The problematics of the work Fathers and Sons point by point. Current problems of fathers and children (based on the novel Fathers and Sons by Turgenev I.S.)

The novel “Fathers and Sons” was written by I. S. Turgenev during the revolutionary situation in Russia (1859-1862) and

abolition of serfdom. The writer revealed in the novel the turning point in the social consciousness of Russia, when the noble

liberalism was supplanted by revolutionary democratic thought. This division of society is reflected in

the novel in the person of Bazarov, a commoner democrat (“children”) and the Kirsanov brothers, the best of the liberal nobles (“fathers”).

Turgenev himself was ambivalent about the image he created. He wrote to A. A. Fet: “Did I want to scold Bazarov or extol him? I don’t know this myself, because I don’t know whether I love him or hate him!” And in a note about “Fathers and Sons” Turgenev writes: “Bazarov is my favorite brainchild... This is the prettiest of all my figures.”

The personality of Bazarov, the exponent of the ideas of revolutionary democracy, interests Turgenev, because he is a hero of the time who has absorbed distinctive features era of social change. Turgenev highlights democracy in Bazarov, manifested in the noble habit of work, which is developed from childhood. On the one hand, the example of parents, on the other - a harsh school of life, studying at the university for pennies. This feature distinguishes him favorably from the Kirsanovs and for Bazarov is the main criterion for assessing a person. The Kirsanovs are the best of the nobles, but they do nothing, they don’t know how to get down to business. Nikolai Petrovich plays the cello and reads Pushkin. Pavel Petrovich carefully monitors his appearance, changing clothes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Arriving to his father, Bazarov says: “I want to work.” And Turgenev constantly. emphasizes that “work fever” is characteristic of the active nature of the hero. A feature of the generation of Democrats of the 60s was a passion for natural sciences. After graduating from the Faculty of Medicine, Bazarov, instead of resting, “cuts frogs”, preparing himself for scientific activity. Bazarov does not confine himself only to those sciences that are directly related to medicine, but reveals extensive knowledge in botany, agricultural technology, and geology. Understanding the limitations of his capabilities due to the deplorable state of medicine in Russia, Bazarov still never refuses to help those in need, regardless of his busy schedule: he treats Fenichka’s son and the peasants of the surrounding villages, and helps his father. And even his death occurred due to infection during the autopsy. Bazarov's humanism is manifested in his desire to benefit the people, Russia.

Bazarov is a man with great feeling self-esteem, is in no way inferior to aristocrats in this respect, and in some ways even surpasses them. In the story of the duel, Bazarov showed not only common sense and intelligence, but nobility and fearlessness, even the ability to be ironic at himself in a moment of mortal danger. Even Pavel Petrovich appreciated his nobility: “You acted nobly...” But there are things that Turgenev denies in his hero - this is Bazarov’s nihilism in relation to nature, music, literature, painting, love - everything that makes up the poetry of life , which elevates a person. Bazarov denies everything that is devoid of a materialistic explanation.

He considers the entire political system of Russia to be rotten, so he denies “everything”: autocracy, serfdom, religion - and what is generated by the “ugly state of society”: popular poverty, lack of rights, darkness, ignorance, patriarchal antiquity, family. However, Bazarov does not put forward a positive program. When P.P. Kirsanov tells him: “...You are destroying everything... But you also need to build,” Bazarov replies: “This is no longer our business... First we need to clear the place.”

When Bazarov branded inflated, abstract “principles” with ridicule, he wins. And the author shares his position. But when Bazarov enters the sphere of refined experiences that he has never accepted, not a trace of his confidence remains. The more difficult it is for Bazarov, the more palpable the author’s empathy for him.

His love for Odintsova expressed Bazarov’s ability for strong feelings and respect for a woman, her mind and character - after all, he shared his most cherished thoughts with Odintsova, filling his feeling with reasonable content.

Love for Odintsova helped Bazarov reconsider his views and rethink his beliefs. A complex reassessment of values ensues. Boundless Rus' with its dark, dirty villages becomes the subject of his close attention. But he never acquires the ability to “talk about the affairs and needs” of the peasants and only helps the village population in his father’s medicinal practice. V Turgenev showed the greatness of Bazarov during his illness, in the face of death. In the speech of the dying man there is pain from the consciousness of the imminent inevitable end. Each remark addressed to Odintsova is a clot of spiritual suffering: “Look at what an ugly sight: a half-crushed worm” and still bristling. And I would also think: I’ll break a lot, grandfather, I won’t die, no matter what! There is a task, because I am a giant!.. Russia needs me... No, apparently, I am not needed. And who is needed? Knowing that he will die, he consoles his parents, shows sensitivity to his mother, hiding from her the danger that threatens him, and makes a dying request to Odintsova to take care of the old people: “After all, people like them cannot be found in your big world during the day. ..” The courage and steadfastness of his materialistic and atheistic views were manifested in his refusal to confess when, yielding to the pleas of his parents, he agreed to take communion, but only in an unconscious state, when a person is not responsible for his actions. Pisarev noted that in the face of death, “Bazarov becomes better, more humane, which is proof of the integrity, completeness and natural richness of nature.” Not having time to realize himself in life, Bazarov only in the face of death gets rid of his intolerance and for the first time truly feels that real life much wider and more diverse than his ideas about her. This is the main meaning of the ending. Turgenev himself wrote about this:

“I dreamed of a gloomy, wild, large figure, half grown out of the soil, strong, evil, honest - yet doomed to death - because it still stands on the threshold of the future.”

