Most often, the title of a work is the key to its content and understanding. This is what happens with the novel by I. S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons”. Just two simple words, but so many concepts that divided the heroes into two opposite camps. Such a simple title reveals the essence of the novel "Fathers and Sons" in a complex issue.
The main problem of the novel
In his work, the author not only raises the problem of the collision of two opposite generations, but also tries to find a solution, to indicate the way out of the current situation. The confrontation between the two camps can be seen as a struggle between the old and the new, radicals and liberals, between democracy and aristocracy, purposefulness and confusion.
The author believes that the time has come for change and tries to show it in the novel. The old representatives of the nobility are being replaced by the young and restless, searching and fighting. The old system has already outlived itself, but the new one has not yet been formed, has not yet appeared, and the meaning of the novel "Fathers and Sons" clearly indicates the inability of society to live either in the old way or in the new way. This is a kind of transitional time, the border of eras.
New society
The representative of the new generation is Bazarov. It is he who is assigned the main role that creates the conflict of the novel "Fathers and Sons". He represents a whole galaxy of young people who have taken the form of complete denial for faith. They reject everything old, but they bring nothing to replace this old one.
A very clearly conflicting worldview is shown between Pavel Kirsanov and Evgeny Bazarov. Straightforwardness and rudeness against manners and sophistication. The images of the novel "Fathers and Sons" are multifaceted and contradictory. But, the system of his values \u200b\u200bclearly indicated by Bazarov does not make him happy. He himself outlined his purpose for society: to break the old. But how to build something new on the ruined foundation of ideas and views is no longer his business.
The problem of emancipation is considered. The author shows this as a possible alternative to the patriarchal system. But that's just female image emancipe is given an unattractive, completely different from the usual Turgenev girl. And, again, this was not done by chance, but with a clear intention to show that before destroying something that has been established, it is necessary to find a replacement for it. If this does not happen, then the changes will not succeed, even what was clearly intended for a positive solution to the problem may change in a different direction and become a sharply negative phenomenon.
The conflict between fathers and children has been going on since the beginning of time to this day. It is especially acute in times of change. public life when the generation of the past acts as a conservative, and the youth stands up for novelty. This situation is typical for Russia in the 1960s. 19th century, she found her reflection in the novel by I.S. Turgenev "Fathers and Sons". Collision of old and younger generation overcomes the framework of family conflict and affects the socio-political structure of the country - the Social Democrats stand up to fight the liberal aristocrats.
Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich
The young nihilist Yevgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov confronts the nobleman, aristocrat Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov. The difference between generations is already expressed in the appearance of the characters.
Bazarov is a man of great willpower, a man of his word, a little removed from people. Turgenev pays special attention to the living mind of the hero. And Kirsanov is described only externally: he wears white underwear, starched collars, patent leather boots. Being a well-known socialite in the past, Pavel Petrovich retained his habits in his brother's village estate - the impeccability and elegance of the image.
Kirsanov does nothing, has no duties and aspirations, lives for his own pleasure. Bazarov is active, everything he does is useful for society, for science, for the people.
The life positions of the characters are extremely opposite. They argue constantly and argue about everything in the world: about how Russia should develop further, about the real and the irrational, about the usefulness of science and art, about the patriarchal nature of the people. Bazarov claims that everything old should be destroyed, and Pavel Petrovich is sure that all this should be preserved for future generations. Kirsanov is also outraged by the fact that Bazarov and his followers do not have a specific plan for transforming the world order. They call only to destroy, but they are not going to create. In response to a reproach for this, Bazarov says that first you need to "clear the place."
Bazarov and his parents
In Bazarov's relationship with his parents, a generational conflict is also clearly visible. Bazarov loves his father and mother, but at the same time feels contempt for their stupid aimless life. Despite the misunderstanding of each other, parents love Eugene. Love does not cease to exist even after the death of the hero. In the end, it turns out that only Bazarov was truly dear to his parents.
Arkady and family
In the Kirsanov family, the opposition of generations is not so obvious. Arkady Kirsanov is gradually turning into a copy of his father. In life, he appreciates the same things that he does: home, family life, peace. For him, this is much more important than the struggle for the global welfare of the world. Arkady just imitated Bazarov, and this caused a little strife in the family. And when Bazarov leaves Arkady's field of vision, and conflicts come to naught.
The theme of "fathers" and "children" in Russian literature
The relationship between fathers and children is one of the most important and significant in Russian literature. This problem is reflected in the comedy by A.S. Griboyedov "Woe from Wit", in the drama "Thunderstorm" by A.N. Ostrovsky, in the works of A.S. Pushkin and more. etc. The authors, as creative people, are on the side of the younger generation. However, Turgenev does not take a definite position, and gives the reader the opportunity to choose the right ideology for himself. I think it was important for Turgenev to show that only in peace and harmony can society develop properly in the future.
Essays on Literature: Problems of the novel "Fathers and Sons" The novel "Fathers and Sons" was created by Turgenev in a hot time for Russia. The growth of peasant uprisings and the crisis of the serf system forced the government in 1861 to abolish serfdom. In Russia it was necessary to carry out a peasant reform. The society split into two camps: in one there were revolutionary democrats, ideologists of the peasant masses, in the other - the liberal nobility, who stood for the reformist path. The liberal nobility did not put up with serfdom, but feared peasant revolution. The great Russian writer shows in his novel the struggle between the worldviews of these two political trends. The plot of the novel is built on the opposition of the views of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov and Evgeny Bazarov, which are prominent representatives these directions.
Other questions are also raised in the novel: how one should treat the people, work, science, art, what transformations are necessary for the Russian countryside. The title already reflects one of these problems - the relationship between two generations, fathers and children. Disagreements on various issues have always existed between the youth and the older generation. So here, a representative of the younger generation, Yevgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov, cannot, and does not want to understand the "fathers", their life credo, principles. He is convinced that their views on the world, on life, on relations between people are hopelessly outdated. "Yes, I will spoil them ... After all, this is all pride, lion's habits, folly ...". In his opinion, the main purpose of life is to work, to produce something material.
