Babi Yar - Analysis of the Poem-

Babi Yar - Analysis of the Poem- Yevtushenko speaks in first person throughout the poem. This creates the tone of him being in the shoes of the Jews. As he says in lines 63-64, "No Jewish blood is mixed in mine, but let me be a Jew . . . " He writes the poem to evoke compassion for the Jews and make others aware of their hardships and injustices. "Only then can I call myself Russian." (lines 66-67). …

…supporter of the Jewish plight. He sees the injustice that they have been subject to and feels responsible for it in a way. He tries to rationalize why his people, the Russians, have acted so immorally and blames their actions on the influence of others. He calls to his people to reform; simultaneously urging the Jews not to blame them entirely for their actions and to show that they do have natural goodness within them.