The events that I. S. Turgenev describes in the novel take place in the middle of the 19th century. This is the time when Russia was experiencing another era of reforms. The idea contained in the title of the novel is revealed very widely, since it deals not only with the uniqueness of different generations, but also about the confrontation between the nobility, leaving the historical stage, and the democratic intelligentsia, moving to the center of the social and spiritual life of Russia, representing its future.

Philosophical thoughts about the change of generations, about the eternal movement of life and the eternal struggle between old and new were heard more than once in the works of Russian writers even before Turgenev (“Woe from Wit” by A. S. Griboedov). Similar thoughts and feelings, along with disputes about the peasant community, about nihilism, about art, about aristocracy, about the Russian people, are also heard in Turgenev’s novel. But there are also universal human problems that the author reflects on.

At the center of the novel is the figure of commoner Bazarov, who embodies the type of person newest generation. The “fathers” are represented by the Kirsanov brothers and Bazarov’s parents.

The antagonism of the views of Pavel Petrovich and Bazarov is revealed in heated debates between them. But in disputes with Bazarov, Pavel Petrovich cannot defeat the nihilist, cannot shake his moral principles, and then he resorts to the last means of resolving the conflict - a duel.

39. The genre of the novel in the works of I.S. Turgenev. Peculiarities artistic structure and problems of the writer’s novels. Analysis of one novel of your choice. Analysis of the novel "Fathers and Sons". Turgenev 1817-1883. T. created and developed a special type of novel, which reflected new and special trends of the era. Feature the writer's appearance of T: the more acutely he perceives the world in the individual uniqueness of transient phenomena, the more alarming and tragic his love for life, for its fleeting beauty becomes. The T-artist is endowed with a special sense of time. Its inexorable and swift progress. After all, he lived in an era of intensive, accelerated development of Russia, when “transformations took place in a few decades that took entire centuries in some old European countries.” The writer had the opportunity to witness the crisis of noble revolutionism of the 20s and 30s, he saw the struggle of two generations of revolutionary-democratic intelligentsia of the 60s and 70s, a struggle that each time brought not the joy of victories, but the bitterness of defeats. All six of T’s novels not only fell into the “present moment” of the life of society, but also in their own way anticipated it. The writer was especially sensitive to what was “on the eve”, what was still in the air. His novels turned into a kind of chronicle of the change of different mental trends in the cultural stratum of Russian society: an idealist-dreamer, “ extra person» 30-40s in the novel “RUDIN”; nobleman Lavretsky, striving to merge with the people, in “THE NOBLERY’S NEST”; " new person» revolutionary commoner - first Dmitry Insarov in “ON THE EVE”, and then Evgeny Bazarov in “O and D”; the era of ideological impassability in “SMOKE”; a new wave of social upsurge in the 70s in NOVI. “The physiognomy of Russian people of the cultural stratum” in the T era changed very quickly - and this introduced a special touch of drama into novels, characterized by a rapid start and an unexpected denouement, “tragic, as a rule, endings.” T's novels are strictly confined to a narrow period of historical time; precise chronology plays a significant role in them. The hero's life is extremely limited compared to the heroes of the novels of Pushkin, Lermontov, Goncharov. The characters of Onegin, Pechorin, Oblomov “reflected a century”; in Rudin, Lavretsky or Bazarov - the mental trends of several years. The life of Turgenev's heroes is like a spark that flashes brightly, but quickly fades. History, in its inexorable movement, measures out a tense, but too short-term fate for them. All Turgenev's novels obey the strict rhythm of the annual natural cycle. The action in them begins, as a rule, in early spring, reaches its climax on the hot days of summer, and ends with the “whistle of the autumn wind” or “in the cloudless silence of the January frosts.” T shows its heroes in the happy moments of their maximum rise and blossoming vitality. But these minutes turn out to be tragic: Rudin dies on the Prague barricades, during the heroic takeoff, the life of Insarov, and then Bazarov, Nezhdanov, is suddenly cut short. “Extra” and “new” people became heroes, i.e. noble and mixed-democratic intelligentsia, which predetermined the moral and ideological-political level of Russian. society. The characters were distinguished not only by their belonging to different social types, but also by their attraction to the definitive type of relationship with the surrounding world. 3 types of heroes in T.’s novels 1) “inferior” – the relationship between a person and society. Presented various types opportunists and careerists (Pandonevsky, Ibasov). 2) “average” - honest and decent people, hostile to the world of self-interest and vanity, endowed with a high idea of duty, limited by ready-made norms and traditions, moderate in desires (Valyntsev, Basistov, Mikhalevich, Kirsanov brothers). 