That is why Bazarov has a disrespectful attitude to art, to sciences that do not have a practical basis; to "useless" nature. He believes that it is much more useful to deny what, from his point of view, deserves to be denied, than to watch indifferently from the side, not daring to do anything. "At the present time, denial is the most useful - we deny," says Bazarov. For his part, Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is sure that there are things that cannot be doubted ("Aristocracy ... liberalism, progress, principles ... art ..."). He values habits and traditions more and does not want to notice the changes taking place in society. The disputes between Kirsanov and Bazarov reveal the ideological intent of the novel.
These characters have a lot in common. Both in Kirsanov and in Bazarov pride is highly developed. Sometimes they can not calmly argue. Both of them are not subject to other people's influences, and only experienced and felt by them themselves makes the heroes change their views on some issues. Both the commoner democrat Bazarov and the aristocrat Kirsanov have a huge influence on those around them, and neither one nor the other can be denied strength of character.
And yet, despite such a similarity of natures, these people are very different, due to the difference in origin, upbringing and way of thinking. Differences already appear in the portraits of the heroes. The face of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is "unusually correct and clean, as if drawn with a thin and light chisel." And in general, the whole appearance of Uncle Arkady "...
he was graceful and thoroughbred, his hands were beautiful, with long pink nails. "Bazarov's appearance is the complete opposite of Kirsanov. He is dressed in a long robe with tassels, he has red hands, his face is long and thin, with a wide forehead and not at all an aristocratic nose. Portrait Pavel Petrovich is a portrait " secular lion", whose manners match the appearance. The portrait of Bazarov undoubtedly belongs to the "democrat to the end of the nails", which is also confirmed by the hero's behavior, independent and self-confident. Yevgeny's life is full of vigorous activity, he devotes every free minute to natural science studies. In the second In the middle of the 19th century, the natural sciences experienced an upsurge, materialistic scientists appeared who, through numerous experiments and experiments, developed these sciences, for which there was a future.And Bazarov is the prototype of such a scientist.
Pavel Petrovich, on the contrary, spends all his days in idleness and groundless, aimless reflections-memories. The views of those arguing on art and nature are opposite. Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov admires works of art. He is able to admire the starry sky, enjoy music, poetry, painting. Bazarov, on the other hand, denies art (“Rafael is not worth a penny”), approaches nature with utilitarian standards (“Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it”). Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov also does not agree that art, music, nature are nonsense. Out on the porch, "...
he looked around, as if wanting to understand how one could not sympathize with nature. "And here we can feel how Turgenev expresses his own thoughts through his hero. The beautiful evening landscape leads Nikolai Petrovich to the "sorrowful and gratifying game of lonely thoughts", evokes pleasant memories, reveals to him" Magic world dreams. "The author shows that by denying admiring nature, Bazarov impoverishes his spiritual life. But the main difference between a raznochint-democrat who finds himself on the estate of a hereditary nobleman and a liberal lies in his views on society and the people. Kirsanov believes that aristocrats are the driving force social development. Their ideal is "English freedom," that is, a constitutional monarchy. The path to the ideal lies through reforms, glasnost, and progress.
Bazarov is sure that aristocrats are not capable of action and there is no use from them. He rejects liberalism, denies the ability of the nobility to lead Russia to the future. Disagreements arise about nihilism and the role of nihilists in public life. Pavel Petrovich condemns nihilists because they "respect no one", live without "principles", considers them unnecessary and powerless: "You are only 4-5 people." To this, Bazarov replies: "Moscow burned down from a penny candle." Speaking of the denial of everything, Bazarov has in mind religion, the autocratic-feudal system, generally accepted morality. What do the nihilists want?
First of all, revolutionary action. And the criterion is the benefit to the people. Pavel Petrovich glorifies the peasant community, family, religiosity, patriarchy of the Russian peasant. He claims that "the Russian people cannot live without faith." Bazarov, on the other hand, says that the people do not understand their own interests, are obscure and ignorant, that there is no honest people that "a man is glad to rob himself, just to get drunk on dope in a tavern." However, he considers it necessary to distinguish between popular interests and popular prejudices; he argues that the people are revolutionary in spirit, therefore nihilism is a manifestation of precisely the people's spirit. Turgenev shows that, despite tenderness, Pavel Petrovich does not know how to talk with ordinary people, "grimaces and sniffs cologne".
In a word, he is a real gentleman. And Bazarov proudly declares: "My grandfather plowed the land." And he can win over the peasants, although he teases them. The servants feel "that he is still his brother, not a gentleman."
This is precisely because Bazarov possessed the ability and desire to work. In Maryino, on the Kirsanov estate, Evgeny worked because he could not sit idle, "some kind of medical-surgical smell" was established in his room. Unlike him, representatives of the older generation did not differ in their ability to work. So, Nikolai Petrovich tries to manage in a new way, but nothing works out for him. He says about himself: "I am a soft, weak person, I spent my life in the wilderness." But, according to Turgenev, this cannot serve as an excuse. If you can't work, don't take it. And the biggest thing that Pavel Petrovich did was to help his brother with money, not daring to give advice, and "not jokingly imagined himself to be a practical person."
Of course, most of all a person is manifested not in conversations, but in deeds and in his life. Therefore, Turgenev, as it were, leads his heroes through various trials. And the strongest of them is the test of love. After all, it is in love that the soul of a person is revealed fully and sincerely. And then the hot and passionate nature of Bazarov swept away all his theories. He fell in love, like a boy, with a woman whom he highly valued. "In conversations with Anna Sergeyevna, he expressed his indifferent attitude even more than before.<йрение ко всему романтическому, а оставшись наедине, он с негодованием сознавал романтика в самом себе". Герой переживает сильный душевный разлад.
