Русское зазеркалье (двуязычная версия)

The Crimean war is recorded in the Annals of English poetry, The Charge of the Light Brigade by Alfred, Lord Tennyson being one of its reflections. The poem reflects on a failed military action involving the British light cavalry led by Lord Cardigan against Russian forces during the Battle of Balaclava on October 25, 1854, otherwise known as the massacre at Balaclava, and praises the courage of the British light dragoons.

Flashed all their sabres bare,

Flashed as they turned in air

Sabring the gunners there,

Charging an army, while

All the world wondered.

Plunged in the battery-smoke

Right through the line they broke;

Cossack and Russian

Reeled from the sabre stroke

Shattered and sundered.

Then they rode back, but not

Not the six hundred.

And so on it goes. A masterpiece as this poem is, I would be very puzzled if asked to teach it to Russian students (not that I have any). I do see it as an important literary and human effort, providing some consolation for grief-stricken mothers of the deceased soldiers. And yet, I would have to face the difficulty of explaining why my would-be Russian students should admire the heroic six hundred, the reasons of this difficulty being obvious. People in general don’t easily admire those who invade their country in order to kill them or their nearest ones. But let’s stop with sarcasm for the time being. In my opinion, honest confrontation is still better than dishonest harmony or mutual ignoring each other, as it provides us with an opportunity to learn something about the person or the nation that we confront. You see, people sometimes quarrel even with their beloved ones. To be certain, such conflicts may produce violence which is obviously detestable. I hope I don’t sound as someone who justifies domestic violence when I say that, erm, even hitting your partner in the eye still delivers to him or her a message of some sort and still gives him or her a chance to understand something; whereas your polite refusal to discuss the issue simply ‘makes you both face a blank wall’ which is the end of any relationship. You are free to disagree with me; please explain the reasons of your disagreement if you do.