Studia Metrica et Poetica sisu 4_1.indd


Jaak Põldmäe 75

Mihhail Lotman

On November 6, 2017, Jaak Põldmäe (1942–1979) would have become sev-
enty-five years old. His life was short and difficult. Põldmäe was born in Tartu 
during the German occupation, and his father was arrested in 1945. In 1949, 
he and his mother were also arrested as family members of an “enemy of the 
people” and deported to the Omsk Oblast in Siberia. That deportation, as well 
as learning Russian in the schools of Omsk, had a heavy impact on his mind 
as a child, and can explain many of his life-long character traits as a man. 

In 1955, more than a year after the death of Stalin, the family was allowed 
to return to Estonia. Instead of returning to Tartu, they relocated to the small 
nearby town of Elva. After graduating from high school Põldmäe was admitted 
to the University of Tartu. In high school and at university he stood out for his 
multifaceted academic talents and was able to continue his work as a postgrad-
uate student, supervised by the renowned semiotician and linguist Vyacheslav 
V. Ivanov. During his studies, Põldmäe immersed himself into the Russian 
methods of statistical versification, but Ivanov inspired him to work on the 
axiomatic approach to versification systems.

Põldmäe’s enthusiasm and working capacity were admirable. In just a few 
years he had managed to achieve more in Estonian verse studies than all of 
his predecessors combined. Unfortunately, however, his novel ideas evoked 
controversial reactions from the close-minded scholars, while his results and 
international recognition aroused their envy. He was a man of principle, which 
sometimes manifested as stubbornness, and was often met with ill will by col-
leagues, who in-turn often attempted to obstruct his scholarly career. Facing 
this hostile environment, Põldmäe developed self-destructive tendencies. The 
persecution continued even after his death, as literary critic Mart Mäger tried 
to dissolve his lifework in two lengthy papers (1981, 1982). Ain Kaalep, an out-
standing Estonian academician, poet, translator and poetry theorist, defended 
him (1981), as did the author of this text (Lotman 1982). The overview of 
Põldmäe’s lifework was presented in a collective paper (Gasparov, Lotman, 
Rudnev, Tarlinskaja 1987), which can now be read in English in the above-
given translation by Igor Pilshchikov and Marina Tarlinskaja together with 
their emendations and comments. 

Studia Metrica et Poetica 4.1, 2017, 152–153

doi: doi.org/10.12697/smp.2017.4.1.07



153Jaak Põldmäe 75

References

Gasparov, Mikhail Leonovich; Lotman, Mihhail; Rudnev, Pyotr; Tarlinskaja, Marina 
1987. Problemy stikhovedenija v rabotakh Ja. R. Põldmäe [Approaches to verse 
theory in the works of Ja. R. Põldmäe]. In: Studia metrica et poetica [V]: Poeetiliste 
süsteemide dünaamika / Dinamika poeticheskikh sistem [The Dynamics of Poetic 
Systems] (Acta et Commentationes Universitatis Tartuensis 780). Tartu: The 
University of Tartu, 99–115. 

Kaalep, Ain 1981. Kahjuks pigem arutus kui arutlus [Alas: a concussion, rather than 
a discussion]. In: Keel ja Kirjandus 9, 551–555.

Leino, Pentti 1985. “Eesti värsiõpetuse” võimalused [Prospects for Estonian Verse 
Theory]. In: Looming 8, 1118–1132.

Lotman, Mihhail 1982. Jaak Põldmäe värsiõpetus ja selle arutelu [Jaak Põldmäe’s verse 
theory and the discussions surrounding it]. In: Looming 7, 983–991.

Mäger, Mart 1981. Arutlusi eesti värsiõpetuse üle [On the discussions of Estonian 
verse theory]. In: Looming 7, 1003–1023. 

Mäger, Mart 1984. Värsiõpetuse õppetunnid [Lessons of verse theory]. In: Looming 
2, 249–266.