"...Something...was possessed in him, which he never allowed, over which he always mocked, which revolted all his pride." Anna Sergeevna Odintsova rejected him. But Bazarov found the strength to accept defeat with honor, without losing his dignity. And Pavel Petrovich, who also loved very much, could not leave with dignity when he became convinced of the woman’s indifference to him: “.. he spent four years in foreign lands, either chasing her, or with the intention of losing sight of her ... and already couldn't get in the right track." And in general, the fact that he seriously fell in love with a frivolous and empty secular lady says a lot. Bazarov is a strong person, he is a new person in Russian society.
As we remember, in the previous two novels, Turgenev convinces both himself and the reader that the nobility in Russia is doomed to quietly and ingloriously leave the stage, since he bears great guilt before the people. Therefore, even the best representatives of the nobility are doomed to personal misfortune and to the inability to do anything for the Motherland. But the question remains open: where can we find a hero-doer capable of carrying out cardinal transformations in Russia? In the novel "On the Eve" Turgenev tried to find such a hero. This is not a nobleman and not a Russian. This is a Bulgarian student Dmitry Nikanorovich Insarov, who is vastly different from the previous heroes: Rudin and Lavretsky.
Rice. 2. Elena and Insarov (Ill. G.G. Filippovsky) ()
He will never live at the expense of others, he is resolute, efficient, not inclined to chatter, speaks with enthusiasm only when he talks about the fate of his unfortunate homeland. Insarov is still a student, but the goal of his life is to lead an uprising against Turkish rule. It would seem that the ideal hero has been found, but this is not quite the hero, because he is Bulgarian and will fight against the enemies of Bulgaria. At the very end of the novel, when many people die, including Insarov and his beloved Elena (Fig. 2), some characters wonder if there will be such Insarovs in Russia.
Now let's turn to Turgenev's novel "Fathers and Sons", written in the period from 1860 to 1861. (Fig. 3).
Rice. 3. Title page of the second edition of the novel "Fathers and Sons", 1880 ()
At the very beginning of the work, we see the question of one of the characters: "What, Peter, can't you see yet?" Of course, the situation in the novel is quite specific: Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov (Fig. 4)
Rice. 4. Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov (Artist D. Borovsky) ()
is waiting for her son Arkasha, a candidate who has just graduated from the university. But readers understand: the search for a hero continues. « No way, sir, you can’t see it”, the servant answers. Then the same question and the same answer follow. And now, for three pages, we are waiting not just for Arkasha the candidate, but for a hero, significant, intelligent, active. Thus, we are faced with a certain author's technique, which is easy to read. Finally the hero appears. Together with Arkady, Evgeny Bazarov arrives, (Fig. 5)
Rice. 5. Bazarov (Artist D. Borovsky, 1980) ()
who is distinguished by honesty, clarity, masculinity, he despises ordinary prejudices: he comes to a noble family, but is dressed in a completely different way, as it should be on such occasions. At the first meeting, we learn that Bazarov is a nihilist. Recall that in the first three novels, Turgenev persistently searches for a hero-doer, but new people from the nobility and intelligentsia did not fit this role. Not suitable for this role and Insarov. Bazarov, in turn, is also not quite suitable, since he is not a hero-doer, but a destroyer hero who preaches all-round destruction.
« Nihilist- This is from the Latin word nihil, Nothing; This a man who does not bow before any authorities, does not take a single principle on faith, no matter how respect this principle is surrounded by ... "
Bazarov's nihilism is impressive. He denies God, because he is a convinced atheist, he denies all the laws of contemporary Russia, the customs of the people, he also treats the people nihilistically, because he is convinced that the people are at a low stage of development and are the object of action of people like Bazarov. Bazarov is skeptical about art, does not know how to appreciate nature and its beauty, for him “Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it”. Bazarov is also skeptical about friendship. His devoted, albeit a little narrow-minded friend is Arkady. But as soon as Arkady tries to talk to Bazarov about something sincere, Bazarov cuts him off quite harshly: "AboutI ask you one thing: do not speak beautifully ...» . Bazarov loves his parents, but he is rather ashamed of this love, because he is afraid of “getting wet”, therefore he repels them too. And finally, love, the world of feelings. Bazarov believes that if you can get some sense from a woman, then you need to act, and if not, then you should look elsewhere. He completely denies the possibility of a mysterious look: « We physiologists know […] the anatomy of the eye: where does the […] mysterious look come from?» Thus, Bazarov's nihilism is striking in its scale, it is comprehensive.
Modern researchers point out that Bazarov's nihilism is not similar to the real manifestations of the nihilists, Bazarov's contemporaries, because the nihilists did not even recognize themselves in this portrait. There were angry responses. Young critic Antonovich (Fig. 6)
Rice. 6. M.A. Antonovich ()
even wrote an article "Asmodeus of our time", Bazarov seemed to him a petty devil. Nihilists in life denied a lot, but not everything. Turgenev objected to his young opponents and said that he wanted to portray the figure in all its scale. Indeed, Bazarov is such a significant person that he has neither friends nor enemies in the novel. He is tragically alone. Can we seriously talk about his friendship with Arkady? Arkady is a kind, friendly, handsome man, but he is small and not independent, he literally glows with the reflected light of Bazarov. However, as soon as he has a more serious authority, the young and determined girl Katya, (Fig. 7)
Rice. 7. "Fathers and sons." Chapter 25. Arkady and Katya (Artist D. Borovsky, 1980). ()
Arkady leaves from under the influence of Bazarov. Bazarov, in turn, seeing this, he himself breaks off their friendly relations.
There are two people in the novel, Sitnikov and Kukshina, who consider themselves students of Bazarov. These are anecdotal personalities: stupid, fashion-conscious, nihilism for them is fashionable entertainment. Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov can be considered an enemy of Bazarov (Fig. 8),
Rice. 8. Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov (Artist E. Rudakov, 1946-1947) ()
he is the only person who objects to Bazarov. As we remember, Nikolai Petrovich does not always agree with Bazarov, but he is afraid to object, he is embarrassed or does not consider it necessary. And Pavel Petrovich from the first minutes felt a sharp antipathy for Bazarov, and quarrels flare up almost from the very beginning of their acquaintance (Fig. 9).
