For this week’s blog post, I would like to pay close attention to the strong sense of subservience between animal towards man in various selections of poetry by Nikolai Zabolotsky, three anonymous fairytales, and the literary artwork of Ivan Bilibin. To begin, both of Zabolotsky’s poems “In This Birch Wood” and “The Forest Lodge” feature extensive characterization regarding animals, or “creature[s],” in regard to their human superiors. While “In This Birch Wood” speaks mostly on the interactions of men at war, and their environment, there is an instance where Zabolotsky directly intersects the narratives of man and animal: he states that in early morning, orioles sit outside their “human[s’] door[s],” and “sing matins virtuous and poor.” (“In This Birch Wood” 13-14). In response, “soldiers and men [are] still,” almost unamused by the very birds that provide them morning songs (15). Yet, when an “atomic explosion” echoes through this war-scene, man inquires why the bird goes quiet, as if there exists an expectation for the birds to serve man unconditionally (16,21). To continue, a similar expectation of servitude is communicated in Zabolotsky’s “Forest-Lodge” when a “shaggy creature” creeps up to an old man’s door in the middle of a rainstorm (“Forest-Lodge” 16). In response to site of the old man, the inhuman form becomes startled and “flees”—which is “just as any other might have done,” according to Zabolotsky (17). In both poems, there is an unspoken superiority occupied by man when confronted by animal. In “…Birch Wood,” the orioles are expected to sing routinely, and are interrogated when failing to perform, whereas in “Forest-Lodge,” the creature is expected to flee. Note this sense of expectation that exists for animal towards man, and how it distinctly characterizes animal versus man.

Furthermore, if we look at the fairy-tales “Prince Ivan and the Grey Wolf” and “Vasilisa the Beautiful,” we similarly witness the subservient relationship between animal and man, yet through longer and more developed discourses. First, the Grey Wolf completely ravages Ivan’s horse in “Prince Ivan and the Grey Wolf,” leaving “nothing but bones, picked clean” (“Prince Ivan and the Grey Wolf” 22). In response to Ivan’s dismay, the Grey Wolf graciously offers to right his wrongs, and thus assist Ivan in finding and retrieving the Fire-Bird. Even when Ivan continuously ignores the suggestions of the Grey Wolf, such as to leave the golden cage and bejeweled bridle, the Grey Wolf remains steadfast in his promise to find Ivan the Fire-Bird. In fact, there are various instances when the Grey Wolf sacrifices his own safety, simply to safeguard Ivan’s desires to keep both the Golden Mane and Yelena the Fair. For example, Grey Wolf “turn[s] a somersault, and [is] at once changed into Yelena the Fair” in order to disguise himself as sacrifice for Tsar Kusman (27). Later, the Grey Wolf again “turn[s] a somersault” and transforms into the Golden Mane to appease Tsar Afron, as well (28). As readers, we get this image of the Grey Wolf jumping head-over-heels (i.e. a somersault) in attempts to please Ivan (man). Note, however, that this is not the only fairy-tale that features this uncontested desire to please man: the small doll inherited by Vasilisa from her mother in “Vasilisa the Beautiful” ultimately channels a commandeering energy in order to save Vasilisa from Baba-Yaga. This doll invokes the help of “flocks and flocks” of birds to come and “pick over millet seed by seed” until dawn, in order to protect Vasilisa from the wrath of her capturer (“Vasilisa the Beautiful” 12). Note that gratitude for the birds and their assistance is never expressed; the birds and their services are simply expected. Similarly, this sense of expectation is likewise suggested in the artwork of Ivan Bilibin— in his pieces entitled “The Black Horseman” and “The Red Horseman,” he utilizes strong facial features and bright colors on and around the horses, which could perhaps communicate an exuberance to serve the men who ride them. Clearly, expectation is present in the fairy-tales— its presence so strong that as viewers, we trace and deduce similar sentiments from related artworks!

Please let me know if any of you also noticed themes of unquestioned subservience between animal and man within these pieces. I would love to hear your feedback!