Can a literary critic also be a great poet? Dr. Chaim Brandwein's dual works - his groundbreaking analysis of Hebrew modernist Uri Nissan Gnessin and his poetry collection "In the Shade of the Purple" - definitively challenge Théophile Gautier's claim that criticism and poetry are natural enemies. Through close textual analysis of both works, Brandwein's critical acumen and poetic sensibility prove mutually enriching. His study establishes Gnessin's unrecognized pioneering role in Hebrew literature, particularly in symbolism and stream-of-consciousness techniques, while documenting how the author's detailed environmental descriptions serve as symbolic devices rather than mere naturalistic detail. Brandwein's own poetry collection mirrors these symbolic techniques, exploring spiritual displacement and redemption through personal symbols like the color purple, which represents lost innocence and cosmic harmony. The methodology combines traditional literary criticism with symbolic interpretation, drawing connections between Gnessin's modernist innovations and contemporary poetic expression. The findings establish Brandwein's work as the first comprehensive study of Gnessin while demonstrating how critical sensitivity enhances poetic creation, ultimately revealing the complementary nature of analytical and creative literary endeavors.