To the Slanderers of Russia

What it is

This is a poem written by Alexander Pushkin in 1831, published as a printed page in Russian. It was written during the Polish uprising of 1830–1831, after some French politicians called for armed intervention against Russia.

Why it matters

In the poem, Pushkin argues that the conflict between Russia and Poland is an internal Slavic matter and warns foreign critics to stay out. The poem was praised by the government and nationalists but criticized by liberal thinkers, including the poet Adam Mickiewicz, who accused Pushkin of betraying earlier shared ideals of freedom. It shows a shift in Pushkin's political views later in life and the controversy this caused among his contemporaries.

Look closer

• Why might this poem have pleased the government but upset liberal readers?
• How does Pushkin frame the conflict to make it seem like an internal matter rather than one for outsiders?
• What does the disagreement with Mickiewicz reveal about differing views of freedom at the time?