(no subject)

[upthera44.livejournal.com]

In Pushkin's "Я помню чудное мгновенье" I'm wondering about the translation of the word "гений"--

Я помню чудное мгновенье:
Передо мной явилась ты,
Как мимолетное виденье,
Как гений чистой красоты

This seems to literally translate to "like a genius of pure beauty," but it is normally translated as "like a spirit of pure beauty." First, can the word гений mean spirit? I don't see this as a definition in the dictionary. Secondly, why do you think Pushkin chose the word гений here?

Comments

[ginnyboy.livejournal.com]

Maybe it something like джин (eng. genius), kind of spirit, afaik

[nekoth.livejournal.com]

First of all it's more lyrical this way. And it can also be somewhat related to "genius" - arabian spirit.

[apollotiger.livejournal.com]

In English, we refer to the Arabian spirit as a djinn or a genie. Genius is, as far as I’ve seen in my 18 years of English, reserved for “someone brilliant”—e.g., “He’s not Einstein, but he’s a genius.”

[nekoth.livejournal.com]

Ah, my mistake :( Totally mixed up genius and genie. But still this words sound similar, especially in russian form, so Pushkin could use it this way. Also we should not forget that he wrote it in 19th century, Russian was a bit different that time.

[ex-ex-zhuzh.livejournal.com]

First, can the word гений mean spirit?

It can and it does, and you probably need a bigger dictionary.

[arr-.livejournal.com]

You are partly right. We can talk about some "spirit of beauty". But "genius" also means perfection.
Perfection of beauty=)

[scolar.livejournal.com]

In this Pushkin's poem the word "гений" can be translated either as a "spirit" or as a "genuine sample". Actually, this Pushkin's phrase refers to Zhukovsky's poem (http://www.rvb.ru/19vek/zhukovsky/01text/vol1/01versus/188.htm), where we can find "гений чистоый красоты". And there it's definitely a spirit.

Also, in the modern Russian "гений" is a person of extraordinary ability ("Он - гений" = "He is a genius"). But in Pushkin's epoch the word "гений" was usually used as a person's property ("У него гений" = "He has a genius").

And also Russian has at least one idiom where "гений" is exactly the "spirit": "гений места" (from Roman "genius loci") - "spirit of a place".

[khathi.livejournal.com]

Yep. It's "genie" or "spirit" here. This usage is a bit obsolete in modern Russian, but still easily recognsable.

[pzrk.livejournal.com]

Two versions:
1. "Гений" in general can mean something excellent, which is impossible to surpass ("великолепный", "превосходный").
2. As the word "гений" was adopted (from Latin), it could have different meaning in the beginning of 19th century.

[snaike.livejournal.com]

"Genius loki" - in Latin - means the spirit of place - or a "soul", if you want, - the very essence of the place, that catches your eye. In Russian "genius loki" is translated as "гений места".
In this case "гений чистой красоты" means, in my view, the very essence of beauty.

[wolk-off.livejournal.com]

It's easy: in 19th century Russian, genius and genie were represented by the same word, гений. The dictionary you use is certainly not from the 19th century! :)

[no-access.livejournal.com]

+1

[licvidator.livejournal.com]

According to XIX century dictionaries, the word "гений" also meant "дух-хранитель" (spirit-protector). Maybe "like a spirit - protector of pure beauty" ?

[licvidator.livejournal.com]

spirit-keeper

[yefremov.livejournal.com]

To...

O wondrous moment! There before me,
A radiant, fleeting dream, you stood,
A vision fancy fashioned for me,
A glimpse of perfect woomanhood.

Through all life's sadness, all its wonted
And hopeless flurry and unrest
Your lovely face my spirit haunted,
Your tender voice my ear caressed.

Swift storms struck; o'er me wrathful breaking,
They fast dispelled the dreams of yore.
Your image blurred, my heart forsaking,
Your voice caressed my ear no more.

In cold and gloomy isolation
The years sped by, the lonly years,
'Thout deity, 'thout inspiration,
Bereft of life and love and tears.

And then - O bliss! - time's flight defeating,
You came again and 'fore me stood,
A vision radiant and fleeting,
A glimpse of perfect womanhood.

My heart is filled with sweet elation,
Anew it craves, anew reveres,
And is awake to inspiration,
Awake to life and love and tears.

( Александр Сергеевич Пушкин "К***" или "Я помню чудное мгновенье..."