3) “highest” - spiritually free people whose goal is to reorganize the world. The national meaning of the life and activity of the human person is concentrated. T.'s love has many faces. The “lower” type experiences a passion that can capture a person entirely. With T, the poetic image of the companion of the Russian hero, Turgenev's girl - Natalia Lasunskaya, Lisa Kalitina, Elena Stakhova, Marianna - entered not only literature, but also life. The writer depicts in his novels and stories the most flourishing period in a woman’s destiny, when, in anticipation of the chosen one, the woman’s soul blossoms, and all its potential possibilities awaken to temporary triumph. The “average” type has high aspirations. The condition for the fulfillment of love is reciprocity. Mutual love and happiness compensate for spiritual narrowness. “The test of love replaces social practice in novels with epic practice. The test of love in relation to nature is associated with the specifics of T.'s philosophy, which goes back to the philosophy of Schopenhauer and Pascal. For T. nature is eternal, and human life is a short moment among the endless and eternal nature. The plot of T.'s works: the hero arrives somewhere, enters a new circle of people whom he does not know, with whom he has different relationships. With the departure or death of the hero, the novel ends. The philosophical tone enlarges the characters and takes the problems of the works beyond narrow temporal interests. “Fathers and Sons” was begun in 1860, in early August, and completed in July 1861. The actions of the novel take place in 1869, and the epilogue tells about the actions of 1861, those. after the fall of serfdom. The disputes between “fathers” and “sons”, representatives of two cultures – the old, outgoing noble one, and the new, democratic one – are vividly conveyed. The bleak fate of the serfs, the darkness and ignorance of the people are shown. The deep basis of the content was the question of the fate of Russia, the Russian people, the ways of their further development. In P.P. Kirsanov T. portrays an aristocratic gentleman. His life was reduced to love for a woman and regret about the past. Uselessness and inability to adapt to life are also shown in Nikolai Petrovich Kirsanov. This is also a type of outgoing lordship. Arkady Kirsanov, a representative of the young noble generation, is also critically depicted in the novel, quickly turning into an ordinary landowner, busy with his family and his farm. A positive hero Bazarov appears in the novel. T. wanted to understand and truthfully show the features of a new person, to get used to his image, and therefore kept a diary on behalf of Bazarov. Bazarov is a representative of the democratic youth of all ranks, an independent nature, not bowing to any authorities. For him, everything is subject to the judgment of thoughts. In this respect, Bazarov was a typical representative of the commoners of the sixties. In nihilism (nihilism is a complete denial of everything. Complete skepticism; nihilist - in the 60s of the 19th century in Russia: a supporter of the democratic movement, denying foundations and traditions noble society, serfdom) Bazarova T. saw manifestations of revolutionism. Depicting the clash of “fathers” and “children,” the writer showed the triumph of democracy over the aristocracy, but the mental and moral superiority of the common democrat and materialist Bazarov over Pavel Petrovich meant the defeat of those principles and foundations on which the life of the “fathers” was based. Among the contradictory features are contradictory statements about love and the great feeling that flared up in him for Odintsova. T. takes away love story secondary place. Bazarov contains more positive than negative traits, and this brings him closer to that part of the mixed-democratic youth of the 60s, who then embodied the progress of science. The novel “Fathers and Sons” is the pinnacle of T.’s artistic creativity. Here two environments with their established ideas and interests appear as two composition center . The composition of the novel itself reflected Russian reality during the period of the fall of serfdom, the struggle between two historical trends, two possible paths of social development. The action of the novel is led by Bazarov; he comes to the fore in almost all scenes of the novel, rather than the noble milieu and its heroes. With the death of Bazarov, “O and D” ends. The composition and plot conflicts and situations reflected the peculiarity of the time of intensification of the class struggle. The mentality and character of Turgenev's hero reflected the features and appearance of all the progressive democratic youth of the 60s. But Bazarov’s physiology and his passion for natural science reflected the traits of the youth of the 60s. Bazarov’s attitude to issues of art and aesthetics is connected with the direction of materialist thought of the 60s. T. portrayed the type of young man who believes exclusively in science and is contemptuous of art and religion. With his views and interests, Bazarov represented that part of the democratic youth of the 60s who followed the “Russian Word” and Pisarev. The inevitable blow of fate can be read in the final episode of the novel: there is, undoubtedly, something symbolic in the fact that the brave “anatomist” and “physiologist” of Russian life destroys himself during the autopsy of a peasant’s corpse. In the face of death, the supports that once supported Bazarov's self-confidence turned out to be weak: medicine and natural sciences, having discovered their powerlessness, retreated, leaving B. alone with himself. And then the forces that were once denied by him, but kept at the bottom of his soul, came to the aid of the hero. It is them who he mobilizes to fight death, and they restore the integrity and fortitude of his spirit in the last test. Dying B is simple and humane: there is no longer any need to hide his “romanticism,” and now the hero’s soul is freed from the flesh, seething and foaming like a deep river. Love for a woman, the love of sons for father and mother merge in the consciousness of the dying B with love for his homeland, for mysterious Russia, which remains an incompletely solved mystery for B. T created the image of a person who did not exist in life, but ideally possible and alive. B is a hero of large scale, who with his fate paid for all the costs of nihilistic theories. T showed what consequences the righteous force of anger, contempt and destruction can lead to for a revolutionary if it takes nihilistic forms, if the class struggle is not based on the foundation of a living theory that takes into account the real complexity of life. The creation of such an image of a nihilist revolutionary can be considered the creative discovery of a great artist who was not a guardian of culture.

