On the Semantic Halo of the Three-Footed Amphibrach in Russian Folklore Verse

The article offers an interpretation of the semantic halo of the three-footed amphibrach in Russian spiritual verses of the late tradition. This topic has not previously been studied using this material. The study is based on the method of identifying semantic colourings of metre, developed by M. L. Gasparov. The author provides a general description of three-footed amphibrach and offers a brief outline of its role in the history of Russian versification. In addition, the article presents a concise historiographical review of the most important special works on the semantics of metre. The main objectives of the paper are as follows: 1) to reveal the points of intersection between folklore and literary traditions, 2) to identify the degree of assimilation of literary semantic colourings of metre within folk culture; and 3) to describe the specific features of the semantic halo of three-footed amphibrach in Russian spiritual poetry. The study shows that spiritual verses largely preserve the semantic lines of classical literary poetry: the ballad tradition (including “marine” theme, an emphasis on exoticism, the theme of death and memory); nostalgic motifs, themes of sleep, work (labour), and everyday life. It should be noted that work acquires an additional Christian connotation: “labour for the glory of God”. In spiritual verses, less emphasis is placed on solemn and romantic intonation, since their secular themes lie outside religious consciousness. The images and motifs derived from drinking-songs can be traced, however, within the Christian genre they receive a negative ethical evaluation (the harmful “intoxicating” wine is condemned). As far as can be determined, spiritual verses contain semantic colourings of three-footed amphibrach, shaped by the Christian system of values: prayer, repentance (penitential intonation, sermon), tears, and crying.