Rice. 9. "Fathers and sons." Chapter 10. Dispute between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich (Artist D. Borovsky) ()
If you do not delve into the essence of the dispute, then you can see that Pavel Petrovich fusses, swears, quickly turns to anger, while Bazarov is calm and self-confident. But if you delve into it, it turns out that Kirsanov is not so wrong. He accuses Bazarov of denying everything moral, but meanwhile the people are conservative, they live by these principles. Is it possible in a country inhabited by a huge number of illiterate serfs to call for violent action? Wouldn't that be the death of the country? These thoughts were nurtured by Turgenev himself. Bazarov, in response, says rather strange things: at first we only wanted to criticize, then we realized that it was useless to criticize, we need to change the whole system. They accepted the idea of total destruction of everything that is. But who will build? Bazarov is not thinking about this yet, his job is to destroy. This is precisely the tragedy of the novel. Bazarov is most likely wrong. We already have historical experience: we remember what a catastrophe the desire to destroy turned out to be in 1905, 1917.
But Pavel Petrovich himself cannot compete ideologically with Bazarov, if only because he wasted his life: he lives in the countryside, professes the principles of liberalism, aristocracy, but does nothing. Kirsanov devoted his whole life to insane love for Princess R. (Fig. 10),
Rice. 10. Princess R. (Artist I. Arkhipov) ()
who died, and Pavel Petrovich shut himself up in the village.
How did Turgenev himself relate to nihilistic youth? He was familiar with such people in whom he was struck by a certain untidiness, their type of education, and most importantly, their attitude towards the fate of Russia. Turgenev was against the revolution, which, he believed, could lead to disaster. An objective attitude towards such youth, the author's disagreement with their position formed the basis of the image of Bazarov.
This is how Turgenev himself defines the idea of the novel: "If the reader does not fall in love with Bazarov with all his rudeness, dryness, harshness, then I, as a writer, have not achieved my goal." That is, the hero is ideologically alien to the author, but at the same time he is a very serious personality and worthy of respect.
Now let's see if there is a dynamic in the image of Bazarov. At first, he is absolutely confident in himself, he is a total nihilist and he considers himself above all those phenomena that he denies. But then Turgenev puts tests before the hero, and this is how he passes them. The first test is love. Bazarov does not immediately understand that he has fallen in love with Odintsova (Fig. 11),
Rice. 11. Anna Sergeevna Odintsova (Artist D. Borovsky) ()
smart, beautiful, deeply significant woman. The hero does not understand what is happening to him: he loses sleep, appetite, he is restless, pale. When Bazarov realizes that this is love, but love that is not destined to come true, he receives a heavy blow. Thus, Bazarov, who denied love, laughed at Pavel Petrovich, himself found himself in a similar situation. And the unshakable wall of nihilism begins to crumble a little. Suddenly, Bazarov feels a general melancholy, he does not understand why he is busy, denies himself everything, lives a strict life, depriving himself of all kinds of pleasures. He doubts the meaning of his own activity, and these doubts corrode him more and more. He is surprised by the carefree life of his parents, who live without thinking (Fig. 12).
Rice. 12. Bazarov's parents - Arina Vlasyevna and Vasily Ivanovich (Artist D. Borovsky) ()
And Bazarov feels that his life is passing, that his great ideas will turn into nothing and he himself will disappear without a trace. This is what Bazarov's nihilism leads to.
Modern researchers have an opinion that not only students and raznochintsy of that time served as the prototype of Bazarov, but also to some extent L.N. Tolstoy (Fig. 13),
Rice. 13. L.N. Tolstoy ()
who in his youth was a nihilist, which infuriated Turgenev. But in 10 years Tolstoy will also experience the horror of the fact that life is finite and death is inevitable. In his novel, Turgenev seems to predict what nihilism can lead to.
Thus, Bazarov's nihilism does not stand up to scrutiny; the very first test of life begins to destroy this theory. The second test is the nearness of death. In a difficult state of mind, Bazarov lives with old parents, helps his father, and one day they go to open the body of a peasant who died of typhus. Bazarov inflicts a cut on himself, there is no iodine, and the hero decides to rely on fate: there will be blood poisoning or not. When Bazarov finds out that the infection has occurred, then the question of death arises before him. Now we see that, as a personality, Bazarov survives this test. He does not lose courage, does not change his basic convictions, but before death he turns out to be more humane, more gentle than before. He knows that if he dies without communion, it will bring suffering to his parents. And he agrees: when he loses consciousness, let the parents do what they think is right. Before his death, he is not ashamed to show love and care for his parents, not ashamed to admit that he loved Odintsova, not ashamed to call her and say goodbye to her. Thus, if at the beginning of the novel we had a nihilist hero, similar to Lermontov's demon, then at the end of the work Bazarov becomes a real person. His death is reminiscent of the departure of Shakespeare's Hamlet, who also accepts it courageously.
Why did Turgenev doom his hero to death? On the one hand, as Turgenev said: "Where I write 'nihilist', I mean 'revolutionary'." And Turgenev could not portray a revolutionary both because of censorship and because of ignorance of this circle of people. On the other hand, doubts, torment and heroic death enormously increase the figure of Bazarov in the mind of the reader. Turgenev wanted to say that he categorically disagrees with what the new young generation is trying to offer as salvation for their country. But at the same time, he pays tribute to these people who have high spiritual qualities, who are selfless and ready to give their lives for their beliefs. It was in this that Turgenev's high writing skills, his high spiritual freedom, were manifested.
Bibliography
- Sakharov V.I., Zinin S.A. Russian language and literature. Literature (basic and advanced levels) 10. - M.: Russian word.
- Arkhangelsky A.N. etc. Russian language and literature. Literature (advanced level) 10. - M.: Bustard.
- Lanin B.A., Ustinova L.Yu., Shamchikova V.M. / ed. Lanina B.A. Russian language and literature. Literature (basic and advanced levels) 10. - M.: VENTANA-GRAF.
- Litra.ru ().
- Online store of the publishing house "Lyceum" ().
- Turgenev.net.ru ().
