Annotated Bibliography

Mandelstam, Nazdezha. Hope Against Hope. Athenum. New York, 1970

In this biography, Mandelstam’s wife discusses the life and work of her husband, speaking of the time he spent in the gulag as well as his personal opinions about the importance of poetry as a means for change and expression.

This work is important to my research in that gives insight into the world of Mandelstam , through opinions he could express publicly. Much of his personal philosophy is shown throw conversations had with his wife and close friends behind closed doors. Statements made by Mandelstam in private are reflective of things encoded in his poetry.Bachelard, Gaston. The

Poetics of Space; The Classic Look at How We Experience Intimate Places. Beacon Press, Boston. 1970.

This is a philosophical treatise on how poets utilize physical spaces to connect to audience and relate information on a personal level. Bachelard utilizes ideas of Phenomonolgy and Jungian theory to get these ideas while using various poets, both classical and modern, to illustrate his points regards the symbolism of spaces.

This text is important to my research, in that gives me a source of reference for interpreting Mandelstam’s use of the physical world. It offers suggestions on how to interpret his use of a mountain or house to express certain ideas.

Coetzee, J.M. "Osip Mandelstam and the Stalin Ode."Representations, vol. 35, pages 72-83. Summer, 1991.

This essay analyzes the Ode that Mandelstam was forced to write for Stalin upon his release from the gulag in 1934. Coetzee argues that the poem in no way is trying to praise Stalin but instead is Mandelstam’s way of pleading for his life. Coetzee focuses largely on Mandelstam’s use of diction (the differing tenses used throughout the poem) and allegory (the myth of Prometheus) to prove his point.

This is a good reference point on interpreting Mandelstam’s poetry. It gives suggestion as to what to look at in the specific works of Mandelstam, that I may or may not choose to align myself with. As that The Stalin Ode is indicative of the writing that Mandelstam did in last years of his life, Coetzee’s interpretation can be used to highlight similar methods in the other poems of the time.

Cavanagh, Clare. “Rereading the Poet's Ending: Mandelstam, Chaplin, and Stalin.”PMLA, Vol. 109. No. 1. Pages 71-86. Winter, 1994.

This piece focuses on the differing accounts of the last few years of Mandelstam’s life, through Mandelstam’s wife, Nazdezha, and fellow poets, including Anna Akhmatova. It discusses the private conversations and demeanor of Mandelstam, as well as a turn in his writing that reflected a man preparing to die. In this change, the author shows that Mandelstam becomes more aggressive in his assertion of individuality.

Once again, this is a good reference point for what other’s have said regarding the late work of Mandelstam. It is important to look at for other interpretations of his work, while I am forming my own opinion.