The novel “Fathers and Sons” was created by Turgenev at a difficult time for Russia. The growth of peasant uprisings and the crisis of the serfdom system forced the government to abolish serfdom in 1861. Peasant reform was necessary in Russia. Society was split into two camps: in one there were democratic revolutionaries , 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 the peasant revolution.

The great Russian writer shows in his novel the struggle between the worldviews of these two political directions. The plot of the novel is based on the contrast of the views of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov and Evgeny Bazarov, who are prominent representatives of these directions. The novel also raises other questions: how to treat the people, work, science, art, what transformations are necessary in the Russian village.

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, the representative of the younger generation Evgeny 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 relationships between people are hopelessly outdated. “Yes, I will spoil them... After all, this is all pride, lionish habits, foppishness...”. In his opinion, the main purpose of life is to work, to produce something material. That is why Bazarov disrespects art and 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 denial, than to watch indifferently from the outside, not daring to do anything. “At the present time, the most useful thing is denial - 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 concept of the novel.

These heroes have a lot in common. Both Kirsanov and Bazarov have highly developed pride. Sometimes they cannot calmly argue. Both of them are not subject to the influence of others, and only what they themselves have experienced and felt makes the heroes change their views on certain issues. Both the democrat commoner Bazarov and the aristocrat Kirsanov have enormous influence on those around them, and strength of character cannot be denied to either one or the other. And yet, despite such similarities in nature, these people are very different, which is due to the difference in origin, upbringing and way of thinking.

Discrepancies already appear in the portraits of the heroes. The face of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is “unusually correct and clean, as if carved with a thin and light chisel.” And in general, the whole appearance of Uncle Arkady “...was elegant 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 a not at all aristocratic nose. The portrait of Pavel Petrovich is a portrait " socialite“, whose manners match his appearance. The portrait of Bazarov undoubtedly belongs to “a democrat to the very end,” which is confirmed by the behavior of the hero, independent and self-confident.

Evgeniy's life is full of intense activity; he devotes every free minute to natural science studies. In the second half of the 19th century, the natural sciences experienced a boom; materialist 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 thoughts and memories.

The views of those arguing about art and nature are opposite. Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov admires works of art. He is able to admire the starry sky, enjoy music, poetry, and painting. Bazarov denies art (“Raphael is not worth a penny”) and 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. Going out onto 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 a “sorrowful and joyful game of lonely thoughts,” brings back pleasant memories, reveals to him “ magical world dreams.” The author shows that by denying admiration for nature, Bazarov impoverishes his spiritual life.

But the main difference between a commoner-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 of social development. Their ideal is “English freedom,” that is, a constitutional monarchy. The path to the ideal lies through reforms, openness, progress. Bazarov is confident that aristocrats are incapable of action and there is no benefit from them. He rejects liberalism, denies the ability of the nobility to lead Russia to the future.

Disagreements arise over nihilism and the role of nihilists in public life Pavel Petrovich condemns nihilists for the fact that they “respect no one”, live without “principles”, considers them unnecessary and powerless: “There are only 4-5 of you.” To this Bazarov replies: “Moscow burned down from a penny candle.” Speaking about the denial of everything, Bazarov means religion, the autocratic serfdom system, and generally accepted morality. What do nihilists want? First of all, revolutionary actions. And the criterion is the benefit for the people.

Pavel Petrovich glorifies the peasant community, family, religiosity, and patriarchy of the Russian peasant. He claims that “the Russian people cannot live without faith.” Bazarov says that the people do not understand their own interests, are dark and ignorant, that there are no honest people in the country, that “a man is happy to rob himself just to get drunk on dope in a tavern.” However, he considers it necessary to distinguish popular interests from popular prejudices; he claims that the people are revolutionary in spirit, therefore nihilism is a manifestation of the national spirit.