Homework
- Expand the author's attitude to Bazarov.
- Make a comparative description of the images of Insarov and Bazarov
- * After analyzing the images of Rudin, Lavretsky, Insarov and Bazarov, derive the ideal image of a new hero-actor.
Krasnogorsk MOU secondary school No. 8.
Subject: literature.
Topic: "Actual problems of fathers and children"
(Based on the novel "Fathers and Sons" by Turgenev I.S.)
10th grade student
Bulygin Dmitry.
Teacher
Khokhlova Zoya Grigorievna
2003-2004 academic year.
Introduction "Fathers and Sons"
Bazarov and Arkady.
Vasily Vasilyevich Golubkov about Turgenev's Fathers and Sons.
G.A. Bely "Fathers and Sons" by Turgenev is a modern novel.
“To accurately and strongly reproduce the truth, the reality of life, is the highest happiness for a writer, even if this truth does not coincide with his own sympathies”
Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev.
Fathers and Sons.
The writing of the novel "Fathers and Sons" coincided with the most important reforms of the 19th century, namely the abolition of serfdom. The century marked the development of industry and the natural sciences. Expanded ties with Europe. In Russia, the ideas of Westernism began to be accepted. "Fathers" adhered to old views.
The younger generation welcomed the abolition of serfdom and reform. A series of episodes that begins the novel by I.S. Turgenev “Fathers and Sons” is the return of Arkady Nikolaevich Kirsanov to the estate of his father Maryino.
The very situation of “returning home after a long absence” predetermines the reader's attitude to what is happening as a new stage in the life of a young man. Indeed, Arkady Nikolayevich graduated from the university and, like any young person, is faced with a choice of a further life path, understood very broadly: this is not only and not so much a choice of social activity as the definition of one's own life position, one's attitude to the moral and aesthetic values \u200b\u200bof the elder generations.
The problem of relations between “fathers” and “children”, which is reflected in the title of the novel and constitutes its main conflict, is a timeless, vital problem.
Therefore, Turgenev notes the typical “small awkwardness” that he feels
Arkady at the first “family dinner” after parting and “which usually takes possession of a young man when he has just ceased to be a child and returned to a place where they are used to seeing and considering him a child. He unnecessarily dragged out his speech, avoided the word "daddy" and even once replaced it with the word "father", uttered, however, through his teeth ... "
Bazarov, a nihilist, represents the "new people", Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is opposed to him as the main opponent. Pavel Petrovich is the son of a military general in 1812. Graduated from the Corps of Pages. He had a nasty handsome face, youthful slenderness. An aristocrat, an Angloman, was funny, self-confident, spoiled himself. Living in the village with his brother, he retained aristocratic habits. Bazarov is the grandson of a deacon, the son of a county doctor.
Materialist, nihilist. He speaks in a "lazy but courageous voice", his gait is "solid and swiftly bold". Speaks clearly and simply. Important features of Bazarov's worldview are his atheism and materialism. He
"possessed a special ability to arouse confidence in the lower people, although he never indulged them and treated them casually." The views of the nihilist and
Kirsanov were completely opposite.
What is the essence of Bazarov's nihilism?
What is the essence of Bazarov's nihilism? The novel "Fathers and Sons" is directed against the nobility. This is not the only work of Turgenev written in this spirit (remember, for example, "Notes of a Hunter"), but it is especially distinguished by the fact that in it the writer denounced not individual nobles, but the entire class of landowners, proved his inability to lead Russia forward, completed his ideological rout. Why did this work appear in the early 60s of the 19th century? The defeat in the Crimean War, the predatory reform of 1861 confirmed the decline of the nobility, its failure to govern Russia.
In "Fathers and Sons" it is shown that the old, degenerate morality is giving way, albeit with difficulty, to a new, revolutionary, progressive one. The bearer of this new morality is the protagonist of the novel, Evgeny Vasilyevich Bazarov.
This young man from the commoners, seeing the decline of the ruling classes and the state, takes the path of nihilism, that is, negation. What does Bazarov deny? "Everything," he says. And everything is what relates to the minimum needs of man and to the knowledge of nature through personal experience, through experiments. Bazarov looks at things from the point of view of their practical benefits. His motto: "Nature is not a temple, but a workshop, and man is a worker in it." Eugene does not recognize authorities, conventions, love, religion, autocracy. But he does not look for followers and does not fight against what he denies. This, in my opinion, is a very important feature of Bazarov's nihilism. This nihilism is directed inward, Eugene does not care whether he is understood and recognized or not. Bazarov does not hide his convictions, but he is not a preacher either. One of the features of nihilism in general is the denial of spiritual and material values.
Bazarov is very unpretentious. He cares little about the fashion of his clothes, about the beauty of his face and body, he does not seek to get money in any way.
What he has is enough for him. The opinion of society about his material condition does not bother him. Bazarov's disregard for material values elevates him in my eyes. This trait is a sign of strong and intelligent people.
The denial of spiritual values by Yevgeny Vasilyevich is disappointing.
Calling spirituality "romanticism" and "nonsense", he despises people - its bearers. "A decent chemist is twenty times more useful than a high poet," says Bazarov. He mocks Arkady's father, who plays the cello and reads Pushkin, Arkady himself, who loves nature, and Pavel
Petrovich, who threw his life at the feet of his beloved woman. I think,
Bazarov denies music, poetry, love, beauty out of inertia, not really understanding these things. He reveals a complete ignorance of literature (“Nature evokes the silence of a dream,” Pushkin said, and so on) and inexperience in love.
Love for Odintsova, most likely the first in his life, was in no way consistent with the ideas of Eugene, which infuriated him. But, despite what happened to him, Bazarov did not change his former views on love and took up arms against her even more. This is proof of stubbornness
Eugene and his commitment to his ideas. So, there are no values for Bazarov, and this is the reason for his cynicism. Bazarov likes to emphasize his adamance to authorities. He believes only in what he saw and felt himself. Although Eugene claims that he does not recognize other people's opinions, he says that German scientists are his teachers. I don't think this is a contradiction. The Germans he is talking about, and Bazarov himself, are like-minded people, and he and the others do not recognize authorities, so why shouldn't Yevgeny trust these people? The fact that even a person like him has teachers is natural: it is impossible to know everything on your own, you need to rely on the knowledge already acquired by someone. The Bazarovsky mindset, constantly searching, doubting, inquiring, can be a model for a person striving for knowledge.
