Vladimir Mayakovsky and his “discovery” of America
Halina Parafianowicz
Abstract
In 1925 Vladimir Mayakovsky travelled to America. He reached New York on July 30, 1925, meeting his readers, giving interviews and sightseeing. He also visited Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, where he read his poems, talked about the Soviet Union and shared his impressions of his US travel. His three-month stay (from the end of July 1925 to the end of October 1925) resulted in writing “Stichi ob Amierikie” and a travelog “Moje odkrytije Amieriki” (Moscow 1926), which many years later was also published in the Polish edition (Warsaw 1950).Mayakovski’s poems and reportage on America reflect his observational talent and brilliant sarcasm, which, however, are not devoid of ideology and propaganda. The poet, fascinated by modernization, mechanization and electrification, described the “country of dollar”, “car civilization”, standardization, prosperity and dynamic development, not without recognition and appreciation. At the same time he wrote critically, and sometimes maliciously, about such social problems of America of that time as racism, imperialism, etc.