Turgenev shows that, despite his tenderness, Pavel Petrovich does not know how to talk with ordinary people, “he frowns 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 makes fun of them. The servants feel “that he is still his brother, not a master.”

This is precisely because Bazarov had the ability and desire to work. In Maryino, on the Kirsanov estate, Evgeniy worked because he could not sit idle, “some kind of medical-surgical smell” was established in his room.

In contrast, representatives of the older generation did not differ in their ability to work. So, Nikolai Petrovich is trying to manage things in a new way, but nothing works out for him. About himself he says: “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 do it. And the biggest thing that Pavel Petrovich did was help his brother with money, not daring to give advice, and “not jokingly imagining himself to be a practical person.”

And then Bazarov’s hot and passionate nature swept away all his theories. He fell in love, like a boy, with a woman whom he valued highly. “In conversations with Anna and Sergeevna, he expressed his indifferent contempt for everything romantic even more than before, and when left alone, he was indignantly aware of the romanticism in himself.” The hero is experiencing severe mental discord. “... Something... took possession of him, which he never allowed, which he always mocked, which outraged 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 her 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, now chasing after her, now with the intention of losing sight of her... and already I couldn’t get into the right groove.” And in general, the fact that he seriously fell in love with a frivolous and empty society lady says a lot.

Bazarov is a strong character, he is a new person in Russian society. And the writer carefully considers this type of character. The last test he offers his hero is death.

Anyone can pretend to be whoever they want. Some people do this their whole lives. But in any case, before death a person becomes what he really is. Everything pretentious disappears, and the time comes to think, perhaps for the first time and last time, about the meaning of life, about what good he did, whether they will remember or forget as soon as they are buried. And this is natural, because in the face of the unknown, a person discovers something that he may not have seen during his lifetime.

It’s a pity, of course, that Turgenev “kills” Bazarov. So brave to a strong man I wish I could live and live. But perhaps the writer, having shown that such people exist, did not know what to do with his hero next... The way Bazarov dies could be an honor to anyone. He feels sorry not for himself, but for his parents. He is sorry to leave life so early. Dying, Bazarov admits that he “fell under the wheel,” “but is still bristling.” And Odintsova says bitterly: “And now the giant’s whole task is to die decently... I won’t wag my tail.”

Bazarov is a tragic figure. It cannot be said that he defeats Kirsanov in an argument. Even when Pavel Petrovich is ready to admit defeat, Bazarov suddenly loses faith in his teaching and doubts his personal need for society. “Does Russia need me? No, apparently I don’t,” he reflects. Only the proximity of death restores Bazarov's self-confidence.

Whose side is the author of the novel on? This question cannot be answered unequivocally. Being a liberal by conviction, Turgenev felt the superiority of Bazarov, moreover, he asserted: “My whole story is directed against the nobility as an advanced class.” And further: “I wanted to show the cream of society, but if the cream is bad, then what about the milk?”

Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev loves his new hero and in the epilogue gives him high praise: “... a passionate, sinful, rebellious heart.” He says that it is not an ordinary person lying in the grave, but really a person that Russia needs, smart, strong, with non-stereotypical thinking.

It is known that I.S. Turgenev dedicated the novel to Belinsky and argued: “If the reader does not fall in love with Bazarov with all his rudeness, heartlessness, ruthless dryness and harshness, it is my fault that I did not achieve my goal. Bazarov is my favorite child.”

Turgenev wrote the novel “Fathers and Sons” in the last century, but the problems raised in it are still relevant in our time. What to choose: contemplation or action? How to relate to art, to love? Is the generation of fathers right? These questions have to be addressed by each new generation. And perhaps it is precisely the inability to solve them once and for all that drives life.

Problems of the novel “Fathers and Sons”

The disputes between Kirsanov and Bazarov reveal the ideological concept of the novel.

Discrepancies already appear in the portraits of the heroes. The face of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is “unusually correct and clean, as if carved with a thin and light chisel.” And in general, the whole appearance of Uncle Arkady “...was elegant 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. The portrait of Pavel Petrovich is a portrait of a “secular lion”, whose manners match his appearance. The portrait of Bazarov undoubtedly belongs to a “democrat down to his fingernails,” which is confirmed by the behavior of the hero, independent and self-confident.

The views of those arguing about art and nature are opposite. Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov admires works of art. He is able to admire the starry sky, enjoy music, poetry, and painting. Bazarov denies art (“Raphael is not worth a penny”) and 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. Going out onto 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 a “sorrowful and joyful play of lonely thoughts,” brings back pleasant memories, and opens up to him a “magical world of dreams.” The author shows that by denying admiration for nature, Bazarov impoverishes his spiritual life.