Bazarov is a nihilist, and we respect him for this as well. But in the words of the hero of another Turgenev's novel, Rudin, "skepticism has always been marked by futility and impotence." These words are applicable to Evgeny Vasilyevich. - Yes, it is necessary to build. - It's none of our business... First we need to clear the place. Bazarov's weakness is that, while denying, he does not offer anything in return. Bazarov is a destroyer, not a creator. His nihilism is naive and maximalist, but nevertheless it is valuable and necessary. It is generated by the noble ideal of Bazarov - the ideal of a strong, intelligent, courageous and moral person. Bazarov has such a feature that he belongs to two different generations. The first is the generation of the time in which he lived. Eugene is typical of this generation, like any smart commoner, striving for knowledge of the world and confident in the degeneration of the nobility. The second is the generation of a very distant future. Bazarov was a utopian: he called for living not according to principles, but according to feelings. This is an absolutely true way of life, but then, in the 19th century, and even now it is impossible. Society is too corrupt to produce uncorrupted people, that's all. "Fix society and there will be no disease."
Bazarov is absolutely right in this, but he did not think that it was not so easy to do this. I am sure that a person who lives not according to someone's invented rules, but according to his natural feelings, according to his conscience, is a person of the future. That's why
Bazarov and belongs to some extent to the generation of his distant descendants.
Bazarov gained fame among readers due to his unusual views on life, the ideas of nihilism. This nihilism is immature, naive, even aggressive and stubborn, but still it is useful as a means of making society wake up, look back, look ahead and think where it is going.
Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov.
In order to understand the conflict of the novel in its entirety, one should understand all the shades of disagreement between Evgeny Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov. "Who is Bazarov?" - the Kirsanovs ask and hear Arkady's answer: "Nihilist".
According to Pavel Petrovich, nihilists simply do not recognize anything and do not respect anything. The views of the nihilist Bazarov can only be determined by ascertaining his position. The question of what to recognize, on what, on what grounds to build one's convictions, is extremely important for Pavel Petrovich. This is what the principles of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov represent: the aristocrats won the right to a leading position in society not by origin, but by moral virtues and deeds ("The aristocracy gave freedom to England and supports it"), i.e. moral norms worked out by aristocrats are the backbone of the human personality. Only immoral people can live without principles.
After reading Bazarov's statements about the futility of big words, we see that
Pavel Petrovich's "principles" do not in any way correlate with his activities for the benefit of society, and Bazarov accepts only what is useful ("They will tell me the case, I agree." "At the present time, denial is most useful, we deny"). Eugene also denies the political system, which leads Paul
Petrovich was confused (he "turned pale"). Attitude towards the people of Paul
Petrovich and Bazarov are different. To Pavel Petrovich, the religiosity of the people, life according to the orders established by their grandfathers, seem to be the original and valuable features of the people's life, they touch him. Bazarov, however, hates these qualities: "The people believe that when thunder rumbles, this is Elijah the prophet in a chariot driving around the sky. Well? Do I agree with him?" One and the same phenomenon is called differently, and its role in the life of the people is assessed differently. Pavel Petrovich: "He (the people) cannot live without faith." Bazarov: "The grossest superstition is choking him."
The disagreements between Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich in relation to art and nature are visible. From Bazarov's point of view, "reading Pushkin is a waste of time, making music is ridiculous, enjoying nature is ridiculous." Paul
Petrovich, on the contrary, loves nature, music. The maximalism of Bazarov, who believes that one can and should rely in everything only on one's own experience and one's own feelings, leads to the denial of art, since art is just a generalization and artistic interpretation of someone else's experience. Art (and literature, and painting, and music) softens the soul, distracts from work. All this is "romanticism", "nonsense". Bazarov, for whom the main figure of the time was the Russian peasant, crushed by poverty, "gross superstitions", it seemed blasphemous to "talk" about art,
"unconscious creativity" when "it's about daily bread." So, in Turgenev's novel "Fathers and Sons" two strong, vivid characters collided. According to his views, convictions, Pavel Petrovich appeared before us as a representative of the "fettering, chilling power of the past", and Yevgeny Bazarov - as part of the "destructive, liberating power of the present."
Bazarov and Arkady.
After the publication in 1862, Turgenev's novel "Fathers and Sons" caused
literally a flurry of critical articles. None of the public
The camps did not accept Turgenev's new creation. liberal criticism.
could forgive the writer that the representatives of the aristocracy,
hereditary nobles are depicted ironically that the "plebeian" Bazarov
all the time mocks them and is morally superior to them.
Democrats perceived the protagonist of the novel as an evil parody.
The critic Antonovich, who collaborated in the Sovremennik magazine, called
Bazarov "asmodeus of our time".
But all these facts, it seems to me, just speak in favor of
I.S. Turgenev. Like a real artist, creator, he managed to guess
the trends of the era, the emergence of a new type, the type of democrat-raznochinets,
who replaced the advanced nobility. The main problem,
set by the writer in the novel, already sounds in its title: "Fathers and
children". This name has a double meaning. On the one hand, this
the problem of generations is the eternal problem of classical literature, with
the other is the conflict of two socio-political forces acting in
Russia in the 60s: liberals and democrats.
The characters in the novel are grouped according to
to which of the socio-political camps can we attribute them.
But the fact is that the main character Evgeny Bazarov turns out to be
the only representative of the camp of "children", the camp of democrats-
raznochintsev. All other heroes are in a hostile camp.
The central place in the novel is occupied by the figure of a new man -
Evgenia Bazarova. He is presented as one of those young men
who want to fight. Others are older people who
do not share the revolutionary-democratic convictions of Bazarov.
