The meaning of the lyrics of the song "The Soldier and the Ghost" (Soldat i prividenie) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

- In my chest, my soul fidgets as if in pain,

A heart within, like a candle, does burn.

And fate, like a rifle, plays a cruel game:

A jammed bolt, a recoil, or a misfire in turn.

Oh, my wretched fate, so unfair,

The Tsar's will, a burden hard to bear!

- I'm a phantom, a ghost, it's true,

But I've grown weary of this spectral view.

This cramped dungeon, it chills me to the bone,

Though I'm bodiless, I shiver and moan.

Someone might take offense, I suppose,

But truly, I mean no ill, heaven knows.

To frighten, to appear in a dark place,

Holds no appeal for my spectral grace.

A shame they'll execute you, a soul so pure,

You can call me Timofey, soldier, rest assured.

- Во груди душа словно ерзает

Сердце в ней горит будто свечка

И в судьбе - как в ружье: то затвор заест

То в плечо отдаст, то - осечка

Ах ты долюшка несчастливая,

Воля царская - несправедливая!

- Я - привидение, я - призрак, но

Я от сидения давно больно

Темница тесная, везде сквозит,

Хоть бестелесно я, а все ж - знобит

Может, кто-нибудь обидится

Но я, право, не шучу:

Испугать, в углу привидеться

Совершенно не хочу

Жаль, что вдруг тебя казнят, - ты с душой хорошею

Можешь запросто, солдат, звать меня Тимошею

In Vladimir Vysotsky's song "The Soldier and the Ghost," a dialogue unfolds between two characters whose fates are intertwined by tragic circumstances.

The first character is a soldier, weary of the hardships of military service and the injustice prevailing in the world. His words are filled with bitterness and pain: "My soul within my chest is twitching, my heart burns like a candle inside." The image of a rifle bolt that "sometimes jams, sometimes kicks back, sometimes misfires" symbolizes the unpredictability and danger of a fate deprived of free will.

The second character is a ghost named Timofey, languishing in confinement. He is no less unhappy than the soldier, tormented by cramped conditions, cold, and loneliness. The image of a "bodiless" ghost who "shivers" emphasizes the poignancy of his suffering, devoid of physical form but no less real.

Despite their seeming opposition, a deep inner connection emerges between the soldier and the ghost. Both are prisoners of circumstance, deprived of freedom and condemned to suffering.

The ghost's phrase "It's a pity they'll execute you suddenly, you have a good soul" sounds ambiguous. On the one hand, it's sympathy for another's misfortune, and on the other, an involuntary admission that death can be a release from torment.

The offer "You can simply call me Timofey, soldier" is an attempt to break the vicious cycle of loneliness, to find a kindred spirit in a world full of suffering. This simple address hints at the hope that even in the most hopeless situations, it's possible to find understanding and compassion.