Disagreements arise over nihilism and the role of nihilists in public life. Pavel Petrovich condemns nihilists for the fact that they “don’t respect anyone,” live without “principles,” considers them unnecessary and powerless: “There are only 4-5 of you.” To this Bazarov replies: “Moscow burned down from a penny candle.” Speaking about the denial of everything, Bazarov means religion, the autocratic serfdom system, and generally accepted morality. What do nihilists want? First of all, revolutionary actions. And the criterion is the benefit for the people.

Bazarov is a strong character, he is a new person in Russian society. And the writer carefully considers this type of character. The last test he offers his hero is death.

Anyone can pretend to be whoever they want. Some people do this their whole lives. But in any case, before death a person becomes what he really is. All pretense disappears, and the time comes to think, perhaps for the first and last time, about the meaning of life, about what good you have done, whether they will remember or forget as soon as they are buried. And this is natural, because in the face of the unknown, a person discovers something that he may not have seen during his lifetime.

It’s a pity, of course, that Turgenev “kills” Bazarov. Such a brave, strong man should live and live. But perhaps the writer, having shown that such people exist, did not know what to do with his hero next... The way Bazarov dies could be an honor to anyone. He feels sorry not for himself, but for his parents. He is sorry to leave life so early. Dying, Bazarov admits that he “fell under the wheel,” “but is still bristling.” And Odintsova says bitterly: “And now the giant’s whole task is to die decently... I won’t wag my tail.”

Essays on literature: Problems of the novel "Fathers and Sons" The novel "Fathers and Sons" was created by Turgenev during a difficult time for Russia. The growth of peasant uprisings and the crisis of the serfdom system forced the government to abolish serfdom in 1861. In Russia it was necessary to carry out peasant reform. 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 tolerate serfdom, but feared a peasant revolution. The great Russian writer shows in his novel the struggle between the worldviews of these two political directions. The plot of the novel is based on the contrast of the views of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov and Evgeny Bazarov, who are prominent representatives of these directions.

The novel also raises other questions: how to treat the people, work, science, art, what transformations are necessary in the Russian village. 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 too, the representative of the younger generation, Evgeny 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 relationships between people are hopelessly outdated. “Yes, I will spoil them... After all, this is all pride, lionish habits, foppishness...”. In his opinion, the main purpose of life is to work, to produce something material.

That is why Bazarov disrespects art and 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 denial, than to watch indifferently from the outside, not daring to do anything. “At the present time, the most useful thing is denial - 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 concept of the novel.

And yet, despite such similarities in nature, these people are very different, which is due to the difference in origin, upbringing and way of thinking. Discrepancies already appear in the portraits of the heroes. The face of Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov is “unusually correct and clean, as if carved with a thin and light chisel.” And in general, the whole appearance of Uncle Arkady "...

He was elegant 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, a long and thin face, with a wide forehead and a not at all aristocratic nose. Portrait Pavel Petrovich is a portrait of a “secular lion”, whose manners match his appearance. The portrait of Bazarov undoubtedly belongs to a “democrat to the end of his nails,” which is confirmed by the hero’s behavior, independent and self-confident. Evgeny’s life is full of vigorous activity, he gives away every free moment. minute to natural sciences. In the second half of the 19th century, natural sciences experienced a rise; materialist scientists appeared, who developed these sciences through numerous experiments and experiments, and Bazarov was the prototype of such a scientist.

Pavel Petrovich, on the contrary, spends all his days in idleness and groundless, aimless thoughts and memories. The views of those arguing about art and nature are opposite. Pavel Petrovich Kirsanov admires works of art. He is able to admire the starry sky, enjoy music, poetry, and painting. Bazarov denies art (“Raphael is not worth a penny”) and 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. Stepping out onto the porch, "...

he looked around, as if wanting to understand how one could not sympathize with nature." And here we can feel how Turgenev, through his hero, expresses his own thoughts. The beautiful evening landscape leads Nikolai Petrovich to a "sorrowful and joyful game of lonely thoughts", evokes pleasant memories, opens to him a “magical world of dreams.” The author shows that by denying admiration for nature, Bazarov impoverishes his spiritual life. But the main difference between a commoner democrat who finds himself on the estate of a hereditary nobleman and a liberal lies in his views on society and the people. believes that aristocrats are the driving force of social development. Their ideal is “English freedom,” that is, a constitutional monarchy. The path to the ideal lies through reforms, openness, and progress.

Bazarov is sure that aristocrats are not capable of action and there is no benefit from them. He rejects liberalism, denies the ability of the nobility to lead Russia to the future. Disagreements arise over nihilism and the role of nihilists in public life. Pavel Petrovich condemns nihilists for the fact that they “don’t respect anyone,” live without “principles,” considers them unnecessary and powerless: “There are only 4-5 of you.” To this Bazarov replies: “Moscow burned down from a penny candle.” Speaking about the denial of everything, Bazarov means religion, the autocratic serfdom system, and generally accepted morality. What do nihilists want?

