Memories of the poet Yakov Polonsky (a case study of the "Olden times and my childhood")

Yakov Polonsky’s memories are the least studied part of the poet’s work. Study of the novel “Olden times and my childhood” allows to get a full picture of the poetic world of the writer, his mentality and worldview. Autobiographical prose was a way to convey not only the poets’ feelings and thoughts but also their efforts to draw a picture of Russian life in the XIX century, their contemporaries and family histories. Childish impressions of the poet were particularly bright and distinct. Understanding of a life path of an autobiographical character is one of the ways to express an autobiography in the poets’ memories. Mnemonical elements for reconstruction of autobiographical events in chronological order contribute to it. Yakov Polonsky’s memories not only carried on Russian autobiographical prose traditions in narrative and ideological terms but also made a contribution to lyrical prose and “poet’s prose” specifics development.