Realism to Romanticism in “the Queen of Spades,” one should also pay due attention to dialogues as the crucial method of expressing the specified sentiment. Namely, at the beginning of the short story, the dialogues seem to be rooted entirely in reality and aimed at outward analysis. For instance, when hearing about the unbelievable luck that followed Naroumov’s grandmother whenever she played cards, Hermann only passes a casual remark: “’A fable,’ remarked Herman; ‘perhaps the cards were marked’” (Pushkin). However, as Hermann’s personal demons are revealed to him, and he slowly starts his descent into madness, the dialogue changes as well, taking a more surreal and even phantasmagoric shape. For example, in the later exchange between Hermann and the rest of the characters, Hermann’s responses are related only to the game, thus confirming his transgression and the fact that his fate is sealed: “’Permit me to choose a card,’ said Herman, stretching out his hand over the head of a portly gentleman, to reach a livret” (Pushkin). Thus, the transfer from Realism to Romanticism with the elements of mysticism and the introduction of supernatural elements, namely, the influence of the notorious Queen of Spades, becomes increasingly more obvious and important in the story.
The adoption of literary devices in the novel also represents a stellar mastery of writing as the means of allowing the reader to transition from Realism to Romanticism seamlessly. For instance, “The Queen of Spades” features several clear instances of foreshadowing, the first and the easiest to spot being Hermann’s introductory speech. By claiming that he never won at cards and he had bad luck, he predicted his own gloomy fate, thus creating a clear, even a bit on-the-nose, foreshadowing of the future events. Indeed, his obsession with the ostensible luck that the notorious queen of spades was supposed to bring eventually caused him to lose his mind (“Bloom on Alexander Pushkin as Short Story Writer”). In turn, the specified quote foreshadowed the described series of events rather clearly, hinting at the somber fate that was awaiting Hermann. Therefore, the gap between Realism and Romanticism in the novel is bridged with the specified line, making the transition smoother and nearly seamless. As a result, the transformation that Hermann experiences and the madness that ultimately captures him are far from being unexpected or incidental. Instead, they are represented as the natural transformation process, increasing the shock value of the story.
The adoption of allusion as another popular literary device also warrants significant attention in Pushkin’s work. Namely, the leading character often alludes to other literary works that include card playing or any mentioning of the game of cards, as some sources mention. However, when recounting the sources of inspiration that have affected the Queen of Spades” to the greatest extent and defined a significant number of allusions in the novel’s context, one should mention the Bible (Bethea, p. 248). Indeed, the presence of the multiple scenarios that remind of the traditional biblical stories, namely, the ones of temptation, are clearly visible in the novel (Bethea, p. 248). Therefore, multiple allusions to the Bible add a certain sense of seriousness to the novel, allowing it to convey a very serious meaning of addiction and its effects on one’s state of mind, as well as relationships with others. “The Queen of Spades” can be considered a prime example of how madness and dependency on gambling should be depicted in literature, with the emphasis being shifted toward the frightening nature of the affliction and the toll that it takes on an individual, hollowing them out and ruining their life.
In addition, the application of metaphor serves a crucial purpose in the novel, making “The Queen of Spades” even more poignant as a tragic story. In fact, one could claim that a metaphor is the central literary device used by the author to reinforce the meaning of the work and prompt the critical analysis of the problem of gambling, as well as the issues within Russian society at the time, in general. Namely, the very image of the queen of spades as the crucial item on which the entire plot is based becomes a metaphor for life, in general, with its passions, pointless pursuit of ostensible luck, and the desperate need to find some semblance of solace. In fact, “Poetry and Prose in The Queen of Spades” drives the audience’s attention to the fact that metaphors as a literary device were incorporated into Pushkin’s works quite frequently (“Poetry and Prose in The Queen of Spades”). In turn, the “Queen of Spades” becomes the ultimate place for combining unique metaphors and producing the most daring results that would have made any other work unnecessarily chaotic: “As the story unfolds, winter and night become metaphors for madness—the ultimate in the triumph of chaos” (Pushkin). Therefore, metaphors play a central role in emphasizing the main theme of the novel and serving as the background for the leading character’s descent into madness.
Moreover, the character development in the novel is beyond impressive. Hermann’s progression from a slightly light-minded, yet down-to-earth character to an obsessed gambler with the urgent need to discover the secret of the card trick is capturing and, at some points of the narrative, truly frightening. The changes in Hermann’s personality become distinctively clear at the end of the novel when Hermann turns into an empty shell of his former self. The drastic situation is depicted quite vividly in the novel at the point where Lisa mentions that Hermann is slowly losing his humane characteristics: “’You are a monster!’ exclaimed Lisa, drying her eyes” (Pushkin). The person in the specified characteristic barely resembles the man portrayed at the beginning of the novel, who dismissed the very idea of gambling as a pointless waste of his time: “I hardly care to sacrifice the necessaries of life for uncertain superfluities” (Pushkin). Therefore, the transformation from a Realism-based character, whose philosophy is rooted in common sense, and the Romantic one, whose origins are typically unknown and who suffers an affliction, becomes clearly visible.
However, one might raise the question of whether the specified change in Hermann’s character deprives him of his humanity completely or whether it makes him more relatable as a human being. By portraying his descent into madness that can be called nearly criminal, the author allows the reader to take a glimpse into the abyss of human nature. In fact, Pushkin’s skill of understanding the common person has been noted multiple times: “Puškin was credited with having recognized Russia’s chronic malaise, the rift between the westernized upper class and the masses of the people” (“Some Observations on Pushkin’s Image in Russian Literature”). Thus, the sympathy for the average person is what defines the appeal of the novel and draws the reader’s attention to the development of the main character.
Overall, each of the literary devices used in the novel allows exploring the interaction between the aspects of Realism and the sides of Romanticism that the novel depicts. Specifically, Pushkin contrasts a rather mundane environment and quite a basic activity of playing cards and gambling to the mysterious concept of the Queen of spades as the elusive symbol of luck and success. As a result of the specified juxtaposition, the novel turns into a series of vignettes that serve a very distinct purpose of expressing the main flaws of the characters, specifically, the lead character of Hermann, to the reader. Moreover, the application of both common literary devices such as metaphors and more complex allusions allows portraying the gradual changes in Hermann’s nature and his state of mind. As a result, the shift in his personality becomes all the more evident and tragic.
Works Cited
- Bethea, David M. The Pushkin Handbook. University of Wisconsin Pres, 2013.
- “Bloom on Alexander Pushkin as Short Story Writer.” Bloom’s Literature.
- “Poetry and Prose in ‘The Queen of Spades.’” Bloom’s Literature.
- Pushkin, Alexander. “The Queen of Spades.” ProjectGutenberg.org. Web.
- “Some Observations on Pushkin’s Image in Russian Literature.” Bloom’s Literature.