Background to A. Blok’s lyrical trilogy: the connection between textology and poetics

The article deals with the background of the idea of Alexander Blok’s lyrical trilogy. The unique role of the 1911-1912 Collected Poems in the idea and architectonics of the lyrical trilogy is analyzed. This reflected the evolution of Blok’s poetics and the formation of his concept of the creative path. The Collected Poems could seem to be the second edition of Alexander Blok’s four poetry books at first glance. It also differs significantly from the second edition of the three volume Poems published by Blok in 1916 by the same “Musaget” publishing house. In subsequent years, Blok made changes to the composition of his trilogy. These editions were called the canonical collection of Blok’s lyrical works. The Musaget edition is strikingly different from both Blok’s first books and subsequent reprints of the collected poems. When in November 1910 Blok received the offer from Musaget to publish the collection of his works, he had already formed his views on the state of Russian Symbolism in general and on his creative path in particular. The discussion of the paths of Russian Symbolism in 1910 coincided with Blok’s reflections on his own creative path in the past, in the present and in the future. The Blok’s changes in the structure of his Collected Poems are the most striking illustration of the theme of his path. The three volumes of lyrics correspond to three stages in Blok’s evolution and at the same time to milestones in Blok’s fate, when the poet not only rethought the past, but also returned to it. The variation in the composition of the three volume work emphasized the uniqueness of Blok’s path, where evolution was often combined with a return back - in a circle. The story of the creation of Blok’s trilogy, including its first volume with the second edition of “Verses on a Beautiful Lady” reflects the complex connection between textual criticism and poetics in motion.