First of all, revolutionary actions. And the criterion is the benefit for the people. Pavel Petrovich glorifies the peasant community, family, religiosity, and patriarchy of the Russian peasant. He claims that "the Russian people cannot live without faith." Bazarov says that the people do not understand their own interests, are dark and ignorant, that there are no honest people in the country, that “a man is happy to rob himself just to get drunk on dope in a tavern.” However, he considers it necessary to distinguish popular interests from popular prejudices; he claims that the people are revolutionary in spirit, therefore nihilism is a manifestation of the national spirit. Turgenev shows that, despite his tenderness, Pavel Petrovich does not know how to talk with ordinary people, “he frowns 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 makes fun of them. The servants feel “that he is still his brother, not a master.”

This is precisely because Bazarov had the ability and desire to work. In Maryino, on the Kirsanov estate, Evgeniy worked because he could not sit idle; there was “some kind of medical-surgical smell” in his room. In contrast, representatives of the older generation did not differ in their ability to work. So, Nikolai Petrovich is trying to manage things in a new way, but nothing works out for him. He says about himself: “I am a soft, weak man, I spent my life in the wilderness.” But, according to Turgenev, this cannot serve as an excuse. If you can't work, don't do it. And the biggest thing Pavel Petrovich did was help his brother with money, not daring to give advice, and “not jokingly imagining himself to be a practical person.”

Of course, most of all a person manifests himself not in conversations, but in deeds and in his life. Therefore, Turgenev seems to lead his heroes through various trials. And the strongest of them is the test of love. After all, it is in love that a person’s soul reveals itself fully and sincerely. And then Bazarov’s hot and passionate nature swept away all his theories. He fell in love, like a boy, with a woman whom he valued highly. “In conversations with Anna and Sergeevna, 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... took possession of him, which he never allowed, which he always mocked, which outraged 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 her 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, now chasing her, now with the intention of losing sight of her... and already I couldn't get into the right groove." And in general, the fact that he seriously fell in love with a frivolous and empty society lady says a lot. Bazarov is a strong character, he is a new person in Russian society.

That’s why it’s called that, because the value of each work included in its fund has been tested by time. The tragedies of Shakespeare, the paintings of da Vinci, the music of Schnittke, the sculptures of Rodin - one can list for a long time, because the list of achievements of mankind created during its existence and development is truly long and rich. And representatives of Russian culture can be proud that their great compatriot, Ivan Sergeevich Turgenev, occupies one of the first places of honor among the recognized authors of the world and

Creator of the Russian novel

Yes, that's right. Of course, even before Turgenev there were many talented novelists in Russian literature. “The Encyclopedia of Russian Life” in verse, written by Pushkin, an entire generation, created by Lermontov in his “Hero...”, and many other wonderful works gave food to the mind and heart of the Russian person, educated, developed, explained, contributed to the formation of spiritually mature individuals, patriots of their homeland. But it was Turgenev who brought the Russian novel to the expanses of world literature and introduced foreign readers to the uniqueness of our culture, way of life, and history. Brevity, extraordinary expressiveness of language, intensity of plot, reflection of the most important socio-political moments in the life of society, ideological struggle characteristic of Russian reality, deep psychologism and amazing skill of a true artist - these are the distinctive features of Turgenev the novelist and his best creations. Thanks to Ivan Sergeevich, the foreign public and criticism learned about this amazing phenomenon - “Russian literature”, “Russian novel”. The author’s most important and beloved creation was “Fathers and Sons.” The meaning of the work reflected not only the complexity of family, social, civil and generally human relations, but also Turgenev’s points of view on these issues.

Why fathers and sons

The author's position in the novel is not directly indicated. But it is quite easy to determine if you look closely at the composition of the work, analyze the language of the characters, the system of images, and identify the role of individual elements, such as landscape, in the novel. This, by the way, is what makes “Fathers and Sons” very interesting. The meaning of the work is already contained in the title, and the main artistic device of opposition, or antithesis, can be traced throughout the entire novel.

So why fathers and why children? Because the family is a small cross-section of the entire society, and in it, as in a mirror, those most complex, sometimes dramatic collisions are reflected that shake and fever. By the time the idea was born and the novel itself was written, life, in the words of the critic Belinsky, “scattered into depth and width" in the huge variety of its elements. This variety of forms allows us to see and understand “Fathers and Sons.” The meaning of the work is revealed in the conflict between generations, in views on politics, religion, science, art, social order and world order. No less glaring is the class conflict, which has intensified against the backdrop of harsh confrontation between social forces and problems. An attentive reader, moving from chapter to chapter, understands more and more clearly the metaphorical nature of the title “Fathers and Sons.” The meaning of the work is not only to show the continuity and divisions of generations (a universal human aspect), but also to reveal the confrontation between established views and opinions and new ones that replace the old ones.

