Coffins Quote by Yevgeny Yevtushenko
“He watched through a crack inside just pretending to be dead he wanted to fix each pallbearer in his memory . . . it seems to me a telephone was installed in the coffin to someone yet again Stalin is sending his instructions.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: "Stalin's Instructions", 1975
The poem uses surreal imagery to suggest that even death is manipulated by authoritarian control.
In simple terms: Authority can infiltrate even the most private moments.
Key Takeaway
Question the unseen influences in our lives.
Themes
authoritarianism
death
surrealism
control
memory
Mood
haunting
thought‑provoking
poetic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- war memorials
- personal grief
- political satire
- historical reflection
Key Concepts
psychological manipulation
state power
existential dread
Questions to Reflect On
- What symbols represent hidden control for you?
- How does surreal imagery affect your perception of authority?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may be overly dramatic for some readers.
![“In Stalin each [Soviet bureaucrat] easily finds himself. But Stalin also finds in each one a small part of his own spirit. Stalin is the personification of the bureaucracy. That is the substance of his political personality.” quote by Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/01b/leon-trotsky-2558_bureaucracy_in-stalin-each-soviet-bureaucrat-easily_198840.jpg)