They are depicted as small, weak-willed people with narrow,
limited interests. The novel features nobles and
commoners of 2 generations - "fathers" and "children". Turgenev shows how a raznochinets democrat operates in an environment alien to him.
In Maryina, Bazarov is a guest who is distinguished by his
democratic appearance from the landlords. And with Arkady he
diverges in the main thing - in the idea of life, although at first they
are considered friends. But their relationship still cannot be called
friendship, because friendship is impossible without mutual understanding, friendship
cannot be based on the subordination of one to the other. On
throughout the novel, the subordination of a weak nature is observed
stronger: Arcadia - Bazarov. But still, Arkady gradually
acquired his own opinion and already ceased to blindly repeat for
Bazarov's judgments and opinions of a nihilist. He can't handle arguments.
and expresses his thoughts. One day, their argument came close to a fight.
The difference between the heroes is visible in their behavior in the "empire" of Kirsanov.
Bazarov is engaged in work, studying nature, and Arkady
sybaritizes, does nothing. The fact that Bazarov is a man of action is evident
right over his red bare arm. Yes, indeed, he is in any
environment, in any home tries to do business. His main business
Natural sciences, the study of nature and the testing of theoretical
discoveries in practice. Passion for science is a typical feature
cultural life of Russia in the 60s, which means that Bazarov keeps pace with
time. Arkady is the complete opposite. He is nothing
is engaged, none of the serious cases really captivates him.
For him, the main thing is comfort and peace, but for Bazarov - not to sit idly by,
work, move.
They have completely different opinions about
art. Bazarov denies Pushkin, and unreasonably. Arkady
trying to prove to him the greatness of the poet. Arkady is always neat,
neat, well dressed, he has aristocratic manners. Bazarov is not
considers it necessary to observe the rules of good manners, so important in
noble life. This is reflected in all his actions, habits,
manners, speech, appearance.
A major disagreement arose between the "friends" in a conversation about the role
nature in human life. Here you can already see the resistance of Arcadia
Bazarov's views, gradually the "student" is getting out of control
"teachers". Bazarov hates many, but Arkady has no enemies. "You,
tender soul, a weakling," says Bazarov, realizing that Arkady is already
cannot be his companion. The "student" cannot live without
principles. In this he is very close to his liberal father and Pavel
Petrovich. But Bazarov appears before us as a man of the new
generation that replaced the "fathers" who were unable to decide
the main problems of the era. Arkady is a man belonging to the old
generation, generation of "fathers".
Pisarev very accurately assesses the causes of disagreements between
"student" and "teacher", between Arkady and Bazarov: "Attitude
Bazarov to his comrade throws a bright streak of light on his character; at
Bazarov has no friend, because he has not yet met a person who
would not have succumbed to him. Bazarov's personality closes in on itself,
because outside of it and around it there are almost no relatives at all
elements".
Arkady wants to be the son of his age and puts on ideas
Bazarov, who definitely cannot grow together with him. He
belongs to the category of people who are always guarded and never
noticing guardianship. Bazarov treats him patronizingly and
almost always mockingly, he realizes that they will go their separate ways.
The main problem in the novel by I.S. Turgenev becomes the problem of "fathers and children", which has always existed. Children cannot obey and indulge their parents in everything, because it is so inherent in all of us. Each of us is an individual and each has his own point of view. We cannot copy anyone, including parents. The most we can do to become more like them is to choose the same path in life as our ancestors. Some, for example, serve in the army, because their father, grandfather, great-grandfather, etc. were military, and some treat people, just like their father and like Evgeny Bazarov. The problem of "father and children" in the novel is only a cause for conflict, and the reason is that fathers and children were representatives of different ideas. Already describing the heroes, Turgenev contrasts Bazarov's dirty hoodie, which the owner himself calls "clothes", Pavel Petrovich's fashionable tie and half boots. It is generally accepted that in communication between Pavel Petrovich and Bazarov, a complete victory remains with the latter, and meanwhile a very relative triumph falls to the lot of Bazarov. AND
Bazarov and Pavel Petrovich can be accused of arguing.
Kirsanov talks about the need to follow authorities and believe in them. A
Bazarov denies the reasonableness of both. Pavel Petrovich claims that only immoral and empty people can live without principles. And Eugene believes that the principle is an empty and non-Russian word. Kirsanov reproaches
Bazarov in contempt for the people, and he says that "the people deserve contempt." And if traced throughout the work, then there are many areas in which they do not agree. So, for example, Bazarov believes: "A decent chemist is twenty times more useful than any poet."
Golubkov about "Fathers and Sons" by Turgenev I.S.
The socio-political situation in which Turgenev's novel "Fathers and Sons" was created and published was extremely difficult.
Only five years have passed since Turgenev published the novel
"Rudin", but these five years (1856-1861) were marked by very big changes in the life of Russian society. During these years, the muffled unrest associated with the expectation of "freedom" has become extremely intensified among the masses of the people, cases of peasant uprisings have become more frequent, and even the tsarist government, after the Crimean defeat, began to understand the need to eliminate the old, feudal relations.
Great shifts also took place in the cultural strata of society: among the magazines, Sovremennik and Russkoye Slovo occupied the dominant place, the voices of Chernyshevsky, Dobrolyubov, Pisarev were heard more and more loudly in them,
Nekrasov, their influence on young people became wider and deeper. In the country, according to contemporaries, a revolutionary situation was being created. With each passing year, the social struggle intensified. The former like-minded people, who had recently stood side by side in the struggle against serfdom, now, when it was necessary to decide on the future economic and political path of Russia, dispersed in different directions and generally split into two camps: on one side stood the revolutionary democrats, and on the other - defenders of antiquity and liberals, supporters of moderate reforms.
Before Turgenev, who always reflected, in his own words, "the spirit and pressure of the time", this time the question arose of the artistic display of the brewing social conflict.
Turgenev approached this task not as an outside observer, but as a living participant in the events, who played an active role in public life.