Family thought

Let's first analyze the “family thought” in the novel. It is worth noting that the theme of family is generally characteristic of Turgenev. The writer lived his entire independent life “on the edge of someone else’s nest,” and he had a rather complicated relationship with his mother. That is probably why Ivan Sergeevich valued so much the warmth of the hearth and the harmony of relationships between the older and younger generations. The work “Fathers and Sons” affirms those eternal values, without which, in fact, progress cannot move forward. This is shown by the example of the Kirsanov family. Arkady, a representative of the young and advanced generation, although under the influence of Bazarov, is still closely connected with his family. Even upon arriving in his father’s land, he exclaims that here the air is sweeter and more and more expensive and closer than in the capital. Making an excursion into the past of his heroes, Turgenev says that Kirsanov the father constantly tried to get closer to his son, share his interests, live what Arkady lives, met his friends, tried to understand the new generation coming to replace his peers. The work “Fathers and Sons,” as already mentioned, is an antithesis novel. But, although Bazarov is an ardent opponent of the entire past, including “fathers,” although he is outwardly rude with his father and mother and openly ridicules and despises the “old Kirsanovs,” the feeling of kinship is not alien to him. Thus, bonds are sacred for Turgenev. Welcoming the new time, the writer believes that one cannot completely erase the achievements of past eras, including

New and old

The meaning of the novel “Fathers and Sons” is broader and deeper than the question outlined above. Yes, indeed, the younger generation, with its inherent maximalism, often considers itself smarter, more progressive, more talented, more capable of significant actions and useful for the country than those whose age is approaching decline. Alas, but by and large this is true. Both Nikolai Petrovich and Pyotr Petrovich Kirsanov, educated and modern-minded people, still in many ways lagged behind the age that was uncontrollably flying forward. New scientific thoughts, technical achievements, political ideas are difficult for them to understand and difficult to accept into their everyday life. But does this mean that the past should be completely destroyed, forgotten, abandoned, “cleared,” as Bazarov puts it? What then to build in a new place, on an empty one? The nihilist Eugene cannot paint a detailed picture - apparently, he himself does not know, does not imagine it. And the author himself rightly saw the meaning of the novel “Fathers and Sons” not only to criticize the ugliness of Russian reality, the rotten system of social and often human relations, but also to prove that one cannot completely abandon the past. Human civilizations replaced one another, and each was based on the achievements of the previous one.

Ideological and aesthetic concept of the novel

What else is the novel “Fathers and Sons” about? written in 3 stages. The first dates back to 1860-1861, when the main text was created, the plot and figurative system were formed. The second dates back to the autumn of 1861 - early winter of 1862. At this time, the writer is actively reworking the text, making plot and compositional amendments, expanding the range of issues covered in accordance with political changes in the country. And finally, in the period from February to September 1862, the final edits and the first publication of the work “Fathers and Sons” in the Russian Bulletin. The novel's problematics are a vivid picture of the rise of the movement of commoners, revolutionary democrats; showing a new, just emerging type of nihilist public figure, questioning all the foundations of the Russian state. On 238 sheets of Turgenev’s neat handwriting there is space for the life story of the rebel Bazarov, criticism of the immorality of nihilism, the conflict between conservative liberals and revolutionary progressives, the disclosure of philosophical, spiritual, religious, ethical and aesthetic, moral conflicts.

What did the author want to say and what affected him?

It is impossible to understand the meaning of the novel “Fathers and Sons” without revealing the image of the main character - the nihilist Evgeny Bazarov. The author himself noted that he saw a strong, evil, wild and indomitable figure, honest, coming from the people, but doomed to death, because the time of the bazaars had not yet come. He admitted that he did not know whether he loved or hated the image he created. After all, the writer sought first of all to criticize the nobility as a once advanced, but now moribund, conservative class, hindering the economic and political development of the country. But Bazarov came to the fore, and it was about this hero that the controversy unfolded in domestic criticism. Some considered the main character an evil caricature, a pamphlet on the younger generation. Others, picking up Turgenev’s word “nihilist”, began to call it all sorts of outrages, political unrest, produced by the students. And the name Bazarov became synonymous with one of the names of the devil - Asmodeus. Still others, having picked up revolutionary ideas, elevated Evgeny Vasilyevich to the rank of their spiritual leader. Turgenev did not share the ideas of either one, or the second, or the third. This was one of the reasons for the ideological split between the writer and the Sovremennik staff.

The victory of life over ideology

Yes, Ivan Sergeevich, with all his sincere sympathy for the nobility and compassion for Bazarov, condemned both one and the other. In the novel, he proved that life is more complex and diverse than all ideologies and political disputes, and it cannot be fit into just one. Nature, love, sincere affection, the reviving and ennobling power of art, patriotism will triumph over any “passionate, sinful, rebellious heart.” And to this day, the fates of the heroes of the work interest and excite us, give rise to disputes, encourage us to try to understand as deeply as possible and teach everyone to be Human. And this is the main feature of great classical works.