All the main events of the novel take place within just two months:
Bazarov arrives at the Kirsanovs' estate at the end of May, and at the end of July he dies. Everything that happened to the heroes before or after these two months is told in biographical digressions (this is how we learn about the past of the Kirsanovs and Odintsova) and in the epilogue: this gives the reader the impression that he has become acquainted with the whole life of the hero.
The main events are distributed evenly between the three main centers of action: the estate of the Kirsanovs, Odintsova and Bazarovs; the fourth scene of action, the provincial town, is of secondary importance in the development of the plot.
In “Fathers and Sons” there are 30 characters (including such third-rate characters as General Kirsanov, Nikolai Petrovich’s father), many of them are spoken of in just a few words, but the reader has a very clear idea about each of them. For example, Katya, Anna's sister
Sergeevna Odintsova does not belong to the main characters: she
Turgenev devotes only 5 pages: about a page in chapter 16 (the first day of Bazarov and Arkady's stay at the Odintsova estate) and several pages in chapter 25 (Arkady's explanation with Katya) ...
With the same extremely sparse, but expressive artistic means, Turgenev draws in Fathers and Sons the image of the modern Russian village, the peasantry. This collective image is created in the reader through a series of details scattered throughout the novel. In general, the village during the transitional period of 1859-1860, on the eve of the abolition of serfdom, is characterized in the novel by three features. This is poverty, poverty, lack of culture of the peasants, as a terrible legacy of their centuries-old slavery. On the way of Bazarov and Arkady to
Maryino came across “villages with low huts under dark, often half-swept roofs, and crooked threshing sheds with walls woven from brushwood and yawning gates near the empty humens ...
A special feature of the peasantry, shown in the novel, is the complete alienation of the peasants from the masters and distrust of them, no matter in what guise the masters appear before them. This is the meaning of Bazarov's conversation with the peasants in Chapter 27, which sometimes confused readers.
G.A. Byaly "Fathers and Sons" by Turgenev.
It is difficult to name such a literary work, which would be argued so much and fiercely, as about "Fathers and Sons". These disputes began even before the publication of the novel. As soon as a select circle of the first readers got acquainted with the manuscript of Fathers and Sons, heated fights immediately arose.
Editor of the magazine "Russian Messenger" M.N. Katkov, a fierce enemy of the democratic movement, became indignant: “What a shame it was
Turgenev to lower the flag in front of the radical and salute him as before a well-deserved warrior ... "
One could think that in the democratic camp they would meet a novel
Turgenev with respect and gratitude, but this did not happen either. In any case, there was no unanimity there. M. Antonovich, a critic of Sovremennik, after reading the novel, was no less angry than Katkov. “He despises and hates his main character and his friends with all his heart,” Antonovich wrote about
Turgenev.
DI. Pisarev, unlike Antonovich, on the pages of another democratic journal, Russkoye Slovo, ardently argued that Bazarov was not only not a caricature, but, on the contrary, a correct and profound embodiment of the type of modern progressive youth. Under the influence of all these rumors and disputes, Turgenev himself was confused: “Did I want to scold Bazarov or exalt him? I do not know this myself, for I do not know whether I love him or hate him.
In the article “About “Fathers and Sons” (1869), explaining “what happens in the soul of the author”, “what exactly are his joys and sorrows, his aspirations, successes and failures.”
It is not surprising that "Fathers and Sons" had a great influence both on literature and, more broadly, on the life of Russian society in different periods of its development.
The meaning of "Fathers and Sons" has not been lost even today. Turgenev's novel lives a new life, excites, awakens thought, gives rise to controversy. The intelligent and courageous Bazarov cannot but attract us with his stern, albeit somewhat gloomy honesty, his impeccable directness, his ardent enthusiasm for science and work, his aversion to empty phrases, to all sorts of lies and falsehood, and the indomitable temperament of a fighter.
Turgenev's novel arose in the midst of the "present", in an atmosphere of political struggle, it was saturated with the living passions of its era and therefore became the undying past for our time.
"To the 150th anniversary of the birth of I.S. Turgenev."
“To accurately and strongly reproduce the truth, the reality of life, is the highest happiness for a writer, even if this truth does not coincide with his own sympathies,” wrote Turgenev. In Bazarov, the most important, the most interesting was "real life", although in this particular case it did not quite coincide with the writer's sympathies. Some emphasis on the extremes, the vulgar features of Bazarov's materialism was due to the fact that Turgenev disagreed with the revolutionary democrats, with Nekrasov,
Chernyshevsky and, as you know, with a group of other writers left
"Contemporary". And yet, even the extremes of Bazarov are not fabricated, but merely sharpened by the writer, perhaps in some places excessively. Bazarov - strong, irrepressible, bold, although straight-line thinking - was a typical and mostly positive figure, although Turgenev himself was critical of him and, of course, not by accident.
The democratic movement of the 1960s was very broad and varied.
Pisarev correctly noted that Bazarov was an early forerunner of the movement of the raznochintsy democratic intelligentsia, when its revolutionary activities had not yet been decided with complete clarity.
According to the whole warehouse of his character, Bazarov, in contrast to people, is an active person, striving for business. But due to censorship conditions and the fact that the events of the novel refer to the summer of 1859, Turgenev could not show his hero in revolutionary activities, in revolutionary connections.
Pisarev noted that Bazarov's readiness for action, his fearlessness, the strength of his will, his ability to sacrifice were clearly manifested in the scene of his tragic death. “Bazarov did not blunder and the meaning of the novel came out like this,” Pisarev pointed out, “today young people are carried away and go to extremes, but fresh strength and an incorruptible mind are reflected in the very impulses; this strength and this mind, without any extraneous aids and influences, will lead young people to a straight path and support them in life.
Whoever read this wonderful life in Turgenev's novel cannot but express deep and ardent gratitude to him, as a great artist and an honest citizen of Russia.
Bibliography.
1. "Schoolchild's Brief Reference Book" publishing house "Olma Press".
2. V.V. Golubkov “Fathers and Sons” by Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev.
3. G.A. Byaly "Fathers and Sons"
4. To the 150th anniversary of the birth of Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev.
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